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Movie Quotes – Day 77

Just smile and wave, boys. Smile and wave. — Madagascar

The art of the impassive face is one that I learned very early in life, and it’s one that has served me well.  Being able to look happy when I’m furious, or to laugh when I want to scream gives me time to think before I speak or act.  It keeps others from knowing when they’ve pushed my buttons.  I know it’s petty and passive aggressive, but not letting on when others have gotten on my nerves makes me feel better.

by daddybear71 on March 18, 2014  •  Permalink
Posted in Movie Quotes

Posted by daddybear71 on March 18, 2014

https://daddybearsden.com/2014/03/18/movie-quotes-day-77/

Attention to Orders

Today, President Obama will be presenting the Medal of Honor to 24 men, all but 3 of them posthumously.  A review of military records, mandated by Congress, has found that they were denied this honor due to prejudice.

Here are the names of the honorees:

Specialist Leonard L. Alvarado, Vietnam
Corporal Joe R. Baldonado, Korea
Private Pedro Cano, World War II
Staff Sergeant Felix M. Conde-Falcon, Vietnam
Specialist Ardie R. Copas, Vietnam
Specialist Jesus S. Duran, Vietnam
Specialist Santiago J. Erevia, Vietnam.  Mr. Erevia is one of three awardees who is still alive.
Corporal Victor H. Espinoza, Korea
Private Joe Gandara, World War II
Sergeant Candelario Garcia, Vietnam
Sergeant Eduardo C. Gomez, Korea
Private First Class Leonard M. Kravitz, Korea
Private First Class Salvador J. Lara, World War II
Sergeant William F. Leonard, World War II
Staff Sergeant Manuel V. Mendoza, World War II
Staff Sergeant Melvin Morris, Vietnam.  Mr. Morris is one of the three awardees who is still alive.
Master Sergeant Juan E. Negron, Korea
Sergeant Alfred B. Nietzel, World War II
Master Sergeant Mike C. Pena, Korea
Private Demensio Rivera, Korea
Sergeant 1st Class Jose Rodela, Vietnam.  Mr. Rodela is one of the three awardees who is still alive
First Lieutenant Donald K. Schwab, World War II
Private Miguel A. Vera, Korea
Sergeant Jack Weinstein, Korea

Like Colonel Schwartz said yesterday, where do we find such men?

by daddybear71 on March 18, 2014  •  Permalink
Posted in Uncategorized

Posted by daddybear71 on March 18, 2014

https://daddybearsden.com/2014/03/18/attention-to-orders-9/

Thoughts on the Day

  • 60 degrees and sunny on Saturday.  25 degrees, raining ice and snow on Sunday.  60 degrees and sunny today.
    • I’m not the type to complain, but I wish the weather gods would get off the meth.
  • I attended a meeting at work today where the mayor of Louisville spoke.
    • He kept it light, but he also kept it very middle-of-the-road politically, which was nice.
    • Not saying I agree with him on a lot of things, because I don’t, but he did an excellent job in explaining why he re-instituted the Veteran’s Day parade.  He also convinced me to participate in his “Give a Day” program.
  • The other speaker was retired Colonel Eric Schwartz, who led the unit that carried out the “Thunder Run” attacks on Baghdad in 2003.
    • The gist of his speech was “Where do we get such men?”, and he talked about the extraordinary, ordinary men he led during that mission.
    • He made an interesting assertion:  that only 3 in 10 American males, age 18 to 23, are physically, educationally, and socially qualified to serve.  The things he said cause the disqualifications are physical impairments, criminal records, and lack of a high school diploma.  According to Colonel Schwartz, the lack of a basic education is the cause of disqualification in the majority of cases.
    • He also pointed out that the military is becoming a family business.  By that he means that the children of soldiers tend to become soldiers, and the children of non-soldiers tend to not become soldiers.  I’ve thought about this a lot over the past couple of years, and it troubles me.  I come from a long line of people who served, and I expect that at least one of my kids will also serve.  But if the same families keep enlisting generation after generation, and the same families don’t enlist generation after generation, what will that do to the relationship between the military and the civilian leadership over time?
  • Apparently we’ve gone from tongue clucking to finger waving in reaction to the situation in Ukraine.  I’m still torn between “Is this really our fight?” and “If we’re going to do something, then we need to DO SOMETHING.”.
    • Know what’s worse than doing nothing?  Try doing something that demonstrates just how impotent you really are.
  • You know, I go months without having a creative thought in my head, then I get three ideas for short stories while I’m taking a shower and driving into work.
    • One of these days I might even try doing more than jotting down the idea in a notebook.
  • I finally broke down and bought a power paint sprayer tonight, along with five gallons of stain for the sundry wooden objects in the yard.
    • Apparently I’m a Philistine because I refuse to acknowledge a difference between opaque stain and paint.
    • If the weather holds, we’ll be cleaning and staining this weekend.
    • If I go into work looking jaundiced on Monday, it’s because I messed up the first couple times I tried to spray something with the new gadget.
  • Girlie Bear had the ick today, and apparently Moonshine rarely left her side.  I’m tempted to send him with her when she goes to college.
  • Speaking of rotten animals, chasing Crash the Combat Kitten around the yard at 4 in the morning when it’s cold and wet out was not a good way to start my Sunday.  Next time, he gets to find his own way home, preferably back in Siam.
by daddybear71 on March 17, 2014  •  Permalink
Posted in Thought for the day

Posted by daddybear71 on March 17, 2014

https://daddybearsden.com/2014/03/17/thoughts-on-the-day-219/

Movie Quotes – Day 76

Darling… you know how God invented liquor so the Irish wouldn’t rule the world. Well, I think he may have invented being stubborn so we can be the best at something. — The Ghost and the Darkness

One of the most poignant moments of our honeymoon in Ireland was when someone found out that we were both descendants of Irish immigrants. The gentleman looked at us, smiled, and said “Welcome home.” The funny thing is that, even though we were only there for a few days, it did indeed feel like we were leaving home when we flew back to Kentucky.

by daddybear71 on March 17, 2014  •  Permalink
Posted in Movie Quotes

Posted by daddybear71 on March 17, 2014

https://daddybearsden.com/2014/03/17/movie-quotes-day-76/

Today’s Earworm

by daddybear71 on March 17, 2014  •  Permalink
Posted in Earworm

Posted by daddybear71 on March 17, 2014

https://daddybearsden.com/2014/03/17/todays-earworm-485/

Today’s Earworm

by daddybear71 on March 16, 2014  •  Permalink
Posted in Earworm

Posted by daddybear71 on March 16, 2014

https://daddybearsden.com/2014/03/16/todays-earworm-493/

Movie Quotes – Day 75

Great storms announce themselves with a single breeze, and a single random spark can ignite the fires of rebellion. — Ladyhawke

I’m not that concerned with the blowhards in the world. With few exceptions, they yell a lot and do little. It’s the quiet, thoughtful people that I watch. While others hurl insults and accusations, they find out what is really going on, see where others are failing, and find ways to succeed. Want to know when to either pitch in for best effect or to prepare to repel boarders? Watch for when the quietest person in a situation starts moving.

by daddybear71 on March 16, 2014  •  Permalink
Posted in Movie Quotes

Posted by daddybear71 on March 16, 2014

https://daddybearsden.com/2014/03/16/movie-quotes-day-75/

Thoughts on the Day

  • I came up with a new workout regimen today:
    • Warm up and stretch by searching the basement for your cordless drill.  Augment this by helping your wife find the bag of PVC “T” connectors she bought last weekend.  You will be assisted in this exercise by a 15 year old girl who apparently does not know what a cordless drill looks like.
    • Over oxygenate by breathing deep as you cuss after finding the drill with two dead batteries.
    • Work on flexibility by going to Plan B – Disassemble a stone walkway in the back yard.
    • Arms and upper body workout – Using a masonry chisel, a 2 pound hammer, and a pry bar, take apart a 250 piece, 20 foot long limestone and concrete walkway.  You may be assisted by a five year old boy.
    • Legs and back workout – Sort the pieces of limestone from the pieces of concrete.  Carry the limestone, two pieces at a time, to the other side of the back yard and stack them neatly.  Pick up the pieces of concrete, two at a time, and pitch them into a garbage can.  You will get no assistance in this from the five year old boy.
    • Legs and back workout – Roll said garbage can, now with 200+ pounds of broken concrete in it, back to its place.  The five year old boy will be of no assistance whatsoever in this exercise.
    • Cardio – Do “Siamese Cat On The Loose” wind sprints.  This is where a Siamese house cat gets out and tries to get himself lost.  You walk to the cat, he runs from you.  You run to the cat, he sprints away from you.   You may be assisted in this exercise by a five year old boy carrying a plastic putter and an Irish Woman who goes behind you telling you how sorry she is for letting the cat out.
    • Cool down by going to the hardware store with said five year old boy and getting the wrong PVC “T” connectors for your wife.
  • Dear Hardware Store – Why do you put the 1/2 inch Schedule 40 PVC pipes next to the 1/2 inch “T” connectors that will not accept Schedule 40 PVC?
  • It is never a good thing for your wife to notice an oily patch of driveway under your 2013 Ford pick-up and it’s only March 2014.
    • It would appear that the culprit is the rear driver side shock.  This better by covered by my warranty.
  • Note to teenagers – When being driven to a sleep-over at your friend’s house, it is always a good idea to remember to take along the notecard you wrote her address on.
by daddybear71 on March 15, 2014  •  Permalink
Posted in Thought for the day

Posted by daddybear71 on March 15, 2014

https://daddybearsden.com/2014/03/15/thoughts-on-the-day-218/

Movie Quotes – Day 74

There’s another old saying Senator. Don’t piss down my back and tell me it’s raining. — The Outlaw Josey Wales

The political season of madness has begun here in Kentucky. Mitch McConnell wants to crush the Tea Party, especially Matt Bevin. Matt Bevin thinks that McConnell should have quit a long time ago, and is contributing to most, if not all, of the problems the country faces. Allison Grimes is staying out of the way until they’ve finished tearing each other up, then she’s going to bring her party machine online.  Both major parties are blaming the other for everything from athlete’s foot to nuclear proliferation. I think it’s time for the politicians to stop raving and start talking. It’s time for us to stop scoring cheap points and start demanding answers and concrete plans. It’s way past time we told politicians that we’re sick of their crap, and we deserve better.

Today is the Ides of March.   Politicians everywhere should remember the lessons of this day.

by daddybear71 on March 15, 2014  •  Permalink
Posted in Movie Quotes

Posted by daddybear71 on March 15, 2014

https://daddybearsden.com/2014/03/15/movie-quotes-day-74/

News Roundup

  • From the “Dumbass” Department – A man in Louisville is back in jail after police discovered that he not only violated the terms of his home incarceration by having guns in the house, but it is also alleged that he was selling stolen guns.  Reports are that Captain Success had four handguns in the home, two of which were stolen.   Now, I have some reservations about the no-guns-for-life aspect of being a felon.  If you’re safe enough to be out of the supervision of the government, then why aren’t you safe enough to exercise your rights.  But that’s a discussion for another day.  If you’re on parole, probation, or house arrest, and Mr. Judge says “No touchee the guns, son”, then stay the heck away from firearms.  Plus, when the agents of the state have the legal power to come to your door unannounced and search your home, why in the heck would you have stolen property in the house, including hiding them in your infant’s bedroom?
  • From the “Own It” Department – Mark Zuckerberg, billionaire and founder of FaceBook, recently called President Obama to protest the domestic surveillance programs of the National Security Agency.  One of the latest revelations is that the NSA may have put up phony FaceBook sites to draw in targets and gain access to their data and communications.    While I heartily agree that the NSA has no business doing things like this to American citizens, I have this to say to Mr. Zuckerberg:  Tough toenails.  You and your nouveau riche Silicon Valley ilk did your very best to get this drip elected, and now you want to complain?  What, did you not realize that he was a machine politician?  Did you not think that once he got his hands on the workings of the government that he might either lose control of it, or worse, use it to his personal advantage?   Suck it up, buttercup.   You paid for this ride, so enjoy it.  I suggest you lay back and think of England, because January 2017 is a long way away, and your other political activities have tied up the Senate well enough that there is no hope of removing him from office.  Jerk.
  • From the “Expected Results” Department – A man in California recently found the outer limits of my blood pressure when he turned down help from a Fox News commentator in finding a job.  Instead, he plans to stay on government assistance, purchase luxury foods such as sushi and lobster using food stamps, and practice with his band.  There appears to be nothing physically wrong with him, and his statements lead me to believe that this is deliberate behavior.  Now, I understand that life can punch someone in the gut and cause them to need a hand.  Most times it’s temporary help that’s used until they can get back on their feet.  Sometimes someone is in a situation that is permanent, such as injury or illness, and they need long-term, possibly permanent, assistance.   To those people I usually hold no grudge.  But asshats like this make the others look bad.  He’s capable of supporting himself, but apparently doesn’t choose to.  You know, every so often I think we need to bring back public shaming at the stocks, but at this point, I’m just shaking my head and hoping to keep things together long enough for my kids to reach maturity.  Here’s hoping that his guitar playing hands go permanently numb after he gets a bad batch of sushi on my dime.
  • From the “Bad Situation” Department – A deputy in South Carolina recently shot an elderly man when he mistook the walking stick that the man was pulling from his truck for a rifle.  The deputy had pulled the man over for a moving violation, and for some reason he got out of his truck and reached for his cane.  The deputy mistook the cane for a rifle, and after shouting out, shot the man in the abdomen.  In the same vein, a father in Houston recently shot and killed a boy he found in his daughter’s bedroom at 2 in the morning.  The daughter told her father that she did not know the boy, and the father maintains that he shot the youth when he reached for something.  It is reported that the daughter later confessed to knowing the boy.  There are two lessons here.  First, when someone, law enforcement or not, has their gun on you, don’t go reaching for anything without talking your way through it with them.  Don’t surprise someone who’s got a gun and is already excited.  The second lesson is this:  You can’t call that bullet back.  If you’re going to use a firearm to defend yourself or your family, you better be damn sure that what you think is happening is indeed what is actually happening.
  • From the “Dumbasses on Parade” Department – An 18 year old man in New Jersey is in jail after being found with 43 bags of heroin and $400 in cash on him.  While in this day and age that doesn’t seem like that big a deal, the fact that he was caught while trying to enter a courthouse for an unrelated hearing puts this young man over the top in the “Dumbass of the Week” competition.  I cannot imagine the level of stupidity it would take to walk into a building where you are going to be under scrutiny while carrying drugs and money.  Here’s hoping he enjoys his new career as an organic space heater while in a government facility.
  • From the “First Runner Up” Department – A 20 year old man in California is in hot water after posting a picture of a scoped rifle on social media and saying that he would shoot a pedestrian with it after 100 people forwarded his post.  Luckily for everyone, he apparently only had an airsoft gun, and no-one was harmed.  Personally, I’m hoping he is sent to clean up the old ranges at Fort Irwin with a garden trowel as his punishment.  Nothing like drudgery and crappy conditions to focus a young person’s mind on whether or not they want to continue to be a jackass.
by daddybear71 on March 14, 2014  •  Permalink
Posted in news

Posted by daddybear71 on March 14, 2014

https://daddybearsden.com/2014/03/14/news-roundup-213/

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