More on the Middle East

In order to increase my "right-wing" bona fides, I give you this. Money quote:

...as much as we have wanted to believe otherwise, they have no interest in building their [Arab] homeland. They only care about destroying ours.

This is what the West must get through its thick, drug-addled, sitcom-addicted brain. The Arab world's collective goal is the extermination of the state of Israel and as many Jews as they can get in the process. There are no "moderate" Arab governments; every last one gives some combination of money, weapons, training, and safe haven to Arab terrorists.

Either we accept that reality, or be prepared to see mushroom clouds in the middle east.

Life is a Beach

When the Huygens probe landed on Titan, initial images suggested a rocky beach on the shore of a hydrocarbon lake, but later analysis showed that to not be the case. Now it looks like Cassini has picked up radar images of what looks a lot like lakes in the north polar region of Titan. If this pans out, it would be sweet: the only off-Earth lakefront property in the solar system. The climate is a bit chilly, and it is a lake of methane and/or ethane, but if you want to get away from the crowds....

My Job

Everyday, I find myself falling further into Wally-land:

Traverse City Beach Bums

Ric and I went to our first TC Beach Bums game last night. This was the first minor league baseball game I've been to. It was kinda fun with ALL the goings on between innings -- wacky contests, yelling for free stuff, best dressed beach babe/guy, etc. The TC Beach Bums won the game 8 to 1. They ended the game for the night with a double play. What a way to end the game. Then the perfect way to end the night ---- FIREWORKS!!!!!

They were fabulous -- not just a couple small ones, but big ones and it lasted for awhile. They are like -- right in front of you! We were kicking ourselves for forgetting the camera in the car. Pictures would have been great ... we are planning to do another Friday Fireworks game nite and will definitely remember the camera. Who all wants to come with us?!

It is worth the $10 chairback seat admission -- even the $6 lawn admission isn't bad. No bad viewing area in the place. The stadium is great ... lots of food/drink vendors around the place. We didn't partake this time, but have heard the prices are reasonable. Some of the things walking by us certainly smelled delicious and the ice cream in the plastic ball caps were so cute. Suntan and Sunburn -- the mascots kept things hopping with their antics -- they are real crowd pleasers -- ready for that hug and handshake or picture at any time. The only thing to watch out for are the foul balls! One foul line drive looked like it injured somebody ... it was a few sections over from us, so we couldn't really see, but lots of commotion. Hopefully it wasn't too bad of an injury. That was the only line drive, the others were popped up in the air and caught or over the stadium roof to try to hit a car!

More on the Middle East War

Just because I think drive-by comment posts are so much fun, I thought I'd say a few words about the latest Middle East war.

1) The United States is obviously interested in increasing the numbers of "civilian" casualties on the Lebanese side. Israel's primary objective is to destroy Hezbollah's missiles and launchers. I know Bush just pulls stuff out of his posterior, but the rationale for one week as opposed to one day, or two weeks or six months or one year, would probably keep late-night hosts in material for several weeks. And once again, why is the pressure being put on Israel? Why not a one-week deadline on Lebanon to get control of its own territory, or we will green-light Israel to do it for them?

2) Once again, why is Israel under international pressure and not Syria or Iran? Why are they given some sort of get-out-of-jail-free card? I don't get this. Of course, I don't get a lot of things.

3) Hezbollah wants a ground war. Israel, being very wise in my opinion, is steadfastly refusing to give them one (in spite of the alarmist headline on the linked article). Make no mistake, Israel would eventually prevail assuming they were allowed to do what was necessary, which would likely be a scorched-earth policy. But right now, they have the limited and very defensible objective of eliminating the missiles that the blue-helmeted pussies were supposed to keep out of south Lebanon in the first place. Occupying Lebanese territory is diplomatically tricky, even while being perfectly logical.

Well, that's enough "hate filled" ranting for one day.

Attention for Attention Seekers

This is hilarious, largely because it is so spot on. The western world has invested billions in the technology that makes the internet possible, and what is its primary usage? Shaved apes playing "me too!"

Happenings

Hi Cyberworld! How is everyone out there?

This weekend went so-so. I was able to finish painting the closet in the master bedroom and start taping off the floor in the hallway to paint on the main floor. Ric and I went shopping Sat and got the paint to repaint the hallway white. This way whoever buys the house can chose their own colors. Easier to paint the hallway area back to white -- then to paint the whole other area the velvet beige that still isn't right! Finally found the hardware to go with the basement handrail -- so that is another project that needs to be done sometime. Ric and I did dinner then went to see the newest Pirates of the Caribbean. (Now we have to wait to see the third one!!!)

Sunday morning was not so good. I climbed up on some stacked wood in the garage to get some more chairs for a picnic we were having later and went BOOM! I'm still not sure if I stepped out of my sandal or misstepped or ..., but I fell off the wood and on the garage floor. I really hurt my ankle and right side -- knee/hip/arm. Somehow on the way down I got a long scratch on my back. Sunday I was in so much pain. I hobbled around most of the day. My ankle kept stiffening up -- I was almost ready to go get it xrayed. By Monday nite my ankle felt better, by this morning, the bruises are starting to come out!

Today I had a dentist appt (not my favorite activity) and then was suppose to have another counseling appt. Guess what?! She had to cancel, she was home sick with the flu. Maybe she and I just aren't suppose to be in counseling together?! She will have to call my back to see if she can find a 6p or after appt for me in the next week and a half -- her secretary didn't see anything that late.

After finished at the dentist and half my mouth still numb, I headed to TC to go shopping. I still can't find what I am looking for at any of the stores up here. I'm hoping when I'm down at my Mom's in August I can find some things in BR or Flint. I did find a couple things on sale, but not what I was looking for. I took in another movie .. Lake House .. it was a good chick flick.

Got a call yesterday that I need to go back in the end of this month to have my boobs squished again. They, of course, won't say if they saw something, or it just didn't turn out. All they told me is this is not unusual to have to come back for more. I will keep you posted how it goes, they are suppose to keep me there and read them and tell me the results that day.

Good few days with half.com book sales. Check out our link at the side if you haven't. Most books are 75cents each -- hardcover and paperbacks! I have a order from one person for 7 books. Thanks for the multiple orders ... you save on shipping that way and it gets rid of books faster for us.

I will be heading to Miami in August for a Carnival Executive FAM trip. I will be doing a few ship inspections and sales seminars. This is another step towards my ACC (Accredited Cruise Counselor) status. I still have about 5 cruises to book by the end of November and some classes to do and I'll be done. (Anybody want to book a cruise?!)

Some bloggers!

I really don't believe the anonymous blogger that left a message earlier. Why would you bother to hit the next blog to read somebody's blog and than leave a nasty comment anonymously? If you don't like what you read ... don't continue to read this and go on to the next blog! If you have something to say ... sign your name and where you are from! Don't hide under the anonymous name.

More on WWIII

Seeing as I am a member of a hate-filled family and to be pitied, I thought I would allow others to speak on the preliminaries to World War III:

From Kip Esquire:

Perhaps He Meant "Shi'ite"?
On the Israel-Lebanon Conflict

And the view from Jerry Pournelle, always worth listening to.

Now excuse me while I will go join my family and get busy hating everyone.

I'm Melting! I'm Melting!

Almost hit 100 degrees today. We did a family cookout for lunch (because the house was already 90 degrees, so we were not turning on the oven), and take-out pizza for dinner. I have consumed a gallon and a half of ice tea and am brewing up the next half-gallon as I type this. Tomorrow looks to be more of the same.

I call it conditioning for Arizona.

Middle East War

Some random thoughts on the current Middle East war:

1. It's has been 30 years since the Jews taught the Arabs who is boss. I don't expect Israel to stop until they have exacted the full measure of revenge. The Jews care not one whit what the cheese-eating surrender monkeys think, or what the wine-guzzling surrender monkeys think, or what the castrated bears think, or what the leaders of the country whose very name is synonymous with "queers" thinks. For thirty years they have put up with Arab cowards raking their children's' school buses with gun fire, blowing up pizzerias, and firing rockets into Jewish cities, all with the full acquiescence of the international "community" including the United States (who, you will recall, refused to allow Jews fleeing Nazi Germany admittance to these united states, thus aiding and abetting Hitler's attempt to exterminate all Jews; oh yes, Jews are, like the Kurds and others foolish enough to believe and act upon our promises, fully aware of what kind of "friend" the United States is). I expect to see Israel in control of large chunks of real estate when this is over.

2. Israel has a right to exist as a viable sovereign entity if for no other reason than the right of conquest. You take that away, and the existence of every political entity on earth is suspect. Indeed, the very existence of the human race becomes suspect, at least in Europe where Homo Sapiens Sapiens' genocidal campaign lead to the extinction of Homo Neanderthalis. Given that not one single human isn't where they are due to displacing someone else, just how far are the liberal yapping dogs willing to take a "right to return"? Why do I think that the line will be somewhere just shy of the point it begins to personally affect them? Israel has a right to exist. Israel has a right to do whatever is necessary to secure a place to exist in, including the outright massacre of "civilians." Given that there doesn't seem to be any such thing as a "rational Arab", the Jews are fully justified in their actions.

3. The news media seems to take great delight in recounting every Arab "civilian" death, yet never speaks in such shocked tones about the hundreds of rockets that continue to rain down on Jewish cities. The rockets are not targeting military installations, Jewish leaders, munition depots, or even infrastructure. Yet the international "community" says nothing. But the quee... uh, I mean Greeks think Israel's response is "excessive."

4. Don't forget about Iran and their nuclear ambitions. I guarantee Israel hasn't. If you need reminding, this was Israel's response the last time the sand niggers tried to build a nuke.

5. Don't forget that Israel has its own nukes. If the Western nations abandon Israel, expect to see Mecca turned into radioactive glass. I don't know how many nukes Israel has, but personally, if the UN (meaning the United States) won't allow Israel to have defensible borders, a mote of radioactive glass would make a decent substitute. Ask yourself; when is a wild animal at its most dangerous? If we truly don't want to see mushroom clouds over every major Arab city (and personally, I could live with that: I am as tired of the sand niggers in the middle east as I am of the other variety that inhabit our inner cities) then maybe the Western world should shift some of its political weight off of Israel's back and on to the Arab world. If Americans have become so historically illiterate that we don't know how to do that (and given our pathetic performance in Iraq, that "If" is completely rhetorical), I'm sure there are those in Britain that remember how India was transformed from literal savagery into a modern nation. I refer you once again to Rudyard Kipling. To be effective, an animal trainer must learn to "speak their language." Never mistake a middle-east Arab for a human; they are animals in need of training and we need to start speaking their language.

OK. Is there any ethnic or national groups that I haven't insulted and pissed off? If you feel left out, please feel free to leave a comment and I'll rectify the situation immediately.

Panic Attacks

I found this on another website when I googled depression. Just some FYI.

"Panic disorder often coexists with other disorders, especially depression and substance abuse. About 30% of people with panic disorder abuse alcohol and 17% abuse drugs, such as cocaine and marijuana. Resorting to drugs is an unsuccessful attempt to reduce the distress caused by their condition.

The exact causes of panic disorder are unknown, but heredity and stressful life events are likely to play an important role."

I know I've had panic attacks before ... mine were caused by "restrictive clothing" combined with a seatbelt...most of the time in a car, a couple times on a plane. Ric understands in the car when I start stripping, but other people really don't LOL. Usually if I can get my mind off the "feeling" I can calm back down ... I usually need somebody to just talk to me and try to focus my mind on something else. If you (you know who I'm talking to now) needs help, just call. I'll talk to you or drive over to be with you. Whatever I can do to help, I want to!

I'm feeling funky again tonite. I have to get out and do something. I tried Ric's cell and he didn't answer. The downpour has stopped, but it is SO muggy out. I don't want to try a bike ride, I'll probably be gasping for breath by the first hill.
Maybe I'll just drive to Mancelona and visit the DQ! That sound good ... more later

Take Down

Dr. Dino has run out of luck. Everyone from the local sheriffs department to the IRS have grown tired of his belief that the laws that govern everyone else somehow don't apply to him. I'm sure we'll see every church in America denouncing his unbiblical actions over the last 17 years. Totally confident. Any minute now.

Any minute....

Private Enterprise in Space

Everyone said Bigelow was nuts. Having had personal contact with him, I wasn't completely convinced they were wrong. But he did it. Within a couple decades, expect a Budget Suites in low earth orbit.

Bummer

Just got a call from our realtor. We thought we had somebody really interested in our place. He emailed over a dozen questions Ric had to answer and then finally looked through the house yesterday. He decided not to make an offer. His reasons he gave: 1) furthur away from his place in Detroit area than the others he is looking at 2) too much work to be done to finish up 3) doesn't like the solar/electric -- doesn't trust it? 4) didn't like the oil/gas drilling rights -- even after explained we have two already and won't get anymore drilled. Darn. Come on all you rich downstaters ... come on up and look .. make us an offer ... lots of land (100 acres - if you want it all), lots of deer for you hunters, lots of trees, and lots of quiet!

Another disappointment from first thing this morning. I drove all the way into TC for an appointment that nobody was at the office. This was a reschedule from the last appt she messed up and didn't put in her book. Luckily that day I had called earlier in day to verify what time that night the appt was....otherwise that would have been another wasted drive to TC. 45minute drive, gas, my time ... how much is that worth?

SQUISHED

Well...I had the priviledge today of having my first mammogram. It actually wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I agree with one ladies perspective ... rather have a mammogram than go to the dentist. I totally agree with that! I hate going to the dentist. Maybe I hate it since I have so many fillings and caps. (Remember to harvest the gold caps and fillings once I'm dead!)

I finally got my Doctor to do two things I've been asking about almost since I moved up here. I got him to order an EKG finally. Heart problems run on both sides of my family and it was suggested when my Dad died that us kids all get "base line EKGs" at that time. Of course, being the young stupid kids we were, I think we all blew it off. The second thing I got him to do was give me something to try for my restless leg syndrome. I want to do some research on it first, but willing to try it. Taking aspirin almost every night is bothering my stomach and starting to take more and more aspirin more often to help. Does anybody out there have any suggestions about restless leg syndrome? Before this time, the only things the doctors would tell me (besides it was all in my head) was to lose weight. This Dr today did tell me the same thing again! He didn't even congratulate me on losing the 30+ pounds I've lost so far....nice guy. Just said the RLS, acid reflux, stress, and depression could be solved by my losing weight! I am so tired of hearing this. Don't ASSUME all my problems are because of my weight. Yeah, some of it could be, but not all of it and not the only reason.

Traverse City's second annual film festival looks like it is off with a BIG BANG! Tickets went on sale July 7th. By the time we looked at things online Monday alot of shows were already sold out. The other bummer for me is I will be on a trip to Miami for the last weekend of the film festival. We are going to try to squeeze in one of the free "open space" movies in before I head out. I think it will be neat to sit outside and watch a movie.

Next week Ric and I hope to go see a Traverse City Beach Bums baseball game. I think I want to go on Friday night when I've heard they have fireworks after the game. I've never been to a minor league baseball game ... it should be fun.

Marriage Reno Style

Over the weekend, Scott Adams attended the perfect "guy wedding." I would love to see a study on the longevity of Reno weddings vs. "traditional" weddings. There would have to be some way of filtering out couples that are clearly inebriated to the point that they will have no recollection of getting married the next morning on the Reno side, and shotgun weddings on the "traditional" side, but I don't think that would be too difficult. Someone has to have done a study like this. I'm striking out on Google, but that may be a function of not using the right combination of terms.

Bob Seger

Everyone keep your eyes and ears open ... the rumor is Bob will be touring again. If you want to hear his radio interview from this week go to: http://www.segerbob.com/ and click on the Radio interview on 6/21/06 .. it will take you to a page that you can listen to that day or the July interview. Possibly in Sep or Oct for the tour!
AND YOU KNOW HE WILL DEFINITELY DO DETROIT!!!!

Let me know as soon as anyone hears anything definite. I want to get tickets! I"m hoping it is before mid October so it doesn't mess with our vacation and moving plans.

More news

Thank you to all my family and friends that care about me. I know what was written in the comments was your concern for me. I know it angered you to think I was thinking about suicide because of Ric. I AM DOING BETTER! The reason I went off the deep end was I had a chance to read some old stuff that brought up the mess again in a bad way. It felt like it was happening all over again and made me question what was really happening now. The things I read really hurt me and I hurt all over again with my heart breaking once again. (It was my choice to read it, knowing it was "old" thoughts/feelings/happenings.) I will be okay and thanks for the offers of places to go to try to get my head on straight and figure out what I want.

I do truly want to make my marriage work. I want it to be better than it has been in the past. We ARE working on it slowly. Like I was told, it didn't fall apart overnite, and it won't be fixed overnite.

We will be pulling out of Michigan in mid October. I pray that the house is sold before that, but if it isn't, we will winterize it and tell the realtor to keep trying to sell it. We both registered for the 5Nov workshop at Arcosanti. It lasts for five weeks. Then we will try to get jobs onsite first. If neither of us can get something ... we will wing it.

Tired

I am grateful for my Mom. Tonite I had to call her to just talk before I did something stupid to myself. I was starting to go crazy with thoughts of just ending it all. Between talking with my Mom and getting an email from a friend (yes, you Melissa!) I'm doing better. I am still wondering what to do with my life.

I am so tired. Tired of myself, the masks I wear, the spineless person I am, the low self esteem, the extremely jealous wife I usually am. I need help and the counselor I"m seeing doesn't seem to be helping me in the way I need. Again .. spineless person that I am .. can't say .. forget the marriage problems and lets work on ME! I WANT TO BE FIXED! With one mask I have on, I don't feel comfortable trying to tell what I really think/feel to one of my friends. I have so few friends, that I don't want to lose who I have. They are accepting me with my masks on -- even if one close friend is constantly chipping away at it. Sorry, I can't let it all go.

I am tired of the lies. The lies to me, the lies I tell, the lie I'm living at the moment. How do I know what to believe anymore????? What you tell me or what you write? One minute this happened, the next it didn't. No wonder I don't know up from down anymore. I feel like I'm just drifting along right now ... waiting for the ax to fall ... or somebody to pick me up, hold me and tell me it will all work out.

I am tired of not being strong enough to look inward and see what I FEEL. I've blocked my feelings for so long. I don't know how to be happy. What is happy? Why won't the person that is suppose to be the closest to me understand that I need help to overcome things that happened earlier in my life that may be the key to why I am the way I am. Like my counselor said, I try to be the quiet person, don't get noticed, maybe people will let me stay around them if I don't make any waves.

I'm tired of being locked inside of myself. I'm screaming to get out. I want to be HAPPY, I want a good life. I think I don't deserve to be happy. Why is that, you ask? I don't know ... I have refused to think about it and really decide why I believe that. I don't want to be the jealous b.... that my husband is tired of. I'm tired of that jealous person also. I hate her. I hate the destructive me. I'm tired of hurting the people that I love. I am sorry for all my family and friends that I've hurt with my words/actions. I don't mean it. I can't seem to help, but I want to stop and change. I need you to help me. Please?

I tired of not remembering everything. I know I block out alot of things. I've also heard or read that part of not remembering things is about having no emotions. I can believe that. I"m tired of someone not remembering the whole story...just the part they want to so they can justify what they are doing.

I am just so tired of everything tonite. I'm too chicken to end my life, but I certainly think about it. It would solve one or two of Ric's problems -- does he care? I think we are working towards a common goal -- I hope it is the same thing. I hope it is not all lies and another smokescreen.

Well...thanks for listening to my doom and gloom. Sorry if I hurt anybody with this, sorry if you don't want to be my friend anymore, I hope somebody understands this was a long time in coming. I still don't know what I really feel or want in everything. I still think I love you Ric, even with all that was done that hurt me.

Views of the Universe

A couple of illustrations that show the absurdity of our inflated sense of self-importance:

An Atlas of the Universe

The Size of our World

And I just realized that I have not posted anything to our Flickr account in months. I need to get on that this week.

Happy 4th of July

Cha-Ching!!

We would like to officially thank all those who gave up their hard-earned cash this weekend in exchange for junk from our storage room. If you missed out, don't despair! We will be selling more of our junk in the weeks and months to come as we continue our quest to eliminate the non-essential. If you are into efficiency, you can just send us money and we will throw a corresponding amount of junk into the landfill, thus bypassing several steps in the normal process.

(If no one has noticed, I'm not a big fan of garage and yard sales, although I have recently become a fan of the money I can part from various fools using the pretext of a yard sale.)