patriotism – Page 2 – A Jaunty Little Blog

July 21, 2012

Happy Anniversary, Apollo XI

A lovely centered picture of a very nice lunar lander.

Friends,

Forty-three years ago, I got to stay up late to watch Uncle Walter Cronkite and Captain Wally Schirra hold their breath while the Apollo XI mission landed on the moon. They spoke in a nervous staccato to cover over the tension that July evening, but when word came that the landing was successful and they wiped the tears from their eyes, even a three year old could figure out that this was a very big deal.

Here’s a spliced-together version of footage of the landing from multiple sources that’s pretty great…

Apollo 11 Lunar Landing from Spacecraft Films on Vimeo.

…but click here to see what CBS News was actually able to send out that night, complete with models on sticks and dioramas recreating what they thought was happening. The embedded video above shows that events were much more dangerous than anybody let on at the time, but they were too busy not crashing to explain it to the rest of us at the moment.

There’s been a little gap between our first exploration of the moon and getting the base constructed there, as you know. After all, we’re going to need a jumping-off point to Mars and you can’t beat the neighborhood. Is it because they’re still looking for a really good architect?

– bob

July 14, 2012

The Week Where The People Came

A lovely centered picture in a series of lovely centered pictures.

Friends,

The Damp Dog Lodge is a deceptively large place and can accommodate throngs of guests. With the July 4th holiday falling on a Wednesday this year, the onslaught was more of a trickle, dribbling in all week. It started with a visit from a beautiful girl the weekend before last, my parents stopping by in the middle of the week for a parade, then my sister’s family arrived to cap off the week. In the past, I haven’t dealt well with crowds in my solitary and very secret Alpine hideaway, but over time it seems natural—almost organic, to have a pile of people here laughing together and generally enjoying the place. I almost feel robbed by the randomness of the calendar this year, but there’s plenty more summer left to get people together for happy funtimes. Let’s get on this right away.

While you all are making your travel plans, let’s get on with the picture show!

Here’s another scene from the parade. In this photo, you will see Randolph Mantooth and Kevin Tighe towing the Ghostbusters down North Circle Drive. I had a creepy feeling that the Ecto-1 needed service. Call it a hunch.

You may think we didn’t have bands in the parade, but that’s because you limited your definition of “band” to groups who are marching. We’re here to smash your preconceived notions. Also, thanks cheap oil!

“Vee are from Chermany!” she shouted as she trained her expensive video camera rig at the unwashed yokels gawking at her driver’s preposterous tricycle. She’ll have footage to show her European friends that Americans are weird and perpetually astonished. We now have a picture of her dopey ride to show them exactly why we were astonished.

Robert’s Jalapeño Creme sauce is, if this banner is to be believed, what we always wanted. When he tapes Tums to the jars, I’ll be convinced. I don’t think my esophagus has truly recovered.

These guys make my Mom cry. And by “my Mom” I mean everybody.

I’m going to go ahead and call this a parade float. It was unsponsored showmanship just for the sake of it, which I applaud. I’m going to also go out on a limb and call their display really nutty.

Unflinchingly patriotic, but wow. Just wow.

The Quilting Club had an entry in this year’s parade, as they have for many past parades. This year, however, they quilted their pickup. I don’t know if I’m the first to say this, but I’m kinda digging their winch cozy and I see opportunities here. Hello, Kickstarter!

They at least did a better job of replicating a mid-80s Chevrolet C20 fender than the cheap knock-offs at a cut-rate body shop. (Look, these are the jokes, folks. I will gladly refund the purchase price if you’re not fully entertained.)

This scene is from last weekend, where my niece recreates the historic moment when Teddy Roosevelt threw a saddle on a brown bear and charged up San Juan Hill. As you do.

And this scene suggests my nephew’s adoration of Philippe Petit. Amazing.

One of the sections of the climbing wall at the new playground is called Suicide Rock. In this reenactment, my niece attempts to convince my brother-in-law that all hope is not lost.

And in this picture, I end the post. Thanks for stopping by.

Your pal,

– bob

June 30, 2012

It’s Time To Talk About Presidential Politics

A lovely centered picture that might lead people to think a thing that I hadn't intended.

Friends,

There are nitwits out there who are trying to spin the Supreme Court decision yesterday as a repudiation of the President’s position on health care. Those self-same nitwits choose to double down on the dumb and have decided that “the people” have lost their ability to choose whether or not to obtain healthcare insurance, which isn’t entirely true. You should read something about it to figure that part out, but here’s what has driven me to distraction today:

The Democrats, or at least the proponents of the health care law, seem to have lost the debate already. Everybody I’ve spoken to today thinks that jackbooted thugs will knock down their doors and force them to fill out papers and pay four figures to a government insurance plan. Or nearly everybody. The others think that the law itself has raised rates on existing plans. Neither of those things are true of course, but because the partisans on the left are so damn squishy about hurting people’s feelings in general, the argument is never made.

This is because arguments are so confrontational, right? We don’t want to make people, even those who are clearly wrong and arguably (there’s that word again. -ed) dumb as a bag of hair, feel bad. Everybody’s gotta be happy at the end of the day, don’t you think?

Well, no. They’re either misinformed or regurgitating a party line like greeks at a frat party proclaiming that Mickey’s Big Mouth is the best beer ever before letting loose their stomach contents all over your shoes.

Look, it was the Republicans who insisted that their insurance company donors be made whole by an individual mandate before they would sign on to the no pre-existing conditions and no lifetime caps provisions. So to all of you kids on the right who are losing your shit about this, I urge you to shut the entire fuck up. You broke the bill, so you bought it.

Health care costs have risen since the law was passed so insurers have raised their rates. These costs have risen because pharmaceutical companies, device manufacturers, malpractice insurers, and hospital holding companies among others are charging more now than they ever have. So by the ghost of Walter P. Chrysler, stop with the partisan bullshit. Also, because a very large majority of the people in this country are already insured, they won’t even notice a difference. The people who aren’t insured are very likely to work for or run small businesses who will either get waivers or can enroll in state-run pools for low cost coverage. This enlarged pool of the ensured is supposed to pay for the expansion of Medicaid (or MediCal, for those of us in this particularly golden state) to cover more people, including for the first time, single poor people.

I know that looking after the health of the poor offends a lot of people, particularly in this election year, but I would suggest that those people who are offended take a minute to think. I hear from the right wing partisans that taxes on the rich are bad because someday they might be rich. Let’s say that your fortunes go the other way. Let’s pretend that you end up being the exact opposite of rich. I, and people like me, would like to make sure that you’re fed, clothed, housed and that your medical needs are taken care of. Even though I strongly disagree with your magical economic thinking, I do actually care about your well being. I would very much like for you to indemnify yourself against stratospheric costs should you become ill, but if you can’t afford it, I think we can all get together and help you out until you get back on your feet. This, in a large and still prosperous country like ours, is a very small sacrifice for the greater good.

Because a large minority of the populace doesn’t get this, it becomes an election issue. To my mind, that’s an indictment on the people working for the President who are supposed to be crafting the message, not the issue itself. Yes, yes, yes, little Margaret stubbed her toe and the MRI bankrupted her family. That’s not as sad as a video of a shivering puppy backed by the saddest song Sarah McLachlan has ever sung, so it’s time to change the tune. To wit:

The health of Americans is a national imperative.
It is in everyone’s interest to ensure that the public is healthy.
The productivity of the American economy depends on a robust and healthy workforce.
American businesses lose billions of dollars a year due to sick days.
Our international business competitors rely on government health care as a subsidy to ensure a healthy workforce.
By shifting the burden away from business-supplied health care to individuals, we bolster our global competitiveness.
(I can’t believe I just wrote that. It’s true, but, yikes.)
Our political system will not currently allow for a single-payer health care system, so this is what you get.

Okay, scratch that last one, but we might be able turn the doubters around with the other points, right?

Right?

Yeah, I didn’t think so either.

– bob

June 6, 2012

Election Results – Oy! Edition

A bit of the results page from the L.A. Times.

Friends,

My friends and neighbors in the great state of California may be the most astounding bunch of uninformed nitwits in the history of dopes. To say they’re dim is to insult candles. To infer that they have short attention spans makes the blackest crows blush.

We’re mad about our financial and political situation in this state but people who are not me continue to enjoy bullet holes in their shoes. Good lord, people. Why?

– bob

(h/t LAT)

June 5, 2012

A Jaunty Little Election Guide – Free Will Edition

Friends,

The primary election tomorrow is a giant pile of weirdness. The congressional and assembly districts have been redrawn so in our piney paradise, for instance, our assembly district now includes San Diego County down to the Mexican border instead of the Coachella Valley. The well-funded incumbent from Santee (cripes. Santee.) we’ve never heard of and who may have never heard of us, will likely win. Our U.S. representative is facing a battle from an emergency room surgeon from Coachella, but is also likely to win in the fall with a giant funding advantage. I won’t bore you with these races, but there are two ballot measures that could have significance in the state.

Here’s the language voters will see tomorrow:

PROP 28: LIMITS ON LEGISLATORS’ TERMS IN OFFICE. INITIATIVE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.
SUMMARY Reduces total amount of time a person may serve in the state legislature from 14 years to 12 years. Allows 12 years’ service in one house. Applies only to legislators first elected after measure is passed. Fiscal Impact: No direct fiscal effect on state or local governments.

PROP 29: IMPOSES ADDITIONAL TAX ON CIGARETTES FOR CANCER 29 RESEARCH. INITIATIVE STATUTE.
SUMMARY Imposes additional $1.00 per pack tax on cigarettes and an equivalent tax increase on other tobacco products. Revenues fund research for cancer and tobacco-related diseases. Fiscal Impact: Net increase in cigarette excise tax revenues of about $735 million annually by 2013–14 for certain research and tobacco prevention and cessation programs. Other state and local revenue increases amounting to tens of millions of dollars annually.

I’ll be brief on both:

Prop 28 violates my rule in that it amends the state’s already absurdly overwrought constitution. Sure, we should revisit term limits, but not like this. Let’s discuss it at our constitutional convention… I know, spoilers.

Prop 29 adds a new tax with the stated intent to engineer society. The Legislative Analyst’s Office estimate of additional excise tax revenue of $735 million is for one year and earmarked to do an already well-funded thing instead of towards eliminating the deficit. This is absurd on a policy level and will have consequences in November when the Governor’s tax plan comes up for a vote. But let’s say, just for kicks, that adding a buck per pack tax persuades people to quit. What happens to First 5 funds, that come from other cigarette taxes? How will the legislature make up the tax revenue that would’ve gone to the General Fund? Are you pondering what I’m pondering? (i think so, but then how will the former low-income smokers get health care? – ed)

I love it when we do impressions.

– bob

February 7, 2012

It’s Your Duty

Friends,
I’ve really enjoyed my Birthday Holiday Season so far, and thanks to a frantic “I’m a bad person for missing your birthday” post this evening, the season continues. Traveling far and wide over this great land, the birthday celebrations have been entertaining, lively, and to quote the prophet, pretty great.

What hangs over my head now like the Sword of Albatrosses is the looming threat of jury duty. If I were a religious person, which you might be surprised to learn that I’m not, I could just march into the courthouse and proclaim some sort of talmudic proscription against passing judgement against another, but we evil seculars get no such allowance. I’m still uneasy about it for a lot of reasons, but I’ll take the time to rattle off only a few:

I’m not a peer of the person in the dock. I can guarantee it.
I certainly wouldn’t want to be judged by the person in the dock.
How will this affect the time line?
They’re insane if they can even pretend that I’ll be impartial.
I can’t afford the time off without pay.

The last point is pretty important. It was suggested that I review the policy manual at work to see if the company will pay for time served on jury duty, but I couldn’t find even a mention of “jury,” “duty,” “jury duty,” or even “plate of shrimp.”
I know they’re required to give me time off, but they’re not required to pay my salary, so that’s that. End of story. Period…

Until somebody decides that they need to prove a point and issue a warrant for failure to appear. Or you marry your great-grandfather.

Your pal,

– bob

September 11, 2011

11th September 2001

Friends,

I’ve been suggesting every year on the anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the 11th of September, 2001 that we never forget the atrocity. This year, there’s no way that anybody could possibly forget with the overwhelming media coverage. I’m still, after all these years, shaken by the events of that day and I’d really like to get away from the weepy commemorations of the day. I find it all to be far too much.

– bob