tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31246093.post5515564444085607964..comments2024-03-28T12:29:39.157-07:00Comments on Graphic Firing Table: Go WestFDChiefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10607785969510234092noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31246093.post-29436135412541164812008-11-06T07:34:00.000-07:002008-11-06T07:34:00.000-07:00Charles,I am glad to hear of Lulu's recovery.Upper...Charles,<BR/><BR/>I am glad to hear of Lulu's recovery.<BR/><BR/>Upper respiratory infections are most distressing for the cats, what with their small nasal cavities, poor things. I will wish her a full recovery to health!Lisahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08839236994990699117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31246093.post-15049387977144574112008-11-05T20:19:00.000-07:002008-11-05T20:19:00.000-07:00Lisa, Thanks for the good wishes. Lulu seems to be...Lisa, Thanks for the good wishes. Lulu seems to be recovering pretty well now; she's been on an anti-biotic for almost a week and it seems it was something very similar bronchitis and it's going away.Charles Gittingshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14669296162762355112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31246093.post-32747474871742225272008-11-05T19:05:00.000-07:002008-11-05T19:05:00.000-07:00Chief,Thank you for your sincere interaction. I v...Chief,<BR/><BR/>Thank you for your sincere interaction. I value your opinions immensely (I am on-the-road, and so not reading as assiduously as I might.)<BR/><BR/>Hope is essential, and am I with you now in hoping that Obama's best intentions are as he expresses them to be. <BR/><BR/>__________<BR/><BR/>Dear Charles,<BR/><BR/>I hope that your beloved cat is recovering, and I hope you are feeling better, too.Lisahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08839236994990699117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31246093.post-11028285397203171412008-11-04T17:47:00.000-07:002008-11-04T17:47:00.000-07:00So, Chief, both you and Mojo are in the constructi...So, Chief, both you and Mojo are in the construction industry? That IS putting your eggs in one basket but I still THINK (key word there) you'll be okay. <BR/><BR/>The Pacific Northwest doesn't seem to have been as massively overbuilt as the rest of the country and in spite of your pessimism, there's no question that there will be a lot of cash disbursed for infrastructure, the bigger question is how much of it will land in Oregon.<BR/><BR/>Another key factor is how smart the management of your company is. I'm also in a construction-related industry and the company I'm with has a long and glorious history of amazing stupidity but seems to have FINALLY learned its lessons and is doing quite well in spite of the fact that our region has been hit pretty hard by the recession so far.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31246093.post-55102434776001240052008-11-04T12:41:00.000-07:002008-11-04T12:41:00.000-07:00Leon,Just a brief thought about expectations...I h...Leon,<BR/><BR/>Just a brief thought about expectations...<BR/><BR/>I have literally spent the last seven years working towards today with the understand that as hard as what I was trying to do was, the hardest part would come after today.<BR/><BR/>And here is my greatest hope for Barack Obama:<BR/><BR/>I believe he might just be a reasonable man who will approach the job with an open mind and a sincere commitment to the welfare of humanity.<BR/><BR/>I can ask for nothing more.Charles Gittingshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14669296162762355112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31246093.post-10715092561305746872008-11-04T10:52:00.000-07:002008-11-04T10:52:00.000-07:00Good luck chief, here's hoping the rest of the ele...Good luck chief, here's hoping the rest of the electorate has a sudden slap of common sense and go Obama. My worry is the inevitable sense of disappointment people will feel since he's been hyped way too much. I don't doubt he's going to be an excellent president but pretty much nothing short of dragging OBL barehanded from a cave complex with nothing but a fish fork will match the unreal level of expectations being heaped on the poor guy.<BR/><BR/>And if the creatures from the sewers and the money men pull strings and rig another election? Well there's a place for you up here north of the border.<BR/><BR/>LeonAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31246093.post-23220565362934375122008-11-04T08:32:00.000-07:002008-11-04T08:32:00.000-07:00Charles: Hope things get better - and kitties get ...Charles: Hope things get better - and kitties get better, too - soon.<BR/><BR/>ael: <I>"Learning to like learning is a survival skill."</I> True word. Our way of learning is just very difficult for some people, and mostly the very people who need it most. I'm afraid that the next couple of years will be very hard for them.<BR/><BR/>As I say - that's not necessarily a bad thing for our country as a whole. But for the people involved...not so much.FDChiefhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10607785969510234092noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31246093.post-83948071348235525582008-11-03T23:23:00.000-07:002008-11-03T23:23:00.000-07:00School learning is useful, but only to a point.My ...School learning is useful, but only to a point.<BR/><BR/>My kids all love to read. In fact, they can't understand some of their schoolmates who never pick up a book, cause the friends are missing *so much good stuff*.<BR/><BR/>People who enjoy learning, know how to adapt. And when it is cold outside, adaptability pays. Just ask Admunsen (or Scott!)<BR/><BR/>Learning to like learning is a survival skill.Aelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10788190394672505925noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31246093.post-20620123914977309492008-11-03T22:49:00.000-07:002008-11-03T22:49:00.000-07:00Ya, well, my afternoon was better than my shitty m...Ya, well, my afternoon was better than my shitty morning, and for what it's worth FDC, you and the other Itel Dump regulars like Pluto and the rest HAVE been a bright spot for me -- I've enjoyed the conversations a lot. <BR/><BR/>I also enjoy your family posts, because they remind of normal life, and well... of just exactly what I've been doing the last seven years. Your daughter wasn't even alive when I started my preposterous little project, but it's literally the case that in my own mind I was going to war for her and every other kid like her. <BR/><BR/>But seven years is a long time, and I wish I had better logistics. <BR/><BR/>The worst thing right now my cat Lulu is sick, we've been together 10 years and she's my best friend. She's on meds and seems to be getting better, but it's some kind of bronchitis and I just want her well and with all the other crap on my mind it's just little much, ya know. <BR/><BR/>But tomorrow is another day.Charles Gittingshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14669296162762355112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31246093.post-83744948686096434262008-11-03T22:18:00.000-07:002008-11-03T22:18:00.000-07:00W: You're doin' what u should be doin' - focussin...W: You're doin' what u should be doin' - focussing on your soon-to-be kidlets. Fuck the small stuff.<BR/><BR/>RS: We can do cold. And rainy - did I mention rainy?<BR/><BR/>Pluto: Our problem is that much of both of our work revolves around construction and development. We will be hurting if that part of the economy goes TOO far south. Given the immense deficit I have no faith that a WPA for the 21st Century will be able to fund all the infrastructure work we'd need to stay busy.<BR/><BR/>ael: True, but only to a point. The past decade is the first since WW2 where salaries/wages did not correlate directly with education. The education ladder is just flat out being topped out.<BR/><BR/>And the other reality is that education, at least our industrial model of educaton, will only work for a certain perentage of the population and we may be close to reaching it. My experience teaching community college did not reassure me that the educational pool can get much wider or much deeper - some people simply lack the cognitive, organizational or disciplinary skills needed to succeed at a level beyond high school...<BR/><BR/>So in a general sense, yes, the winter will help many adapt and change. But culling the herd is also brutal in that those who can't change or adapt will die. That's not a bad thing for the species or perhaps a society as a whole, but it sucks for individuals, especially since in a <I><B>really</B></I> hard winter you don't have to be slow, or stupid - just unlucky.FDChiefhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10607785969510234092noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31246093.post-74693398409722316592008-11-03T19:47:00.000-07:002008-11-03T19:47:00.000-07:00AEL - "Winter may be coming, but it can also teach...AEL - "Winter may be coming, but it can also teach many good lessons."<BR/><BR/>Very, very true and a good point.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31246093.post-967185530854149112008-11-03T19:39:00.000-07:002008-11-03T19:39:00.000-07:00Public Education!Arm the people with a solid educa...Public Education!<BR/><BR/>Arm the people with a solid education and they will be resilient.<BR/><BR/>If you are worried for your country, work towards improving the general education level.<BR/><BR/>Everything else is secondary.<BR/><BR/>Winter may be coming, but it can also teach many good lessons.Aelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10788190394672505925noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31246093.post-76589985465111939862008-11-03T19:00:00.000-07:002008-11-03T19:00:00.000-07:00Charles, I've come to the conclusion that a large ...Charles, I've come to the conclusion that a large percentage of the people in the blogosphere feel like they don't belong here.<BR/><BR/>You've certainly got better reasons than most to make the statement but, like the Chief, I hope you find some hope on which to hang your hat.<BR/><BR/>I've also read the first of the Martin series, and I can tell you that in Minnesota the saying "Winter is coming" is the literal truth, even with global warming.<BR/><BR/>Have hope about the future, Chief. I've been crunching numbers and am finally beginning to see the shape of the current crisis and do not believe it will affect you and yours too badly. This round is mostly about the 1/3 of American businesses and 1/4 of American households that are hopelessly in debt.<BR/><BR/>The sad fact is that these people and businesses can't do anything to avoid the worst of the crisis which has been a long time in coming. They've made their beds and now have to sleep in them and there's going to be a world of hurt for a bunch of people who are only guilty of being employed by the wrong company or who didn't read the fine print on the mortgage they signed.<BR/><BR/>Depending on the actions of the next Administration, the worst of this should be over by 2010. Just in time for the next wave (Medicare, I think) to start gathering momentum... <BR/><BR/>But as I've noted before, I'm a very cautious optimist and think that if you've done your homework and aren't too unlucky things will turn out okay. I just wish so much of the country wasn't either clueless or unlucky.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31246093.post-48967996474766531552008-11-03T17:46:00.000-07:002008-11-03T17:46:00.000-07:00I too enjoy the Martin books and first shuddered a...I too enjoy the Martin books and first shuddered at the Stark motto several years back. It's not feeling so fictional and remote anymore and there are days when I get bound up in my anger at what is being to us, and at times through us, with our complacent acceptance. Scale is sometimes different, the flag varies as well, but there's a lot of decisions being made in various locations that leave me shaking. <BR/><BR/>I don't know what the answer is, sometimes I wonder if it has to get a whole lot worse just so that people can see what's at stake. Sometimes I wonder if TWAWKI will hold up long enough for us to see a referral picture and find an airline that has survived long enough to get us across the continents.<BR/><BR/>Other times, I give my head a shake and wonder how I got to such a strange and dismal mental place. It can't really be that bad, can it?<BR/><BR/>We'll be watching and bearing witness tomorrow, even those of us who are not so directly affected by the results. And yes, political refugees will be supported on the sandbar. We can offer brilliant foliage, lots of snow, and plenty of potatoes.Red Sandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00468789655058139527noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31246093.post-9457283767040200932008-11-03T17:31:00.000-07:002008-11-03T17:31:00.000-07:00Bravo - the politics you enjoy writing about and t...Bravo - the politics you enjoy writing about and the pics so many of us delight in - all in one post!<BR/><BR/>Honestly, I think that I've been brainwashed or brain squashed by this long-ass adoption wait, because I'm doing the shrug over this election; it will happen the way it's gonna happen, no matter how much I get my panties in a wad or not. <BR/><BR/>I'm not saying that I don't care; if McDick wins, I may be begging the Goob to get us to the EU. But I'm not freaking out about it. JFC, my big issue today is wondering if I should look for a used stroller or buy a wagon, for Christ's sake. That, or knowing the DNA results. I'm on a different plane this election.<BR/><BR/>IIWII - it is what it is. But I'm sure excited to know that 49% of Texans voted early this year. Day-yum.<BR/><BR/>p.s. Cute pics of your lovelies. And I envy your overnight; they've been booked full every single time that we've tried to stay at the Kennedy School.walternativeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09167908113161354616noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31246093.post-5782788226534791752008-11-03T16:35:00.000-07:002008-11-03T16:35:00.000-07:00Charles: Even back in the day, remember, "a prophe...Charles: Even back in the day, remember, "a prophet is without honor only in his own country". I hope that you can find some bright line to hang on to. It's tough, and I'm sorry to hear you're having such a hard time.<BR/><BR/>I don't think it's going to hit me until the day that Dubya and his pals walk out of the White House unindicted free men. But that day I think I'm going to have a hard time handling that...FDChiefhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10607785969510234092noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31246093.post-2444275766894706122008-11-03T16:12:00.000-07:002008-11-03T16:12:00.000-07:00Gee, actually, I'm right on the edge of a black de...Gee, actually, I'm right on the edge of a black depression.<BR/><BR/>Partly that's for personal reasons, but only because they aggravate the big picture.<BR/><BR/>The people of this country are really pretty fucking clueless, especially anyone who is still willing to vote for a Republican.<BR/><BR/>But my day started a with one my fellow democrats setting off a completely pointless confrontation with me simply because she couldn't be bothered to listen to me for 20 seconds. We eventually patched it up, it set off a long train of thought about the last seven years of my project, the last 20 years since my divorce, and indeed, the full 56 years of my life. <BR/><BR/>Old story: I just don't belong here. Never did, never will, yet here I am, fully aware that there s o many good things in spite of it all -- that's the depressing part.Charles Gittingshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14669296162762355112noreply@blogger.com