- Mood: relaxed
- Music: Anything with harmony!
It's been fun to once again, banter with folks on the Clintons forums these last few nights. They are almost as loony as the Clintons themselves. Yes, BNL, you dropped on the buzzbomb list. Besides, the neocons will always top the list, at least until they shut down this blog for anti government writing. Considering they are montioring our phone calls now, I would guess that some poor Governemnt flunky will be reading this within a few minutes of posting . My government has lost its ability to follow the Constitution so many brave Americans have give their lives to defend. Neocon is nothing more than fascism wrapped in a new, smelly package.
OK, enough ranting for the time being. What a blast for basketball fans as the Heat with rejected Shaq, have made the finals against the Mavs. Two different styles of play, classic up and down the floor b-ball by the Mavs versus pounding defense by the eastern Heat. After game one, I still think it's up for grabs as far as the title. We'll see. By the way, where is Kobe, I'm-too-big-for-the-game Bryant? Oh yeah, sittin' on his ass in LA. Yeah, Kobe , you're a real impact player. Let's see, Heat make the conference finals last year and the league finals this year. Kobe, where were you? Oh, that's right, you're such a great team leader that last year's version didn't even MAKE the playoffs and this year's version choked in game seven of the first round. Kobe, you still suck. Your arrogance and lack of real maturity and understanding of human relations far exceed what is clearly some excellent basketball talent. Have fun watching Shaq in the finals.
The World Cup has gotten off to a great start in Duetschland this weekend. Little Ecuador upset the Poles 2-0. Pretty cool to see the little guys beating the big guys. Just watching Argentina with their hands full with Ivory Coast now. I listened to some idiot on ESPN radio put down soccer and its premier event, the single largest sports tournament in the world this morning when there was nothing better to listen to. Typical American attitude. The rest of the world sucks and only our sports matter. Let's see, when you are the World Champions of American football you are playing a game that's played virtually only in the USA. Not that I'm knocking American football as it's fun to play and certainly fun to watch. But the Super Bowl champion is the World Champion? Hardly!! I guess the single most popular game worldwide doesn't merit much. It's just running up and down the field and kicking the ball. Sure, and birds flying is a real simple process, too. Funny how American companies figured out that this truly is a tournament followed in every country on the planet and they are willing to shell out hundreds of millions of our sadly inflated dollars to be an official sponsor. Must be something to it.
I know some American purists love to brag about basketball as our sport, but I'd point out that WE are NOT the reigning world champions in our own game-Argentina is. We didn't make the finals. When other countries send their top athletes to the World Cup, those are truly their top athletes. It is the honor of a lifetime for these guys to play in the WORLD CUP. Most of our best NBA guys stayed home and sat on their asses during the last FIBA World Basketball Championships. Yeah, we're number one. It's a big world and we are only a small part of it. Time for a bit of humility.
My last hat's off goes to the brilliant baseball player who has started the investigation concerning the use of Human Growth Hormone. If this proves to be a big problem with baseball, it is indeed a sad commentary on the ridiculous lengths we humans will go to in order to win. The use of HGH by adults, except in extremely unusual circumstances , is suicidal at worst, and insane at best. Great example to our young athletes. I look at the hoops we go through as educators and coaches to try to lead by example and stress the madness of using things like anabolic steroids and now HGH, and then see that this is possibly a widespread problem in MLB. The game I loved as a youth is quickly becoming a freak show and a joke. I'd swear at these idiots but it wouldn't do any good.
So, catch the Clintons when they come to your town and keep on spreading the joy their music brings those who hear it. I'm really looking forward to hearing them here in Casper next month. A lot of the locals are going to be there and they are in for a real treat. Be well and love one another.
- Mood: tired
- Music: Back in Black- gut wrenching rock at it's level best
Well, dudes and dudettes, it's been a long haul here in the windy plains and I'm exhausted from keeping middle schoolers from taking over the asylum for the last nine months. That and my least successful gnurling season came crashing to a halt a couple of weeks ago. UGH! So much effort and so little to show for it. I had a neat bunch of young people but we just couldn't put it together. Since I'm of the mind that as the majordomo or head coach, the buck stops with me, I don't feel like I did such a hot job. Well, it's good to be humbled now and then. Keeps one honest and hungry. One more week and school is over and I can begin to breathe for a few weeks-hooray!!
Well, what's new. Ah yes, Ken Lay and Jeff Skilling were convicted of multiple counts of fraud over the Enron meltdown. You two sons-of-bitches suck! They screwed tens of thousands of employees and investors out of monstrous sums of money. I hope those scum suckers get about 100 years each and get ot enjoy all the benefits of our wonderful correctional facilities. And to think that King George called him Kenny Boy. Hmm.
Looks like my old buddy, JMac and the boys have hit the road to try to spread the Clinton version of happiness. Hit 'em hard , boys. Just be careful with the "Box of Wine" song. Too much romance could throw the crowd into a total swoon!! I played that one for my brother while he was here for a short visit and he almost fell out of his chair laughing. Johnny boy, you are one sick dude.
Caught the "Da Vinci Code" the other day. I haven't read the book but I enjoyed the premise of the story. Not that I believe a word of it, but I did enjoy it. The few under 20s I saw in the theater probably didn't get half of the ideas behind the plot. Definitely not a family movie but worth the time and dough IMHO.
Well, I'm hoping to get up to Bozeman in July for the first Music on Main show featuring the Clintons. I hope to finally meet some of the forum members there as well. The Forums are sure a hoot.
My buzzbomb goes to .... why Kenny and Jeffy, the Enron Thieves. Enjoy your prison time. Don't worry, you've had plenty of sex screwing the thousands you lied to so I'm sure you'll be satisfied for a long time. I'll rip the neo-cons next time. They still suck, too.
Be well.
The Buzzinator
- Mood: stressed and cranky!
- Music: Dixie Chicks- the seventh time is enough!
Yes, the buzzinator is still alive behind the sagebrush curtain. Unfortunately I'm busier than a one-armed paper hanger in a 40 room mansion. Not only that, but I mysteriously lost every bookmark setting on my Netscape the other night so I'm slowly rebuilding the library.
I'm in the middle of "gnurling " season at the moment and it's been a bumpy up and down ride so far. Great kids, lots of mistakes, moments of brilliance, and lots of surprises. I do this for the fun of it.
Currently I can't get the Dixie Chicks to shut up on my Netscape. Levi, you weasel, I blame you for this. I checked out their site and this is what I get. Non-stop Dixie Chicks!! Still, I admire their guts.
Bush is an idiot, and Rumsfeld is the asshole we've alway known he was. The reason so many former generals are calling for his ouster is the insane saber rattling about Iran. Hate to say it but I told you so. Gas near $3.00 back east and oil supplies tighter than ever. Yeah, Iraq was about WMD!! What bullshit. It was about oil but the neo nitwits in Washington couldn't figure out that we weren't going to be hailed as anything but conquerors. Dumbasses, all of them. Rove is Himmler in a different guise- master of propaganda who panders to the rich. These people are hell bent on making the rich richer and making the rest of the world pay for our greed.
Enough ranting. I'm beat. Rest assured, the buzzinator will be back. For a bunch of interesting reading try theoildrum.com
This computer is tripping at an all time rate of insanity. Gotta get the hell outta here and get some shut eye. I think of many of you who read my rantings. Love one another
- Mood: feisty
- Music: free ride (in a cop car) - The Clintons
Greetings to the faithful few who peruse this blog for some light entertainment. I haven't ranted in a while because I'm buried at work and gnurling season is almost upon us so I've spent some of my extra time preparing for that. Being a high school coach is a ton of work but I love it. In much of my free time, I spend it in front of a Nintendo 64 being absolutely dusted by my grandson, Ichabod. Ikky, as we endearingly call him, has mastered several of the games for the N64 especially Diddy Kong. The kid is a whiz. I know you Halo experts scoff at such amateurish video games but I have neither the time nor the patience to invest much energy in learning them. Must be a sign of advancing age. JMac stopped by for a visit last week as part of his whirlwind adventure to the FROZEN Rockies and got in some time on the N64. I heard that Ikky gave him a huge run for his money.
While JMac was here I was privilieged to hear five of his absolutely brand-new, out of the box tunes. Some great work their, laddy. That hippy (OK, ex-hippy) old man of yours is really gonna like them when he hears them. Clintons fans, I assure you that the next generation of Clintons Band music will keep your toes tappin' and your hands clappin'.
JMac was in town for the wedding of long-time friend Andrea Nielsen to Shawn Trout. Nice wedding, light hearted as the deacon leading the service was really cool and brought a true sense of joy to the celebration. JMac played a rather stirring rendition of "Come with Me" during the service and I found myself tapping along to the music. Damn fine work there, boy!! Problem was when we left the church around 7:45 it was -14 degrees outside. $$$$$$$$$ that's too cold anytime. We broke two low temp records last weekend to finish off a fine 14 inches of snow around town. The old tipi was definitiely buried by the blizzard as was most of the town. To the newlyweds, I send my best wishes for a happy life and to the musician I send an attaboy for playing so well. Hell, maybe that guy John whatshisname can play and sing, ya know?
What is it about weddings and bitter cold? Dan and Abby's wedding in December was almost as cold as we hung around -15ªF that night too. No more weddings until summer. I forbid it.
OK, so my buddy BNL misses my rants. Hmmmm. Who should get the buzzbomb from the buzzinator? Cheney- too easy. Not only can he not read intelligence intelligently but he can't shoot straight. For those of you outside of the Sagebrush Curtain aka Wyoming, none other than former U.S. Senator Alan "Foot in Mouth" Simpson rushed to Prince Richard's defense saying he'd hunted with Cheney before and he would gladly do it again. Alan please do. Then some of us who do not follow the "true" party line might not have to listen to your garbage.
So, who else? Bush? The original King George the IV? Way too easy. I saw something on someone elses' blog as I was cruising the peak oil/resource sites on the web. I'll try to quote it as closely as I can. " In England they accept the monarchy as part of the culture and support it. In America, we deny the existence of the monarchy and then elect the monarch president." My apologies to whomever quoted that directly. I thought that message had too much truth in it for me.
I guess I'll just comment on the attack today on the Saudi Oil depot/refining complex at Ab'qaiq or some such spelling. That, my friends, is the largest single refining complex on planet Earth. It processes approximately 5 MILLION barrels of oil a day. Figure 42 gallons per barrel and you can see that's a lot of oil and grease. Terrorists, especially Al Qaida, would love to dump the Saudi royal family in the Persian Gulf with cement overshoes and I suspect this attack won't be the first. Remember those crazed dogs tried to bomb the World Trade Center in '93? They didn't give up , did they. If Al Qaida hates the west and the Saudi royal family as much as I think they do, disrupting the flow of processed oil from this facility would bring the world economy to its knees in weeks and totally disgrace the House of Saud. No buzzbomb here, just some facts as I understand them with my own take on it all. The world oil business is producing around 84 million barrels of oil a day with virtually no slack. If one major producer goes down, even for awhile like the Gulf of Mexico producers did last August, the market gets tighter and prices go up. Take several million barrels out in one fell swoop and the world economy would howl in pain and prices would skyrocket. rvive as a nation that means anything to the rest of the world. The oilfield, Ghawar, that feeds the Ab'qaiq petrocomplex, is the single largest in the world. There are no fields anywhere close to producing what that one field produces. That field is old and getting older. The Saudis reassure the world that Ghawar will continue to produce three+million barrels of oil a day for decades to come? Really?? I read an interesting and highly technical book by Matthew Simmons, a long-time oil industry investment banker that questions the reliablilty of Saudi production figures. If you have the time and interest it's entitled " Twilight in the Desert- The coming Saudi Oil Shock and the World Economy" It's quite an interesting read about the world of oil and the mix of politics that have made that black goo so valuable and also so incredibly corrupting to humans.
Bottom line, rely on those guys to tell the truth and you're liable to get your peepee whacked when you least expect it. My bottom line is that the USA will remain involved in the Middle East because of oil, not democracy, not nukular ( how the hell does cracker boy Bush come up with that pronunciation?) weapons or anything else. It's oil and it's been about oil for over fifty years. We are oil junkies. Yes, GWB got that right. Calling for us to cut our dependence on Middle East oil by what was it, 30% or so in the next twenty years? His piddly ass program isn't going to get it done, that's for sure. He is unwilling to invest the needed dollars in true energy reform for this great country because his cronies, the lily white, rich, neocons ( nothing conservative about them really) won't get rich enough. We need a Manhattan Project type mentality to find a variety of solutions to meet the true needs of our people if we are going to survive as a nation that means something to the rest of the world.
I really don't like the bad news I seem to rant about here but the SOB's in charge in Warshington ( how the hell do some people fit an 'r' in Washington anyway?) are not about to tell you the truth. If they'd face the truth about our severe energy problems that will likely become full-blown long-term no way out crises in the coming years ( dudes I'm old but I expect to see the shit hit the fan long before I'm hauled out on a slab) we'd stand a chance of avoiding what could make the 1930s look like fun. We're being fed a load of bullshit about the Middle East and frankly, many of you late twenty somethings are still draft eligible which doesn't make me too happy as I add up the numbers. It's (our foreign policy and our instiable need to drive something anywhere and everywhere) about, and will remain about oil and natural gas. C'mon folks, $15 billion for a new pipeline to bring natural gas from Alaska's North Slope to Chicago. That's some incredibly serious money and goes to show you how much money and energy we must invest to keep up the status quo. We gotta find new ways that don't beat the shit out of our home planet. Bush ain't the guy to support those new ways. Kinda like the captain of the Titanic.
Truly I wish you all God's peace. In these absolutely crazy times, seek the truth in Jesus Christ, serve one another and "be excellent to each other".
- Mood: Irritated
- Music: Big and Rich- Comin' to Your City
Well, we're two weeks into the New Year and already the world of geopolitics, sports and a whole lot more are heating up.
Let's start with football. Indy lost! I never would've figured and my faithful readers may remember just a few weeks ago I predicted Indy for the Super Salad Bowl. I'm sorry folks, but Super Bowl sounds so ridiculous. Anyway, Indy got tossed like a salad even though the officiating was, shall we say, more than inadequate!! The Broncos surprised me the most as I never figured they would play such an inspired game as they did against the champs. Still , they have a tough row to hoe to beat the Steelers. The Steelers were absolutely on fire. They totally outmuscled the Colts and truly busted them right in the mouth. Da Bears couldn't muster enough and del Homme passed all around them to Smith. Impressive. Then there's my west coast dark horse, the Seahawks sticking it to Washington, the only real pretender in the playoffs in my humble opinion. I picked the Seahawks from the NFC and I'm stickin' with em'. I wouldn't be surprised if the Panteras took 'em however. No hedging, just reality. I'd love a Broncos - Seahawks match in the big game. Go AFC west!! Old school.
As for more serious matters, you may recall I said to keep an eye on Iran in the coming New Year and the first two weeks have proven we just can't leave well enough alone. The Neo Nazis who are masquerading as Constitution supporting, virtuous, God fearing Republikanz are making more noise about Iran's nuclear program. What they won't ever mention is that Iran exports about 60% of its oil. It's a country that wants badly to modernize like India , that infidel nation of animists, has done just a thousand klicks or so to the east. If Iran is going to do that, they need to generate income which they will do with exporting their one, true natural resource, petroleum. Their petroleum production has already peaked and so they are looking at slow declines in production which, of course, means less income to modernize. Their nuclear program is intended for production of electricity for domestic use. I find it highly interesting that the International Atomic Energy Agency has inspected testing facilities all over the country and not found ANY evidence of anything approaching the development of nuclear weapons. I know, it's run by those damn foreigners so they can't be trusted. Well folks, I'd say we did an incredibly shitty job of tracking Iraq's weapons of Mass Destruction so do you really think our own "intelligence" is that reliable?
This is not to say that there aren't more than a few numbnuts in that country who wouldn't love to use nukes to dominate their Sunni neighbors and possibly destroy Israel. What I find incredible is that to really attempt to do so would invite total destruction of the Persian people and their culture. So it's not like they are such brilliant tacticians that they couldn't totally screw up. But tell me, who is bullying whom, here?
I've said it before and I will hereby restate it: This bellicose posturing by my beloved country is about control of petroleum. The nuclear weapon stuff is a red herring thrown out by the Neo Numbnuts in Washington. Listen to the talking heads, the administration lackeys, and certain congressmen/senators talk about sanctions but listen for their words about what happens if they don't work. What do you think "further action" would entail? If Bush, big dick and Wolfie miscalculate it'll make Iraq look like a tail gate party at your favorite stadium. A bit messy. Iran will be a different story. Our fine young men and women serving their country have been stretched about as thin as they can be. Bush has no problem stretching our military further if it props up his cronies.
Dudes, oil production is peaking , if not this year then in the next couple. That means that there will be insufficient production to meet demand. It DOES NOT mean there suddenly won't be any oil at all. That's nonsense. The net result of oil peaking will be stiff increases in oil ( see gasoline and deisel) prices and pressures on our economy, not to mention every other industrialized country on Earth as countries like ours, China, India, Japan and the whole European Union have to compete for decreasing supply of oil to keep their economies going . This posturing we are now witnessing is the latest indication that King George and Prince Dickweed know this, and are totally unwilling to address anything having to do with renewables in any meaningful way. The military solution is the only way they can come up with to assure that the Americans can continue to drive dozens of miles daily from suburbia to work, American kids can cruise Main Street, and we can continue to use the most destructive techniques imaginable to mine our soils to feed ourselves. We have, as a nation, wasted hundreds of billions of dollars pursuing the imposition of democracy in Iraq instead of doing the more difficult, but necessary thing of developing a variety of renewable energy sources. The majority of tax breaks and incentives in the most recent Energy Bill went NOT to renewable developments but to oil companies. Folks, the earth is running out of places to look for this incredible substance, petroleum, but we are in no way acting like we believe it will ever run out.
A final note: there has been some very intelligent discussion at a website theoildrum.com about this and a host of other issues that revolve around the earth's oil production peaking. I suggest you check out this site and read what many who contribute to this site have to say. It's always thought provoking even if I don't get some of the intense engineering stuff or the doctoral math presentations. Our national leaders are totally ignoring the topic of peak oil and are clearly willing to bully other countries in order to assure oil supplies for ourselves. This is not the USA I grew up to believe in. I think the Iranian leadership sucks shit through a tube. However, our behavior is nothing more than a smokescreen for an entirely different motive and is as UNAMERICAN and UNconstitutional as can be. Keep you eyes and ears open folks. There are tons of different angles to this charade that Washington is perpetrating. It ain't about nukes, it's about oil.
Peace to all.
- Mood: Pretty jacked
- Music: Big and Rich- music without prejudice
Happy New Year to all who read this way. I hope that 06 is a time of growth and blessing for you and all who care for you.
First off, how about the Fiesta and the Rose Bowls? I didn't care a hoot who won either game but what fun, hard fought games. I'm not a fan of most things Texas, but Vince Young was terrific as were Matt Leinart , Reggie Bush and Lendale White among a host of others. The three overtime game in Tempe was absolutely crushing to those two kickers and I wouldn't want to walk in their shoes for a second. Anyone who has coached at any level was dying for both coaches as well. Bobby Bowden and Joe Paterno were two classy guys before, during and after the game (Bobby Knight take note- you classless worm farmer). It was fun, entertaining football and now, just think, we don't have to listen to those silly talking heads drone on about the BCS and blah, blah, blah for months. The BCS is another fascist conspiracy that should be tossed on to the ash heap of history. That's at least on good thing about January.
We are all still waiting for the Clintons to announce something bigger. C'mon guys, get with the program.
The Clintons forums continue to amuse and amaze as well. The question of the month may well be , "How did Tricky's hair cause such a fuss for so many over so little for so long?" I'm sure she'd like to know as well. As for her alleged stripping in Canada, doesn't a stripper get cold up there this time of year. I mean, dude, is the money worth it? You're all loony in my book.
Went to a cool wedding in December, just before Christmas here in the mighty metropolis of Kaspar. Dan and Abby, it was beautiful. You guys will never read this so enough said. We are ALL looking forward to Andrea's wedding next month. It should be a terrific time. No cold feet now, ya hear girl?
Congrats to Daryl, the doctor of Suds, on his about-to-become-a- father status. Keep up the good work on the stop smoking campaign. That stuff is crap. Drop it and leave it forever. You'll never regret it.
We started indoor gnurling this last week and I have a lot of enthusiastic young people ready to head outdoors to take on the real game, not this mini imitation. Just hold on folks. We can't play outdoors in gale force winds and then the snow that comes every time the wind stops will make it more like Nordic gnurling with snowshoes. At least in spring, the wind stops for a few minutes every week and we can begin to experience what the outdoor game should be like. I'm looking forward to a fun season, surely full of surprises. Ain't life just grand?
Two weeks and the school year is half over! Yeah, baby! Still tons to do. It's either getting more difficult to keep up with the grading and stuff, or I'm just getting slower. The current debate is which is it? I vote more difficult as I'd hate to admit I'm getting slower. I can still whip JMac's butt in any case.
Speaking of our Clintons hero, his hard ass old man told me JMac is about to become a barrista at Nordstroms somewhere in metro Portland. Holy Crap people!! Putting JMac in charge of a coffee stand is like putting a pyro in charge of the fireworks on July 4. Can you imagine how buzzed that guy's is gonna be when he sits down to write songs? Ingrid, I hope you can handle his midnight 10K runs. My guess is everything he writes will come out with a ska feel set to banjos and screeching steel guitars with words that rhyme. I'll bet even Crazy Jim won't be able to make any sense out of them . Dude, did you warn the store that "You shake without it?" Portland beware. The ADHD poster child from the high plains is about to be unleashed, and once he is there's no telling what will be left standing in the city of roses. Good luck Oregonians, you're going to need it.
My buzzbomb goes to .... our survey said- Jack Abramoff , a real paragon of virtue. Has anyone started a pool at work to see how many congressmen/women will be taken down by the Sultan of Sleaze? Shoot with so many good candidates out there for the buzzbomb, this week's choice was easy. Maybe Jack and Tom DeLay can get adjoining cells and be some hit mans' bitches while they are in the joint. It would actually be some justice. Jack, you suck .
OK, no rants tonight. No one reads this stuff anyway so peace to all. Little children, love one another- John the Apostle
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