Disqus - Latest Comments for Joe

Re: http://elblogdedrago.blogspot.com/2008/12/dd-my-brothers-wife-2-ovas-hentai.html

Joe — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 10:01:19 -0000

pienso igual q chirola!

Re: http://elblogdedrago.blogspot.com/2008/12/dd-kissxsis-0102_26.html

Joe — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 18:41:30 -0000

bajando espero este copado!! :D

lo q mas me gustaria encontrar seria algo de change 123... de ese estilo quiero decir. ese mismo estilo de dibujo.
y esa serie tb es una risa!!

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/09/suing-ashcroft.html

Joe — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 11:44:18 -0000

I don't think anybody should be immune to prosecution. Every person is expected to perform his or her job within the limits of the law. Matter of fact, I believe and always will, that the more powerful the person's position the more accountable he should be to the law and the people.

Regarding Nixon, I would have prosecuted him, however, I don't think that he got off without punishment for his actions. He is the most disgraced president in our history. I'm sure that his fall from grace hurt a lot. If it didn't then any punishment would have been wasted on him.

There are many cases of blatant abuse by our government during the previous administration, so many that the blame for the abuses has to fall on the shoulders of the leadership that set the expectations and limits.

I don't doubt for a second that every president has exceeded his authority. I think that every person in a position of power over others will abuse that power. Most of the time the abuse amounts to taking procedural shortcuts or applying political pressure to the members of other departments of the government. When the abuse is a violation of our Constitution, our laws and/or our international treaties, the abuse is never insignificant and must always be investigated fully and all guilty persons punished to the fullest extent of the law.

There is ample evidence that the Bush administration should be investigated and punished if guilty. Obama is wrong to ignore these possible crimes because it sends the wrong message to future administrations. "Do what you will because you are immune from prosecution."

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/06/understanding.html

Joe — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 01:34:02 -0000

"Where there is no extravagance there is no love, and where there is no love there is no understanding."

I understand the second part - there is no understanding without love (or tolerance).

I don't understand the first part, that there is no love without extravagance.

Can you explain?

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/09/killer-robots.html

Joe — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 01:18:57 -0000

If I was in combat and "somebody" had to charge around a corner and storm the enemy's position, I'd rather it was the Viper than me. Such weapons make killing less personal and easier to do but is that good?

During World War II only 15-20% of US soldiers actually fired their weapon at an exposed enemy soldier. When these soldiers were being trained they practiced killing human-like dummies, such that even practice reminded the soldier that he would be killing a human being.

Training methods were changed to make killing as impersonal as possible. As a result, 55% of the soldiers in the Korean War and 95% of the soldiers in the Vietnam War and later wars shot at the enemy.

Although today's soldiers are less reluctant to kill in combat, they suffer more psychologically than earlier soldiers. The suicide rate in the military is climbing at an alarming rate. In January 2009, more soldiers committed suicide than were killed in combat.

The combat robot may be good for the soldier but bad for Mankind.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/09/electric-tesla-2-mile.html

Joe — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 16:14:22 -0000

I think the battery has to be replaced once every 5 years. Even so, I think it is cost justified. You'll need to wait at least one year for delivery!

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/09/why-do-folks-embrace-conspiracy.html

Joe — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 04:14:08 -0000

I've witnessed (or committed) agenticity and confirmation bias.

I think there is another reason for conspiracy theories. Most of us are intrigued by a conspiracy story and want at least to think that it is true just to add a little excitement to our typically safe lives. It's like watching a James Bond movie.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/09/agreeably-disagreeing.html

Joe — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 16:15:25 -0000

There are at least 6 different parties participating in the Health Care Reform debate.

(1) The politicians who support the Obama proposal.
(2) The politicians who oppose the Obama proposal.
(3) The pundits who support the Obama proposal.
(4) The pundits who oppose the Obama proposal.
(5) The citizens who support the Obama proposal.
(6) The citizens who oppose the Obama proposal.

For the most part, the politicians have avoided name calling. Exageration and lying, however, is fundamental.

The rest of the debaters will never agree or compromise. They are calling each other names, exaggerating and lying. However, these debaters influence the outcome of the legislative process. The pundits use exaggeration and lies to influence the citizens. The politicians, many who face re-election next year, have to satisfy their political parties and their commitments to the lobbyists that contribute to their campaign financing, while appearing to their constituents that they are representing their best interests when they are only trying to get their votes.

This is no simple matter.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/09/one-in-million-shot.html

Joe — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 12:48:07 -0000

I am always reminded of the great Illie Nastase whenever somebody flawlessy executes an unconventional return. I think one of his returns, executed while facing away from the net, was called the Bucharest Backlash.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/09/two-sides-of-name-calling.html

Joe — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 07:31:01 -0000

Heckling in the British Parliament is an historical convention. The historical convention for the US Congress does not permit heckling. The prime minister is selected by and from the membership of parliament and is subject to their removal. The US president is elected by the people (tongue in cheek) and is the executive of a separate body of the government rather than the designated leader of the parliament and thereby may deserve more respect from the congress. Heckling should not be accepted in our Congress simply because it is customary elsewhere.

Name calling is used when a debate of policy turns into a personal attack. I think it occurs when one debater doesn't have a logical objection for his opponent's argument. The debate is over and an emotion argument with no hope of agreement has begun.

Heckling and name calling should neither be justified by a strong commitment to one's position on a subject or the strength of one's patriotism.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/09/two-sides-of-name-calling.html

Joe — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 12:35:14 -0000

In my opinion, the examples of how to deal with a Nazi who's going to take your neighbor or you into custody, Serena Williams' poor-conduct and a teenager that won't get up for school, are not occasions for debate. These people are all wrong but will require different handling. You don't want the Nazi to shoot you for obstructing his duty. Your issue is with his superior and your solution will not be debate, it will be armed resistance. Serena was handled properly - no debate, you're out of the tournament. The teenager (my stomach is uneasy being reminded of those days) does not deserve a debate when the alarm goes off. If the terms are well understood before the alarm is set, just apply the consequence for not getting up and catching the bus - no debate, NO NAME CALLING, no raised voices - just consequence.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/09/two-sides-of-name-calling.html

Joe — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 20:21:21 -0000

If your child was on the school debate team and during a debate with another school's team your child screamed "you lie" at the other team, would you look for a justification or just call it what it is, disrespect of the opposing team and an embarrassment for your child's team and school.

Passion doesn't justify an act of disrespect in any debate.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/09/two-sides-of-name-calling.html

Joe — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 20:33:58 -0000

In response to Karen's question about "booing" versus screaming "you lie," replace "screamed you lied" with "booed" in the hypothetical described in my previous comment. Do you accept your child's booing?

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/09/stop-torture-stop-captcha.html

Joe — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 11:31:49 -0000

I just diabled Word Verification. Thanks!

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/09/mary-travers-1936-2009.html

Joe — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 05:19:43 -0000

I didn't realize that she died in the town I live in.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/09/e-cigarettes-bad-for-your-health.html

Joe — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 05:17:07 -0000

I quit smoking 24 years ago after having smoking 2.5 - 3 packs per day. I would smoke half of a pack by the time I got to work. It was very difficult to stop smoking. For some it seems impossible. Unless we find that the e-cigarette is physically harmful as well, I think this is a great alternative for people who can't give up the habit of smoking, which I think is separate from the chemical nicotine habit.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/09/christian-spam.html

Joe — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 05:43:57 -0000

This blogger says a lot with few words.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/09/bureaucracy-of-health-insurance.html

Joe — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 10:50:14 -0000

My recently deceased mother-in-law could not maintain an adequate blood count in part because she couldn't eat or drink by mouth for about 20 years and she had a limited capacity for feeding via a tube in her abdomen. During her last two years her doctor had to prescribe a shot to maintain her blood count that she would receive weekly but Medicare would only approve blood transfusions. Another patient of the doctor had been receiving the shots and after she died the doctor gave them to my mother-in-law (they were already paid for and could not be resold). My mother-in-law's blood counts stayed fairly constant while on the shots whereas it varied a lot between transfusions. When the doses of shots ran out. The doctor tried to prescribe shots but Medicare insisted only on transfusions which were much, much more costly and were not as effective. The doctor called Medicare personally and raised hell. After a few attempts, Medicare finally agreed.

From my experience working with government inspectors, they do not interpret government policy; they follow the policy to the letter, regardless. Policies and regulations are not rewritten frequently. When a better technology or methodology is found it often does not comply with the prescription of the policy/regulation. The bureaucrat is not empowered to flex away from the letter of the law while still meeting the spirit of the law. Some bureaucrats do but many do not.

The government hasn't been able to write a policy that ensures that the right thing is done today without limiting the use of future, more effective, less costly options. We don't want the government to be large enough that they have the resources to reinterpret the policy for each patient if need be nor to revise the policy at such a frequency that it can stay apace of new technology and methods.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/09/violence-in-name-of-religion.html

Joe — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 08:29:58 -0000

Therese Z, does "strangling a baby" refer to abortion?

Violence is violence not matter the reason. When used in self-defence or to prevent a criminal act it is generally justified if not excessive. When violence is used for any other reason, it is probably criminal.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/09/violence-in-name-of-religion.html

Joe — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 16:06:41 -0000

The Israelites believed that they are God's chosen people and the prophets of their God guided them throughout the OT. They had to have hard hearts by today's standards but they believed they were directed by God.

If you believe that God did not really want them to invade, enslave and destroy, then you must believe that some, if not all, of their prophets were not speaking for God as the Israelites believed.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/09/violence-in-name-of-religion.html

Joe — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 17:23:39 -0000

I agree with Brian. We can't have it both ways. The Bible is the inerrant word of God when it conforms to our image of God (God is Love) and a misinterpretation or false prophecy when it does not conform (God is violence).

Many Christians believe God is continually using His power to both save and destroy men. Many believe that Katrina was God's means to destroy sinners in New Orleans like a modern day Sodom. I believe that neither is true.

Beyond the creation of the universe, I don't believe that any events, good or bad, are the acts of God. I believe that every event in the universe is a natural result of interactions that are governed by the fixed physical laws. When a child is killed in an accident or murdered, I never think that God had a purpose for it that we do not understand.

I have no need to believe that the Bible is the Word of God rather than man's attempt to explain God; an explanation that has evolved with man not God.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/09/violence-in-name-of-religion.html

Joe — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 15:00:51 -0000

After reading one of Bob's comments I went looking for more on the subject "infallible versus inerrant."

R.C. Sproul is quoted on this subject at the following link:

http://rianniello.blogspot.com/2009/06/infallible-and-inerrant.html

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/09/violence-in-name-of-religion.html

Joe — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 15:28:22 -0000

I agree with you Brian. I think the Bible is a combination of history of questionable accuracy, myths and parables. But, if I accept that the men who wrote the Bible were not always speaking for God, how do I know when, if ever, their words are only God's words?

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/09/violence-in-name-of-religion.html

Joe — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:28:50 -0000

Thank you for your comments. They are very helpful to me.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/09/world-shrinks.html

Joe — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 15:41:22 -0000

There's no room to grow existing businesses in the US and most of the industrialized nations. When existing products flattened out, product innovation allowed some companies to continuing growing but now many companies find that their innovations are only cannibalizing their conventional products.

Thus corporations have to create markets in developing countries in order to continue growing their businesses and competing for investors on Wall Street. To maintain profitability in their domestic markets, they can only reduce their overhead. Many jobs have been replaced by technology and procedural improvements, domestic labor costs are reduced by flooding the market with immigrant labor, and many other jobs are outsourced to foreign labor forces. Globalization is accelerating and it won't end until the cost of labor and services is flat across all countries. Until then low and middle income workers in developed markets like the US will suffer a decrease in their standard of living and the gap between them and the upper economic class will grow wider even than it is now.

There is no such thing as an American corporation anymore. The consumer needs to recognize that the borderless corporations are not interested in building America. They are only interested and developing and exploiting consumer markets and new lower cost labor market. Their huge influence on our government is ONLY to protect their profits and their markets. It is our mistake to think that corporations place nationalism and the public's welfare above profit.

I think the greatest challenge that Mankind will ever face will be too few jobs for too many people. Our workforce experienced similar challenges when the nation transformed from a farming economy to a manufacturing economy, and again when we transformed from manufacturing to a service economy. Every year the world produces more products and services with an ever decreasing contribution from human beings. At some point our society will have to learn to provide for a largely underemployed population. Less work time more leisure and retirement time (the average American works half as many hours as he did less than 100 years ago). The retirement age is being increased now because social security and Medicare will otherwise run out of money. We already have too few jobs for our current workforce; increasing the years that a person must work before he can retire is just worsening the problem.

If our society doesn't learn how to provide adequately for all of its people in the future, the underemployed masses will eventually revolt.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/09/world-shrinks.html

Joe — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 08:55:21 -0000

Japan avoided hedonism?

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/09/world-shrinks.html

Joe — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 11:43:32 -0000

My impression is that Japan is as Westernized as the US in many ways: industry, technology, politics and economics. I also think we are beginning to share the same values. I don't think Westernization and Hedonism are one and the same. Westernization is a broad cultural change which is neither positive nor negative. Hedonism is a selfish attitude that lacks all regard for others. While you and I might agree that many Americans are hedonists, I hope it is not an unavoidable result of Westernization.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/09/blogging-good-for-your-mental-health.html

Joe — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 14:56:23 -0000

The next time Laura complains about my blogging I'll tell her that I preventing dementia.

I am addicted to Sudoku, crossword puzzles (USA Today not NY Times) and crytograms.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2008/10/coffee-breaks.html

Joe — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 10:18:10 -0000

When I was a working stiff, as opposed to just stiff, I drank coffee while I worked when I had an office job, and I took coffee breaks only when I was a construction worker. It's just as necessary to take a break from "mental" activity as "physical" activity. I think most office workers take "breaks" during their work day but less often as a group and not according to time clock.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2007/09/questions.html

Joe — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 14:18:21 -0000

I can't remember how many times I've been told, "The only stupid question is the one you don't ask." But who wants to chance being the first person to prove that adage is wrong!

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/10/politics-of-cynicism.html

Joe — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 17:29:09 -0000

I'm going to sound cynical when I criticize the leadership of the party of NO or the far right for their intolerance. The congressmen that oppose reform of the health care insurance industry deserve my lack of trust. They are only interested in protecting the private insurance companies and the financial support that they receive from the corporations they protect with their votes. They do not hide their objective to make health care reform Obama's Waterloo. They don't care about the under-insured and certainly not about the uninsured. It was Rep. Eric Cantor that told one of his constituents, whose family member had untreated cancer and no health insurance after losing her job, that she should appeal to charities.

Cynicism is when I can't justify my lack of trust with facts. That's not the case now.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/10/politics-of-cynicism.html

Joe — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 06:21:51 -0000

Graham is doing the right thing but he should have been doing on his first day in Congress. Since Obama's election and especially since the health care reform was proposed in Congress, the GOP has allowed Limbaugh, Beck and some of its own members to make false attacks on both the administration and the legislation they proposed.

Now that the maximum amount of damage has been inflicted and especially now that more of the public disapproves of this tactic, some of the politicians and talking heads are distancing themselves from the extremists. I suspect more of them will do what Graham is doing as we get closer to the 2010 elections. The majority of the voters, I believe, will be disappointed if adequate health care reform is not passed. At election time, the GOP wants the voters to blame the Democrats for not enacting reform, rather than the GOP for killing it.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/10/politics-of-cynicism.html

Joe — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 18:39:01 -0000

Graham does disapprove of Beck's cynical rhetoric but the video doesn't include the following explanation by Graham of why he does not listen to Beck anymore. Beck's cynicism is not the reason.

"But at the end of the day when a person says he represents conservatism and that the country is better off with Barack Obama than John McCain, that sort of ends the debate for me as to how much more I'm going to listen."

Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/04/lindse...

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/05/american-trinity.html

Joe — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 13:21:43 -0000

Sounds good, except the real powers that be in the United States make sure that equality doesn't extend beyond the delivery room.

He sounded like everybody is included until he said, "The God that "we're" talking about... that's for another course and another time." No doubt that course says that "the" God is a Christian God. Therefore, according to the speaker, when the Founding Fathers referred to God they meant the Christian God.

The listener is mislead into believing that the Founding Fathers are responsible for "In God We Trust" on our currency. President Eisenhower is responsible for putting that phrase on all our currency and The Knights of Columbus is the organization that convinced him to do it.

The speaker's interpretation of Religious Freedom is not, in my opinion, what the Founding Father's intended.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/05/american-trinity.html

Joe — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 14:25:21 -0000

I agree that all of them believed in God. It doesn't matter to me what religion or church the Founding Father's were members of since. What I think is important is that their personal choice of religion and church was not a limiting factor for them in the establishment of our country and the Constitution.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/10/imus-back-on-tv.html

Joe — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 12:41:00 -0000

If I owned Fox I wouldn't hire Don Imus or Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity and Bill O'Reilly. But Rupert Murdoch will and has. As long as they make money for Rupert and push his politics, they'll have a job.

Rupert knows how to sell his newspapers and cable news shows. Provide content that satisfies the emotional needs of the far right ideologues. Truth is not important. "Hate Groups Welcome."

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/10/nasa-still-spending-our-money.html

Joe — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 09:45:23 -0000

$79 million is only 0.0026% of our national budget. The federal government spends that much every 14 minutes around the clock. But, the non-exploration justification is that NASA projects result in many of the technological developments that benefit industry and medicine. Often industry and medicine wouldn't invest as much money as NASA will to develop the technology but once developed the capitalist are happy to exploit it.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/10/nasa-still-spending-our-money.html

Joe — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 06:33:36 -0000

The private sector didn't develop the Internet and would not have. It was a government funded project sponsored by Al Gore who, by the way, never said he invented the internet. The private sector has been revolutionized by the Internet but only because the taxpayer put up the money. Another example is the TVA, another government funded project, that brought the area of the country out of the 19th century into the 20th century. The private industry benefits significantly from the TVA but would never have made such an investment.

Regarding trips to the moon. The objective was not to land on the moon. The objective was to develop the technology to travel into outer space, to be able to stay for an extended period of time and explore new manufacturing and processing methods that take advantage of zero gravity - the Space Station.

Finally, I would love to travel into space. I'd love to be able to stand on the moon and look back on our great blue planet. If you enjoy watching the sun set on the beach, then I think watching the Earth from the moon would be that same feeling multiplied 100 times.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/10/nasa-still-spending-our-money.html

Joe — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 11:31:40 -0000

I think we will discover a lot of the trash we dumped into the ocean when we reach its unexplored depths.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/10/murphys-laws-truer-than-we-think.html

Joe — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 14:44:17 -0000

Anything dropped in the bathroom will fall in the toilet.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/10/afghanistan-more-questions-than-answers.html

Joe — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 12:09:34 -0000

The French learned you can't win in Vietnam. The Russians learned you can't win in Afghanistan. In both countries we had to see for ourselves.

I think the Afghanis who don't want the Taliban are too tribal and far too underdeveloped to be organized into a nationwide defense force that can protect themselves from the Taliban. Unless the Pakistanis want to eliminate bin Laden I doubt that we will succeed in catching and/or killing him.

In addition, the longer we stay in either country the worse we look to the locals as well as their neighbors.

I think it is time to leave.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/10/afghanistan-more-questions-than-answers.html

Joe — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 09:06:20 -0000

Andrew, Guantanamo can't be closed because the members of congress will not accept them in our prisons and most countries aren't willing to accept them or accept more if the US won't accept any. He can only close it if Congress has the balls to work with him.

He's not waffling on Afghanistan he's making sure that we are doing the right thing the right way. Otherwise we are just throwing more bodies in a mass grave.

The draft is never tolerated when the war is not justified.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/10/afghanistan-more-questions-than-answers.html

Joe — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 09:53:15 -0000

Andrew, according to PolitiFact the following is the current status of Obama’s 515 campaign promises

7 promises broken – 1.4%
•End income tax for seniors making less than $50,000
•Allow five days of public comment before signing bills
•Tougher rules against revolving door for lobbyists and former officials
•Create a $3,000 tax credit for companies that add jobs
•Allow penalty-free hardship withdrawals from retirement accounts in 2008 and 2009
•Recognize the Armenian genocide
•Negotiate health care reform in public sessions televised on C-SPAN

47 promised kept – 9.1% of 515 promises, more than 5 per month
•Create a foreclosure prevention fund for homeowners
•Establish a credit card bill of rights
•Expand loan programs for small businesses
•Extend and index the 2007 Alternative Minimum Tax patch
•Expand eligibility for State Children's Health Insurance Fund (SCHIP)
•Expand funding to train primary care providers and public health practitioners
•Increase funding to expand community based prevention programs
•Sign the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
•Appoint a special adviser to the president on violence against women
•Direct military leaders to end war in Iraq
•Send two additional brigades to Afghanistan
•Give a speech at a major Islamic forum in the first 100 days of his administration
•Grant Americans unrestricted rights to visit family and send money to Cuba
•Restore funding for the Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (Byrne/JAG) program
•Establish an Energy Partnership for the Americas
•Release presidential records
•Require new hires to sign a form affirming their hiring was not due to political affiliation or contributions.
•Remove more brush, small trees and vegetation that fuel wildfires
•Push for enactment of Matthew Shepard Act, which expands hate crime law to include sexual orientation and other factors
•Create a White House Office on Urban Policy
•Support increased funding for the NEA
•Add another Space Shuttle flight
•Use the private sector to improve spaceflight
•Partner to enhance the potential of the International Space Station
•Use the International Space Station for fundamental biological and physical research
•Explore whether International Space Station can operate after 2016
•Enhance earth mapping
•Appoint an assistant to the president for science and technology policy
•Establish special crime programs for the New Orleans area
•Rebuild schools in New Orleans
•Fund a major expansion of AmeriCorps
•Appoint the nation's first Chief Technology Officer
•Work to overturn Ledbetter vs. Goodyear
•Appoint an American Indian policy adviser
•Ban lobbyist gifts to executive employees
•Create new criminal penalties for mortgage fraud
•Weatherize 1 million homes per year
•Invest in all types of alternative energy
•Enact tax credit for consumers for plug-in hybrid cars
•Support high-speed rail
•Invest in public transportation
•Provide grants to encourage energy-efficient building codes
•Get his daughters a puppy
•Appoint at least one Republican to the cabinet
•Raise the small business investment expensing limit to $250,000 through the end of 2009
•Extend unemployment insurance benefits and temporarily suspend taxes on these benefits
•Reverse restrictions on stem cell research

12 promises compromised – 2.3%
12 promises stalled – 2.3%
122 promises in the works – 23.7%
315 promises no action to date – 61.2%

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/10/marcia-merrick-ultimate-volunteer.html

Joe — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 23:42:00 -0000

I voted for Pete Brady, founder of the Handy Dandy Handyman, Rake 'N Bake and Pete's Repeats. HDHM provides free services through Pete's "army" of volunteers (I've been one a few times). One of HDHM's annual projects is a complete home makeover for a family in need. Rake 'N Bake rakes leaves annually for about 75 homeowners who for some physical reason, usually age-related, cannot do it themselves. 800 to 900 men, women and children provide the raking and leaf blowing labor. After all the raking is done, Pete's brother feeds hot dogs to all. On a weekly basis Pete's Repeats receives and distributes to the first "bidder", donated items, typically furniture, appliances. Most of the items are free for the asking. A donation is sometimes asked for if the item is very expensive. When I was volunteering for a non-profit that provides homes for disabled persons, I "bid" on and won two powered stair lifts and a wheelchair lift which then were used by the non-profit. Before Pete got too old and too busy to continue, he used to spend two nights each month supervising a homeless shelter - duties include washing, drying and folding everybody's clothing and the bedding and towels. My favorite story about Pete, is when he helped a disabled man in his 40's whose mother had to be hospitalized for cancer treatment. For 3 months until he could find a full-time companion for the man, Pete showed up every morning to feed and dress the man, and again every night to feed and help the man go to bed.

I'd like to see Pete Brady on The View to get the recognition and expanded support that his ministry deserves but the reality is that ALL of these volunteers deserve the same. Good Luck to them all!

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/10/tt-revolutionary-prosthetics.html

Joe — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 11:15:31 -0000

I think CNN had a special on the new prosthetics - arm and leg. It's the first improvement of the arm since WWII. There have been more recent leg developments but the ones they demostrated were motorized and each leg communicated wirelessly with the other so that they stayed synchronized. A man demonstrating the arm picked a grape without crushing or dropping it and put it in his mouth. He hadn't fed himself like that in 30 years.

This is terrific work!

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/10/tt-revolutionary-prosthetics.html

Joe — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 08:14:12 -0000

Oops! If you saw it on 60 minutes then so did I! I can't even remember how bad my memory is!

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/10/zombies-in-manger.html

Joe — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 13:07:22 -0000

I wish I did all my shopping in October because the people that do avoid the stress of shopping at the last minute as I always do. Maybe this year I'll do it early enough to enjoy the Christmas season outside the stores and busy streets.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/10/zombies-in-manger.html

Joe — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 13:24:32 -0000

Buying Christmas gifts before December has not, in my opinion, compromised the religious observance of Christ's birth. Jesus wasn't born during the winter; Jesus was probably born in the fall. December 25th was chosen to supplant the pagan celebration of the winter solstice and perhaps to interest the pagans in Christianity. The Christmas tree isn't of Christian origin. Hanging mistletoe and burning the Yule log were adopted from pagans. Some Christians in the United States did not decorate for or celebrate Christmas until the 1900's.

We are all responsible for allowing the commercialization of Christmas. If you want to put and end to the commercialization of Christmas, then quit giving Christmas gifts.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/10/tolerance-extremists-need-not-apply.html

Joe — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 18:46:15 -0000

Bob, I think you misrepresented Spong when you said, "Bishop Spong uses the word tolerate several times saying that he will no longer tolerate the views of people who do not agree with him."

Spong did NOT state that he will not tolerate any view that he does not agree with. He said only that he will no longer debate the issue of homosexuality since he feels that it has been more than adequately researched and debated and in his and many expert opinions homosexuality is not a choice and neither the government nor the Christian religion should limit their civil rights nor their participation in the Christian religion and specially, Spong's Episcopal church. He likened debating the human rights of a homosexual to the debate of slavery in the 19th century when both the government and the some Christian churches tolerated, even justified, slavery.

Spong's intolerance was limited to the debate of the human rights of homosexuals. To represent it otherwise is remarkably unfair.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/10/tolerance-extremists-need-not-apply.html

Joe — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:53:43 -0000

If Kevin's comment is "muddled" then my comments are far worse than muddled (no surprise to me).

I agree with Kevin and I think he made his point very well.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/10/tolerance-extremists-need-not-apply.html

Joe — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 19:43:07 -0000

Bob, who wrote the history book that you are reading? The Blacks in America did not use tolerance to win their civil rights; they eventually used passive resistance to demonstrate their intolerance of White oppression (sit-ins at eateries, Rosa Parks refusing to sit in the rear of the bus). They were docile as slaves for the same reason that they tolerated their oppression by Whites for as long as they did. Fear. Fear of being lynched.

Likewise, the Women's Suffrage Movement did not succeed because its leaders were tolerant. Women haven't gained more in the workplace because the laws that protect them were and are inadequate and they are continually fighting for equal protection under the law. When Lily Ledbetter sought justice for 20 years of unequal pay but the Supreme Court reversed the decision of the EEOC and the Republicans refused to pass the bill that would have protected women in the future until the Democrats took the majority and the White House.

Intolerance of others to the extent that it violates their human and civil rights is WRONG and whoever ignores or tolerates such intolerance is equally guilty of human and civil rights violations. But do not equate an intolerance for one's oppressor with the intolerance of the oppressor. One is just. The other is a human rights violation.

“Peace is not won by those who fiercely guard their differences, but by those who with open minds and hearts seek out connections.” This is the approach that Obama is using with the Muslim world, to the dismay of his conservative opposition, and I believe it is a better choice than intolerance and warring that John McCain pledged to use. However, the American Blacks would still be waiting for civil rights legislation if they had approached their White Oppressors with "open minds and hearts," only.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/10/cable-news-neck-chokers.html

Joe — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:43:44 -0000

I have the same problem that Kevin has, especially, when I'm using my Blackberry. It usually fails me twice then accepts.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/10/lucrative-book-deals.html

Joe — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:30:40 -0000

I have never read a "tell all" book and probably never will.

I don't know why people show so much interest in a person like Joe the Plumber but if I was Joe the Plumber I would do the same thing he is doing.

Some of the authors on the list have unique experience and knowledge that makes their writings interesting and useful to some people. "Neutron Jack" Welch and Alan Greenspan are two such authors but not necessarily the only two in this category.

Then there are authors who have plenty of experience but it isn't useful to others. Britney Spears and Miley Cyrus are excellent examples.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/10/why-would-anyone-kindle.html

Joe — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:36:50 -0000

The publisher is definitely charging more because the customer is willing to pay for the convenience. Buying books online is better than hunting through a store and I get to read reviews. I assume the Kindle has the same search and review features.

I used to carry a handheld computer and I read a few books on it but quit when the added security imposed by the publisher started conflicting with my hardware and/or software version.

I'm back to paper and staying with it.

Re: The Ginormous Oasis of the Seas

Joe — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 18:48:20 -0000

Laura and I sailed on the Voyager of the Seas in 2000 when it was the largest. It was 5 stories less than the Oasis yet still 15 stories high. These ships are so maneuverable that tugs aren't needed in port. They fed 4000 people in two seatings and every serving is perfect. Very impressive.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/11/afghanistan-why-are-we-there.html

Joe — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:02:03 -0000

General McChrystal was addressing "how" when he asked for more troops. His request shouldn't impact President Obama when he answers whether we should stay in Afghanistan.
I think the majority of Americans want the US to pull out but their reason(s) for doing so aren't as well informed as the officer who just resigned. I suspect that most Americans want to pull out because they don't think that we can win this "war" or its not worth the cost. Those who think we should stay may only be interested avoiding a military defeat.

I supported our action in Afghanistan because I thought we should and could destroy bin Laden. I also thought the Afghans deserved to be free of the Taliban. Bin Laden has escaped Afghanistan and our forces. We gave up the chase to "free" Iraq. As for freeing the Afghans of the Taliban, I'm sure that I didn't understand the politics of Afghanistan.

President Obama will take a lot of heat whether we stay or not. I don't think that impacts his decision, so I don't know why he thinks we should stay.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/11/afghanistan-why-are-we-there.html

Joe — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 23:55:08 -0000

I agree that 3rd world countries will continue to supply drugs to the US as long as there is a demand for them or until the poor in those countries have an alternative way to make money. Ten percent of the Afghan population is involved in growing poppy which represents one-third of their GNP. Until Afghans have an equal alternative to the poppy they will continue as they are today.

We should not continue to fight a war only to honor those that have died already by condemning more soldiers to death or disability.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/11/meatball-wars.html

Joe — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 07:19:25 -0000

Most of the Guinness and Guinness-like records are stunts for personal or commercial attention. They are a one-event version of a County Fair. Harmless fun and plenty of high-calorie food!

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/11/one-year-later-politics-as-usual.html

Joe — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 18:22:05 -0000

We've all witnessed GOP and radical conservative attacks on President Obama. Lies and racial slurs. The Party Of No has used every rotten means to trick the uninformed and the ignorant and to rally the bigots to support their position then represent it as a grassroots uprising of free people.

There is a large group of people who did not vote for Barack Obama and will not accept him as their president, who feign support (the appearance of open-minded bipartisanship) for President Obama since his inauguration but expect and hope that HE fails.

These people rarely if ever complain about the conduct of the Congressional conservatives like Michele Bachman, Virginia Foxx, Boehner, Cantor, Grassly and many others, the GOP leadership and their extremist conservative media spokespersons/ideological leaders. But, if the Congressional Democrats can't pass health care reform in the Senate because there aren't enough conscientious honest senators to pass the measure without resorting to reconciliation and compromise that would gut an adequate reform proposal, then suddenly President Obama's silent opposition jumps up to point out with feigned disappointment that President Obama was only a pretender.

Not a word about the Democratic effort at bipartisanship in the Senate which was openly opposed by the Conservative members of the Baucus subcommittee. Where are the posts demanding responsible representation of the People not the Party and not their lobbyist benefactors?

Where are the posts that condemn the chimpanzee and gorilla jokes? Where are the posts that condemn the screams at our President of a biased Republican on the floor of the Congress rather than a polite, albeit biased, discussion of when "name calling" is appropriate in a debate. Where are the posts that condemn the conduct of the Congressional conservatives?

You can feign a desire for bipartisan governing but the lack of balance in your posts makes clear your real attitude.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/07/seduction-of-celebrity.html

Joe — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 11:49:18 -0000

I agree that the power and celebrity that comes with public office is seductive. I don't think that all of the people in elected office were primarily motivated to serve by power and celebrity, however, I think that too many, if not most, are and all of them poorly represent their constituents.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/07/petitioning-your-thoughts.html

Joe — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 11:36:02 -0000

I never thought about the identity theft risk you mentioned. I usually only provide my name and e-mail address when I'm commenting on a specific website (White House, Senator, Representative, News show website, or authorizing an activist website to send a letter or fax in my name to my senator or representative).

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/07/why-us-healthcare-will-stay-broken.html

Joe — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 10:53:06 -0000

I agree with the Top 5 Reasons. I doubt that the government is capable of drafting legislation that will address all the issues adequately. However, doing nothing will ensure that our problems will worsen. Healthcare reform was first proposed by President Truman and since then we did nothing while our situation worsened.

The United States is the only wealthy, industrialized nation that does not have a universal healthcare system. 47 million Americans are uninsured and medical expense is the primary cause of personal bankruptsy.

Opposition to reform is well-funded by the healthcare industry. Many who oppose reform share an attitude that healthcare, other can emergency care, is a privelege not a right.

I support doing almost anything while their "may" be adequate votes in Congress to support reform. This is a condition that may not last long and once the opportunity to act politically passes we will likely face another 50 years of inaction. We can't afford to wait until we have the perfect reform. We must get a legislative "foot in the door" now and then work on improving our reform.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/07/why-us-healthcare-will-stay-broken.html

Joe — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 13:54:01 -0000

I agree with you both. Too many parties will earn less profit if the system is adequately reformed. Thus, you have to find a solution to a huge problem while beating back the self-interested opposition that benfits from its high cost.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/07/why-us-healthcare-will-stay-broken.html

Joe — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 19:21:24 -0000

Many of the people that oppose universal healthcare, do so because they don't NEED it. Likewise, if their children aren't in school, they don't want to pay tax to support public education. If they are employed, they don't want to pay tax to provide unemployment benefits. If they don't camp in a state or national park, they don't want to pay tax to maintain the park. If they have healthcare insurance or don't need it, they don't want to pay tax to provide healthcare to those who can't afford it.

The only pain some people feel is their own. They can excuse their attitude anyway they want and I'll still call it what it is.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/07/nasa-no-tang-microwaves-or-velcro.html

Joe — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 01:50:32 -0000

Too many people think that NASA has only gone to moon and shuttled around the earth hundreds of times at great cost to the taxpayer without compensating benefits.

Rush Limbaugh is one such person. He recently disapproved of the federal government investing in the development of alternative energy sources. Rush took special exception to the government offering a financial prize to the person or company that achieves any of the goals that would reduce our consumption of carbon-based fuels. Rush said that the government funds projects that the private sector cannot cost justify. Rush believes that these developments should always wait until the private sector is willing to pay for them. If that were true we would still be waiting for the construction of the superhighway system that is so important to our economy and there would be no Internet.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/07/nasa-no-tang-microwaves-or-velcro.html

Joe — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 07:05:28 -0000

I don't typically listen to Rush. I mostly watch CNN and MSNBC. I try to watch FOX a few times a year or when something big is happening so that I get their view from them. During a recent drive to and from KS I listened to Rush going and coming for a total of one hour. It was during one of those shows that he gave his opinion of the government investing in technologies that the private sector can't cost justify. I find it hard to believe that even he believes everything that he says although I'm sure that at least the majority of his listeners believe him. I heard him talking about healthcare costs when he said that people who exercise regularly (exercise freaks) are stressing the healthcare system. People who run, play softball, basketball, etc. have all the broken bones, knee failures, concussions, etc. While people that don't exercise and keep their weight relatively under control don't even know their doctor's names. Amazing!

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/07/mixed-bag-medicine.html

Joe — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 20:12:18 -0000

Hear, hear!

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/01/gran-torino.html

Joe — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 01:14:35 -0000

I was expecting an urban warfare movie. I'm glad to say that it was nothing like that. It was excellent.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/07/el-rushbo-on-exercise-freaks.html

Joe — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 04:04:26 -0000

I'm sure that nothing from Rush would be stopped by my seive. I'm sure that he believes in his far-right ideology and is willing to say and do anything to defeat politicians who do not agree with him. Rush is willing to stoke racial bigotry to increase opposition to Obama. Rush supports "birthers" who somehow continue to believe that Obama was not born in the United States. Rush doesn't have to be stupid enough to believe his lies; he succeeds as long as his audience is stupid or bigoted enough to believe what he says. Rush is no better than Jerome Corsi, author of "The Obama Nation" or Mary Matalin, who published Corsi's book. No lie is too harmful or too unbelieveable if it serves his objectives.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/07/el-rushbo-on-exercise-freaks.html

Joe — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 07:00:52 -0000

I can't imagine that anybody could put Limbaugh, Stewart and Colbert in the same category. Stewart and Colbert are satirists that target conservatives and liberals with humor, obvious exaggeration and honesty. Limbaugh is not humorous; at best he is insulting. Limbaugh's goals are to misinform his audience, slander liberals and moderate conservatives, stoke racism and religious intolerance and the corruption of our democratic processes.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/07/fox-news-poll-are-they-kidding.html

Joe — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 15:18:27 -0000

Homemaker as a choice would be an insult if it was the ONLY choice. There is nothing wrong with a woman (or a man) wanting to be a homemaker and many "choose" rather than "accept" that role. Any woman has the right to be insulted, in my opinion, if she is limited by society. I don't think a woman in any role emasculates a man unless that man's ego can only accept a woman in a subordinate role.

Several years ago the president of the Pepsi-Cola Bottling Group, PepsiCo's largest franchise, resigned so that she could fully participate in the rearing of her children and in particular not miss one more birthday party while they were young. Once they were out of high school she returned to her career and is now the CEO of Sara Lee. She made a courageous choice to be a stay home mother (homemaker) for the sake of her children and her own pleasure. Many women cannot afford to stay home and raise their children. We all do what we can and what we must.

Sarah Palin can take on any role she wants. She can and might run for president. I don't think she is any more qualified than I am for the presidency so I'm confident that the majority would not elect her. Not because she is a woman but because she is unprepared.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/07/fox-news-poll-are-they-kidding.html

Joe — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 01:14:44 -0000

Right on, Milly!

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/07/fox-news-poll-are-they-kidding.html

Joe — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 13:00:24 -0000

Hey Shane, my comment is not ridiculous. It is my opinion. Whether you agree with it or not isn't important to me.

If you think Palin's experience qualifies her to be president or vice president of the U.S. then, lucky for me, that puts you in the minority.

Palin invites the criticism she receives. Holding public office is adequate invitation. Consistently fumbling her job gives the news media, humorists and her political opponents, which include most of the elected Republicans in Alaska, more to report on, joke about and attack her with.

My opinion - not yours.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/07/is-organic-food-healthier.html

Joe — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 01:10:08 -0000

I don't believe organic is safer if non-organically produced food is properly prepared. I don't trust the FDA to ensure that my food and my drugs are as safe as they should be.

I think marketers overuse Organic and other "attributes" so that they can sell more product at a higher margin.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/08/redefining-christian-marriage.html

Joe — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 14:59:42 -0000

I think that most people have not had enough time and enough experience (life) before they are 25 or maybe 30 years old to be adequately mature for marriage and parenthood.

Sexual compatibility is important to the success of a marriage. If a couple is sexually incompatible, one or both of them will be disatisfied and the relationship, if they remain married, will be less in general because of it. I think we only find out what kind of partner we will be by being living together and I'm not limiting this to sex.

Marriages do not last as long today as they did before the 1900's because our expectations of marriage were a lot different then than now. Marriage before the 1900's was less romantic and more practical. Today, we - men and women - all want a lot more than a safe home and enough to eat. Succeeding today is a lot more challenging but success is a lot more fulfilling.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/08/emotional-intelligence.html

Joe — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 14:10:52 -0000

They are both important. A team with IQ only can generate the best options but no concensus. A team with EI will easily reach concensus but may not develop the best options to chose from.

The best teams that I have worked with are led by a person that solicits input from everybody involved and makes a decision when enough is enough.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/08/arguing-on-internet.html

Joe — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 14:15:27 -0000

I know better but I still do it. Argue on the Internet.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/08/caption-this.html

Joe — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 09:44:43 -0000

I don't have a caption. I thought the same thing that Missy thought.

I have a few questions:
Is there a monitor in the ladies' room or only the men's room?

Does the restaurant have a sports bar? If so, maybe some clients had "accidents" when they couldn't leave the monitor in the bar for a bio break during the heat of a game.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/08/caption-this.html

Joe — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 08:38:21 -0000

I vote for grate001's caption. Relief pitcher.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/08/december-21-2012.html

Joe — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 15:07:00 -0000

I think we'll have a revised forecast by 2013.

I also think that the universe, which depends on star energy to sustain life, will be dead when the last star burns out many billions of years from now.

I don't think that mankind will survive long enough for the stars to become a concern. I expect Mankind to destroy itself before God or Nature does it.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/08/ever-wear-platform-shoes.html

Joe — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 08:44:00 -0000

Never wore platform shoes. I frequently wore Western boots in my teens and early 20's when I wasn't wearing a uniform for Uncle Sam.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/08/your-ethical-gut.html

Joe — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 09:23:46 -0000

I agree with the article but most of the business managers that I worked with didn't have an ear for their Guts, and may never have had one.

30 years ago unethical business managers were not in the majority. Over a very few years many companies gave into the pressure to hire unethical middle managers and accept their practices in order to survive. When the unethical managers rose to senior leadership roles they only hired people that shared their lack of ethics. Higher profits and personal bonuses are their only motifications. Quality and Safety were only words in the company's Values statement. Product Quality was reduced to the minimum that the consumer would tolerate. Employee Safety was enforced only to the extend that regulators and/or company lawyers required it. The Fortune 100 corporation I worked for completely eliminated its environamental engineering department when the regulatory agencies quit enforcing compliance during the 80's.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/08/i-dont-understand-this-rudeness.html

Joe — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 17:59:35 -0000

I think our Senators and Representatives are reading the reform proposals. I think most of them discuss the proposals responsibly and are working together to write the best legislation. I think too many of the members of Congress who disagree in general with healthcare reform are misrepresenting the contents of the reform proposal and I think they are representing interests other than the people's.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/08/i-dont-understand-this-rudeness.html

Joe — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 06:41:23 -0000

The Dems have not tried to ram the reform legislation through Congress. But they are not interested in letting the GOP members delay the process as long as they can. Most of the Democrats and a few Republicans are trying to pass bipartisan reform legislation. I think it is a waste of time since the GOP leadership is stuck on NO and is pressurizing the few responsible Republicans to stop working on reform.

Legislators are holding townhall meetings to answer constituents questions. The Thugs attend the townhall meetings to make sure that no good questions can be asked and answered.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/08/i-dont-understand-this-rudeness.html

Joe — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 19:40:23 -0000

Ken, no offense taken, however, I meant that the Democrats have not, in general, tried to ram the legislation through Congress. I think that they have wasted time trying to be bipartisan which gave their opposition, which includes most but not all of the Republicans, enough time to mount a campaign of outrageous lies and misinformation. The window of opportunity to pass reform legislation now seems all but closed. If so, the Greedy will have won again.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/08/i-dont-understand-this-rudeness.html

Joe — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 15:40:46 -0000

I have no doubt that the People will embrace reasonable healthcare reform when they have had a chance to realize its benefit, if it passes.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/08/what-is-love.html

Joe — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 18:46:37 -0000

I haven't experienced mad, passionate and extraordinary love since I was 17. Were I not thought to be immature, I would have been deemed certifiable.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/08/easy-movie-quote-challenge.html

Joe — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 15:32:10 -0000

I only knew 6 out of 10. I'm old enough to know better but too old to remember.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/08/wifi-nazis.html

Joe — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 06:31:45 -0000

I, too, have never seen an "eat and git" sign in any of the WiFi shops. I have seen people who look like they have been in the shop a long time when I arrive and remain when I leave and they ate or drank nothing while I was there.

I don't think the customer has the right to remain in the shop beyond a reasonalble period of time for consuming their food/drink in a leisurely fashion. Each of us knows when we have reached that limit but some of us need a sign to remind us to be fair.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/08/unintended-pregnancy-prevention-act.html

Joe — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 12:48:21 -0000

I believe that advocating abstinance is unrealistic and irresponsible. I also think that abstinance before marriage contributes to a higher divorce rate.

Referring only to unmarried women, I think that most unplanned preganancies result from irresponsible sex. The rest, hopefully a very small percentage, are due to rape or the failure of a contraceptive. I think education is the only way to reduce irresponsible sex but I wouldn't expect it to stop or reduce sexual intercourse.

Teens can't, in my opinion, be taught more about sex, than they need to know. They need to know as much as they can understand, as soon as they can understand it. Curiosity about one's sexual desires and a search for explanations are inevitable and will not be delayed. The best time to educate them is before they NEED it.

I don't think sex education promotes premarital sex and certainly not sexual promiscuity. The curiosity about sex and a desire to have sex is natural and unavoidable. Sex education will prepare youth to have sex responsibly IF they choose to have sex.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/08/why-do-we-love-insurance-execs.html

Joe — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 10:39:52 -0000

CEO salaries would be limited if the shareholders had input on compensation. The free market will only destroy investor equity. It will not regulate CEO compensation. Corporations want us to be believe that limiting their salaries will lead to limiting our Freedom. I don't think the government should limit compensation but I do believe that the shareholders should.

Greed is, as usual, the root cause.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/08/presidential-vacation-policy.html

Joe — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 09:48:34 -0000

The percentage of days taken as vacation was determined by dividing the total days of vacation by the total days in office. Obama was only in office 209 days when I calculated his percentage.

I doubt if there is a vacation policy for the president. Most of us would assume that any president would not take off more time than the demands of his job allow. 33% vacation is not too much for the most stressful job in the world if the president and his administration are fulfilling their jobs. 3% may be too much if they are not fulfilling their jobs. I assume that the Vacation Policy for the President, from a president's point of view, is the perogative of the president. Nixon put it simply, "When the president does it, it is legal." The military perspective is "rank has its privileges."

Naturally, each citizen's opinion about the amount of vacation a president takes depends on whether the citizen approves of the president's accomplishments.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/08/anonymous-advice.html

Joe — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 19:31:43 -0000

Annonimity is like a KKK hood.

I think you have a right to require your commenters to identify themselves. We tend to be more careful about our words and actions when our identity is attached to them.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/08/contrasting-kennedy-coverage.html

Joe — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 17:59:20 -0000

Ted Kennedy was a hero to all who joined or supported his fight for social justice.

It is a shame that some will not forgive him for a 40 year old mistake. But, rest assured that God did.

Ted Kennedy authored more than 2,500 bills throughout his career in the United States Senate. Of those bills, several hundred have become Public Law. Below are some of those laws, which have made a significant difference in the quality of life for the American people.

• Protection and Advocacy for Mentally Ill Individuals Act of 1986
• Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990
• Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
• Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency Act of 1990
• National Institutes of Health Revitalization Act of 1993
• Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act of 1994
• Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996
• Food and Drug Administration Modernization Act of 1997
• Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) in 1997
• Project BioShield Act of 2003
• Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act of 2005
• legislation to create a federal initiative patterned on volunteer programs in several states to feed the elderly, either with meals delivered to their homes or in group settings. Kennedy’s bill established permanent federal subsidies for these programs (the first was $250 million over two years), and he fought the Nixon Administration’s attempts to completely eliminate funding. In 2007, 141 million meals were delivered to 916,000 individuals and 95 million meals were provided to 1.6 million seniors in community locations. It is estimated that over 6 billion meals have been served since Kennedy’s bill was signed into law.
• Women, Infants, and Children Nutrition Program (WIC).
• Public Health Threats and Emergencies Act
• Project BioShield Act, creating stronger defenses to bioterrorism
• National Institutes of Health (NIH) Revitalization Act of 1993
• legislation that quadrupled the amount of funding for cancer research and prevention (1971)
• Mammography Quality Standards Act (1992)
• 21st Century Cancer Access to Life-Saving Early detection, Research and Treatment (ALERT) Act
• Empowered the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) power to regulate tobacco products
• Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act
• Mental Health Parity legislation to help eliminate unjust annual and lifetime limits on mental health coverage
• Mental Health Early Intervention, Treatment and Prevention Act of 2000
• The Minority Health and Health Disparities Research and Education Act
• Healthcare Research and Quality Act, which established the Children’s Hospitals Graduate Medical Education (CHGME) Program
• Federal funding of the Vaccines for Children Program
• Voting Rights Act of 1965
• Voting Rights Act Amendments of 1982
• Voting Rights Language Assistance Act
• Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1988 (vetoed by Ronald Reagan)
• amendments to extend the Fair Housing Act of 1968
• Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
• Civil Rights Act of 1991
• Employment Non Discrimination Act
• first ever bipartisan campaign finance bill (1973)
• Deregulation of the Airline Industry (1974)
• Immigration Act of 1965, which ended the selection of immigrants on the basis of their national origin that began in 1924
• Refugee Act of 1980 which established a comprehensive U.S. policy to provide humanitarian assistance, admission and resettlement to refugees around the world
• Violence Against Women Act (1994, 2000)
• Enhanced Border Security and Visa Reform Act of 2002
• McCain-Kennedy comprehensive immigration reform bill
• “truth in sentencing” legislation to reform the federal criminal code and require all federal judges to follow specific guidelines in sentencing offenders convicted of particular crimes. Kennedy believed in the idea that prisoners should serve their sentences in full.

Continued in my next comment

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/08/contrasting-kennedy-coverage.html

Joe — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 18:00:32 -0000

Kennedy accomplishments - continued

• 1994 Crime Act, which provided funding for 100,000 new police officers, imposed strict new penalties for crimes involving gangs and firearms, and authorized the Police Corps, a program that gives talented young people college scholarships in return for their commitment to serve as police officers in their communities.
• Equal Rights Amendment
• Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972
• Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987
• Pregnancy Discrimination Act in 1978
• Religious Freedom Restoration Act in 1993. The legislation restored strict scrutiny for certain religious free exercise claims. The legislation was in response to the Supreme Court decision -- Oregon v. Smith in 1989, which invalidated the use of strict scrutiny in cases involving acts by governments which had the unintentional effect of violating an individual’s right to free exercise of his or her religion.
• Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA)
• conducted the first Congressional investigation of Watergate
• strongly opposed the death penalty. His opposition is a matter of principle, based on his understanding of the stark racial disparities involved, the lack of competent legal representation in many cases, and the unacceptable danger that an innocent person may be executed.
• Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA)
• Voting Rights Act of 1965
• lowered the voting age from 21 to 18. He felt strongly that those who old enough to fight for their country are old enough to vote.
• Voting Rights Act Amendments of 1982
• Voting Rights Language Assistance Act
• Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1988 – passed in spite of President Reagan’s veto.
• Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, which was the centerpiece of the War on Poverty and created Head Start.
• Early Head Start, created by Senator Kennedy in 1994, serves infants and toddlers in poverty.
• Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965
• bipartisan Star Schools Program Assistance Act in 1987
• Goals 2000 Education America Act
• Higher Education Act in 1968
• Vocational Education Amendments of 1968 modified the existing vocational education programs and established a National Advisory Council on Vocational Education.
• Academic Research Facilities Modernization Act of 1998
• Workforce Investment Act of 1998 created new training provisions that now guide most federal training investments.
• National and Community Service Trust Act, creating AmeriCorps and the Corporation for National and Community Service to expand opportunities for citizens to serve their communities, and most recently with his good friend Senator Orrin Hatch, the Serve America Act of 2009
• New National Defense Education Act (2006)
• leading Congressional proponent of a fair minimum wage, which was increased 16 times during his nearly half century of Senate service.
• Pension Protection Act of 2006, the largest reform of the nation’s pension system since 1974.
• Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
• Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act to restore a fair rule for filing pay discrimination cases.
• bipartisan mine safety reform legislation, the MINER Act
• Employee Free Choice Act, which will protect the right of workers to organize and join a union, and stop the epidemic of employer anti-union violations (introduced in 2009)
• Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Act of 2000
• Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act

Continued in my next comment

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/08/contrasting-kennedy-coverage.html

Joe — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 18:01:34 -0000

Kennedy accomplishments - continued

• National Military Child Care Act (1989)
• National Guard and Reserve Mental Health Access Act of 2008 to improve access to mental health care for our returning Guard and Reserve men and women
• Civil Rights Commission Act Amendments of 1978, which expanded the jurisdiction of the Civil Rights Commission to protect people from discrimination on the basis of disability.
• Air Carrier Access Act. This law required that facilities and services be provided to people with disabilities traveling by air.
• Fair Housing Act Amendments to extend the Fair Housing Act of 1968 to include people with disabilities and families with children.
• Crime Victims and Disabilities Awareness Act of 1998
• Employment Opportunities for Disabled Americans Act, which made work incentives for disabled individuals a permanent fixture of the Social Security Act (1986).
• Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which guarantees a free and appropriate public education to children with disabilities, regardless of their severity, in all states (1975).
• Handicapped Children’s Protection Act of 1986, which overturned a Supreme Court decision and allowed courts to award sensible attorneys fees to parents of children with disabilities winning in due process proceedings and other court actions under part B of the Education Act.
• bipartisan Family Opportunity Act. The law provides states the option of allowing families of disabled children to purchase health coverage through Medicaid.
• legislation to create a “bill of rights” for people with developmental disabilities. The bill also provided funding for services for people with this type of disability, supplemented funding for affiliated university facilities and created state-based systems of protection and advocacy groups in all 50 states.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/09/case-for-6-day-mail-service.html

Joe — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 17:02:59 -0000

I've never used NetFlix.

I think the USPS proves that a Public Option for health insurance will not put the private insurers out of business. USPS will deliver overnight or 2nd day for less than Fedex but how many people use USPS and save money?

Instead of complaining when the USPS raises their rates we can always use a private delivery service. What's a letter cost through USPS compared to Fedex? Let's shut down USPS and go private. We don't need no stinking socialized mail delivery. Let's all use Fedex.

I don't receive any bills via mail except from my doctors, my hospital, my garbageman and the guy that cuts my lawn. What's that tell you about health care service providers? Although my health care insurer doesn't send me bills they do send me monthly statements via the USPS because they don't offer a paperless option. That's smart!

The rest of my mail consists of three monthly magazines and a lot of commercial advertisement. Easily 95% of what USPS delivers to me is stuff I didn't ask for and stuff I alway throw away without reading it (credit card offers, refi offers disguished as official government notices, grocery ads, penny saver catalog, which I appreciate only for the crossword and Sudoku puzzles, retirement planning presentation invitations, etc., etc.).

It's obvious to me that the USPS serves the needs of business far more than the needs of the private person. Accordingly, the USPS should charge a higher price for business mail. If business can't afford to pay more to send their catalogs and credit card offers then they aren't adequately cost justified. Let the Free Market determine what's worth the cost of postage.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/09/president-obama-and-school-kids.html

Joe — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 22:48:23 -0000

Obama is damned if he does and damned if he doesn't.

If he was White, evangelical and had a Christian name, the people who hate him as he is would call him a patriot and God-sent. They would follow such a person no matter how arrogant and stupid he was, no matter how much he violated their constitutional rights, no matter how many war crimes he committed.

Bigots be ashamed.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/09/president-obama-and-school-kids.html

Joe — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 07:08:00 -0000

Karen, I think the attacks on Obama are bigoted and I'm disappointed that so many Americans are acting this way. Obama doesn't want to control the minds of our children any more than he wants to create a death panel to eliminate the elderly and disabled.

I can only believe that the people who believe such things are motivated by hatred. Hatred due to racism for some. Hatred do to an extreme ideological opinion for others.

You can call these attacks "freedom of speech.". I'll call it bigotry of one sort or another.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/09/president-obama-and-school-kids.html

Joe — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 12:58:37 -0000

I don't expect anybody's first proposal to always be the perfect proposal. I wouldn't want my government or my manager at work to ignore feedback. So if Obama adjusts his speech, like every speech write has occasion to do, I don't have a problem with it.

I don't expect everybody to agree with what Obama does as president but the way that many people are expressing their disapproval is unacceptable to me. He is being accused of attempting to brainwash our children, to create an army of children that will only be accountable to Obama, to apply pressure on the parents of the children. He has been likened to Hitler and Stalin.

Such reactions are not reasonable. Such reactions are motivated by hate. If you hate Obama as a person, then you will disapprove of everything that he does. You can't admit that you disagree because you hate him but you must give a reason to defend your opposition - you can't just say "because." If you disagree with the content of an Obama proposal then you should be able to cite the content with which you disagree and justify your disagreement. If you disagree because you hate Obama, then you cannot provide a reason that you can defend. If you think that the proposal cannot be paid for then Obama or his supporters have an opportunity to provide evidence that it can be paid for. If on the other hand you disagree only because you hate Obama you can't defend your opposition in a rational way. If you hate him because he is Black, you can't admit it without disqualifying your opposition. You don't have facts to support your oppostion so you resort to making claims such as "he could create a death panel... he's trying to control our children... he's a socialist/communist/foreign agent/Muslim... he wants to force my church to marry gays and lesbians... he could legalize abortions by my dentist... if he permits homosexuality in the military, no decent person will want to serve and our military will consist only of queers."

If your opposition to Obama or anybody else is rational then I'm all ears. If you just want to scream at me with an intimidating expression that our children will soon be a brown-shirted army for Obama, then I don't want to hear it.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/09/president-obama-and-school-kids.html

Joe — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 13:10:03 -0000

Excellent recommendations Bob. If Obama's opposiion limits their statements to the facts then many of them will have nothing to say, i.e. death panel cannot be supported by fact.

Bigot is THE appropriate term when referring to a person who "regards or treats the members of a group (as a racial or ethnic group) with hatred and intolence."

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/09/president-obama-and-school-kids.html

Joe — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 12:47:43 -0000

I just listened to Obama's speech to the school children and I can't imagine how it could have been more appropriate. The people who opposes this speech should ask themselves if it is the speech or the speaker that they cannot accept.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/11/one-year-later-politics-as-usual.html

Joe — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 01:18:19 -0000

How does President Obama change the way Republicans and Democrats work in Congress when the congressional leaders of the Republican party assure him that every Republican will vote NO. They are the Party of No. The term was coined by the congressional Republican leaders and with pride they continue to remind the People that they are the Party of No.

President Obama's list of accomplishments is significant. He has delivered on 52 promises and he has broken only 7. Has he demanded that the congressional Democrats ignore the Republicans? I don't think he has and had I been in his position I probably would have because they are the Party of No.

I wanted President Obama to do some things that he hasn't done so far. Some things he has chosen not to do or not to do yet. Some things Congress prevents him from doing or completing, like closing GITMO.

Since you are so disappointed with (President) Obama's "politics as usual" conduct, please be more specific. I can go all night listing the ways that the congressional Republicans have blocked or attempted to block anything that President Obama has pushed but you've already heard me on that subject multiple times. It's your turn to cite specific instances of how President Obama is "politics as usual." Bear in mind that President Obama cannot perform miracles and never claimed that he could so he is not responsible for the Republicans in Washington DC who refuse to act in good faith. I'm not asking that they knell down and do as the Democrats wish. I only expect all our representatives to act in good faith in Congress. If they will not it is nobody's fault but theirs and the voters who put them there and keep them there.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/11/one-year-later-politics-as-usual.html

Joe — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:39:52 -0000

Do you have a few examples of how he has been partisan? I honestly do not know what he could have done differently when dealing with the conservatives. What would he have had to do that would have satisfied you? He insisted that the senate republicans be a party to the Baucus bill development while I would have dismissed Grassley when he assured his constituents that he was only participating in order to block reform.

So, provide specifics, don't throw my question back at me. You made the accusation. Back it up.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/11/one-year-later-politics-as-usual.html

Joe — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:56:29 -0000

I re-read my earlier comments and I don't know which of my examples demonstrate that President Obama has made no attempt to change the partisan process in DC. Please explain how my comments are examples of President Obama conducting business as usual.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/11/one-year-later-politics-as-usual.html

Joe — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:21:22 -0000

Bob, I don't like the party system. I think it is a necessary evil on which we should impose limits to rein in its power to ensure that politicians are representing their constituents rather than their parties. We have seen popular candidates for an elected office unseated by the purchasing power and influence of a political party. When that happens the party is serving itself not the constituents. All parties are guilty of doing this. Parties are inherently partisan. When the legislature compromises to pass a bill it isn't because the parties have compromised, it's because rogue legislators on one or both sides of the aisle compromised in spite of the party dictates. Compromise legislation is passed not when the party system works but when the party system FAILS.

I think the only way to limit the power of the parties is to impose severe term limits. I wouldn't let any person serve in the US Congress for more than 6 years. I'm not opposed to career politicians per se, however, I think that most if not all members of Congress that serve for several terms (20 or more years) do so because they put party politics first. More often the Caucus rather than the constituents determines how each obedient party member will vote.

There are exceptions. The Republican Senators from Maine (Snowe and Collins) broke ranks and compromised with the Democrats to pass the recovery act. On Saturday one lone House Republican representing a traditionally Democratic district in Louisiana voted the way his constituents wanted while several Democrats voted against the House health care reform bill but not for the same reason. Some of the liberal Democrats would not vote for the bill because it contains an amendment intended to limit a woman's choice on abortion even when the cost is not subsidized by the government, while the other Democrats in opposition to the bill oppose the bill because it will tax their higher income constituents.

But the majority on both sides of the aisle always vote the party line. My favorite example of party control occurred during the confirmation hearing for Justice Clarence Thomas. Although the final vote was not along party lines, on the matter of the Anita Hill sexual harrassment accusation only, every Democrat believed Anita Hill and every Republican belived Clarence Thomas. I don't know whether Anita Hill's accusation was valid or not. The validity of the accusation is not the issue. The real issue for me is that every Democrat believed Hill and every Republican believed Thomas. That's party control at its worst.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/11/one-year-later-politics-as-usual.html

Joe — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:07:05 -0000

jrcharrd said, "The only hope and change Obama has pursued is his Hope to play more golf and to Change his swing."

Is that a joke or are you serious?

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/11/celebrating-fall-of-wall.html

Joe — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:59:26 -0000

In a country that liked to maintain the status quo Gorbachev could have received a bullet from the Central Committee instead of a Peace Prize.

Re: http://www.erikbraatensspeltips.com/2009/01/har-tappat-allt.html

Joe — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 19:54:00 -0000

Synd mannen!

bara samla krafter... ;)

Re: http://www.erikbraatensspeltips.com/2009/05/spel-85-86-och-87.html

Joe — Sat, 23 May 2009 05:48:10 -0000

Efter ha sett dina spela måste jag säga att du inte är så bra på tippa...

Och att tippa 1:a på Barcelona ska man inte göra ikväll! (ändå är jag 100% Barça)

För Osasuna är de här en match på liv o död. Hoppas iaf att Barça vinner :)

btw han heter Cáceres, inte Cascares -_-

------------------------------
Spela på Valladolid och Getafe ;)

Re: If you’re into it!

Joe — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 12:40:27 -0000

Bra sagt 13! Stämmer på mig iaf :)

Re: If you’re into it!

Joe — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 12:03:55 -0000

svängig låt ändå :)

Re: Bus!

Joe — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 13:39:38 -0000

haha roligt, vågat :P

Re: Simultankapacitet!

Joe — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 19:05:54 -0000

73..

Re: Överraskningsmoment!

Joe — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 17:24:13 -0000

Fan, hur lyckas man :P

Re: Honda NSX!

Joe — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 10:30:10 -0000

Henke är 7 år

Re: Fickparkering!

Joe — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 05:57:06 -0000

Skills :D

Re: Berlino!

Joe — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 06:30:06 -0000

stabilt haha

Re: Dörr!

Joe — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 08:49:31 -0000

Haha fan va sjukt, vad hade han tänkt och göra? XD

Re: N00b boyfriend!

Joe — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 05:52:18 -0000

Sweet ^^

Re: Göteborg!

Joe — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 12:55:35 -0000

Gissade hon rätt förresten? :O

Re: Göteborg!

Joe — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 09:15:55 -0000

Göteborg - Sveriges Skithål!

Re: Påskmys med Folke!

Joe — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 03:15:25 -0000

100% äkta. Vet man vem han är är det dubbelt så kul.Du kan fråga honom vad han gjorde igår och få samma svar.

Re: Parkeringsbiljett!

Joe — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 23:56:00 -0000

jag lägger 10/1 på att det där var en kvinna'

Re: Stardust Explosion

Joe — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 10:23:12 -0000

Hur i hela h***te skulle de kuna vara fejk OCH VAD är fejk i så fall. Säger man fejk om det här så har man noll koll.
Det finns ju inte på kartan att det skulle kunna vara fejk.

Re: Penn & Teller: Shadows

Joe — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 09:41:07 -0000

Jag bli ju spyfärdig på alla som påstår att det är fejk, det är fejk, det är fejk, allt är fan fejk för er....... allt ni inte kan förså är fejk för er (för inte kan ni vara så dumma så att ni inte fattar hur det går till, då är det ju lättare att ta till fejk så man kan fortsätta "tro" att man är klokast).

Re: Grundlurad!

Joe — Fri, 31 Mar 2006 08:51:56 -0000

Fyy fan va klockren

Re: Massive ice chunk collapses in Antarctica

Joe — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 05:47:00 -0000

Are you serious? OMFG, the world is coming to an END! Geeze lady, did you ever happen to stop and think that this has been going on for millions of years WITHOUT man's involvement?

Of course, I'm sure this won't get posted because it would cast doubt upon your good sense, right? Before you jump on the bandwagon, why not do some research of your own. If nothing else, use a bit of common sense. Yes, I know, it's hard to come by these days.

You and alarmist Al Bore would make a good pair...

--->Rob

Re: http://www.fairyblogmotherblog.com/2009/07/pat-benatar-concert-review.html

Joe — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 19:38:17 -0000

Annette - thanks for taking the time to post the photos and for the great concert review. They really do consistently put on a good show!

Joe Cross
The Pat Benatar Fan Club
http://www.benatarfanclub.com

Re: http://comingout-clean.blogspot.com/2009/09/lost-in-translation.html

Joe — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 14:24:46 -0000

Do you have an opinion about how the U.S. should, if at all, reform the health care system and health care insurance industry?

Re: http://www.animationtipsandtricks.com/2009/08/describe-your-workflow-when-you-start.html

Joe — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 00:28:25 -0000

I've wondered if the traditional animation philosophy of making super-clear, planned out poses applies all the time. For example, I could imagine deliberately muddling the poses for dramatic effect.

Sometimes I wonder if we overdevelop certain things in animation to compensate for lack of good directing, writing, or an overall lack of story in some cases.

I'm not criticizing that; I think it only adds to your skill as an animator, and is part of the reason good animation is so beautiful. But I am intrigued sometimes by wondering what sorts of things I could do I *break* the rules of "find good, clear poses that lead the action" in some cases.

Re: http://www.animationtipsandtricks.com/2009/08/describe-your-workflow-when-you-start.html

Joe — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 00:28:25 -0000

Re: http://www.codereflect.com/2008/04/thrissur-pooram-2008.html

Joe — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 07:34:18 -0000

I missed this year's Pooram :(

Re: http://www.codereflect.com/2009/01/virtual-cddvd-for-windows-7-beta.html

Joe — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 22:03:38 -0000

Magic disc not working with 64 bit W7 to me.

Re: Review: Smallville Season 3 Premiere

Joe — Fri, 24 Sep 2004 17:47:43 -0000

Why do you have to have those disgusting ads on your site. The free DVD of Star Wars is a complete joke!

Re: Did Jesus really say that? - ExChristian.Net - News and Opinion

Joe — Thu, 22 Dec 2005 08:12:00 -0000

The Bible authors wrote down what they thought people wanted to hear. They had to write down something, so make it appear like an angry God, like an angry father, father will punish you if you are mean, father is a strict father, he will pour out he's angry wrath upon you. You must obey. You must bow down before me. You must worship me. I command you to obey and comform to the gospels.
How friggin ridiculous, I mean 2000 years ago, how intelligent were people in those days? Not very...

Re: Pastor Admits Sex With Teen Girl - ExChristian.Net - News and Opinion

Joe — Sat, 18 Nov 2006 23:51:00 -0000

These are interesting comments. Perhaps your view of truth causes you to think there is no God. Perhaps your view of truth causes you to think that it religion is man-made. And of course, you are entitle to that. My question is, who is the truth? Jesus is the truth. So, it is your view of Jesus that causes these ideas. And the sooner you refocus your view, you'll see clearly. Take care!

Re: Pastor Admits Sex With Teen Girl - ExChristian.Net - News and Opinion

Joe — Sun, 19 Nov 2006 14:26:00 -0000

As a christian, I believe that Jesus Chrst is the son of God. Futhermore, I believe that I am to live a life that models his, since that's what the Bible teraches. Jesus asked questions then turned right around and answered them, so pointing that out only proves that I attempt to live like Christ so thank you.

Re: Pastor arrested for sexual assaults - ExChristian.Net - News and Opinion

Joe — Sun, 26 Nov 2006 04:15:00 -0000

Something else that bothered me other than the molestation was the fact that the school has only ONE teacher......for grades 2 to 12?? Something is not right about that....

Re: Pastor held for murder - ExChristian.Net - News and Opinion

Joe — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 22:12:00 -0000

God(money)has certainly blessed this guy. I say his wife is atleast 20 years younger than he.

"Ask and ye shall receive."

Re: Pastor accused of scamming $300,000 - ExChristian.Net - News and Opinion

Joe — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 20:57:00 -0000

I should give this guy my father and mother's address, all anyone would have to do knock on the door and say "I'm a Christian and I Love Jesus, please give me all your money to show your love towards Jesus." They are just as stupid and ignorant as the next christian.

Re: Pastor accused of scamming $300,000 - ExChristian.Net - News and Opinion

Joe — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 19:18:00 -0000

Ye must pay your user taxes(tithes) to god.

Want to get 10% interest on your money? Quit giving it to god (the preacher).

Re: Debating the existence of God - ExChristian.Net - News and Opinion

Joe — Fri, 04 May 2007 01:25:00 -0000

Seems I've been wrong and God actually does exist. In reality, there is a whole family of gods, and their family business is creating universes, complete with wondrously beautiful things erudite and beautiful societies of beings.

Then they happened to have a god child with a serious mental impairment (by God family standards) so they gave him a sandbox to play in; a sort of occupational therapy. And here we are, ill-fated to inhabit the idiot God's little playground. He has tantrums sometimes and wipes his little minions out, or sets up his favorite little group to beat up the other little groups.

He's rather insecure and gets really pissed when his creatures don't stoke his little ego, so he squishes the bad ones and throws them in the fire when they die. The ones that suck up to him and tell him he's great, despite his obvious character flaws and mental deficiency, get put on a special shelf in his bedroom when they die. From there on the shelf they call heaven, they can say nice things to him 24-7.

Re: Debating the existence of God - ExChristian.Net - News and Opinion

Joe — Sun, 06 May 2007 21:03:00 -0000

Care should be taken in challenging xians to produce shows. I've been in some xian churches lately and the special effects can be stunning.

Computerguycj, I'm sure that, after the fact, skeptical arson investigators would uncover the Hollywood tricks that caused your soaked flesh to burn up, but there's not much solace in that. A general policy of using inanimate objects in tests of divine power is the way to go.

Re: Debating the existence of God - ExChristian.Net - News and Opinion

Joe — Tue, 08 May 2007 06:01:00 -0000

Pull The Other One!

Thanks. I'll join Eel Shepherd in saying I hadn't seen the Banana Argument either. Funny stuff though. I have enjoyed similar arguments.

I'd like to raise the theory that the Intelligent Designer has clearly designed men for masturbation. I mean look at how conveniently he placed it. Right there at a comfortable arms length. And how like a banana it is?

Re: Debating the existence of God - ExChristian.Net - News and Opinion

Joe — Sun, 13 May 2007 08:28:00 -0000

Mike,

Your questions are silly, but I'll bite anyway.

1) Lots of historical evidence about the way the Bible was written and compiled. The book burning churchmen of the late Roman Empire did a nice job of burning "heretical" critiques, along with the heretics. The remaining texts were altered in many cases to tighten up the arguments in favor of the prevailing orthodoxy. What remains is that, while proving the negative that there is no god, it's not really that tough to prove that the "God of the Bible" is a character that was created with social and political agendas. The "Holy Spirit guiding the hands of the writers and canon compilers" argument is just to perpetuate what the Ecumenical Councils and various Church Fathers would have us believe. They were the victors in political wrangling. They got to write their magical insights into the history. Not very compelling.

2) I avoid pain and seek pleasure. I like reading, good food, working out problems at work, sexual pleasure, spending times watching my kids discover the world and gain insights into it. The range is wide. I don't like being hungry, getting sick, being beaten or robbed, being cold or lonely. I do things every day that set conditions find a balanced, sustainable way to maximize the former while minimizing the latter. Historically, those who have the temperament and wisdom to find a reasonably good balance between avoidance of pain and attainment of pleasure are able to proliferate, while those that fail are less likely. Simple Darwinian process.

Christians waking up to the movement? Please. In the 80's xians were all worked up about imaginary satanic movements. They've got their anti-abortion campaign to get excited about. Before that it's always been something: heretics, anti-christs, witchcraft. It changes overtime. Alternate thesis: the church needs to have enemies to aim the congregations at. It's all part of keeping people in the realm of emotion, where religion is strong, rather than letting people slip off into rationality, where the church is a mess.

Why should atheists who don't believe the Bible talk about it? Are you serious? Sorry if it offends your faith, but xian supported and sponsored movements are out there trying to use the Bible to advance legal and public policy agendas. They've put it on the table. If they want a society that includes secularists and members of other religions to adopt the rule set from the Bible, theirs is the burden of proof for it's legitimacy. Rather than make that case, they claim a priori that the book is true, and make up fantastical justifications to paper over the nonsensical parts. It's not convincing. A large quantity of poor arguments can't add up to a good argument. Pile crap as high as you want, it will never become anything but crap.

Re: Debating the existence of God - ExChristian.Net - News and Opinion

Joe — Sun, 13 May 2007 09:38:00 -0000

WM,

True enough. Anyone working in sales, whether legitimate or fraudulent, realizes the imperative of creating or heightening the potential buyer's awareness of the need for the product/service, and then showing them how the product efficiently and satisfactorily satisfies that need.

Got fear? Got guilt? Feeling powerless? Unloved? No more. The god-o-matic has got you covered.

Re: Debating the existence of God - ExChristian.Net - News and Opinion

Joe — Tue, 15 May 2007 06:27:00 -0000

Mike, you ask why atheists should be so hard on Marc (and you). Bottom line: religion poses as truth, but doesn't make the case. It insists that certain alleged facts are true and not subject to proof. Atheists approach the issue of truth differently. Truth needs proof.

Why should we care whether other alleged truths are put to the test? Let's look at our current administration. It came to power in part on its campaign against the "flipfloppers" on the other side. In that view, good and capable people never change their minds. They claim that they should be trusted because they have their hands on immutable truths. Likeminded people (at least enough to come within a hanging chad of victory) took that logic to the polls and elected them.

What did we get? People who "stay the course" even when the objective evidence calls for change. Dogmatic adherence to a set of beliefs in the face of evidence is a bad thing. Science, as one of the leading principles of atheism, is all about flipflopping. Form a hypothesis, imagine that it were true and run careful experiments to see if the tests produce the results that one would expect if it were so. If they seem to bear that out, publish the hypothesis, honest test conditions and findings in a public journal. Let others repeat the experiments, apply alternate hypotheses and introduce other variables to see if the findings hold. If the hypothesis is disproven or an alternative hypothesis proves itself to explain the findings more satisfactorily, the community flips (or flops) and the hypothesis is shelved.

Dogmatically religious people are not like that. They tell us that when the experiment fails (prayer doesn't get answered, "saved" people commit horrible crimes, etc.) it doesn't disprove the god hypothesis; doesn't even call it seriously into question in their eyes.

I love flipfloppers. The capacity to change opinions, beliefs and attitudes as new information is added is one of the qualities in a person that I admire most.

The Soviet dissident poet Alexander Galich said it best:

Don’t fear the ashes, don’t fear blasphemy,
Don’t fear the furnace and hell,
But fear only him,
Who says, “I know how it’s got to be!”
Who says, “Everyone who follows me
Will have heaven on earth as their prize.”

Re: Debating the existence of God - ExChristian.Net - News and Opinion

Joe — Tue, 15 May 2007 07:35:00 -0000

Looks like this is my Russian translation day...

Another great Russian saying:

The less you know the better you sleep.

Glad to hear you're resting easy, Marc.

Re: Debating the existence of God - ExChristian.Net - News and Opinion

Joe — Tue, 15 May 2007 20:59:00 -0000

Mike,

We all get up in the morning to take care of ourselves. That's psych 101. It doesn't take a god to realize that what is good for the community is in my enlightened self-interest. Who wants to live in a squalid, crime-ridden neighborhood. So, I try to support good public policy. I help elderly people get their bags on the train, because it is good for the community and has a positive effect. I try to be beneficial to my children in their upbringing and to teach them my experience. Not self-serving.

The idea that being nice is not possible without god is a myth. Good night.

Re: Debating the existence of God - ExChristian.Net - News and Opinion

Joe — Fri, 18 May 2007 06:08:00 -0000

Marc,

Xianity is an evil thing. It tells people that they are sinners and deserve hell, unless they believe everything in all of the religion's 66 books. To make things easier on poor sinners, you can pick from one of 100's of major and thousands of minor variations on the interpretations of the incredible and inconsistent parts, but you still need to believe it one way or another.

People who don't believe it fall into two broad categories. Some find the way to health by understanding that it's all bull. Others lose their faith but still somehow hold to the paradigm that that says because they disbelieve they're bound for hell, on earth (being outside the religion's protection) and there after. So, they don't expect to have a good live. That's really twisted.

I am glad to have made it to the point of understanding that I am not a sinner. I am a person, just like the other 6 billion+ on this planet and many billion more who lived before and will come after. The quality of my life does not depend on whether or not I believe your in your doctrines and dogmas. It is based on the relationships I build and the quality of my interactions with my environment. Do I contribute to the quality of my community? Do I share in building supportive and loving relationships with others? Do I make my 6 billionth share of contribution to the sustainment and advancement of humanity? That's what it's about Marc.

Actually, if there's cause for resentment in the world and someone who might be called "sinner," I think we can start with the Evangelical clergy and laity who are out there consuming the earth's resources while contributing negatively to the future of humanity. It would be interesting to fast forward to the histories written in 3007 c.e. What will they call our age in retrospect? The beginning of a dark age, or the end? Or is it something middling. After all, the ancient Greeks didn't know they were ancient...

Re: http://elblogdedrago.blogspot.com/2009/04/ayuda-al-blog.html

Joe — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 19:53:15 -0000

muy bueno el blog! segui asi! :D

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2007/07/republicans-just-say-no-to-youtube.html

Joe — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 15:42:00 -0000

Unlike McCain, I "no longer" agree with the war but I applaud his sense of responsibility to the voters for attending the debate. As for those that won't show up I will withhold comment so that Kansas Bob doesn't lose his G Rating.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2008/02/what-about-ann.html

Joe — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 16:05:00 -0000

On your last posted note on 2/2/09

Does it look like Ann will be able to get off the RX stuff (the steriod)?

Is it too early to tell about your going to San Antonio?

I struggle with giving up or cutting down my coke, sweets, etc; so I really join with Bob in his admiration for Ann - her pressing in and doing her physical therapy is amazing! Ann you are an encouragement to me! Prayers and Blessings.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2008/03/caption-needed.html

Joe — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 15:01:00 -0000

When I said you can have one "carry on" I had something smaller in mind!

Re: Home Reserve Guestbook

Joe — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 08:15:55 -0000

We have assembled the two Monroe loveseats and have been using them for about a week. I can\'t tell you how totally superior this product is. My wife and I built them in a few hours. It brought back memories of lincoln logs and erector sets. The frames were a lot of fun to put together and all parts were flawless. The whole construction appealed to both of us. My wife excelled in making sure the fabrics and foam went together properly, and I enjoyed building the frames. It really is the perfect his/hers project. The color was accurately represented and the fabric is extremely strong. The frame feels like it would support a baby elephant. We could not have made a better choice. Let us know if you would like some photos of the finished room. We know where to go for our next purchase of either a chair, loveseat or sofa.
Very best regards,
Joe Randazzo

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2008/09/things-you-dont-say-to-your-wife.html

Joe — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 09:57:00 -0000

I checked out a bunch of his vids. He is very funny!

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2008/09/politics-of-ignorance.html

Joe — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 12:01:00 -0000

I agree. I expect some people to reject Obama for being black or for being a Muslim because of his name. I expect hate mongers to take advantage of this ignorance and racism. I cannot forgive the GOP for not denouncing it all. The racist that wrote "Obama Nation", which was published by Mary Matalin, co-authored "Unfit for Command", which corrupted the 2004 presidential election. The GOP did not denounce Corsi's book in 2004 and they are not denouncing Corsi's book of lies about Obama.

Likewise, I think it is irresponsible for a voter to vote for Obama simply because he is black or for Hillary only because she is a woman. But, neither decision effects more than one vote.

Re: Home Reserve Guestbook

Joe — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 08:14:47 -0000

We just added an entertainment room to our house and now thanks to your banner ad on AOL, we will be buying from you and paying resonable prices not inflated prices. ;2

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/05/he-aint-heavy.html

Joe — Mon, 25 May 2009 09:04:13 -0000

I think the message in the sign is intended for the homeowner rather than the bank. In some cases the homeowner took excessive risk when he assumed that the value of his property would continue to appreciate at a high rate. In all cases I think the mortgage brokers wrote mortgages which they knew were likely, if not certainly, going to fail. However, once the broker sold the mortgage to a bank (how stupid and greedy were the banks) the broker had his profit even if the homeowner defaulted later on.

The sign's message reflects the selfishness and greed that rule both our public and private sectors, both consumers and business. America will not succeed if any means is justified by the end especially when the means is taking advantage of others; taking value out of the economy rather than delivering value to the economy.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/05/rehabilitating-criminal-rehabilitation.html

Joe — Sat, 09 May 2009 15:20:00 -0000

Good comment from Shaun and not a bit long.

I'm not surprised to hear that Florida's DOC has given up on rehabilitation programs. Florida is ranked #4 on executions since the reinstatement of the death penalty in 1976. I'll post a graph on my blog.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/05/rehabilitating-criminal-rehabilitation.html

Joe — Thu, 14 May 2009 12:35:00 -0000

With the recent release of another innocent person from Death Row, I decided to take a look at how many have been released. In the last 36 years 132 people have been freed from Death Row. They were on Death Row an average of 9 years and 9 months. One was on Death Row for 33 years.

Forty of these were from the top four execution states - TX, OK, FL and VA. Not only do these states use the Death Penalty more than the other states, they also imprison more innocent people than the other states. How many innocent people have been executed - especially in TX, OK, FL and VA?

The Death Penalty is wrong even if the courts and juries didn't make mistakes. Courts and juries do make mistakes, will always make mistakes and WE continue to execute people with the full knowledge that some of them are innocent.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/05/love-is-orientation.html

Joe — Thu, 14 May 2009 12:41:00 -0000

Good post KB. Thanks.

I agree with Karen. It is a shame that Christians are known only by the worst in their midst.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/05/ethical-pro-riddles.html

Joe — Thu, 14 May 2009 16:03:00 -0000

I'm Pro-Life. I'd save the baby. I don't know what a zygote is.

I think the majority will always opt for choice so we have to focus on reducing unwanted pregnancies.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/05/my-2-on-snail-mail.html

Joe — Thu, 14 May 2009 15:52:00 -0000

My Snail Mail Uses:
corporate tax return
passport application
visa application
Christmas Cards
Christmas presents

All I receive are magazines, bills, credit card offers, refi offers, coupons, catalogs.

The mailman will soon disappear like the milkman.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/05/friday-pessimistic-optimism.html

Joe — Fri, 15 May 2009 09:26:00 -0000

I also liked this saying the most, "Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending."

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/05/rushmore-revisited.html

Joe — Wed, 27 May 2009 11:42:26 -0000

Mt. Rushmore is not where I would plaster the face of Social Injustice.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/05/culture-war.html

Joe — Sat, 30 May 2009 16:02:38 -0000

Christian extremists are fighting a war that they have created against an enemy that doesn't exist in my opinion. I'm a believer who thinks that religions serve their membership, not God and not mankind.

Although I'm a liberal I never receive anti-Christian e-mail. In fact, I don't think I have ever seen anti-Christian e-mail.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/06/shaving-your-head-for-troops.html

Joe — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 09:54:58 -0000

I look bad enough with hair that I can't risk going without.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/06/obama-we-will-not-be-used-by-iranian.html

Joe — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 04:55:13 -0000

I'm thankful that McCain is not the president. I don't think McCain's responses would always have been limited to sword rattling.

I was very surprised and disappointed when McCain stated that he didn't know whether Barack Obama supported Ahmadinejad or the Iranians citizens who are calling for a recount. There is no doubt in my mind that McCain knows that Obama does not support Ahmadinejad. McCain's response was political and disloyal. It is the response I would expect from Limbaugh rather than the "leadership" of the GOP.

I think the magnitude of Ayatollah Khameini's response to the Iranian uprising will be proportional to any action by the U.S. in support the uprising. I think the Iranians can in time get the theocratic leadership to accept truly democratic elections of their political leaders but only if the rest of the world stays uninvolved.

Re: Deism: Truth Without Faith

Joe — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:36:12 -0000

I guess I'm a deist. I believe in a Creator. I do not believe that the Creator has predestined our lives or intervenes in our lives (miracles).

Early man's religious beliefs were limited to faith because he had no understanding of the physical world and its evolution. Early man interpreted his observations of nature as the acts of an intolerant and vengeful God. As man's understanding of the physical world increased his concept of God has changed and He is seen as forgiving and loving.

There is much about the universe that man still does not know and likely will never know but I think that what we now know is very strong evidence of a Creator.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2008/03/ledgers-legacy-daughter-not-in-his-will.html

Joe — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:01:19 -0000

Counting me, 2 of 7 commenters do not have a will. That's not good. I've worked on one a couple of times but have never followed through to completion.

I think I'll try LegalZoom recommended by NoVA Dad.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/07/on-my-own-terms.html

Joe — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 11:41:33 -0000

I don't agree that it is alright for Palin to quit her office for the reason she gave - she doesn't want to be a lame duck for the last 18 months of her term and waste taxpayers money while getting nothing done. Why can't she finish her term AND work for Alaska while she's doing it. Does every governor spend the last 18 months of their term doing nothing but traveling on taxpayers' money?

Palin's coverage by the media was, in my opinion, always justified by her remarks and her conduct. David Lettermans' remarks were horrible and inexcusable. Palin should have ignored Letterman as do 99% of the people that Letterman and other "humorists" pick on. Palin is a political incompetent with far right opinions and sex appeal. Her fans have as much to like in her as they had to like about Joe the Plumber.

I don't think that Alaska and Alaskans will miss her for a moment. I'm thrilled that she will never be president of the United States but I won't be surprised if by 2012 what is left of the rapidly shrinking GOP nominates her.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/07/on-my-own-terms.html

Joe — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:56:33 -0000

I'll agree that celebrity is very difficult to handle when it hits one overnight. It's even difficult when it occurs over a period of years.

I could not have handled her predicament well. I might very well have done worse than she did.

I think she could have opted after the election to step back into Alaska if she did not want the celebrity that came with her aspirations. However, she chose to pursue national political prominence and never learned how to manage it. That, in my opinion, is why she felt the need to drop out.

I do agree it is only a job but it was a commitment as well, which she made impossible to fulfill. Where would this world be if we all walked away from our commitments because doing so was easier?

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/07/on-my-own-terms.html

Joe — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 14:22:48 -0000

I'm anxious to hear what they have to say. I wish I could participate.

I was in KS on vacation last week. My brother and sister-in-law live in Leavenworth. When I told them about your blog and some of your posts they told me that their Baptist pastor has a ministry at the state prison and wondered if you and their pastor know each other. Is that possible?

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/07/obamacare.html

Joe — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 12:32:58 -0000

Something has to change because what we have and/or how it is managed is unaffordable for many and the number is increasing.

I had good medical benefits through Pepsi-Cola until I retired. Since then the cost of the coverage goes up each year and the maximum coverage has decreased. Still, I have insurance and it is affordable.

My son is 25 and married with two children. He works for a one of Penske's Honda dealerships. His wife works for state of CT. They get insurance through Penske and the annual premium is $9,600. Which is about 20% of their net income. Penske paid a larger percentage of the premium until sales fell off with the economy.

While doing business in Norway and Germany in the last 12 months I discussed the healthcare programs in those countries with some of the residents. They all spoke very highly of their programs. I heard from them none of the complaints that I hear from those that oppose making changes to our private healthcare system.

I think opposition to healthcare reform consists of (1) people that oppose government involvement of any kind, (2) members of the healthcare/pharma/insurance industries whose profits may decrease and (3) people that believe all the negative propaganda from the first two groups.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2006/11/ten-albert-quotes.html

Joe — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 14:21:18 -0000

Einstein
Einstein
Schweitzer
Einstein
Schweitzer
Schweitzer
Schweitzer
Einstein
Einstein
Schweitzer

The only one that I felt unsure of was "A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new."

The prison ministry pastor from KS is Donald Almond - Trinity United Methodist.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/07/mind-reading-wheelchair.html

Joe — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 09:21:24 -0000

I'm much more amazed by the brain's ability to learn how to control the wheelchair than the technology that responds to electrical signals from the brain. This is like learning how to contol our body so that we can walk or throw a ball. Our initial conscious efforts to walk at 12 months of age quickly become unnecessary as the brain assumes complete unconscious coordination of our entire body when we walk.

In the same way, the brain unconsciously learns how the wheelchair responds to various signals from the brain. That is very impressive.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2008/04/kansas-gas-331gallon.html

Joe — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 12:05:35 -0000

In CT regular is about $2.69. Next door, NY is the same. In NJ the price is only $2.39. However, in NJ where the gas is always significantly cheaper you cannot pump your own gas. I guess state taxes make the difference.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/10/tolerance-extremists-need-not-apply.html

Joe — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 01:00:00 -0000

I don't agree with abortion except when the pregnant woman's life is in danger if the preganancy is continued and the fetus is too young to survive delivery. Personally, I see no reason to surrender a woman's life for the unborn. Just my opinion. That said I think a woman has a right to decide whether to continue a preganancy. I wouldn't oppose it and because it is not my decision I won't judge the woman. However, I think life is very important. I disapprove of capital punishment and always will, first because I don't believe in taking a life and secondly because our justice system makes too many mistakes. That sounds like a contradiction to my opinion about abortion, except that I cannot demand that a woman continue a pregnancy, whereas I feel that I do have a voice as a citizen about whether the government kills somebody in my name.

Regarding the rights of homosexuals, I feel that no church has the right to impose its beliefs on any person. Every person has the right to decide whether to be a member of a church and whether to abide by the doctrine of that church and the church has the right to require of its voluntary members that they abide by its doctrine or be subject to expulsion. If a church does not want to extend membership to homosexuals or offer the rite of marriage to same-sex members, I believe that is the right of the church. I don't believe that homosexuality is a choice, I have friends and relatives that are homosexual and there is no doubt in my mind that they were born homosexual. So I consider homosexuality to be as natural as heterosexuality. That said, if a heterosexual person chooses to live as a homosexual, I feel it is that individual's right to make that decision. Therefore, I believe that all citizens should have the same rights regardless of sexual orientation.

I don't think that "marriage" should be legally limited to opposite sex couples or same race couples as challenged by Justice of the Peace Bartwell in LA. I don't think that "marriage" and the family will be destroyed by same-sex marriages. I don't think that homosexuals are trying to convert heterosexuals to homosexuality. I don't think that children raised by same sex couples will be confused by their same-sex parents although they may be confused by the ignorance of a society that condemns his or her parents.

The warnings that same-sex marriage will destroy society are as unfounded as the warnings about death panels resulting from health care reform.

With regard to Bishop Spong, I agree with him about the rights of homosexuals. I believe that Spong has the right as a member of his church to disagree with his church about the rights within the church of homosexuals AND I believe that his church has the right to relieve Spong of his membership. Whether he wants to debate with his church or not, whether his church wants to permit him to continue being a member are, in my opinion, matters of the church and Spong, not me, not you and certainly not the government.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/10/tolerance-extremists-need-not-apply.html

Joe — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:09:23 -0000

I agree with Ed G. A difference in opinion is and should be tolerable but injustice should never be tolerated.

I think liberals and conservatives should tolerate the other's view even when they do not agreet as long as the other's view does not advocate a violation of a person's "legal" rights (the rights sought by NAMBLA are not legal and NAMBLA need not be tolerated; torture for any reason is a violation of human rigts and should not be tolerated) and each person is acting in Good Faith (claiming that health care reform will create a death panel is not acting in Good Faith and is not a tolerable argument).

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/10/www-expensive-old-hair.html

Joe — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 08:15:36 -0000

It doesn't make sense to me to buy the hair (or the shirt) even if I could prove that it was Elvis' hair, which, I heard, has not been done.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/10/god-is-with-us-if-we-are-with-poor.html

Joe — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 00:04:41 -0000

We can be with the poor by donating money to valid relief organizations. We can be with the poor by encouraging our representatives in Congress to continue supporting IMF, USAID and the like.

We don't have to provoke class warfare; it already exists and the poor are losing the war.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/10/375000-lexus-lf.html

Joe — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 19:42:19 -0000

I don't expect crownring to get lambasted for telling it like it is most of the time, present company excepted. I used to commute between Westchester County, NY and Fairfield Count, CT. While waiting patiently for one's turn on the highway connector between the NY road and the CT road, I can count on most of the Lexus', BMW's and Mercedes to drive to the head of the line and cut in. These drivers don't worry about inheriting the world, they act like it is already theirs. Present company excepted!

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/10/29-gifts.html

Joe — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 10:39:40 -0000

I agree with coachscully about giving one's time. You probably can't afford to donate as much money as a non-profit would need to hire somebody to do what you would do while volunteering your time.

I've learned that in some parts of the country it is more difficult to get somebody to volunteer their time even temporarily than it is to get them to donate money, only.

Re: http://www.kansasbob.com/2009/10/cable-news-neck-chokers.html

Joe — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:19:33 -0000

When I first started working as an engineer I actually worked on a drawing board with a pencil a long time before AutoCAD. Everybody wore a tie. We had to replace our ties frequently because they worn out rubbing on the edge of the drawing board and none of the engineers wore silk ties. When I transferred from Dallas to NY, I was told that my light blue suit was unacceptable. I had two choices - charcoal grey, navy blue - and a vest was a must. The last several years that I worked I wore jeans everyday. At first they would occasionally ask why I was in jeans and it wasn't Friday. I always said that I would be on the pilot line in R&D later in the day. Eventually, they quit asking.

Now, I only wear a suit and tie for retirement dinners, weddings and funerals. These opportunities are infrequent enough that I never know which size I'll be able to wear!

Re: Jerry Falwell is dead - ExChristian.Net - News and Opinion

Joe — Wed, 16 May 2007 06:39:00 -0000

The question of successors will be interesting to watch. He had a kind of access to public officials that is surely the envy of many of the megachurch moguls, and the auditions will have started by now. The conservative right will be looking to pick someone who can pull the fundies together as a voting block for 2008.

At least Falwell was "the devil we knew." Let's hope that we don't get the combination of a more influential/charismatic type in the position of right-wing policy legitimizer. If that combined with another right of center president things could go from bad to worse. Let's hope the spirit of 2006 continues.

Re: Jerry Falwell is dead - ExChristian.Net - News and Opinion

Joe — Fri, 18 May 2007 08:16:00 -0000

My small tribute:

There fellow named Falwell,
Who constantly preached it was all well
To hate and to curse
While he filled up his purse
But that isn't what sane people call well.

Re: Jerry Falwell is dead - ExChristian.Net - News and Opinion

Joe — Fri, 18 May 2007 08:26:00 -0000

left out my ...once was... It's early for limericks here on the East Coast.

Re: Christopher Hitchens eulogizes Jerry Falwell - ExChristian.Net - News and Opinion

Joe — Sat, 19 May 2007 06:11:00 -0000

I'm not sure that delusion or con describes the full range of possibilities. I'd like to enter the possibility that this is a matter of culture.

One of Russia's leading linguists in the past century, Yuri Lotman, provides a definition of culture in linguistic terms. To summarize a long argument in a short form, he suggests that the dividing line between cultures may be defined by evaluating whether a given input produces similar response. In other words, were I to say "God is good" would you respond with "amen," "yeah, and fuck you," "huh?" or some other variant? The response to a range of ideas defines the cultures and sub-cultures to which respondents belong.

My theory is that Falwell internalized a culture that included a set of cultural responses that define the core of fundamentalist xian culture. He was used by political cultures that couldn't give a crap about what he believed. He produced votes. He was promoted within his culture because he epitomized the responses that culture expects.

Was he a con man? His culture cons itself. So, I think the question at hand has little to do with exposing and critiquing delusional or unethical individuals within a culture like that. Instead, the more important puzzle may be what makes cultures die off. How might the social, economic, political and psychological environment change so that a given culture goes extinct?

Right now it seems to me that the cultures of fundamentalist religion have lots of low-hanging fruit to eat. They eat up poverty, ignorance, fear and greed. They have also learned to cultivate the things they feed upon. Clever bastards.

Evolution is merciless.

Re: Branch Davidians — they still believe - ExChristian.Net - News and Opinion

Joe — Sat, 19 May 2007 05:40:00 -0000

Seen from a long way off, with very little data to go on, it sounds like a delusion fueled by post traumatic stress disorder. I find it sad.

Re: Falwell in hell cartoon? That's a no-no - ExChristian.Net - News and Opinion

Joe — Sun, 20 May 2007 06:22:00 -0000

Argument from popularity: Homosexuality is not "the norm," therefore it is wrong. The bullshit flag is up. The preacher may sit down.

End by threatening the livelihood of people who publish information that challenges public perception. Priceless. The xian goal -- don't let your idea compete. Make it the only one people get to hear.

I feel like I'm still to angry with the tactics the bullshit mongers use in the church and community to make a rational argument. But the picture of Falwell surprised by his hereafter experience rings true with me. I'm angry and sad that the religious communities consider hate normal but love between two people, gender aside, to be abhorrent.

Anybody know the way back to the other side of the looking glass?

Re: Falwell in hell cartoon? That's a no-no - ExChristian.Net - News and Opinion

Joe — Mon, 21 May 2007 21:01:00 -0000

boring.

a standard xian tactic. distract the people with emotional argument. *yawn*

Re: Youth leader sex, again - ExChristian.Net - News and Opinion

Joe — Thu, 24 May 2007 19:27:00 -0000

Damn it, Janet.

Re: Pastor accused of diverting church money for personal use - ExChristian.Net - News and Opinion

Joe — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 04:30:00 -0000

The bible was crafted over the centuries to control people. Not surprising that it draws corrupt people in search of easy pickings. In addition to the con men, how many pastors are in it for simple psychological issues; the desire to be in control, to have leverage over others. It's nice to be out.

Re: Sex abuse reports exceed 260 per year - ExChristian.Net - News and Opinion

Joe — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 10:10:00 -0000

Interesting statistics and I'd love to see some sort of more scientific study into underreporting. I suspect that the number of unreported cases would exceed half by a good margin.

Another side of sexual ills is the question of what is happening to young people who are raised without honest information about sex in general. Abstinence only teaching, blaming male lust on girls who don't cover up properly, and suppressing teaching on sexuality in both secular and religious settings are all contributors to sex related problems.

Sex is just another area where the church is stupid. I don't know a cure for institutional stupidity. Better just to try to be a light to the children that we raise individually. Let's talk to our sons and daughters honestly about their sexuality and give them access to materials that will enlighten and empower them.

Re: Pastor goes to trial - ExChristian.Net - News and Opinion

Joe — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 08:05:00 -0000

From the Gate City Christian Church site:

We are creating an exciting new website, just for our Youth Ministry Programs. Coming Soon!

Something with an abstinence focus perhaps? Maybe some teaching on how not to be a victim of predators?

Re: Faith: is it red, white and blue? - ExChristian.Net - News and Opinion

Joe — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 11:05:00 -0000

Let's have a little historical perspective. Atheism tended to be one of the attributes of 20th century revolutions. Why? Largely because the kingdoms and empires they sought to overthrow had traditional religious institutions that had coevolved with the former regimes. If intellectual atheism had been the prevailing system, I'd imagine that some sort of anti-atheism would have been the revolutionary position.

Re: Pastor arrested for assault - ExChristian.Net - News and Opinion

Joe — Sat, 11 Aug 2007 08:47:00 -0000

The whole boot camp thing has all the stuff that Fascism is made of. Disgusting. I hope that this will incident will prompt child welfare office to monitor these programs more closely. But I somehow suspect that down in the Bible Belt, organizations that operate under Christian and patriotic banners get tender treatment.

Re: Preacher Wife Attacked By Preacher Husband - ExChristian.Net - News and Opinion

Joe — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 06:21:00 -0000

These people are drug dealers selling the religious high and false hope to people who really need education and sensible public policy.

The police should be investigating the fraudulent claims made by religion. Pharmaceuticals can't claim to cure a condition without the evidence of clinical trials. This guy's ministry claims that it's curing the ills of society. Turn in the evidence and we'll allow or disallow the claims.

To implement some sort of truth in advertising, maybe we could establish a Federal agency. I propose the Religion and Magic Administration.

Re: Preacher Wife Attacked By Preacher Husband - ExChristian.Net - News and Opinion

Joe — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 08:32:00 -0000

Anonymous,

Dude, it's a joke. Chill. I do however hate the con artists who hide behind the Constitution to prey on people's ignorance and fear. Their victims are the losers.

Re: Get a job, Ted... - ExChristian.Net - News and Opinion

Joe — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 07:12:00 -0000

One of the great lies in religion is that it is a free gift. Not free at all. The offer is more like: it's yours, and now you owe us 2 hours minimum (8-10 if you want to be in really good standing with the club), 10% of your gross salary, and your commitment to serve as a volunteer recruiter.

For your real contributions, you get imaginary rewards. It ought to be a crime.

Re: Christianity is a hoax - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Joe — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 08:05:00 -0000

Andrew raises a big issue for xians. If you doubt, you should put your kids first and make them as doubt-free as possible (read: shut out the secular world). After all there's that special kind of hell for anyone who "causes one of these little ones to stumble." Not sure what that is, but the point of comparison -- drowned with a millstone tied around the neck is bad enough. Parenting out of fear. What a great concept. Shove it down their throats now so they can live forever. What a loathsome way to abuse a parent's natural desire to give every possible good to their kids. Sorry about being a spring-butt in this thread. My willingness to live and let live is at a low ebb.

Re: Pondering death - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Joe — Sat, 28 Apr 2007 07:02:00 -0000

I'd like to recommend a great literary work. Bulgakov's "Master and Margarita" contains a refreshing variation on the trial of Christ, an exciting romp around 1930's Moscow with the devil and his entourage, and two people's entry into eternity. If you enjoy farce, it's worth the read.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Master_and_Margarita

Re: I was a pastoral worker - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Joe — Sun, 29 Apr 2007 20:38:00 -0000

I've shared the experience of choosing between friends and family and personal integrity. It isn't easy and I do miss many of them for the connections that we had outside of the church.

One more fault I lay at the door of the church is the non-sense of needing to keep the bubble around the flock so that they can't get an honest look at a departed member who has not been afflicted by some pestilence or led to ruin by the lusts of his flesh.

I suppose in their world it makes sense. No point building relationships with people with whom they will only associate for a brief blink of eternity. But then why do they put so much into their dwellings, urban and suburban? Never mind. They're just whacked.

Re: I was a pastoral worker - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Joe — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 06:06:00 -0000

Eel_Shepherd: Are the rank-and-file members in a position to demand to see the scope and nature of the church's good works and charity?

In the churches I attended, by and large, the books were open. The problem is how one assesses the merits of the spending. The argument can be made from an xian perspective that the money spent on salaries, guest speakers, travel, seminars, children's programs, etc. are all fully justified. Who can argue? What is the worth, they may ask, of equipping the saints and saving the lost?

Go look at some of the mission statements for the church of your choice. It seems to be a current trend for every church to have one. Then try to tell me how our hypothetical auditors could assess whether or not the money from the tithe is being effectively spent. Here are two typical examples:

"Mission: becoming friends of Christ, friends in Christ, friends for Christ."

"...to build a local church committed to exalting God in all things, training believers in sound doctrine and proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all people."

Q: how much will the church need to spend on objectives like these?

A: every penny they can get their hands on.

Re: I was a pastoral worker - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Joe — Wed, 02 May 2007 22:09:00 -0000

God's Child,

There is no evidence of God, and tons of rational evidence suggests that the Bible is a confabulation that grew up from a germ of philosophy that grew into a massive and oppressive religion. They made Jesus up or at a minimum turned some ordinary Joe into a super hero.

You're proposing a relationship with an invisible friend. That's crazy.

Re: Wish me luck - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Joe — Tue, 01 May 2007 09:41:00 -0000

Roger,

It may be a little off the theological track, but one of the books that was instrumental in my deconversion was 1-Dimensional Man by Herbert Marcuse.

His subject is information dominance in post-industrial society. The main thesis is that people are by nature two-dimensional. We have within us a complex set of desires and interests that fuel our individuality. However, we are also social beings. We live and work in groups and the interests of the group also exert an influence on us. The natural tension between those two dimensions is therefore a natural and healthy state of affairs. The problem Marcuse observed was that, in post-industrial society, the individual is sacrificed to the collective through overwhelming information dominance on the part of the latter.

Reading that as a deconverting xian, I realized that this is also an apt description of the church. I realized that my reason and personal observation of the world were parts of my inner dimension that the church had devalued and sought to obliterate in the interest of it's own view.

Contrary to the xian propaganda, leaving the church's control is not an act of wicked selfishness. It is rather a return to balance. I have not become a scoundrel or thief. My sense of the social consequences of my actions remains. What has been restored is the healthy balance of respect for my own imagination, intellect and creativity.

The departure from xianity opens the door to a balanced existence. I do indeed wish you luck and wisdom as you rediscover the worth and dignity of Roger W.

/joe

Re: Wish me luck - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Joe — Wed, 02 May 2007 22:15:00 -0000

God's Child, the name of Jesus has no power, except to people that imagine he exists. For them it has the power to make them believe absurdities. There are no mystical healings and there will be no after life (at least not as you imagine).

No God, no eternal punishment for all the 10s of billions of people who are proselytized in other "mighty names."

Re: Unhaunting 1: A Brief History of An Evangelical Life - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Joe — Tue, 08 May 2007 05:49:00 -0000

Thanks, Candid. I loved the metaphor of the cable, wrapped by your parents, that you never learned to tie for yourself. Sort of like some disinherited Victorian prince who has to learn to dress himself for the first time as an adult.

I've read theories about the duality of our minds (the creative child and the rational adult). I am partial to the theory that there is a healthy tension between these, with the former giving us imagination and far reaching vision, while the latter gives those visions form. Your post makes me think of the cost of inhibiting the child-brain with dogma and fixed, uncompromising models. I suspect that the balance can still be reestablished.

Re: What happens before we are born? - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Joe — Sat, 12 May 2007 22:07:00 -0000

I understand the challenges of dealing with bipolar disorder. My brother, daughter, an aunt, and several friends have the condition and deal with it in various ways. In my far too small to be scientific sample, it is clear that people deal with it in a lot of different ways. My parents denial of my brothers condition meant that he was not even diagnosed until it was far too late.

Another friend committed suicide shortly after I moved away from the state in which I had lived for several years. During that time, my home was the place she could come and just be accepted. This was before my deconversion, but I was disgusted by the way the church members in a typical evangelical mega-church would pray for her and engage her in small talk during services, as long as she wasn't acting in ways that made her too uncomfortable. The small group that she attended took great pride in accepting her into their group, but she was generally left in a corner, and no one else offered her practical aid. Too damned inconvenient. I was doing freelance translation work at the time, so I was always home, and she could always knock on the door and come in to get out of the rain of her anxiety and disturbing hallucinations. Other church members would interact with her, but in busy suburbia with the lawn always growing and the kids needing to get to their games on time, who could risk including someone in their schedule who might need too much (BTW, all I could offer was an ear, a cup of tea, some music she enjoyed, and a safe place to rest.

Two weeks after I moved, she went to a highway bridge, parked her car and jumped.

I've known other bipolar individuals who have had supportive spouses and communities. One of the people I admire most was a non-xian coworker who once told me that, while he is thankful for measures that science offered in helping his wife to manage her most extreme symptoms, he didn't look for cures. "I love her and wouldn't want to make her someone she's not."

Dana, I'm encouraged by the fact that people are no longer adding delusion and that you have found that self-acceptance. Bipolar minds are a variant on the broad diversity of human minds, with special contributions to make to give society and culture. I wish you all the best in continuing to find your way.

Re: I knew God was talking to me - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Joe — Fri, 25 May 2007 07:46:00 -0000

Thanks for giving me yet another reason to smile today. Liberation stories are beautiful and you laid yours out wonderfully. Reality is cool.

Re: Stronger now - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Joe — Sun, 03 Jun 2007 00:36:00 -0000

Rod,

It is true that God doesn't give a crap, but it's not just you. He doesn't give a crap about anybody, because he doesn't exist. I'm glad you're getting your head out of the nonsense the church used to delude and confuse you. It will all become clearer.

Stronger Now, Nvrgoingbk, I wish you strength and patience in working through your hurts and your recovery.

Re: Confessions of a former Christian - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Joe — Sun, 10 Jun 2007 05:06:00 -0000

Anon,

No bias. When you identify yourself as a Christian here, it just helps people understand where you are. Most of us have been there.

I agree wholeheartedly that knowledge is a good thing. There's also no harm in googling up the key words "critique strobel," for example. Many if not most here have read the "Case for..." books. You'll find many thoughtful critiques of method if you search the site.

I'd recommend spending some time here.

Re: A confession -- I want to believe - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Joe — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 09:54:00 -0000

HeIsSailing,

I believe that you will find that the community of people who have been honest with themselves is larger than it may appear to you. The challenge in perceiving that larger community is that, unlike the organized hyper-orthodox communities of the church that you are emerging from, this community exists without organizing structures or marketing arms.

In my own emergence from the church, I have found a diverse set of supportive friends among agnostics, pagans, atheists and a whole range of people who don't fit neatly into any of the broadly understood categories.

These are people who are ethical, hard working, intelligent, thoughtful and thought provoking, loving and supportive, empathetic and patient. I would not trade them for any of the bible study or small group ministries that defined my former social circles. In my new circle of friends, I can express anything I feel and expect to be met with acceptance.

It's very good.

Re: Help, My Husband Thinks I'm the Devil's Puppet - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Joe — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 05:59:00 -0000

Kelli,

I'm glad that you found the support that you were looking for, but I'd echo the messages that encourage you to look at waiting for your husband's reason to kick in as a long term proposition.

I imagine that in your time in the church you have heard some variant on the warning against arguing with the devil, "because he's been doing this a lot longer than you have." That's one of the ways the church inoculates believers against competing truths. It lets the believer simply conclude that the better the argument against the church's beliefs, the closer the author of that argument must be to the devil. The church has had 1,800 years of practice in reigning in doubters. Your account makes it clear that you've encountered and overcome their methods.

I'd encourage you to pace yourself and not expect to find a silver bullet argument. It's impossible to predict where your husband's golden moment of reason will come from. I hope you'll have the patience to wait for it.

Re: I feared hell with a nearly paralyzing fear - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Joe — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 07:34:00 -0000

I understand the fear, especially when the paradigm of human wickedness and divine goodness is implanted in the mind of a child. That paradigm colors everything; breeds indifference to suffering, personal and otherwise. After all, what would you expect in the "vale of tears."

Sounds like your fear motivated goodness is being supplanted by the genuine article. I think the "Three Rs" are all we need. Respect for yourself, respect for others, and responsibility for your own actions. Doesn't take fear of hell to empower that. Just requires a healthy mind.

Re: I feared hell with a nearly paralyzing fear - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Joe — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 10:07:00 -0000

Have to jump in again after that bit of hate speech that was entered anonymously above. As I said, the 3 Rs are a better guide than the mess of a guide book called the Bible.

A 12 year old can't be expected to have any idea about how to deal with her emerging sexual feelings in a way that responsible way that respects herself and others.

The church's silence on important elements of that dilemma and bullshit on others leaves kids with no reliable guide. Hence we get the guilt, hurt and all of the consequences of teen pregnancy.

Do they take responsibility? Nope. Dump it all at the door of the individual. Their entire posture on the subject is a sin.

Alright, I'll go work on bringing my blood pressure back down now.

Re: I received a double dose of cognitive dissonance - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Joe — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 07:39:00 -0000

It is also extremely important to keep reading material that questions Christianity and it's dogma.

I'd add that it also helps to read material that simply makes a mockery of Xianity. In many instances formulating logical proofs against the faith is pointless. What logical argument is there against an absurdity? Laughing at it is often the most appropriate response for a healthy mind.

Re: Nothing ever came of the promises - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Joe — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 08:24:00 -0000

I'd also invite you to continue your inquiry. If an institution produces none of the promised results, but instead fosters hypocrisies and imposes the kind of self-loathing that you have experienced, why continue to endorse it even in it's muted and more congenial form?

If allegories for the human condition are needed to make sense of things, there are far richer sources out there in secular literature. And they come without the baggage.

Re: I am a former youth pastor - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Joe — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 06:57:00 -0000

Powerful stuff, Caleb. Thanks. You're absolutely right about the "guarded" nature of the "case for Christ" as presented within the church. It is as if the matter were being put to a jury, but only supporting evidence was presented. All contrary evidence is either excluded, or presented in a skewed way that shows it to be proof of the positive. Does some questioner use his reason to understand what is good? Ah, but leaning on one's own understanding -- wickedness -- the original sin.

Thom Yorke said it well: "What will grow crooked you can't make straight. It's a price that you've gotta pay. Do yourself a favor and pack your bags, buy a ticket and get on the train."

Funny what a house of cards the church's control turns out to be when you walk away.

Re: Running afoul of GOD - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Joe — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 20:58:00 -0000

Thanks for your post, Nick.

Stew, my Russian friends like to quip, "The less you know, the better you sleep." It's pretty plain that blissful ignorance is one of the main things the church offers. In fact, the less you know about some things, the more holy. Go figure.

Leaving xianity for sanity is a significant step, and I'd have to say that, for me, it meant giving up one kind of peace to get another. Not a bad trade when the the church's peace was premised on submission to the rule and doctrine of delusional regurgitators of spiritual bologna.

I like my peace much better now. I still wonder whether I am doing right or wrong in my day to day affairs, but I don't have to consult with silent invisible men to figure it out. I can just reflect: What were my intentions? What were my actions? What were the results? The answers tell me clearly whether I was righter or wronger.

Re: The Infinite Psychopath - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Joe — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 07:56:00 -0000

Wow, the trolls are up early.

One question, anonymous: Are you as fucked up as you want to be?

Chris A: great account. My conversion also had a great deal to do with the idea of God punishing people for things that didn't make any sense, especially those things that the church makes a big deal out of but their own "timeless" book was silent on.

Polygamy was an issue for me. I'm not polygamous, but the concept of one man-one woman for life didn't make sense to me, and didn't hold up in the actual practice of the church either. All I could see were the human biases and ideals of various ages influencing the interpretation of some vague writings in the book that would mean one thing in one century and something else again later. Could something with that much variance really be used as the statutory basis for committing people to hell? The laziest public defender could tear that up.

God is imaginary, unjust or most probably both.

Trolls can now chime in an pick up the recitation of lame verses where Chris's well intended but deluded grandmother left off.

Re: I can no longer force my heart to follow what my mind cannot justify - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Joe — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 06:40:00 -0000

Wow, Chip. Great account of the struggle to make reason out of something that is inherently irrational.

My deconversion covered a lot of the same ground, but you've compressed my 20+ years into just a few. Sounds like it's been a whirlwind for you, moving from believer to liberal to skeptic to heretic. It's a good thing that the only fire heretics face these days are the fires of social and academic rejection. I wish you the best in your final year at school.

I'd love to hear your strategy for living as an atheist in an evangelical school for the months ahead. I think you can afford to judge yourself less harshly on the matter of "foolishness." The church has practiced techniques for drawing people in for centuries.

Awkward teens are a great target for them. It's an easy age where kids naturally tend to feel that there is something wrong with them or that they are inadequate. What a relief to hear that it was all Adam's fault and that God is ready to make it all good for us. Would be truly fabulous if it wasn't all BS.

Again, good luck in the coming year. You've clearly got a good mind and will find your way through.

Re: Don't listen to your head. Listen to your heart - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Joe — Sat, 08 Sep 2007 20:35:00 -0000

This whole discussion of myths made me wonder why Snopes.com doesn't deal with some of the ancient urban legends that have been passing around for a long time. I checked and there's nothing there that deals fundamentally with the legend of this god/Jesus confabulation.

Time to saunter over there and pose the question.

Re: NO TRUE CHRISTIANS! - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Joe — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 23:57:00 -0000

Webmaster,

First, I would agree with you, if you would have said there is no perfect Christian. But you chose
to use “ true”. Why are you using true in the place of perfect? There are many true Christians, no
perfect ones just like you are not a perfect American. As an American, I am sure that you have
broken many rules. Have you run a red light lately? Have you cheated on taxes. Have you broken
any of America’s precious rules? Maybe you should be labeled as an untrue American! How does
that sound?

Second, I noticed that you have been preying on Christians for the last 5 years to try and prove
your point. Do you also slap them on the cheek so that they can turn the other? Do you secretly
wish to crucify them all? Why do you strike me as a bully? You should know exactly where
Jesus was coming from, if you were a Christian! My guess is that you never experienced “True”
Christianity. He definitely did not mean to give money to every con man that comes along. You
missed the point big time! My friend, believe me what I tell you. We will all be judged whether
Christian or anti-Christ. You may want to examine what Jesus said about offending the little
ones. You can read it in Matthew 18:6.

Third, What do you believe in? Do you believe in evolution? I would rather believe that I was
created by a God. I can’t believe that I evolved from some monkey! I rather worship a God! I
would rather believe that a God had something to do with my existence. Again let me refer you
to another scripture. James 1:5 . God gives wisdom liberally to those who ask.

May God Bless

Re: NO TRUE CHRISTIANS! - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Joe — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 22:32:00 -0000

Astreja, I am not trying to weasel out of anything. I am under no obligation to pay the webmaster
$10.00!
Reason #1..If you go back and read in Luke 6:30 and Matthew 5:40 It does not specify to give
money. It says to “ give to all that asks”. Give what? Do you agree that this giving could refer to
anything? It could be ones time, maybe some knowledge, maybe even the gift of healing. If you
refer to Acts 3:6 You will find that Peter had no money to give. He gave what he had and healed
the man.

Reason #2..Since the passage does not specify money, it would leave the door open for the
webmaster to ask for my wife or maybe even my children. Obviously, I am not open to that sort
of interpretation, to prove my Faith.

Reason 3.. My understanding of this passage is to help the poor and those in need. Sorry, I do not
believe that the webmaster is in need of my $10.00.

Insecure? Yes, I will admit it. That is one of the reasons I chose Christ as my Lord and Savior.

May God Bless

Re: NO TRUE CHRISTIANS! - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Joe — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 22:42:00 -0000

To Astreja,

Why are you so upset? You are losing touch with reality! You should try and correct that
problem!

First, I did not know that I was unwelcome. I did not see anything forbidding Christians from
this site. In fact, the very first article is asking Christians to prove their faith. Now you want to
fuss at me for defending the Faith. Is this your site?

Second, You say that you are not interested in my understanding of the passage. You’re the one
that jumped in on the conversation! You must have been interested, because my mail was
originally directed to webmaster! Maybe you should try and correct that habit also.

Ok, enough said, I still love you.

May God Bless

Re: NO TRUE CHRISTIANS! - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Joe — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 23:13:00 -0000

Webmaster:

Ok, here we go again. You take the position that there is no true Christian and there is no God. An
atheist at heart ! This is not a logical position to hold.

Man must live by some type of moral laws. We must have some absolute truths somewhere.
Without these truths we could not function as a society. The 10 Commandments were laws to
benefit society, not to destroy it. Now my question to you is. Where do you get your truths? Is it
from society? Then you would have to adapt to the rules of the area you live in. Is it from your
conscience? How do you know if that can be trusted? Basically, you have no right to determine
what is wrong or right. You are positioning yourself to be the God.

After reading your article that was posted 6-20-02, I noticed that you made reference to a God.
And what God may this be? Is it the same one that you and your audience make fun of? Seems
that he was still on your mind when the article was written. My guess is that you are not a true
atheist. Or, should I say? A perfect one!

Webmaster writes:
“It may be that God will judge me harshly for taking advantage of his sheep in this way. It may be
I am only heaping damnation unto myself. But be that as it may, that does not absolve the true
Christian from his or her obligation to obey the Lord, thus proving their true love of HIM. “

May God Bless

Re: Longtime director of Apologetics Press fired - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Joe — Sun, 16 Sep 2007 18:22:00 -0000

I've had many written debates with Mr. Thompson over the past years and it doesn't surprise me of his misdeeds, just like it doesn't surprise me that many CoC preachers consume alcohol. It also doesn't surprise me that several CoC preachers have become atheists after a serious study of the bible.

Those in the CoC have ego problems when it comes to them being the only ones right about anything. Don't believe me, just ask a member.

Mr. Thompson should be hung for what he did. As I've asked numerous times in the past to prove the existence of an afterlife, there's no such place where he's going to be punished. He needs to be punished now while he's living.

Re: Debate of Creation verses Evolution - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Joe — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 07:44:00 -0000

Dan (Homosapien crusader for rational thought)

Pat yourself on the back a little more why don't you? The fact is you don't have any answers for "anonymous" so you resorted to insulting him and his ideas. Did you disprove intelligent design? No. Nobody has. All they have done is successfully separate religion and science, meaning Intelligent Design is automatically disqualified, if for no other reason than for suggesting that there is a God.
I've debated Creation vs Evolution with smarter people than you and never lost. Have I proved there is a God? Not to their liking. Have I poked the evolution theory so full of holes I've convinced people to look elsewhere? yes.
"Evolution is not a theory anymore, it is a fact."
No self respecting scientist would refer to it as the "law of evolution" and you know it. At least if you're half as smart as you say you are. Get over your delusions of grandeur...

Re: Phelps cancels protest at Amish girl's funeral - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Joe — Fri, 06 Oct 2006 21:54:00 -0000

Yup, that's exactly what I was thinking as I watched it...her logic is sound, based on what the bible teaches....it's funny to watch them tell her she's wrong (which she is, of course), but she knows her bible. A moderate Christian couldn't win a debate against her without saying that the bible is wrong.

Re: Jesus Christ has returned! - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Joe — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 08:09:00 -0000

It's so fucked up that Fox News can spot a cult from a mile away, but can't see that Christianity itself fits Fox's definition of a cult to a tee.

Re: How do we know that Christians are delusional? - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Joe — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 02:42:00 -0000

I like these videos, they are blunt and to the point, and they raise great questions. I don't hear hateful, heated words. Look to Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, Kent Hovind or Ted Haggard when he's chatting about evolution or gay sex for that. These words are simple and straightforward.

Re: How Christian Mind Control Works - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Joe — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 08:06:00 -0000

Logical and insightful treatment of the process as it pertains to the conversion of adults. "Training up children in the way that they should go" is a related xian activity. I suspect that it could be modeled as some sort of staged, micro version of the technology John Blatt is describing.

There is sad irony in the fact that groups that will fight to the death over the constitutional rights of an unborn fetus, shamelessly trample children's rights from the moment they breathe air.

Re: We are rarely proud when we are alone - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Joe — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 06:03:00 -0000

Wide ranging and impassioned post, but it neglects one of the most pervasive uses of humility in the church.

I have asked myself why the powers of the Roman Empire chose xianity as the state religion? The official church histories would have you believe it was through god's work in the heart of the emperor, but I suspect there's a more human story. Xianity contained a couple of very nice elements -- the philosophical anti-rejection drugs that would make for a transplant. First, was the brilliant "Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar's..." Ok. This may have been added in during the 3rd century for the very purpose of helping the religion court the state. And second, "y'all be humble now" = accept authority.

One of the things that rang in my ears and helped me see the xian house of cards for what it really is came in the utterance of a preacher from Sovereign Grace(R) Ministries. "Submit to the authority of godly men," I was told. And there it was, stripped naked. The legends and teachings of Abraham's god all come down to toeing the line.

Re: Christ & me: an abusive relationship - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Joe — Sat, 31 Mar 2007 06:35:00 -0000

Too well documented to require rehashing the evidence here: abused children tend to become abusers. NGB's post brings up one of the good reasons for moving from a live and let live relationship with theists to more active opposition.

In short, there is no Jesus and no god. The abusers are flesh and blood cult leaders building on the legacy of long dead philosophers. They are protected from prosecution by cultural and legal sanction. That shit's got to stop.

Congratulations on breaking the abuse cycle in your own limited sphere, NGB.

Re: Refections on the "New Atheism" - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Joe — Tue, 03 Apr 2007 06:51:00 -0000

I agree with Lance and Tigg. The rise and fall of ideologies is a complex dynamic process. No single force, acting on that system like xianity, is likely to have its intended long-term effects. System change depends on the combination of entropy within the system, perhaps accelerated by specific countervailing forces, combined with a lessening of external energy available to the system. No silver bullets.

The movement cited in the articles immediately reminded me of the populist intelligentsia in Russia during the latter part of the 19th century; the "Going to the People" movement. Educated, progressive Russians went out to live and work in peasant communes to teach the people and lead them to understand their oppression.

Sounds like this New Atheism group shares some of those motives and tactics, along with the kind of intellectual elitism that resulted in many of the well-intentioned Russian populists to get the crap beat out of them in peasant villages.

Re: The Jews are God's chosen people - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Joe — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 06:44:00 -0000

That explains something that has been puzzling me for a while... well, actually only since I saw last night's performance of Spamalot in Philadelphia.

ARTHUR:
Have you heard of this "Broadway?"

"ROBIN:
Yes sire...and we don't stand a chance there.

ARTHUR:
Why not?

ROBIN:
Because...Broadway is a very special place, filled with very special people, people who can sing and dance, often at the same time!
They are a different people, a multi-talented people, a people...who need people...and who are, in many ways, the luckiest people in...the world. I'm sorry sire, but we don't stand a chance.

ARTHUR:
But why?

ROBIN:
Well...let me put it like this.

In any great adventure, that you don't want to lose, victory depends upon the people that you choose.
So, listen, Arthur darling, closely to this news: You won't succeed on Broadway, If you don't have any Jews.

So, there it is. Let's all go find our grail, and always look on the bright side of life. Unless your one of god's elect; in which case, get your guilt on 'cause daddy dearest is going to be home soon, and he gets pissed easily.

Re: I sorta Liked the fellow, actually - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Joe — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 22:36:00 -0000

Brilliant analysis. If I ever ran across brother warren, I might try indifference on him instead of anger. But he'd probably figure I was angry and passive aggressive. So maybe I'll have a cup of tea and see what's on YouTube instead. Get more done that way.

Re: The JC Sign Generator - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Joe — Sun, 08 Apr 2007 10:32:00 -0000

Yet another fun way to kill time on the Internet... :)

Re: Prove It! - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Joe — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 06:58:00 -0000

Can’t we all do better?

In my own discussions (to call them debates would be a misnomer) with American xians, I find that trying to lay ground rules like these fails on the preemptive accusation, "That's just semantics." This curse is the end. To my would-be interlocutor, pointing out that semantics is the study of meaning would be seen as just more semantics. When words have no fixed meaning, never mind consensus over complex propositions like standards of proof, we might as well settle the matter over darts.

Re: The atheist's wager - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Joe — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 06:02:00 -0000

Sound argument. I just wonder at the exclusion of the 9-11, 3-11, Khobar Towers, etc. from the Muslims vs. Christians column, and the recent military operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Phillipines from Christians vs. Muslims column. It may seem to be a stretch, since the US is not (yet) a titular Christian theocracy. However, I cannot ignore the church's role as one of the prime sources of the Western Christian jingoist rhetoric that has allowed an American president to enter upon and pursue such an objectively perverse course.

Re: What caused the shooting? - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Joe — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 05:43:00 -0000

I am an atheist and I grieve over the losses at VT. I grieved over 9-11 and I grieve at the losses in Afganistan and Iraq on all sides of all the conflicts. Humanity has used religion both to control violence and to justify it. Sadly it does too much of the latter to be justified as a benign or beneficial delusion. Abrahamic religions twist people. To hell with them.

Re: What caused the shooting? - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Joe — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 06:22:00 -0000

It is the abrahamic god, after all, who needed to carve out a place called hell as a mass grave to dump his rejects into. Repulsive. The guy at VT was mentally ill by all accounts. While religion may not have been this kid's immediate motive, the presence of "you're in or you deserve to die" thinking in our culture, fueled by supposedly meek and mild religions is a meme we could all do without. I intend to spend the energy of my sadness over the VT incident in searching my own thoughts for remnants of this pernicious concept. I will expunge them, not out of fear of some eternal punishment, but because they are contrary to reason.

Re: What caused the shooting? - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Joe — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 06:42:00 -0000

Exactly, Jim.

"To die is gain and to live is Christ" == dangerous idea. Paul's "It's all good" message has gotten a lot of people killed.

Re: Please God, forgive my already paid debts - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Joe — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 10:40:00 -0000

I hate to burst your bubble but I think their reasoning is this:

Jesus came to the judge and put a ton of cash (His blood)down on the table and said. If anyone wants their debt paid, I'll cover it.

The debts been paid but the offender needs to take advantage of the offer.

For each offense forgiveness is sought in order to have that debt paid.

Just a thought. I agree that wining and crying about every offense when the debt is there to be paid is over the top.

Re: Like Beating A Dead President

Joe — Wed, 27 Apr 2005 19:22:16 -0000

They're also used as change from US Post Office vending machines. Lovely.

Re: http://millerhq.blogspot.com/2009/09/bailey.html

Joe — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 21:41:08 -0000

Hey, I'm doin' my part. With great patience and kindness I might add.

Re: http://millerhq.blogspot.com/2009/09/this-week-in-miller-sports.html

Joe — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 19:51:14 -0000

I think next week we are adding the high school football game. Such a nice "detail."

Re: http://millerhq.blogspot.com/2009/10/low-riders.html

Joe — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 14:14:23 -0000

I showed him that trick of putting stuff in his pockets a couple days ago...I might be regretting that some time soon. Gonna have to start checking the pockets before the wash.

Re: http://millerhq.blogspot.com/2009/10/you-can-call-him-wii-master.html

Joe — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 23:51:20 -0000

In retrospect I wasn't really trying that hard...I succumbed to the pure 2 year old joy.

Re: http://prairie-mama.blogspot.com/2009/08/unexpected-beauty.html

Joe — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 15:42:01 -0000

You choked me up. I can feel the ladybugs. You are an amazing mother. I love how well you teach your children.

Re: http://www.h-i-r.net/2008/12/operating-system-junkie.html

Joe — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 12:27:00 -0000

How can your lab possibly be complete without an old HP PaRisc box running HP-UX 10.20? And seriously, you need to get an Itanium (ia64) box so you can run HP-UX 11.23, Linux, OpenVMS 8, and Windows 2008.

Re: Post Levels 1.0

Joe — Wed, 28 Dec 2005 12:48:05 -0000

Does this version fix the problem with the posts not showing up in Catagores/Archives for authorized users?

Re: Post Levels 1.0

Joe — Wed, 28 Dec 2005 22:53:48 -0000

Cool. If you can just post a hack seperately from the normal plug-in (just the diff file or instructions on what to change), then i'd be a happy camper.

Re: Post Levels 1.0

Joe — Wed, 28 Dec 2005 22:54:32 -0000

OH yeah. I mean hack because you will have to alter the wordpress files

Re: Blogging advice: Bitching Adds Zero Value | Jack Baty says...

Joe — Sun, 08 Jan 2006 07:13:45 -0000

Sounds like you’re the angry type who wants to claim that what other people are doing is inferior to what you are doing.

Why not find some people doing similar things in you area and ask them what they are doing. Report back before you knock other people you know nothing about.

Re: 8 pounds in 8 weeks | Jack Baty says...

Joe — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 13:37:02 -0000

Thanks for the post. We keep adding little things here and there to keep it powerful but still simple.

-joe from simpleweather

Re: Are Yanks Crazier About the Prem Than Brits?

Joe — Mon, 11 Sep 2006 19:40:00 -0000

Why do we insist on saying people cant be the fan of a club without our grandpappy being a fan of a club. am i no less a Manu fan cause by parents dont know who the busby babes were. Because most of Us in USa didnt have the ability to be exposed to english soccer 10 years ago or 20 years ago makes me less a fan..
I started following Manu in 1995...does that mean i jumped on the band wagon or is it when i first begin to really watch them.. and ill match anyone else for nuttiness...i even have Manu

bath rug so me feet are cold when pi@* out the beer im drinking at 7:30..

This is my team now....

A. It's Manchester United, don't call us Manu

B. Having a Manchester United bath rug makes you hardcore does it? idiot

C. What the fuck is "nuttiness" you moron, try meeting some true mancs and see if you match them

Ever been to Old Trafford? Don't expect so. Hope you rot, and take Glazer with you

Re: FA Cup: An Unusual Weekend for US TV Viewers

Joe — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 18:10:00 -0000

Too bad no matches between two EPL clubs are being shown on FSC.

Re: New 08/09 Sunderland Away Shirt Revealed

Joe — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 11:51:59 -0000

Yes, vertical stripes really is a foreign concept to Sunderland.

And the stripes are blue and navy.

Re: Liam Brady Gets Upset at RTE’s Joke Against Wenger

Joe — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 08:39:32 -0000

absolutely right liam, he tried a hatchet job on Wenger and quite rightly you wouldn't allow him.

Re: Spurs to Unveil New 08/09 Shirts on May 6

Joe — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 15:39:20 -0000

Alway nice to see a gooner on a spurs site because theres is the same old shit won fuck all. (apart from the ladys team) come on you spurs!!!! 5-1 5-1 5-1

Re: Sky Sports Commentator Andy Gray Joins ESPN Euro 08 Broadcast Team | EPL Talk

Joe — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 17:41:52 -0000

Andy, we are still the world champions. Just a reminder for you. Since you never mentioned it today. The analist that you are, never once mentioned that two world champions were missing from midfield today. I guess it was convenient for you to bash the world champions in front of millions of people . You and your Scottish team are nothing but sore loosers. Go back to the fucking country you came from. We dont need your shit in this country. You stupid fuck.

Re: Sky Sports Commentator Andy Gray Joins ESPN Euro 08 Broadcast Team | EPL Talk

Joe — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 16:21:21 -0000

Andy still remembers the defeat his scottish team endured against the world champions when they eliminated them from the european championship by beating them on their home field. (2-1). Tough shit Andy, you get paid to be a professional. You sure didn't sound like one. I hope you and Espn get to read all these negative comments about you. Because Espn just lost my subscription to them because of your stupid ass.

Re: Pastor arrested for cocaine possession - ExChristian.Net - News and Opinion

Joe — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 09:18:00 -0000

Random urinalysis testing in order for clergymen? Just a thought. "Trust but verify."

Re: Pastor arrested in prostitution sting - ExChristian.Net - News and Opinion

Joe — Wed, 02 May 2007 00:50:00 -0000

At least he was out there paying for it. Better than coercing it from some hapless member of the congregation.

Re: Pastor leads double life - ExChristian.Net - News and Opinion

Joe — Wed, 02 May 2007 08:45:00 -0000

I think the case could be made that every xian leads a double life. For some it is little things, guilt over masturbation or thinking the girl/boy in the next cubical is stunningly attractive. For others it's doubting the faith or any of the litany of deviations from "christ-like perfection."

I recall lots of would-be xian rationalizers in this dilemma taking their model for from Romans 7:

{14}We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. {15}I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. {16}And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. {17}As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. {18}I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. {19}For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. {20}Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

All of this is doo doo, of course, but I it's very powerful shit for someone who wants to feel OK about being bad.

To any xians who are stuck in this self-depricating morass, the liberating truth is that there is no evil nature in you that makes you do things against your will. Unless you are truly mentally ill, you are in control of what you do; not the devil, not god, no malevalent and benevelant spirits, just you.

Re: Pastor leads double life - ExChristian.Net - News and Opinion

Joe — Wed, 02 May 2007 19:55:00 -0000

Micah, obviously living a double life is not a purely xian phenomenon, but I'd make the case that the peer pressure and fear of the thought cop in the sky makes xians (and probably other servants of omnipotent deities) more prone to taking an unhealthy approach to the problem. As an ex-xian, I'm working on reprogramming my thought so that I can escape from superstition. The consequences of my actions are in this world and only affect my immediate rewards and punishments. No deity is forcing me into the society of people who want to impose standards on me. I can associate with people who value personal choice. As long as I stay within the bounds or generally agreeable laws, I have nothing to lie about or be ashamed of. The degree of my hypocrisy has diminished by several orders of magnitude. What's left is a minor concern for my privacy.

I agree with Paul that the pastor who looked at a girl with lust in his heart was being pious. The church needs drama. Sexual battle is one of the common sources.

I remember a pair of xian male role models on a closed circuit broadcast 'lesson' for my church's men's group. Their dialog went something like this (I'll call them Dave and Doug):

Dave: Doug, what do you do about the temptation to masturbate in the shower?

Doug: Dave, I leave the door to the bathroom open and sing hymns while I shower.

Dave: That's awsome, man. Me, I've fought over this for years, and pray before I get in the shower, and when I think about masturbating, I think about Jesus.

It was surreal, and represented one more nudge into reality and out of the church. What a load of shit.

Re: Debating the existence of God - ExChristian.Net - News and Opinion

Joe — Thu, 03 May 2007 10:22:00 -0000

I'd love to have a Eurosport announcer calling the play-by-play in that particular quiet enthusiasm of theirs.

"Cameron has the floor. It sounds like... yes, he's leading off with the Shrinking Sun argument. We didn't expect that until later in the game, but... Wait, here comes Kelly with the counter, and it's a slam dunk with hard physics. He's got the floor now, but wait he's using big numbers and statistics. Too bad. He's lost the audience. I'm afraid that despite that stunning show of good reason, he's going to net a loss on that one."

Re: Christian Apologists in Bed with Hitler - by FoulHeretic - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Joe — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 05:49:00 -0000

Want to see more, check his Jesus Seen Again video. lol.

http://www.livevideo.com/video/22ED6BC52E46464BA9BF245129CBEE5D/jesus-appears.aspx

Re: Public Atheism: A Question of Image or Discrimination? - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Joe — Fri, 06 Jul 2007 19:29:00 -0000

mummaph mumma phath arummahpha... sorry about that... had to get god's ass cheek off my head. That's better. I for one am sick and tired of being under god.

I work for a fundy and most of the company is staffed that way. I have enough legitimate business to contend with every day. They talk bible drivel at work, and I go back to work. Let them think it's my protestant work ethic. I still find it oppressive.

Re: Why I Believe Anti-Evangelism Is Wrong - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Joe — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 06:42:00 -0000

Your preaching to loud about those you see as preaching to loud.

Re: The real truth about the Roman Catholic Church - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Joe — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 07:16:00 -0000

Gaiman couldn't have written it better. Bravo.

Re: Atheism misunderstood - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Joe — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 06:59:00 -0000

The fundies have it right. Harry Potter is the enemy of God. After all, they inhabit the same space. Both are fictions. The best seller of all time is pitted against the best seller the last few years. Since the latter is sponsored by a massive institution, so it will probably win out in the long run. From this a definition of atheism could include drawing lines between fiction and reality.

Re: Evolution doesn't have a chance - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Joe — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 20:42:00 -0000

It seems to me that the main thing people miss, and that seems to have been missed in this discussion is that xians and biologists talk about two different likelihoods. The likelihood that history unfolded the way it did, that we ended up with the overall physiology that we have, and that I met my acquaintance Jon at the mall last week are all very very small (some far smaller than others).

However, the probability that history would unfold some way, that all those adaptive and procreative processes would lead to some sort of evolution, and that the number of people I meet will occasionally result in an encounter all have a likelihood very close to 1.

What the creationists and ID theorists assume is that this is how we have to be. It was the plan. Quite to the contrary, this is how we happen to be. A few different twists along the way and we could have had a lot more body hair, or none at all, our arms could have be a lot shorter, or the fluke of Tiger Woods amazingly flexible spine would be the norm.

Something will happen someday. It's a sure thing.

Re: Athenova, Freedoma or Freemas? - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Joe — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 20:39:00 -0000

zazzle.com just sent me a note to let me know that the official Talk Like a Pirate day is coming up on 19 September. Who knew?!

Me, I'll just celebrate sleeping in late on average Saturdays and celebrating the fact that I get 52 of a year.

Re: NO ARGUMENTS FOR GOD'S EXISTENCE - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Joe — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 07:34:00 -0000

I guess I should have titled my comment, "NO SOUND ARGUMENTS FOR GODS EXISTENCE"

Wilson:

I think you knew what I was saying, but like another poster said, you found a loophole and that's fine too.

I thought I proved that there is no arguments for gods existence by showing that no matter what you or any other believer might come up with you will have to resort to the "god of the gaps" everytime.

Even when you play your philosophy games you have to demonstrate that a premise is true to a valid argument before it becomes a "sound" argument. Is this not correct?

For the sake of the readers of these postings, please list a detailed argument for gods existence that will not eventually result in "god of the gaps" and then we can lay this to rest.

Thanks to J.C. Samuelson for pointing out that Wilson has already proved my point by resorting to gaps.

My apologies to Spacemonk if he thought I was implying that atheists believe such arguments. I was only saying that atheists find themselves arguing irrelevent points when the person making the god claim is really just giving evidence for gaps in current knowledge/understanding and not evidence for god, whatever a god may be.

Thanks again to everyone's comments! Joe M.

Re: Sexual symbols in religion - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Joe — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 02:29:00 -0000

This guy goes to a clock shop. He sees this pretty hot chick, behind the counter. He then slaps his cock up on the counter. She said, "Sir, this is a clock shop, sir, not a cock shop. He said, "I know, I just want a face and two hands on this".

Re: Sky Sports Commentator Andy Gray Joins ESPN Euro 08 Broadcast Team | EPL Talk

Joe — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 20:19:46 -0000

Stuart, I don't really care about greece, But you right on when you say Italy has been dumped. I don't quite understand the match fixing you are talking about. I would say otherwise if you watched any euro games. Few examples: (goal taken away from toni against Romania, Goal given to Holland on clear offside). Also, if you watched the game against Spain, hopefully not the way andy watched, you noticed that although we were short handed, we created the most dangerous play. Besides the mistake by Buffon that hit the post, Spain never once hit a shot on goal. We instead had three or four legittimate shots. Stuart, watch the games carefully, and notice that all players from all teams fake falls, not only Italians players, you can call Italian the original and everybody else copy cats. We are the champions my friend.....we'll keep on fighting to the end, we are the champion, we are champion, of the world.....
Sucker...

Re: Sky Sports Commentator Andy Gray Joins ESPN Euro 08 Broadcast Team | EPL Talk

Joe — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 20:28:20 -0000

Stuart,
One more thing. What team do you root for?
England or Scottland? ha,ha,ha,ha.
Sorry... couldn't help it. I just noticed you didnt mention it. So I tought it would be one of those loosers teams.

Re: Sky Sports Commentator Andy Gray Joins ESPN Euro 08 Broadcast Team | EPL Talk

Joe — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 16:22:31 -0000

Another England fan. Whose the idiot now. I consider shots on goal when the keeper actually moves to make a save. You were tought to consider a save when the keeper touches the ball that was passed by the other teams player. Am I talking to a six grader here? Why dont you and your buddy Andy FYS.

Re: Sky Sports Commentator Andy Gray Joins ESPN Euro 08 Broadcast Team | EPL Talk

Joe — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 21:12:11 -0000

Am I talking to a USA Fan? be a man, tell me. You are as ignorant on the subject than some of the people I work with. Europe (a harder tournament) ? Didn't we beat France in the final? and qualifying rounds. Supposedly the best team in europe? As far as match fixing scandals, the italian press was honest about it and let it out. The same thing happened in three different countries in europe, (Germany, Spain, England) but kept it quite. Also happened in Usa with Basketball. So, you don't know shit. In soccer history, Italy is only second to Germany in Europe. Spain has never won anything and never will. Holland has always been a choker recently. So, who are these teams better than Italy, genius?

Re: Sky Sports Commentator Andy Gray Joins ESPN Euro 08 Broadcast Team | EPL Talk

Joe — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 16:57:55 -0000

Stuart ,
Jou just did demondtrate that you know nothing about this game. ( almost like the guys I work with) Now, that is insulting. 1960's ... we are in fucking 2008 dude. When I'm saying (won anything) I'm comparing to the big studs like Italy and Germany. Did you watch Spain against Russia today? (3-0) , or a Germany team that has played cup cakes throughout the tourney? Seriously, Or I'm done talking to you. Do you seriously think besides Spain, any of those teams would stack up with us? I'll have to admit Spain is a pretty good team. With Pirlo and Gattuso in there, I would have taken my chances. Now you wonder why a jack ass like Andy wouldn't understand why Donadoni based his game plan the way he did. I would have been a litlle bit more daring, true, but look at what happen to Russia.

Re: Sky Sports Commentator Andy Gray Joins ESPN Euro 08 Broadcast Team | EPL Talk

Joe — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 17:01:42 -0000

By the way, I'm oviously an Italian Fan. Born and raised there. But I noticed that you didn't say who you root for.
Pussy.

Re: Sky Sports Commentator Andy Gray Joins ESPN Euro 08 Broadcast Team | EPL Talk

Joe — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 17:08:34 -0000

Very convenient at this point to be a Esp Fan. I figured that much about you. You are just a lot of talk with very little knowledge about the game really. Have you ever played the actual game. It just doesn't seam like. A great team can be beat any given day. Got that? good. In the game against Holland, the 3-0 did not necessarily mean that Holland dominated italy as the score may suggest. Sometime, a team outshoots an opponent and still loses the game. in that game Italy possessed more than Holland while holland worked on counter-attacks, which they were very good at. To win tournaments, whether is world cup or euro, you need to be good and lucky. Spain is a proof of that. The only regret I have is with donadoni on not trying more against Spain. He seamed to play to conservative. But anyhow, just a reminder, we are the world champions...
Thanks, John Paul for telling this dude, you have to be born champions. It just doesn't happen suddenly. Good luck with your Spaniards.

Re: Sky Sports Commentator Andy Gray Joins ESPN Euro 08 Broadcast Team | EPL Talk

Joe — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 17:17:19 -0000

Stuart,
A Esp fan , uh..
This is what you said earlier.

"I’m a neutral for this go but re: ESP v ITA I sure weren’t hoping the Azurri scraped another scoreless draw to PKs. Boring, negative, gutless"

It proves what I tought about you. You are like a Flag. Blow whichever way the wind blows.

Re: Spain-Italy Most Watched Match So Far And Other ESPN Euro Ratings News

Joe — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 13:44:42 -0000

As much as it really truly pains me too, I am actually going to agree with Kartik here for a change.

MLS is seen as a "socialist" product. Owners don't really own teams they own a share of the league and teams aren't encouraged to step out and sign good young players because they don't keep the transfer fee: the league does. I know Red Bull is really miffed at the whole Jozy situation. No ownership group or team is really allowed to step out of the model or conformity forced on them by the league office. No commentator can do so also and information is controlled the way Pravda and the Politboro controlled the flow of information in the old Soviet Union.

In USL, teams can spend what they want and sell players on. Scouting has brought some real international gems to USL/A-League clubs the last several years.

I think MLS' DP rule should have been sunset after one year. Now no emphasis is put on developing players and simply put the league wants to buy players to bring $$$$ in to expand and make the initial investors all of whom have lost lots of money in the 12 years the league has existed happy. So that's why we've gone from 3 to 12 owners.

I hate to agree with Kartik also on the finances. It's fishy to say the least and I also suspect the SUM events are what are balancing the books.

This all having been said Kartik's wacky views on the state of the national team make it tough to take his side in a debate of any kind. But here on MLS he in sadly right.

Re: ESPN Find Magic Formula With Andy Gray & Derek Rae

Joe — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:28:51 -0000

Andy Gray knows about soccer as much as Julie Foudy.

Re: Sky Sports Commentator Andy Gray Joins ESPN Euro 08 Broadcast Team | EPL Talk

Joe — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 20:08:30 -0000

Stuart said:
“Spain has never won anything and never will.”

whereas I picked them to win. Ouch. I mean, Ouch!
I’m out, smiling.

You are out all right: out of your f...ing mind.
Have some balls and tell me your nationality.
I hope your are not british. If so.. you got no room to talk. Capello is your coach. Couldn't find an English guy good enough to coach? I have a feeling you are british because of your arrogance.

Re: UpsideTrader

Joe — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 00:32:00 -0000

After all the enemies Spitzer made, it's almost not a surprise to see how fast his world came crashing down. It's sad.

Hello, I'm pretty new to the blogging service and was just looking for similar sites. This is a cool site, man. Hope to read more posts from you soon.

Re: UpsideTrader

Joe — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 19:44:00 -0000

hmmm...the odds to me looks like we're gonna rip, but I'm thinking its gonna be a relatively light move.

you know, like the guy in the horror movie who can't help but explore the mysterious dark corner. we all know what happens in the end. lol :)

of course I could be wrong.

Re: UpsideTrader

Joe — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 20:42:00 -0000

wow...that was some news with bsc...

Re: UpsideTrader

Joe — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 12:14:00 -0000

These people should not be permitted to vote.

Re: UpsideTrader

Joe — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 12:50:00 -0000

UUP has a support level at $26 that needs to be broken before a downtrend can start. http://twitpic.com/p21r
--snoopyjc

Re: Favorite Albums of the Decade (2000-2009)

Joe — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 17:50:47 -0000

GREAT LIST!

I would just replace "Hell Hath No Fury" with "In Search of..."

Aside from that its near perfect in my opinion.

Re: Favorite Albums of the Decade (2000-2009)

Joe — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 15:00:19 -0000

hellll yeahhhhhhh

and late registration > college dropout

Re: Favorite Albums of the Decade (2000-2009)

Joe — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 00:59:45 -0000

Therefore you lose all credibility.

Re: XBox 360 for the Third World

Joe — Mon, 12 Dec 2005 19:46:59 -0000

Yep i dont mind the price and the release date. Gives me time to save up for a LCD TV and an Xbox360. Woooosh

Re: Ace Combat 6: XBox 360 Exclusive

Joe — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 15:24:44 -0000

They just convinced me to get a 360. Ace Combat is perhaps my favorite game series.

Re: RIP Indie Rock

Joe — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 10:05:13 -0000

A fair and balanced takedown of the term "indie." But finding a way around it is prickly, as has been pointed out.

How about this: when someone asks you what kind of music you like, say, "Well, lately I've been listening to . . ." and then throw out two or three bands that have been on your mind and under your skin lately. That way you don't sound like a poser (well, possibly), and you acknowledge the question while at the same time sidestepping the inevitable overgeneralizations that it begs. Anyone who is truly interested in what kind of music you listen to will be be able to get an introduction to your tastes and can ask more questions if they want. Essentially, try to avoid talking about genres if possible, instead use the genealogy approach, talking about bands in terms of other bands. Yes it's a bit snobbish and self-referential (but language is a prison anyway, right? words only refer to other words, so why not bands?), but if someone absolutely can't follow the comparisons, then they are probably the type of person who will be satisfied with a truly universal categorization like "rock," "pop," "punk," "metal," or "rap." You may feel like you're not doing justice to your favorite artists, or your own very refined tastes, but who cares. Save the hair-splicing, deliciously geeky sub-style/sub-genre talk for intimate conversations with your closest aficionado friends (or any potential romantic interests who might be impressed).

Re: Three Dead Political Careers

Joe — Thu, 09 Nov 2006 03:10:25 -0000

Check out this link: http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2006/11...

Is that Conrad leaving for extended vacation or did he get thrown out of his hotel room, as well as the US Senate.

Re: Tuku fails to wow fans

Joe — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 04:22:54 -0000

Zvimwe taridzai unhu hwenyu, muite muchinyara kunyora zvinodzimba munhu asina kukutadzira. Look at the positive side of life.

Re: Videoremixgasm: Trip On LCD (Soundsystem… Same Effect)!!!

Joe — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 14:35:22 -0000

I love the mp3s man!

Re: mtvU Woodie Award Nominations

Joe — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 09:20:32 -0000

The Academy Is for best tour? Wtf?

Re: Pretty Much Amazing: The Mixtape II – Rap Acts You Are Allowed To Like

Joe — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 20:20:23 -0000

Awesome, links still work. Thanks luis!

Re: Exclusive Mary J. Blige Snippet

Joe — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 14:06:17 -0000

Isn't Mariah's new album out the 20th too?

Re: The McFly Boys Get Wet

Joe — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 16:07:53 -0000

I love this song!!!

Re: Dual-booting Windows XP and Linux

Joe — Wed, 21 Jan 2004 01:32:17 -0000

opps, should have read the whole damn thing... sorry ignore.

Re: What does wine taste like at 30,000 feet? Do I really care, is a better question!

Joe — Tue, 29 May 2007 20:04:56 -0000

I rarely end up in the front of the plane, but I recenty did an impromptu tasting of wines at 30,000 feet on Air Canada (<a href="http://joeswine.blogspot.com/search?q=mile ">http://joeswine.blogspot.com/search?q=mile high). Unfortunately, I have not tasted these at ground level, but I can say that the Air Canada business class wines are reasonably well chosen. Cheers!

Re: What does wine taste like at 30,000 feet? Do I really care, is a better question!

Joe — Tue, 29 May 2007 20:04:56 -0000

Re: What does wine taste like at 30,000 feet? Do I really care, is a better question!

Joe — Tue, 29 May 2007 20:04:56 -0000

Re: Wine Blogging in 2007, How Far have We Come?

Joe — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 17:50:34 -0000

Great reading - especially for someone who is taking their first leap into the wine blogosphere this year.

You can feel free to add my Blog to the list in the quest to reach 100 before the New Year - 1WineDude (<a href="<a href="http://www.1WineDude.com " target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.1WineDude.com "><a href="http://www.1WineDude.com " target="_blank" rel="nofollow">www.1WineDude.com or 1winedude.blogspot.com).

Cheers!

Re: Wine Blogging in 2007, How Far have We Come?

Joe — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 17:50:34 -0000

Re: Wine Blogging in 2007, How Far have We Come?

Joe — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 17:50:34 -0000

Re: Catavino, Ad-Free Since last Friday - A 3 Year Anniversary Surprise!

Joe — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 20:43:18 -0000

I always thought AdSense would not be lucrative...thank you for confirming it for me - I will continue you to be ad free as well. Congrats on your important milestone, and please keep writing about Iberian wines!

Cheers,

Joe

Re: Catavino, Ad-Free Since last Friday - A 3 Year Anniversary Surprise!

Joe — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 20:46:51 -0000

I always suspected AdSense only made money for Google, thanks for the confirmation - I will remain ad-free. Congrats on your important milestone - Cheers!

Joe

Re: spiderman 3 villains

Joe — Mon, 07 May 2007 00:57:13 -0000

Venom dies while Eddie Brock attempting to merge with the alien substance by pumpkin bomb thrown by spider-man. with nothing left.

the second goblin dies from saving Spider-man from being stabbed by Harry's flying machine used by venom.

MJ and peter broke up.

Re: Spiderman 3

Joe — Mon, 07 May 2007 01:00:51 -0000

It is odd how Sandman can fly in a form of a cloud....reminds me of Gaara from Naruto

Re: SPINACH & FETA FUSSILI PASTA SALAD

Joe — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 15:30:00 -0000

What's your favorite brand of brown rice pasta? Some of them can be not so tasty!

Re: West-ward, Ho!

Joe — Thu, 28 Oct 2004 13:02:10 -0000

I don't know, Will. I have to agree that the CD is a watershed moment in musical history. My eyes shed water in abundance the whole time I listened to it. In all modesty, I am extraordinarily clever sometimes.

Re: Circus, Circus

Joe — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 09:43:04 -0000

Your final analysis is pretty incisive. MTV and Brit=parasites in love. And I will, of course, be tuning in.

Re: SightSpeed 6.0 out!

Joe — Sun, 18 Mar 2007 16:10:46 -0000

I just upgraded to 6.0, and it no longer works. My contacts are displayed with green buttons, but when I try to connect, the software claims they're not online. Please fix this!

Re: ABC’s “The Practice” Renewed Without 6 Main Actors

Joe — Mon, 13 Oct 2003 18:35:31 -0000

The only reason I watched this weeks The Practice was due to ALIAS. The show has been lacking for so long and the cut in cast is just another blow. I will be shocked if the show is picked up for a ninth season.

Re: New Matrix Games On The Way

Joe — Fri, 09 Apr 2004 12:48:27 -0000

hmmm someone must find out if those codes that this timmy guy is talkin about r real

Re: Ohio Elections Screwup (by Amy)

Joe — Tue, 02 Nov 2004 13:16:11 -0000

We do have a voter registration card for Amy, but it's not sent every year. She got her's back in 2000 but it didn't matter that she had the card because she was no longer on the list (see the above post). When the DMV changed her name, they didn't send a new registration card and so we had no idea what was going on.

So, no Ohio does not properly do this. I would love it if they sent a card for every election because, like you said, that would clear up a lot of confusion.

Re: iPod Mercury Theater

Joe — Wed, 16 Feb 2005 08:48:10 -0000

At the moment you are still listening as though it were an audiobook.

Ah, interesting. I hadn't really thought about that before, but you might be right. I have noticed that the Mercury Theatre clips were always better at drawing me in though, because of the sound effects and better narration. I think I'm having a hard time getting into the world of Lights Out because it's lacking the narration part. I'll try getting deeper into why that is.

The Clayborne show looks really interesting too. I'll check that out soon.

Thanks!

Re: Album Review: Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace

Joe — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 09:58:13 -0000

I cant believe what Im hearing here. People are saying Kristy is a bad song? are you kidding? Im a long time offspring fan since ignition and i think it ranks up there as one of their top 5 songs theyve ever done. The lyrics are amazing, beautifuly put together and everything. And stuff is messed up really isnt a joke song. Might seem like it, but it talks about how the media sucks these days. I wouldnt count it as a joke song. If you do, you can count bad habit as a joke song too, because theyre practicly the same thing. First 9 songs are strong, very stong. Havnt heard a line up like that, that i can listen all the way through, since smash. Fix you would be the only weaker song, but i think rock bottom is another pretty strong song while rise and fall isnt bad either, its probably the second worth on the album.

Overall:Sound: A
Lyrics: A+
Production: A
Vocals: A
Overall: A

its definitly their best stuff since americana, but in my opinion, theyre best since ignition.

Re: Album Review: Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace

Joe — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 10:35:47 -0000

i dunno. i would say its cheesy. But i do see what you mean in the chorus. But to me, the verses are beautiful. esp. the part after his ohhhs
i.e. ohhh coulds of time

Re: Album Review: Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace

Joe — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 10:18:55 -0000

maxush, i read that exact review on a different website....

idk y you would go around copy and pasting the same review but what ever you want to do is ok i guess

And i read some more reviews, and they keep saying that the album is too different and branches off too much. And the new linkin park album doesnt? In my opinion it does more. But we can still give it good reviews, dont worry.

Re: Listen: The Mission Veo

Joe — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 11:10:47 -0000

I have been a huge fan since I first heard new york scum. And I just like the music and don't care who is the hot one like the rest of you! LOL

Re: http://consequenceofsound.net/2008/09/24/album-review-only-by-the-night/

Joe — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 17:29:54 -0000

I agree with alot of the points here but I completely disagree that it makes the album bad. My personal view is its their best work to date. The first two cd's are great but its more just silly fun stuff. Because of the times and now only by the night are such a solid cd, its nice to hear the kings with depth. I love the cd, every time i listen to it it gets better. Definitely give it a second listen to any kings fan who doesn't like it on first listen.

Re: http://consequenceofsound.net/2008/10/01/check-out-50-for-president/

Joe — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 13:24:08 -0000

I don't care what anyone says get rich or die tryin is one of the best rap cds around. I'm rooting for 50 on this one

Re: Beale Street Music Festival

Joe — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 15:39:47 -0000

does anyone know if you can leave the festival and retun later on in the day ?

Re: Boredom at Best Buy

Joe — Sun, 29 Aug 2004 19:47:11 -0000

the post above me is obviously by a man, and most likely mike himself!

Re: We Are All Wadenesses

Joe — Sat, 27 May 2006 02:22:01 -0000

nice!

Re: XP SP2: How to Remove or Uninstall Service Pack 2 | Windows | Tech-Recipes

Joe — Thu, 14 Oct 2004 13:34:16 -0000

I've tried all these methods, also went to micrsosoft webpage but nothing seems to work..

anything that i enter in "Start- RUN" shows me an error message that the file doesnt exits, when i use recovery it also says " flie doesnt exist" and last, Add and Remove Options also dont list the SP2.

My Windows XP version is said to be the 2004 version, in which SP2 is already pre integrated.

Any Ideas on how to proceed?

Re: Napster: Convert DRM WMA files to MP3s | Windows | Tech-Recipes

Joe — Tue, 15 Mar 2005 13:01:10 -0000

it worked for me last night, went to use it this morning after downloading more napster songs, and when i go to convert, it stays stuck at 0%.

Re: OhGizmo! » Archive » Radio USB

Joe — Thu, 18 Aug 2005 04:43:41 -0000

please take this article down. i read the whole thing and as such wasted like two and a half minutes of my life.

Re: OhGizmo! » Archive » Pluma, A Redesign Of The Propane Tank

Joe — Fri, 30 Jun 2006 16:49:39 -0000

Illegal to refill a tank in the U.S.? I live in California (which is still in the U.S. I think), and have refilled my propane tank so many times I've lost count. Where have you heard that it is illegal?

Re: OhGizmo! » Archive » High-Speed Atomic Blast Photography

Joe — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 17:03:26 -0000

just a bit larger
http://www.nevadasurveyor.com/atomicbomb/

Re: OhGizmo! » Archive » Halo Vacuum Cleans & Kills With Ultraviolet Light

Joe — Tue, 08 May 2007 14:03:29 -0000

so what happens when you aciddently turn it on yourself and get exposed to radiation? Do my cells DNA mutate me into a superhero?

Re: OhGizmo! » Archive » Spine Lamp Adds A Touch Of Creepy To Any Office

Joe — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 16:48:03 -0000

It could be an ARM or some other interest only mortgage... I guess. or a 10x10 walk-in closet.

Re: OhGizmo! » Archive » Portable Lightbulbs That Grow On Trees

Joe — Sat, 25 Aug 2007 14:18:08 -0000

thats really cool, i wanna know how to get my hands on one of those things. I know my mom would just love it for her garden

Re: Nerf Vulcan EBF-25 Is Plastic And Foam Pwnage

Joe — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 19:50:46 -0000

Shriveled testicles not included.

Re: OhGizmo! » Archive » Pogo! Radio YourWay Mini - Digital Radio Recorder

Joe — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 20:55:18 -0000

Who gave this person a job as a reviewer? The Radio YourWay is a great product for recording and listening to radio programs for later listening. Why is that so hard for this goofball to understand? The reviewer must be some dope head high schooler.

Re: Freebord - Snowboarding Minus The Snow

Joe — Thu, 01 May 2008 19:00:28 -0000

The freeboard has a hard learning curve but its worth it. Nothing comes close to the carving abilities of this board.

Re: A Plan That Doesn’t Fight Spam

Joe — Wed, 08 Feb 2006 15:11:45 -0000

I really don't think this is as big of a deal as it is being made out to be. Here's how I see it:

If AOL and Yahoo do anything that annoys their customers (like blocking legitimate mail from Apple or subscribed mailing lists), those customers will leave. Likewise, if AOL and Yahoo customers start getting more unsolicitated spam from sources who have paid the companies for access to those customers' mailboxes, it is equally likely that an exodus of users will occur.

If I'm a competitor to AOL and Yahoo and I want to gain ex-AOL and ex-Yahoo customers, I simply implement a saner policy regarding spam. (The incentive here guarantees that the Internet's mail system won't turn into another version of the USPS).

Look at it this way: AOL and Yahoo are embarking upon a massive experiment in spam-avoidance / spam-legitimization. And the only real potential cost is to their own userbases.

I, for one, will look on with some mixture of disinterest and amusement. I mean, AOL and Yahoo email are already in the slum of Internet email services. This, worst case, only entrenches them further into that 'market.'

Re: What if they blogged?

Joe — Thu, 12 Aug 2004 01:25:00 -0000

rofl! love the eve one. where's satan's blog?

Re: Media Watch: Catalog of Straw Poll Misconceptions

Joe — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 09:18:22 -0000

The truth yeah!! Keep up the good work telling the truth about this whole circus. Very scared about how major media will treat the huge Ron Paul contingent (most of whom will be buying their own tickets unlike the other campaigns) I expect in Ames should be interesting to say the least.

Re: Media Watch: Catalog of Straw Poll Misconceptions

Joe — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 18:34:46 -0000

Dems if true sounds great to me. To date several dems have been converted to the Ron Paul side of things.

Re: Clinton Announces AIDS Plan on Eve of Vigils

Joe — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 06:48:27 -0000

Keep your dick in your pants... and you won't get aids

Re: Flamed Out GOP Star Arrested For Child Sex Assault

Joe — Mon, 02 Oct 2006 07:25:51 -0000

sacrifice My, my, Sac, you seem to have struck a very raw nerve with at least two lurkers in here!

Re: Immigration: Migrating Views from Rural Colorado

Joe — Mon, 11 Dec 2006 04:30:20 -0000

Spinning the Problems Colorado Confidential (Wendy Norris),
This article just spins the problem of supply and demand, other wise capitalism. The floud of ILLEGAL MEXICANS into colorado has driven real wages of ALL colorado workers to an all time low in pay. Farmer can increase the size of farmable land knowing the can get a hugh increase in income for themselves. Then they whine that veg rotting in the field. To reward BAD business practices is all this bias media is here for. Report the whole story, when ILLEGAL MEXICANS work for dog food pay, the rest of Colorado expects REAL Colorado workers to do the same.

Re: Morse: Merrifield’s Enemies Have “Overreached”

Joe — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 20:13:57 -0000

Merrifield He is arrogant, but follows party direction. For him to gloat about others misfortunes is poor form, but par for his course. He should consider taking only the VC role next season, so he can coach Solano, etc...

Re: Salazar Says Bush Is Dividing America on Iraq

Joe — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 20:35:27 -0000

Yadda dee Hey crackhead the ISG called for reduction, GWB then pumped up the effort. ISG was bipartisan and thus KLS is trying to push GWB to the common sense path developed by the experts (including his new Defence Secretary). The wrong decisions are GWB's or the counter of picking up our toys and going home.

The next president will have to extract us to a foreign policy course that pushes responsible international leadership (eg North Korea, Cold War). This is the campaign issue that will deliver the mansion for s/he and all Americans.

Maybe if we had more KLSs in leadership roles we wouldn't have a divided and polarized nation that pits bitch against bitch or causes frivolous/costly impeachments, hearings and other BS political manuevers.

DD and MM are good examples of what not to emulate

Re: Markey Taking a Different Tack in CD-4

Joe — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 18:51:58 -0000

money this is interesting, but unfortunately, it is all about money.

Re: Doug Lamborn And The Little People Of Lilliput

Joe — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 14:46:05 -0000

Lamborn is actually among the Brobdinangians Dorky Doug is actually among the Brobdinangians, who stood 72 feet tall and who kept Gulliver around basically as a pet. After bravely fighting off a wasp, Gulliver tried talking to the King about the state of Europe. The king, unimpressed, lost interest in his pet. So long as Doug is just a vote for W, they will be kind to him and feed him treats. As soon as Doug opens his mouth about something substantive, he will be abandoned like Gulliver.

Re: Immigration activists to state lawmakers: Advance real reform

Joe — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 06:00:25 -0000

a fair and balanced approach It is refreshing to hear more substance and compassion and less hate and fear mongering. When are we going to wake up as a state and society, and realize we are all in this together?

Re: Dennis Prager - Hateful and Wrong - Updated

Joe — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 21:49:47 -0000

Re: Religious Test? "Putting your hand on the bible is a religious test?"

It would be if it were mandatory, since public officials would be forced to swear on a sacred text that they may not believe if they wanted to serve.

Re: Smoking Ban Becomes Law

Joe — Tue, 22 May 2007 06:37:10 -0000

Ban on Choice As always the nannies of our state know what is best for all of us, but yet I haven't seen any of the evidence that people have died or become terminally ill from second-hand smoke. I guess if you tell a lie long enough, it becomes the truth.

Exactly how much did Clearway, the ALAMN, and all the rest of the anti-choice crowd pay these legislators to get this ban passed.

It's amazing how legislation gets passed without having to back up any claims with actual facts. I guess exaggerated facts and deep checkbook works to.

It's nice to know that if I need help crossing the street or making any tough decisions in my life then I call people like Sheran and Huntley and all the rest of the do- gooders of this state because they know what is best for me and what is my best interest as well as everyone else in the state.

Re: Pulse to Cease Web Publishing

Joe — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 06:02:20 -0000

Monthly Pride Southside Pride is a free monthly (not a weekly) that is delivered door to door.

Re: Dennis Prager - Hateful and Wrong - Updated

Joe — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 21:49:47 -0000

Re: Religious Test? "Putting your hand on the bible is a religious test?"

It would be if it were mandatory, since public officials would be forced to swear on a sacred text that they may not believe if they wanted to serve.

Re: Smoking Ban Becomes Law

Joe — Tue, 22 May 2007 06:37:10 -0000

Exactly how much did Clearway, the ALAMN, and all the rest of the anti-choice crowd pay these legislators to get this ban passed.

It's amazing how legislation gets passed without having to back up any claims with actual facts. I guess exaggerated facts and deep checkbook works to.

Re: Pulse to Cease Web Publishing

Joe — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 06:02:20 -0000

Monthly Pride Southside Pride is a free monthly (not a weekly) that is delivered door to door.

Re: Sally Field’s Emmy speech UNCENSORED

Joe — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 02:41:34 -0000

I tripped over this web site and to be blunt, this is one of the worst and stupidest sites I have EVER seen.

Who cares about sally Fields and her rambling speech?

Here's a suggestion for you--GET A LIFE

I will never revisit this site again, stupid insulting posts when there is very little civil discourse, a site based on hating a cable TV network--good God--just change the channel!!!!!

Re: Fox Cuts Off Sally Field’s Anti-War Speech at Emmys

Joe — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 02:43:26 -0000

I tripped over this web site and to be blunt, this is one of the worst and stupidest sites I have EVER seen, as I noted on a prior post-similar subject.

Who cares about sally Fields and her rambling speech?

Here's a suggestion for you--GET A LIFE

I will never revisit this site again, stupid insulting posts when there is very little civil discourse, a site based on hating a cable TV network--good God--just change the channel!!!!!

Re: FOX News Porn

Joe — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 17:39:18 -0000

sex sells and keeps people watching...associating FOX with a porn network is outragous.

and i am very much against pulling only the statistics that support your case

how would FOX network...a network for news and shows cover the iraq war more than MSNBC an all news channel??

this website makes alot of good points but keep going overboard like this and your supporters will lose faith

Re: Brian McLaren: The Politics of Joy

Joe — Fri, 15 Dec 2006 16:04:44 -0000

That's true, Brian, but doesn't really get us far. We can concede - with reason - that we are far from where we are meant to be, a long way from home, scrabbling around in the dark, full of sin and unwilling to ask for repentance.

But the reality is that it is very difficult to live in an alternative more-Christlike way. It is very difficult to bring the christ-within to the world outside - as the world outside does not accept the inverted priorities he offers - and it is neigh on impossible to bring the great laws of love to fruition on a personal level.

I don't think we have even a glimpse of how difficult that is until we listen to the struggles of those elsewhere - and even when we do, it is so very difficult to apply the lessons to our own lives in any meaningful way. Christ would not be a Westerner, and that is a heavy burden to carry or know what to do with.>

Re: Brian McLaren: Sorrow Can Make Us Better, Not Bitter

Joe — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 21:36:00 -0000

I just want to thank Mr. McLaren for providing a voice of reason, perspective and comfort during this time. This piece made more sense to me than anything else I've read about the atrocities at Virginia Tech.

Re: Make Vista go away!

Joe — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 13:40:47 -0000

Because up here in Manchester Grolen advertised that same service on the whiteboard in front of their Elm St. location.

Re: What time is it?

Joe — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 07:18:31 -0000

You won't be saying that 59.99 million
years from now....

Re: Penn & Teller’s debunking disappointment

Joe — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 03:29:23 -0000

My wife and I enjoy watching this show, but after each one we inevitably end up discussing whether they made a strong argument or just swore their way through humorous hyperbole and damning anecdotal "evidence".

I think our final conclusion is that, increasingly as the show has aired, the critical content is to smaller segments (e.g. now it appears restrained to a single segment spoken by single interviewee) and the rest is mind candy for skeptics. This seems to be, somewhat ironically, more true of the episodes involving psuedo-science. More subjective episodes, for example from the same season Mt. Rushmore or PETA from an earlier season, have much stronger arguments.

In the end, as "infotainment" their emphasis is on the entertainment aspect.

Re: Leaked: ABC’s Stephanopoulos interviews John McCain

Joe — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 12:31:14 -0000

Senator, ever since I learned that you called your wife a trollop and a cunt on the campaign trail back in 1992 in front of 5 witnesses I haven't been able to stop wondering what 1) her immediate response was, 2) her response as you lay next to her that night, 3) how you feel women across America might react to that statement, in general?

Re: Terracycle's Waste to Profit Story Creates Media Buzz

Joe — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 11:32:39 -0000

I LOVE TerraCycle. They have created a really positive business model that makes sense.

Re: Post-It Twilight

Joe — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 07:06:33 -0000

Dear, your unsent letters made my day.Thank you..

Re: Questions.

Joe — Sat, 11 Aug 2007 09:56:00 -0000

Shana, God will not be unjust to forget the good works and the heart you have for the less fortunate.
...friends who take time to care are really angels unaware.Gad bless you

joe

Re: Questions.

Joe — Sat, 11 Aug 2007 10:00:00 -0000

Shana, God will not be unjust to forget the good works and the heart you have for the less fortunate.
...friends who take time to care are really angels unaware.God bless you

joe

Re: Initial Thoughts: Green Day- 21st Century Breakdown Cover Art

Joe — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 20:39:28 -0000

Reminds me of Blur's Think Tank :
http://www.di-arezzo.co.uk/multimedia/images/im...

Re: Guestbook

Joe — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 08:47:26 -0000

Name: Joe Hayden
From: Germany
E-mail: JoeHayden8127@aol.com

I am absolutely speechless! 3.6 was an amazing Podcast. This ambient music is stimulating my brain, it feels like that i can touch the stars with my fingers!! (Like in a Dream)

I constantly listen to your spacemusic Podcast because its very Awesome!! I am listening to while working on my Computer for my study works or outside with my Ipod.

You are the Best TC! and your taste of music is fantastic.
Have a nice day - Greetings from Germany

Joe Hayden

===

Admin reply: Well Joe, what can we say; you seem to like the shows....thank you for your message!!! Keep listening and provide us with feedback whenever you feel like it, cheers! TC

Re: Diplo x Santogold = Top Ranking

Joe — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 16:42:35 -0000

Whoa, does anyone have a download link for this???

Re: New Daft Punk – Daft Gang, For Realz?!

Joe — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 17:04:46 -0000

This doesn't scream Daft Punk to me, though you never know since they are always changing styles. A great track either way!

Re: \SystemRoot\ System32\ Config\ SOFTWARE is corrupt!

Joe — Sun, 20 Jun 2004 12:10:35 -0000

I am having the same problem with an added twist, I have SATA HD's and Win2K Pro doesn't have the driver for them. Luckily, I kept my disks with all those drivers.

In either case, this file was corrupt (and still is), and the only way I could get into windows was to perform the OS installation again, but chose the "R" repair option at first, and then select "C" for console. This will bring you into "DOS". From there, you select which OS you'd like to fix (it gives you a couple choices and most likely, you'll just end up picking #1 since there may not be any others), and then it'll ask you for the administrator password.

Once you get this, you will have access to your computer through "DOS" (if you're not good with DOS, I guess you're SOL). You then have to make your way to the above mentioned directory (systemroot\system32\config) and you will see the "software" file. This is the corrupted file. Rename it to software.cor or software.bad or something stupid like that. Make a copy of your backup software.old or whatever your backup software file is, and then rename the backup to "software".

this should boot you into windows, but that's as far as it'll go. You still have to enter in the username and password when windows boots up, and once you get in, all you'll have (or all I had) was a blue screen, no start menu, no icons, nothing. I had to CTRL-ALT-DEL to pop-up my task manager to run "cmd" (command prompt) and then using DOS commands in command prompt, run various program (like my web browser)

hope this helps

Re: Album Review – Angels and Airwaves – I-Empire

Joe — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 16:02:16 -0000

still pretty boring, better than debut tho.

Re: Album Review – Angels and Airwaves – I-Empire

Joe — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 20:16:47 -0000

Its not stolen, he linked back to it dude.

Haha, what a fool.

Re: Album Review: LCD Soundsystem – 45:33 EP

Joe — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 02:10:06 -0000

what's the name of the first track? best one in the mix by far!

Re: Intraday Reversal Action Stuns Traders

Joe — Tue, 20 May 2008 10:57:57 -0000

Corey,
How much do you personally trade with the MarketClub methodology versus your own technical analysis based trades like flags etc.?
Thanks, Joe

Re: A Tuesday Look at the SP500 Index

Joe — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 20:46:46 -0000

I tried the short play twice today on the Dow, but got out quickly when the index didn't break. Bulls and Bears are still fighting it out most of today.

Good post. Thanks Corey.

Re: Out of the Boat

Joe — Sat, 15 Jul 2006 01:18:19 -0000

Pretty good post. Could use some more pics, but otherwise very good.

Re: Sound Judgement, Romans 12:3

Joe — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 02:49:35 -0000

I approve of the graphic because it's a good picture of me. Yah, no false humility for me!

PS. Thanks for printing it out, I showed it to my Mom, she really liked it.

PPS I will try and stay awake this week.

Re: Sovereignty of God

Joe — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 02:51:27 -0000

Yay for answered altar calls!

Re: Marriage and Relationships and God

Joe — Wed, 02 Aug 2006 03:14:00 -0000

Lucky me, I get to learn all the tips from "the pros in the know." Time to head to REI for some carabiners, I need to be ready when the time comes... in 2027. Haha.

Re: battery chargers

Joe — Sun, 27 Aug 2006 01:14:27 -0000

I demand more updates! I didn't pay the annual subscribtion fees for this!

Re: gmail and pictures

Joe — Fri, 22 Sep 2006 03:13:20 -0000

And I am one of those 4. Yay for updates! Yay for pictures! Yay for top secret engagements!

Re: prayer

Joe — Sun, 15 Oct 2006 00:24:02 -0000

Finally some updates, I was getting ready to complain.

Re: prayer

Joe — Sat, 11 Nov 2006 02:17:03 -0000

Up-date, up-date, up-date!

Re: Spiritual Mentoring - Jamie Wilson

Joe — Mon, 11 Dec 2006 00:46:37 -0000

Oh man, I lost my cookie for this site, and I don't remember what I put before, but just wanted to say the updates are appreciated.

Re: Spiritual Mentoring - Jamie Wilson

Joe — Sun, 07 Jan 2007 00:40:46 -0000

If I am still commenting on the same post one month later, I think that is an indication that it is time to update!

Re: random thoughts - unsorted

Joe — Sat, 03 Mar 2007 23:58:03 -0000

Time for an update!

Re: One Year Ago…

Joe — Sat, 17 Mar 2007 01:34:39 -0000

Sweet, I can live with those predictions. Does your crystal ball say if I'll be single or not?

Re: Things Which Define Me

Joe — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 09:05:11 -0000

Hi there, Stumbled across your blog via Cherri and Vi and Joie and and... Small world this one.

Really enjoy your style of writing..look forward to being a regular reader...

Re: Thank You – The new album from Declan - Review

Joe — Tue, 26 Dec 2006 18:08:27 -0000

Declan's got a well good my space!!!

Re: Justin Timberlake Remixed

Joe — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 23:09:06 -0000

Wow! I love these remixes! Where do you find all this stuff?

Re: Felt Creatures : All PS3 Themes

Joe — Sun, 25 Nov 2007 21:16:18 -0000

this is very well done despite some peoples dislike for the fictional creatures

Re: CELL Project : All PS3 Themes

Joe — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 16:47:51 -0000

Wow. I downloaded this ps3 theme. Put it on. worked fine for about a week. Then out of nowhere, my 80gig's hardrive is fragged. this theme did something to my hard drive. might have had a trojan. Be CAREFUL!!!!!

Re: Oasis Dig Out Your Soul : All PS3 Themes

Joe — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 22:46:10 -0000

doesn't display the background image

Re: RAVENFALL - SOCOM CLAN : All PS3 Themes

Joe — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 17:37:19 -0000

Shits weak

Re: What did they teach me?

Joe — Wed, 28 Dec 2005 02:51:51 -0000

Well I thought it was a good movie. And my friends who loved the books thought it was good too. So ha! You're outvoted! Off the island and all that stuff! I thought the gifts they were given looked a little funny but other than that, it was good. I think being back in NJ is starting to rub off on you. Get back to kind old NC.

Re: I’m a daddy

Joe — Tue, 14 Feb 2006 07:49:20 -0000

I try my best to grab the attention and then keep it interesting!

Re: The Pub Crawl

Joe — Wed, 08 Mar 2006 05:08:26 -0000

Too much fun?! No, just the right amount. It's tough being involved in a cultural club. You have to make sacrifices sometimes...

Re: Responsibility of science

Joe — Thu, 27 Apr 2006 17:34:25 -0000

I've started State of Fear but I haven't finished it. I think in his book he has a letter signed by scientists claiming that global warming may not be as big of an issue as everyone thinks. But I've only heard him get persecuted over this.

Re: Responsibility of science

Joe — Mon, 08 May 2006 04:07:48 -0000

I am not sure who signed the letter, and it's somewhat unimportant as I would be unable to judge their quality as I am not in the field.

But which research would I find easier to accept? I don't think it works that way. You need to examine the data and see what it says to you. There is an awful lot of 'truthiness' (to quote Colbert) going on. The data tells you what you know to already be going on.

And finally, a flip comment to end it all. If a scientist tells you they don't understand what's going on, they are almost certainly telling the truth. If a scientist tells you they are sure of what's going on, they are probably lying half the time and when they are truthful, they're probably still wrong half the time.

Re: Chicago Video

Joe — Wed, 10 May 2006 08:49:04 -0000

You know I did look for you once. The closest team is in Atlanta. Hmm, I don't even know how far that is from you, but I bet it's not close!

Re: Badlands and Black Hills

Joe — Tue, 30 May 2006 07:45:31 -0000

After China I am sure there will be pictures. We're waiting until we're there so that we look really tall compared to all the other people.

Re: Badlands and Black Hills

Joe — Tue, 30 May 2006 12:07:02 -0000

Well sure, she may not exist now, but she sure will when I get back from China!! Sshhh...

Re: I like Phoenix

Joe — Wed, 07 Jun 2006 02:50:06 -0000

I have a short term memory. So I only ever title things about the very first thing I say in the post. Or maybe it is me flexing my journalistic perogative??

Re: I’m still alive

Joe — Fri, 14 Jul 2006 14:19:37 -0000

Yeah, well you should just wait til you see my pictures about WoW. There are coke cans over here with the stuff on it. There was a whole stage production in Hangzhou to announce the launch of a China only online game... Insane.

Re: Heading to Kunming

Joe — Tue, 18 Jul 2006 13:56:46 -0000

Well Christa is smarter than me, and funnier, so I'd read hers instead of mine, but I suppose you have a vested interest in me ;)

Glad to hear the wedding went well, I am really dissapointed I can't be there. I've missed both their weddings now, they probably hate me! Hopefully you told them about all the humanitarian work I am doing here, wink wink.

Re: Fire, Feuer, Fuego

Joe — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 22:54:06 -0000

Well it woke me upI There wasnet much smoke in the rooms on the other side of the hallB No smoke detectors or anything like that of courseI

Re: Dilly Dali

Joe — Sat, 22 Jul 2006 15:49:07 -0000

Well it's only the first chapter of something that presumably will only get worse!

Re: Fire, Feuer, Fuego

Joe — Sat, 22 Jul 2006 15:59:14 -0000

I think the towns are generally very large villages, so yeah, I think it's normal. Turns out Kunming is Denver's sister city, it's a little bigger though.

Re: Beijing

Joe — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 14:48:48 -0000

Well it was a Chinese chick keeping me inside, so while I definitely could've taken her (unless she was that girl from Crouching Tiger...), it might not have been the best course of action!

Kati in Europe, I can only imagine there are stories.

Re: Back in Shanghai

Joe — Fri, 28 Jul 2006 19:12:39 -0000

You didn't miss anything, I just didn't feel like writing anything. Haha, it was beautiful, looked just like in the pictures. We did have an interesting experience though, Christa wrote a good article about it so check out her thing.

Re: Firefighter

Joe — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 06:03:14 -0000

Privately, Christa told me she has no idea why they're not red, but she'll never sat it publically!

Re: An Inconvenient Truth?

Joe — Fri, 13 Oct 2006 05:00:38 -0000

No to reading Bjorn Lomborg, one of the pitfalls of being illiterate. And really, if I do read these things, I might have to come off my "science is being abused" platform, and I am cozy up here! ;)

Re: Planes, Buses and Automobiles

Joe — Fri, 29 Dec 2006 14:54:57 -0000

Perhaps I would have. But where would I get my 3 feet of holiday snow?

Re: New job and such

Joe — Wed, 21 Feb 2007 03:50:52 -0000

Switzerland eh? Ah yes, I remember it well. I traveled across Europe to meet up with my friends in Switzerland and instead of a grand welcome, they just leave! Ah the days.

Re: Traveling in America

Joe — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 00:14:40 -0000

True enough about the rebuilding of some of the rail networks. However, they are newer than 1950's, and in all fairness, we might not be an independent nation if it wasn't for the Polish and French military leaders that came and helped us fight. So we can't be too caught up in who helps who with what.

Some parts of Europe are confusing to travel in, but the easiest place I have ever traveled in was Germany (even if you don't know German). Amazing.

Re: New layout!!

Joe — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 10:59:11 -0000

That's right, I am leaving a comment to myself!

Re: Pastor charged with 11 counts of sexual exploitation of children - ExChristian.Net - News and Opinion

Joe — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 06:26:00 -0000

Frank Herbert said it well, "Absolute power attracts the absolutely corruptible."

Religious institutions create a perfect storm of power, access, and ethical excuses that enable this sort of thing. It tops my list of reasons for shattering delusions about gods and their institutions.

Re: Is your baby gay? - ExChristian.Net - News and Opinion

Joe — Fri, 16 Mar 2007 06:02:00 -0000

I suspect that, were geneticists given the time and resources, they might also find a way of reducing the genetic contribution to irrationality, gullibility, bigotry (call it what you will). Looks like, if the fundies are going to get gays out of the gene pool (and do something about freethinkers and skeptics), they're going to need to get into the driver's seat on genetics. If they brakes don't work, I guess they'll need to steer.

Re: Moderate believers give cover to religious fanatics -- and are every bit as delusional. - ExChristian.Net - News and Opinion

Joe — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 19:34:00 -0000

It's probably worth distinguishing between Marxism and Leninism, Stalinism, Maoism, etc. Marxism is a broader philosophical system, which actually bred some valuable critiques, contributing a great deal to skepticism and rationalism. The practical applications to political systems tended to become statist and involved cults of personality, with hierarchies that resorted to various methods methods of indoctrination and control that are not Marxist per se. It is in practice that they developed their structural similarity to religion.

Re: Pastor charged with sexual assault - ExChristian.Net - News and Opinion

Joe — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 06:43:00 -0000

I agree with the anonymous poster above in part. It is good to give voice to these painful stories. However, I'm not sure about how much the evangelical church "covers up" things like this. Seems like the xian churches are custom made for denial.

While there certainly are conspiracies and collusions of various sorts, the larger contributing factor seems to be that capacity in xians to compartmentalize these things. When they hear about abuses in another sect, it's clear to them that the problem is with that sect's heresy or some kind of unfaithfulness. When it happens closer to home, it was the weakness or false conversion of some individual, or perhaps Satan making a special attack on God's most special people. For them, questioning the faith means Satan wins. So, they are predisposed to "stay the course."

With individuals so programmed, conspiracy is not really a prerequisite for dampening reaction to the shattered lives that result from these betrayals and abuses.

Re: You Call Yourself a Christian, But... - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Joe — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 04:53:00 -0000

Of course Christians are more moral. Isn't it more moral to feel like crap about sinning than to feel good about it? Isn't it more moral to never have sex, or if you're not strong enough, to have sex with only one person in your entire life, and never ever think about the sexual attractiveness of another person? Isn't it more moral to give 10% of your gross income (or is that net? or was it disposable? whatever) to the organization that brainwashed you?

Of course it is. You call yourself a Christian, but your invisible god is always on the verge of vanishing entirely. Behaving oddly and in contravention of logic, and limiting your associations to your co-sycophants is the only grip you have on him.

Re: Another Creation "Science" Museum - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Joe — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 06:52:00 -0000

I can't help being reminded of the Jesus Camp video of the woman's diatribe against Harry Potter. Harry is a warlock, and warlocks are the enemies of god. But wait Harry Potter is a fiction, where could the two ever meet? Ah, right. In fiction.

More of the same here. Get people to think that science is fiction so that their god can fight with it.

I'm a great fan of both fiction and science. The healthy mind can see where that line is drawn.

Re: Introduction to the Richard Dawkins Foundation - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Joe — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 05:31:00 -0000

Well said, Rick. What Dawkins is suggesting is a broader movement of populists in bringing science to the people.

The challenge is much like that faced by the Enlightenment itself. There are historical examples to learn from. The Russian Khozhdenie v narod (Going to the People) movement of the late 19th century sought to incite rebellion against a political system that relied on tradition and the church as part of its method of control. The people didn't get it and chased the intellectuals out.

Times are different in many ways and the American culture is vastly different from Russian serfdom, but the model of social and political control reinforced by religious traditions bears some similarity.

The challenge of putting the hay down where the goats can get it is enormous. Dawkins clearly can't do that alone. As Troy demonstrates, even among ex-xians the intellectual arguments are easily conflated with arrogance, or with some sort of rebellion against honored tradition.

An enormous cultural shift is needed, something on the order of that which reshaped German political culture after WWII. It would be nice to see that happen without the country going into ruin. My optimism is low this morning.

Re: Is that you, God? - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Joe — Sun, 10 Jun 2007 08:32:00 -0000

I see dragons and beautiful women when I look at clouds. But, then, that's what I'm looking for.

Re: Questions Your Pastor Will Hate - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Joe — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 05:00:00 -0000

The question is really not whether there is a god powerful enough to stop the earth and then counter-act its inertia or use the flashy thing to keep everyone else on the planet from noticing. It's why he couldn't come up with something better than killing all the bad people.

The idea that we are bad, so bad that we deserve to die and be subject to brutal death and then sent to eternal torment, is repugnant. But, man, what a good trick if you want to get a bunch of people to bring their sin offerings down to the temple for the theocratic barbecue. Make up supernatural evils and justify real evils and make a paying proposition out of being god's representative on Earth.

Fuck god, the son, and the spirit. I've seen a few too many people brutally killed in pointless struggles for power. That's all it ever is. Whether it is domestic violence, gangs, or "just wars," somebody deserves to die for being on the wrong side. Our world is too full of destructive power to let easy justifications for killing persist.

Stop the war.

Re: How to choose a god in 5 easy steps - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Joe — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 08:12:00 -0000

I think the current administration is already ahead of you on this one. Having sorted through the pack, they seem to have settled on Mars. Wanted a war and he delivered one.

Re: Whacko-Pedia - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Joe — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 06:57:00 -0000

I know it's off topic, but Canada's multi-culturalism is a model that is worth studying and emulating wherever conditions of tolerance can be established. Seems like they pour all of their intolerance into hockey.

On-topic, this sort of media outlet for distorted ideas is just another channel for preaching to the converted. People looking for objective information will continue to turn away from FoxNews and Conservapedia, but these things serve to promote party unity and ignorant conservative newspeak. That's double plus ungood.

Re: Human Life - Evolution To Self-Evolution - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Joe — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 05:31:00 -0000

Very nice presentation. From the Stone Age to Feudal Age, and decreasingly from then through the Information Age, it probably made good sense to make a virtue of the necessity of human suffering. Ascribing it to fate or god's will, probably has kept billions of people from depression and hopelessness in the face of their limits. Genetic enhancement, nano technology, and all of the amazing technologies to come increase human control to alleviate or eliminate suffering. Ignoring that capacity is an increasingly unethical proposition.

The religiously based proposition that we should still leave things to god's will is like suggesting we should drive the car with our eyes closed.

Re: If you want something done right... - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Joe — Sun, 24 Jun 2007 07:52:00 -0000

Of course, xianity has its built in defense against this argument. God, we are told, used the humble things to accomplish his purpose. Kind of like the tennis master taking on all comers with a frying pan. Didn't Bobby Riggs do that once?

Re: Desktop Software: A Failed Model

Joe — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 12:08:11 -0000

Great article, though I don't agree with you completely. I find this hard to say since I only use Microsoft products because my job requires it, but I think Office 2007 is the best product MS ever released. I started beta testing it back in July/August and can't image life without it. Vista on the other hand is a complete hog and Microsoft should have trashed it before they ever released it. With Linux Distros such as Ubuntu and Fedora, more non techies will find that they can get usability they want without having to bow down to the Satanic Cult known as Microsoft.

I found Zoho a few weeks ago and have been using it ever since. It is a great application, and will work for most people, but it is still lacking. I have a blazing fast connection and it still takes a long time to log in sometimes.

Google apps on the other hand seem to function at speeds that would lead me to believe I was running everything from the desktop. But they don't provide all the functionality that Zoho does. This is where Google falls short.

In order for these online services to really get the upper hand, they need to get increased bandwidth to handle the amount of users that will want to use their services. As well as provide more or less the same functionality that we can get on the desktop.

Re: Desktop Software: A Failed Model

Joe — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 12:08:11 -0000

Re: Bloc Party On Third Studio Album

Joe — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 23:39:29 -0000

Amazing! Thank you so much. I love Bloc Party and their b-sides rule!

Re: They said it

Joe — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 10:00:00 -0000

I might be the only person in Red Sox Nation not concerned with his shoulder. He suffered from transient subluxation, which if you break it down means that he has a passing partial dislocation of the shoulder. It doesn't necessary mean there was structural damage but that this could become a recurring problem (I associate it to a speedster having hammy issues). Now the doc's right in saying that a set schedule would allow him time during the season to monitor and strengthen his shoulder but if he was planning on throwing around 3000 pitches (100 pitches a start, 30 starts) then he was going to have to strengthen his shoulder prior to the season regardless.

Also, Shelia Papelbon, Jon's mom, is a sometimes poster over at soxprospects.com and she stopped by yesterday to calm some folks fears. She said that his 2006 MRI was as clean as his 2003 MRI when he was first signed. That's signficant because she had told us awhile back how the doctor doing his physical was amazed at how clean his shoulder was, no scar tissue at all. This was because he mostly caught and played first in HS and when he was in college, he closed. So if after this arm injury, there was still no scar tissue in his arm, then I think his arm should be alright to close. Maybe Tito can't use him like a yo-yo like he did last year and with a stronger pen (on paper) than last year, hopefully Jon won't have to warm up out of no where to get one of his fellow pen members out of a jam as often. But I, for one, am not worried about his shoulder.

~Joe~

Re: Rogue Wave @ Southpaw, 6/1/06, Part 2

Joe — Mon, 12 Jun 2006 23:28:00 -0000

thanks for posting this! its great!

Re: Greatest Sports Radio Ever

Joe — Thu, 28 Sep 2006 11:47:00 -0000

Give credit to the House that Rock Built for posting the Valenti rant. Well worth a listen. For all the rage, the guy has some valid points. Besides, who wouldn't want Teddy Ruxpin as a coach.

Re: Dinosaur Jr. @ Irving Plaza, NYC [6/7/07]

Joe — Sat, 09 Jun 2007 14:37:00 -0000

Yeah, my brother and I were also psyched when we heard the opening riff to "Out There." He, too, wondered, "Could this mean they might play 'Start Choppin'?".
Although sloppy and poorly mixed, the song selection made this show one of my fave Dinosaur Jr shows.

(I've seen Dinosaur Jr 5 times, and the Fog 3 times).

Re: The Diceman Cometh

Joe — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 10:42:00 -0000

Good thing it's not 1989. At least you'll always have Ford Fairlane.

Re: DC Show Update

Joe — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 21:44:00 -0000

Yes, Jukebox The Ghost used to be called The Sunday Mail. I can definitely confirm that.

Re: SXSW - Day 4

Joe — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 11:53:00 -0000

I went to the Salt Lick a few years back. That picture brought by artery clogging memories.

Re: http://www.aeropause.com/2006/07/console-interfaces-its-simplicity-stupid/

Joe — Tue, 01 Aug 2006 17:33:31 -0000

Anyone who is confused by the 360's UI needs to go back to 2nd grade. As for the PS3's UI, its very attractive and simple. Only time will tell if the simplicity translates to functionality.

Re: http://www.aeropause.com/2006/07/console-interfaces-its-simplicity-stupid/

Joe — Wed, 02 Aug 2006 13:10:01 -0000

Simplicity is good, yes. I think the 360 lacked what they call a "testing" phase in the development of its UI. Obsviously, they have addressed some these issues over time. That's the problem with Microsoft. They try so hard to innovate that they overthink too much and create products that are premature ideas.

However, in their defense, this article is clearly biased. Just because something is already good (or at least is considered to be adequate by many) does not mean there isn't a better way to do things. And that's what Microsoft is about. Sony holds a near monopoly on the game industry because of people like you that are afraid to try something new. I appreciate a feature rich interface when I pay 400 dollars for a product. It's easy to criticize new ideas because they force us to change. 360's UI may have its problems, but it introduces ideas that could become standard in future UI's. It's unfair that one company gets beat up for taking the chance of establishing these new standards. 1 point for Microsoft.

Re: KTIK: off target | Idaho Radio News

Joe — Sat, 06 Nov 2004 20:42:01 -0000

Hey Ladies or Hey Men..

It doesn't matter...

KTIK has no listeners and no ratings! (2.1 1.7 1.9)

#17 in the market...

Advertisers that spend money on this station are wasting their dollars.

Re: Just shoot me | Idaho Radio News

Joe — Wed, 10 Nov 2004 00:49:03 -0000

KBOI ran election coverage....?

Who cares, everyone who wanted election information was watching TV.

Radio and election night coverage is a tune out!

Re: Just shoot me | Idaho Radio News

Joe — Wed, 10 Nov 2004 12:21:37 -0000

So your the one that was listening....

Re: Skullkar lives!!!

Joe — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 06:54:00 -0000

Reminds me of a hybrid of a few of the wacky races cars, awesome! good work guys, keep it up

Re: When did you last impress yourself?

Joe — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 17:48:00 -0000

well you will like this i never it cost me loads of money.... it took me 30mins to go from bristol to high wycombe i was doing 220mph and my engine decided to go bang now i need a new bike and new pants plus my leathers look like the starting grid at santa pod.... yours very shaken joe

Re: The Wall Guestbook

Joe — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 17:37:14 -0000

Geez, standing room only, it is so dang crowded here ... hahaha

Re: The Wall Guestbook

Joe — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 17:22:24 -0000

Where is today's song? I am running a pool on when it will be a Celine Dion song. ;)

Re: The Wall Guestbook

Joe — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 12:14:56 -0000

Hey "MOM" we can hear you no reason to yell. (CAPS=YELLING)

Re: The Wall Guestbook

Joe — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 10:51:28 -0000

We are all waiting on some more bashing of the new socialist-democrat party. I may have to find a more dedicated neo-con ... lol

Re: 5 Things About the Uptick Rule and ETFs You Should Know

Joe — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 17:20:22 -0000

Uptick / downtick are not symetrical. There's no risk of artificially driving a stock price to infinity thereby forcing it into bankruptcy due to inability to raise capital.

Re: ജെസ്സി !

Joe — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 16:43:00 -0000

ഇതെങ്ങാനും ലിസമ്മ അറിഞ്ഞാല്‍ പിള്ളേരെ കിണറ്റിലിട്ട് അവളും ചാടും. ...ha ha ha, adipolli, the best after yakshi katha.

Re: ജെസ്സി !

Joe — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 16:43:00 -0000

Re: പോളിങ് നിര്‍ത്തുന്നു, വിവാദങ്ങളും

Joe — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 15:17:00 -0000

Berly, Good that u r back in form. Just dont waste your time on back of these so called anonyies. You Continue your good writing.

Note: Last six months i am following your blog, this is the furst comment though.

Re: പോളിങ് നിര്‍ത്തുന്നു, വിവാദങ്ങളും

Joe — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 15:17:00 -0000

Re: ജെസ്സി !

Joe — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 16:43:00 -0000

Re: പോളിങ് നിര്‍ത്തുന്നു, വിവാദങ്ങളും

Joe — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 15:17:00 -0000

Re: മഹാപാപിക്കു മുപ്പത്

Joe — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 04:13:00 -0000

Many Many Happy returns of the day Berly, Long Live.

Re: Credit crisis timeline updates

Joe — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 17:11:00 -0000

Nice article!
Thanks for posting.

Re: Apple wants 10% of iPod accessory revenue

Joe — Mon, 17 Oct 2005 22:03:00 -0000

True dat, but in Steve Job's case, he's actually right. Without the iPod, the iPod accessory industry wouldn't exist at all.

As opposed to the record labels, the iPod would still exist without the record labels. So the iPod doesn't owe it's existence to them at all.

Re: top 10 ways to look busy at work

Joe — Tue, 18 Oct 2005 14:42:00 -0000

funny thing is, I did the screenshot background 5 years ago when I used to work with Luke. Works awesome. hahaha!

Re: del.icio.us

Joe — Fri, 21 Oct 2005 12:48:00 -0000

It's not a program, it's all web based. The only thing you'll have to do is save the bookmarklet in your bookmarks.

Re: Flash-Fu

Joe — Mon, 07 Nov 2005 23:17:00 -0000

don't hate because I can make objects animate along a path and you can't.

Re: i have a new job

Joe — Fri, 22 Sep 2006 11:16:00 -0000

Ah. I haven't gotten my business cards yet, so I had to photoshop my name onto someone elses. I forgot 'bout the e-mail adddress. =P

Re: Da 411 ya digg?

Joe — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 16:16:00 -0000

uh, who are you?

Re: RSS in Plain English

Joe — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 14:00:00 -0000

"Cutting out the unnecessary crap" is a lesson for another post. =)

Re: Clever

Joe — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 12:38:00 -0000

You live in a pop culture void.

Re: Random Liquid Tip

Joe — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 22:31:00 -0000

Apparently my co-workers didn't know, or they were just like me and didn't pay attention in Chemistry.

Re: Random Liquid Tip

Joe — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 01:29:00 -0000

I learned this trick with soondoobu. Maybe you eat soondubu that defies physics.

Re: My FOWA’08 Identity

Joe — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 11:33:00 -0000

haha, hey Andy. Losing weight? I committed to 6 months of suffering, and finally some weight came off. Hope all is well with the family! Let me know next you're in LA.

Re: Twitter Explained…

Joe — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 04:48:00 -0000

because microblogs lack the inherent social quality of a network.

my microblog at http://jobox.tumblr.com is not the same as my twitter stream at http://twitter.com/jobox

twitter is bi-directional and has a one to many relationship, both of which isn't common on microblogging tools.

Re: Day Two - Video-ified

Joe — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 02:32:00 -0000

I took the video with my new digital camera.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX35. It does HD Video recording at 1280x720 @ 30fps. I love it.

Re: Doha - Day One Video-ified

Joe — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 17:59:00 -0000

I was, and still am tired. That happens to you when you are transported to a time zone that has a 10 hour time difference. Something that is going to part of your near future. =)

Re: Secure Gmail From Peeping Eyes

Joe — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 12:12:00 -0000

haha, it's true that it's futile to hide on the internet. Might as well as embrace it.

Hey Ian, I had no idea you read my blog. Hope you've been doing well.

Re: Eric Prydz Call on Me video download .mpeg .mpge

Joe — Sun, 21 Nov 2004 13:07:25 -0000

my GOD!!!!!!!! what a sick song and crazy clip! it is the best thing i have seen/heard ever!!!!!!

Re: Baby Grace

Joe — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 15:27:00 -0000

Too cute!

Re: Church plant or worship gathering?

Joe — Tue, 18 Apr 2006 17:21:00 -0000

Our generation hates the confinement of labels like "church plant" and "alternative service". Often we have to use them because to reject them completely leaves us with the dreaded sense of ambiguity that makes things seem pointless. But, when we label our activities in such a way it often seems they get carried away with connotations we never wanted to support. Personally I think you should just get people to gather and see what happens, and if a label is necessary, let the community as a whole work to determine what it is: let the product arise instead of attempting to pre-determine it.

Re: All Is Not Well

Joe — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 16:06:24 -0000

Wilson46201:

I think we got the picture, ok? Do us a favor and go back over to TDW.

Re: OUT TO PASTOR

Joe — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 22:29:15 -0000

United Way, YMCA, Indiana Workforce Development, Indianapolis Parks and Library systems are just a few large resources that these fund raisers appear to be ignoring.

They would rather recreate the wheel and put money in their pockets.

Re: OUT TO PASTOR

Joe — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 22:33:19 -0000

I forgot to mention the free public education system.

Re: The answer is D

Joe — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 08:19:00 -0000

My second choice was the right answer both times. That was fun!

I see you're scheduled on Red Eye tomorrow, Alison. No primaries that day thank goodness!

Last night's show was hilarious. OMG, I was splitting a gut over Janice Dickenson. They HAVE to have her back on.

Michael, other than Alison I guess my favorite Red Eye regulars are Anna Gilligan, Suzanne Sena (she hasn't been on for a while), Rebecca Gomez, Ainsley Earhardt, Patti Anne Brown. Amanda Carpenter and Mary Katherine Ham are good too. Julie Banderas was good on the show last night. Michael Baden is always interesting. Mike Baker is good. There are others I can't immediately think of.

Who are your favorites Michael?

Re: Adorable baby polar bear cub

Joe — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 18:32:00 -0000

That's just about the worst case of RLS I've ever seen. He needs Ambien.

Cute video! Wait till he gains about 1,500 more pounds :o)

Have fun on Red Eye tonite Alison!

Re: Also adorable!

Joe — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 08:27:00 -0000

Tobey is soooooo cute! How can you not love a puppy like that.

So against my better judgment, I watched Celebrity Rehab on VH1 last nite. Yeah, I know. But one of the celebs on the show was Jeff Conaway, best known for Grease and the TV show Taxi. I was shocked at how screwed up he is from alcohol, drugs and painkillers. So incredibly sad.

I remember watching him years ago and thinking how he had the world in his hands - great looking, talented, popular, rich. He seemingly had everything, but now he's barely functional. He even arrived at the health clinic with a bottle of booze in his hands and stoned out of his mind. Then this morning I was reading on TMZ that Britney, on the day she went to the hospital, was at home popping pills all day - which apparently is a typical day for her. Ugh! I just want to choke these people. They have so much and they throw it all away.

But on a much more positive note, Red Eye was great last nite! Several good guests - including the owner of this blog. Great job Alison!! I wish FNC would replace Bill McCuddy with you. He's such a jerk.

Sorry this was so long. Enjoy the weekend!!

Re: "Alison at the Movies"

Joe — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 08:25:00 -0000

"Is there only room in Heaven, Greg, for people who look just like you?"

Funny, and nicely delivered. I may have to borrow that one.

"I was active in the Black Panthers"

I suspected as much, Alison, after seeing you raise a fist on the show one night while bantering with Sherrod Small. It certainly adds to your mystique. :o)

Re: Crapload of clips (from a bunch of shows)

Joe — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 08:37:00 -0000

Great stuff Alison! I'm becoming an "Alison Cliptomaniac".

Thanks for the laughs on a Monday morning. The "Federal Issue" segment still makes me howl. Totally Federal. So Federal.

You're on Red Eye again tonight? Extra Alison = pretty great-great.

Hmmmm... maybe I can think of a brainteaser after another cup of coffee.

Re: Crapload of clips (from a bunch of shows)

Joe — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 14:39:00 -0000

In lieu of a brainteaser, I offer this:

Today's word in GALLIMAUFRY.

Gallimaufry: gal-uh-MAW-free, noun. A medley, a jumble, a hodgepodge. From Old French galimafree; probably galer, to make merry.

"Alison posted a very nice gallimaufry of videos on her blog this morning."

A friend of mine used the word today. I was fairly certain I knew what it meant, but looked it up anyway :o)

Re: letters? send them!

Joe — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 07:31:00 -0000

Great Red Eye last night! I was so glad you were on the set for the whole show, Alison.

I'll e-mail my movie request to Fox this morning.

Ted, here's something a co-worker of mine always used to say, usually when we were doing something risky or unusual: "If you're not walking on the edge, you're taking up too much space."

Re: letters? send them!

Joe — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 08:27:00 -0000

Alison, I was wondering about other FNC shows like The Live Desk, Fox & Friends and even some of the weekend shows. If you are available to do those, maybe we could send messages directly to them too. The e-mail addresses for all those shows are on the Fox web site.

What do you think?

Re: Tobey, bricks, Top Shaman

Joe — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 09:25:00 -0000

Speaking of shamen...

Does anybody have an idea how this was done? tinyurl.com/2e89zy

I'm not sure I would read a Tobey-blog. He has some very unusual gastronomic habits :o)

Re: the difference a professional editor can make

Joe — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 16:48:00 -0000

Excellent! Very nicely done. The sound effects, music and transitional elements make a huge difference.

Re: The lightbulb brain teaser

Joe — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 08:31:00 -0000

In the dim, dark corner of my brain I seem to remember hearing this one once (or maybe a similar one), but I have no idea what the answer is. I'm not good at these puzzles anyway. My answer is that I would cheat :o)

It's like one of those cryptic math problems in school, like "The train is going down the track at 50 mph, so what color is the barn." And you sit there thinking WHAT???

Thanks for the shoutout Michael! I just didn't have much to contribute yesterday.

TGIF folks!!

Re: The lightbulb brain teaser

Joe — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 12:38:00 -0000

Yep, Mr. Anonymous is correct. One of the bulbs would be warm, the second one ON and the last one OFF. Seems so simple once you know the answer.

Good one!!!

Re: bears, frogs, commercials for children’s cold and flu medication

Joe — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 08:36:00 -0000

Very cute! The woman in the post office yesterday tried to sell me some little stuffed bears. I thought the post office only sold stamps!

Here's my offering. Delta Airlines began releasing a series of short videos last November called "Planeguage: The language of traveling by plane." They're trying to raise awareness of bad behavior in the skies by showing the videos on their flights. They're kinda cute. They have 6 so far, and each one is less than a minute long. My favorites are Miracle and Shady Lady. Here's the link: tinyurl.com/2322rf

Red Eye was great last night - I hope everyone got to see it. A few nights ago Bill Schulz mentioned that Greg's contract is up for renewal soon. Not sure exactly when. I was thinking that the question might not be whether FNC wants to renew Red Eye, but whether Greg wants to stay at Fox. Greg might want to take the show somewhere else where he can have a bigger budget, more artistic freedom and a better time slot. I'd be surprised if Greg hasn't already been contacted by Comedy Central and/or other networks. We'll have to wait to see what happens.

Enjoy the weekend everyone!

Re: puppies, cash, two weeks notice

Joe — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 07:50:00 -0000

Wow Alison!! That's huge news! Thanks for letting us know.

Of course we wish you all the best with your future plans. You're incredibly talented, so there's little doubt you're going to be very successful.

Please continue keeping us updated!

Re: I dreamed a terrible joke

Joe — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 08:07:00 -0000

Reminds me of the Seinfeld episode "The Heart Attack." At the very beginning, Jerry wakes up in the middle of the night laughing. He reaches for a pencil and paper on his nightstand and writes it down, laughing the whole time.

The next morning he can't read his writing and spends the rest of the episode trying to figure out what it says. "Ful-hel-mo-nen-ter-val?"

Finally at the very end he's watching a SciFi show on TV and remembers what it is he wrote down. In the show was the phrase "Flaming Globes of Sigmond" and he thought it was funny (for some reason). He realizes it isn't funny at all and throws the paper away.

A couple of weeeks ago after watching Red Eye and lying in bed, I thought of a great intro. Couldn't remember it the next day. Still can't.

Re: puppies, cash, two weeks notice

Joe — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 11:53:00 -0000

Need some funny on a Sunday?

For anyone who remembers the TV series Moonlighting (one of my favorites) with Bruce Willis and Cybil Shepard, they had a great blooper episode. I found these links to it on YouTube:

Part 1: tinyurl.com/2xvqdb

Part 2: tinyurl.com/22mawf

They also had the greatest theme song.

Watch it here: tinyurl.com/23btnf

Enjoy!!

Re: FROM THE ARCHIVES: BLACK SNAKE MOAN PREMIERE

Joe — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 18:18:00 -0000

Hmmmm... I don't see the video.

Re: Cluck defiance

Joe — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 18:23:00 -0000

No bonus points for me today :o(

FYI - I just heard that Griff Jenkins is hosting Red Eye next week. You're probably wondering, "Why Griff Jenkins?" I have no idea. At least it's only for a week. Hopefully.

Re: What’s the difference between

Joe — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 11:18:00 -0000

The pickpocket one is funny! My favorite lawyer joke: Why do they bury lawyers 10 feet in the ground? Answer: Because deep down they're good people.

I was talking with a friend this morning about Moonlighting, and she reminded me of the secretary on the show, Agnes DiPesto, who always answered the phone with a rhyme. I found some of them online. Here's one:

Moonlighting Detective Agency...

Get in some trouble?

We'll be there on the double.

Wife a philanderer?

Don't worry, we'll handle her.

Need someone tailed?

We've never failed.

We break every case.

We meet every goal.

And what's more...

Aqui se habla español!

Re: What’s the difference between

Joe — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 12:08:00 -0000

I fully agree Michael. Also, the creator Glenn Gordon Caron left Moonlighting for other projects and that had a big impact on the show.

Here's another of Miss DiPesto's rhymes. I had the name of their business wrong:

Blue Moon Detective Agency...

We're detectives with a heart

We really do our part

In your moment of need

We'll be there indeed

So please don't be shy

Just give us a try

We're co-operative and discreet

We really can't be beat

And if I may be so bold

I'd like to put you on hold

Must have been a busy day :o)

Re: What’s the difference between

Joe — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 13:08:00 -0000

Hahaha... I just found a YouTube video with some of the Moonlighting phone greetings:

tinyurl.com/2agpge

So funny...

Re: How I feel about having put in my two weeks notice

Joe — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 07:43:00 -0000

I think those feelings are pretty normal, Alison. It's tough making a change like you are, but you have the courage to do it - and you should feel really good about that! And it sounds like you will still have some association with TONY.

Greg has been changing the intros recently. Hopefully he will still use the old style ones occasionally. It's probably tough coming up with 45 to 50 intros every week, although people post their own on The Daily Gut every day, and a lot of them are pretty good.

On last night's show, Greg referred to a Daily Gut post about Andy. It's the first time I remember him doing that (other than using intros.) It was pretty funny.

It will be interesting to see how Griff Jenkins does hosting the show for the rest of the week while Greg is in London.

Re: Chats and books

Joe — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 08:44:00 -0000

I was expecting Greg's tome to be a Pop-Up book. I thought Griff did a good job on Red Eye last night. It can't be easy taking over for someone like that. I remember Greg saying it took months for him to get his style down and get the show the way he wanted it.

Very sad news about Heath Ledger. I don't know that much about him, but it's sad whenever someone dies at such a young age.

It always surprises me how much mis-information is reported, at least initially. It was originally reported that Ledger died in an apartment owned by Mary Kate Olsen, and that there were pills lying all around the body. Both reports were wrong. Guess there's just so much pressure to report any news, whether it's confirmed or not.

Ugh.. it always freaks me out when they talk about doing an autopsy on someone. I don't actually know that much about what they do.. but enough.

Re: Chats and books

Joe — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 11:42:00 -0000

Someone just sent this to me and it's kinda fun:

tinyurl.com/22grnd

My score was 44%, barely in the Yankee category - a little surprising since I was born in CT and now live in VT.

When I was in AF basic training in Texas, one of the people who did health checks there could tell where people were from just by talking with them for a few minutes. Not just the state, but often a specific city or town.

Re: My interview with Harvey Keitel

Joe — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 11:00:00 -0000

Harvey Keitel is a great actor. And he seems to keep his life under control, unlike a lot of other actors. Know what I'm talkin' 'bout?

Michael, I got a kick out of your including the copyright symbol for Cocoa Pebbles. Wouldn't want to risk copyright infringement and a lawsuit from any corporate types. Just kiddin' :o)

Re: I think

Joe — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 08:03:00 -0000

Remember the opening credits of "Laverne and Shirley" when Laverne puts the glove on top of the bottle on the Shotz Beer assembly line? If not, here it is: tinyurl.com/23zqhh

You can find anything on YouTube these days. Except Alison in a bikini, that is. I've checked. Several times.

That's the first Miracle I've ever heard of dealing with laundry. It almost rivals Fatima!

Alison, an FAQ would be awesome. Be sure to cover ALL aspects of your personal life (not just work related). Can we submit questions?

So the reason you got moved to Wed's Red Eye is because of the State of the Union speech on Monday evening. Amazingly, Griff mentioned it on the show last night. The NY Demoratic co-chair on the show was such an ass. I hope he's never invited back. Dr. Baden was awesome as usual.

So on Red Eye next week, Alison, is there any chance of your wearing a shorty robe? Greg is always talking about them, so it would be cool if you actually wore one! Just a thought.

Hmmmm... a very nice thought actually...

Re: I think

Joe — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 08:51:00 -0000

By the way, Alison, you have an open invitation to do your laundry at my place any time.

I must disclose, however, that when I was in school the term "doing laundry" meant having sex. So for example you might say something like "Mike and Angela are doing laundry together" or "I'd love to do Susan's laundry."

So please feel free to stop by, but be aware of the possible rumors that might result, i.e. "I saw Alison doing laundry at Joe's place!"

Re: The gym

Joe — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 19:32:00 -0000

Can this possibly be another video of Alison at the gym today? tinyurl.com/2vtdhn

But I did happen to find the perfect exercise outfit for you Alison: tinyurl.com/29ckfp

I like your new name,Æ. From now on I'll be going by my rapper name "49 cent".

Re: Now that I’m going freelance

Joe — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 08:04:00 -0000

You just met Fred over the weekend and you're living together already? Separate bedrooms, I hope.

So what do we know about this young man... err... plant? Does he have roots in New York?

I hope he treats you well, Alison. If not, I'm stopping by with my pruning shears. My BIG pruning shears!

Re: I’ve come to care

Joe — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 07:16:00 -0000

"vegetable nirvana"? Are you sure you didn't mean vegetable lasagne? I fear for Fred if you get the munchies late one night while watching a reality show. I suggest keeping some Twix on hand, just in case.

One little typo in your posting - it's Jeff Conaway, not Conway. Perhaps you're confusing him with Tim Conway, because the two look so much alike. But I think Tim Conway still has the ability to walk on his own and doesn't vomit every 15 minutes.

Seriously, it's so tragic about Jeff Conaway. He really had it all. Very sad for someone who's only 57 years old.

I don't watch the Kardashians, but I don't understand why someone like Bruce Jenner would do a show like that. Tammy Faye I can undestand, but Bruce Jenner?

I'm so excited that you're on Red Eye tomorrow night Alison!! And it will be nice finally having Greg back. Life just didn't seem the same last week...

Re: I’ve come to care

Joe — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 10:03:00 -0000

The other person I like on Celeb Rehab is Mary Carey, former sex worker and porn star, and now apparently a drug addict. I'll never understand why the people in CA didn't elect HER governor (rolls eyes).

I don't watch many reality shows, but I would tune in to "Keeping Up With The Rosens", a 10 episode sitcom about Alison and her sister struggling to make their way in the Big Apple.

In episode 8, Alison gets her own show on E! interviewing Hollywood's movers and shakers. She hires her friend Joe to produce, and the show soon hits #1 in syndication. In the final reality episode, Alison buys a dog while eating a Twix.

Happy Ending.

Re: I’ve come to care

Joe — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 17:22:00 -0000

Æ - yes, I plan to watch Red Eye tonite, so I'll post an update tomorrow. It'll be nice to have Greg back. Griff was fine last week, but it's really Greg's show.

Re: I’ve come to care

Joe — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 09:09:00 -0000

Red Eye was good last night! Greg picked up right where he left off. His opening line was funny - "Welcome to Red Eye, it's like The View but with half the fat." (This morning I saw that someone had posted that line on The Daily Gut.)

Other than the Gregalogue, Greg didn't talk about his trip. One of the segments was about Ted Kennedy endorsing Obama, so several people took shots at Ted, like "It's water under the bridge" and "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it", etc. Ted's such an easy target. Greg also mentioned the Levy Law again, taken from a Daily Gut posting a couple of weeks ago (according to the post, Andy wasn't allowed in a Boston bar with his cats and later the doorman's body was found floating in the Charles River. So a law was passed requiring bars to allow pets.)

Jamie Colby was good. I don't remember seeing her on before, so it may have been her first time.

Tonight's show will be fun. "Alison Rosen - she's as smart and attractive as I am confused and insouciant."

Re: I’ve come to care

Joe — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 09:43:00 -0000

Good show last night! You looked great Alison (as usual).

So funny you talked about Sean Young. I read the news account yesterday and I almost sent you a message saying we might be seeing a new face on Celebrity Rehab. I really like Sean, and I don't think what she did was that bad. The guy on stage should have laughed it off, but instead he choose to be a pompous ass about it. Let's hope Sean is OK.

I saw this interesting news story this morning about a place in NYC where you can have some fun (and get your fingers sticky): tinyurl.com/35pjtq

So is today your last day at TONY? Please let us know how it goes!

Re: I’m dismantling my desk at work

Joe — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 17:22:00 -0000

Don't look back Alison!

When I read "dismantling my desk" I thought maybe you were bringing it home with you. Can't imagine it's THAT nice of a desk.

It's amazing how much crap can accumulate over time. I'm not a pack-rat, but I still manage to pile up a lot of stuff I'll never look at or need again. I always think "I just might need that again some day". Yeah - like maybe when I'm 127.

Re: after a day of packing and cramming and saying goodbye but in a hasty seeming kind of way

Joe — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 08:22:00 -0000

I remember I left a long-time job a few years ago and it took a while just getting used to a new routine every day - especially in the morning. I mean I was at the point where I would get up, have coffee, shower, get dressed, shave, eat breakfast, drive to work, etc, and it was all so automatic I really didn't have to think until I actually got to work.

But even at work I had a routine of getting a second cup of coffee, checking emails, checking phone messages... Finally about 3 hours after getting up I had to really had to start thinking.

When I transitoned a few years ago, I had to get up at a different time and modify the morning routine. It took quite a while before it started to feel normal again.

It's funny how you get to so accustomed to certain habits and processes, and then it feels strange and unnatural when those things change. That's how it feels to me anyway.

Re: after a day of packing and cramming and saying goodbye but in a hasty seeming kind of way

Joe — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 13:40:00 -0000

Trivia question:

What event is scheduled to start this year on August 8 at precisely 8:08pm local time?

I'm sure someone will know the answer, but if not, I'll post the answer tomorrow morning.

Re: Oh mediabistro!

Joe — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 08:03:00 -0000

Wow - I guess Mediabistro is a little behind in their research. They also just reported that Dewey defeated Truman.

I wish I knew you as a zygote, Alison. Something tells we would have really hit it off.

SO... the answer to yesterday's trivia question is the Summer Olympics in Beijing! They're scheduled to start on 8/8/08 at precisely 8:08pm. The number 8 is lucky in China, which explains why they selected that particular date and time.

Another good trivia question: What famous person was born on 8/8/88? Greg might get that one because he lived in London. The answer is Princess Beatrice, the daughter of Sarah Ferguson. She's turning 20 this year. I haven't received the invitation to her birthday party yet. Mail delivery from Europe is SO slow!

I managed to miss the first half of Celebrity Rehab Thursday night. I hate when that happens! Now I'll have to check my local listings and see when it will be on again.

Enjoy the weekend!

Re: Hot Seat with Salt-n-Pepa

Joe — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 18:22:00 -0000

Speaking of falling down, I was in San Francisco once, and a woman I worked with was there at the same time. She had a friend who lived in the city, so one evening the 3 of us decided to have dinner together.

We were walking very quickly from the hotel to Ghirardelli Square, and it was really crowded, so we were ducking around people, on and off the sidewalk and the street, between cars...

The friend and I were talking and looking at each other instead of where we were going, and suddenly WHAP!! She walked full speed right into a parking meter! It was like she was right next to me one second and suddenly she wasn't there anymore.

Thankfully she wasn't hurt, just shaken up a little, and we ended up having a nice evening. It was one of the funniest things I ever saw though.

Re: So you wanna quit your job?

Joe — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 07:01:00 -0000

Sorry to hear of your passing. Can I have your dresser? I always thought it would look nice in my spare room.

I suppose you left everything to Fred. Along with the insurance money, he probably won't ever have to work again. Not that he ever did, really. You should know he's already called Anna Gilligan and asked her out. Your body isn't even cold yet and he's already moving on!

I plan to wear my blue suit to your funeral. I haven't decided which tie yet. I believe the scarlet stripe was your favorite...

Re: Appliance interruptus

Joe — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 14:38:00 -0000

A real conversation between me and my coworker Art many years ago...

Art: My neighbors complained to the landlord about me again.

Me: Why?

Art: I don't know. I guess I was running a circular saw at 2 the morning.

Me: Oh.

Re: Appliance interruptus

Joe — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 07:29:00 -0000

Thanks Ted. The post was intended to be funny, not creepy. I was in a weird kind of mood yesterday morning though...

I had a premonition last night that Alison will live to be at least 118. Unfortunately that means it will be a while before I can get my hands on her dresser. Darn!

I've only seen parts of Forrest Gump. I've never understood why the movie was so popular. It seemed to me like a rewrite of Woody Allen's Zelig (which I also didn't like that much.)

Anonymous posts some good entries. He puts a lot of cool messages in Chinese fortune cookies too.

Re: Fred will be so jealous

Joe — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 07:38:00 -0000

Alison, the next time you're in an elevator with a really cute guy and he asks you, "What floor?", just look at him directly in the eye and say, "I go all the way."

So cool about your working at Page 6!

I'm refraining from posting a diaper comment.. I'll just say I always thought red was a great color for you!

Re: Blog readers, I need your help!

Joe — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 07:48:00 -0000

"YOU ARE ALL MY FAVORITE"

Alison is so sweet that people get cavities just from looking at her.

When I was growing up and Mom said that to us 6 kids, I knew she was lying - but I think Alison is telling the truth.

The first Dave reference I think of is from 2001: A Space Odyssey. Here's a link to a lot of the HAL quotes: tinyurl.com/6cecg

Some examples: "I'm sorry Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that.",

"Dave, this conversation can serve no purpose anymore. Goodbye.",

"Look Dave, I can see you're really upset about this."

I'll try to think of others...

Re: Blog readers, I need your help!

Joe — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 10:04:00 -0000

Alison, you might also want to do some searches in IMDB. Here's a link to their search page: tinyurl.com/2baxkx

Re: You guys are awesome

Joe — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 14:10:00 -0000

My suggestion would be to look at the Moonlighting clips on YouTube. Bruce Willis played David Addison, so there's a lot of dialogue that includes his name (mostly spoken by Cybill Shepard.)

I'm trying to think of other shows with a character named David...

Re: You guys are awesome

Joe — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 15:05:00 -0000

I just had another thought. This show is really old, but maybe it will fit with what you're doing.

In the old Chipmonks cartoon show, the guy's name was Dave, and Alvin said his name all the time.

I watched this clip: tinyurl.com/295p8q

and Alvin said the name Dave at :36, 3:17 and 3:31. It looks like there are quite a few Chipmonks clips out there, so you might be able to find ones that you can use.

Re: You guys are awesome

Joe — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 15:55:00 -0000

Ted - great minds think alike!

Re: It’s like

Joe — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 09:37:00 -0000

But maybe you SHOULD put up a gun rack... as a warning to others to tread lightly...

"Decorating" cubicles used to be a specialty of mine. I once went into work really early to decorate the cubicle of one of the women who reported to me. It was her birthday, so there was a Happy Birthday sign, but I also put up a lot of others that said things like "Giraffes This Way", "Please Don't Feed the Baboons", and "Lion Exhibit Closed". I also put up some leaves and vines. It looked like a zoo.

It was kinda funny, but she really didn't "get it" until later in the afternoon when a guy in a gorilla suit showed and gave her a dozen birthday balloons.

I once decotrated someone's cubicle to look like a bathroom (the woman loved bathroom humor). One guy who had been away for a while came back to find his cube covered with large "spider webs."

The best was probably when I (and a few friends) reconstructed Boston's Bunker Hill Bridge in a guy's cube (actually OVER it). He had gotten lost on the bridge while in Boston on business. We couldn't help but rub it in just a little.

Re: Look whose tumblr has comment capabilities now…

Joe — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 09:44:00 -0000

Cool! I knew we would be rewarded for helping Alison with her "Dave" project.

Alison, you may have already seen it but TMZ had a post yesterday about Jeff Conaway. He apparently hurt his back and has had several surgeries.

I got caught up with Celeb. Rehab the other night. The person I'm really starting to like is Shelly, the Resident Tech. She seems to be the one who makes sure everything gets done and at the same time has to put up with a lot of the crap the patients dish out.

What I didn't realize until recently is that she's a recovering heroin and crack addict herself. There's a video on the show's web site where she tells the rest of the group about her background. She says at one point she was as bad as Jeff. The fact that she was able to overcome that and is now able to handle the stress and responsibility for helping running the center is pretty impressive.

Re: It’s like

Joe — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 15:11:00 -0000

Ted - that's GREAT!

Re: If you have to spill something

Joe — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 09:08:00 -0000

Messy. Probably better on a wood floor than carpeting though.

I have a coffee stain on the light colored carpet in the middle of my living room, and it bugs the hell out of me because otherwise the carpeting is in good shape. I tried putting a coaster over it, but that doesn't seem to help much. I'm thinking about putting a shelf there...

Funniest quote of the weekend - a reporter asked Mike Huckabee why he's staying in the Presidential race and he said, "I have nothing else to do." :o)

Re: If you have to spill something

Joe — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 11:47:00 -0000

Holy crap, it's cold here today! Officially it's 10 degrees right now and the wind chill is -5. The wind is really gusting though, so I think it's worse than that. Ted, can I borrow your hat???

You people living in the south should be glad. And by "south" I mean anything below the northern Massachuettes border.

Re: If you have to spill something

Joe — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 15:05:00 -0000

I work with some people in Miami why always ask me what the temp is here. Then they laugh and tell me it's 80 or so where they are - or how they went to the beach over the weekend.

I (kiddingly) remind them that we don't have hurricanes or tornados up here - and it's a lot easier shoveling your sidewalk than replacing your roof.

It's so funny when they tell me it's in the 60s there and everyone's wearing heavy coats. Where I am, people are out walking around in T-shirts and shorts when it's in the 50s.

Re: If you have to spill something

Joe — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 16:40:00 -0000

All of us RosenFans eagerly await the Queen's return!!

Here's another funny quote I heard today. On Fox, Jane Skinner asked Haley Barber (Mississippi governor) the question politicians are already getting tired of. She asked him whether he would accept the vice presidental slot (with McCain.)

Barber replied, "Well, I've never turned down a position I haven't been offered."

Re: a shirtless teenager named "Chico" just gave me his phone number

Joe — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 09:00:00 -0000

I'm thinking it's about time Ted, Michael and I grab some baseball bats and pay your neighbors a little visit. I'm sure we can convince them that "Silence is Golden".

We can tell them how by some strange phenomena people who make too much noise at night end up with busted knee caps, broken femurs and the inability to use their arms for several months.

And you think he looked frightened LAST night??

Re: The reading, the dream, the concourse, the chair

Joe — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 09:18:00 -0000

That's funny, Alison, because when you're in the newsroom, I imagine you're not wearing any waist-down attire. Uhhh... I mean not any particular KIND of waist-down attire...

But if can't be hot pants and boots, I'll settle for a shorty robe and red 4" pumps.

I missed Red Eye Monday night because the cable was out (which it NEVER is). Last night I fell asleep on the couch around 10:30 and woke up at 2 - so I decided to stay up for the show. After the show I laid down but never got to sleep. Oh yeah, I'll be pumping out a lot of work today...

Re: a shirtless teenager named "Chico" just gave me his phone number

Joe — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 12:48:00 -0000

Michael, there's always Canadian Parliament. Just kidding (that's from Seinfeld.)

I'm only half kidding about the baseball bats, Alison. If it gets really bad, get 3 of your friends (male, the bigger the better) and have them go up there with some baseball bats. They won't have to make any threats. They can just ask the folks to keep the noise down, and then say, "We aren't going to have to come up here AGAIN are we?"

Believe me, it'll be like a library up there.

Re: a shirtless teenager named "Chico" just gave me his phone number

Joe — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 15:08:00 -0000

I hope you folks don't mind my posting all these quotes; I just think they're so funny.

This was said by James Carville today to a homebuilders' association, referring to this year's presidential race:

"For both you Democrats out there, I got good news for you. We have to literally talk our way out of winning this election.

For the Republicans, being a lifelong member of the Democratic party, I can assure you we are perfectly capable of doing that."

Re: I get hate mail!

Joe — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 19:04:00 -0000

OK, it's time to get out the baseball bats...

Don't let it bother you Alison. Critics are a dime a dozen, and most of them don't kow what they're talking about. There are plenty of RosenFans out there who appreciate and love you. You're very talented. Don't quit just because of one stupid letter.

Remember.. you put the HOT in Hot Seat!

Re: Hot Seat with Emily Mortimer

Joe — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 19:37:00 -0000

Wow.. I've heard "chaps my ass" maybe once or twice, but I don't remember where. It certainly isn't a common phrase where I am. I've never heard "chaps my hide".

Michael, I liked your reference in the previous post to Toby, who lost her pinky toe. That was a good Seinfeld episode. Some time we'll have to compare notes and each list our 5 or 10 favorite episodes.

Alison, are you a Seinfeld fan?

Re: Cutest Tobey video ever

Joe — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 06:50:00 -0000

That's adorable! He looks so content, and he's obviously a big fan of All My Children.

Re: Cutest Tobey video ever

Joe — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 06:52:00 -0000

______****_________**** ______
___***____***____***__ *** ____

__***________****_______***___

_***__________**_________***_

_***_____________________***_

_***________HAPPY _______***_

__***____VALENTINES_____***__

___***_______DAY_______***___

____***____ALISON!____***____

______***____________***_____

________***________***_______

__________***____***_________

____________**__**___________

_____________***____________

______________*_____________

Re: Cutest Tobey video ever

Joe — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 13:37:00 -0000

That's funny Michael! At least you got something - all I've gotten so far today was more snow to shovel :o(

Thanks for the compliment on the artwork. I have another one to send a little later to wish Alison good luck on the show tonight. Shhhhh.... don't tell her!!

Re: Cutest Tobey video ever

Joe — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 15:36:00 -0000

Surprise!

___@_@_@_@_@_@_@

___@______@___@.@

___@_______@_@_@

___@________@@_@

___@________@__@

____@______@__@

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_________@

_________@

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___@@@@_@_@___@

___@____@@@__@

_____@@___@

___________@

___________@

___________@

___________@

____________@

_____________@

______________@

Have a BLAST on Red Eye tonight Alison!!

Re: Cutest Tobey video ever

Joe — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 15:38:00 -0000

Welcome back Ted!

OK, I'll be Larry, but I'm gonna have to learn how to play the violin.

Re: Cutest Tobey video ever

Joe — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 08:22:00 -0000

Great Red Eye last night! You were wonderful Alison, and looked absolutely stunning!! I even loved your earrings. The Gregster was in top form too.

"Larry" Update: I practiced "Pop Goes the Weasel" on the violin for a while last night. It's coming along, but I'm not ready for prime-time yet.

Larry: "Hey, how come you give all the orders around here?"

Moe: "Cause I got all the brains around here, any objections?"

Larry: "Yeah, I..."

Moe (Slaps Larry): "Objections overruled"

Re: a couple shots from last night

Joe — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 14:22:00 -0000

Those are great shots! Beautiful, sensational, yes, but I prefer the word... Ali-licious.

That was funny last night when Greg called you Alison Roses. It reminds me (and Michael you may not have seen this) of how on the show a few nights ago Greg held up the name plate he finally got for his office door and it said, "Greg Gutfled".

I missed Celeb Rehab last night too. I'll have to catch it over the weekend. Thank goodness they rerun them so many times.

Alison, if you're trying to think of something to blog about, it would be interesting to hear more about your experiences at Page Six.

Re: Just got a call from my dad

Joe — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 10:53:00 -0000

Alison - if you're looking for ideas, I suggest looking for professional organizations you can join (like a writer's group) where you can get group rates.

Thanks for adding me as a friend in the Activity Pit. I guess we're offically friends now. Who would have thunk it?

Re: I have no attention span but if I did

Joe — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 08:36:00 -0000

Ted, don't feel bad. As "Moe" you get to slap Michael and me around and give us those eye-pokes.

I agree health insurance is terrible these days. One of my friends has serious back and hip problems, and another has sleep apnea and wakes up dozens of times every night. He virtually sleep-walks all day long. Insurance won't help either one of them.

There's a conflict of interest when the insurance companies themselves decide what they'll cover. Doctors should decide what medical procedures are necessary.

I like the "White People" site. Some of the posts are funny. I know it's tongue-in-cheek, but there are 2 items I disagree with:

#56 "White people like lawyers" No, I don't think so. The approval ratings for lawyers is lower than the proverbial snake's belly in a wagon rut. Sure, sometimes you need them, but nobody really likes 'em. (Wow - I've always wanted to use the word "proverbial" in a sentence somewhere.)

#44 "Public Radio"

Public radio is very liberal, so really only liberal white people like it.

Re: Someone went to the gym today

Joe — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 06:47:00 -0000

My first thought is that you can't possibly improve on perfection.

But good for you! As a lean, mean, senior editor machine, we probably won't even recognize you the next time you're on Red Eye. Unless... I'm thinking the wind chimes might be a clue.

Re: Someone went to the gym today

Joe — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 17:15:00 -0000

Hey Michael, just for fun I did a Google search on Jerk Sauce. Check it out: tinyurl.com/24ya46

Reminds me of "Boy Butter" from Red Eye a few weeks ago. Can't remember who said that.

Is everyone having a bad day today? Mine hasn't been a walk in the park...

Re: Someone went to the gym today

Joe — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 07:16:00 -0000

I've never heard that story before, Alison. Frankly, there's more that one thing at the supermarket I wouldn't go near, much less buy and consume. Maybe I have Grocerophobia - a fear of supermarket foods. It's quite common.

Jerk Sauce would be an awesome name for a band.

Rosen-o-holics... good one. Because Alison likes to practice her Rockettes' high kicking in hotel bathrooms, I'm thinking... The Rosenettes. Sounds a lot like Raisinettes too, which I find chocolately and delicious!

Re: An Open Letter To The Mold Found In My Building Which They Are Testing Which Means I Don’t Have To Be There Until Noon Tomorrow

Joe — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 07:20:00 -0000

.....oooO............
.....(...)............

......\..(.............

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...............Oooo...

...............(....)..

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Make way... Coming through...

Mold inspectors...

Re: An Open Letter To The Mold Found In My Building Which They Are Testing Which Means I Don’t Have To Be There Until Noon Tomorrow

Joe — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 10:56:00 -0000

In one of the locations where I worked for a few years, the fire alarm went off at least twice a month even though there wasn't a fire. Everyone obviously had to evacuate the building and the fire truck(s) would come. We used to call them Premature Evacuations.

They were fun, unless it was in the winter and 10 below outside. Then we would curse the fire department for taking so long to check out the building and let us back in.

Re: An Open Letter To The Mold Found In My Building Which They Are Testing Which Means I Don’t Have To Be There Until Noon Tomorrow

Joe — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 15:43:00 -0000

Michael, it might be time to get the baseball bats out again!

Re: Career highlight ahead

Joe — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 07:57:00 -0000

For a while now I've suspected that Tobey was the puppet-master behind your career, Alison, pulling the strings as he sees fit. Fortunately, instead of taking 10% of your income, he's satisfied with a bowl of Alpo, a squeeze toy and an occasional belly tickle.

I remember seeing a TV show once where a strange package was put in a bathtub full of water. It was so long ago I don't even remember what show it was. But how do you know water won't set it off??

These days it seems like bomb disposal teams try to safely detonate a bomb rather than try to stop it from exploding. But if you MUST defuse a bomb, I know for a fact you always cut the RED wire first! Or was it green...

Re: Career highlight ahead

Joe — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 11:22:00 -0000

Let's hope the kids on the Facts of Life end up better than the ones on Different Strokes.

Maybe Fox will launch a new weekly show with the two Alisons where they discuss the entertainment industry. By discuss I mean argue, bicker, yell, pull hair, tear off clothing...

OK, maybe not. But a show like that would be pretty awesome. Or so I like to imagine...

Re: Soothing

Joe — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 07:17:00 -0000

Sounds like you were very close to a Premature Evacuation!

Pretty annoying, especially after a long day at work.

Re: coyotes, oversharing, coffee

Joe — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 07:33:00 -0000

In honor of the coyote blog, I just posted a second cute pic in the Activity Pit of one of the chipmunks that visited me last summer. There were 5 or 6 of them in all - hard to tell because they all look alike. I once saw 5 of them at one time though.

I eventually got a few to eat out of my hand. Got bit on the fingers a couple of times, but no serious damage done.

Hopefully they'll be back again this year. There are a few cats in the neighborhood, and I think they may have claimed one or two of the little guys...

Re: coyotes, oversharing, coffee

Joe — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 15:53:00 -0000

Ted - you gotta love Moe!

FYI - Starbucks is testing a $2.50 premium cup of coffee. It's made in a machine that brews each cup individually (I believe it's currently being offered in Boston at $2.25.)

The "coffee wars" are really heating up. McDonalds has been challenging Starbucks for a while, and now Dunkin' Donuts (based in Mass.) is beginning to take them on in the west, starting in Las Vegas. Dunkin' plans to open 62 stores there in the next few years and then expand further.

Starbucks isn't doing well - their stock dropped 42% last year and they dumped their CEO last month.

I've been drinking coffee since I was about 15. I once gave it up for a few months, but went back to it. I only have 2 (maybe 3) cups a day though.

They used to say too much coffee was bad, but now they say it's full of antioxidants.

Re: relationships

Joe — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 09:39:00 -0000

So does Mocha Nut Fudge know you're tasting Vanilla Nut behind his back? Just ask yourself... are you really being fair to either one of them? Or to yourself? Do you really want to find yourself in the middle of a steamy coffee triangle?

Yes, I suppose it's normal to be attracted to a new sexy flavor or the latest "aroma of the month," but you know in your heart you'll always return to your first love.

I'm worried if you don't come to your senses soon, you might wake up some morning in a cheap, run-down, sleezy coffee shop somewhere on the lower east side, sadly reflecting back on your life - and what might have been...

Oh Alison, sometimes I feel like I don't know you anymore. Please wake up and smell the coffee!!

Re: relationships

Joe — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 14:02:00 -0000

Michael - I hope you feel better! Here in the Northeast we're dealing with a nasty winter storm.

Getting back to the main issue, I'm not sure there's enough room in Alison's life for 2 different coffees. She strikes me as a "one coffee woman," and she needs to decide - either Mocha Nut Fudge or Vanilla Nut.

But I understand her dilemma. Many believe it's not possible to love 2 coffees at the same time, but I know for a fact it is. Yes, I have to admit I too went through a similar period in my life. A very confusing and troubling period. I wasn't sure where to turn or even who to trust.

Then one tragic day it all blew up in my face. I was caught in my own web of lies and deception. Worst of all, I had betrayed those I loved most. Suddenly I found myself... coffeeless.

I beg you Alison, put an end to it before it destroys you!

Re: more about coffee

Joe — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 16:41:00 -0000

Don't we call it Freedom Vanilla now?

Re: An Open Letter to My Sister Who Is At A Hockey Game Which Is Weird Since I Don’t Think She Likes Hockey That Much But Hey, I Could Be Wrong

Joe — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 17:10:00 -0000

This is like the old Patty Duke Show where Patty and her cousin Cathy changed places all the time, causing much confusion and hilarity. Imagine how much funnier the show would had been if they had the internet back then. Patty would have been suspended from school for sending naked pictures of herself to her boyfriend. Or was it really Cathy??

So because of this mix up, Alison's sister is now a member of Rageaholics Anonymous and will have to attend meetings every Tuesday evening at 9 p.m.

She's also part of a sewing bee that meets alternate Thursdays in Poughkeepsie.

Re: The debate column….

Joe — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 17:35:00 -0000

That's awesome Alison. Thanks for posting it!

So... page 12 in Page Six. Got it.

Have you ever been described as a "TV talking head" before? Thought that was funny. Gotta ad that to your resume... "TV Talking Head." By the way, my panties aren't in a twist, although they do seem a tad snug now that you mention it.

My feeling is that this one incident isn't that big a deal, but I don't think any of us would want to hear no-no words on a broadcast network all day long. The next thing you know, cute little 5 year old Amanda is saying the words over and over in her kindergarten class because she thinks it's cool - and mommy has to take 2 hours out of her busy day to go talk about it with the teacher.

Re: The debate column….

Joe — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 18:00:00 -0000

Oh.... I forgot to add my agreement with Michael about the glamour shots. Nice!

Also saw this cute quote on Google last week:

"If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate." - Henry J Tillman

Re: The debate column….

Joe — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 08:50:00 -0000

It's Sunday morning and I'm sitting here drinking my second cup of coffee... and reading Page Six magazine!

Very nicely done! They obviously have a kick-ass Senior Editor.

Your discussion layout wound up on page 10. It looks great!

I wouldn't have recognized Christina Ricci if I bumped into her on the street. I need to read the article about her.

But first I have to finish reading about "The Secrets of New York's Naughtiest Nannies"!

It looks GREAT Alison - Congratulations!

Re: I KNEW I WAS SPECIAL!

Joe — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 18:33:00 -0000

A year ago I bought anti-virus software from Computer Associates (CA), but their software actually CAUSED problems on my PC.

For some strange reason when I loaded their software it stopped the automatic Windows updates from running. About 3 weeks later I got a serious virus and I couldn't use Internet Explorer at all.

So I called CA and it took them almost a week to fix it. The technical person was over in India, so I was always working with him either very late at night or very early in the morning.

After a lot of work they finally got it fixed and I haven't had a problem since. The software is actually pretty good, but it was a huge pain in the butt the first few weeks I had it.

I guess we're all sepcial in our own way :o)

Re: What It’s Like When a Big Celebrity Visits The Gym

Joe — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 19:10:00 -0000

Maybe next week you should do a Page Six article about how Talking Heads work out. "The Talking Head with a Kick-Ass Body." I see a cover story in your futue, Alison!

By the way, I got the LAST New York Post at the store this morning. At least it was the last one they had on the stand - which is amazing since I was there at like 8:10. I'll have to get there a little earlier next week. It was the first newspaper I bought in more than 2 years. The local paper here, The Burlington Free Press, is trash. As Morty Seinfeld would say: "Pinko Commie Rag."

:o)

Re: less meta than just media reporting

Joe — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 19:36:00 -0000

Alison, I need you to do a teeny-tiny favor for me...

Brooklyn's Prospect Park Zoo just got a rare Red Panda last week. His name is Mao Mi, and he's SO CUTE!! I posted a picture of him on my Activity Pit page a few days ago.

I need you to go to the zoo after closing some night this week, grab Mao Mi, put him in a box and get him on the next bus up here. Punch a few holes in the box and throw in some bamboo so he'll have something to munch on.

Don't get caught! There are severe penalties for Pandanapping.

Re: less meta than just media reporting

Joe — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 08:33:00 -0000

According to news reports this morning, Mao Mi is "missing" from his enclosure at Prospect Park Zoo. Well done, Alison. Very clever too - you made it look as though he escaped on his own.

I will await arrival of your package at the bus station later tonight. Tomorrow afternoon in your mailbox you'll find a certified check as payment in full.

I may have another assignment for you soon. I hope you don't have an unnatural fear of Burmese Pythons.

Re: I think it’s funny

Joe — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 13:49:00 -0000

Fun with magnets... don't rub your blackberry against you credit cards or it might erase the info on the magnetic strip.

Actually, I think it takes a much stronger magnet to do any damage.

When I was a kid I used to have a hand-sized magnet, and I would rub it against the side of the TV. It would warp the picture. Not sure if it would happen with TVs made these days. It probably would if the magnet was strong enough.

Re: I think it’s funny

Joe — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 15:31:00 -0000

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__HAVE FUN ON RED EYE TONITE ALISON!!

Re: Books I’ll Never Write

Joe — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 07:45:00 -0000

For some reason it all keeps coming back to gun racks :o)

The books I won't be writing (at least this morning) are "Snow Wonderful Snow" and "The Joy of Shoveling."

I tuned into Red Eye last night and was surprised to see Miss Universe 2008 was a guest. But wait... it wasn't Miss Universe, it was Miss Alison Rosen! It only took me a few seconds to figure it out - Alison is much more attractive and elegant.

It was a good show except I really hope they don't have Joe Francis on again. I don't care how many homes and jets he has, the guy is just plain creepy.

Re: Books I’ll Never Write

Joe — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 11:29:00 -0000

Michael, your message reminds me of an old joke:

A guy named John calls a legal firm:

Law Office: Smith, Smith, Smith and Smith law offices, can I help you?

John: Hello, I'd like to speak to Mr. Smith

Law Office: I'm sorry but Mr. Smith is retired and is no longer here.

John: OK, let me speak with Mr. Smith.

Law Office: I'm afraid Mr. Smith is out of town for the rest of the week.

John: OK then, I'd like to speak to Mr. Smith.

Law Office: Mr. Smith will be at a court proceeding for the rest of the day.

John: Well then, please let me speak with Mr. Smith.

Law office: Speaking...

Re: Phoebish!

Joe — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 06:34:00 -0000

Alison (singing):
"Don't cry for me TONY

The truth is I never left you

All through my wild days

My mad existence..."

Re: Phoebish!

Joe — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 15:29:00 -0000

"Andy: she's great in small doses."

I'm thinking an Alison Overdose might just be a good way to go...

Re: In California

Joe — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 06:35:00 -0000

Lucky Tobey!

Re: In California

Joe — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 08:27:00 -0000

I thought Celebrity Rehab was great last night. Dr. Drew was soooo frustrated - and who can blame him? Some of the group members were acting like 7 year olds, which is either due to their addictions or (probably) because they're terribly spoiled and have always gotten their own way.

It will be a miracle if ANY of these people can stay off drugs or alcohol for more than a couple of months.

Poor Shelly! Everybody takes out their frustrations on her. She's the easiest target. They walk away when she's talking to them or slam a door in her face. I just wanna slap these people and tell 'em to grow up.

Last show next week! There's gotta be a Celebrity Rehab 2, don't y'all think?

Glad you had a safe trip, Alison. Have a GREAT time this weekend!

Re: Waking up and playing with a dog

Joe — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 14:34:00 -0000

Wow - just thinking about S. California is making me jealous. It was 6 below zero here this morning, and [of course] we're going to get more snow over the weekend. The beginning of March is always the worst - winter is getting really old and you just don't want to deal with the snow and ice anymore.

Don't women usually kick off their heels at wedding receptions after a couple of drinks? Probably depends on how formal it is.

Pictures... we want pictures! :o)

Re: Got back from practicing a little while ago

Joe — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 09:21:00 -0000

Another great Page Six Magazine this week, Alison! I went to the store a little earlier this time (around 7 a.m.) and there were still quite a few copies of The NY Post on the stand.

I love the photos of Rashida Jones! I haven't read the article yet. I wish I could go see Laura Benanti in Gypsy. The movie version with Natalie Wood and Rosalind Russell is a favorite of mine. I once went to see Gypsy at a local theatre, and it was really well done. It's a fantastic play.

Have fun at the wedding and the reception today! Let us know how it goes!

Re: You requested photos of the mini band reunion?

Joe — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 18:36:00 -0000

Those photos are awesome, Alison!! You all look terrific. And Hot!

Playing together again must have brought back a lot of great memories. I had a couple of friends in high school who formed a band. They were twin brothers. It was always fun going over to their place to listen to them. A few years after I graduated, I went back home for a few days and stopped in at a night spot. They happened to be playing there that night. We hadn't been in contact at all, so it was a wonderful surprise.

Thanks for posting those pics! Best wishes to Yami and her new hubby!

Re: Costa Mesa

Joe — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 18:25:00 -0000

I enjoyed both of those articles. I wish I could write well ~sigh~

Speaking of demons, it's just about time for that Champagne Coolie I was thinking about this morning. Or something similar.

"I always keep a supply of stimulant handy in case I see a snake - which I also keep handy." - W.C. Fields

Re: Costa Mesa

Joe — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 08:06:00 -0000

Let's make it an even dozen....

Five more reasons why RosenFans love their Alison:

8) She's not afraid of bombs that explode in Times Square.

9) She would make an excellent First Lady (take THAT Cindy McCain, Michelle Obama and Bill Clinton!)

10) She makes some damn good Lasagne. YUmmmmm!

11) As Senior Editor, she don't take no crap.

12) She knows all about the Facts of Life. (And you know EXACTLY what I'm talkin' about, people!)

Re: Oh wait!

Joe — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 19:55:00 -0000

I've been out all day. Crappy day here too - rain, sleet, snow.

Yeah, almost as many flights are delayed or cancelled these days as are on time. The airlines really need to get their act together. There are a lot of weather delays, but sometimes they say it's weather when it really isn't. Wait, you mean they lie?? Yes they do.

Hopefully by now you're 35,000 feet over Nebraska, Alison, enjoying some stale pretzels and 7-Up. Tell that kid in back of you to stop kicking your seat.

It sounds like you had quite an interesting week. Reading your blog make me think of a favorite song, Willie Nelson's version of Stardusk:

"Sometimes I wonder why I spend

the lonely night, dreaming of a song

The melody haunts my reverie

And I am once again with you

When our love was new..."

Ahhhh.... memories...

Re: I’m home

Joe — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 08:30:00 -0000

Welcome home Alison! It's great to have you back on the Eastern seaboard :o)

Hey everyone - in case you missed Fox & Friends this morning, Janice Dean was on and announced that she has Multiple Sclerosis. I guess she's known for a couple of years. What a shock!

She also just posted a message about it on her blog. Here is a link: tinyurl.com/yuvx2n

Let's all remember Janice in our prayers. She's such a wonderful person. It's been known for a while that Neil Cavuto also has MS - it's amazing how well he's been able to deal with it. He's such an inspiration. Neil and I actually went to the same high school (Immaculate High in Danbury, CT), but not at the same time.

Anway, just thought you all might want to know.

Re: I’m home

Joe — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 11:24:00 -0000

Darn you Alison... the song "Stardust" has been playing over and over in my mind since yesterday...

This morning I found this awesome version by Nat King Cole on YouTube: tinyurl.com/3xgqax

It just goes to show that the classics never go out of style. This was probably recorded 50+ years ago, but it's still magical...

Re: I write like a dude

Joe — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 17:44:00 -0000

The Gender Guesser said I'm a weak male.

My computer is now lying in thousands of tiny pieces on the floor, and I'm on the way out the door to attend a tractor pull. I'm going to pick up some chewing tobacco on the way.

Actually, that was on the informal side. On the formal side it said I'm a male. Phew!

I'm still going to that tractor pull though.

Re: Thus far

Joe — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 08:39:00 -0000

It'd probably be a little difficult rotating crops anywhere in Manhattan... but I haven't been there in a while, so I could be wrong.

I can't help thinking there's a good intro in there somewhere...

If her hips were a corn field, I'd fertilize her crops - or - If beauty were hay, I'd take a roll in her.

hey, it's early on a Monday - cut me some slack... :o)

Re: Thus far

Joe — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 11:09:00 -0000

Alison - were you really up at 2:56 a.m.? I think we need an explanation, young lady. After all, it was a school night.

New York may be the city that never sleeps, but that hardly means you can stay up and party until all hours. We all need our beauty sleep (OK, not you so much, but the rest of us do).

Don't make me come down there and enforce curfew... BECAUSE I'LL DO IT!

Re: Thus far

Joe — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 16:11:00 -0000

Should be a fun show tonight, especially with all the news coming out of New York this afternoon!

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0000______Alison Rocks!______0000

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Re: Pastor accused of scamming $300,000 - ExChristian.Net - News and Opinion

Joe — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 07:30:00 -0000

No witnesses, no crime.

Re: Convert or die! - ExChristian.Net - News and Opinion

Joe — Fri, 15 Dec 2006 01:38:00 -0000

I showed the Left Behind Games website to someone that I know who is a very zealous christian, and her reaction to it confounded me. She sent me an e-mail that said:

Did you read the description about the game? It doesn't say anything about killing others. Interesting how you know about the game though. Yep, but no killing. Just trying to gather as many people as you can to worship (to build that army), wield military stuff and uncover ancient scriptures. And it doesn't say Muslims, gays and whatever, its Nicholae Carpathia and whomever he's chosen to be in his army. See ya! ;)

I pointed out the killing part to her specifically, and the whole "weilding military stuff" while chatting on msn one day, and she later replied via another email:

ok, let me rephrase myself. there's killing in this game, but as i said in the msn, its not for forcing christianity down other peoples throats.

RRRiigggghtt....

When I had convinced her that it was of course gays and muslims and heavy metal listeners, and any other non-believer in general who where getting wiped out by said "army", she seemed to hum and hah for a second and replied something to the effect of "well...I mean, it IS going to happen, one day." It's fucking scary! Kid gloves are off.

Re: Finding Truth and Meaning without Christianity - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Joe — Wed, 26 Apr 2006 22:05:00 -0000

I enjoy what you say. However I would have worded the last part differently.

Faith in the context for which you used it can be replaced with "confidence", however Faith in God or religion, is "belief without any reason to do so". Not the same as confidence. Faith in the context of religion is akin to fraud.

Good luck,
Fox

Re: A burden is lifted - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Joe — Sat, 09 Sep 2006 15:57:00 -0000

If you have come to all these conclusions and this world view at 17 years old, then I applaud you. I can't remember exactly when I finally started to really observe the world and base my opinions on what I saw, instead of superstitions or whatever, but I must admit (a bit shamefully) that it was much later in life. Good stuff.

Re: I am an Agnostic Theist - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Joe — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 11:13:00 -0000

At about age 7 & 8 my boys started creating their own Pokemon. They all had amazing special attacks and defenses and 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 hit points. Point being, it only takes a 7 year old to create a god. The mature mind just steps back and chuckles.

No slight to the anti-religion activists. I appreciate the efforts. But, Brian, I hope that you can see the funny side as well.

Re: Christianity is a hoax - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Joe — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 22:42:00 -0000

Chris, I can only offer my own story. My deconversion is too recent and the after story is far too incomplete to draw any conclusions from.

My wife of 18 years and I divorced in the process. There were simply too many power issues involved. Faced with questions about negotiating new terms to suit the new reality, we were not up to it. I wanted to spend time exploring the secular world, develop friendships with non-Christians, etc., but my time was not my own to use in pointless worldly pursuits. I was obviously just being selfish. Six months of marriage counseling failed to resolve the matter. The most telling statement she made along the way was, "Negotiate? You're my husband. I shouldn't have to negotiate."

Obviously there were lots of flaws in this relationship that had been smoothed over by a church that kept us pointed in the same general direction and dictated terms that she found agreeable.

As other responses indicate, there are lots of marriage dynamics in which a live and let live approach is possible and even rewarding. You'll have to feel your way through the new dynamics your deconversion has created in your specific circumstances. I wish you the best.

Re: A 'Bless You' and a Curse - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Joe — Sat, 21 Apr 2007 22:41:00 -0000

I'm with the say nothing crowd. I never really understood the difference, some odd bit of information about skipped heart beats aside, between sneezes and coughs. So, I let people around me go unmolested while they cough, hiccup, clear their throats, sneeze and wheeze, except maybe to offer a tissue.

Re: A tribute to Jerry Falwell - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Joe — Fri, 18 May 2007 21:14:00 -0000

Poltergoost,

It's either a stupid statement or a damned clever one, depending on how you look at it. It works wonders if your aim is getting money from the superstitious.

/joe

Re: Bullshit with Christopher Hitchens - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Joe — Sun, 20 May 2007 07:04:00 -0000

Seems to me that education is doing more in India than MT ever did. As someone who outsources to Indian firms for programming and other technical services, I have to say that the work is done well. Consequence of that? They are commanding higher prices for their work. Wages in India are on the rise, and people doing the work spend the money to get their own middle-class needs met. Money isn't everything, but it gives a country resources and people, the rational beings that they are, will figure out for themselves how to live (not die) better.

Isn't the bible belt the same geographic territory that generates a lot of the rabid anti-global outsourcing types? Give money to people who are nice but who won't do the things that hurt our lifestyle. Great country, this.

Re: Darwin and humanity: Should we rid the mind of God? - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Joe — Sun, 20 May 2007 07:40:00 -0000

Fretbuzz,

Put more simply, there's a creative part of the brain and a reasoning part. I've heard that called the child brain and the adult brain.

I am consciously aware of both of these in my own thinking. I imagine things from the mundane to the fantastical. I dream. My adult brain analyzes the possibilities, finds ways to express fantasy in responsible and attainable ways.

I found that, in my xian life, the church took over my child brain. It imposed a set of fantasies and charged my adult brain to make sense of it. In the end, my rationalizations were fruit of a poisoned tree.

As an ex-xian, I'm taking charge of my imagination again. I've got my own dream of living productively, progressively, respectfully, and happily. My rational mind is figuring out how to do that.

Re: Darwin and humanity: Should we rid the mind of God? - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Joe — Sun, 20 May 2007 08:18:00 -0000

Why do so many people believe in God?

Easy to understand really. It's the natural selection of religions. There were lots of gospels. Some have passed the fitness test, others failed to do so. There have been lots of cults. Some rise to prominence and are sustained, others self-destruct or cannot survive in the competition with others.

Daniel Dennett portrays religion as an evolved extension of humanity. He makes a great point that applies here.

Why do lots of people believe in xianity, Islam, etc. It's because these religions evolved to have purchase on the minds of the masses. They are articulated to capture people at a modest literacy level (where most people are). Those that required a lot of high-end philosophical arguments can thrive only in very specific niches. Those that tend to confront the host government/society tend to go the way of the Branch Davidians. Religions that can't change with the times go extinct when the environment changes.

I'm continually shocked to hear academics use arguments from popularity and appeals to authority to defend views.

Re: Darwin and humanity: Should we rid the mind of God? - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Joe — Sun, 20 May 2007 10:42:00 -0000

-god,

I don't think we're talking about the conscious/subconscious divide here, but rather the developmental divide that leaves us with two conscious capacities -- to imagine and to reason. There's a healthy tension between the two dimensions of thought, unless some pressure comes in to override the reasoning part to suggest that the imagined (or implanted image) must be true.

Re: Somebody please help me! - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Joe — Sun, 20 May 2007 10:38:00 -0000

And... what do you get for your trouble if at the very best you disprove a major doctrine? Xianity has demonstrated it's ability to say, "Yep, got us there. That heresy will be set aside. Now, let's go back to the basics and reform our faith to rectify the error so we can preach the true faith."

One can't help but get the feeling of marching in place.

Re: Somebody please help me! - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Joe — Sun, 20 May 2007 11:27:00 -0000

To the xtian, there is nothing on this earth worth living for, except to look forward to the day that they die so that they can meet and be with Jesus for all eternity, for which and for whom this Earth and universe was created by God only for the sole purpose to see just how many people would in the end, believe in his son Jesus.

But the funny thing is that xian prayer meetings and prayer chains tend to be full of people praying for health and long life, followed second by good jobs. So, I think your broad brush is broader than is justified. To the xian, if they believe what they say, the things of earth should be strangely dim, but alas. It's a load of hypocritical bullshit.

Re: Somebody please help me! - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Joe — Sun, 20 May 2007 14:17:00 -0000

Frizz,

I'm still angry about the church does to people. It catches them hurt or ignorant and exploits that by substituting religious "education" for real education. That sets them up to believe lies, economical, theological and political. It sucks for them and for the rest of us.

So, while recognizing that it's pointless, I'm 30 years younger than you or Dano, and I'll still whack away at the malformed monolith for a while.

If nothing else it lets me vent my anger in the right direction. That way I can keep my love and creativity focused on the good stuff.

Re: The Sharpton/Hitchens Smackdown - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Joe — Wed, 23 May 2007 06:28:00 -0000

The classic battle of wits with an unarmed man....

Re: Does anyone else

Joe — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 18:49:00 -0000

I had to look up the Snapple facts on the internet, but I know some of them aren't true.

Several have been "busted" on Mythbusters:

#1 A goldfish's attention span is three seconds - not true.

#36 A duck's quack doesn't echo - not true.

#77 No piece of paper can be folded more then 7 times - not true (Mythbusters folded one either 10 or 11 times)

#58 A sneeze travels out of your nose at 100 mph - Mythbusters measured the speed of a sneeze once and I THINK it was something like 20 mph. Not sure about that one though.

I KNEW all those hours watching Mythbusters would pay off some day!

Re: Does anyone else

Joe — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 08:43:00 -0000

Excellent Red Eye last night!

Your sitting behind Andy during the half-time report, and waving, was great. I don't know if you could tell how it came across on TV, Alison, but it's going to end up being one of those favorite moments the Red Eye fans talk about. Well done!

You looked enchanting too! The blue dress looked absolutely beautiful on you!

I'll never understand gambling addictions. The last thing in the world I'd want to do is sit in a casino for hours, playing cards with people I don't know, losing money. Don't people realize all the odds are against them? And then they're so surprised when they lose.

Andy's Fox News Alert was very similar to my post on The Daily Gut yesterday, so that was really cool!

Does anyone else think Andy and Carrie Keagan need to get a room?