First Daughter Goes To Daycare

Recently, my wife enrolled our daughter in a daycare. In Korean it's called Oreenee Cheeb (Children's House). I don't know all the details of the Korean tax/entitlement system so I left them up to her. I like it that way for plausible deniability. hehe I won't get into any details, but we might be able to swing some discounts for the cost of daycare!

Score!

This daycare is pretty cool! For a single price we can keep her there for a few hours or several. Later when the wife is in the hospital recovering for two weeks, the daycare will drop off first daughter at the hospital if I need to work late. Imagine trying to get something like that back in the states!

We enrolled her because we were concerned that her social skills were not being developed, since she doesn't interact with anyone her own age. (I may act like a 2 year old when we run out of beer but that doesn't count) Also, with the addition of our second daughter, we wanted to get her accustomed to going to daycare and not associate her departures with the new baby. The wife could also use a break and do other things (like get me my beer, hehe). Why just the other day we did a little cleaning and took a nap!

On my off days, I like to walk her to school. She has this backpack that fits her tiny torso and doubles her charm. That and her toddler steps makes everyone that sees her, coo and smile. My chest puffs out with pride! I've also become a sort of subject du jour with the teachers there. You see, I didn't understand what they said to me when I went there to pick first daughter up, but then they said "ddong" and I understood. It must have been funny to them because they told this story to several other mothers. Supposedly I am affectionately called "ddong apa" or "poop dad." What do I care. I smile and bow politely and put on my good neighbor behavior. I'm just happy to be able to spend time with and hold my daughter while I can.

The Old Wooden Spoon Joke!

Always good for a laugh...

Spoon Prank WIN - watch more funny videos

I saw this a few years ago with 3 Indian(?) guys advertising a soft drink.  Here's it done again by some Europeans...sorry I don't know from which country.

Well Said Governor Brewer!

It appears that Governor Brewer, governor of Arizona, has received no support from the federal government. Fox news has the interview...

Here's the money shot: "Mr President, Secretary Napolitano - Do Your Job!

Section 4: Obligations of the United States, Clause 2: Protection from invasion and domestic violence

[...] and [The United States] shall protect each of them [the States] against Invasion; and on Application of the Legislature, or of the Executive (when the Legislature cannot be convened) against domestic Violence.

As a Libertarian, I am opposed to the federal government going outside of its Constitutional boundaries, however, securing borders and taking custody of illegal immigrants is a FEDERAL function, and I expect them to carry it out in nothing short of excellence. Our military, our national defense, is exemplary, so too should be our secured borders. Perhaps if the congress and the administration wasn't screwing around passing un-consititutional laws, they could focus on what they're supposed to be doing.

An Email on Immigration

I received this email today from a friend and thought I'd share it with you. It's a little inflammatory, but it's a good summation.

A lady wrote the best letter in the Editorials in ages!!!  It explains things better than all the baloney you hear on TV.

Her point:

Recently large demonstrations have taken place across the country protesting the fact that Arizona is addressing the issue of illegal immigration.

Certain people are angry that the US might protect its own borders, might make it harder to sneak into this country and, once here, to stay indefinitely. Let me see if I correctly understand the thinking behind these protests...

Let's say I break into your house.
Let's say that when you discover me in your house, you insist that I leave.
But I say, 'No! I like it here.

 It's better than my house. I've made all the beds and washed the dishes and did the laundry and swept the floors. I've done all the things you don't like to do. I'm hard-working and honest
(except for when I broke into your house).

According to the protesters:

You are Required to let me stay in your house
You are Required to feed me
You are Required to add me to your family's insurance plan
You are Required to Educate my kids
You are Required to Provide other benefits to me & to my family
My husband will do all of your yard work because he is also hard-working and honest
(except for that breaking in part).

If you try to call the police or force me out, I will call my friends who will picket your house carrying signs that proclaim my RIGHT to be there.


It's only fair, after all, because you have a nicer house than I do, and I'm just trying to better myself.  I'm a hard-working and honest, person, except for well, you know, I did break into your house and what a deal it is for me!!!


I live in your house, contributing only a fraction of the cost of my keep, and there is nothing you can do about it without being accused of cold, uncaring, selfish, prejudiced, and bigoted behavior.

Oh yeah, I DEMAND that you learn MY LANGUAGE!!! So you can communicate with me.

 I think a lot of the problems I see with the angry illegal immigrants are the ones that feel entitled or carry their country's flag over Old Glory. If you want to call me a bigot or prejudice, I'm ok with that. Those accusations are based on emotion and not on reason, so it's nothing more to me than my child in tantrum mode. My mother was an immigrant, my brother-in-law and wife are immigrants. They all followed the laws for becoming Americans. They are proud of their heritage, but they are more proud of being/becoming Americans that if they do attend a rally or voice their opinion, they do so in English and while holding an American flag. To hold your native country's flag and demand amnesty is disingenuous, dishonest, and disrespectful and reflects upon other immigrants from your homeland that are trying to enter legally. Shame on you!

End the Capital Gains Tax

Of course, you should expect me to be on the side of any argument against taxes. I'm not impractical. I know that we need government, that it is a necessary evil, but a limited government that does not intrude in our lives and protects our liberties is the best form compared to the current beast.

Here is a video from the Center for Freedom and Prosperity that gives us six reasons why we should end this tax.

My Audience Approves Then I Stroke Myself

This is a young blog. As you can see on the right side, it's no older than three months old. I'm trying to make it to six months. That seems to be the hump, after which a blog can be taken a bit more seriously. I think the next milestone is a year or perhaps two. Well, let's just focus on six months, shall we?

Being a young blog, I don't have many readers or commenters. Some of the comments have been from friends, but it gets waaaay cool when there are mysterious, anonymous commenters. One of these days I'll have a troll, then I'll know I have arrived. I mean, what's a blog without a troll or two?  Look at Marmot's Hole or ROK Drop or, dare I say, An Idiot's Tale, they have an orchestra of sock puppets, lurkers, trolls, commenters, guest authors, open forums, and a bunch of extras.  I can't say for certain that my blog will one day supersede theirs, but it's a target to aspire to.

That being said, I think I'm going to give myself a positive stoke. Attaboy, FloriDaegu! Ah, that felt good. That took me about three seconds, a personal best! Let me tell you why before I take a nap. A commenter gave me a compliment. Normally, a blog will receive smart ass remarks or flames, but not me, no sir. The commenter said, "Good to see you are intellectually honest."

I don't know about you, but THAT is an enormous compliment! Intellectual dishonesty is shameful. If a person has the smarts, but purposely sticks to a position just to be stubborn, that person does himself a disservice and loses credibility. Nothing's wrong with being wrong. I was once a Democrat, but now I'm a Libertarian. I thought LTC Lakin had a chance in his court-marshal, he doesn't. People change, minds can change. 

Contradictions do not exist. Whenever you think you are facing a contradiction, check your premises. You will find that one of them is wrong.

Ayn Rand

I Respond to ROK Drop's Article on Birthers

ROK Drop recently posted this article:

Army “Birther” Colonel Appears On CNN

Army LTC Terry Lakin is in some hot water for disobeying orders to deploy to the middle east. His reason for doing so is the "birther" (non)issue. Some people believe that President Obama may not have been born in the United States, a requirement for President. If this is true then all of his executive orders and any laws he signed are null and void. So, if the President is not eligible for office then his orders to deploy are invalid. LTC Lakin is taking a very big risk. He is putting his career, pension, and quite possibly, freedom on the line.

My comment:

 If this guy really believes in what he’s saying, then he’s doing the right thing. It takes courage to do that and in line with Army Values, so he is doing service to the uniform.

I recall this oath: “…I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States…” Obeying orders comes AFTER that, so IF he is right, then he shouldn’t be punished, but of course, the stakes are painfully high if he’s wrong.

I’m not a “birther”, but there are enough lingering questions to cast some doubt. And IF the President is committed to transparency (thus far he hasn’t been, unsurprisingly) then this is an easy fix.

Of course there are the several commenters there that denounce his behavior. Read the rest.

 Update: I just got lawyered! 

Holy Crap! Here is what a commenter posted:

Sorry, that's not the way the law works. Try looking up the "de facto officer doctrine."
...

LTC Lakin is toast.

So I did. I read this web site with multiple citations...boy oh boy. I'm not a lawyer, but it does present impressive arguments that have been tested multiple times. I am/was wrong. All actions that President Obama has done, even if he is found ineligible, are de facto in force! It seems illogical, but there have been numerous examples where say an officer assumes command even if he wasn't appointed and executes commands without interference. I must acquiesce. LTC Lakin is going down.  This was eye-opening!

Lawyered!

12 Mill In Jail? Can't Do It. 30 Mil in Jail? No Problem

Taken from Sweetness and Light via New Patriot Journal.

Pelosi to Bishops: Use Pulpit to Promote Immigration Reform

In the rush of events we almost missed more of the ex cathedral views from that well-known Catholic scholar, Nancy Pelosi, at a Catholic Community Conference, via CNS News:




[At 1:50] We have to respect that dignity and worth, and recognize that the church has an important role to play in that. We don’t, as a practical matter, we can’t say to people — 12 million of you, ‘Go back to wherever you came from or go to jail!’ We can’t do that…

But isn’t that odd? Back on November 12th, 2009, we posted this chilling exchange between Shomari Stone, a reporter Komo 4 News (the Seattle ABC affiliate) and Speaker Pelosi:




Stone: Do you think it’s fair to send people to jail who don’t buy health insurance?
 
Pelosi: … The legislation is very fair in this respect.

Back then, Ms. Pelosi had no problem telling 30 million uninsured American citizens that they will go to jail if they don’t buy health insurance.

And yet she bridles at the thought of jailing people who are in this country illegally, and who have usually been rounded up because they were breaking another law.

Why is that?

Gov. Chris Christie (R-NJ) Speaks Directly...

The original title of this video is "YouTube - Gov. Chris Christie (R-NJ) Puts A Liberal Reporter In His Place!" I know this small sound bite may take things out of context. Perhaps Gov. Christie is a prick. I don't know, but IF he is as he says he is, then I can get support this kind of politician.



Plato said, "The rulers of the state are the only persons who ought to have the privilege of lying, either at home or abroad; they may be allowed to lie for the good of the state." While I can agree with Plato, it seems that politicians seem to abuse that privilege to the point where we can't tell if they are lying or not and are always leaving themselves a way out. It just seems cowardly, and while that it may be politically savvy, it is disgusting behavior and when it is found out, as most often is, then it only increases the disdain I have for these people.

Look just stand by your words, it's as simple as that. So, President Obama, when you told a crowd in Dover, N.H. on September 12, you said that you "...can make a firm pledge. Under [your] plan, no family making less than $250,000 a year will see any form of tax increases, not [our] income tax, not [our] payroll tax, not [our] capital gains taxes, not any of [our] taxes.” I expect you to stand by it. But since you couldn't, expect repercussions, such as opposition to any of your plans because you can not be trusted, sir.

Dujour Back Door Lover

I think this blog needs a theme song. I present to you, Back Door Lover.



Please try not to laugh.

Owwwie! My Va-J-J hurts!

It appears that when the media is shouts the laurels of our dear leader, President Obama, he loves and supports them, but when there are hard questions or opposing information, he says that the "...the information age could be too much of a good thing, [that] ...'information becomes a distraction, a diversion' that is putting 'pressure on our country and on our democracy.'"

This reminds me of another president...Mr. Roh Moo Hyun. I know it's bad form to talk ill of the deceased, but please allow me a small imposition. That guy was a piece of work that weakened and embarrassed his country. He did great things, no doubt, but many of his great screw-ups overshadowed his great achievements. I wonder if President Obama is also on a similar track.

The Batman Cometh!!

This is up there with Tron! According to Variety via Gizmodo, the next Batman movie will come out in July, 2012.  Awesome!  Some suggestions include Batman eating Halls to clear up that throat problem...

The Average American Family -- Visualized!

Does anyone find this disturbing? The circles that I run in are no where near this bad off. I suppose from my perch overseas, looking back at the states, I am disappointed, yet not so surprised. It just seems to me that there are too many of us trying to overextend ourselves, never denying our impulses or our children's. I hope this situation changes, because if THAT many people are not saving for retirement and Social Security is going to go broke, then those of us that did save up will end up paying higher taxes (being punished) for doing the right thing.

Digging This Baddassery!

Saw this video over at Gizmodo and I gotta hand to the the Chinese, they sure know how to use music in their shoveling videos!



Somehow I just can't imagine an American soldier slicing and dicing his newly found potatoes with his e-tool, but I suppose the Chi-Coms are big on food prep. I especially like the guy "defending" himself in his car instead of driving around to run the guy over.

The Tea Party is Making Its Presence Felt

A coworker, let call him Prosciutto, and I got in a friendly back an forth about the amount of impact the Tea Party is having. He feels the TP is filled with angry, racists and Palinistas. I agreed that the TP does have those people and may front Palin a lot more than I'd like, but I tried to remind him that there are also, paleo-conservatives, Ron Paulistas, Libertarians, and centrists that make up a large percentage of the party. I believe he's focusing on the 20% (80/20 Principle) and he agreed that they are the ones the media is setting their focus on. I told him that a lot of people have become distrustful of the media and they are going to see what's what at these TP rallies, and the TP is made up of everyday people who are just pissed off with the current political system, the bailouts, the fiscal irresponsibilities, and the lies of change.

What set off this argument was this article on CNN. A three time incumbent senator lost the Republican nomination. The two remaining candidates will have a run-off. The probable reason why he lost? He voted for the bailout and "he has also come under criticism for working with Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, last year on a health care overhaul proposal, his pursuit of earmarks, and his votes supporting an increase in the national debt."

Good.

The chickens are coming home to roost, boys and girls! I point to this result and the election of Massachusetts Sen. Brown as evidence of things to come. The people don't want health care, they don't want bailouts or TARP or any of it and neither Dems or the current batch of Republicans are doing anything to help. It's time to get them out and put in the representatives that do our bidding.

Sadly, Prosciutto, thinks the TP is nothing more than a blip. I don't. It's going to affect politics for the next 4 years, at least. I told him to mark my words that when this election cycle is finished, you'll see several TP supported candidates in office. This posting will be my permit to nyah-nyah at him when I'm right in several months time.

A Good Example - Chiune Sugihara

I suppose in good ol' Korean fashion, you could call this man, Japan's Schindler. I just read this article over at The Art of Manliness and I just had to re-post it here. This man is an example to live up to.

Two Demonstrations, Two Media responses

John McCrarey over at Long Time Gone posted a good article talking about two protests that one person attended and reported the differences and different media responses.

Enjoy the hypocrisy.

Sent Home for Wearing the American Flag

Yup, you read that right. If you attend a certain northern California school and you wear Old Glory on Cinco de Mayo, then you get sent home from school.  asdfp9nowq3rp9asefh09n23kljkjlxdbflkafdhgiaak.bdfaLEGHBGS.L; Now that I've vented my frustration a bit I'll continue. Apparently a few of the hispanic kids complained to the school administrators and instead of talking about tolerance, the flag wearing kids (some of whom were of hispanic desent) were sent home. School administrators said that the flags were inciting the some hispanic students. WHAT?! Just......just.....just watch for yourself...

 

Wow...just...wow. I can somehow see why the bandanna was to be removed...there could have been a no headgear policy, but everything else? They were being labeled racist for showing the US flag? Let's reverse that and see if showing the Mexican flag on the 4th of July or any day for that matter is racist. If so, then make a no flag policy, period. I'm getting tired of my country bending and accommodating others and others not returning the courtesy.

Race Card: The Last Play of Leftist / Democrats

I love the Tea Party. I love what it stands for, but 'd rather call it an extension of the Ron Paul Revolution. I know, I know, the tea parties were arguably happening before Ron's rise in 2008, but I don't think they took off until after Ron. There was a popular picket sign that often carried by Paulistas, it read "Ron Paul cured my apathy."

You see, I was once a leftist, a Democrat, a believer that we could save the poor and that we had to tax the rich to bring the poor up above the poverty line. Basically, I wanted Europe in America. Then, sometime in 2008, someone asked me, where, in the Constitution, it says anything about making anyone give to the poor or fighting undeclared wars or funding education. I had forgotten what the supreme law of America was. If the federal government refused to operate within its defined boundaries then what was to stop them from invading my privacy or inflating my money to the point of worthlessness? Ron's Revolution and the tea parties are efforts to try and get back our liberties that have been taken from us.

As the popularity grows with this movement, the liberal / leftist media tries to downplay the importance and significance of this movement. People are fed up, people don't want rampant government spending and burdensome taxes. They want freedom and less taxes and much more as promised in the Constitution, but the Dems and media won't show you this. No, sir. They want you to believe that these tea parties are full of angry white males and racists. To be sure, tea party as well as any party has its share of extremists. I don't think the Blank Panthers are a part of the Republican Party, do you? While the troublesome bunch is a minority, the media would have you believe that they make up a large portion of the tea parties. It' crap. The truth is, tea parties are made up of everyday people, of every color. How sad, it is when an institution, as supposedly esteemed as the press, is reduced to playing Jerry Springer tactics. Shame on you! Use logic and reason...if you can, if you can remember how.

An article from Reason Magazine, and accompanying video...

Fun With Security Questions

If any of you are interested in a security expert's point of view, other than my own, I suggest you stop by Bruce Schneier's blog. Not only does he have his own book, but he goes on speaking tours. He's like a security rock star.

Anyway I thought I'd share an article with you from his blog, not all of it, but just a sample. It's about certain web sites that ask you to customize both security question and answer. So instead of the standard, "What is the name of your favorite pet?" you get to make up your own Q&A.  Some choice parts...

Q: Need any weed? Grass? Kind bud? Shrooms?
A: No thanks hippie, I'd just like to do some banking.

Q: I've been embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from my employer, and I don't care who knows it.
A: It's a good thing they're recording this call, because I'm going to have to report you.

From the comments...

Q: Hello, you're through to the hot banking chat line, how can I help you?
A: Tell me, what are you wearing?
Q: What do you want me to do?
A: What are you willing to do to make me happy?

Q: I hate working at a call centre.
A: I'm sorry, the connection's very quiet. Would you please repeat that in a louder voice?
Q: Yeah, the manager actually thought I was taking a call. How stupid is that?
A: Aren't you glad they record these calls for quality assurance?

Q: Do you like Colonel Angus?
A: What woman doesn't?

Q: Would you please allow us to credit your account today for $100 as a token of our appreciation?
A: Of course! Thank you very much.