Category: Humor

This chart gave me a nosebleed. Talk about fiscal hemorrage… What was that about tax and spend democrats again? Look at the low points on the chart, my god! Oh, wait… this must be a post-democratic administration delayed economic backlash. Nevermind, I’m getting all worked up over nothing again. (link via megnut)

Is Eminem now more than just rap hype? Most of us in this household think so. We’ve been listening to him since we got the CD. All of us love it, I was amazed and impressed not only with the lyrics but, the style too. Still something keeps whispering in the back of my mind: “he’s a little punk-ass hack… you’re buying into record company image bullshit, just like all the other Reconstituted Processed Cheese Rock Bands”

Anyway, many other people are starting to think he’s more than meets the eye also.
Especially Al Giordano:

“September 11th? Ashes, ashes, all fall down. We’ve been fed a year of bullshit. It’s time to rebel, kids! The world is a shocking place. The hour has come to shock back. The counter-discourse to Bush has begun in rap and rhyme and music. Be an Authentic Journalist – whatever your creative outlet, pursue it authentically, without fear, like Marshall Mathers, kids!, with the freest of speech this divided states of embarrasment will allow – and our topsy-turvy nation that calls itself America will soon, if not already, be up for grabs again.”

Note: Check Rolling Stone for the video and metafilter for a good discussion.

Intervention Magazine’s Fred Sweet writes about The Bush administrations regard toward veterans as a matter of budget and policy:

Last month, as part of a $5.1 billion budget package, Congress included $275 million for veterans’ medical care that would have helped to cover VA expenses. President Bush, however, labels the bill “loaded with pork” that he will reject. According to the Washington Post, Bush is rejecting the $5.1 billion Congressional authorization (including the $275 million earmarked for veterans%u2019 care) to teach lawmakers a lesson about what he considers overspending. Bush did sign, however, a $28.9 billion bill for supplementing homeland security and defense funds.

When the Bush administration announced the formation of a force against Afghanistan, while simultaneously launching the “Office of Homeland Security” I knew that Veterans Administration budget among was the most vulnerable.

However, this is a war, we all must suffer. Still, I can’t help but feel that the warriors of our previous battle should not suffer such as this:

Disabled American Veterans, National Adjutant Arthur H. Wilson, referred to the more than one-third of America?s homeless people who are veterans: ?On any given night in America, more than 275,000 homeless men and women are veterans. That?s the equivalent of 18 infantry divisions on the streets of this great nation with no place to call home — quite literally, an army of homeless veterans. And that is simply intolerable.”

Today I got a refresher course in plugging a flat tire. On the paxtonland van, I found a nail that appeared to be custom designed to murder tires. I had to buy a new kit of cement and plugs. I already had the tools needed but, there were no plug kits available without the tools (I.E.: plug inserter and reamer to clean the hole). Since the tires on the van are a bit heavier and thicker than most cars, it was far far more difficult than a regular tire. With regular passanger tires, this is a 3 minute job.

Since I had the complete kit, I decided to fix the tire right then and there. I pulled the nail out in front of Meijers service station, close to where the air compressor was. I got the spike out of the tire and it promptly gasped and deflated straight down to the rim. (eeeeew, tire air smell…) The reamer that came with the kit was utter junk too. I pulled the handle cleanly off while trying to remove it from the tire. That should have served as an omen. Unfortunately, it did not. I couldn not insert the plug with the poorly designed tool that came with the plug kit I bought. Flimsy and weak it would not even enter the hole, it promptly folded neatly in half under the pressure of trying to enter the tire.

Realizing that I could not fix the tire, I had to re-install the nail. Of course now, the hole was much, much larger than before due to my reaming (to roughen up and clean the hole). Air hissed as it escaped around the now enlarged hole in the tire. Indeed this was a sad state of affairs. I now had to choose to either drive home and use my older, more heavy duty plug inserter to fix the tire or, add insult to injury and go to a “real” service station and pay $10-20 for someone to “professionally” plug the hole.

I opted for driving home to plug it myself. So far, so good. Now, I have two more tires to do. One on the Buick and one more on the van. *sigh*

Dan found this excellent book excerpt today. A chapter titled Colostomy Rock from John Strausbaugh’s “Rock ‘Til You Drop.” He read it to me on the phone today and we were both laughing too hard to hold the telephone up.

There are other excerpts there as well, equally funny.