Tag: stupid is as stupid does

Michael Reagan (no relation to President Reagan). Vietnam Combat Veteran, portrait artist, a man with a mission, and not from any of us.

Two scriptural references came to mind as I watched the video of Michael speaking at the 7th of February Rotary International meeting in Seattle. Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (NLT) and Romans 8:28-29: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.” (NLT)

Here is a story of a man, who, a few years ago, retired from his business in order that he could draw portraits of those who have fallen in the GWoT. Why? Watch the video, he explains it best. He didn’t know why at first, but the message seems to have been clarified now in the 550 (as of the morning of 2/7/2007) portraits he has completed. 2 a day and he is very good at what he does.

Humble, too (watch the video).If you haven’t watched the video yet, here’s a teaser as to how he got started on this path”

“I found myself coming back from Vietnam, and I had a hard time for a few years just being able to feel. Took a lot of work by a lot of my friends, my wife, and a lot of people who loved me to allow me to reach this stage, where I could actually feel.

“Evening Magazine two years ago decided to do a little piece on all the celebrity portraits that I had done. We did a little five minute piece, it was called “Miller Time”…

“At the end of it, I said something to John Miller. I said, “You know, I’ve drawn the Pope, six presidents, and 137 Playboy playmates.” John said to me, he said, “I guess that about does it all for you.” And I said “Yep. That was it.”

“That piece made it into the Evening Magazine piece. I believe that piece is why then – the next day it was distributed around the country – I believe that that comment is why I’m standing up here today.

“Two days after that piece aired across the country I got a call from a young woman in Boise, Idaho. Her name was Cherice Johnson. She said to me, “How much would you charge me to do a portrait of my husband?”

Not so strange to me any more, that people “back into” such callings, not even realizing at the time, how their life has prepared them for such a time as this. This is but one more story, full of an invisible design for the life of Michael Reagan.

Micheal has set up the Fallen Heros Project as a non-profit organization. Donations can be made to support him in his work.Thank God for a man of such talent to bring solace to the families who have paid the price of freedom for many, our citizens and others of the world.Please pass the story along, it’s one worth reading.H/T: Mudville Gazette

Crossposted from Chaotic Synaptic Activity

Also known as “I do these stupid things so you don’t have to”–*heh* Or, “playing with Ubuntu/WinXP/Freespire” (I can always play with my Puppy w/o bothering with an installation :-))

Well, for a number of years, I’ve dabbled with Linux. Installed and used more than just “many” distros on some few machines. Kept it on a router/firewall (where it works very, very nicely). I’ve been pleased with the way Linux distros of various flavors have developed and become more and more “Aunt Tilly” friendly as well as more and more robust and flexible.

Continue reading “Just for fun”

Just in time for Valentine’s Day: An archaeological find has unearthed what appears to be a 5,000 to 6,000-year-old burial of a man and woman embracing each other.

Not exactly what I had in mind when I pledged my eternal love to my Wonder Woman.

😉

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Trackposted to Outside the Beltway, Wake Up America, Rightlinx, Right Celebrity, Faultline USA, Maggie’s Notebook, Blue Star Chronicles, Stuck On Stupid, The Pink Flamingo, Renaissance Blogger, Dumb Ox Daily News, Right Voices, and Conservative Thoughts, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

…or even just folks with better things to do than spend time running one standalone program after another.

[Nothing profound or particularly newsworthy. This is just another timesaving post from my slush drafts pile. I’ve been using/informally testing the iObit product referenced below for a couple of months and find it very useful myself, now.]

Here’s the deal: like it, love it, indifferent or hate it, Windows is here to stay for a while on most folks’ desktops. And it’s the target of choice, for many reasons, for malware of all kinds. In addition, Windows installations “cruft up” something fierce after only a few days or at most weeks of use and become, if not unusable, at the very least less than optimally-configured as a result.

What to do? Well, since converting to Linux is still out for most ordinary users (in spite of the “Aunt Tilly” friendliness of some recent distros) and switching to Mac OS X(.xx) is just trading for a different straightjacket–one that is apparently safer in part because it’s a more restrictive straightjacket–then maintaining a relatively cruft free and malware free Windows install is pretty much necessary. Until recently, that’s meant using several different products to achieve that goal, something that can be daunting or simply too time-consuming for folks who just want to get their web cruising, media management and document creation done.

Sure, Symantec and others have touted their integrated security and computer management/cleanup products for some time, but none of the “big boys'” products have appealed to me to the degree that I’d recommend them to clients. In particular, all of them, including the new Microsoft Onecare, have had serious flaws in execution or feature set that have made them “no deals” for me, and what I cannot justify for my own use, I cannot recommend to others.

Recently, however, I’ve found a product that, while lacking a software firewall and anti-virus, has most of the other features I have recommended several standalone products to fulfill, and fulfills those features quite well. That’s at least a step in the right direction for lazy–or just busy–folks who just cannot make the time to run several different computer management/anti-malware apps every day.

That’s a pic of Advanced Windows Care2 (PE) in action. (Yeh, I’ve blanked out any even vague identifiers that might peg which machine I was running it on. :-)) I’ve run it and several different apps that perform the same functions in comparison runs and had surprisingly similar results. With Adaware SE Personal and Spybot Search and Destroy scanning for spyware and startup issues, Fixit Utilities 5 scanning for registry errors and cruft files, for example, I found pretty much the same issues that Advanced Windows Onecare2 (PE) found with a one click, one pass effort. The general Windows and network optimizing suggestions were icing on the cake.

For disk defragging, personal firewall and anti-virus protection I’ll still have to continue to recommend (mostly) separate applications, but for those who find running multiple apps to scan for registry errors, spyware and other security issues to be a pain, I feel conmfortable recommending IObit’s Advanced Windows Onecare, now. The “Personal Edition” is even free for home/private use.

[Note: iObit now offers a pretty decent lil defragger, too. And what the heck, if you do download it, tell ’em I sent you. If asked (and I don’t know that iObit will ask) use mnmus@thirdworldcounty.us as a reference, if you will. Yeh, iObit might give me a license to the “Pro” version. “Might” being the operative word. If they don’t, I’d still recommend it for “lazy” or too-busy Windows users.]

Trackposted to Perri Nelson’s Website, Adam’s Blog, The World According to Carl, basil’s blog, Blue Star Chronicles, The Right Nation, Pirate’s Cove, Cao’s Blog, Phastidio.net, The Bullwinkle Blog, Jo’s Cafe, Conservative Cat, Pursuing Holiness, and Right Voices, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

Continue reading “Lazy Blogger’s Post: Windows Optimizing for Lazy People…”

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Trees

I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in Summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.
– Joyce Kilmer

1.) Shade–Spring and Summer only for deciduous

2.) Raking leaves… or not (if you’re lucky, your neighbor will rake your leaves. *heh*)

3.) Mimosas are pest trees and should be (ex)terminated with extreme prejudice

4.) They are also extremely hard to kill off (#$^%&!)

5.) Oaks love to throw their acrons at metal roofs. No, really.

6.) Growing your own walnuts, pecans, etc., from “seed” is so easy squirrels do it.

7.) The Boys don’t seem to be able to learn this simple fact: trees do NOT bark; bark grows on trees. (Yeh, it’s a theme this week: the link’s to a post discussing how my son’s dogs behave when inside. Theme? It ties to border control.)

8.) Trees moderate more than their immediate environment, but oh! how I appreciate the way they moderate their immediate environment with shade (even in winter–the spindly shade offered by bare limbs is visually appealing), cleansing of the air and expiration of cooling moisture in the summer.

9.) Who doesn’t enjoy the sound of lkeaves whispering in a breeze?

10.) Or feel a pang of aprehension when large limbs overhanging–or near–the house begin to creak and pop in high winds?

11.) Ever heard the sounds of multiple tree limbs and branches cracking or even exploding in sudden deep freezing weather? It can sound like semi-auto gunfire when a forested area begins to go.

12.) And limbs brought down by severe weather? Do you know how heavy a mere 20′ limb with a 12′ base cross section is? Do NOT try to move the thing without cutting it down to manageable size… and maybe even then use a tow vehicle for some… (Yes, that’s a note to self :-))

13.) Sawing “lumber” can lead to extensive and deeply sawn “ZZZzzzzs”. Especially for sit-on-one’s-can compgeeky dudes.

So, not “about trees” so much as “a non-exhaustive, random list about how I view trees”. 🙂

Trackposted at the Thursday Thirteen Hub

See Heidi’s post at Euphoric Reality:

“DHS Inspectors Admittedly LIED to Congress About Border Patrol Case”

Did anyone really expect the facts to be otherwise?

(Thanks for the tip via email, Heidi)

Read Heidi’s post, then consider the lil tidbit I included in my own mailout referring to this travesty of justice (too bad that phrase has become trite; this is the mind of case it fits perfectly *sigh*):

It’s one of the best recent examples of what Samuel Francis called “anarcho-tyranny”–see:

Synthesizing Tyranny

The nut of the article (at least as far as this example is concerned):

“What we have in this country today, then, is both anarchy (the failure of the state to enforce the laws) and, at the same time, tyranny—the enforcement of laws by the state for oppressive purposes…

…What really drives the system is the revolution of our time, the internal onslaught against traditional identities and values that is usually termed the “culture war.” When we think about which laws are enforced and which are not, this becomes clear.

The state today is perfectly capable of enforcing laws against illegal immigration and catching and deporting the illegals who are already here. It is also entirely capable of catching and imprisoning or executing the killers, rapists, and robbers who continue to haunt our streets and neighborhoods, just as it is entirely capable of catching speeders and red-light runners. The conventional conservative explanation of such “failures” on the part of the state, as the result of “weakness of will” or something, does not wash. The state and those who control it clearly have the will to enforce those laws they wish to enforce. The state does not “fail” to enforce the rest; it has no intention of enforcing them nor any desire to do so.

Anarcho-tyranny is entirely deliberate, a calculated transformation of the function of the state from one committed to protecting the law-abiding citizenry to a state that treats the law-abiding citizen as, at best, a social pathology and, at worst, an enemy. Having captured the state apparatus, the anarcho-tyrants are the real hegemonic class in contemporary society, and their function is to formulate and construct the new “culture” of the new order they envision, a culture that rejects as repressive and pathological the traditional culture and civilization.”

Were this sort of behavior present for the Founders to have noted, if would have been included in the “long train of abuses” noted in the Declaration of Independence. In fact, many of the abuses noted in that document seem eerily familiar nowadays…

Again, call your congresscritters and the White House. TRY to be polite (in spite of the fact that few politicians *spit* are due any respect at all, and their functionary shields due no more), SIGN THE PETITION and recruit your friends, aquiantances and strangers on the street to do the same. *heh*

Open Trackbacks Alliance post. More below.

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Have a few more than usual “Error loading page” or “Server not available” messages yesterday? If you’ve been paying attention, you already know that on Tuesday, 3 of the 13 root servers for the internet were “downed” yesterday by attacks apparently originating from South Korea (couldn’t have been North Korea: They don’t have enough electricity there to provide water pressure for toilet flushes… ).

Welcome to our own lil Brave New World.

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Once again, listing to starboard (but not taking on water :-)).

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From my starbooard-listing cruise around the web in the last week or so…

OK, this first item isn’t Right-leaning, but it is so, so very… right, anyway:

Super Kernel Sunday score: Linux 2.6.20, Vista 1.0

*heh*

More seriously, follow the ongoing saga of Traitors to Truth, Justice and The American Way (that is, the Federal Government) vs. The Border Patrol.

The American Iraq: Not the stuff of glory, but with a power and legitimacy all its own.. Not the way I’d play it, but not lacking in some valid insight, either.

Over at TMH’s Bacon Bits, Bergbikr has a list of climtate-awareness links that would benefit any person interested in honest discussion of climate change. Considering the matter generously, that leaves out 99.99999% of the Left, of course.

Nuclear Communist Islamofascism. It’s always worth your time to read Alexanfra’s thoughts.

Sheering the sheeple, having the woll made into blindfolds (in third world country sweat shops, no doubt, the hypocrites) to use further blinding the sheeple: Dem Candidates Plan to Re-Route Evangelical Votes. Can’t say it ain’t so.

Yesterday’s Doozie of the Day: Ray Hinds @ Woman Honor Thyself. Said said Ray, ““I don’t think it’s important what I think… ” Indeed. So? be a man of your word and shut up, Ray.

Lt. Col. Rick Francona points out some simple little things about the case of Lt. Ehren Watada that the Left wants excised from society, let alone military service. Little things like duty, honor, committment, responsibility. You know, adult behavior. h.t. Rhiel World View.

Neo-Victorian Prudes of the Airways Unite!. Dumbasses. The stewardess and airline in the situation, not the parents. read it and blow a gasket.

Who knew closeminded, dogmatic Medieval Scholasticism was making a comeback? To everything there is a season…

President Bush’s laxness on border control The war against the west (4) The Londonistan of today is our future if we do not radically change course.

And Carol Platt Liebau: Bring on the Debate

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Trackposted to Outside the Beltway, Perri Nelson’s Website, The Random Yak, Big Dog’s Weblog, Adam’s Blog, basil’s blog, Maggie’s Notebook, Common Folk Using Common Sense, The Bullwinkle Blog, Conservative Cat, Jo’s Cafe, Conservative Thoughts, Wake Up America, Right Celebrity, Faultline USA, stikNstein… has no mercy, Blue Star Chronicles, Pirate’s Cove, Planck’s Constant, Renaissance Blogger, Dumb Ox Daily News, and Right Voices, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

This from Heidi at Euphoric Reality

Border Patrol agent Ignacio Ramos was viciously assaulted in prison by five illegal aliens, where he is being held in general population! The assault occurred at 10:00pm Saturday night (Feb 3rd), apparently following the airing of America’s Most Wanted.

Now, that’s just the way to encourage the Border Patrol to do its job: gin up some fake charges against a couple of BP for doing their jobs, push ’em through a bent “justice” system (“bent” or “broken”?) and then house them in genpop and make sure any illegals there have free and apparently open access to assault them. That’ll be sure to encourage other BP agents to protect the border from invasions.

Not.

Which is exactly what the Bush administration, our wonderful congresscritters (for the most part) and Vicente Fox want.

President Bush, I’ll say it again: Climb down off Vicente Fox’s lap and pardon these guys. Heck, give ’em a medal for standing up to you and your ilk and doing the job you have refused to do: guard our borders–a job YOU are tasked with, and which you have steadfastly refused to do.

And you, dear reader: do the right thing yourself. Go Here. Sign the petition. Call the White House and your congresscritters. (Try to be polite, no matter what provocation you suffer at the hands of politicians’*spit* flappers and other obstructionists.) Then enlist 10 (or 50 or 100) folks from your addressbook to do the same.

It’s not just the Right thing to do; it’s the right thing to do.