TVL Biggest Day Ever

Mad props and much love to James McGovern at Enterprise Architecture: From Incite comes Insight..., who featured The Vulture's take on the utter failure of outsourcing in his post titled "Links for 2008-01-30"

Mr. McGovern provided a link to my comments and he also had some nice things to say.

Outsourcing - no so hot
Good to see a balanced perspective. This blogger doesn't seem to be afraid to admit that he is Christian which is refreshing.

As a result of his post and comments, TVL experienced the single best day in terms of site hits in the short history of the blog. A normal day averages 3 hits. Yesterday the site had 15. Now, big bloggers like Vox Day at Vox Popoli will see 15 hits per minute (or more), so it's not like I'm getting a big head here or something. However, it is nice to see that by keeping at it and posting as I have things to say, eventually people will discover the blog and traffic will increase.

Again, much thanks to Mr. McGovern and his excellent tech blog.

Outsourcing - not so hot

Stories like this just warm my heart.

Several organizations that once participated in information-technology and business-process outsourcing are now beginning to go back to in-house operations and explore new alternatives, according to a new study by Deloitte Consulting LLP.

The study, “Calling a Change in the Outsourcing Market,” shows that 70% of participants have had significant negative experiences with outsourcing, and are now exercising greater caution in approaching it. One in four participants reportedly have brought functions back in-house after realizing that they could be addressed more successfully and/or at a lower cost internally, while 44% did not see cost savings happening as a result.

And the Vulture just smiles...

Wait, it gets better.

Additional study findings include: 62% of participants realized that they require more management efforts in comparison to the original estimates; 57% said they could not free up internal resources for other projects, leading to larger-than-anticipated, deal-management overhead; 52% ranked cost-related issues as the main risks of outsourcing; 81% have limited or no transparency to a vendor’s pricing and cost structure, resulting in increased chances of paying additional costs. In addition, 83% said they have renegotiated outsourcing deals due to pricing and to business, technology, and regulatory environment changes; 53% have moved from long-term contracts (6 to 10 years) to shorter contracts (up to 5 years) to increase flexibility and bargaining power; and 73% are working with multiple vendors to reduce vendor dependency. Participants that had exclusive deals in the past warn that they are risky, and they will not enter into them again.

So...let me get this straight. You asshat executives were willing to take all of your software development and outsource it (mostly to Asia), putting qualified Americans out of a job just to save a buck..............and it blew up in your faces. GOOD!

I hope that all of YOU lose YOUR jobs as a result. Maybe then you'll learn to be Americans first, and greedy, whoring money grubbers second.

The (fraudulent) State of the Union

What do you call it when a traitorous scoundrel speaks for 45 minutes before a mixed bag of communists, criminals, con men, and connivers? Why, it's the State of the Union speech, of course.

In what was his (thankfully!) final SOTU, Bush surprised me. He didn't promise the sun and the moon and the stars. In fact, in reviewing the transcript (you didn't think I'd actually stay up and WATCH that mess, did you?), I noticed a decided lack of the usual Bush bravado, tough talk, promises to fix everything in the world, etc.

He did hump the "success" of No Smart Child Left Unhindered, but that's to be expected; he views it as his one policy "success". Please...no more "successes" like THAT one. What a POS!

And, of course, he and his Congressional cronies are going to send checks to all of the "taxpayers" (a word that must be qualified, given that many of those receiving the government checks in the next several weeks will have paid ZERO federal tax) to "stimulate" the economy. Where are they getting the money for all of these "rebates", given our monumental deficits? Why, they're getting it from the printing press, of course; they're going to fight stagflation by printing more money! Genius! And they wonder why those of us with half a brain hold them in such contempt...

All in all, Mr. Bush did fine in is last SOTU. I'm just glad it's his last, not that it matters; whoever takes over next year is going to be just as bad (Romney) or worse (McCain, Obama, Clinton, Huckabee, Guiliani).

One hundred visitors

Not to put too much importance on it, since it counts me checking up on the site from work as a hit as well, but TVL has hit a little baby milestone: over 100 visitors have graced my little ego page since its inception. I've had visitors from all over the US, as well as from El Salvador, Brazil, and Spain.

Thanks for visiting. Come back any time.

Peggy Noonan sees the light

Peggy Noonan is an extremely talented writer, as one would expect of a former Ronald Reagan speech writer. But I had to stop reading her Wall Street Journal column some years ago because she was such as champion of the policies of George Bush. Eh, not so much any more...

George W. Bush destroyed the Republican Party, by which I mean he sundered it, broke its constituent pieces apart and set them against each other. He did this on spending, the size of government, war, the ability to prosecute war, immigration and other issues.

Were there other causes? Yes, of course. But there was an immediate and essential cause.

And this needs saying, because if you don't know what broke the elephant you can't put it together again. The party cannot re-find itself if it can't trace back the moment at which it became lost. It cannot heal an illness whose origin is kept obscure.

And the Vulture just smiles...

Welcome home, Peggy. Congratulations on seeing clearly again. Now, let me introduce you to Ron Paul...

The Irrational Atheist

Yea! I finally got my copy this past weekend. I'm about 1/4 of the way through. So far, so excellent. I plan to write a review of the book once I've finished it, so stay tuned.

My take thus far: Vox is being W-A-Y too nice to the asshat New Atheists. But I'm sure he gets harsher later in the book. At least I hope so. I don't believe in playing nice with arrogant jagoffs who insist on thrusting their "I know better" crap down our throats.

Wiener of the Week

I'm sure you've seen it before if you've ever watched local news, regardless of your city, state, or municipality.

An attractive, smiling, talking head sits at the News Desk, some sort of graphic over his/her shoulder. He/she says in that Announcer voice, "In tonight's news...".

But what happens next isn't at all what you expect. And what happens next is why Local Affiliate News is my Wiener of the Week.

"In tonight's new, we get insert-your-city-here's reaction to insert-network-TV-show-here".

That's right - local affiliates are treating network television programming AS NEWS in a shameless attempt to garner ratings. Let me repeat: shameless.

And it's not like this is something that just started happening. I've noticed this for a couple of years now, particularly Fox stations humping American Idol, but also stations humping celebrity dancing, gawd-awful summer trash TV talent shows, etc.

C'mon, affiliates! Show some class! Network programming is NOT news! For treating it as such, you're my Wiener of the Week.

Glenn Beck Stuns

Occasionally I catch a few minutes of Glenn Beck's show. He is a remarkable individual. He seems to understand (a lot more than some - Rush Limbaugh, for example) that the presence of an 'R' after a politician's name does NOT indicate that said politician will do what is right by the American people or the Constitution.

That stated, and he'd probably deny this, all indications are that he's firmly in the Romney camp. That's what makes what follows so surprising, amazing, and noteworthy.

What follows is an excerpt from Glenn's interview with Ron Paul on his radio program earlier this week (Wednesday, I think). I've taken the liberty of highlighting the part that stunned and pleased me.

GLENN: I'm probably the guy on talk radio, mainstream talk radio that will at least say I agree with you on a lot of things. I just disagree with you vehemently on others.

PAUL: And I appreciate that.

GLENN: I mean, you know, we just -- I just happen to disagree with you, but I respect you, sir, for your opinion. I have said this, you know, behind your back. So let me say it to your face. I think you are the closest we have running to a founding father. You seem to be the only guy who has actually read the federalist papers. So I appreciate your efforts, sir.

Wow! No, actually - WOW!!!!!!

Glenn, if you actually believe what you said, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE throw your support behind Ron Paul, at least through the primary season. Let people know that what Paul stands for MATTERS. You'll be doing this nation a huge favor and you'll be building for a future where a candidate like Paul may ACTUALLY be given a fair consideration (okay, I can dream, can't I?).

Is there no end to this guy?

Despite record cold temperatures across the Midwest (not to mention how cold it's been here; it was 10 degrees Monday morning in Frederick, 16 degrees today - not records, but cold nonetheless), Al Gore insists on humping his ridiculous lie.

Climate change is occurring far more rapidly than even the worst predictions of the UN's Nobel Prize-winning scientific panel on climate change, Al Gore said on Thursday.

Recent evidence shows "the climate crisis is significantly worse and unfolding more rapidly than those on the pessimistic side of the IPCC projections had warned us," climate campaigner and former US vice-president Gore said.

There are now forecasts that the North Pole ice caps may disappear entirely during summer months within five years, he told a gathering at the World Economic Forum in Davos. (emphasis mine)

What a colossal load of sheep dip!

How much longer do we have to put up with this crap? I mean, COME ON! How many different ways can you piss on a lie before the flame extinguishes. THERE IS NO MAN-MADE GLOBAL WARMING! Get over yourself, tool!

UPDATE: I wrote this yesterday full of wrath and fury - but neglected to do the one thing that I feel is of the utmost importance in fighting the lie of man-made global warming; I didn't provide the facts as to WHY Gore's claim that the ice caps will disappear is such a patent falsehood. First, let's start with the statistics on the ice itself. For the sake of simplicity, I'll stick with the Northern ice pack; it's already been proven by independent scientists that the Antarctic ice pack is GROWING.

Earth's north pole is covered by floating pack ice (sea ice) over the Arctic Ocean, the Arctic ice pack. Portions of the ice that don't melt seasonally can get very thick, up to 3–4 meters thick over large areas, with ridges up to 20 meters thick. One-year ice is usually about a meter thick. The area covered by sea ice ranges between 9 and 12 million km. In addition, the Greenland ice sheet covers about 1.71 million km and contains about 2.6 million km of ice.

Okay, so Al Goebbels want us to believe that MILLIONS of killimeters of ice 3 meters thick is simply going to DISAPPEAR in 5 years!!!! Currently, north pole temparatures range between -45 to -15 in the winter, while summer temperatures average out at around freezing. I'm no scientist, but I live in a place where there is occasional ice and snow. I'm aware of the kind of temperature increase it takes to melt just one foot of snow in a week (think: 10-20 degrees above freezing). So, you're telling me, Mr. Gore, that we're going to get temperature increases sufficient to melt the HUMONGOUS ice pack described above in a mere FIVE YEARS??? You're either the biggest born liar this world has ever seen, or you're certifiably insane. I choose the former.

Please go away.

If you don't support Romney, you're a bigot

My brother, Mark, forwarded this article from the Pueblo Chieftain. It's a loo-loo.

Republicans say they want a fiscally responsible president - smaller government, limited taxes - they say they want a president with vast experience, they say they want a president who has demonstrated leadership and success, they say they want a president with strong family values, they say they want a president with deep-based faith, they say they want a president who can make change, they say they want a president with strong resolve.

Yet, they are making the only candidate who has all those qualities their second choice. Mitt Romney.

Wait, it gets better.

I think there possibly are two factors that might solve the Republican riddle of why Republicans are reluctant to embrace the man who, on paper and in action, seems to represent all their best interests. One is religious bigotry, and one is envy.

HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

OMG, that's the funniest thing I've EVER read. EVER! It's funnier than 666's (excuse, me, Hillary Clinton's) "vast right wing conspiracy" rant.

Let me make this ABUNDANTLY clear. I absolutely HATE group politics. This "they won't vote for poor Mitt because he's a rich, successful Mormon" crap is no different and no less repugnant than the "they won't vote for him because he's a successful black man with a Muslim name" crap they're laying down for socialist Barak Obama.

Here's the truth. Mitt Romney is a RINO. He's a closet socialist. That's why I and many more like me won't be voting for him. That's it. Period. I don't care if a candidate worships Baal as long as they are a REAL fiscal and social conservative. There's only one of those in the campaign right now - Ron Paul, and no amount of group politics, grievance mongering, or boo-hooing is going to change that fact.

Vox seconds my take

As I noted in my Wiener of the Week post for last week, the media - particularly the allegedly "conservative" Fox News, have done a masterful job of ignoring Ron Paul. As usual, Vox Day is on the same wavelength, only stronger.

Naturally, the only candidate that actually stands for anything that Ronald Reagan did is loathed by the revived Rockefeller Republicans with all the fury of a cheap prostitute who finds herself compared to a nun without reproach. It's always easy to tell how Ron Paul does in a primary; you need merely count the number of finishers reported, then add one. If this means the media has to fail to report any of the finishers from second to sixth place, as was the case with the Nevada caucuses this weekend, well, that just leaves that much more space to anoint this week's "frontrunner.

Amen, brother. Amen.

Ronald Reagan > Republican front runners.

Bush comes to Frederick (Hide yer guns!)

The gun-grabber in chief decided to visit lowly Frederick last Thursday. I forget - are we supposed to bow to his royal deviousness, or simply avert our eyes as he approaches?

He was visiting a local business - a service-industry business, of course, since virtually nothing is actually manufactured in this country anymore - and pandered to the credulous.

Bush, who stayed at Wright for about 30 minutes, visited Frederick just hours after he outlined a plan to stimulate the economy. Bush’s plan calls for as much as $150 billion in tax relief. Any relief must be big enough to make a difference in a large and dynamic economy and must take effect right away, but be temporary, and it must not include any tax increases.

Gee whiz! His royal ineptness has decided to let SOME of us (certainly not ME; according to Bush and Congress, I'm "the rich") have some of OUR money back so that we can keep the illusion of economic prosperity going and keep We the People fat, lazy, and stupid a while longer. Of course, he made it a point to let us know that it's only temporary. The government giveth, and the government taketh away.

Wiener of the Week

Congratulations to Fox New for being the first to repeat as a winner of the Wiener of the Week award!

As you know, I gave up on Fox News and its allegedly "conservative" slant ages ago. Their true colors ("We're conservative - just like John McCain") have really come out in spades during this current election cycle.

I was at the gym yesterday - legs and abs day. I always finish legs and abs day with 30 minutes on the stair master, so I can get a little cardio to go with the leg presses, curls, etc. The gym I go to (Golds in Frederick) has a bank of TVs, each tuned to one of three stations. One was showing college basketball, which, to me, shouldn't be televised until March. The second was some stupid VH1 nonsense. The third was Fox News.

Fox was showing election coverage of Nevada and South Carolina. I'm watching out of morbid curiosity at first, then full-blown interest, as it occurs to me that Ron Paul is going to finish in the top three. Yea!!!! So what's this got to do with the Wiener of the Week?

For the first 20 minutes I was on the machine, the words "Ron Paul" were mentioned not at all. Fred Thompson, getting his clock cleaned - mentioned. Mike Huckabee, getting as much attention as a homely girl at the school dance - mentioned. No Ron Paul.

Fox showed promos for its election coverage, a collage of Mitt Romney, John McCommie, Fred Thompson, Mike Huckabee, and Rudy Giuliani - but no Ron Paul. I mean, COME ON - RUDY FRICKIN' GUILIANI, who has ONE delegate to date - three less than Ron Paul.

When Fox finally got around to mentioning Ron Paul, they did it by way of explaining away his success; he was the only candidate who showed TV ads in Nevada, he put more time into Nevada than the other candidates, etc, etc, ad nauseum.

This overt bias by "fair and balanced" Fox News is what earned them their second Wiener of the Week award.

Ann Coulter disappoints

I love Ann Coulter. No, REALLY love her. I'd wear Ann Coulter underwear if such a thing were sold. I own every last one of her books. I read the last one in about 3 hours. She's quite easily the premier mass-media spokeswoman for the cause of conservatism.

But she flubbed this one. You've got to read it to believe it.

I've been casually taking swipes at Mitt Romney for the past year based on the assumption that, in the end, Republicans would choose him as our nominee. My thinking was that Romney would be our nominee because he is manifestly the best candidate.

I had no idea that Republican voters in Iowa and New Hampshire planned to do absolutely zero research on the candidates and vote on the basis of random impulses.

Dear Republicans: Please do one-tenth as much research before casting a vote in a presidential election as you do before buying a new car.

Oh dear God, the humanity!

Ann, many of us HAVE done the research - that's why we're not selling out this time and voting for the lesser of two evils. Those of us who REALLY want a return to the principles of the Constitution support Ron Paul. Does he have a snowball's chance in hell of getting elected - hell no! But that's not the point. The point is that if those of us who call ourselves conservatives vote for candidates like Romney who:

• Support universal health care (he's humping a "market-driven" plan)

• Support Bush's War Without End

• Support government propping up of American auto companies

• Want to EXPAND No Child Left Behind

The difference between Romney and Hillary is...........what? Hillary wants to achieve One-World Socialist Utopia faster than he does?

I hear this constant drum beat for "change". This isn't change - this is SSDP (same excrement, different president). "Change" can only be achieved with a Ron Paul presidency. Period.

Now, I understand WHY Ann is supporting Romney. She's been drinking the "viability" Kool-Aid. Can we get beyond "viability", please? According to conventional wisdom, Ronald Reagan wasn't viable. Remember him?

Ann, I forgive you. I'm disappointed, but I forgive you. Come back to us. Please!

Need further proof that Bush is a traitor?

When President George W. Bush is put in a situation where he can be on the side of We the People (and the Constitution) or side with his elitist buddies, guess whose side he picks?

Since "unrestricted" private ownership of guns clearly threatens the public safety, the 2nd Amendment can be interpreted to allow a variety of gun restrictions, according to the Bush administration.

The argument was delivered by U.S. Solicitor General Paul D. Clement in a brief filed with the U.S. Supreme Court in the ongoing arguments over the legality of a District of Columbia ban on handguns in homes, according to a report from the Los Angeles Times.

Clement suggested that gun rights are limited and subject to "reasonable regulation" and said all federal limits on guns should be upheld.

Yep. The Bush administration has come down on the side of Big Gun Control in a case that could determine whether or not the Elites will allow the common folk like us to have gun ownership (hint: don't bet on it).

As usual, Vox Day ever-so-succinctly wraps it up in a pretty bow.

As you all know, I never trusted George W. Bush from the very beginning. I tried to warn everyone about him, starting with my first political column written in September 2001. Very, very few listened, insisting that he was a secret small-government conservative with a double-secret plan to hoodwink those evil big-government liberals.

Do you still have confidence that the Supreme Court judges he appointed will be either pro-life or pro-gun? I don't.

I cannot stand George Bush, I dislike him every bit as much as the leftists who fail to understand that he's essentially on their side and call him Chimpy Bushitler or whatever do. But I also have a deep and abiding contempt for those who call themselves conservatives and continue to support him and his fellows - Giuliani, McCain, Romney, Huckabee, and yes, Thompson - who will govern in exactly the same treacherous manner that Bush has. You want war? Oh, they will give you wars a plenty, both at home and abroad!

There's more where that came from, including the thoughts of the preeminent expert on the benefits of eliminating gun control, John Lott.

Are there STILL conservatives out there drinking the Chimpy Bushitler/Giuliani/McCain/Romney/Huckabee/Thompson kool-aid? Wise up, people!

BASEBALL!!! STEROIDS!!! SCANDAL!!!

The duo of Tweedle-Dumb and Tweedle-Dumber (Baseball Commissioner "Bud" Selig and MLBPA union thug Donald Fehr) were grilled Tuesday by the equally unctuous and brain-addled members of the House Oversight committee regarding the findings of former-Senator George Mitchell's book report. It was, to say the least, underwhelming.

First, I probably should disqualify myself from any discussion of baseball since baseball has been dead to me (with the exception of the McGwire/Sosa home run races) since the 1994 strike caused the cancellation of the World Series. I watched as spoiled millionaires struck (striked?) against spoiled billionaires, to the point where the whole integrity of the game was insurmountably compromised, at least in my eyes.

Furthermore, this whole kabuki dance is a load of crap. Congress acts shocked - SHOCKED - that players would cheat and use illegal drugs to enhance their performance (when they themselves would put a hit out on their own mother if it meant reelection). Selig and Fehr act shocked - SHOCKED - that steroid abuse was going on (which fails to account for how they failed to notice that there were Terminator-like players roaming the Earth launching rocket-shot home runs into orbit for a decade). And the sports media bobble heads blather on endlessly about how AWFUL it all is (while they HAD to know all along that the Terminators hitting the home runs were juiced - it just wasn't a "story" back then, the home runs were). At least the media has the decency not to act shocked.

Please. PLEASE. Let it end. I'm tired of hearing about it. I personally don't give a raging rat's ass who, what, or where anyone used steroids. Please, just make it go away.

Tomorrow is promised to no one

Last Thursday Donna got news that the husband of a former coworker had died of a massive heart attack. Dude was only 57.

DP, Hope, and I went to the viewing on Sunday. It was really sad to see such a young widow, especially considering how much she loved and was devoted to her husband. They literally did everything together. Now she's alone.

As tragic as his death was, it could have been prevented or delayed. Dude was at LEAST 50 pounds overweight - maybe 75. All that extra weight is murder on the human heart.

Not to be preachy, but if you're packing some extra pounds, think about a widow in her early 50's who lost the love of her life. Think about the people you'll leave behind when you die young.

That said, it's not like being thin is a guarantee you'll live to be 100. Tomorrow is promised to no one. So love the people you love as hard as you can for as long as you can.

Holla at a Brotha

Recently I've noticed quite a bit more traffic on the blog than in weeks past. It seems that some of my friends and family are starting to succumb to their curiosity. They want to know exactly what kind of infantile ranting goes on around here.

Sadly, the only ranting so far has been mine, DP's, and TJ's. I would very much like to encourage you to leave your comments. Tell me I'm full of it. Tell me I'm brilliant and/or awesome. Tell me off. Just tell me SOMETHING.

I've noticed that some people HAVE tried to use the comments - but somehow those comments aren't being posted. I suspect that there is a disconnect caused by the way the page is laid out by the Blogspot developers. I have to scroll down to see the options for my user id or nickname, for whether I want notification of response via email for my comments, and to click "Post". I suspect that some of you are missing this half of the page and your brilliant (or insipid) comments are being lost. So....not to treat you like idiots, but here's the "hold your hand" tutorial of how to post replies to my nonsense.

1) Click the "Comments" link.

This is one of the goofy things about Blogspot. Instead of a link that says "Click this to post/reply" it says "0 Comments". So, click that dopey thing to insert your comments.

2) The Comments Popup - Part I

This, to me, is the problem. Why isn't there the ability to bring up this popup sized properly, or at least make it resizable? I believe this is where some of your comments are getting lost.

Once you're here, enter your enthusiastic commentary. Verbiage such as that in the sample to the right is recommended.

Now scroll down to the part where it says "Choose an identity", and we'll continue with Part II.


3) The Comments Popup - Part II

If you have a Google account of any kind (gmail, etc.), sign in as that id.

Otherwise, click the little radio button above "Nickname:", then type in a nickname that you will uniquely identify you within this blog (for example, DP chose the nickname "Roadkill" in keeping with the Vulture theme. Do you see why I love her so much?).

Optionally, you can click the box next to "Email follow-up comments..." to receive notice when someone (probably me, but perhaps some other brilliant person from the WWW) responds to what you have written.

Now, the most important thing. Click "PUBLISH YOUR COMMENT".

Failure to do the two mandatory steps (identify yourself and click the "publish" button) is going to cause your brilliant comments to be lost forever.

I love that more and more people stop here to check it out. But I really want to hear from you.

Wiener of the Week

After careful consideration, I determined that no one deserves a Wiener award more than Microsoft. Vista is the single worst POS ever foisted on an unsuspecting public. It refuses to recognize my new camera. It refuses to recognize my new mp3 player. It takes 15 minutes to print to a shared printer unless I go through excruciating lengths to find the back-end, hacker-devised way to make it work like XP does.

Here's the rub - I'm what's known in the world of computing as a "power user". That is, I know my way around a computer. I can do my own software installs and upgrades. I can add components to the machine. I dare to update the registry manually and programatically. I write computer programs, both simple and complex. So, if I'm having problems with Vista to the point where I'm cursing and pulling out my hair, what are the mom-and-pop users who can barely access their email going through? I don't even want to think about it.

Newer isn't always better with software. Vista is newer...but it's the pits. Do NOT upgrade to vista unless someone puts a gun to your head.

Microsoft, for creating the single worst POS operating system software EVER, you are my Wiener of the Week.

Superman wears Bob Sanders Underwear

There is a fad, rapidly spreading across the wondrous Internet, the gist of which is to lionize the greatness of an amazing individual. It started with Chuck Norris (sample: There is no chin behind Chuck Norris' beard. There is only another fist).

This year, two new legends emerged: Bob Sanders and Ed Hochuli.

I'm definitely a fan of the genre. It makes me ROFL. Click the links and enjoy the show.

Upon Further Review

After my Mike Martz rant was posted yesterday, I went out to one of the many fanzine blogs to check out what the rest of the 49ers Faithful were saying about the hire. The tone of initial posts was unhappiness, though not NEARLY as unhappy as I was.

But then, as people started to bring up different facts about Martz and his tenure in St. Louis and Detroit, I started to come around to the thought that maybe this wasn't such a bad hire after all.

Two things changed my mind. The first was that way that Martz has taken ordinary quarterbacks (or even sub-ordinary) and turned them into stars (see: Warner, Kurt and Bulger, Mark). Second, I had forgotten how Marshall Faulk went from being a top-10 NFL running back before Martz came to St. Louis to Hall of Fame caliber during the Martz years. Marshall AVERAGED over 2,000 yards from scrimmage per season under Martz until Father Time finally took him down. Can you imagine Frank Gore as "Marshall Faulk"? I can. Of course, trying to see Alex Smith or Shawn Hill as "Kurt Warner" takes a little work...

But I'm still not sold on how much impact Martz can have on the team because of the utter lack of talent at the wide receiver position. Until we pick up some WRs, we're going to continue to be a futile offense.

Oh, Mr. Martz. I apologize for my rant of yesterday. I promise to give you the benefit of the doubt from now on.

49ers Fan Angst

Tuesday ESPN reported that the San Francisco 49ers have name Mike Martz as their new Offensive Coordinator.

When asked for a comment, the Vulture replied in an expletive-filled rant. The following has been sanitized, since this is a "family" blog.

Mike mother{bleeping}ing Martz?!?!?!?! Are you {bleeping}ing kidding me?!?!?!? {bleeeeeeeeeeeep}!!!!! Are the York's purposely trying to destroy the franchise, or are they just that {bleep}ing stupid?!?!?!

The Niners have one - ONE - offensive player who's worth a damn, and he's a RUNNING BACK! Mike mother{bleep}ing Martz is pass-first, pass-second, oh what the hell, let's pass again. Can you imagine the offensive ruin that will be when pitiful Alex Smith tries to run the Mike mother{bleep}ing Martz offense with that gawd-awful cast of wide receivers? Meanwhile, Frank Gore, a top-10 NFL running back, will be PASS BLOCKING for this cluster {bleep}.

The Niners have endured a team-record 5 losing seasons in a row. 2008 will make 6.

This was once the preeminent NFL franchise, the team against which all others were judged (and found wanting). Now it's a bumbling laughingstock, run by morons. Eddie D - WE NEED YOU!!!!!

No small animals or children were harmed in the course of this rant.

Cracks in the "consensus"

You know the Global Warming hoax is on its last legs when the New York Times Science page jumps ship.

You’re in for very bad weather. In 2008, your television will bring you image after frightening image of natural havoc linked to global warming. You will be told that such bizarre weather must be a sign of dangerous climate change — and that these images are a mere preview of what’s in store unless we act quickly to cool the planet.

Unfortunately, I can’t be more specific. I don’t know if disaster will come by flood or drought, hurricane or blizzard, fire or ice. Nor do I have any idea how much the planet will warm this year or what that means for your local forecast. Long-term climate models cannot explain short-term weather.

But there’s bound to be some weird weather somewhere, and we will react like the sailors in the Book of Jonah. When a storm hit their ship, they didn’t ascribe it to a seasonal weather pattern. They quickly identified the cause (Jonah’s sinfulness) and agreed to an appropriate policy response (throw Jonah overboard).

Today’s interpreters of the weather are what social scientists call availability entrepreneurs: the activists, journalists and publicity-savvy scientists who selectively monitor the globe looking for newsworthy evidence of a new form of sinfulness, burning fossil fuels.

Writer John Tierney goes on to add this zinger.

“In the last few months,” Mr. Gore said, “it has been harder and harder to misinterpret the signs that our world is spinning out of kilter.” But he was being too modest. Thanks to availability entrepreneurs like him, misinterpreting the weather is getting easier and easier.

OMG! I wish I had said that first. Thank you, Mr, Tierney, for having the stones to buck the "consensus" and speak the truth.

KD is 50!

My friend Kelley turned 50 today. I usually don't have a problem remembering her birthday - it's exactly 6 months before mine.

It just doesn't see possible that she is so, well.............old. I'll have to ask her what it's like to be 50, since I don't know yet. :)

Best wishes, KD. I hope it was a happy and eventful day for you.

Wiener of the Week

This week's Wiener of the Week is ESPN - TV, Radio, and The Magazine.

There was a time when ESPN was IT - the preeminent source for all things sports. But that was a L-O-N-G time ago, BD (Before Disney). Now ESPN is, well, crap.

Steve Czaban actually beat me to the punch on this one. This is how he describes the steaming pile that is now ESPN.

It seems like ESPN has devolved into making show after show after show based on “manufactured debate.” By this, I mean there is no real nuance to arguments. There is not much agreement on certain points (hey, conflict is ratings, people!) and things are never allowed to be left open ended at the end of a discussion about a topic.

In other words, it’s nothing like REAL sports debates you would have with buddies over a beer.

Call them McDebates about McOpinions on sports.

And some of them are simply laughable, they are so stupid.

Amen, Czabe! Apparently some Disney suit decided that what American sports fans want is insipid arguments about every little sports nit that can possibly be picked, so every show - both TV and radio, including the once-great SportsCenter - consists of little more than arguing. It's like the Fox News prime-time lineup, only without the missing blond chicks.

For their nose-first landing into the realm of argument-for-argument's-sake, ESPN is my Wiener of the Week.

CRIME WAVE!!!!

Crime has come to my little commuter suburb community! Late Tuesday night, someone broke the passenger side window of Tyler's car and stole his wallet. His was one of about a dozen vehicles in the community that were hit. Tyler got a REAL life-lesson from this - NEVER, NEVER, NEVER leave your wallet in the car overnight. He had to cancel his credit and debit cards, get a new license, and get a new wallet. Fortunately, the insurance will take care of the broken window at no charge.

Those of us who live in sheltered bedroom commuter suburb communities never expect crime to touch us. We're always shocked when it does. I don't know how people live in high-crime areas where this sort of thing is the norm. I just don't know.

Fox News - another cog in the wheel

For those of you who insist that Fox News is "ultra-conservative" (this includes, sadly, many conservatives), feast your eyes on this little tidbit (courtesy of the Ron Paul 2008 website).

According to the New Hampshire State Republican Party and an Associated Press report, Republican presidential candidate and Texas Congressman Ron Paul will be excluded from an upcoming forum of Republican candidates to be broadcast by Fox News on January 6, 2008.

“Given Ron Paul’s support in New Hampshire and his recent historic fundraising success, it is outrageous that Dr. Paul would be excluded,” said Ron Paul 2008 campaign chairman Kent Snyder. “Dr. Paul has consistently polled higher in New Hampshire than some of the other candidates who have been invited.”

Snyder continued, “Paul supporters should know that we are continuing to make inquiries with Fox News as to why they have apparently excluded Dr. Paul from this event.”

Fox lamely claims that the reason that Paul and conservative Duncan Hunter (the only TRUE conservatives running, I might add) were excluded was because of "lack of space in the makeshift studio". I call BS. Other arrangements could be made if Fox were truly serious about promoting a REAL review of the issues by the candidates. Instead, what Fox is REALLY doing is setting up a forum for the candidates acceptable to the ruling elite - in other words, the most liberal of the Republican candidates.

I gave up on Fox News a long time ago. They're slightly more conservative than CNN, to be sure, but only if you like your news to be slanted toward the NeoCon agenda. I suggest you vote with your remote and let Fox News know exactly how much you don't appreciate their "deciding" who the candidates for president are.

*** Wiener of the Year - 2007 ***

It's time for my very first Wiener of the Year! Yea me!

This was H-A-R-D.

There were so many worthy candidates. There was the dunce tandem of Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi, who brought shrill anti-Americanism to new lows in their position as Majority leaders. You're utterly bankrupt as political party leaders when your whole national strategy is to hope that America loses, falters, or is in some way embarrassed. Way to go, asshats!

There was President Bush, who, if I were to award a Wiener of the Decade, would be the hands-down leader. I cannot forgive him for his cynical betrayal of conservative principals. And, though his efforts to pass "scamnasty" were certainly worthy of consideration for Wiener of the Year, the complicity of Congress in the scam somewhat negate his standing as the only traitor. Plus, his surge in Iraq DID have SOME positive effect. So he only gets second place this go-around. Give him time - there's still 2008.

But the hands-down winner is Mike Nifong, former Durham County (N.C.) prosecutor, who successfully reaped in 2007 what he sowed in 2006. Normally, the Wiener of the Year would be awarded for actions occurring during the calendar year. But Nifong's comeuppance is just too good to pass on.

Nifong's crime was the cynical misuse of his office to curry votes from the Black community for his re-election run in 2006 by throwing three white Duke University students under the bus. His suppression of key exculpatory evidence is quite easily the most egregious example of prosecutorial malfeasance of this young century. Duke's lacrosse coach lost his job, and three students were subjected to the worst kind of lynch mob persecution by Duke's PC faculty and student body, their young lives ruined. All so Nifong could be re-elected!

In 2007, Nifong got everything he deserved. He lost his position as county prosecutor. He was disbarred. He was convicted of Criminal Contempt; however, the lowlife only served one day behind bars. Too bad. He would have made a great bitch for some gang-banger.

For getting almost everything he deserved as a first-class putz, Mike Nifong is the Wiener of the Year.