Dan’s heading to the hills of Patrick County
I’m taking a few days off, folks. There’s no Sunday column, and I dunno how much smartphone contact I’ll have.
There are no new blog posts coming up, but I’ll try to check in here and there and approve comments (but no promises). It’ll be a nice respite for me . . . and maybe for you, too.
So stay cool.
The column will be back Tuesday and for the rest of next week, then it will be beach time.
Have fun!
July 26, 2012 - 11:34 AM
Enjoy the music! Hopefully the weather holds out, could be stormy late today and tomorrow…
Dan, sometimes it is invaluable to spend a day or two where there is absolutely no phone service…enjoy.
Enjoy & relax!
Dan, you’ll have a ball. Should be a great weekend with tons of music. I don’t know if the coffee bus will be there but if they are you should check them out.
I’ll be playing at a another festival up in NY.
Huntersdad, I couldn’t agree more. Our two primary vacation/getaway spots have incredibly limited phone reception, so they stay turned off, except when we need an alarm clock.
Relax and enjoy the beat and the heat!
Have a great time Dan!!!
Patrick County??!?
Say hello to my daughter
Enjoy yourself up there in at the Floyd Fest, that is the only place that preachers can sneak away and drink some beer and wine. Not sure what all goes on in those tents, pretty wild stuff I would imagine. Be careful.
Always enjoy your columns…Hope you have a great time!
Have a great time Dan. I will miss you. Get rested and recharged for the election run. Should be most exciting in my life time.
We’re back. Ah, gee. A week of relaxing with winners was such a wonderful respite, and now I’m back with the losers. But thus is the cross I bear.
And notice I didn’t make one single post while on vacation. Imagine that!
I notice a few developments since I left. It looks like Romney has strengthened his lead. August 1 is supposedly the deadline for the opposition to define a candidate and it looks like Mitt has won that battle. 0bama tried to portray Mitt as a crook. Instead, people are now aware what a superb executive he was and is.
And correspondingly, verybody in every poll now thinks 0bama is an incompetent fool.
“And correspondingly, verybody in every poll now thinks 0bama is an incompetent fool.”
Said the incompetent fool who can’t spell ‘everybody’.
“now I’m back with the losers. But thus is the cross I bear.”
If you think this blog is full of losers, all I can I say is, ‘water seeks its own level’.
Suzie… I don’t care.
I was on vacation too, I didn’t post… I was with people who were enjoying life and not measuring success by counting commas.
The election will be close. I’ll put $50 that November’s presidential winner will have less than 53%.
Are you that confident?
14, 15. 16.
Goodness, such negativity. What’s the matter? Didn’t everybody frolic on a private island beach for a week with fun, successful, self-actualized people?
Aaron, I agree. This election will be close, at least in the popular vote.
#17 Sorry to see they let you out again, suzie. Your stays really need to be longer.
Suzie…I could not agree more…
In fact we all wish you were on that island.
The world would be a far happier place.
How many of the self actualized people that
were there on the island of Hellios left their irons
on and had to go home early?
Was there a little guy there pointing at you as you were landing
..shouting “Boss..insane…insane”
I thought the term “self actualized” went out with the 70s and EST.
Kristen..I think it may be a brief glimmer of knowledge..
Self actualization in this case
means she is “Actually” only concerned with “Self”
She realizes this and is being set free…but is afraid
to leave Gatlinburg.
Yeah, we had open campfires, burned trash, dumped a little old motor oil on the ground, even scared away interloping seagulls with some buckshot — did all these un-PC things right in the armpit of leftwing trustfunderville. It was great.
Our hosts are folks who have made a ton of money consulting in creative thinking, and they are a hoot. Wicked smart. They are conservatives who love to tweak the hell out of the silver-spooned neighbors. I have invited them to join us in the blog some time, and I hope they do. You people think I wipe the floor with you.
No Suzie,,,
Unfortunately you arent nearly astute enough to know
who is getting used as a mop.
If your pals show up here ( that is if a comic
strip is allowed to be posted here) ..
It will surprise most likely everyone..
For it assumes you actually did leave your basement apartment.
.”..hosts are folks who have made a ton of money consulting in creative thinking,..”
“Consulting in creative thinking”. This merits a LMAO…we missed your comic relief around here, SuzieQ. As for your description of how you kept yourselves entertained…it reads like just another day in the trailer park.
“Didn’t everybody frolic on a private island beach for a week with fun, successful, self-actualized people?”
Self-actualized?
Who knew the conservarati sat around and imagined obtaining a humanistic nirvana. I don’t know about anyone else, but when ever anyone described themselves as “self actualized”, I usually run in the other direction.
“self actualized.”
Suzie must have picked up that term from the creative thinkers who hosted her and hubby. Black and white thinkers such as herself don’t know them.
How was the Catholic Church on that private island, Suzie? If you didn’t go to mass you’re not a real Catholic, by your own definition.
Suzie – Riker’s or Devils Island?
Indeed it must have been quite an ordeal to be stuck on a private island without a Catholic Church or Walmart, the two criteria for solace, comfort and familiarity in Suzie world.
Gosh, what a wonderful place it would be if you could actually find a Catholic Church in inside a a Walmart. Salvation and extra low prices. That’s a match made right in heaven.
But seriously, I’m dismayed at the use of a term that clearly implies a humanistic philosopy . Abraham Maslow really hoped to replace religion with his ideas, which just doesn’t seem to fit with the persona of an American conservative.
What’s neat about my friends is they do all this innovative stuff, helping Fortune-500 companies find solutions, invent products, etc, they have all this neat high-tech stuff they picked up from companies they work with such as the new GPS prototype from Garmin, yet at the same time they are very earthy. It’s quite a contrast.
Not exactly the same as Kristen’s bf and his trailer park chums stacking Natural Lite cans and shooting them with bb guns. If you’ve got game otherwise, it funny. If not, you’re just another stupid dime-a-dozen redneck.
Re: Comment by Mike Scott — July 30, 2012 @ 12:42 pm
To be sure. Maslow would surely have included old Rants & Raves (w/lies) in his case studies of historical figures such as Albert Einstein and Henry David Thoreau.
Old Rants & Raves (w/lies) is such a prime example:
of accepting one’s own human nature with all its flaws,
of accepting the shortcomings of others and the contradictions of the human condition — with humor and tolerance;
correctly and honestly judging situations;
feeling a deep identification with others and the human situation in general;
exhibiting a wonderful capacity to laugh at oneself and never made a joke or criticism that hurt anybody;
etc.
Yeah! Right!
folks who have made a ton of money consulting in creative thinking…fun, successful, self-actualized people”
Sounds like a group of Ponzi schemers or maybe an Amway Convention.
“30.What’s neat about my friends is they do all this innovative stuff, helping Fortune-500 companies find solutions, invent products…”
Translated…”I can’t even convincingly make up an interesting job without sounding like I’m cutting and pasting from some TED talk.”
How was the Catholic Church on that private island, Suzie? If you didn’t go to mass you’re not a real Catholic, by your own definition.
Of course we went to Mass.
Did you?
Suzie, I think it’s pretty cool that the new prototype GPS from Garmin not only finds waypoints, it also finds solutions for Fortune 500 companies. As a former Survey Technician, this has me fascinated. Does it display that green line from Fidelity?
Dime a dozen?
Where can we find 11 more Swoozies?
And complete our lovely bouquet of Poser Roses
to decorate Miff-s bus..
It would be a joy to donate 25 cents to such
an aromatic honor…
and yes into this life a few of her are born,
alas every Rose has its thorn. (h/t to appropriately named Poison)
Hmm, carrying high tech prototypes overseas(picked up at various companies they work with no less) ? Perhaps the FBI needs to check on this
Im sure its very Kosher Richard..
I would imagine its sanctioned (or sanctified)
By the Catholic Church..
I wonder how her Mass dealt with
the small Joe Paterno dolls that
will go on the market soon?
http://static.sportressofblogitude.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/joe-paterno-statue-christmas-card.jpg
Garmin?
Suzie, really, why do you do this to yourself? There’s a company whose entire existence is wholly dependent on government infrastructure. Perfect example of what Obama was talking about in his Firehouse speech.
Her island with its Walmart and catholic church complete with jopa statue is only missing one thing to make it a suzie paradise —-a golden corral.
Don’t look now but I think Mike Scott just owned Suzie.
Suzie, really, why do you do this to yourself? There’s a company whose entire existence is wholly dependent on government infrastructure.
What does that have to do with anything?
“You people think I wipe the floor with you.”
No we don’t.
BTW, we can still teach you how to hook in to the interwebs when you’re not home.
dave….that chocolate fountain of microbes is heavenly…
gdad, it sounds like MMM could use a little schooling in that, too.
My friend talked about some pretty fascinating stuff. He said it is shocking the number of “insurmountable” problems can be solved within ten intense brainstorming sessions. Most people give up in one or two before settling on an inferior solution. That makes a lot of sense. Just persistent thinking can accomplish so much. I think of working crossword puzzles. The first three or four times I can study an area and get nothing; then on the fifth or sixth or seventh revisit, something comes to me and breaks it wide open.
Dreaming, thinking, and thorough planning are underestimated. . But dreaming is the thing that fires it all. I think the timeless classic “Think and Grow Rich” should be required reading in every high school. That tome is probably responsible for more millionaires in the past century than any other. I read the first few chapters at least once a year.
I am a strong strong believer in just getting away and thinking. Vacations can be great for that. My favorite thing is to sit on the shore at about 5 a.m. and wait for the sun to rise while getting lost in my thoughts and dreaming how I want the next month, year, decade to be. It’s such an added bonus when a close friend is a genius on the subject. You come back totally fired up.
And now more free advice from someone who’s been there:
How to get rich:
1. You have to really really want to be rich. That makes it easier to fill in the details of how.
2. Find a need to fill that fits your personality.
3. Think of a plan that will take you there, always reminding youself of point #1.
4. Think through every single imaginable detail. When you’ve done it as well as you can, jump in.
5. Do everything on a shoestring at first. Spend as little as possible, and let elbow grease replace buying stuff wherever possible.
5. Pray for guidance. Be pure of heart in your desire to help people and ask God to be with you every step of the way.
6. #5 will naturally lead you to the motto “I love my customers”, and you will do everything in your power to serve them.
7. Read and reread timeless classic books that motivate you and keep fired up. Sometimes we need a little jumpstart.
There you go, libs. You have the blueprint, yet only 3% of the population will go out and do it. The rest will come up with reasons why they can’t. The diehard libs will scoff and say it doesn’t work and can’t work.
And VACATION PICS!! of most ill-informed’s new found friends on their island beach – “wicked smart” and “yet at the same time they are very earthy. It’s quite a contrast.”
http://www.esquire.com/cm/esquire/images/new-esq-goa-india-beach-cows-072909-lg.jpg
Hahahahahahaha
“What does that have to do with anything?”
Nothing, potentially, if you consitently argue that government spending is an important and productive part of our economy.
That’s not the argument you make though.
It’s hard to say what you know about Garmin as a business, but the only reason they are in bid’ness is because of the Department of Defense. Turns out that we take our military and national security pretty seriously, and to the end, we’ve built a Global Positioning System that does a swell job of locating points on the earth’s surface. You may have heard of it? 24 satelleties, each in a geosynchronus orbit around the earth. This infrastructure used to be the domain of of only the military and national security. It’s what allows a cruise missle to ring a door bell hundreds of miles away from it’s launch point. It’s what allowed Norman Shwarzkopf to invade Iraq from a desolate desert because he knew he wouldn’t get lost, something the Iraqi’s couldn’t say even in their own country.
Over time, the US government deregulated the Global Position System to allow for civilian use. Companies like Garmin, whose name you dropped in you “frolicking” post’ then began to produce devices for civilian use. Now, any device that shows your position on earth takes advantage of the public side of this technology. Garmin, Apple, Tom Tom……none of those companies built the Global Positioning System, but they all make products that take advantage of the technology so you can now use your very own Smart phone to locate that chocolate fountain, Walmarts and Catholic Churches anywhere on earth. (Within a few meters, which is is close as I really want to get to anyone of them.)
I could go on and on about that particular realm of public investment because there isn’t a corner of modern business that isn’t affected by it. It’s the Interestate Highway System of modern geographic commerce.
Let’s mention one more government product that is now public: Google Earth.
Know which goverment agency created a private company to use advanced analytical technologes to create Google Earth…go ahead, guess?
Yep, the CIA. Can ya believe it? Turns out they have been taking pictures of the globe for decades and wanted a way to access surface imagery as if it was part of database. So they funded and created a private company to develop the product that became Google Earth. Google purchased that company in 1995 and developed the tool that anyone can now have for free.
Private enterprise owes much to the tax payers of the United States of America. You should feel good about this, as you constantly remind us of your significant contribution to the federal treasury. If any of what you have to say is true ( big if), then we all owe a debt of gratitude for tax money well spent.
Mike – Suzie does not understand dependent on the government – remember the government contract is all that keeps Suzie in cash as well.
Mike Scott, you have already moved way beyond Suzie’s abilities in comprehension.
Suzie, I assume “learn to count” fits in somewhere.
“1. You have to really really want to be rich.”
See, here’s the thing about that, on a scale relative to the rest of the world, I’m going really, really well.
And to add to Mike Scott’s point @ 49
And lest we forget how businesses both large and small would not have the following merchandise without government research – thus allowing companies to market and profit from them:
Invisible braces, scratch resistant glasses, composite golf clubs, Tempurpedic brand mattresses, wireless headsets, high-density batteries, blue-blocking ultraviolet sunglasses, the computer mouse, communication satellites that allow international calls, cordless tools and freeze-dried food.
http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/sectionfront/life/from-cell-phones-to-computers-technology-from-nasas-space-program-continues-to-touch-everyday-life-350199/#ixzz229jfmFHn
So much for bashing the President for speaking the truth about this:
“If you were successful, somebody along the line gave you some help. There was a great teacher somewhere in your life. Somebody helped to create this unbelievable American system that we have that allowed you to thrive. Somebody invested in roads and bridges. If you’ve got a business. you didn’t build that. Somebody else made that happen. The Internet didn’t get invented on its own. Government research created the Internet so that all the companies could make money off the Internet.
The point is, is that when we succeed, we succeed because of our individual initiative, but also because we do things together…”
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/07/did-obama-say-if-youve-got-a-business-you-didnt-build-that/
So one business traces it’s product back to the military. Oh right. That’s the part of gub’mint the liberals hate anyway. Which means the leftwing portion isn’t any damn good to anybody.
remember the government contract is all that keeps Suzie in cash as well.
That’s absolutely false. Where did you get that? Oh yeah, Dan made it up.
Mike Scott and Shrillary,
I didn’t know you liberals were such big fans of the military. God bless ye. But what a shame your boy has cut funding for it while ballooning every social program out of sight.
———–
I assume “learn to count” fits in somewhere.
Babe, if an ordinal typo is all you got out of that post, it ain’t no wonder $19K will pretty much be your high-water mark.
“So one business traces it’s product back to the military. Oh right. That’s the part of gub’mint the liberals hate anyway. Which means the leftwing portion isn’t any damn good to anybody.”
Fedex would not be in business if it wasn’t for airports, the FAA, the National Transportation Safety Board, the National Weather Service, air traffic controllers, etc.
You can read more on that point in my Tuesday column, the July reader mailbag.
Suzie actually admitted that hubby’s company does government contracting.
Fedex would not be in business if it wasn’t for airports, the FAA, the National Transportation Safety Board, the National Weather Service, air traffic controllers, etc.
Yeah, that’s the same as the “well government built the roads you use” nonsense. Again, these same businesses people are the ones who built the roads by paying the lion’s share of taxes. The leftwing losers 0bama credits didn’t have a damn thing to do with it.
So a lot of RWers have “businesses” that require them to suckle at the government teat ( or whatever idiotic phrase they prefer).
It’s like the loudmouths popping off about Obamas speech and the virgin Inviolability of small business success and the integral nature of small business in our society….right before they waddle off to Malwart for pork rinds and tube socks.
55.So one business traces it’s product back to the military……
One business? Just one? It’s a global positioning system and it’s used by hundreds of businesses.
And think about it. We developed a technology that allows any private company to use this resource to their economic advantage. This is something that for a long period of time no other nation could accomplish. We did though, and I’m proud that my government had the insight to develop a technology that figures prominently in our national security (because I do see enemies) and then allowed the dual purpose of public good and private profit. Good for Garmin for making global positioning available to common people, and Apple for integrating the service into their phones, and Blackberry, and…and….and….
Frankly, I’m disappointed that a real red white and blue American isn’t more familiar with this incredible national achievement. It’s astonishing, really. and it’s the kind of thing that makes me proud to be an American.
But even more disturbing is your apparent belief in “self actualization”, a term coined by an avowed athiest (Abraham Maslow)and that has long been relagated to the “psychobabble” in the conservative community and by reputable social scientists; two groups who usually don’t agree on anything.
Gosh, are ya going all liberal on us, or did you just hear someone use the term at a cocktail party?
I’m very glad Dan brought up aviation. A shining example where two private sector gentlemen on a shoestring outperformed the U.S. government which spent millions in a race to construct the first airplane. The government in its typical fashion failed to think through the problem and instead threw money at the wrong solution. Their focus was on power, so they spent colossal sums making bigger and bigger engines that weighed down their contraptions. The Wright Brothers, on the other hand, wintered on the Outer Banks observing seagull flight patterns. They used a very small engine and carefully constructed the wings to imitate birds’, and were successful.
The Wright Brothers were supremely motivate entrepreneurs using their own scant resources. With the government, it was nobody’s money, so they wasted a fortune. Completely typical. Thanks, Dan.
So a lot of RWers have “businesses” that require them to suckle at the government teat ( or whatever idiotic phrase they prefer).
Relax, honey. You, yourself had nothing to do with it. You truly “didn’t do that”.
“self actualization” somebody heard a big word and started using it to sound big this week … LOL ….. ALMOST like a kid does. Childish … yes.. childlike .. NO.
Laugh out loud! Sounds like “girl” went to a liberal gathering and has yet to catch on. NOTHING about that story or the stories shared has conservative written on it. Were you taken there with a blindfold on? Is this a secret annual meeting in a grove somewhere? That you felt the need to share tips and “motivate” people is all too liberal a notion by far.
Seriously folks: “fascinating stuff”, “insurmountable” problems can be solved within ten intense brainstorming sessions”, “persistent thinking can accomplish so much”, “Dreaming, thinking, and thorough planning are underestimated”, “getting lost in my thoughts and dreaming” and the kicker: “It’s such an added bonus when a close friend is a genius”
Yep, totally a liberal gathering! Glad you enjoyed it “girl”!
#57 most ill-informed posted, “Mike Scott and Shrillary,
I didn’t know you liberals were such big fans of the military…”
The only words in your post that were accurate were. “I didn’t know” which is apparent in every post you make.
It was NOT the military that made those particular “inventions” – it was our national space program using our tax dollars. NASA either performed the research or hired a firm to do the research. Either way, when you wear UV protected sunglasses, or use a mouse for your computer or any of the other breakthroughs listed in my post – your welcome.
@23 most ill-informed even went over to the “class warfare” point of view with this little nugget…”They are conservatives who love to tweak the hell out of the silver-spooned neighbors.”
Silver spooned neighbors sounds like class “envy” to me…hahahahaha Nothing like a “liberal” retreat to get you “thinking”…
Seems the part of my vacation the libs are most apoplectic about is the notion of high-level thinking. Not at all surprising since libs generally aren’t associated with thinking at anylevel.
Silver spooned neighbors sounds like class “envy” to me
Why would I be jealous of people who didn’t earn their money?
“Seems the part of my vacation the libs are most apoplectic about is the notion of high-level thinking. Not at all surprising since libs generally aren’t associated with thinking at any level.”
Nobody’s apoplectic, Suze. You aren’t worth that, seriously. We merely understand that the term “high-level” is relative no matter who utters it, and for you it means anything above Romper Room. So we discount it heavily.
@47 Sounds like the Amway sales pitch.
#69 most ill-informed posted, “Seems the part of my vacation the libs are most apoplectic about is the notion of high-level thinking”
Ummmm, we “libs” don’t go on vacation for some “high level thinking”, we mostly do that everyday…
Nobody’s apoplectic, Suze. You aren’t worth that, seriously.
Apparently I am, mate. Your sorry-ass vacation thread went from 12 to 71 posts in no time flat.
@47 Sounds like the Amway sales pitch.
Sad to say, you can’t rehabilitate losers. It’s so much easier to say stuff can’t be done. That’s what liberalism is all about.
63. Suzie – What BS. Perhaps you should stretch your reading and actually learn a little biography about the Wright Brothers before you start elaborating.
So you are saying you lost the government contract?
NOTHING about that story or the stories shared has conservative written on it.
Well, except for the buckshot part. And the successful people part. And the thinking part. And the fun to be around part.
But other than that you’re right.
#74 the increase in posts also coincided with Dan’s return and more frequent approval of posts.
Oops. Man are you easy.
63. Suzie – What BS. Perhaps you should stretch your reading and actually learn a little biography about the Wright Brothers before you start elaborating.
Which detail did I provide that was incorrect, Richard? Or are you just popping off like a big fat circus clown?
74 the increase in posts also coincided with Dan’s return and more frequent approval of posts.
Try again, moron. It happened only when Girl started posting.
Yeah…conservatives who “consult” in “creative thinking”. It could be a Shouts and Murmurs piece.
Who’s Girl?
Yeah…conservatives who “consult” in “creative thinking”
Is the third or fourth time she has posted on the subject. OK. Kristen is officially against thinking. Got it.
#80 Twenty-one of 70 posts were by you, toots. In addition, your first post was after Dan started approving posts regularly again. You’re wrong again.
You continue to embarrass yourself multiple times on every thread you post on.
The increase in posts also coincided with Dan’s return and more frequent approval of posts….your first post was after Dan started approving posts regularly again.
Wouldn’t mean there was a backlog of posts before Dan’s return, moron? But there wasn’t. LMAO.
Without posts (started by yours truly), there would have been nothing for him to approve. LMAO.
Suze
While I was up in Patrick County, there was little new material on the blog. Moreoever, I had to do my “approving” via smart phone, and a tenuous 3G connection. That was infrequent. Finally, I posted very few “replies” because that was running my phone’s battery down fast.
I was trying to save that power for the flurry of emails that were occasioned by my email to the continuing care community where my mom lives, and which was taking rotten care of her. Boy did my email light a fire under those folks.
All of that meant the blog was almost dead when I was gone.
It came back when I returned — and then it got a bit deader again (as in brain deader) when you showed back up.
#85 You really don’t understand much of anything do you, troll? I wasn’t posting while Dan was out because I knew he would approve little. Others — including your few buddies and folks who vehemently disagree with Dan — did the same. Hence, no backlog.
That’s another embarrassment for you on this one thread alone. Quit while you’re only 3 or 4 behind.
You really don’t understand much of anything do you, troll? I wasn’t posting while Dan was out because I knew he would approve little. Others — including your few buddies and folks who vehemently disagree with Dan — did the same. Hence, no backlog.
That’s another embarrassment for you on this one thread alone. Quit while you’re only 3 or 4 behind.
Isn’t it curious the lion’s share of the posts after Dan returned were either responses or related to my post #13?
Face it, moron. Without my post, this three-day-old thread was dead in the teens. Without me, this is the RT blog.
#88 OK, I give, you dominated this one thread after Dan returned. Partly because you posted so much. Fact remains, had Dan not returned and started approving posts there would have been no backup and no posts, except your post sitting there in limbo. What an amazing thing to be proud of, troll.
Boy are you dumb.
“OK, I give, you dominated this one thread after Dan returned. Partly because you posted so much. Fact remains, had Dan not returned and started approving posts there would have been no backup and no posts.”
Who woulda thunk that a Dan’s-going-out-of-town-for-a-long-weekend thread would have attracted so many comments.
Beginning Saturday I’ll be gone for 9 days. So I have high expectations for THAT announcement.
What a fool; the “Lions share” is when you get most of the spoils. When everyone replying is telling you to pound sand its referred to as the “trolls share”.
Please make a note of this very imortant distinction.