Goodbye New Audi

(click to enlarge)

If you can see the look on my face in this picture, it tells the whole story. It was taken a few minutes after I kicked the door open. My right turn signal is still on.

After an incredibly unnecessary month and a half long battle, I finally got the check from State Farm. I came out a few dollars above even, which is slightly better than I had hoped for.

That'll be the last Audi in my garage for the foreseeable future.

My new Honda Civic is being built this week at the new plant in Indiana. While I'll miss the all wheel drive, stick shift, and 255 HP, the new Civic gets 36 MPG, has a bunch of cool little toys, and is less than HALF the monthly payment.

My plan is to get a toy car in a few years. I'll be ready for my mid-life crisis by then.

Being White

So this is a two part intro here because this email was so horrible that I actually sent a reply to this message. I tried to tone it down so that I wouldn't hurt any feelings, but... well... we'll see if I accomplished that.

--Poobis

----- Original Message -----

From the email: How many are actually paying Attention to this?

No major or minor media outlet is paying attention to this because this a rant someone pulled out of the KKK handbook and attached a celebrity to in order to give it some sort of credibility. There's no WET, White Pride Day, white chamber of commerce, or white colleges because the other 14000 channels, holidays, chamber of commerces, and colleges used to be and still are mostly white.

http://urbanlegends.about.com/od/dubiousquotes/a/michaelrichards.htm

Though this racist rant has been widely disseminated online and seems especially popular on Neo-Nazi and "white power" websites, it dates from well before Michael Richards' infamous onstage tirade against African-American audience members at the L.A. Laugh Factory on November 17, 2006. He did not write it, nor could it have constituted his "defense speech in court," given that there were no charges filed and no court trial ever took place. It is also at odds with Richards' stated apology after the videotaped incident, in which he said he was "deeply, deeply sorry" for shouting racial epithets at two black men who had heckled him during his performance at the comedy club.

----- Original Message -----
From: [Deleted]
To: [Deleted]
Sent: Wednesday, October 29, 2008 3:15 PM
Subject: Fw: Fwd: Fw: Being White

I don't condone what this Mike Richards did, but he makes a good point.

This is great. I have been wondering about why Whites are Racists, and no other race is. Proud to be White - Michael Richards makes his point...

Michael Richards better known as Kramer from TVs Seinfeld does make a good point. This was his defense speech in court after making racial comments in his comedy act. He makes some very interesting points...

Someone finally said it... How many are actually paying Attention to this?

There are African Americans, Mexican Americans, Asian Americans, Arab Americans, etc. And then here are just Americans. You pass me on the street and sneer in my direction. You call me 'White boy,' 'Cracker,' 'Honkey,' 'Whitey,' 'Caveman' ... And that's OK. But when I call you, Nigger, Kike, Towel head, Sand-nigger, Camel Jockey, Beaner, Gook, or Chink ... You call me a racist. You say that Whites commit a lot of violence against you... So why are the ghettos the most dangerous places to live?

You have the United Negro College Fund. You have Martin Luther King Day. You have Black History Month. You have Cesar Chavez Day. You have Yom Hashoah. You have Ma'uled Al-Nabi. You have the NAACP. You have BET...

If we had WET (White Entertainment Television), we'd be racists.. If we had a White Pride Day, you would call us racists. If we Had White History Month, we'd be racists. If we had any organization for only whites to 'advance' our, Lives we'd be racists.

We have a Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, a Black Chamber of Commerce, and then we just have the plain Chamber of Commerce. Wonder who pays for that?? A white woman could not be in the Miss Black American pageant, But any color can be in the Miss America pageant. If we had a college fund that only gave white students Scholarships. You know we'd be racists.

There are over 60 openly proclaimed Black Colleges in the US . Yet if there were 'White colleges' That would be a racist college...

In the Million Man March, you believed that you were marching For your race and rights. If we marched for our race and rights, you would call us Racists. You are proud to be black, brown, yellow and orange, and you're Not afraid to announce it. But when we announce our white pride, you call us racist! You rob us, carjack us, and shoot at us. But, when a white Police officer shoots a black gang member or beats up a black drug-dealer running from the law and posing a threat to society, you call him a racist.

I am proud... But you call me a racist. Why is it that only whites can be racists? There is nothing improper about this e-mail.

Let's see which of you are proud enough to send it on I sadly Don't think many will. That's why we have lost most of OUR RIGHTS in This Country. We won't stand up for ourselves! BE PROUD TO BE WHITE! It's not a crime yet ... But getting real close!

Audi vs Hyundai *update*

I talked to a friend of mine who is an independent insurance adjuster. He told me to put the numbers together for the car and re-pitch the idea of calling it a total loss to the State Farm adjuster. He said it was quite possible that they got some figure way out of whack, because as he sees it, they should have called the car a total loss right out of the gate.

I get all the numbers together yesterday and I call the body shop to make sure that they haven't started the work yet. The sales manager at the body shop told me that State Farm was out there last week and had "discovered" that the car had damage all through the center structural member and with that the estimate jumped from 13K to 25K. Never mind that he could have just dropped to one knee and *looked* at the bleedin' floor panel to discover this and saved us all an entire month of dicking around.

Blindness aside, I'm relieved they've finally figured out their business. I call State Farm to find out what the deal is... It's been over a week since they had this epiphany. I leave a message.

My adjuster calls me back this afternoon and declares that yes, they've decided to call it a total loss, but the information was "stuck" in the system and has been so for a week. So much for having figured out what the hell they're doing.

Incompetence aside, at least the wheels are turning in the right direction, however slowly. Apparently I'm going get a call tomorrow from the total loss department for a low-ball deal on the car.

The lady I talked to, when pressed, hinted that they're at "mid 20's" for the car. I have only been able to find 5 cars on the net that match mine in miles and features and every single one of them is listed for $29,950. Not "mid-twenties." I have all of these cars printed out in case I need to fax them the estimates to prove my case. I might have to in case they've mixed up the two cars and think that I have the Hyundai.

So to sum this up: The accident happened on October 1st. It's nearly November and they're finally getting around to realizing what sort of car I have, what the damage is, and what it'll cost to correct it. The two other insurance companies that I have dealt with in my long tenure as a driver had checks to me THE VERY SAME DAY of the accident. By comparison, State Farm insurance has been a complete joke.

/rant

Please vote! Our children's future depends on it!

Well, they've finally started coming in. It looks like the Christian Taliban is getting really nervous. This is also the first email address I've left visible to the world. If this is indeed from the American Family Association, they deserve email.

Know what's funny? In Catholic school I was taught that there are three tell-tale signs of the devil's influence: fear, nakedness (lack of shame,) and an obsession with death.

How many of the devil's tactics are being used here?

-Poobis
-----

From: American Family Association [mailto:contact@afa.net]Sent: Fri 17-Oct-08 1:28 AM
To: [DELETED]
Subject: Please vote! Our children's future depends on it!

Donald E. Wildmon
Founder and Chairman

Please help us get this information into the hands of as many people as possible by forwarding it to your entire e-mail list of family and friends.

Please vote! Our children's future depends on it!

October 15, 2008

Dear [Deleted],

In my 70 years, I have never seen an election where coverage was so one-sided and biased or where censorship by the liberal media was so widely practiced and where media coverage was so slanted as I have seen in this election process. Their plan is working. The only chance conservatives have is to make sure they care enough to vote.

If the liberals win the upcoming election, America as we have known it will no longer exist. This country that we love, founded on Judeo-Christian values, will cease to exist and will be replaced by a secular state hostile to Christianity. This “city set on a hill” which our forefathers founded, will go dark. The damage will be deep and long lasting. It cannot be turned around in the next election, or the one after that, or by any election in the future. The damage will be permanent. That is why it is so important for you to vote and to encourage friends and family to vote. This is one election where your vote really counts.

Sincerely,

Donald E. Wildmon,
Founder and Chairman
American Family Association

Please take a few minutes and invite your friends to AFA ActionAlert.

In keeping with our privacy policy, AFA may periodically contact you regarding issues of concern to the family. Rest assured that your e-mail address will be kept in the strictest confidence.

You are subscribed as [DELETED]. Unsubscribe Update E-mail Address

If you are a Federal Civilian, Postal or Military Employee, please consider AFA (#12037) for your annual CFC participation.
American Family Association P O Drawer 2440 Tupelo, MS 38803 1-662-844-5036

Audi vs Hyundai and 4'x4' stone pillar...

Audi for the win!

...almost

So I was turning into the driveway last Wednesday. I slowed down and turned on my signal. I looked in the rear-view and a kid in a Hyundai was coming up behind me. He was looking down at something interesting in his lap.

The boy was most likely texting.

He didn't even slow down.

That little Hyundai plowed into the back of me at about 35 MPH and sent me spinning into the 4ft by 4ft stone pillar by the entrance to my driveway.

The stone pillar is now cracked throughout and laying on its side. Every single bag went off in the little Hyundai. It'll be going to Hyundai Heaven soon.

I was unscathed, and the Audi was able to limp away from the scene. A very strained "didn't hurt!" was all it said as I started it up.

The kid had just gotten his license and he was all worried. "I'm going to be in sooo much trouble." His mom and cute little 15 year old girlfriend came by for support.

I now have to sit and wait on State Farm to get their shit together and actually look at the car. They got me into a rental the next day, which was nice, but I'm sitting here in limbo wondering whether or not I should be looking at new cars.

If the Audi isn't a total loss at this point, I don't know what is. The frame is bent at the B pillar, which is between the front driver's door and the back door. The rocker (the frame member below the door,) is bent in at least 4 inches. Bent frame member = never drive straight again. Even if they manage to fix it for less that half the value of the car, it'll never be safe enough for me to want to drive it again.

My girlfriend's dad is an insurance adjuster. He ball parked it at the very least $12K in damage. If they decide to fix it, it will be worthless. I won't be able to trade it or sell it with any sense of a clear conscience. A quick carfax report will render the vehicle unsellable.

Luckily I know a lawyer or three... I just have to sit here and wait for them to throw the first low-ball pitch before I storm the mound.

Roughing it...

We're one of 5 houses left in this suburb that haven't had power restored yet.

Since all 5 houses on this circuit have well water, when they powered up the substation on Monday, our circuit blew as all of the wells started pumping.

So it doesn't look like we'll get power until next week. For us, that means no water as well.

Luckily the gym is open.

Our neigbor has a 5000W generator that I'm stealing a bit of power from. Three extension chords are bringing power up the hill through the basement door. From there a web of orange extention chords is powering my cable modem router and modem, (amongst many other things.)

My laptop battery is now at 5%... better hook it up too.

PLEASE VOTE NO

I will not "agree or delete."

All three of my readers will know what to do if they should happen to click on that poll link...

----- Original Message -----
From: [Deleted]
To: [Deleted]
Sent: Wednesday, August 20, 2008 11:48 AM
Subject: Fw: PLEASE VOTE NO


----- Original Message -----

Here's your chance to let the media know where the people stand on our faith in God, as a nation. NBC is taking a poll on "In God We Trust" to stay on our American currency. Please send this to every Christian you know so they can vote on this important subject. Please do it right away, before NBC takes this off the web page. MSNBC poll is still open so you can vote.

CLICK BELOW

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10103521/

This is not sent for discussion, if you agree forward it, if you don't, delete it. By me forwarding it, you know how I feel. I'll bet this was a surprise to NBC.

flattering!

awkward

All edits after the fact are in [brackets.]

poobis: AWKWARD!
poobis: wow
napdaddy: ?
poobis: something really wrong with pissing in a cup
napdaddy: I am utterly confused.
poobis: and getting felt up by a doctor shortly after
napdaddy: You? Today?
poobis: [new employer] makes you do a complete physical examination
napdaddy: OHHHHHHH
poobis: yeah.
napdaddy: You haven't smoked any doobies have you?
poobis: not a one
napdaddy: Oh good.
poobis: order of events:
poobis: wait for 1/2 hour in waiting room
poobis: walk in piss in a cup
poobis: [pick up warm vial and] initial piss in a cup
poobis: take a fast-pased hearing test
poobis: get blood pressure checked
poobis: pulse check
poobis: run in place like an idiot for a minute
poobis: pulse check
poobis: 15 minute eye exam
poobis: pulse check
poobis: led off to room and given one tiny robe and a paper towel that you aren't sure what it is
poobis: after struggling with the robe doctor goes out and gets another
poobis: poked and prodded with two rediculous robes on
poobis: turn head and cough
poobis: twice
poobis: get dressed
napdaddy: Well, gotta make extra sure those balls are okay.
poobis: believe me
poobis: they are

It is over

As of 10:40 AM on Tuesday July 1, I'm no longer the owner of beigeburbia.

woot

Almost there

Just 12 hours and 27 minutes left to go!

In the home stretch

I've been working for this major automobile manufacturer these days... (see Oompa Loompa.)

Three weeks ago, my boss's boss comes in and says, "Poobis, I hear good things about what you're doing here. I wanted to let you know that I have an opening in my area, and if it's something that you're at all interested in, I would encourage you to apply."

So I figured, what the hell...

In the last three weeks I've met and interviewed with 4 echelons of managers over me. I've had an hour and fifteen minute phone screen, a two hour panel interview, and a coffee meeting with the Big Cheese. Something tells me they're working up an offer. It's a good company. If there were an automobile manufacturer to work for in times like these, it's this one.

Just after my two hour panel interview, I got a call from a government entity that I applied to way back in December. They've received my application apparently and are interested in interviewing me. Nice timing.

It is now 109 hours until I no longer own Beigeburbia.

This has been the strangest move. I've done 98% of it myself. Last Saturday I had my brother in law and another friend stop by and we loaded the heavy stuff in the truck. Two trips with a pickup truck and I sent them on their way. I only have a few boxes left and some cleaning to do and it's done.

I made more trips to the dumpster than I did to the new place... It felt good.

Aside from finally extinguishing the huge cash pyre that was Beigeburbia, it also feels good to have a home again. I haven't been staying at Beigeburbia.

For the last year all of my stuff has been scattered between two places over a half hour apart. For those who haven't experienced this, it's an incredibly draining experience. 109 more hours... and I'll never have to drive 30+ minutes to get my junk mail again.

Another non-debate starter

It appears a columnist for Fortune picked up on my idea:

Why oil prices will tank

grand weather conspiracy

Aside from a couple of exceptions with helping others move, every time that I plan to transport items either into or out of any dwelling the weather almost instantly turns ridiculously hot and humid.

One pickup truck load + 4 liters of water = still dehydrated.

So all the inspections are finished and cleared and paperwork is signed. We're all set for closing on the 1st. Thank god I don't have to wait for the buyers to sell their house.

I'll be all moved by the 21st.

It's been nearly 5 months since I've had a multiple hour block where I just sit on my ass and do nothing but watch Mike Rowe marathons and eat unhealthy food.

Damn do I need a Poobis Day.

Maybe I'll get one in July...

In Contract

10 months after I put it on the market, Beigeburbia is FINALLY in contract to be sold.

The terms are making me a bit squeamish, but it'll cost less to sell it for this price than it would be to keep it on the market for another two months. Yeah, I'm going to have to bring money to closing...

From what I understand, real estate hasn't taken this much of a dive since the depression. When I bought the house, I was counting on it being at least worth what I paid for it. At the time, that was a pretty good bet since and overwhelming majority of the houses that were put on the market since 1940 ended up being worth more than what they were purchased for.

Alas, that was not to be for me. The agreed upon selling price is 12,000 less than what I paid for it six years ago. From what I'm hearing from other people, I'm making out like a bandit.

A retarded bandit.

Anywho, I'm just glad there is a light at the end of the tunnel.


Speaking of retarded bandits...

At least I've learned one valuable lesson from this whole ordeal: Don't buy something because people tell you it's a good investment. Look at the market, have the prices jumped recently? If that answer is yes, it's probably not a good time to "invest" in it.

Buy low and sell high... it's a common-sense piece of advice for a reason.

I think the idiots who "leveraged" themselves heavily to invest vast sums of money in real estate mortgages when the market price had jumped 20% have moved into buying $50.00 a barrel oil for $125.00.

I hope they lose their shirts.

oompa loompa

So I'm keeping a month between posts... better than nothing I suppose.

I have a good excuse this time. I swear!

To explain, perhaps I should do a run-through of a typical day since I've started my new job.

So I get up every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning at 5:15AM, meet my friend at the gym and work out. I shower with the ancient men that, as near as I can tell, just sit in the locker room all day long just being naked. (that topic deserves a whole post.) I dress up in my little white oompa loompa outfit, steel toe boots, and safety glasses, and head off for the half hour drive out to the manufacturing plant.



I clock in at 7:30 AM and start coding.

While I'm at the plant I'm almost completely incommunicado. No blogs, no hotmail, no IM, and since there's a mile of concrete and metal between me and the nearest cell tower, no phone service either.

The whistle blows at 9:00, (no shit, there's a whistle) and head out to the break room for my ten minute coffee break. Then back across the plant for more coding.

The same whistle blows at 11:30 for my half-hour lunch break and then on to more coding.

Another whistle and another break at 2:00. More coding.

I clock out at 4:00 and drive for an hour to one of my two other jobs for a few hours.

I grab shit food on the way and fall into bed.

----

I landed two pretty big independent contracts and this new position nearly simultaneously. The bad news is, I'm working like crazy, the good news is...

I'll be nearly into five digits for April!

So, yeah... the preceding message might sound a bit like bitching, but in light of that, I *really* can't complain.

----

So I've been working out four days a week since January. I've only lost 10 lbs or so, but I'm back up to benching around 200. The guns came back even quicker. I was working out with 50's per arm when I was a senior and I'm pulling that off at 33 with almost three months of work.

RAWR!

I'm amazed I've been keeping to that schedule in light of all the work I've been doing lately. I have to say it really helps to have someone to keep you on track.

I'll try to post some more before the week is out.

Full Release

So I finally got a job offer today.

My money was due to run out completely in a few weeks. Relief doesn't quite describe my feelings at the moment.

I haven't accepted it yet as I hear another offer might be in the works. I'll give it a day.

In other news, I met with a lady who hooks people up with corporate relocation renters. I can't wait to be a beigeburbian slumlord!

Ethics (Signs)

Ten years ago I worked for a local consulting company as a systems engineer/developer. There was an emergency at a client facility involving a Macintosh. The regular Mac guy was off with his wife in the hospital, and they asked me to stop by and help.

So I show up at the the client site in a full-on business professional suit, tie, and suspenders.

When I walk in the front door, I tell the receptionist who I am and who I'm there to see. While I'm waiting, I look around to take in the sight. It's a really open floor plan, with a loft/balcony style second level. I see a group of suit types looking at me from above and point.

I didn't think much of it. I met my contact and proceeded to save his ass.

It wasn't until years later that I was talking to a friend of mine who also used to be employed at the same consulting company. The subject of this client came up and he explained that the person that I saw on the balcony was the CEO/President and he had personally requested that I not return to his company in any capacity. While my direct supervisor at the time said nothing to me about the incident, my friend was in his office when he got the call.

While I was dressed in a suit and tie, I had a pony-tail that touched the middle of my back.

So ten years later, I get a call from another consulting agency that's looking to place me. Apparently I'm a really good fit for her client and they desperately need help there. She explained who the client is.

I told her that I was not interested.

Imagine that... me workin' for you.

The World is Teasing Me?

So I've had the house on the market since the beginning of August. For the first five months, I had three showings. For those that don't know, that's beyond bad. Four a week is the norm.

With the market the way it is, I now have it listed for $11,000 LESS than what I paid for it six years ago. For those that don't know, that's beyond bad. Average amount of equity in a house after six years is 25%. I'm clocking in around 8%.

Since I lowered the price, the amount of showings have increased to 4-5 a week. Which is fantastic. It's almost been two months at this price, with a good 40 people having trucked through it. Had only one offer for $30,000 less than what I was asking. I instructed my my realtor to counter offer $5,000 more than the listed price. For those that don't know, this counter offer was effectively "the bird" of counter-offers.

So I've been on the market for jobs since October. I've been steadily getting calls. About three or four a week, asking for my resume, seeing what I'm into, etc... I've only had one interview.

As near as I can tell, the vast majority of the jobs that I've applied for have never been filled. The postings show closed, but my people on the inside tell me that they never even had interviews, the position just vaporized. I've never seen anything like this happen on this scale before in the 20 years I've been employed. Things look beyond bad out there.

So all these showings, all these phone calls... it's like the world is teasing me. My money is only going to last another month... WTF?

The weekend

I had an interesting weekend. On Friday I was asked to run sound for a band that the president of my former company plays in. This meant that I would be running into a ton of folks from my former company which could have been rather awkward.

It wasn't. I don't think I've been hugged by as many different people as I was that night. The first words out of the CEO/President’s mouth were "It's really good to see you Poobis."

Drinks and dinner were free, and the times were good.

Then my former supervisor decides to show up. I caught him walking through the door, and he bee-lined to the other side of the bar. This was fine by me. I resumed my evening.

For some strange reason when a band comes back from break to start the second set, they always sing and play louder. It's a trick to pump up the vocals a bit in the monitors so that the performers think they're singing louder, but the sound hitting the audience is still properly mixed. I was in the midst of trying to pull this off when my former supervisor decides to sit down next to me.

He stuck out his hand, and I reflexively shook it. He asked if he could buy me a drink, I just showed him my full beer. He asked how I was doing. I responded, "great."

I was making it pretty obvious that I didn't want to talk to him.

So he cuts right to the chase. "I thought I'd come over here to see if you'd like to catch lunch or a beer some time."

"Why would you want to do that?" I asked.

"I miss you. We were good friends. We had some really good times together."

"Then you shouldn't have lied about me."

"We can talk about that over lunch if you like." He responded.

"Unless you've come to offer a very heartfelt and very public apology for how you misrepresented me to everyone who'd listen to you at [the company] then I can't imagine what the hell we'd have to talk about." My barely contained anger is not so contained at this point.

"I know it didn't happen that way." He says.

I half cut him off. "No matter how many times you tell yourself that over and over again it still won't be how it really happened."

He said, "ok" and went back to the bar for ten minutes and left.

What's really funny about all of this: At the former company, just about everyone there has figured him out. He's become a running joke in the entire department. I've been hearing varying reports about what he's been telling people that I said to him. Quite a few of them have already compared notes, and it's not been the same story twice.

After that the night only got better. I'm not generally a mean person, but I really questioned that after deriving satisfation from the dejected look on his face... but then again, I don't think I've ever been flat-out lied about like that by anyone.

So then it was on to Detroit for the Dirtbombs show at the Magic Stick.

The Magic Stick has to be the best smaller venue I've ever been to. It's what the Newport should be.

On the first floor: Bowling alley, bar, and a hole cut in the wall to allow access to the pizza by the slice joint next door.

On the second floor: a full high-school gym sized room with two bars, eight to ten pool tables, and a nice sized stage.

The fact that it's the Dirtbombs home turf makes it just that much better.

Techie Rant

Sorry for the mini-hiatus there. I had to reload everything on my laptop which took two days. I upgraded from Windows Vista back to Windows XP. Yeah, I meant upgraded.

I really don't have enough bad things to say about Vista. I can barely come up with one redeeming quality or any single feature that is remotely worth buying it for. The fact that I only had the choice of paying 1/3 of the price of this ThinkPad on Vista Home or Vista Ultimate when I bought it makes me even more bitter. The software isn't even worth pirating.

I ran it for 5 months. It's not like I didn't try to make it work. It's just that bad. I'd try to unzip a file, explorer would crash. I'd be copying files from one drive to another... crash. I've never had so many freeze ups and major program crashes in all the years of my dealing with computers. As a matter of fact, I can't recall the last time "explorer.exe" crashed, in 95, 98, 2000, or XP.

Sorry for the techie rant... It cost me two days worth of job hunting to get a useable computer again.

Today's History Lesson

So this is the "grand return" of Emails From Grandma. I don't think I could have picked a longer one. All of my comments are featured in green.

Enjoy!

-Poobis

------------

Fw: Fw: Today's History Lesson
From: [Grandma]
Sent: Tue 12/04/07 1:07 PM
To: [A bunch of folks]

[Ridiculously long forwarded header information deleted]

Subject: Fw: Today's History Lesson

DID YOU KNOW?

As you walk up the steps to the building which houses the U.S. Supreme Court you can see near the top of the building a row of the world's law givers and each one is facing one in the middle who is facing forward with a full frontal view .. it is Moses and he is holding the Ten Commandments!

Did you notice that Moses is also flanked by Confucius and Solon? (FYI - Not Christians.)

Herman A. MacNeil's pediment carvings have stirred controversy because the central figures were drawn from religious traditions. However, in the 1930s, the Supreme Court Building Commission did not question the wisdom of placing Moses, Confucius, and Solon on a secular government building. Rather, they trusted in the architect, who deferred to the artistry of the sculptor, Herman A. MacNeil.

http://architecture.about.com/library/blgilbertsupremecourt.htm

DID YOU KNOW?

As you enter the Supreme Court courtroom, the two huge oak doors have the Ten Commandments engraved on each lower portion of each door.

There are lots of representations of religious and historical events etched, stamped, and carved all over the US Supreme Court Building.

One can enter the building through the opened bronze doors of the west front, each of which weighs six and one-half tons and slides into a wall recess when open. The door panels, sculpted by John Donnelly, Jr., depict historic scenes in the development of law: the trial scene from the shield of Achilles, as described in the Iliad; a Roman praetor publishingan edict; Julian and a pupil; Justinian publishing the Corpus Juris; King John sealing the Magna Carta; the Chancellor publishing the first Statute of Westminster; Lord Coke barring King James from sitting as a Judge; and Chief Justice Marshall and Justice Story.

http://www.supremecourtus.gov/about/courtbuilding.pdf

DID YOU KNOW?

As you sit inside the courtroom, you can see the wall, right above where the Supreme Court judges sit, a display of the Ten Commandments!

Did you notice that Moses isn't the only thing carved in the courtroom?

Overhead, along all four sides of the Chamber, are sculpted marble panels, the work of Adolph A. Weinman:

-Directly above the Bench are two central figures, depicting Majesty of the Law and Power of Government. The group at the far left represents Safeguard of the Rights of the People, and Genii of Wisdom and Statecraft. The far right group represents the Defense of Human Rights. -To the right is a procession of historical lawgivers including: Menes, Hammurabi, Moses, Solomon, Lycurgus, Solon, Draco, Confucius and Augustus. They are flanked by figures symbolizing Fame and History. -To the left are later historical lawgivers including Napoleon, John Marshall, William Blackstone, Hugo Grotius, Saint Louis, King John, Charlemagne, Mohammed and Justinian. Figures representing Liberty and Peace and Philosophy appear at either end. -Symbolized on the back wall frieze is Justice with the winged female figure of Divine Inspiration, flanked by Wisdom and Truth. At the far left the Powers of Good are shown, representing Security, Harmony, Peace, Charity, and Defense of Virtue. At the far right the Powers of Evil are represented by Corruption, Slander, Deceit, and Despotic Power.

http://www.usscplus.com/info/building.htm

DID YOU KNOW?

There are Bible verses etched in stone all over the Federal Buildings and Monuments in Washington , D.C.

Yep along with myrads of other quotes as well I'm sure.

DID YOU KNOW?

James Madison, the fourth president, known as "The Father of Our Constitution" made the following statement:

"We have staked the whole of all our political institutions upon the capacity of mankind for self-government, upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to control ourselves, to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God."

And I have no doubt that every new example will succeed, as every past one has done, in shewing that religion & Govt will both exist in greater purity, the less they are mixed together.-- James Madison, letter to Edward Livingston, July 10, 1822.

http://atheism.about.com/library/quotes/bl_q_JMadison.htm

DID YOU KNOW?

Patrick Henry, that patriot and Founding Father of our country said:

"It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded not by religionists but by Christians, not on religions but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ".

If you can't find direct evidence to misrepresent the Founding Fathers' intentions. Why not just invent it?

Misquotations [of Patrick Henry]:
"It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religions, but on the gospel of Jesus Christ!" -- This quotation has not been found anywhere in Henry's recorded writings or speeches, as has been acknowledged by David Barton.

http://www.geocities.com/peterroberts.geo/Relig-Politics/PHenry.html

DID YOU KNOW?

Every session of Congress begins with a prayer by a paid preacher, whose salary has been paid by the taxpayer since 1777.

None other than famed "proponent of the merger of Church and State" James Madison thought this was unconstitutional.

Lynn noted that Congress has had paid chaplains since 1789 but pointed out that James Madison, fourth president of the United States and father of the Constitution, opposed them.

"The Constitution of the U.S. forbids everything like an establishment of a national religion," Madison wrote. "The law appointing Chaplains establishes a religious worship for the national representatives, to be performed by Ministers of religion, elected by a majority of them; and these are to be paid out of the national taxes. Does not this involve the principle of a national establishment, applicable to a provision for a religious worship for the Constituent as well as of the representative Body, approved by the majority, and conducted by Ministers of religion paid by the entire nation?"

Continued Madison, "[If] it be proper that public functionaries, as well as their Constituents should discharge their religious duties, let them like their Constituents, do so at their own expense."

http://web.archive.org/web/20030425233838/http://www.au.org/field/actionalerts/congressionalchaplains.htm

DID YOU KNOW?

Fifty-two of the 55 founders of the Constitution were members of the established orthodox churches in the colonies

How many people do you know that say they're Christian but don't go to church?

"Although it had its share of strenuous Christians... the gathering at Philadelphia was largely made up of men in whom the old fires were under control or had even flickered out. Most were nominally members of one of the traditional churches in their part of the country.. and most were men who could take their religion or leave it alone. Although no one in this sober gathering would have dreamed of invoking the Goddess of Reason, neither would anyone have dared to proclaim his opinions had the support of the God of Abraham and Paul. The Convention of 1787 was highly rationalist and even secular in spirit." (Clinton Rossiter, 1787; The Grand Convention, pp. 147-148.)

http://members.tripod.com/~candst/bjcpa1.htm

DID YOU KNOW?

Thomas Jefferson worried that the Courts would over step their authority and instead of interpreting the law would begin making law an oligarchy the rule of few over many.

Yep, he was worried about the courts usurping power over congress, but it had absolutely nothing to do with his disapproval of the First Amendment to the US Constitution.

http://www.landmarkcases.org/marbury/jefferson.html

DID YOU KNOW?

The very first Supreme Court Justice, John Jay, said: "Americans should select and prefer Christians as their rulers."

Yep, he sure did say that. Unfortunately, that man didn't consider my Grandma a Christian.

In New York, Jay argued unsuccessfully in the provincial convention for a
prohibition against Catholics holding office.[20]In February 1788, the New York legislature under Jay's guidance approved an act requiring officeholders to renounce all foreign authorities "in all matters ecclesiastical as well as civil", an "anti-Catholic" act designed to bar Catholics from holding public offices.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Jay

How, then, have we gotten to the point that everything we have done for 220 years in this country is now suddenly wrong and unconstitutional?

Lets put it around the world and let the world see and remember what this great country was built on.

Chamber , US House of Representatives

I was asked to send this on if I agreed or delete if I didn't. Now it is your turn...

It is said that 86% of Americans believe in God. Therefore, it is very hard to understand why there is such a mess about having the Ten Commandments on display or "In God We Trust" on our money and having God in the Pledge of Allegiance. Why don't we just tell the other 14% to Sit Down and SHUT UP!!!

If you agree, pass this on

Resurrections

To keep the pipes from freezing, and the people viewing the house from being able to see their breath, the temperature at my Beigeburbian estate is currently set at 45 degrees.


That just happens to be the optimum temperature for brewing a fine German lager.


A brew, not unlike Yeungling, is currently percolating in the chilly confines of the basement in the now dormant Beigeburbia.

Been a long while...

I killed the Ego Center nearly two years ago.

The old Ego Center computer has been reallocated to the recording studio and all the archives are backed up in triplicate for posterity. I decided that despite the reduced control and functionality, blogspot was a whole lot more reliable than my old AMD machine/Road Runner combo.

Many have asked why I killed the old blog. I blame the abandonment of Keynesan economics for the rediculous Supply-side economic theory... or maybe I was just busy as hell and couldn't be bothered with telling the whole world about it.

Well at that particular time, work became a nightmare. As the number of hours that I spent working rose, the amount of recognition for the work dropped considerably. I had recieved a barely inflationary raise for an average of 55 hours a week. I hadn't realized that when my coworker and I were working 36 hour weekends, he was getting most of the credit.

When that co-worker became my boss about eight months later it all became a little clearer.

Almost as soon as he accomplished this, he went on a long, drawn out disinformation and out-and-out slander campaign against me. He played it off by being visibly worried and concerned about "what to do about Poobis." He'd pull anyone who'd listen to him aside and make up something that I did wrong and ask advice. He pulled people in by feigning trust, and spread a feedback-loop set of lies around to key powers in the office.

In the end when he went to HR, the only version of the truth that was told was his. I wasn't even offered a rebuttal.

What was this guy's motivation you ask? I threatened him.

Not physically, or violently of course. He knew I was the only one who wasn't intimidated by him. Even his boss is bullied by him. Which I find sadly humorous.

So my meeting with HR was four months ago and i still haven't been able to retrieve all of my personal property from this guy.

I'm not bitter.

Acutally this little vacation has been quite nice. I haven't had this much time off since I was four years old.

Blame it on Andy

It is no coincedence that on the eve of Broin Down IX - FeBROary, the blog has made an unexpected return.

Blame it on Mr. Nap Daddy.

We'll see where this goes.