Sunday, May 23, 2010

Predator Drones

4:33am EST, NY - It happened again today. Sleeping soundly seconds earlier, I heard the incoming assault coming before I was fully awake. Normally it happens around 5:30am, but today apparently, the Terrorist's internal clock was running a bit 'Fast'.


The 'Terrorist'?














Our little 'Rescue Dog', Sandy Woo.

The 24 pound 'Love Missile' abandoned my son's bedroom, padded down the hallway from his room to my open door and, seeing that I was NOT awake, launched into a full gallop, sprung into the air and landed, panting, on... Me.

The next thing I knew I was thinking two words: "Predator Drone" (There were OTHER words, but this is a family-friendly blog)

Of course, the NEXT thing I knew was that the big dog, not wanting to miss her chance at excitement, was standing at the side of my bed breathing early-morning dog-stink breath into my nose while staring into my face.

That was it, another Sunday morning's rest DESTROYED by two Canine Commandos with nothing on their minds but FOOD and OUT. These two words comprise two-thirds of their lives. The third, and final word their lives of course, is 'sleep' (which they are doing NOW as I type this.)

I did try to go back to sleep but the two words which popped into my head as the dog lept onto my bed wouldn't leave. I tried. I really tried. But I tried to purge them to no avail. They were the words which would not go away.

Thus is born another blog entry: "Predator Drone"

According to Wikipedia the word 'Predation':
"In ecology, predation describes a biological interaction where a predator (an organism that is hunting) feeds on its prey (the organism that is attacked).[1] Predators may or may not kill their prey prior to feeding on them, but the act of predation always results in the death of its prey and the eventual absorption of the prey`s tissue through consumption.[2]
...

The key characteristic of predation however is the predator's direct impact on the prey population.

...

The unifying theme in all classifications of predation is the predator lowering the fitness of its prey, or put another way, it reduces its prey's chances of survival, reproduction, or both."

Okay, that's oogey...

How about then, the word, "Drone"?:
"1 : the male of a bee (as the honeybee) that has no sting and gathers no honey
2 : one that lives on the labors of others : parasite
3 : an unmanned aircraft or ship guided by remote control"

So then, in my estimation, the combination of the words "Predator" and "Drone" could mean something akin to:

A creature, or being, which feeds upon others for the purpose of its own survival. The creature may be self-motivated by personal need OR may be directed by another external force, in effect, controlled by an external force.

The end result is that whatever it feeds upon will have its population diminished and weakened. The creature may also be parasitical in nature and may only feed upon its victim without killing it to guarantee the creature's own survival.

Wow, that's pretty spooky stuff, isn't it?


Having said all this, allow me to introduce you to the REAL Predator Drones:
























In a completely un-related story, the Predator Party lost a House seat in Hawaii recently (you know, where President Obama was born).

As reported by the AP:
"Charles Djou's win Saturday is the latest triumph for the GOP as it looks to take back control of Congress. And it came as a blow to Democrats who could not rally around a candidate and find away to win a congressional race that should have been a cakewalk.

The seat had been held by a Democrat for nearly 20 years and is located where Obama was born and spent most of his childhood."

For all of you looking for real change in Washington, I offer the following...

The sun'll come out


November


Bet your bottom dollar


That November


There'll be sun!


Just thinkin' about


November


Clears away the cobwebs,


And rembember


'Til there's none!


When I'm stuck a day


That's gray,


And lonely,


I just stick out my chin


And Grin,


And Say,


Oh


The sun'll come out


November


So ya gotta hang on


'Til November


Come what may


November!


November!


I love ya


November!


You're less than


164 Days Away!






Thanks Annie, I needed this...






Heh, heh, heh.

Friday, May 21, 2010

Half Right

I wanted to kick it into LOW today and post a video or something so I could get to work 'early' vs. 'on-time' this morning. (Other disappointments in my life include... I also wanted to be either two inches taller, or 20 pounds lighter at this point in my life. But these wish list items are not working out so well either. To quote Mick and Company, "You can't always get what you want").



So, I re-visit the topic of yesterday's post and turn my blood-shot cow eyes South to...

Washington, DC!
Wow, who saw THAT coming?


Mexican President Felipe Calderon addressed a joint session of Congress yesterday. News reporters covering the event were stunned to see "The level of Partisanship" in Congress and speculated that Immigration Reform may be 'hard' since Republicans and Democrats look at the issue differently. Once again, a blinding flash of the obvious reported by the best and brightest of our nation's journalists.


Some of the highlights from President Calderon's address of OUR Congress (view original article HERE):


At one point he boasted that "Thanks to strong regulations, not one cent from taxpayers went to a single bank in Mexico last year," receiving widespread applause from lawmakers who have soured on the 2008 bank bailouts in the U.S.



[Moos Note: Left out of the address was the clarification that a 'Mexican bank' consists of a clay pot and 1,143 pesos - yeah, I know, cheap shot, but having President C. come here and lecture US on banking is like having Hugo Chavez lecture President Obama on 'fairness'. Hold on, didn't this already happen too??? Okay, bad analogy.]

He saved the most contentious issue for last.


Calderon said that "I'm not a president that likes to see Mexicans leave our country searching for opportunities abroad," and that Mexico will continue to fight to provide its citizens good jobs at home.


"But what we need today is to fix a broken and unefficient system," he said. "I am convinced that a comprehensive immigration reform is crucial."


The Mexican leader found an ally at the White House. President Barack Obama is pressing lawmakers to take up legislation that would deal with border security, employment and citizenship. He faces a harder sell in Congress, where many are leery of taking up the sensitive issue of immigration in an election year.


Calderon received his longest round of applause when he spoke in Spanish, addressing Mexican migrants in the U.S. and telling them that Mexico admires them, misses them, and is fighting hard for their rights and their families.


Calderon also won sustained applause when he said, "I strongly disagree with the recently adopted law in Arizona. It is a law that not only ignores a reality that cannot be erased by decree, but also introduced a terrible idea using racial profiling for law enforcement."

Funny thing is that when the above issues came along in the speech - only one half of the Congress applauded. His largest 'applause lines' came when he mentioned Mexico NOT bailing out their banks AND the made-up (a.k.a.: 'Factually Incorrect') assumption that the Arizona law is based upon 'racial profiling'.


Anyone want to guess WHO applauded longest and loudest at the above points of the address?


Yes, the majority party who PASSED bank bailouts here AND the same guys and gals who refused to do anything about US Immigration Reform when GW Bush thought it would be a really good idea. Apparently it's a better idea now that we have a President with a little 'D' following his name.

I must also report that ANY rumors that the President also has a little 'S' after his name are ONLY rumors. (Even though many Americans NOW believe it to be true.) Keep in mind that for most folks, perception IS reality. Yeah, let's keep it REAL. (The 'S', of course, stands for SUPERMAN! No, really, what did YOU think it stood for? Oh, that's not nice...)

So there you have it. Another third-world 'Democratically-Elected' leader lecturing us on how to run our country and the Democrats in Congress EAT IT UP like 'flies on Pooh (NOT Winnie)'.


Speaking of Pooh, I'd better let the big dog out. She's staring at me and pawing at the back door. You think that might mean something? In a related theme, do you think it might mean something when Democrats take the side of a leader whose country has laws on the books to 'Imprison illegal immigrants to his country for TWO years'?


Did you ever think that you'd LIVE long enough to see this in America?


Live long(er) and prosper.


The sun may not come out tomorrow, but several tomorrows AFTER tomorrow, sunnier days lie ahead.


Trust me. I'm a cow.


Sure, people believe President Obama, and he's SUPERMAN! So, why not believe ME too???


REMINDER TO SELF: Iron red cape and lose the 20 pounds so the tights look 'good'. I don't want to scare the little children.