tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-105869202011-04-21T16:57:54.549-05:00I believe in "Live and Let Live", "The Golden Rule" and "Trust but Verify".<br /> Life is fun and too short. Why mess it up by being a jerk?Hackernoreply@blogger.comBlogger1851100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1144773435194243892006-04-11T11:32:00.000-05:002006-04-11T11:37:15.236-05:00

I'm working on a couple of new projects, so am not going to be blogging my miscellaneous ramblings here for a while.One of my new projects is the new Space Elevator blog. I've always been fascinated by the concept of a Space Elevator, so I've decided to start participating, even if in a small way, in it's inception.So, so long for now and come visit me at my new blog.

Hackernoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1143927482327851682006-04-01T15:35:00.000-06:002006-04-01T15:38:02.346-06:00

Today is a good day to visit the List of Top 100 April Fool’s Day Hoaxes. Some of them are falling down funny.My particular favorites are Number's 4 (The Taco Liberty Bell), 8 (The Left Handed Whopper), 40 (Internet Spring Cleaning) and 79 (PETA’s Tournament of Sleeping Fish), but they’re all pretty funny.Enjoy.

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1143699907367617142006-03-30T00:23:00.000-06:002006-03-30T00:25:07.390-06:00

On Wednesday, the Chicago City Council gave the go-ahead to begin work on this magnificent new building. I like big plans and ballsy moves and this certainly qualifies as one.Actual construction work may begin as early as this year with completion estimated in 2010. There are going to be 300 condo’s in it, with the smallest being 700 square feet. At $1,000/sq. foot – the early estimated price,

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1142924133689046182006-03-21T00:55:00.000-06:002006-03-21T01:01:37.476-06:00

Yeah, yeah, I know. I picked Cuba to beat Team Japan. Silly me. Congratulations to Team Japan. They truly earned this title. From being absolutely dead, done and all but out the door, they came back to win it all. They were fortunate that Team Mexico beat Team USA or they wouldn’t have even made it to the semis. But, as they got jobbed by the umpire in their loss to Team USA, perhaps it

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1142806254390929122006-03-19T16:09:00.000-06:002006-03-19T16:11:37.466-06:00

Of course I meant that Cuba and Japan would win. It was my evil twin that picked the Dominicans and Koreans. Wouldn’t you know it? Just when I jump on the Korean bandwagon, the wheels fall off.Two really fine games. The Dominican-Cuban game was decided on a couple of breaks and errors while the Japan-Korean game was decided on the percentages; it really is hard to beat a good team three times

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1142730052845644612006-03-18T11:14:00.000-06:002006-03-18T19:04:48.513-06:00

Both of these games are tough to predict, but I have to go with the Dominican Republic and Korea.The Dominicans have beaten the Cubans once and I think they have the deepest team in the tournament. But I don’t feel comfortable with this pick at all. The Cubans are playing inspired baseball – they clearly really want to win it all. I won’t be at all surprised if they win this game, but I’m

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1142644104018415252006-03-17T19:03:00.000-06:002006-03-17T19:08:24.043-06:00

Last July, I posted about a proposed new skyscraper for Chicago, the Fordham Spire. The project cleared a major hurdle yesterday when the Chicago Planning Commission unanimously approved going forward. The next step is the Chicago City Council and passage is expected there, too.So, this 2000 foot tower, which would make it the tallest building in North America, may really happen. Cool...

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1142634565831900582006-03-17T16:27:00.000-06:002006-03-17T16:37:50.490-06:00

An Irish daughter had not been home for over 5 years. Upon her return, her father cussed her. "Where have ye been all this time? Why did ye not write to us, not even a line? Why didn't ye call? Can ye not understand what ye put yer old mum thru? The girl, crying, replied, "Sniff, sniff....dad....I became a prostitute...." "Ye what!!? Out of here, ye shameless harlot! Sinner! You're a disgrace to

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1142636612021121432006-03-17T15:44:00.000-06:002006-03-17T17:04:59.200-06:00

Gloom.I can’t believe it – Team USA has been eliminated from the ’06 WBC. They capitalized on being bailed out in Round 1, but were unable to do so in Round 2. All Team USA had to do to advance was to beat Team Mexico (again) as Korea had opened the door by knocking off the Japanese (again). And I had hopes in the ninth inning, with Junior leading off. But when he struck out, I knew we were

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1142464309323598872006-03-15T17:11:00.000-06:002006-03-15T17:14:36.396-06:00

Once again, the Americans need help to advance. It's getting to be an old story and this time, I’m afraid the help may not be there. If Japan beats Korea and allows less than 7 runs in the process, Team USA is going home, regardless of how they do against Mexico. If Korea beats Japan and the Americans win, then Team USA will advance.I’m through short-changing and disrespecting the Koreans –

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1142369290741120372006-03-14T14:46:00.000-06:002006-03-15T17:19:16.043-06:00

Today I attended a rally/demonstration outside the Danish Consulate in Chicago in support of Free Speech and of our Danish allies. For those of you who might have been living on Mars lately, several Danish cartoonists drew cartoons of the Prophet Muhammed and, for this, have been threatened with death by Islamic fundamentalists.Our government has been unwilling to publicly support the Danes and

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1142236911248975592006-03-13T01:57:00.000-06:002006-03-17T21:37:28.410-06:00

I found this on the baghdadgirl blog - I thought it was funny.

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1142235149489127072006-03-13T01:32:00.000-06:002006-03-13T01:42:36.156-06:00

Truly fine baseball is being played in this tournament. All 8 teams in this round belong here and, with the results shown today, there is no clear, runaway favorite to win it all.I expected the USA to beat Japan and they did so, but they needed a controversial call to make it happen. I think the home plate umpire (who wasn’t even the guy who was suppose to make the call) blew the call – the

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1142208826451850962006-03-12T09:44:00.000-06:002006-03-13T01:41:17.113-06:00

Picking teams to make it through Round 2 is going to be tougher than Round 1 was. In each Pool, I think there is a clear favorite to make it through with the other 3 teams all having a legitimate shot at being the second team through.In Pool 1, I think (I hope, anyway) that the USA is the clear favorite. But the second team is a much tougher pick. IMHO, I think that Korea, Japan and Mexico are

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1142041022112583812006-03-10T19:36:00.000-06:002006-03-13T01:41:38.413-06:00

Well, 7 out of 8 isn’t bad. I’m still mad at myself for picking Taipei over South Korea, for reasons I elucidated earlier, but at least my 7 other picks all made it through.There were some mild surprises. The first, of course, was the USA dropping a game to Canada. The Americans were very fortunate that Mexico scored at least 3 runs against Canada in their game or today’s USA blowout of South

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1141951576732921722006-03-09T18:40:00.000-06:002006-03-09T18:46:16.776-06:00

Tomorrow, Friday, March 10th, from 2:30pm to 4:45pm Central time, the NASA channel will have live coverage of the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) as it attempts to insert itself into orbit around Mars.The MRO is the latest spacecraft sent to map and explore Mars. It will be able to take pictures of Mars in greater detail than any previous orbiter and will also be able to send information back

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1141856987173555822006-03-08T16:28:00.000-06:002006-03-08T16:36:39.436-06:00

Four weeks (plus one day) since my surgery. I’d now rate my condition as “Good and improving”. There are times now when I can go for a few hours and have totally forgotten the fact that I just had surgery. No pain or discomfort, no constant urge to go to the bathroom, normal energy levels, etc. It’s not perfect yet, but it certainly is getting better.There was a study released about two weeks

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1141858431150653172006-03-08T13:37:00.000-06:002006-03-13T01:42:07.223-06:00

Stupid me. I picked Japan to get through to Round 2, mainly because the level of play in the Japanese leagues is so good, that many of their best players are playing in the Major Leagues. I don’t know why I didn’t use the same logic in considering Korea’s chances. They, too, have players in the Majors and so, in hindsight, I should have picked them over Taipei. There are no Chinese players (

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1141535494247671762006-03-04T23:11:00.000-06:002006-03-04T23:22:22.873-06:00

I had posted a few days ago about how I was helping my mom decide whether or not to enroll in the Federal government’s new Medicare Part D plan for Prescription Drug Coverage. I mentioned that it looked complicated, but actually, once you sink your teeth into it and really begin researching the options, it’s not that bad.My mom currently has typical Medicare coverage; both Part A and Part B.

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1141443900446118182006-03-03T21:30:00.000-06:002006-03-03T21:45:00.473-06:00

Today’s newswire carried a story about Harry Browne passing away; he died from ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease).This is a huge loss for all of us that believe in small, Constitutionally-limited government. Harry was the face of the Libertarian Party for many years and was its national standard bearer in the 1996 and 2000 campaigns. I knew Harry, met him once or twice, and spoke with him several times

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1141447373007314312006-03-03T10:05:00.000-06:002006-03-13T01:43:16.226-06:00

I’ve decided to take a stab at predicting the outcome of the inaugural World Baseball Classic. This is quite difficult for several reasons;Except for the US team and other teams that have players from MLB, I have no idea who these guys are. Guesses about their ability are just that, guesses.The rules are different than “normal” baseball. There are “slaughter” rules (I haven’t seen those since

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1141278557667099852006-03-01T23:32:00.000-06:002006-03-04T23:11:52.593-06:00

No, I’m not on Medicare (yet), but my mother is and she’s asked me for help in deciding whether or she should enroll in the new Medicare Part D (Prescription Drug Coverage) plan. This is an interesting challenge for me because I don’t know beans about this stuff.I’ve started doing some research on the subject and it is, unfortunately, as complicated as it first seems. Fortunately, there are a

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1140574237702658222006-02-21T20:07:00.000-06:002006-02-21T20:14:36.846-06:00

Two weeks ago, today, I had my surgery. It’s hard to believe it was so long ago – time flies when you’re having fun :)Overall, I’d rate my status as “OK and improving”. I’m still low on energy, but it is coming back – the iron supplements plus lots of sleep plus time is doing the trick, I think. Going to the bathroom is still an adventure, sometimes a painful adventure, but I expect it to get

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1140219022662509582006-02-17T17:28:00.000-06:002006-02-17T17:30:22.676-06:00

Click to enlargeAnother funny comment I heard about this situation was this; "I used to hate Dick Cheney, but if he keeps shooting lawyers, I may have to revise my opinion"...Thanks for the "photo" Mr. Ed...

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1140036363946331402006-02-15T14:41:00.000-06:002006-02-15T14:47:35.413-06:00

My Catheter is HISTORY!!It's GONE!!BUH-BYE!!HALLELUJAH!!PRAISE JESUS!!PRAISE ALLAH!!PRAISE THE LORD!!I felt so good when I got home from the doctor that I took my dog for a walk - first time I've done that in a week and a half.Things are good...

Hackernoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1139958317025209812006-02-14T16:58:00.000-06:002006-02-14T17:05:17.043-06:00

As part of my Prostate surgery, I needed to have a catheter installed. This is because of the way a man’s urinary system works.Urine is stored in the bladder. From the bladder, it passes through the prostate and to the penis and then to the toilet (or tree or snowbank or whatever else is handy). When you remove the prostate, the bladder outlet has to then be stitched directly to the penis. In

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1139949001959980742006-02-14T14:23:00.000-06:002006-02-14T14:30:01.983-06:00

So I’m at Fannie Mays today, standing in a long line, waiting to buy some Valentine's Day Chocolates. It suddenly struck me that at this time, exactly one week ago, I was in the middle of surgery. It sure puts things into perspective. A week ago I was lying on a table in an operating room, unconscious, with multiple robotic arms being manipulated inside of me to remove my prostate. Today I’m

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1139875556814283212006-02-13T13:45:00.000-06:002006-02-13T18:17:16.313-06:00

Day 0 – Tuesday – Pre-surgery. I arrived at the hospital at 5:15am with my wife. I was efficiently checked-in and changed to my hospital garb. In addition to the rear-opening robe, they also provide you with a second, front-opening robe so you’re not walking around with your rear-end hanging out. They led us into the pre-op room and put me on a gurney. Over the next hour or so, several

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1139256766537941582006-02-06T14:11:00.000-06:002006-02-06T14:12:46.556-06:00

I'm to be at the hospital at 5:15am tomorrow morning with surgery set to start at 7:30am.If all goes well, by this time tomorrow, it should be finished and then on to the side effects.Wish me luck...

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1138936618509396182006-02-02T21:15:00.000-06:002006-02-02T21:30:29.546-06:00

Well, I’m moderately ticked off. About three weeks ago, I called my Urologist’s office and asked them if I needed to bank any of my blood in preparation for the upcoming surgery. Doing this had been recommended in one of the books I had read and it seemed like a good idea to me as I’m not really interested in running the risk of contracting HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis or any of the other diseases that

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1138851578438212512006-02-01T21:35:00.000-06:002006-02-01T21:42:17.696-06:00

Today UnderNoIllusions is 1 year old. Hurray !! Happy Birthday!!My first posting was on February 1st, 2005 and this is my 155th. I don’t think I regret any of them, but I am uncomfortable with my comments on the Iraq war. In my mind, I’ve gone back and forth on this issue so many times that now I don’t know, I just don’t know. For every argument I’ve heard in favor of the war, I can give a

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1138776303879607752006-01-31T19:55:00.000-06:002006-02-01T00:49:59.526-06:00

From the Sapporo, Japan Snow Festival… Click on picture to enlarge.

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1138306662140446122006-01-26T14:16:00.000-06:002006-01-26T14:17:42.160-06:00

Today I received a call from the hospital where my surgery will be performed. Most of the questions were perfunctory; “What insurance do you have?”, “Did you receive your preoperative instructions?”, etc. But three other questions were also asked;• Who should we contact in case of emergency?• Do you want to specify a religion in case you want (?) a visit from a clergyman?• Do you have a Power

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1138084743144479242006-01-24T00:38:00.000-06:002006-03-13T01:43:50.500-06:00

Some random thoughts about the upcoming 16 team/country tournament…The US has reversed its decision and will now allow Cuba to play in the tournament. This is a good thing. I had written before, here and here, about the enormous stupidity we had demonstrated in threatening to not allow the Cuban team to play on US soil. What’s the problem, we don’t want any more defectors?Alex Rodriguez has

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1138081553566440442006-01-23T23:45:00.000-06:002006-01-23T23:50:13.213-06:00

On the Tonight Show tonight, Jay Leno mentioned the Fulla Doll – the Islamic answer to Barbie. I had written about the Fulla Doll earlier…Jay said the Fulla Doll now has a companion; “Osama Ken Laden” - can’t wait to see pictures of it.Maybe it will be the one of Osama that Jay had on a couple of nights ago, this with Osama wearing a “Hello Kitty” headdress in an attempt to “soften” his image...

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1137727916277907192006-01-19T21:28:00.000-06:002006-01-23T23:41:07.253-06:00

I really don't think that the picture of Bin Laden was supposed to be upside down. I'm sure they'll correct it soon. Here it is for posterity...*Update 21JAN06 - Well, I guess it was deliberate but I still don't get it. Drudge had the photo up for a full day, and then a smaller version the next day - all upside down. I read Osama's speech and I didn't see anything about "turning the US upside

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1137725597974412302006-01-19T20:49:00.000-06:002006-01-19T20:57:20.296-06:00

I’ve received several emails and Blogger comments wishing me “Best of luck”, “You are in our prayers”, “I’m sure you’ll do great”, etc. Each and every one is greatly appreciated.Last night I received a “best wishes” email that I wanted to share with everyone. It was from my friend, Dan O'C. Dan’s a dentist and a pretty bright guy. He’s also a bit leery of authority (saying that he’s a

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1137641189916274292006-01-18T21:21:00.000-06:002006-01-18T21:46:44.863-06:00

Today I received my “Preoperative Instructions for a Robotically-Assisted Laparoscopic Prostatectomy" in the mail. There are 5 things I need to do/not do before the surgery;1. For a minimum of TEN days before your scheduled surgery, you must avoid taking ANY aspirin, aspirin-containing products or a variety of other medications that can thin your blood and increase the risk of bleeding (see

Hackernoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1137563693080672072006-01-17T22:53:00.000-06:002006-01-17T23:54:53.096-06:00

In a 6-3 split decision (Case 04-623), the Supreme Court today ruled that the Federal Government cannot overrule Oregon’s Assisted Suicide Law. This is a very good thing.Former Attorney General Ashcroft used Federal drug laws to prevent Oregon doctors from using drugs to help those patients who wanted to end their lives. This decision voids his overreach and returns the decision to the

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1137382652568307722006-01-15T09:30:00.000-06:002006-01-15T21:37:56.663-06:00

I set my alarm for 3:30 this morning so that I could get up and watch the (hoped for) return to earth of Stardust. This was a NASA space probe sent up on February 7th, 1999 with the mission being to collect particles from both interplanetary space and from the tail of Comet Wild-2. As NASA missions go, this was reasonably ambitious. The space probe traveled nearly 2.9 billion miles to and from

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1137186500476916192006-01-13T14:42:00.000-06:002006-01-13T15:30:15.106-06:00

Playmobil has an Airport Terminal toy that, as Reason puts it, "Prepares Children for Federal Airline Passenger Screening."I don't know whether to laugh or cry.I first saw this on the Reason Foundation's Reason Report (Winter 2006 issue). Prior to this, they had put in on their blog (Hit & Run), so readers were able to post their own comments. Some of the funniest;The set needs a little

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1137179509401811432006-01-13T13:10:00.000-06:002006-01-13T13:11:49.420-06:00

I just came across this cartoon - I think it's terrific...

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1137014542762607832006-01-11T15:10:00.000-06:002006-01-13T15:14:51.450-06:00

My last update on this was several months ago. Tuesday, February 7th, is now set as the day for my “surgical procedure”; i.e. a “Radical Prostatectomy”, i.e. the removal of my cancerous prostate gland.The particular procedure I’ve chosen is Laparoscopic radical prostatectomy, using the Da Vinci system. In traditional Prostatectomy’s (retropubic and perineal prostatectomy’s), the surgeon makes a

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1136868775966681992006-01-09T22:34:00.000-06:002006-01-09T22:52:55.983-06:00

I met Don Parrish many years ago when I got involved in Libertarian activities in DuPage County; Don was a founding member of the DuPage Libertarian Club. I’ve spent about 10 years of my life overseas and have visited many countries (probably around 40), but am not in Don’s league as a tourist – he is a long-time member of the Travelers Century Club; an organization of people who have visited at

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1136698584151492512006-01-07T23:35:00.000-06:002006-01-07T23:36:24.166-06:00

This is just funny...

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1136671500758820252006-01-07T16:00:00.000-06:002006-01-07T16:05:00.776-06:00

I know its past Christmas, but I found another odd Santa picture, this one posing as a slasher…I found this picture on the WFTV.com website.

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1136616416504830952006-01-07T00:45:00.000-06:002006-03-13T01:44:12.346-06:00

From bad to worse... First the United States decides to ban Cuba from the upcoming World Baseball Classic. Now the International Baseball Federation (IBAF) is threatening to pull their sanctioning of the event if the Cuba ban is not rescinded. And if the sanctioning is pulled, the whole thing will probably collapse. John Donovan describes the sad scenario in more detail here.I’ve written

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1136535771746442572006-01-06T02:19:00.000-06:002006-01-06T02:22:51.760-06:00

During the eight years I spent in Saudi Arabia, I often experienced severe culture-shock. Sometimes this was due to personal experience and, occasionally, there were articles in the local press that were jaw-dropping to say the least. This was one of them. It discusses Mr. Shabab Salim Ajlan Al-Quthami, a 66 year-old Saudi National who was married thirteen times and had a total of 180 children

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1136532602133674332006-01-05T20:47:00.000-06:002006-01-06T01:55:53.690-06:00

Last week I attended the wake and funeral service for Andi Arends – a dear friend for many, many years, and yet another victim of Cancer. She was initially diagnosed with Colon cancer, cancer which then spread to her liver. She underwent surgery to remove a portion of her colon and also had chemotherapy treatments. After months of treatment, she was pronounced “cancer-free”, but the Liver

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1135396241877852172005-12-23T21:30:00.000-06:002005-12-23T21:50:41.920-06:00

I received this story today via email; sent to me by my very good friend, Ed Papp ("Mr. Ed") and thought that all my readers would enjoy it.Ed was the Operations Manager at the Saudi Investment Bank, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and I was his EDP guy. He was "Captain Kirk" and I was "Scotty". Thanks for the email, Ed, it's a perfect post at this time of year...Fulla has the Mid-East doll market

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1135324126464711752005-12-23T01:38:00.000-06:002005-12-23T01:49:23.173-06:00

The White Sox continue to retool their roster for 2006. GM Kenny Williams has made several moves over the past week or so.The biggest one, of course, was the trade of El Duque, Luis Vizcaino and Chris Jones to Arizona for Javier Vazquez. With yet another proven starter on board, this may affect both John Garland and Jose Contreras. Both of them will be in their final contract year next year.

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1135151365467852522005-12-21T01:41:00.000-06:002005-12-21T01:54:31.750-06:00

Fundamentalist Christians have been trying to introduce their religious dogma into Public Schools in America for decades. The latest effort has been to put lipstick on the pig of Creationism by renaming it “Intelligent Design” and trying to get it introduced as a “scientific alternative to evolution” in High School science classes.In October of 2004, the school board of Dover, Pennsylvania

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1134705047927062812005-12-15T21:48:00.000-06:002005-12-15T21:50:47.943-06:00

A few days ago, I posted some pictures of Santa Claus blindfolded and hung from a tree. A new picture has popped up, this one of Rudolf the Red-nosed Reindeer, hung from a tree in a pose indicating that it has been shot and is being bled – what hunters do to an animal after they kill it. More details can be found here.Joy.

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1134626699395410112005-12-15T00:02:00.000-06:002005-12-15T00:04:59.413-06:00

Today, the United States told the organizers of the world’s first World Baseball Classic that, due to our continuing embargo against Cuba, a team from that country is not welcome to participate in the tournament. Details are here.Stupid, stupid, stupid.Our “Official Policy” towards Cuba sucks. There’s no reason why we should not have normal relations with this country. During the Cold War,

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1134545288957630932005-12-14T01:27:00.000-06:002005-12-14T01:37:26.236-06:00

I’m not a fan of the death penalty, but as I’ve written before, I think it’s OK under a limited set of circumstances;1) We are 100% sure (not “beyond a reasonable doubt” sure but “100%” sure) that the person in question committed the crime.2) The victim’s family/families want the person executed.If both criteria are satisfied, then go ahead and fry the bastard. If not, he/she gets life in prison

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1134179040557635902005-12-09T19:34:00.000-06:002005-12-09T19:44:00.573-06:00

This picture, the results of the pickup truck hitting a deer (I'm assuming), reminded me of a rather scary moment I experienced many years ago.One night, when I was living in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (this was probably in 1984 or 1985), I was the front-seat passenger in a car driven by a buddy of mine, Craig K. We were heading back home after a weekend outing with the local Hashers. The road was

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1134177262660462842005-12-09T19:11:00.000-06:002005-12-09T19:14:22.660-06:00

With all the snow we had yesterday, it reminded me of one of my favorite seasonal cartoons...

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1134176837539448632005-12-09T19:01:00.000-06:002005-12-09T19:07:17.556-06:00

The White Sox have made a few more moves, preparing for the 2006 season.Most significantly and most sad (IMHO) was the cutting of ties with Frank Thomas. I’ve written about my feelings towards the Big Hurt before – I think he’s a great hitter, one of the best I’ve ever seen, and his ability to hit even the best pitchers on their best day was something that I’ve seen few others able to do. But

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1134090536583802612005-12-08T19:04:00.000-06:002005-12-08T19:08:56.603-06:00

Somebody has either a very weird sense of humor or else is behind on his medication. Details can be found here.

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1133853684460662312005-12-06T01:12:00.000-06:002005-12-06T01:21:24.480-06:00

I’ve always enjoyed the John Cleese (Monty Python) joke about the difference between Brits and Americans. As John puts it; “We like our tea hot, while Americans like it cold. When we have a World Series, we invite teams from other countries to play. And when we greet our ruler, it's on one knee, not two.” This was when Bill Clinton was in office.His comment about the World Series, referring

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1133843322757196012005-12-05T22:27:00.000-06:002005-12-05T22:31:16.563-06:00

If you enjoy the sound of kids screaming in terror, click here.

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1133838698305894942005-12-05T20:40:00.000-06:002005-12-05T23:05:10.860-06:00

Several months ago, I posted an item on this blog mentioning that for my English Composition project, I was going to do a research paper on Alex Haley’s blockbuster book, Roots. I chose this project because author Jack Cashill, in his latest book, Hoodwinked, stated that Roots was a hoax and that it wasn’t the “true story” of Alex Haley’s family as has been widely portrayed in the media.The point

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1133661251130683412005-12-03T19:52:00.000-06:002005-12-03T19:55:07.060-06:00

Go to www.google.com.Type in "French military victories" in the search field.Click on "I'm feeling lucky".Laugh (unless you're French)...Thanks, Pete.

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1133589455807484662005-12-02T23:56:00.000-06:002005-12-06T23:51:49.313-06:00

On the Tonight show this evening, Jay Leno had his first interview with “Buzz” Mustafa, Iran’s first astronaut. This interview was done along the lines with the ones he occasionally does with “President Bush”. It was really funny, though definitely not PC. Some of the exchange;Jay: “What are your plans in space?”Mustafa: “We plan on having a hostage on the moon by 2020.”Jay: “Are you going to

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1133505179183380432005-12-02T00:29:00.000-06:002005-12-02T00:32:59.203-06:00

This is just an odd picture. The Obelisk of Buenos Aires, a monument that is approximately 220 feet tall, was covered in a giant condom to commemorate World AIDS Day.According to a Reuters report;The Obelisk of Buenos Aires is covered with a giant condom to commemorate World AIDS Day December 1, 2005. According to a report issued by ONUSIDA (UN AIDS), the number of people infected with the HIV

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1133418961786416712005-12-01T00:29:00.000-06:002005-12-01T00:41:47.483-06:00

Hoorah – Paulie decides to stay with the Champs!Great news today for White Sox fans as Paul Konerko announced he was going to accept the White Sox 5 year, $60 million offer to re-up. In a phone interview, he pointed to the recent acquisition of Jim Thome as a prime reason why he wanted to stay. Chalk up another one for Kenny Williams…Konerko has been so consistent for the White Sox. A lot of

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1133338319957601902005-11-30T02:09:00.000-06:002005-12-01T00:41:15.156-06:00

Aaron Rowand for Jim Thome. Aaron Rowand for Jim Thome. Aaron Rowand for Jim Thome. Somehow, no matter how many times I say it, it just sounds weird…Far be it for me to criticize the proven, winning combination of Kenny Williams and Ozzie Guillen in putting together a team. The 2005 season gave these guys all the street cred they need. The local TV sportscasters seem to like the deal as do

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1133333859448479682005-11-29T23:15:00.000-06:002005-11-30T01:00:31.716-06:00

Today, DuPage County States Attorney Joe Birkett announced the indictment of Brian Dugan for the rape and murder of Jeanine Nicarico nearly 24 years ago.I’ve written about this incredible miscarriage of justice before, most recently here.I applaud Mr. Birkett for finally moving forward with this charge and can only wish it had happened much, much sooner. The evidence against Dugan has been there

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1132535098148645972005-11-20T19:03:00.000-06:002005-11-20T19:04:58.166-06:00

Department store humor...Thanks, Mr. Ed.

Hackernoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1132441730027538792005-11-19T17:08:00.000-06:002005-12-01T00:40:54.913-06:00

The off-season moves continue for the 2006 White Sox. World Series game 3 hero Geoff Blum is returning to San Diego, the team the White Sox acquired him from. The Sox will miss him. Though he didn’t get a lot of at-bats, he could play a decent infield and outfield, was a switch-hitter and a smart base-runner. Why would he want to leave the World Champions? Probably because he didn’t see a

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1132346993131126612005-11-18T14:47:00.000-06:002005-11-18T15:29:53.386-06:00

I received another email from Reiko, currently stationed with an Army MEDCAP Unit, in Ghazni Afghanistan.OK everyone… People who all know me are aware that I never like to request anything for myself, and I’m not the best one to market or sell anything, but here goes my best attempt. I am asking for help in the form of donations to help bring home a dog that I have grown to love since being in

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1132346490634873832005-11-18T14:40:00.000-06:002005-11-18T14:41:30.656-06:00

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1132275219047493762005-11-17T18:51:00.000-06:002005-11-17T18:53:39.046-06:00

I know, I know, Halloween is long over. But this is so funny, I had to post it...

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1132274486490852622005-11-17T18:35:00.000-06:002005-11-17T18:41:26.513-06:00

Several months ago, I wrote that it was my belief that it was time to end the Iraqi occupation. Not because we went in for the wrong reasons (though in hindsight, they certainly are suspect), not because I think our troops are unable to militarily win engagements and certainly not because all of a sudden I’ve decided to agree with such hypocrites as Michael Moore, Al Franken, Barbara Streisand

Hackernoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1131146072205851352005-11-04T17:13:00.000-06:002005-12-01T00:40:17.556-06:00

So the off-season maneuvering has begun. The 2005 WORLD CHAMPION White Sox have picked up the options for both Cliff Politte and Chris Widger. I heartily approve. Both of these guys were key to the 2005 WORLD CHAMPION White Sox’s season. Politte gave them a good-control, hard-throwing righty out of the pen and Widger gave them a very solid backup at catcher. With Pierzynski and Widger, the

Hackernoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1130999713273336672005-11-02T23:27:00.000-06:002005-11-03T00:57:36.600-06:00

In his recent essay “A Nation of Sheeple”, Dr. Walter E. Williams of George Mason University laments that Americans may accept the Federalization of local law enforcement should an outbreak of Avian Influenza occur in the US. He believes the proposal to use the US Military to enforce a quarantine, if necessary, is just the latest in a series of government power grabs.I agree with Dr. Williams

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1130815051618298272005-10-31T21:16:00.000-06:002005-10-31T21:23:48.633-06:00

The latest from my wife’s niece, stationed in Ghazni, Afghanistan as part of a US Army MEDCAP unit;I just got several boxes and one had the 4th episode of Nip/Tuck! We have a “waiting” list for the 3rd season. It’s pretty funny because I am the sole provider for the borrowing of the recent episodes. I know I always tell you thanks, but it really makes our day. We look forward to each episode

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1130635497404309802005-10-29T20:21:00.000-05:002005-12-01T00:38:42.940-06:00

I promise, this will be my last 2005 White Sox posting. Of course, spring training is only a few months away…No real theme here – just some random thoughts.The Sox won their first game this year 1-0 and their last game this year 1-0. And, for good measure, they won the first game after the All Star break 1-0. Of the 12 post-season games they played, only 2 were decided by more than 3 runs. I

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1130389782486850952005-10-26T23:58:00.000-05:002005-10-27T00:09:51.913-05:00

Pitching and defense; pitching and defense; pitching and defense; the pitching staff shutting out the Astros in Game 4; Juan Uribe, unable to contribute with the bat but making two stellar plays in the ninth inning to preserve the victory. And just enough offense, one lonely, solitary run, to win the game, the series and the Championship.It’s never easy with this team – every game was a

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1130310399532404512005-10-26T02:03:00.000-05:002005-10-26T02:06:39.540-05:00

Its 1:30 in the morning and the Sox are 1 game away from winning a World Series. What a tremendously hard-fought game this was. Sloppy, but hard fought. It seemed at times as if neither team wanted to win this game and, at other times, it seemed as if they both desperately wanted it. This was epitomized by Juan Uribe’s error on the potential game ending, routine grounder. I don’t know if the

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1130261128949865552005-10-25T12:23:00.000-05:002005-10-25T12:32:04.810-05:00

Can you find the man’s head in the following picture?According to medical experiments; If you can find the Man's Head within 3 seconds, your right brain is more developed than normal people. If you can find the Man's Head within 1 minute, your right brain is developed normally. If you can find the Man's Head within 1-3 minutes, your right brain is slow in reacting, you should eat more meat

Hackernoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1130206066484081772005-10-24T21:03:00.000-05:002005-10-24T21:07:46.506-05:00

Hey everyone – if you like Bologna, today is your day. It is the official “National Balogna Day” and is dedicated to the enjoyment of crappy meat and sandwiches made in desperation.From Wikipedia:Bologna sausage is an American version of the Italian mortadella (a finely hashed/ground pork sausage with lard pieces). The American version can alternatively be made out of chicken, turkey, beef or

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1130128751914607542005-10-23T23:38:00.000-05:002005-10-23T23:43:00.796-05:00

Can there be any doubt now that the Sox are destined to win this thing? What an exciting game and what an incredible finish!!It’s hard to overshadow a grand-slam homer, but Podsednik’s walk-off was even more dramatic than Konerko’s slam.Buerhle pitched well, but Pettitte pitched better. Politte pitched well out of the Sox bullpen, as did Cotts, but the Astro hitters were able to get to Jenks.

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1130095434588249212005-10-23T14:15:00.000-05:002005-10-23T14:25:48.856-05:00

I received another email from my wife's neice today. My Nip/Tuck recordings are making it through OK and evidentally are being much enjoyed. I hope FX doesn't mind... Here's her email;I just got episode 3 in the mail yesterday, along with the hygiene kits Auntie Lynn put together! Thanks for all the stuff, they will be greatly appreciated!Spent a couple of days at Bagram while they were

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1130039835680704472005-10-22T22:53:00.000-05:002005-10-22T23:04:19.413-05:00

Sweet, sweet, sweet – Sox take game one of the World Series 5-3.This was a typical Sox win. Good starting pitching (though Contreras was not at his best), great bullpen pitching, outstanding defense and just enough hitting to get the job done.And, as usual in a Sox win, they had a chance to blow the game wide open, but Pierzynski hit into a bases-loaded double play to end the 6th inning. They

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1129946287311126262005-10-21T20:56:00.000-05:002005-10-21T20:58:07.326-05:00

In 2002, I had the honor of being the campaign manager for Cal Skinner’s Libertarian gubernatorial campaign. Actually, Cal was the real campaign manager – I kind of just tagged along for the ride, gleaning whatever bits of political wisdom I could from this master.For those of you who don’t know who Cal Skinner is, he was an 8 term Republican state legislator here in Illinois, representing each

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1129870377645215192005-10-20T23:50:00.000-05:002005-10-20T23:52:57.656-05:00

If I’d of had my druthers, I would have wanted the Sox to play the Yankees in the ALCS and the Cardinals in the World Series. But I guess I’ll just have to be happy with the Sox beating whichever team shows up.The Astros are a fine team, no doubt about it. After a horrendous start, they played great ball in the last two-thirds of the season. Their starting “Big 3” pitchers, Oswalt, Pettite and

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1129524107235787492005-10-16T23:35:00.000-05:002005-10-17T00:12:14.420-05:00

How sweet it is - the White Sox are going to the World Series!!You could sense the Sox really wanted to finish it tonight. They took the lead three separate times in this game. Even when they got behind, they figured out a way to take the lead back.José Contreras was solid tonight, if not spectacular. He was behind on several counts, but wound up only walking two batters. Like the first game,

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1129440871037015422005-10-15T23:17:00.000-05:002005-10-16T00:34:31.046-05:00

Baseball, especially playoff baseball, really, really, really needs instant replay. It’s almost embarrassing, the number of calls that have gone the White Sox way in this series (and I say this as a true-blue White Sox fan). A system I’d like to see is something modeled on the way Pro Football does it. In the baseball version, I’d give a manager two challenges per game. If he challenges a

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1129353539623615592005-10-14T23:45:00.000-05:002005-10-15T00:18:59.636-05:00

Sweet – very, very sweet. This was the White Sox and John Garland at their best. Scoring 3 runs in the first inning was huge, especially being capped off by a Konerko 2-run dinger. And beating John Lackey was truly special – that guy has owned the White Sox this year.It seemed to me that the Angels were never really in this game. I don’t think that the controversial call in game two had

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1129215629140284172005-10-13T09:51:00.000-05:002005-10-13T13:26:53.016-05:00

CNSNews.com is reporting that FEMA is not allowing people seeking refuge at a FEMA compound to bring their firearms with them.According to a report that aired on the Lehrer News Hour on Thursday, displaced New Orleans residents are being allowed to move into a trailer and RV compound called "FEMA City," but the conditions for residency include a ban on firearms.Not only is this illegal, it’s just

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1129178711134055072005-10-12T23:44:00.000-05:002005-10-12T23:53:20.913-05:00

A helluva way to win a ball game, but we’ll take it. The Sox have now played five games in this post season. All of them, except for the opening game blowout of Boston, have been decided by one or two runs.Surely the unsung hero of the Sox this year has been A. J. Pierzynski. That was such a heads up play; not taking it for granted that he was out in the bottom of the ninth and running to

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1129093927620665672005-10-11T23:23:00.000-05:002005-10-12T00:15:26.310-05:00

Not much mystery in the Sox’s loss tonight. The Angels executed when they had to and the Sox didn’t, simple as that. When the Angels needed a sacrifice in the 3rd, Figgins came through for them, putting men on 2nd and 3rd. Both of them eventually scored. The Sox failed, twice, to execute the sacrifice. The Angels were 1 for 1 in Stolen Base attempts while the Sox were 0 for 2. The Sox and

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1129011202609566312005-10-11T01:13:00.000-05:002005-10-11T01:23:02.310-05:00

You can’t ask for a much more favorable setup for the White Sox. They get an opponent that is tired and drained, and maybe a little hung over. The opponent’s star pitcher has injured his arm. The Sox are rested and have their own starting pitching set up just the way they want. And, they have home field advantage.So why do I feel so uneasy? I think it’s because now it seems like the Sox are

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1128731214889852442005-10-07T19:26:00.000-05:002005-10-07T19:32:23.466-05:00

El Duque for President !! What an incredible pitching performance by Orlando Hernandez. It was another outstanding move by Ozzie Guillen, putting him on the playoff roster so that he could bring him in, in just such a spot.The sixth inning of this game was one that real baseball fans are going to remember for a long time. In the top of the inning, Paul Konerko hit a two run homer to give the

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1128566768249711682005-10-05T21:45:00.000-05:002005-10-05T21:49:04.836-05:00

This game was a typical White Sox one-run nail-biter. I couldn’t relax until Konerko gloved the last out. Even then I’m thinking “Are we sure that there are 3 outs?”I know I’m in the minority, but I’m not a huge fan of Bobby Jenks. I know that Ozzie loves him, but there’s not enough movement on his fastball, IMHO. He’s been hit hard a few times and I was afraid that the Red Sox would just sit

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1128549581696180782005-10-05T16:47:00.000-05:002005-10-05T16:59:41.710-05:00

In an earlier posting, I wondered why there is such national disagreement as to what the United States Constitution means and what the role of the Supreme Court is in our government. It just seems very odd to me that the meaning of the Constitution, a document which is discussed in Civics, US History and Political Science classes all across the country and to which every elected Federal Office

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1128491507909700892005-10-04T22:52:00.000-05:002005-10-05T00:55:54.626-05:00

By an odd quirk of the calendar, the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah and the Islamic holiday of Ramadan began at nearly the same time this year.I wish all of my Jewish and Islamic friends a most joyous holiday season.L'Shana Tova and Ramadan Mubarak!

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1128472301845970012005-10-04T19:28:00.000-05:002005-10-04T20:28:19.270-05:00

What a sweet, sweet way to start the series! One monkey, not having won a home playoff game since 1959, is now off their back. A second monkey, never having won a playoff game at US Cellular field, is now also off their back.This game showed the White Sox of the first half of the season. Solid pitching, solid defense and clutch hitting. Of course in today's case, the clutch hitting was all

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10586920.post-1128398870209608542005-10-03T22:18:00.000-05:002005-10-03T23:21:20.140-05:00

Reiko recently emailed an update as to what is going on with her and the MEDCAP team as well as several pictures (98, to be exact). You can view all of the pictures at Shutterfly, but I’ve included a few in this post. Her latest email follows the pictures.Sign on MEDCAP buildingLines of people waiting for MEDCAP treatmentEveryone gets screened going in - women, tooMother and child awaiting

Hackernoreply@blogger.com0