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2008 Election Battleground States Call 080923:
This was posted on my facebook & myspace, so I figured I'd post the same here, as there are people I know here who are not there. OK, anyway... here's my call as of September 23rd. I still feel fairly good about it.
I will not worry about states that are strongly leaning McCain/Palin or Obama/Biden. I jsut want to list those that are leaning, or those that are toss-ups. Keep in mind ... that last election I was 'big picture' correct, but stunk the place up on the state-by-state calls. However, I don't get paid for this, and no one will read this, so here goes...
States that will tip Obama/Biden on election day:
Washington
Oregon
Colorado
New Mexico
Minnesota
Michigan
Pennsylvania
New Hampshire
Solidly Obama/Biden: 164
Will tip Obama/Biden on election day: 99
Total: 263
States that will tip McCain/Palin on election day:
Nevada
Miissouri
Wisconsin
Ohio
Florida
Virginia
North Carolina
Solidly McCain/Palin: 163
Will tip McCain/Palin on election day: 101
Total: 264
The deciding state? Indiana (11)
Whichever camp secures Indiana will win.
How close will I be? Time will tell.Current Mood:  bouncy |
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Cute title, huh? East Wind is a 9 day milsim event that simulates a week in the lives of both NATO and East Bloc forces along the East/West German border, circa 1989 - 1991. Sure, the Cold War never officially turned hot, but what if it did? We will be using airsoft systems to simulate real gunfire, but everything else is historically correct. So, participants pay to play, and are responsible for putting their kit together. We all get an assignment well ahead of time, and then learn how to do all the "stuff" needed to function as part of the NATO or East Bloc war machine. We have been training over weekends and on our own for months. It's almost go time.
On Saturday, March 15th, we will hit the ground running for a 3 day buildup. Then, we'll fight it out for six days. Planners have brought in everything that the troops can't carry. Troop tents, equipment, tools, and even supply dumps, latrines, and mess halls are all on site to meet needs. There will be fighting troops, support troops, and everything in between. It'll be tough, miserable, and maybe in a weird kind of way - fun.
This year is the first, and we're going small scale on purpose. I think that we'll have around 100 people total. Next year, as long as it is practical to do another one, might be larger.
Those interested may read up on East Wind here:
http://www.kcairsoft.com/site/viewforum.php?f=56 |
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It's been foggy here for the last couple of days. I'm not talking about just a bit of mist to give one's day some character. Rather, it's been the kind of fog that swallows up your headlight beams in about 100 feet. It's sorta neat to look at, but at the same time makes this town's already absurdly poor drivers knock into just about anything that they can hit... with more frequency than usual. Yikes.
We're due for some snow this weekend. It's not especially well timed to be part of the annual lie that weather forecasters put out to give the kidz some hope of a white Christmas (even if you live in a tropical climate). I don't know why I care about the fake 30% chance of snow you hear & read about every year. It's not as though people don't lie about the weather and climate continually, anyway. A certain "documentary" comes to mind. Anyway... Given that Christmas is a few days off yet, and I think that we'll have enough warmth during successive days to melt what we do get, I consider our wintery forecast genuine. It's not gonna be a mammoth snow storm. We'll probably get enough to make everything look cute. Cool. That'll be good for photographs.
So, do you have your Christmas shopping done? No? Get busy. Boycotting Christmas because you've recently discovered atheism? lol Christmas is actually a secular holiday at its root, and has little to do with Christianity. Granted, many christians do enjoy Christmas, but it's a nifty day and time of year all the same, whatever you believe in. It's OK to have a good time, to buy things for people who mean something to you, give to those in need, and to smile until it hurts.
As Rufus proclaimed at the end of Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, "Be excellent to eachother!"
Merry Christmas, everyone.Current Mood: awake Current Music: The Home Alone Soundtrack |
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Crap... I was the only game-aware person that I knew of that didn't want a darned Wii. It was almost a source of pride... well, except for the fact that most gamers I know thought I was retarded for not wanting one. I do enough to warrant the "slightly slower than most" tag, so I didn't really want another. Now, I read that "Soul Calibur: Legends" is coming out as a Wii exclusive. I don't wanna miss a new Soul Calibur game. I wonder if a portable version of this new SC title will be coming out later... If they do make a version for portable systems, maybe it'll be called Soul Calibur: Fibs. Just like the anticipated portable version of the Wii; the Wee Wii... Ha... I crack myself up.
Seriously, though... Soul Calibur: Legends. Yay! :)Current Mood: bouncy Current Music: Just a fan in the background... |
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I get to attend a conference in DC this June. Neat. Long time since I've been there. It'll be cool to see how things have changed.Current Mood:  amused Current Music: Rain on the window pane. :D |
| » Oh, Look at the Pretty White Stuff... |
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We got a bit of snow late Thursday and early Friday.
( More after the cut )
Dec. 2nd, 2006 @ 09:15 pm
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| » A bit of post-election humor |
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1) A quick joke:
Q: What does a lame duck say to a bill?
A: Veto!
2) A little story for the MO 9th CD (fiction - I made this up):
Congressman Hulshof, after delivering news of his imminent victory, stepped off the stage to greet some of his supporters. Mid-handshake, his cell phone rang. "Kenny Hulshof", he answered. "Mr. Hulshof, this is Duane Burghard.", said an upbeat voice on the other end. "Mr. Burghard, I'm happy to hear from you", replied the newly re-elected Congressman. "Mr. Hulshof, I just wanted to let you know that I am very pleased to... inform you of the newest specials at MacXprts. iMacs will be hot going into the Christmas buying season..."
We're happy that Duane elected to keep his day job.
3) Bin Laden in chains, North Korea subdued, and Threats in Central America neutralized, all in one fell swoop:
The United States, as long as the democrats can decisively take control of the U.S. Senate (it's up to the lawyers now), and marginalize the current U.S. President in every way, will have scored a great victory. In doing so, they open the door to a bounty of reward, as the U.S. will have gained the support of the three most effective spy agencies in the world: CNN, The New York Times and the Washington Post.
Opponents of the USA, beware!
Nov. 8th, 2006 @ 07:06 am
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| » Take It Standing |
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On my way to work today, I'm taking my crystal ball to the repair shop. lol When you're wrong, you're wrong, and you have to own up to it. I watched my cogressman's victory speech, and thought his words about strength and facing the future with heads held high were quite stirring. If only all of the USA could have heard him & understood. I don't like that I was wrong about the outcome of the mid-term U.S. congressional election, but as the subject line says; you face reality and take it standing. Today is a new day.
Nov. 7th, 2006 @ 11:14 pm
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| » Dry Chicken |
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Last night was fun. My wife and I attended a gala for our congressman. We've been doing a bit in recent weeks to help out and make sure that he gets re-elected. We anticipated helping a bit more last night, but some tool (probably an opposition plant) swooped in and took that responsibility away from us for some reason. The event was a roast of said congressman, and it was fun. Speakers included one of our U. S. senators, a state staffer and a local radio personality... and of course, his wife. I've been working my tailfeathers off trying to keep my workplace running smoothly amid a 3x expansion of our operations. Last night was a nice chace to sit back for a few moments, have a few laughs and relax.
Much to my surprise, we had a table in the front of the room. I expeced us to be nestled in back where no one would notice us. I guess that's one of the perks of attending an event like that with one of the congressman's staffers. The food was OK, but the portions were very small (health-conscious, perhaps?), and the chicken was dry to the point of being sandy. You win some, you lose some. There's no point to posting this, aside from the fact that I hadn't posted anything of any personal relevance in quite a while. Off-time these days is either spent away from home or sleeping and recovering from everything else that's going on. I don't much like that trend. Productivity in the professional arena is great, but I can't help but feel like I'm neglecting a great many things that used to keep me a happy guy.
Nov. 3rd, 2006 @ 07:12 am
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| » The Nut Says "Has no Reason to Exist..." and "Will Disappear Soon" |
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Oil rich Iran, as the international spotlight has been shining on North Korea, has continued to enrich uranuim. Now that North Korea has had its first public nuke test vaildated, one has to wonder at Jong Il's sudden apology and reversal. It now appears that war on the Korean peninsula has has been postponed. Something has happened. Here's a wild thought:
( a work of fact-based fiction after the lj-cut )
Oct. 20th, 2006 @ 11:14 am
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| » An Apology? |
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So, Kim Jong Il is reported to be "sorry" for the aggressive actions of the DPRK, and it's effect on regional stability. He's sorry? Really? ...and if the USA offers some sort of concesion (like "we will consider not making your grand palace a smoking hole") that the DPRK will back off on its plans to test more nukes. Does Jong Il's apology mean that war on the Korean peninsula, and around the region has been averted? We'll end this one like the last entry; Time will tell.
Oct. 19th, 2006 @ 10:14 pm
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| » Mammoth Post - More on North Korea |
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For those who have a clue, or even care, read on. I am not any sort of authority on this stuff, so at your option, feel free to check out what I am saying & verify it with the massive amounts of open source information available to you. The following is based entirely on information that is publicly available. So anyway, let's talk a bit more about North Korea:
( Lots of text after the lj-cut )
Oct. 19th, 2006 @ 07:09 am
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| » Boom Heard 'Round the World |
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North Korea tests a nuke:
Success.
War may be close at hand. We'll just have to wait & see.
Oct. 9th, 2006 @ 03:43 am
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| » OPEC Can Suck It! |
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Gee... and we all thought American oil companies were greedy. So, what happens when the world situation, the petroleum futures market and slack demand cause the overall price of petroleum-based fuels to decline? OPEC sees red and cuts production. See... they can't let those pennies slide away. So, they provide less oil to consumer nations in an effort to spike demand... and then the price of fuel... and everything else goes up. So, when you go to fill up, and notice that gas had jumped a minimum 10 cents a gallon since last week, you can thank OPEC. Thanks, you dirty-@ss pieces of sh!t.
Oct. 5th, 2006 @ 11:03 pm
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| » US Mid-term Election 2006 Call |
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I will preface this entry by stating that I can be, and have been, wrong about predictions of this sort in the past. However, I'm gonna go out on a limb and make a prediction for the congressional makeup after the mid-term elections this November. Recent polling data, the pro-democrat media frenzy, the whole range of leading economic indicators, and our nation's (perceived, at least) security at this point in time lead me to believe that the public at large will NOT move for a drastic change in who represents them, as conditions in most cases do not warrant it. In short, the democrats will NOT win a majority in the US Senate of the House of representatives. Personal political views aside, I just don't see leadership in either house of congress changing. The democrats may pick up as many as four seats in the US House of Representatives, and maybe one Senate seat... though, I am 50/50 on that... So, all you people hoping and wishing for a wholesale change in how your country is represented and governed... Move.
Fin.
Sep. 27th, 2006 @ 09:21 pm
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| » OK, People... Seriously, WTF? |
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So, some "enlightened" film makers have put together a docudrama (gotta love that... make something up & package it up like it's a scholarly endeavor) detailing the assassination of the current President of the United States of America. They not only show you the dastardly deed as it "takes place", but they also have this wonderful setup where a poor Syrian man is incorrectly fingered for the job, and the "documentary-esque" story finds out that is was "one of us" -or- "some of us" who did it. Far-left media pundit talking points touting "a referendum on the Bush administration's domestic policies", and "improper execution of our war on terror" come to mind. They try to tell you that it's a gripping artistic representation full of feelings and exploration of issues. Oh yeah? Bullsh!t...
This, in my tiny little mind, is just over the top. Agree with the current state of affairs or not, this is just plain disrespectful to the office of the President of the United States, and every united states citizen. This mess falls into the same moral abyss as those who complain about their artistic funding (your taxpayer dollars) being put in jeopardy when all they intend to do urinate in front of a crowd and throw feathers in the air.
I am on a morning break, and I felt almost too busy to write this, but I was just ticked off after having read the piece on this little "artistic adventure". If you care to read a bit about what I'm rambling about, have a look at the link below:
New TV Docudrama
I don't agree with everything that goes on in this country, but I'll be damned if I will actively move to subvert it, and showcase an ideology of divisiveness. So, to the people behind this, my most sincere FTFO!
Aug. 31st, 2006 @ 10:27 am
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| » Question(s) for Those With a Few Brain Cells |
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When the worldwide press, most news media outlets and Hollywood publicly side against Israel, and praise organizations (terror groups and others) who are blatantly anti-semitic, why do they ostracize Mel Gibson for HIS drunken anti-semitic rant? I don't personally care much about Mel Gibson. He doesn't cross my mind much. I just wonder why people can flip-flop like that. Am I missing something?
Aug. 1st, 2006 @ 08:05 pm
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| » The Ninja-Academy is Open Now! (note from NAMCO/Bandai games) |
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This was in my inbox this morning, and at least a couple people on my lj-friends list may be interested, so here you go:
NARUTO: Ultimate Ninja is in stores now and if you think you're the ultimate fan, you need to check out the Ninja-Academy! Members of the Ninja-Academy will get the ultimate online team experience and have access to exclusive in-game content and must-have gear and collectibles! Whether you're a Naruto fan or just a gamer who appreciates the very best in gaming, the Ninja Academy has something for everyone, including you! Take a few minutes and check it out now!
Be one of the first 500 people to register by Sunday, August 6th (11:59pm PT) and you'll be entered to win a very cool Naruto "Gift Pack" (details inside the Ninja-Academy). The clock is ticking! Reserve your membership and your chance to win that gift pack by clicking the link below!
http://newsletter.namco.com/link.php?link=NA060701
Jul. 21st, 2006 @ 08:07 am
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| » Raffi is an Evil Genius |
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I have the song "Banana Phone" lodged in my head, and can't get it out. Not even an annoying super-pop song can dislodge it. Hanson... Mmmm-Bopp... didn't work. Even the combined power of Tina Turner and the Bee Gees is impotent against this song. It's comical in a way. Oh well...
Ring ring ring ring ring ring ring Banana phone...
It grows in bunches, I've got my hunches, Its the best,
beats the rest, cellular modular, interactivodular...
Jul. 20th, 2006 @ 07:27 am
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| » Playing with Coffee |
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Today, I did something sort of novel. I mixed Trader Joe's Volcano Blend (super-dark roast) and White Castle coffees. I ground up the Volcano Blend beans a bit, then added some White Castle grounds (because you can only get the ground stuff locally), then popped the whole mess back into my grinder. The whole mess brewed nice & dark. Drinking it, though, is really nifty. It hits you like a boot in the face with coffee taste, but there's virtaully no aftertaste. That's awesome! Very complex.
Mind you, I know nothing about fine coffees. I just know what I like. This was an experiment that worked well, so I thought I'd share. If you drink coffee, and can get both Trader Joe's and White Castle coffees, try it! Yummy.
Jul. 19th, 2006 @ 10:31 am
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