December 31, 2007
2007 - The Year In Review
I will keep it simple ...
IT SUCKED
Big time.
First 4 months - no job
The rest of the year working a job I am way overqualified for and way underpaid for.
Been looking for a new job since I got the job in April and nobody but nobody is hiring anyone with over 5 years experience so they can hire people cheap. They would rather hire cheap and inexperienced than going wage and experience, and the auto industry thinks it's going to start getting better. Not with inexperienced people, it will bite them in the ass soon.
Health sucked too.
Surgery in August, in which I am still only about 70% recovered from.
Kidney stones, god may I never experience those again
A sinus infection that started in May and I still haven't completely gotten rid of it.
And to end the year I am going into a Arthritis flare-up.
I hate to say it can't get any worse in 2008, because it would only prove me wrong.
Karma has been bitch slapping me for 2 years now, I hope she will turn it around for me in 2008.
December 29, 2007
Happy Birthday To My Babies
Today is Lance and Maggies birthday!
They are Three years old!
Happy Birthday to the other loves of my life!
December 23, 2007
December 21, 2007
Dumocrats Hate Domestic Autos and Americans
A couple days ago the EPA denyed California's (and 17 other states) the right to set it's own CAFE requirements, a huge win for the Automotive Industry.
California swore to sue the government to overturn the rule.
Johnson's long-awaited announcement provoked applause from the auto industry, but an outcry of protest from environmentalists, congressional Democrats and officials in California and other affected states. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger immediately announced plans to fight EPA's decision.
Well it seems the dumocrats feel that there was a conspiracy between the EPA and domestic auto makers.
California and other states that were seeking the waiver to impose standards stricter than the federal mandates vowed to sue the EPA. Their protests were supported by Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., chairman of the House Government Oversight Committee, who sent a two-page letter to EPA administrator Johnson demanding "all communications within the agency and all communications between the agency and persons outside the agency, including persons in the White House, related to the California waiver request."
The dumocrats are going to hold meetings about why the EPA sided with the auto makers instead of California.
The letter signed by the committee's chairwoman, Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., also sought records of all contacts with the vice president's office and White House by Jan. 7, including e-mails. Boxer said the formal two-page denial by EPA "is unsupported by legal or technical analysis" and the decision "appears to be contrary to the Clean Air Act and the science."
California and the Environuts will have their way, they will force people to bend to their will, and force people to live their lives how the environuts want people to live their lives.
December 20, 2007
NOOOOOOOOOOOOO
NOOOOOOOOO, NOOOOOOOO, IT CAN'T BE TRUE
OMG, NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Victoria's Secret has discontinued my bra.
What the hell am I going to do now.
Do they realize how long it took me to find one that fits my size and is comfortable.
OMG, they will rue the day they discontinued it.
The EU Doesn't Have Common Sense Though
The EU is planning on making it impossible for automotive manufacturers to see anything but tiney tiny cars.
Automobile manufacturers will have to limit car emissions in Europe by 2012 or face big fines, under proposals released Wednesday by the European Union."Passenger cars account for about 12 percent of overall EU carbon dioxide emissions and emissions from transport are continually increasing," said EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas. "The aim of the legislation is to reduce CO2 emissions from cars in order to help fight climate change."
Dimas acknowledged that the regulations could add 1,300 euros ($1,874) to the price of a car. But he said that would be offset by the 2,700 euros ($3,892) drivers would save in fuel over the lives of their cars.
That has to be the most stupid remark ever, well the vehicle will cost you a ton more but over the lifetime of you vehicle you will make up the difference by the gas you save. How long is a lifetime? The average time people keep vehicles is 5 years, will they really make up the difference in 5 years, NOT!
The proposal quickly drew fire. Environmentalists said it was too weak. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said it would hurt her country's economy. And automakers, who employ 2.3 million people in the EU, said it might force them to locate elsewhere.
So your pushing a bill that is going to force companies to move out of your country and probably not beable to sell it's vehicles in your country either.
The commission's proposal would impose hefty financial penalties, phased in over several years beginning in 2012, that industry officials said they would oppose. In the case of Volkswagen AG, the penalties could total as much as €1.4 billion ($2.02 billion), roughly half the company's 2006 net income,
VW would have to pay HALF of their income to the EU for penalties for not meeting the unrealistic goals that the EU wants to set.
The environuts have gotten out of hand, they need to be stopped before we are all living in caves and hunt for our food.
Someone In Goberment Has Sense
Thank the good lord that someone, somewhere in goberment has common sense.
The EPA, yesterday, blew out of the water California's (and 17 other states) request to set their own CAFE requirements.
The Environmental Protection Agency late Wednesday rejected a request by California and a dozen other states to impose their own strict controls on vehicle emissions, a major victory for automakers.California's emissions rules would require raising fuel economy to an average 43.7 mpg for cars and 26.6 mpg for light trucks by 2016, a more aggressive requirement for automakers.
"The Bush administration is moving forward with a clear national solution -- not a confusing patchwork of state rules," EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson said in denying California a waiver under the Clean Air Act to set emissions standards as a way to cut pollution. "I believe this is a better approach than if individual states were to act alone."
But of course the environuts in California won't accept that, they want the power to punish the automotive industry.
While Wednesday's decision bars states from adopting tougher emissions rules than the federal government's, the battle is not over. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said in a statement that California would sue to overturn the decision. But a legal challenge could extend until the end of Bush's presidency, so the EPA's decision may not be revisited before 2009.
Which means if a Dumocrat gets into office in 2009, California will probably get their wishes granted.
And they won't have to spend billions to comply with what they called unworkable rules that would have meant managing their fleets on a state by state basis, potentially forcing them to stop selling certain vehicles in certain states.
I bet it just pisses those environuts that they are not able to outlaw SUV's and Trucks next year. Because that is what this is really about, outlawing vehicles that the environuts don't want people to drive.
December 19, 2007
December 17, 2007
Did I Loose My Pictures
Calling all website design people.
I need to update my Stylin Doggies website with some new fabric pictures and some other things.
Question ...
I was using a trial of Frontpage 2003 but it has expired.
So I was looking for something cheap but user friendly and found Coffee Cup 2006. I downloaded the free trial but none of my pictures came through.
Does this mean what ever web design software I buy I am going to have to reload all my pictures into it?
The pictures are visable at the website but not when I try to download the site to web design software.
Let It Fing Snow Part 2
The drive in this morning was no treat, I expected the roads to be in better shape then they were. I mean, this is Michigan. We get snow every year, and it's not like this wasn't expected.
On the radio this morning they announced school closing as such "all school districts closed except Grose Point".
We are suppose to have a high of 27 degrees today.
The company I work for is so finacially in trouble they could even afford a good snow plow effort in the parking lot.
December 16, 2007
Let It Fing Snow, Let It Fing Snow
8 inches and counting, by tonight 12 inches total.
Near Blizzard conditions all day today, freeways are not even plowed yet.
Tomorrow's drive should be just wonderful, I am sure schools will be closed.
On the "silver lining" front, at least it will be a white christmas.
And for your viewing pleasure ...
And a gratuitous puppy picture.
December 14, 2007
At Least I Don't Torture Mine Like This
And I don't film them and put them on Youtube.
I nearly wet my pants ...
Dear Senator Levin
How dare you, how dare you vote yes on the energy bill that is going to cost automakers billions of dollars to meet and say you support Michigan.
Levin voted for the bill but said he regretted dropping the tax provisions "since many of these are important to continued development of biofuel and to development and commercialization of many advanced and renewable technologies."
You have failed Michigan, you have failed the automakers and you have failed the residents.
I hope you enjoy your job, your cushy office, your perks because your vote yes on the energy bill just put residents of Michigan out of a job. Because the only way the automakers are going to be able to meet those kind of costs will be to lay-off more workers.
Do you really know what it's like to go to work everyday, to work in a job that you are over-qualified for and severly underpaid but HAD to take because you were laid-off for 5 months from your previous job because they had to cut people to stay alive.
You have no idea what it is like to go to work everyday hoping you won't be laid-off again because the auto industry is doing so poorly that they are cutting people monthly to stay alive?
Do you have any idea what it's like to earn only $300 a week on unemployment? Do you know what that does to a person's self-esteem?
Do you have any idea what it's like to be an highly educated Engineer with 15 years of experience being turned down for jobs because employeers are only hiring cheap Engineers instead of Engineers with experience. Yes, Employeers are forgoing experience for cheap salaries.
How dare you.
Michigan residents will remember this so maybe you will feel what it's like to fear for your job come next election.
Michigans Legislature Squeezes Residents Again
I guess it wasn't enough that they raised our taxes and started taxing services and still haven't presented the cuts they promised, they have found a new way to tax us.
The two-bill 911 package allows counties to charge fees for the service to cell phone and voice over Internet users. The fees, exceeding $4 a month in some counties where voters approved them, had applied only to land-line phones.
Yep, they are now going to tax cell and internet phones for the 911 charge.
And it was just at the beginning of this week that Granholm said no new taxes as they hurt her to much to ever do it again.
Liar, liar pants on fire.
Roadside Bomb Explosion
Having a BIL that works with the military is sometimes cool, he sends us video's and pictures.
He sent this, a video of a roadside bomb exploding. Nobody was hurt.
December 13, 2007
California To Restrict Cars You Buy
In a disasterous defeat to the automotive makers, a U.S. District Judge ruled that California could set tailpipe emissions. That means california can set mpg fuel standards.
The auto industry lost another court battle in its bid to stop California and at least 12 other states from imposing a 30 percent reduction in vehicle tailpipe emissions by 2016.In a 57-page opinion issued Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Anthony Ishii said California and the other states that have adopted stricter emissions rules than the federal standards can do so, throwing out a challenge by Detroit automakers.
Judge Ishii's decision follows a trial in Vermont, which also allowed states to impose their own emissions requirements.
A U.S. District Judge is overriding Federal fuel mandates by getting around it by allowing states to set their own tailpipe emissions which is directly linked to mpg mandates.
California in a sense is telling it's residents that they can no longer drive trucks, SUV's or large vehicles that they can only drive small vehicles or hybrids.
California is still waiting for a waiver from the Environmental Protection Agency to impose the rules beginning with the 2009 model year that starts next fall. The EPA has said it will issue its decision before the end of the year.
The 2009 model year starts in October 2008, so the automotive makers have 8 months to make vehicle operate at 43 mpg. The federal mandate right now is 27 mpg.
This would mean that most automakers would have to stop selling almost all of it's vehicles in California and Vermont because at this time only a couple hybrids would meet the new standards.
Although the Judges see nothing wrong with their immediate mandates and feel the automakers are lying about not being able to sell vehicles, sounds like the judges think the automakers can magically make vehicles have an instant 40% increase in mpg.
Judge William Sessions, the Vermont judge, on Sept. 12 rejected the automakers' arguments in a case he said largely hinged on whether the regulations were too draconian for automakers to comply with."The court does not find convincing the claims that consumers will be deprived of their choice of vehicles, or that manufacturers will be forced to restrict or abandon their product lines," Sessions wrote in his ruling.
"The court remains unconvinced automakers cannot meet the challenge of Vermont and California's (greenhouse gas) regulations. History suggests that the ingenuity of the industry, once put in gear, responds admirably to most technological challenges."
an expert for the state of Vermont said the regulation would add about $1,500 per vehicle. The automakers said the cost would be as much as $6,000.
Guess the state of Vermont knows more about automotive development and manufacturing then the actual automotive companies.
If you live in Vermont or California you better go buy a vehicle now, because come October you won't beable to buy a vehicle at all.
December 10, 2007
NYT Loves Detroit
The New York Times thinks Detroit is awesome and a place everyone should visit.
Historically crime-ridden Detroit may not spring to mind as a hot tourist spot, but don't tell that to the city's bullish hoteliers. Newcomers include the MGM Grand Detroit (www.mgmgranddetroit.com), the MotorCity Casino Hotel (www.motorcitycasino.com) in an old Wonder Bread factory and the historic Book Cadillac Hotel, being transformed into a Westin (www.westinbookcadillac.com). Plus, the Detroit Institute of Arts (www.dia.org) just reopened after a $158 million renovation
Detroit ranked higher as a place to see than New York City, Las Vegas and London.
Just proves the NYT's is really off their rocker.
10 Days
Only 10 working days left of the year!
Yea for having off between Christmas and New Years!
We are getting down to the wire here at work, keep walking in everyday expecting to get the ax. This is when contract people are cut to make next years budget.
On Friday a year ago is when I got axed from GM, so just a little anxious here.
December 09, 2007
The Christmas Card Photo
I finally got the christmas card photo taken, sure glad the puppers are very food motivated!
December 06, 2007
Missle Shot Down In Space
BIL had another missle test, sent me the article about it.
The US Navy (USN) guided missile cruiser USS Lake Erie (CG 70) successfully engaged two ballistic missile targets outside the earth's atmosphere on 6 November.This was the first time a USN warship had demonstrated simultaneous
engagements against ballistic missile targets. These were the 10th and
11th successful intercepts by the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD)
system using Raytheon Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) rounds, and the 32nd
and
33rd successful United States 'hit-to-kill' intercepts since 2001.Flight Test Standard Missile-13 (FTM-13) involved two unitary targets,
whose warheads did not separate from their booster rockets. They
represented targets in the class of the Russian 'Scud' ballistic
missile.At 1812 h local time, the first target was launched from the Pacific
Missile Range Facility (PMRF), Barking Sands, Kauai, Hawaii. The second
was launched moments later.Lake Erie is equipped with Aegis BMD 3.6, which is the latest
USN-certified version of the weapon system. The system detected and
tracked the targets, and developed fire-control solutions.Two SM-3 Block IA missiles were launched and two minutes later they
successfully intercepted the targets outside the earth's atmosphere
more
than 160 km above the Pacific Ocean and 400 km northwest of Kauai. Both
intercepts used 'hit-to-kill' technology; the targets were destroyed
when they collided with the kill-vehicles released by the SM-3 rounds."With two targets engaged simultaneously, both the system and crew are
under additional stress, and today they performed flawlessly," said
Orlando Carvalho, vice-president and general manager of Lockheed
Martin's Surface-Sea Based Missile Defense operation."With Aegis, we build a little, test a little and learn a lot. Today's
test is the 12th planned flight mission to methodically and
incrementally fully verify the Aegis BMD capability."Japanese guided missile destroyer JS Kongou (DDG 173) also participated
in the testing. Stationed off Kauai, the ship used the Aegis BMD 3.6
system to detect and track both missile targets, and conducted a
simulated engagement of both threats.During a follow-on trial conducted on 15 November, Kongou detected and
tracked a target missile fired from the PMRF. Shortly after target
lift-off, the crew acquired and tracked the simulated threat, developed
a fire-control solution and simulated the launch of an SM-3 Block IA
missile. The shipboard systems performed according to specification and
conducted a simulated interception. The target fell harmlessly into the
Pacific Ocean.Kongou is due to conduct its first flight test intercept in
mid-December, marking the first BMD intercept attempt by a non-US Aegis
BMD system user.Nine USN Aegis-equipped warships currently have the ability to conduct
long-range search, track and engagement of ballistic missiles. Another
seven Aegis warships are equipped with Aegis BMD long-range
surveillance
and track capability. Ultimately, 15 USN Aegis destroyers and three
Aegis cruisers will be equipped to engage short- to intermediate-range
ballistic missile threats and support other BMD system engagements.Japan has purchased BMD systems for its four Kongou-class Aegis destroyers. The other three vessels in the class are due to complete their Aegis BMD
upgrades at one-year intervals. As well as providing air defence of the
fleet, these ships contribute to the air defences of mainland JapanAs the third and fourth successful US anti-ballistic missile
interceptions in 40 days, the FTM-13 engagements were preceded by a
Ground-Based Interceptor test on 28 September and a Terminal High
Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) intercept on 27 October.
Got some pictures too this time.
Dog Toys Poisioned With Lead
Kids toys are not the only ones with lead in them, dog toys also have lead contaminates in them.
Our local news station tested some toys for lead content. And not only did the toys have high levels of lead in them, they also contained chromenum and arsnic.
It's a video showing them testing the toys and some of the levels in them.
December 05, 2007
Boston & New York Have Been Put On Notice
Boston and New York's baseball teams are quaking in their boots today and looking over their shoulders at the Detroit Tigers.
What the Tigers just did is staggering, a move so decisive and stirring, it should shake even the haughty old guard in Boston and New York.What the Tigers just did by trading a batch of prospects to Florida for superstar third baseman Miguel Cabrera and pitcher Dontrelle Willis is create a lineup so loaded, so stacked with .300 hitters, so full of pop and promise, it's almost ridiculous
With the other 2 great trades earlier our line-up will make other teams pee their pants.
Center fielder Curtis Granderson, a .280 career hitter, probably will still lead off after becoming the second player in major league history to tally at least 30 doubles, 20 triples, 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases in one season.Placido Polanco, who merely hit .341 last season (.305 career), and the slugging Sheffield (.296 career) would follow. At cleanup, you only have the reigning American League batting champion, Magglio Ordonez, who hit .363 to raise his career mark to .312
Then, somewhere from fifth to ninth in the order, Leyland has to find slots for Cabrera, Carlos Guillen (.290 career), newly acquired outfielder Jacque Jones (.280 career), newly acquired shortstop Edgar Renteria (.291 career) and Pudge Rodriguez (.303 career).
You are looking at a .298 batting average line-up.
OH YA!
December 04, 2007
Cow Gas Killing The World
Cows having gas is worse then vehicle emitting tailpipe emissions, this is according to the UN.
Gastrointestinal emissions from cows and other livestock add more to global warming than tailpipe emissions from cars.That, according to a report by BetaNews.com, is from data released by panel that convened at the United Nations this week to discuss ways the information-technology industry could help improve the environment.
So vehicles must be the next worse poluters right?
Just behind livestock emissions as the leading source of the greenhouse gases -- water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and ozone -- that contribute to Earth's surface temperature are pollutants spewing from factories and the manufacturing infrastructure.
Now vehicles right? Sort of ...
Coming in third among the world's chief contributors to the global carbon emissions problem: cars, trains and ships.
So vehicles are no worse then trains or ships.
But yet the vehicles we drive are the only thing that is being blammed for carbon emissions and the push to make vehicles "spew" less emissions is the only thing in the envirowakco's sites.
So punishing the automotive makers in the long run isn't going to do jack shit for reducing carbon emissions.
Get those cows some maalox and all our carbon problems will take care of themselves.
Wash Your Car, Go To Jail
The greenies are really pushing americans to the breaking point with their latest moves ...
In King County, Wash., local officials are mulling a move to prohibit residents from washing their cars on the street over concerns that the runoff is sloshing into Puget Sound. In Fairfax, Calif., fearing similar runoff pollution, officials have proposed a ban on washing cars in front of one's home, with citations and possible imprisonment for violators.(emphasis mine)
Yep, you could go to jail if you wash YOUR car at YOUR home.
And about those bikini clad girls washing your car to raise funds for homeless people?
In Santa Monica, Calif., city officials drafted a plan in October to rein in car washing by groups such as the Boy Scouts or soccer clubs. The city deems such car-wash fund-raisers "one of the biggest water wasters and pollution-generating events of this type," according to its proposal
Can you say Nanny state, they are now telling you where and when you can wash your vehicle.
December 01, 2007
It's been real...
I've got to get outta here come midnight. Scarlet shoes and all. I've not been to hard on the UofM folks that usually roll through here 'cause, lets face it. Appy State was hard enough on y'all way back when. Just so you know I really mean that, I'm gonna leave you with a little poem from this joint:
It goes like this here:
Tressel at the Shoe
The outlook wasn’t brilliant for the Buckeye crew that day:
The score stood 28-21, with but one quarter more to play.
And then when Mendenhall made the first, and Dufrene did the same,
A sickly silence fell upon the patrons of the game.
A straggling few got up to go in deep despair. The rest
Clung to the hope which springs eternal in the human breast;
They thought, if only Boeckman could get back on the field –
We’d put up even money, now, with Boeckman at the wheel.
But the D preceeded Boeckman, as did another punt,
The first was getting pounded and the latter was a cunt.
So upon that stricken multitude grim melancholy sat,
For there seemed but little chance of Boeckman getting to pass.
But the O got a penalty, to the wonderment of all,
And Mendenhall, the much despise-ed, got stopped for only 4 with the ball;
And when the dust had lifted, and the men saw what had occurred,
There was Santella coming out with the rest of the Illini turds.
Then from 100,000 throats and more there rose a lusty WOO;
It rumbled through the valley, it rattled in The Shoe;
It knocked upon the Olentangy and recoiled upon the stands,
For Boeckman, mighty Boeckman, was getting his big chance.
There was ease in Boeckman’s manner as he stepped into his place;
There was pride in Boeckman’s bearing and a smile on Boeckman’s face.
And when, responding to the cheers, he lightly tipped his head,
No stranger in the crowd could doubt ‘twas Boeckman on the field.
Two hundred thousand eyes were on him as he rubbed his hands with crotch;
A hundred thousand tongues applauded when he hiked and did not botch.
Then while the writhing defense adjusted and read his hips,
Defiance gleamed in Boeckman’s eye, and sneer curled Boeckman’s lip.
And now the pigskin-covered ball came swiftly through the balls,
And Boeckman took it in his hands and gave it immediately to Wells.
Close by the massive tackle Wells unheeded sped-
“Second and eight,” said Boeckman. “They got nothing,” the defense said.
From the benches, black with people, there went up a muffled roar,
Like the beating of a penis on an unfortunate coked up whore.
“Kill him! Kill Lloyd Carr!” shouted a half-naked drunken dame;
And it’s likely they’d a killed him if he was even at the game.
With a smile of Christian charity great Boeckman’s visage shone;
He stilled the rising tumult; he bade the game go on;
He signaled to the offense, and once more the pigskin flew;
When he ran for 16 yards, it was deafening at The Shoe.
“GO BUCKS!” cried the ecstatic thousands, and echo answered Bucks;
But one confident look from Boeckman and the audience was no longer fucked.
The saw his face grow stern and cold, they saw his muscles strain,
And the knew that mighty Boeckman wouldn’t let them lose this game.
The sneer is gone from Boeckman’s lip, his teeth are clinched in hate;
He pounds with cruel violence his hand on the center’s taint.
And now Boeckman pulls it back, and now he lets it go,
And now the air is pierced by the force of Boeckman’s throw.
Oh, somewhere in this Buckeye land the sun is shining bright;
TBDBITL is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light,
And somewhere the D&D crew is drinking, and somewhere Poon is beating off;
But there is no joy in Columbus – mighty Boeckman has been picked off.
Muck Fichigan
GO BUCKS!!
Pitt took out #2, and OU's 'bout to take out the #1.
See you next year in Nawlin's. And I'll be back next year, same Bat time, same Bat channel.
Good luck on your coachin' search. I was really hopin' you could do more with Les.
Turn on your boob tube UM Fans
This morning it was reported that good ol' UofM man Les Miles would be coachin' for the Blue next year. As of this afternoon, uh, maybe not. That guy waffles more on stuff that ain't a decision whether or not to go for it on 4th down than John Kerry.
Make you mind up melon head. He's fixin' to "speak" here in a minute. I just hope he don't cry 'bout it. Hell UofM fans, and Tennessee fans while I'm at it... this may be a blessing in disguise.