(Taken by Yours Truly in Brother Stew's backyard in July, 2000.)
Friday, February 29, 2008
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Should We Feel Bad When A Terrorist Is Killed?
Dr. Sanity shares a perspective that I find hard to argue with. Short and thought provoking. Chime in all three of you non-readers!
"Because honestly, I don’t have any problem differentiating myself from the terrorists. While I applaud the theoretical concept of "treat the terrorist as you yourself would want to be treated," I am always surprised by the realization that some people can’t separate theory from real life.
"Down here on planet Earth, it’s okay to want to kill terrorists and still maintain your humanity. In fact my theory, known as the Baker Principle, states that the fewer terrorists you have makes it easier to maintain your humanity.
"Scientific research has actually shown that as the numbers of terrorists decrease, your chances of getting blown up, beheaded or otherwise targeted and killed likewise decreases. In some academic circles this is referred to as a direct corollary. As opposed to a coronary which is something entirely different.
"A coronary is something I may have if, as a nation, we become any more apologetic for the way we deal with terrorists.
"Good God." Mike Baker, Here.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Monday, February 25, 2008
The Manhattan Transfer - Nothin' You Can Do About It
From their 1979 album, Extensions. A San Francisco College Flat Favorite. Good memories with The Bogusk and KM. 104 Cole Street.Saturday, February 23, 2008
Israel Kamakawiwo'ole - Lover Of Mine
I was introduced to Bro'da Iz when we spent two wonderful weeks in Hawaii back in the late 90's staying with the wife's sister. Perfect vacation. Perfect everything. Wonderful music.
Stick around for the joke.
From his live "In Concert" album
From his live "In Concert" album
"You're A Stupid, Stupid Man"
At times my beloved will say that to me (alway, always well deserved) when I make a gaff that, were she not such a good sport, could alienate me (to say the least) from her for a time. This is her way of telling me, try saying that to me in another way Bucko. Or, you really didn't mean that did you? I'll give you a pass this time.
Anyway, Steve Jobs, uber-CEO made such a gaff the other day when he stated, sort of, that reading, reading mind you, was so pre-Windows 3.O. More here.
Brilliant, Mr. Jobs. Brilliant.
And when you write your memoirs?
Anyway, Steve Jobs, uber-CEO made such a gaff the other day when he stated, sort of, that reading, reading mind you, was so pre-Windows 3.O. More here.
Brilliant, Mr. Jobs. Brilliant.
And when you write your memoirs?
Bing On Crackberries
He's responding to a person who asks him what to do about a boss who's never around:
"Does she have a BlackBerry? BlackBerrys allow a completely dysfunctional person to feign competence and presence. That's why they're so popular."
EU Shenanigans Come To Light
If you have the patience to read this short article you will see first hand in real time
classic bureaucractic obfuscation played out. Government Rules!
It makes me wonder if anyone at the U.N. was ever held accountable for the Iraq "oil for food" "scandal" that came to light a couple of years ago. Billions were ripped off by some. Place your bets here.
HT: Vox Day
Friday, February 22, 2008
Oh Peggy Oh Peggy Oh Peggy
You always write so well about how we feel.
"So many Americans right now fear they are losing their country, that the old America is slipping away and being replaced by something worse, something formless and hollowed out. They can see we are giving up our sovereignty, that our leaders will not control our borders, that we don't teach the young the old-fashioned love of America, that the government has taken to itself such power, and made things so complex, and at the end of the day when they count up sales tax, property tax, state tax, federal tax they are paying a lot of money to lose the place they loved."
Peggy Noonan's Friday Piece from the Wall Street Journal
"So many Americans right now fear they are losing their country, that the old America is slipping away and being replaced by something worse, something formless and hollowed out. They can see we are giving up our sovereignty, that our leaders will not control our borders, that we don't teach the young the old-fashioned love of America, that the government has taken to itself such power, and made things so complex, and at the end of the day when they count up sales tax, property tax, state tax, federal tax they are paying a lot of money to lose the place they loved."
Peggy Noonan's Friday Piece from the Wall Street Journal
Much Scarier Than Polar Bears Floating Around
It has been 40 million years since the waters around Antarctica have been warm enough to sustain populations of sharks and most fish, but they may return this century due to the effects of global warming.Thursday, February 21, 2008
In My Office
We call this "Emergency Training." AKA: "A Training Emergency."
The emergency is called by senior leadership. And it seldom is a training issue at all. But we "roll."
Above: Trainer driving to the scene to get people trained. "STAT"
Alton Ochsner, M.D.
I had the privilege of working at the Ochsner Medical Institutions in New Orleans for 10 year after I left the Navy. They gave me the opportunity to break in to health care leadership with nothing but the desire and a freshly minted MBA. They are an excellent company and I will always cherish my years there. We did many things right.
And they were turbulent years to work there too. Top administrative leadership changed too often, the challenges were just so great. At the time it was a very large medical group practice with each of the over 400 physicians being owners. And they truly were. Reaching that magical “Thousand Points of Consensus” was impossible of course. Yes, there were boards and medical leadership and by-laws and all that. But often times ownership trumped structure. They have since restructured into a non-profit, the doctors are now employees of a sort and they dominate a difficult N.O. market.
So there is some personal background as it relates to Ochsner the place. Ochsner the man was one of the five original founders of the Ochsner Clinic. He had died about 10 years prior to my working there. He was an extraordinary man. He was one of the first, if not the first, to connect cigarette smoking and lung cancer. He visited every patient every day in their hospital room. He knew almost intuitively and articulated that if you treat the family of a patient well that will help the patient heal. Don't treat the family well, and that will hinder the patient's recovery.
And they were turbulent years to work there too. Top administrative leadership changed too often, the challenges were just so great. At the time it was a very large medical group practice with each of the over 400 physicians being owners. And they truly were. Reaching that magical “Thousand Points of Consensus” was impossible of course. Yes, there were boards and medical leadership and by-laws and all that. But often times ownership trumped structure. They have since restructured into a non-profit, the doctors are now employees of a sort and they dominate a difficult N.O. market.
So there is some personal background as it relates to Ochsner the place. Ochsner the man was one of the five original founders of the Ochsner Clinic. He had died about 10 years prior to my working there. He was an extraordinary man. He was one of the first, if not the first, to connect cigarette smoking and lung cancer. He visited every patient every day in their hospital room. He knew almost intuitively and articulated that if you treat the family of a patient well that will help the patient heal. Don't treat the family well, and that will hinder the patient's recovery.
And he said this:
“I am convinced that the most desirable attributes in an individual are average intelligence (not necessarily brilliance), loyalty, integrity and a desire to work. If I could choose between genius and an individual with average intelligence and an insatiable desire to work, I would unhesitatingly choose the later.”
Worth quoting huh?
“I am convinced that the most desirable attributes in an individual are average intelligence (not necessarily brilliance), loyalty, integrity and a desire to work. If I could choose between genius and an individual with average intelligence and an insatiable desire to work, I would unhesitatingly choose the later.”
Worth quoting huh?
Terrorism Awareness Project
I signed the petition. Seems straightforward enough to me. Will be interesting to see how much traction this gets. Probably very little, sadly.
David Horowitz is a gadfly to most colleges and universities these days. I think his heart is in the right place. He appears to be almost alone in fighting against indoctrination of young students in college classes where one, and only one, side of an issue, or political position is allowed. Or you get an "F."
Academic freedom has been turned on it's face. Intolerance for varient viewpoints is increasing in academia in many (mostly non-hard science) programs.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Al Franken ...
waxing senatorially. "I'm serious..." That's funny! Campaign consultants behind that claim, ya think?!
Their On Obama
Driving to a lunch date today I heard RushL call St. Barack a radical left-winger. Uh oh, he was a Chicago "Community Organizer," and we all know what that means. More to the left than George McGovern was! (Remember we got Nixon again!) This "rookie," if elected, will bring down the greatest country that the world has ever known. Singlehandedly I guess. Blah-ditty-blah-blah-blah.
Repubs must be truly scared of this guy to pull out the big guns like this on him before he has even clinched the nomination. They must think Hillary! is more beatable and prefer her in the November race.
Let's support Hillary! Or lets talk less bad about her. For now.
My thoughts about election 08 from the cheap seats:
1. Obama is an empty suit, unproven as a leader thus far in the real world. Magnificent orator. It would be scary to me if we were to elect him as president. Unknown entity. Untested. Under qualified. Lots of uns there isn't there? He's Unbama to me.
2. I want Unbama to sweep Hillary! and Bill and all their hench people into the dustbin of history. I'm not near as right-wing as I was when Billbo was elected. Not near. (But in fact, I still have (somewhere) a watch with Clinton's face on it whose hands revolve counter clockwise!) Might be worth something someday. But I want their time to have come and gone at this point. The sooner, the better. So I'm rooting for Unbama to beat her ass and beat it good. But good. Good riddance! If he really does, he can't be all bad for doing me a big favor. It will be fun to see a Clinton lose and it is so interesting to see her pulling out all the stops to prevent it. I love her these recent days carping that Unbama is all talk and no action. He is! But she's all out there making hay doing doing doing. She is? There is something visceral in me when it come to my dislike for the Clintons. Don't know if they deserve it, but they probably do. One memory I have immediately after BC was elected for the first time. His staff started talking about how people were going to have to start increasing their "contributions" to the government. They were actually calling new taxes that.
3. Vox Day calls McCain McCrazy. That's probably an overstatement but he is worrisome to me. More of a loose cannon than a U.S. president should be I think. To think that he would use one of my most favorite band's songs (Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran!) during his campaign is understatedly problematic. Someone that flippant with war and killing and bombing is scary too.
4. But whoever gets in January 09 will drum out the gawd-awful regime that has been there for eight years.
They all say it all the time at all elections. So why not me too? It's time for a change.
Repubs must be truly scared of this guy to pull out the big guns like this on him before he has even clinched the nomination. They must think Hillary! is more beatable and prefer her in the November race.
Let's support Hillary! Or lets talk less bad about her. For now.
My thoughts about election 08 from the cheap seats:
1. Obama is an empty suit, unproven as a leader thus far in the real world. Magnificent orator. It would be scary to me if we were to elect him as president. Unknown entity. Untested. Under qualified. Lots of uns there isn't there? He's Unbama to me.
2. I want Unbama to sweep Hillary! and Bill and all their hench people into the dustbin of history. I'm not near as right-wing as I was when Billbo was elected. Not near. (But in fact, I still have (somewhere) a watch with Clinton's face on it whose hands revolve counter clockwise!) Might be worth something someday. But I want their time to have come and gone at this point. The sooner, the better. So I'm rooting for Unbama to beat her ass and beat it good. But good. Good riddance! If he really does, he can't be all bad for doing me a big favor. It will be fun to see a Clinton lose and it is so interesting to see her pulling out all the stops to prevent it. I love her these recent days carping that Unbama is all talk and no action. He is! But she's all out there making hay doing doing doing. She is? There is something visceral in me when it come to my dislike for the Clintons. Don't know if they deserve it, but they probably do. One memory I have immediately after BC was elected for the first time. His staff started talking about how people were going to have to start increasing their "contributions" to the government. They were actually calling new taxes that.
3. Vox Day calls McCain McCrazy. That's probably an overstatement but he is worrisome to me. More of a loose cannon than a U.S. president should be I think. To think that he would use one of my most favorite band's songs (Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran!) during his campaign is understatedly problematic. Someone that flippant with war and killing and bombing is scary too.
4. But whoever gets in January 09 will drum out the gawd-awful regime that has been there for eight years.
They all say it all the time at all elections. So why not me too? It's time for a change.
Steely Dan - Slang of Ages
From: Everything Must Go, 2003.
Walter Becker features prominent on this song. Happy 58th birthday to him today.
Walter Becker features prominent on this song. Happy 58th birthday to him today.
This Is Just Wrong
Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong. But you won't believe how good!How could something that feels so right be so wrong?
AMIDOL: Season Seven
I joined the party for the first time last year. So what the heck.
Of the Men: (Very Broadly Defined)
Bonus Song: Elton John, "I'm Going To Be A Teenage Idol." From: Don't Shoot Me, I'm Only The Piano Player, 1973.
Of the Men: (Very Broadly Defined)
Bonus Song: Elton John, "I'm Going To Be A Teenage Idol." From: Don't Shoot Me, I'm Only The Piano Player, 1973.Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Special EFX - Gianluca
This song soars! From Special EFX's album, Peace of the World, 1991. I love this song.