Reader Tips

Thanks Vit, great music and song. I can imagine how many men and how many hours of maintenance it must've taken to keep that transmitter working. Great photo.

You're welcome, Joe.

Vitruvius,

what happened to the pearl of wisdom.
I know I had a comment you have deleted relative to Benji Franklin. It was just a silly comment.
Have liked the pearls since I was a kid, it was good of you to do it.

It's a long story, Lev: for now the upshot is that the "boxed
quotes" will appear from time to time, though I don't want to
make them a nightly feature at this time (for various reasons).

However, since you were kind enough to ask, I've added one now.

Lev - Hey maybe its not just me but there has been a lot more "deleting" happening on this site of late - no?

[ Actually: no. Your measure is skewed by your measurement. ~Vitruvius ]

Saturday is National Corndog Day. Celebrate with something that will plug your arteries!

http://www.corndogday.com/

Tony Blair and Gordon Brown's Britain:

Where any illegal immigrant squatter can take over your land and there's nothing you can do about it.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1259279/Residents-powerless-remove-illegal-immigrants-gardens.html

I can't think of any better way to celebrate the Vernal Equinox than with a corn dog - thanks Chester. Happy spring folks!

old lori....it appears that all the limeys who hand any guts died fighting in WW2.What does it mean they have no alternative?Of course they have.It's called a good ass-kicking and removal of the trash on their land.And a supreme whooping of any socialist cop who shows up to arrest them.Remember people.They may take your gun(heh,wrong),but baseball bats are cheap.

Justthinkin - baseball ain't cricket.

From RWN's Why You Should Oppose Obamacare: 32 Quotes From Democrats:

"How many people are getting insurance through their jobs right now? Raise your hands. All right. Well, a lot of those folks, your employer it’s estimated would see premiums fall by as much as 3,000 percent, which means they could give you a raise." -- Barack Obama

"Politically speaking, this is beyond sleazy. It's meant to protect House Democrats, who are all running for reelection in November, from having to make a tough vote up or down on health care reform. Pelosi says of this process- quote, 'I like it, because people don't have to vote on the Senate bill,' unquote. In Nancy Pelosi's world, accountability is a dirty word." -- Jack Cafferty

"(The Slaughter Rule is) more insider and process-oriented than most people want to know. But I like it because people don't have to vote on the Senate bill." -- Nancy Pelosi

"I don’t spend a lot of time worrying about what the procedural rules are in the House or Senate". -- Barack Obama

Careful Vitruvius - heifers of Bashan get seriously piqued when reminded of their origins!

And now the tip:

With apologies to Kate, this a book review by Daniels in the New Criterion that is well worth reading..."Ayn Rand: engineer of souls" http://www.newcriterion.com/articles.cfm/Ayn-Rand--engineer-of-souls-4385

Seriously piqued? What're they gonna' do? Type harder?

Vitruvius,

Thanks.

Hope you changed the oil in those radio transmitter capacitors and cleaned all the filters.

You might fond that the radio transmitter maintenance goes faster when you whistle while you work.

(which transmitter is that anyway?)

Thanks for the Alex Moore link, Foobert.

Tenebris: Ayn Rand is "now coming back into fashion globally"?

Best news I've heard in ages. Faster, please!

Dante's Internet.

The "People who are for advice but don't listen" entry in the 8th
circle reminds me, EBD, of Mark Twain's famous aphorism:

"It's better to give than to receive. Especially advice."

Vit, it looks like you're down in the engine room of the Titanic.

Readers Tips - well, let's vote on the US and Health Care. My vote is that it's a done deal - in order to secure one legislative victory for Obama. If this tanks, game over for the remaining 3-ish years.

Vote? In Reader Tips? Um, no. Let's not. It's bad enough
all the predicting without measuring that's going on, there's
no need to add voting to the maelstrom !-)

Ok Vit. True that re voting.

Sadly, you don't have a US healthcare voting realtime predictor on-line of which I am aware.

But maybe it's a mug's game. It will happen, or it won't.

Jack Cafferty has done a BIG flip-flop.
He was an Obama zealot not long ago.
BTW, who else can make a handsome salary with his own show by doing little more than reading his viewers' emails? (I want his job!)

Vitruvius - This cheers me up: Shirley one of the great rock performances of all time. Tonight, I badly need cheering up.

Ah, but you see, Erik, that's the whole idea behind Reader Tips. If you think
that "a US healthcare voting realtime predictor on-line" is a good idea, you
are supposed to find one and provide a reader's tip link thereto to us. I agree
with you about the mug's game, though. But that's probably off topic.

Or is it one of the great Motown performances of all time?

Here's a tip.
You may want to participate in this poll although it doesn't appear to need your support at this time.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/

"I can't think of any better way to celebrate the Vernal Equinox than with a corn dog - thanks Chester. Happy spring folks!" - ∞² @ 12:22am

I think it's silly that meteorologists in this country mark the beginning of each season by the 20-22nd of every 3rd month. We should simplify things by following the Aussies, who mark the new season on the first day of every 3rd month. Makes it much easier for the public. Take the middle of March and Decemeber for example. What's more winter-like? March 15 or December 15? March 15 is marked by milder air (generally speaking), longer days than mid December, a higher solar noon altitude similar to September's, and DST.

BTW, where's Davis Pillips, head meteorologist for Environment Canada? Saw him on the new at the end of Februray, where here in Toronto we had a few relatively mild days. [Paraphrasing] "Those in Southern Ontaio shouldn't get too excitied. Our models for March our showing the month to be a we bit on the cool side". This will go down as the warmest March in Southern Ontario's history. We'd have to get daytime highs of -10C every day for the remainder of the month just to average out at seasonal.

Great Thomas Paine quote, Vitruvius, and thanks, EBD, for your supply of comments from and re Obama, Pelosi etc.

I note that, on principle, both Obama and Pelosi are indifferent to the principles of both democratic process and those of the Constitution, which asserts that government is of, by and for the people. Not of, by and for, a 'president' and a 'speaker of the house'.

Socialism: "the religion of the Stomach".

"They seek food over freedom."
...-

"North Koreans fear the country is on the verge of a new famine

Once again, rice has disappeared from tables in North Korea. A famine looms and — as happened in the 1990s — millions could die.

Desperation is stamped on the faces of those few who have braved barbed-wire fences, armed guards and patrols to slip into neighbouring China. They seek food over freedom."

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2475295/posts
...-

"GUSTAVE LE BON and the Crowd
Socialism is in fact nothing but the religion of the Stomach." ... Le Bon on the Soul of the Race, theories of national character. ...
www.fulltable.com/crowd/07.htm

Margaret Wente: “Not long ago, I was smart enough to operate an oven without a PhD.”

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/complexity-will-destroy-us-all/article1506485/

Modern life’s just too darned complicated, which is why I’m a techie Luddite. I’ve been saying for ages that all this computer stuff will be the end of us … ‘looks like I’ve got company. ;-)

And thanks, Vit, for the quote. 'So true.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/

These are the headings in the Globe and Mail this morning under Canadian Politics:

• PM’s spokesman pranked on Facebook
• Tequila tantrum adds to Tory woe (written by none other than Gloria Galloway, whose husband is or was a Liberal staffer)
• NDP won’t drop Jaffer case; PM can’t top Lady Gaga
• Opposition asserts supremacy of Parliament in Afghan detainee issue

Every one, a subtle or not-so-subtle put down of our Prime Minister and his CPC.

Our government’s not doing anything for the people of Canada? They’re not dealing with issues of importance to Canadians? – as if most of us give a good gol’ darn about the “detainee issue,” which is totally and utterly a fabrication of the Liberal$ and their media toadies.

I haven’t bought a Probe and Fail for ages and have no intention of changing my mind. And they wonder why people aren’t buying their rag …

batb, it is called brainwashing by the subtle use of seemingly innocuous wording. If this method is kept up for months, years or even decades in the visual or print media you eventually have a custom made support group.

Vit, what is the time era for that transmitter? It looks like it is from the 1940s.

the facebook prank was pulled by none other than that fine taxpayer funded CBCpravda.

you dont get a lot for a billion a year anymore.

"Feds waive gun fees

The federal government has once again extended an amnesty waiving fees and penalties for gun owners who want to renew or upgrade expired licenses or register unregistered weapons.

The Conservative government has renewed the amnesty annually since 2006 as it attempts to pass a law that would eliminate the long-gun registry for good.

Public Safety Minister Vic Toews made the announcement at the Manitoba Wildlife Federation headquarters in Winnipeg on Friday, extending the amnesty until May 16, 2011.

"Our government believes gun control should target criminals, not law-abiding citizens," Toews said. "The criminals are not registering their firearms."

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Politics/2010/03/19/13293946-qmi.html

From the Grope And Flail:
"Margaret Wente
Why are bloggers male?"
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/why-are-bloggers-male/article1503780/

She says I'll feel better if I do this;
"All you have to do is write “Margaret Wente is an idiot” and hit send. Instant gratification!"
I feel so good right now and I just pasted it!
I can't wait to hit send!

Jon @ 9:32 AM:
Seasonal forecasts aren't worth the paper they're written on.

Actually, for the most part (and I'm a meteorologist), whatever any long-range forecast model (i.e. for time periods of 2 weeks to a year) says, I have found anecdotally that the opposite happens. What does that say about climate models? Just sayin.

The seasonal forecasts are based on 3 things, primarily.

1. The long-wave upper air pattern at the time of forecast issuance--that is, persistence
   
2. The state of El Nino/Southern Oscillation
   
3. Long-range computer forecast models that, well, they suck.
   

Oops, sorry, forgot the link to where you can see the ... ahem ... "skill" of the seasonal forecasts.
Link here

Has Paul Wells been reading sda ?

{ ... conservatives argue about whether to satisfy an activist base or reach out to a broader, less partisan coalition. Clark and Mulroney opted for the latter and their party did not long survive the fragmentation that ensued. ] PW

AlGW's Spring New Modeller Notebook.
...-

"Major Snowstorm Hitting the Southern Plains

A major snowstorm moving east across the southern Plains has already been blamed for causing hundreds of accidents in the Rockies and the southern Plains. Heavy snow falling over the southern Plains will cause more dangerous travel through this weekend, which happens to be the first weekend of spring."

"On top of the March snow, plummeting temperatures may shock residents in the southern Plains. After reaching 68 degrees on Friday in Oklahoma City, the high will only be in the 30s today."

http://www.accuweather.com/blogs/news/story/26397/snowstorm-headed-east.asp

batb at March 20, 2010 10:03 AM... quotes

Margaret Wente: who said..“Not long ago, I was smart enough to operate an oven without a PhD.”

Nothing wrong with modern tech. It's the idiot ego tripping designers who install too many cute tricks into their gizmos.

The only place a bag of tricks is useful is in a smart dog.

"Tea Party protesters refused entry into congressional buildings

Washington Examiner ^ | 03/20/10 3:15 PM EDT | Mark Hemingway

As part of today's rally to stop the Democrats' health care reform legislation thousands of protesters descended on the lawn of Capitol building. But many more were also using the occasion to visit the their congressional representative and tell them what they think of the bill.

However, Capitol Police recently stopped allowing any of the peaceful protesters to enter into congressional buildings. Crowds are now gathering in front of the House and Senate offices, demanding that they be let in to air their constituent concerns."

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2475529/posts

"Thousands Protest Russian Economic Policy

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia—Thousands rallied across Russia on Saturday to denounce government economic policy and demand more freedom.

Many participants in the rallies, dubbed the "Day of Wrath" by the opposition, demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

About 1,000 people rallied in St. Petersburg holding placards "Putin's team must resign!"

Police didn't intervene with the St. Petersburg protest but they barred protesters chanting anti-Putin slogans from holding a rally on a downtown Moscow. City police spokesman Viktor Biryukov said 70 people had been detained for taking part in the protest which hasn't been authorized by authorities.

Opposition activists have insisted they need no special permission from authorities to hold rallies because the Russian constitutions guarantees the right of assembly."

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2475507/posts

maz, there will be no more talk of snow!

I just bought a new car and have no interest in learning this early how to best clean the snow off.

Too hot for news?

http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/289288

A retired Marine Corps general and former NATO commander told the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday that the presence of openly gay soldiers in the Dutch military contributed to a 1995 massacre of over 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys.

but would this work on Mexicans??

http://www.ananova.com/News/story/sm_3718695.html