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Blog Archives:
2005:
My Daily RoundsAnn AlthouseCaptain's Quarters Done with Mirrors Eric Berlin Lipstick Chronicles Varifrank
Yet More BlogsDreams Into LightningWords From Iraq A small victory a tangled web Chrenkoff Cold fury Daily Dish Dangey's Rant Greatest jeneration Instapundit Iraqi Holocaust patterico Ranting Profs Right wing news RightNation.US Soundfury The Corner The truth about Iraq The volokh conspiracy Tim Blair Useful fools Vodkapundit Winds of Change Young Pundit
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© Copyright 2004, IRED.com, Inc. Attitude: Becky Blogs
2004 December 31, 11:00 AM Probably related also to XP, my wireless network connection periodically just vanishes in favor of a neighbor's unsecured, and very weak, wireless network! The only solution I have found for this anomoly so far is to delete my network connection and re-create it, complete with 15 character magic security key. Naturally I always mis-type one of more character and it takes many attempts to recreate the secure connection. I guess it is really, really secure, but what an annoyance. Yes, Siblings (you know which ones you are), and all other Mac Lovers, I am sure that Mac users don't have these challenges, but much as I hate Windows, I hate learning curves worse; and I already have 7 Windows machines!
2004 December 28, 5:30 AM
One personal tidbit: As the tsunami was occurring I was listening to Michael Crichton's State of Fear. I won't spoil the plot for those who have not read it, but the climax is eerily apropos to current events.
2004 December 27, 1:45 PM
2004 December 24, 11:00 AM ...and then there were four: One of the quints has failed to develop and currently there are four strong heartbeats. This is not unexpected, especially at this early stage. Merry Christmas: I've been watching the usual, though ever-expanding, secularization of Christmas with a bit of annoyance, but have been more concerned with the obvious and rapidly growing move to remove any mention of God or faith from the public forum. It seems to me that this has long since moved from a debate about separation of Church and state. Perhaps it pre-dated Madeline Murray O'Hair's atheist program to eliminate prayer in schools back in the late 50s/early 60s, but that was my first real awareness that faith in God, not just Christianity, was under attack in the US. At IRED we have always tried to be inclusive of all religious or secular celebrations of the Holiday season, while we personally celebrate the birth of Christ on December 25. This year I found that a favorite site of mine added a greeting card section, but instead of including cards for Hannukah, Christmas, Ramadan, Kwanzaa, or even a generic "Holiday" group, they include a section called "Shopping Season." Enough! I'm not going to stand idly by any more! I hope we have reached the breaking point for all people of faith, and that from now on no one will stand quietly by as non-believers and the ACLU attempt to remove God from all our lives. At any rate, I have reached that point myself. The U.S. Constitution is about freedom of religion, not freedom from religion.
2004 December 19, 11:45 PM IRED's directories do not allow for online maintenance of links, nor will they ever include such. It is a major time consuming headache to keep the directories as accurate as possible and every link is manually visited, checked and reviewed by a member of the IRED staff. This reflects the state of the link when we last visited, however, and may not inclide changes unless the site owner has notified us by email, or we happen to visit and note any changes ourselves. This is not terribly efficient, but it beats the abuse inherent in opening up maintenance to third parties. Life is all about trade-offs, isn't it. Maybe we'll experiment with a comments section in the directories so users can let us know about link updates.
2004 December 19, 02:00 AM My nephew, Jon, is in Iraq where he has been on the front lines of recent activities (we even catch a glimpse of him on network TV from time to time). Last year his brother was in Kuwait with the SeaBees during Operation Iraqi Freedom. As a result, as with thousands of other American families, Iraq is a vital part of our daily life. The fate of individual Iraqi citizens has become equally important to us thanks to blogs and bloggers. If you have not yet made this important source of information a part of your daily life, then may I suggest you meet Omar, Mohammad and Ali at Iraq the Model, or Zeyad at Healing Iraq, or any of the others, both pro- and anti-American (I like the pro-Americans, so sue me!) linked in the column to the left under Iraqi Blogs, or the many blogging soldiers some of whom are also linked under Soldiers' Blogs. Meanwhile, my niece, Liz, is still pregnant, pregnant, pregnant, pregnant, pregnant (yes, times 5) and we invite special prayers for both Liz and Jon at this time! Christmas will be a very quiet time for us this year as we visit Jim's sister and his 99-year old mother leaving our kids, grandkids, my mother, my 4 siblings, my many nieces and nephews to their own devices, but next year I'm betting it will be anything but quiet around here!
Jon with Marines in Iraq, seeing Iraqi baby off to US for Medical treatment
2004 December 13 3:15 AM We just got the very shocking news that my lovely 24 year old niece, who has a 7 month old son and a husband who is still in school, is now expecting quintuplets! I wonder if some pharmacy confused her birth control prescription with some kind of fertility drug! This is exciting, but certainly not what I'd call good news! Most of all it is scary!
Becky at ired.com
2004 November 27 1:00 AM Honey-do tasks have piled up here for months, but "Honey" never seemed to get around to any of them, so this week "Sonny" (Tracy) is visiting and I had big plans for "sonny-do" instead. How do you explain that now Tracy is watching as Jim is frantically trying to get all the annoying little jobs done himself now? I guess it's a "guy thing" and as long as they are enjoying themselves and I wind up with a sewing center and other assorted finished projects, I don't care how they do it or who holds the hammer! Becky at ired.com
2004 October 22, 8:00 PM On a slightly different note, if, after the solemnity of Stolen Honor you want a rollicking good laugh, go see Team America! It's certainly vulgar, but even an old dame like me (who has never seen South Park at all)laughed to the point of tears. Becky
2004 October 21, 00:00 AM I thought I should drop in just to let you know I didn't simply disappear, but low back pain is limiting my time at the keyboard. I'd switch to voice command, but ambient noise from the nearby airport is just enough to introduce confuse things. I couldn't be my Texas accent, because I have no accent, y'all. I got a flu shot last week. I'm not (quite) over 65, but I do have an unfortunate cardiac history, and every time I board a plane all the germs aboad seek me out, and for the next month I will be on 6 flights, so flu is almost a certainty without immunization. Incidentally, despite the news reports to the contrary, it is not that difficult to find the vaccine, even wotthout standing in line for hours. My primary care physician had us (Jim is over 65, but don't tell him I said so!) on the list, but did not receive any vaccine; however, my local "doc-in-a-box" (minor emergency center) does have it, as do some local drug stores. My mother, in a retirement living center, received her shot prior to the announced shortage. I suspect like so many things in the political season, the shortage is more apochrophal than critical. If you are in a high risk category get your shot and make no apology for it. Protecting yourself also reduces the spread to others. My nephew, Jon, is a marine currently in Fallujah, Iraq. (A year ago another nephew was in Kuwait with the SeaBees.) Naturally we are watching news out of Iraq very closely, and we appreciate your prayers if you are so inclined, but I am especially glad to report that the news we receive from him is quite positive. Again, the mainstream media seems to miss the real story in favor of presenting the most negative view possible. War is always ugly, but what we hear from the front first hand is far more encouraging that what the media tell us. For the same reason I urge you to read the blogs from Iraq, both those by Iraqi citizens and those by military personnel. The more you read the better balanced the picture you will get. Vote on or before Nov. 2! I'll be votng for Bush/Cheney myself, since Kerry/Edwards don't seem to have anything to offer except negativity. My view of the world is that things are a lot better today than they were, economically, and security-wise. Change merely for the sake of change does not seem very wise to me. I mention this only because I seem to have left the impression with some of my readers that I was anti-Bush, which is not true. Of course there are issues on which I disagree, but I'd be more skeptical of someone who purported to agree with me on every issue. Even Jim and I occasionally disagree and we've been married for 44 years now! I'll try to post more often, but I have only the greatest admiration for those who can maintain a daily blog. The time and commitment it requires can be overwhelming, but it is wonderful to be able to get first hand reports and a wide variety of opinions and viewpoints from around the world. If you have not discovered the wide variety of blogs on every subject just start with the list at the left and build your own daily sources. Becky
2004 April 23, 11:00 AM Becky at ired.com
2004 March 11, 04:15 PM I'm almost certain I will be voting for GWB, but as a fiscal conservative I am uncomfortable with many of his actions over the past year. I'm far more "liberal" on social issues, so I am further annoyed by the dogmatic attitudes of most "conservatives", but I can't bear the hate-mongering of most democratic/liberal journalists and web sites. Few bloggers, even my favorites, seem to have a sense of balance. Where is the thoughtful dialog that Americans should be having about politics? Oh, thoughtful-dialog-about-politics, that's an oxymoron, isn't it! Since I find Kerry a bully and a cry-baby and more obnoxious every day I guess I'm not capable of thoughtful dialog either. Why have I been missing for most of the past month? A not-at-all-petty recurrance of kidney stones, combined with a family wedding and a much appreciated visit from our Nashville based son have kept me from having either time or interest in doing anything I was not absolutely compelled to do, and that includes e-mail. Sorry, folks. I will try to do better.
Becky at ired.com
2004 February 23, 02:30 PM Kerry writes, "As you well know, Vietnam was a very difficult and painful period in our nation's history, and the struggle for our veterans continues. So, it has been hard to believe that you would choose to reopen these wounds for your personal political gain. But, that is what you have chosen to do." Who opened wounds? The only issue brought up by White House or the GOP, never mind Bush himself, regarding Kerry has been his voting record. It was the Dems themselves who brought up Viet Nam and service records. Hello, Michael Moore. Hello, Sid Bleumenthal. Hello, Mr. "I served in Viet Nam" Kerry. I do believe there is a virus spreading on the campaign trail and it seems to be of the brain-eating variety.
Becky at ired.com
2004 February 20, 05:30 PM
By the way, what's with this photo? It looks like a mug shot! What kind of candidate lets this hit the wire services?
Becky
2004 February 19, 04:00 PM
![]() Real Estate is where you find it: Urban Renewal and Affordable Housing in NYC both offer an important perspective on housing in the city. Becky at ired.com
2004 February 18, 03:30 PM Becky at ired.com
2004 February 12, 04:45 AM Becky at ired.com
2004 February 6, 04:00 AM Not only is the incomplete project carried to completion (or scrapped and revised), but the make-over usually extends to other areas. Kitchen and bath remodels are not eligible, and the house must be located in South Florida (both of which make the Swann's dismantled bath in Texas ineligible). If you fit the criteria you might want to apply to be on the show which airs daily (7 PM & 2 AM EST) on cable TV's TLC Network. The team comprises a motley crew of international designer/carpenter/comedians so you can expect plenty of laughs and a variety of accents in the presentation. In A Fix is my current favorite.
Becky
2004 February 5, 08:00 PM I had been in such a critical philosophical debate in a jury room many years ago, but that was a murder case and the evidence was murky to say the least. Even so, we managed to agree on a verdict in the murder case. Not so in the Case of the Stop Sign and the Motorcycle Cop. We spent a good two hours in debate before finally admitting defeat with a 3/3 deadlock. I once spent less time in an assault with a deadly weapon case. (Get the idea that I am frequently supoenaed for jury duty? Why me, God, why me?) This time there was no evidence, other than the ticket itself (annotated "rolled it", and the statements of the Officer (who had no independent memory of the incident, but testified that of the thousands tickets he issues each year 100% are all correct and deserved) and the plaintiff (who "clearly remembers coming to a full stop" and ambient details of the incident). I can't imagine that the city will actually retry the case, but at least they won't have me to kick around again for another 6 months, minimum. Oh, and I get paid a whopping $6 for my labor...same as those 26 panel members who were not selected and did have time to do some mid-week shopping.
Becky
2004 February 2, 08:10 PM Likewise, I don't care a fig about what procedure John Kerry has had done to erase the trademark wrinkles from his brow, or why Martha sold her ImClone stock. It's the lies that destroy careers. How many times do polititians and entertainers have to test that rule before they learn? Becky at ired.com
2004 February 2, 06:00 AM I'm Travel Deprived: There is an entire quarter of the continental US that I have never even entered. How embarassing. I do expect to be in RI within the next 12 months, and there are a few states in the eastern US that I have only driven through, such as AL and WV, and I once got to the southwestern portion of NE, but probably never even stopped for gas there. However, the rest of the northeast is foreign territory. I think I have a new goal. Just a couple of years ago we toured northern CA up to, but not crossing into, OR. Next stop, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana! Becky at ired.com
2004 January 31, 09:00 AM Becky at ired.com
2004 January 27, 06:00 PM Ah, well, I can't recall the last time I felt stongly about voting for a candidate anyway. As Winston Churchill said, "Democracy is the worst form of government except for all those others that have been tried." 2004 Primary Calendar
Becky at ired.com
2004 January 14, 03:45 AM The model letter was not quite what I wanted to say, but it was a great guide for enumerating my complaints, and it is an very easy method for sending letters to providers without having to look for the appropriate email addresses, and the process also sends a copy of your letter to the FCC. Jim got so fed up with lousy service he discontinued service altogether and now shares my phone (grumbling all the while).
Becky at ired.com
2004 January 13, 03:20 AM If you need more help and don't know a staging expert you can try one of these sites.
Becky at ired.com
2004 January 11, 11:00 AM Win a House 2: HGTV's Dream Home Sweepstakes is open until 5:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday, February 17, 2004, you may enter the sweepstakes in any of the following ways: (i) online by visiting the HGTV web site (www.hgtv.com) and completing the online entry form (limit one (1) online entry, per valid email address, per eligible person per day); or (ii) hand printing your name, complete address and phone number either on a postcard or on a separate piece of paper no larger than 8 _ x 11 inches, and mailing the postcard or paper to HGTV Dream Home Giveaway, P.O. Box 52107, Knoxville, TN 37950. Win a House Caveat: While the above oppotunities are legitimate sweepstakes sponsored under the laws of the appropriate jurisdictions, it is common to see Win-a-house essay contests online. We cannot verify which, if any of these is legitimate, so IRED will never list them. It is important to read the fine print very, very carefully, however. You'll generally find an entry fee is required, and that the "contest" is really a raffle requiring a (large) minimum number of entries or no prize will be awarded. It seems that a lot of people have decided this is a means of selling a hard-to-sell property, but to date we have never even heard of one of these "prizes" being awarded. There well may be legitimate win-a-house raffles, but those we see online are amateur efforts, many of which violate a host of gambling laws. My advice is to save your money and your time and work toward buying the house you want!
Becky at ired.com
2004 January 8, 11:00 PM Cable TV caused a Wisconsin man addicted to TV, "caused his wife to be overweight and his kids to be lazy, he says." Now he wants to sue the cable company: "Timothy Dumouchel of West Bend wants $5,000 or three computers, and a lifetime supply of free Internet service from Charter Communications." It seems his complaint hinges on the fact that he tried to cancel his cable subscription, but for 4 years the cable company did not disconnect, nor did the bill, him! Hm, I guess there is no off switch on the TV either. An Ohio woman claimed to have bought, and lost, the winning $162 million lottery ticket, and filed suit to stop the awarding to the rightful winner (though now she has admitted she lied and has dropped the lawsuit). Why did she do it? "I wanted to win so badly for my kids and my family." Duh. In Pittsburgh, PA, a family is suing WalMart because their grocery bag broke. Countless other nuisance lawsuits are filed every year by greedy, irresponsible Americans. Is it any wonder the judicial system in the US is bogged down and it takes not just months, but often years for a legitimate dispute to reach trial? I hope the courts follow in the footsteps of the judge in the McDonalds Obesity case last fall and toss them all out. Prosecute the plaintiffs! Why do existing laws against filing nuisance lawsuits never seem to be exercised? What happened to personal responsibility? I guess they are all just poor victims, blowing in the wind! Of course I just hate to miss out on a fad. I want to win $162 million dollars too, but I didn't buy a lottery ticket. Boo hoo. Once the bottom fell out of a carton of Cokes when I picked it up off the store shelf, the glass bottles exploded and cut an artery on my leg, requiring several stitches and causing considerable pain, so maybe I should sue someone. Does 25 years exceed the statute of limitations? I'm sure a Texas ambulance chaser like those in WI, OH and PA could come up with something I could sue for! Becky
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