HILLBILLY HELP DESK

I found this on Res Ipsa Loquitur.

"Thankee fer a'callin tha Hillbilly Help Desk. This here's Cletus, kin I hep ye? What's that ya say? Cain't get ta yer server? Best tell Ma ta put on tha cawfee. This'uns gonna tek a while."

GO CITIZENS!

It's always amazing to me how many people I talk to that say, "I need to register to vote."

Not registered? I really can't understand that. The first thing I have always done when I moved (even before officially changing my address at the post office) is make sure that I can vote.

I first voted in 1971. Nixon had just changed the voting age, so I was able to cast my first vote before I could legally drink. The following year, I was privileged to vote in my first Presidential election. Of course, I voted (like everybody I knew) for McGovern. Then, I stayed up late, waiting for the tide to turn to the winner I knew would emerge.

I waited a long time.

I was a cradle Democratic. All my family voted the straight Democratic ticket (except my father - in 1968, he voted for the first time for Wallace. He didn't vote for racial issues, but Wallace touched him. It was the first candidate who spoke to his concerns, working class issues, without condescending to him).

In an strong union family, it was an article of faith to vote Democratic.

I first voted non-Democratic in the 1976 election, for John Anderson. Until this year, I continued the Democrat leanings. However, this year, I intend to vote for George W. Bush. Which puts me squarely at odds with my husband (who is showing signs of being a yellow-dog Democratic).

I've been looking askance at the Democratic Party since the Bubbagate scandals. The tortuous twistings that party line types have to make to accept the unacceptable have pushed me over the edge.

I cannot sanction sexual gropings of a teenager, nor lying about it under oath. It isn't a minor issue, it is fundamental to the question of the character of a man. Once the Democrats threw their support to Clinton, I began to leave the party.

The whole issue of Vietnam reeks of dishonesty. How can you run on proud service, when you have disparaged your fellow soldiers's actions? How can you testify about your participation in war atrocities, under oath to the US Congress, in the Winter Soldier hearings, and yet loudly speak of Vietnam as a proud moment in your life?

Senator Kerry, have your done ANYTHING since Vietnam to be proud of? Why don't you talk about it, then?

Although I have some issues with his handling of the prescription drug situation, and other issues, I have decided to support Bush as the best alternative to the totally unacceptable, morally bankrupt, lying John Forbes Kerry.

FIRST WEEK BACK AT WORK

I returned to school this week. The administration seems to be around, checking things out (as opposed to the routine I have been used to in the past, hiding in the office, hoping to avoid making any decisions). Everybody has been helpful (even the office staff, not something I've been used to). And even the kids seem to be as normal as pre-adolescents and adolescents can be. In all, a good week.

We're nearing the end of the first stage of renovations. With work, the kids should be ready to move up to the attic sometime next week. Then, the main focus will be on clearing out our daughter's old room, so her son can vacate our long-suffering son's room. It is a little hard to be a grown man sharing a room with a 10-year old, however lovable.

Our son has started classes. He is trying the online option this semester.

So, family life distractions seem to be diminishing. Which leaves me time for the more serious pursuit of enjoying election year politics.

A TOP TEN LIST I CAN REALLY RELATE TO

Compliments of Number 2 Pencil

Top ten signs it's time for your spawn - kid(s) - to go back to school:

10. You've cashed in their college fund to rent them an apartment - on the other side of town.
9. The TV picture tube has blown from the continued use.
8. Not only have they forgotten everything from the previous school year, but quite a bit from the year before that.
7. You think it's about time you got to use the computer again.
6. Their chores have been reduced to bring me a beer and go play in the street.
5. The summer camp you shipped them off to sends them home.
4. You now understand why other species eat their young or kick them out at an early age (and wonder how difficult it would be to barbecue them).
3. It's definitely time for them to learn about condoms, environmental activism, masturbation, and the evils of capitalism (obviously, a public school).
2. It been a few months since the last teacher having sex with a student scandal hit the news.
And,
1. That big yellow bus keeps showing up in front of your house each morning
(and it's not The Partridge Family or a prison road gang).

I well remember the joy of sending the little savages back to school. It's not the same today, since the larva are grandchildren, and I'm a teacher.

REDNECK ETIQUETTE

I'm obviously in a linking mood today, but this is so cute I couldn't resist:

1. Never take a beer to a job interview.

2. Always identify people in your yard before shooting at them.

3. It's considered tacky to take a cooler to church.

4. If you have to vacuum the bed, it is time to change the sheets.

5. Even if you're certain that you are included in the will, it is still
considered tacky to drive a U-Haul to the funeral home.

Read the rest - it's over at Grouchy Old Cripple.

IRAQ - ARE WE WINNING, OR LOSING?

It seems as though the gist of the Democrats election strategy is to try to persuade the American people that we are losing in Iraq, if not the war, then the peace. Are they right? Not according to Stephen Green of Vodka Pundit, who says:

Our enemy isn't a nation. It isn't a leader. It isn't, despite the misnomer "War on Terror," a war on terror.

What we're fighting is an ideology.

First off, let's brush aside the Loser Notion that if we kill terrorists, we'll only breed more terrorists. So what? Every dead terrorist is, well, dead. And we can always build more bombs and make more bullets. For 30 years now, the US Army has trained to fight in a "target-rich environment." Bring'em on.

The Kerry crowd never seem to realize that conservatives don't just mindlessly react to provacation, but DO thoughtfully consider their response. It's just that a natural conservative response is not to be paralyzed by the possibility that, somewhere, someone may die as a result. We understand that innocents may be injured, economies may suffer, and our own troops may pay the price.

But we consider the results worth it in the long run.

It's sort of like being a parent. In the short run, the kids may "suffer" restriction of their movement, emotional anguish, even physical pain. But the ultimate result is an adult that can take his/her place in our society (and the family) as a fully participating, economically independent, and responsible member.

Mind you, the interim is rugged. Not all the parent's efforts are met with success. Sometimes, the parents have to re-evaluate tactics or strategy. Sometimes the result is to stay the course, however the child escalates their response. The uncertainty about results is one major factor in the aging process.

But, the alternative of saying "whatever" and giving up any attempt to mold the child is not an acceptable option. And, in Iraq, giving up and leaving the results to chance is also not an option. With our assistance, Iraq can become a society that acts like an adult - fully participating, economically independent, and responsible.

Read the rest.

ELECTION SEASON BLUES

This is a very strange election season for me. For the first time, I plan to vote differently than my husband (and practically everyone I know).

It started with the Democratic primary campaigns. I didn't see any candidate I could get excited about, or even reach a mild level of interest in. Then, as Kerry, Edwards, and Dean all jockied for position, I realized that I didn't agree with ANY of the front-runners.

It all comes down to values. Kerry has not demonstrated any serious committment to a future that is viable, and he has allowed the MoveOn.org and MediaFund people to go over-the-top in their attacks on Bush and Cheney. The ad comparing Bush to Hitler was the last straw for me. Though it has since been removed from the MoveOn.org site, the fact that it was considered reasonable clearly shows the distance between them and me.

I was a cradle Democrat. I was raised in a blue-collar union family, and, as a young adult, always voted the straight party. On my first presidential election, I waited up until the wee hours, certain that when all the votes were counted, McGovern would triumph.

I can no longer support a party that will allow its alter egos to engage in such shoddy, dishonorable attacks.

Not voting is also not an option. When I think of the many people 'round the world (particularly women) who would be thrilled to have the opportunity to be a part of the process that freely selects their leaders, I know that I MUST use my franchise. It would be a betrayal of the privilege to fail to use it.

I am not saying that Bush is the absolute best candidate that has ever run for the job. He happens to be the best one available at this time, and one who has demonstrated that he can manage a crisis without needing to check with his pollsters or the UN to see if his position is OK with them. He meets enough of my criteria to qualify for my vote.

A LUCID EXPLANATION FOR TRADITIONAL SEXUAL MORALITY

I just read a blog entry about WHY young people should resist sexual activity, as promoted by the popular culture, that struck me as so clear and reasoned, that I am linking it, and urging everybody I know to bookmark Highered Intelligence

Part of being an adult is cultivating self-restraint, of learning to think about what you are doing and judge the consequences, both to yourself and others. Being an adult means leaving behind the childish indulgences of fancy and caprice. It means going to work when you don't want to that morning, it means staying up late to put wax seals on your damn wedding invitations, and it means not casually sleeping with that hot secretary down the hall just because you can and you want to.

Go. Read.

ONE MORE TIME - THE ECONOMY IS IMPROVING, EVEN IF YOU ARE UNEMPLOYED

Between the Coasts has this reference to the employment situation. which cites the improving job picture.

But, according to many liberals, the economic picture is a gloomy one.

Why the difference in outlook? The kinds of jobs that liberals have (government, social services, teaching, etc.) HAVE been affected in the market. As privatization gains momentum, their jobs don't disappear, but they DO transfer to the private sector, often at a lesser salary. Since the newly unemployed worker can't (or won't) take less money, they're on the street.

Ergo, since THEY are out of work, it's a recession, if not a depression.

OMG! THE ELECTRICIANS ACTUALLY CAME - ON TIME, EVEN!

If I sound a little over-the-top, it can be excused. We've been in a re-modeling quagmire for over 2 months. During that time, we've had 2 electricians cancel, and many more turn us down (too small a job) or be unavailable for many weeks.

Dennis is organizing the troops, getting everybody to do something useful. David is working on building a computer (and getting paid for it! yeah!), Michelle will be taking Nita out of the house, as she is driving everybody crazy getting into stuff, and Johnathan and I are trotting stuff upstairs and downstairs.

Well, I have already, and will again after I finish this post.

The room won't look quite like we hoped, and we're not sure what the floor will be covered with (or even when it will be finished), but the end is in sight.

TECH SUPPORT HELL

I've just spent over four hours on tech support. My problem was very simple, but complicated by the fact that I couldn't use the phone I used when I signed up on the service, and I had never created a security question. Also, the fact that I kept getting shuffled to other people, and disconnected.

I finally finessed the security system when I created a security question (apparently I never had before). Although just moments ago, I was a security risk, now I was OK. Am I crazy, or does that make no sense at all?

I think I need a drink.

ROUNDING THE BEND TOWARDS HOME

Summer is fast receding. With school districts starting earlier each year, soon the 3-month summer vacation will be just a dim memory. But, at least this year I have a job.

I'm in the midst of re-modeling our 3rd floor. The kids moved in, but the project is not yet finished. So the kids are camped out on the living room floor. We are keeping our tempers reasonably well, and, although the whole house looks a little like a resale shop, we are still moving the project forward. Now, if we can just get an electrician who will show up when he/she promises...

Tonight is for R & R. I've been catching up on my blog-reading. Wireless is so great! And, to make it REALLY special, Major League is on cable. Life is good.