November 23, 2008

My wife's last grandparent passed away a few days ago. Chuck was a great guy and I was glad I got a chance to know him. The last few years were pretty rough for him as he went downhill. He was a very smart guy who enjoyed reading, playing on his computer and flying model airplanes. The last couple years his sight and hearing started going fairly quickly. He just couldn't see enough to read anymore. My father-in-law eventually had to bring Chuck to an assisted living facility. They took good care of him and we were able to visit (maybe not as often as we should have) fairly easily as the place was less than five miles away. Rest in peace, Chuck.

Recently, my wife encouraged me to sign up on Facebook and LinkedIn , so I did. Ask to be my friend or connection. It's all the rage.

November 5, 2008

Good news and bad news, country-wise. First, the good news: President-elect Barack Obama, who won with what the current president would describe as a huge mandate. After the last 8 years of a frat-boy president, we finally get an intelligent man in charge of our country.

Now, the bad news, more locally for me. Once again, Californians fall for the lies about propositions with bonds attached. "This is not a tax increase." OK, let me explain something to you people: a bond requires repayment. The repayment gets added to the state budget. The money from a state budget comes from taxes. FOLLOW THE PATH, PEOPLE! It's not that damned complicated! They just passed a new budget and they're already having to revise it because they're running a deficit.

As for Proposition 8, it appears the homophobes and religious zealots (and the homophobic religious zealots )have won. Too many people bought the slippery slope garbage about incest, bestiality, pedophilia and bigamy. It seems that the only people who ever bring that stuff up are the faaaaaaaaaaaar right wing wingnuts. Normal people don't want to do those things.

Can any of you anti-gay marriage people out there defend your position without using religion , tradition or reproduction ? No? I thought not. Crawl back under your rock.

Oh, and no, I'm not gay, but one of my good friends is.

Below is Harley Quinn, our Green-Cheeked Conure


Harley Quinn in November 2005

To the left, you’ll see Drusilla,
the Vampire Parakeet, named after
a character on Buffy the Vampire Slayer,
because she bit like a vampire.
She passed away on 12/20/04.