Tuesday, September 30, 2008

I didn't know that houses were risk-free.

Interesting video from 2004 about the whole Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac catastrophe...



Personally, I don't want the people responsible for causing this mess to be responsible for fixing it. Cos they won't.

So very glad that the bailout was voted down. I like it when our representatives actually listen to us.

Diagon Ally...

...diagonally! Ha! I just got that!

Monday, September 29, 2008

This aggression will not stand!

Unfortunately, I totally called it.

USC only drops to #9?!? Are you kidding?

In other news...



So how's that foot there, Beanie? Good? Good.

Friday, September 26, 2008

"We've achieved mediocrity, gentlemen."

This is an impulse entry. I just read about USC's loss to unranked Oregon State and had to write this.

Anyone who keeps up with college football at all knows that Ohio State has been everyone's favourite punching bag. And why? Because they keep having embarassing losses in big games over the pat few years. Personally, I do not consider last January's loss to LSU in the title game to be an embarrasment. Even though LSU won handily in what was technically an upset, OSU never should have been there in the first place. The fact that they scored over 20 was quite a feat. And Beanie was just stellar against that "speedy" LSU defense.

Anyway, this loss by USC revives a question I have long been pondering: why do people hate OSU for losing to good teams, but they still love USC, who keeps losing to crappy teams?

Seriously. Just after the one loss to Florida, people were already questioning OSU, which continues to this day. But now, after several losses by USC to unranked opponents, I have only begun to see anything resembling questioning. It's like they've become the new Notre Dame. After last season, even Lou Holtz was having trouble defending the inexplicable love affair with the Irish. So I guess everyone needed someone else to dote on just because of who they were. It seems to be USC now. "Oh, I know they lost to freaking Stanford, but they still deserve a shot in the title game." All Ohio State did to be declared undeserving was lose to the best team in the nation. Sure, it was an embarrasing loss, but can you tell me that ANY loss to Stanford isn't?

When people talk about Ohio State's recent performance in big games, why do they leave out their last two meetings against Texas and the phenomenal '06 Michigan game? In '05, the lost by only 3 to the Texas team that would go on to be National Champs (by defeating favoured USC, btw), then blew them out in '06 when they were ranked #2. Then they beat #2 Michigan in a game that was an instant classic. Then there was also one of my favourite games: the demolishing of Notre Dame in the 2006 Fiesta Bowl. Anyone remember any of that?

So now OSU loses to the then #1 USC (without their star player) and they plummet in the rankings. Then USC loses to an unranked opponent. You watch. Their fall will not be nearly as bad. Or maybe the voters will surprise me, which would be fantastic. But that's my prediction.

Friday, September 5, 2008

Seriously. Obama would be a disaster.

Hello, everyone. I have returned, smellier and slightly more sunburnt than when I left. I had a great time and I got some great pics and video which I will share later. Did some hiking, saw some cool stuff, like more deer than squirrels, and drove a lot.

When on the road today and Tuesday, I tried to keep up a little with the Republican Convention. Haven't heard all of Palin's speech, but what I did hear, and the reactions, sounded great. I managed to catch McCain's speech tonight live. Decent, which is about all we expected anyway. The only really exciting parts were the interruptions by protesters.

I saw Obama's speech. There were no interruptions by protesters. And here I though we conservatives were the rude, mean ones. But anyway, it reminded me of something Rush Limbaugh said. Basically, he said conservatives don't protest. Why? We have jobs.

Now, I did manage to think of some examples of conservatives protesting. About all we protest is abortion. But think about it: who do you see out protesting? It's the women, children, and elderly. The men are at work. That's the way conservatives are supposed to be.

But back to tonight's protesters. The first guy had a sign that read, "YOU CAN'T WIN AN OCCUPATION." It got me thinking. In a way, it's correct, but not in the way he probably intended it. You can't win an occupation because the fact that you have an occupation in another country usually means that you already won. That's why you're occupying. It's like saying, "YOU CAN'T WIN A VICTORY LAP."

Just some thoughts.

Monday, September 1, 2008

(One of) The Greatest Adventure(s)

As some of you know, Stephanie left today with Gabriel Wickizer and Ashley Hollingsworth to Guatemala to visit and work with Dan Divelbiss. They will be gone until the 13th. That's awesome for them. Unfortunately, though I have some time off this week, it wasn't enough for it to be worth it for me to go with them. But I figured I need something to do with this time off by myself. So I have decided to leave tomorrow and drive to Shenandoah National Park in Virginia for a couple days. Should be pretty awesome. Hangin out with nature, camping in my car, good times.

So, if you need me, I will have my phone, but not turned on all of the time. Should be back Thursday. Prayers for me and the other group will be appreciated. Thanks.

And yes, I will have that song from The Hobbit stuck in my head a lot. And yes, I am about to watch it.