Farewell, My Friend. I'll Tip One for You

It is a sad week around my place, as we had to say goodbye to our dear Shepherd/Chow mix Bingo. He was a playmate, friend and protector for 16 years. He watched over my wife when she was pregnant with both Angels and kept a keen eye on them until the end. When he was younger, we used to sit at the bar at the Gingerman in Austin and watch basketball together; him sitting in my lap and both of us enjoying some Anchor Porter. One night, my wife and I were sitting in a booth at the G-Man with Bingo and a Dallas-type young lady (you know what I mean) walked up and called Bingo "Sugar Biscuit". I thought my wife was going to go over the table for that one (I don't recall her having that kind of reaction for anyone flirting with me).

He will be missed.

I Love Fred Thompson

http://weaselzippers.us/2010/10/14/fred-thompson-on-book-being-thrown-at-obama-during-rally-he-ignored-it-must-have-thought-it-was-the-constitution/

My Hebrew Name:



Courtesy of My Hebrew Name

What Kind of Conservative Am I?

My Conservative Identity:

You are an Anti-government Gunslinger, also known as a libertarian conservative or Tea Partier. You believe in smaller government, states’ rights, gun rights, and that, as Reagan once said, "The nine most terrifying words in the English language are, ‘I’m from the government and I’m here to help.’"

Take the quiz at
About.com Political Humor

Business Trip

Just got back from a business trip to beautiful Rio Rancho NM. The pic sums it up nicely.

Duke Loves the Pipeline

On Sundays I try to take Duke for a walk along one of the pipelines near our house. Although we have leash-free parks in Austin, they are a bit of a drive and the pipeline areas work just as well. We have a big backyard but the way he runs around, you'd think he'd been in a crate all day. He casts around for scent, letting his nose lead the way. Sometimes, he takes a little side trip to investigate a particularly interesting smell and has to catch up with me.

Let me 'splain this to you so you understand...

People are angry that the US might protect its own borders, might make it harder to sneak into this country and, once here, to stay indefinitely.

Let me see if I correctly understand the thinking behind these protests.
Let's say I break into your house.
Let's say that when you discover me in your house, you insist that I leave.
But I say, 'No! I like it here. It's better than my house. I've made all the beds and washed the dishes and did the laundry and swept the floors. I've done all the things you don't like to do. I'm hard-working and honest (except for when I broke into your house).
According to the protesters:
You are Required to let me stay in your house
You are Required to feed me
You are Required to add me to your family's insurance plan
You are Required to Educate my kids
You are Required to Provide other benefits to me &to my family
My husband will do all of your yard work because he is also hard-working and honest. (except for that breaking in part).
If you try to call the police or force me out, I will call my friends who will picket your house carrying signs that proclaim my RIGHT to be there.
It's only fair, after all, because you have a nicer house than I do, and I'm just trying to better myself. I'm a hard-working and honest, person, except for well, you know, I did break into your house
And what a deal it is for me!!!
I live in your house, contributing only a fraction of the cost of my keep, and there is nothing you can do about it without being accused of cold, uncaring, selfish, prejudiced, and bigoted behavior.
Oh yeah, and I DEMAND that you learn MY LANGUAGE!!! so that you can communicate with me.

Why can't people see how ridiculous this is?!

Searching...

President Obama is searching for asses to kick where OJ was searching for the real killer...on the golf course.

Send in the Nerds

iPhone 4 shipping today. Lines around the block.

NJ Governor Chris Christie Gets It

Gene Simmons Simply Gets It

Just for the Record...

Created by Oatmeal

Botan Rice Candy

When I was growing up in Santa Monica CA in the 70's, my family used to go to downtown LA and visit Little Tokyo. It is a Japanese community with a temple, shops and traditional Japanese restaurants. One of the highlights of those visits was going to the Japanese toy stores. They had tons of cars, wind-up robots that shot out sparks and cool origami paper. They also carried Botan Rice Candy.
Botan is a slightly sticky, orange-flavored candy with two wrappers. The outside wrapper is plastic but the inside wrapper is made from clear rice paper. It looks like plastic but dissolves in your mouth. Each box used to come with a tiny plastic toy (like a car or plane) but now come with stickers. During our recent trip to DisneyWorld, my family and I visited the Mitsukoshi Department Store in the Japanese Pavilion at EPCOT. After looking around for a bit, I saw that they had Botan and bought a couple of boxes. The candy was a hit with the girls once they got past the weird texture of the rice paper. They pretty much finished both boxes on the spot. I can get Botan in Austin but it felt a little different buying it at Mitsukoshi.

Nice Hat!

Disneyworld Traveler

The little angel and I flew to Orlando last week to support the big angel's band trip to Disneyworld. We flew Southwest instead of JetBlue with the band. A great time was had by all.

Meet Murray

I have other four-legged members of my family besides Duke. This is Murray...say Hello, Murray.
Murray seems to be intent on scaring my wife to death. The other night, he was poised on the back of a chair in our living room, waiting for her to come into the darkened room (he might have even turned out the light...I'm not sure). When she walked by, he reached out and touched her with his paw. She apparently screamed like Bill Mahr on This Week with George Stephawhatshisname (see previous post).
Today she sent me this pic of Murray lying in wait atop the refrigerator, ready to POUNCE (cue dramatic music) down on her. This is the same cat who lays on the stairs in the dark, trying to trip the unwary.

Bill Mahr Gets Schooled by George Will

I cannot fathom WTF Bill Mahr was doing on This Week on ABC but he popped off with a few trite lefty-isms and got spanked by George Will. Mahr isn't qualified to appear on the Disney Channel, let alone a political roundtable. See the whuppin' here-
http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/bschaeffer/2010/05/03/george-will-skewers-bill-maher/

Working From Home

My daughter is sick, so I am telecommuting today. She says " Isn't it great that you can work from home? You have a TV and a refrigerator". This is true but I really don't need to spend time with either one. I do like having my personal assistant to guard me, though. I think he's chasing the bunny now...

Random Acts of Patriotism: Now the NRA Bans Guns

Wow!
No guns allowed at the NRA Convention? Someone needs to pick better venues.
Random Acts of Patriotism: Now the NRA Bans Guns

A Little Thing for Someone with Big Feet

As the blog name implies, I'm not a small guy. For years, I wore a size 13 shoe (even as a yoot). About 10 years ago, my feet were no longer able to be contained in triskaidekian footwear. Apparently feet, as well as noses and ears, continue to grow as we age. I am now a size 14, which makes shoe shopping difficult on good days.
Friday evening I was out with the fam and suggested that we stop into Famous Footwear in Sunset Valley to look for some sandals for our upcoming Disneyworld trip. I saw some that I liked but they didn't have 14's. They scanned the bar-code on the box and found a pair at another location near my office. While that were doing that, I wandered over to the clearance (Clarence) rack and found a pair of New Balance cross trainers in my size. SCORE!! And those babies set me back 50....dimes. Five Bucks? Are you kiddin' me? That's less than they paid the kid to stitch them together.
Famous Footwear, You Rock!!

Baaaaaaah

See all the sheeple...

For All You Knuckleheads

Everyone came to this country from somewhere else. Most of our ancestors came through Ellis Island in New York. They were documented by immigration officials, tested for communicable diseases and in many cases, had their names changed to something more "American". Most of those immigrants worked hard and prospered; driving the economic engine that made this country great rather than becoming a burden our great society.
Let's be perfectly clear, the Arizona law addresses ILLEGAL immigration. It codifies under state law that which already exists under (currently unenforced) federal immigration laws. If the federal government is unwilling to enforce its own laws and protect its citizens, then it is incumbent upon the administration of the State of Arizona to do so.
I am planning to enjoy my vacation in Arizona this summer and will now make a point of visiting their State Capitol so that I can tell my daughters that THIS is where Governor Jan Brewer and the legislators of Arizona had the guts to say "Enough is enough".
BTW- God Bless Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio for his tireless efforts on this front also.

Duke says...

Mom, I really love you...and those Cheetos.

Turnabout

Am I the only one that sees the abject failure of the Obama administration to deal with the catastrophic oil spill in the Gulf? I think that they are intentionally withholding resources to:
a) Further scapegoat the oil companies
b) Embarrass the Republican Governor of Louisiana, Bobby Jindal
c) Leverage the "crisis" to pass more restrictive environmental controls

Just sayin'...

Just For the Record...

I have NO intention of boycotting tequila.

Austin Update

It was announced last night that APD Chief Art Acevedo would not be taking the Chief's job in Dallas PD. This is sad, as we will no doubt be subjected to more nanny state (and fourth amendment violating) policies like mandatory blood draws for alleged DUI's.

It was also reported that Gov. Rick Perry shot a coyote with his legally licensed concealed Ruger .380 back in February. The coyote was apparently about to attack the governor's puppy.
BTW-His hair was perfect.
Way to go, Governor Perry!!

shayna punim

What a face...

Pretty Flower

I can’t believe the technology required to do this.

Duke

This is my buddy Duke. I'll talk about him from time to time and I figure you should get to know him before I do. Duke, this is everybody; everybody, this is Duke.

Am I Too Tall?

The name of my blog is sort of a rhetorical, chicken and egg sort of question...at 6'8", I consider myself sort of average height. It's only when I'm around so-called normal sized people that the disparity becomes clear. One of my old bosses referred to me as "circus tall", which still cracks me up.

Dragged Kicking and Screaming...

I use the interwebs every day for work and more and Lord knows I follow enough blogs myself but I never thought to create one of my own. But, here we go...the mutterings of a soon-to-be middle aged man in Texas.