No, it isn't really a new post
I've already forwarded people who had read this blog to my new space at MSN's spaces, but now I'm trying to set up a forum for people in Arizona to discuss pool leagues and tournaments, especially of the APA variety. If you care, visit
www.myarizonabilliards.com and join in.
Let's get some good links here
Is it unethical? You bet. But maintaining ethics is primarily responsible for links to good people being ugly. Let's turn the tables.
--AZ-Sen:
Jon Kyl--AZ-01:
Rick Renzi--AZ-05:
J.D. Hayworth--CA-04:
John Doolittle--CA-11:
Richard Pombo--CA-50:
Brian Bilbray--CO-04:
Marilyn Musgrave--CO-05:
Doug Lamborn--CO-07:
Rick O'Donnell--CT-04:
Christopher Shays--FL-13:
Vernon Buchanan--FL-16:
Joe Negron--FL-22:
Clay Shaw--ID-01:
Bill Sali--IL-06:
Peter Roskam--IL-10:
Mark Kirk--IL-14:
Dennis Hastert--IN-02:
Chris Chocola--IN-08:
John Hostettler--IA-01:
Mike Whalen--KS-02:
Jim Ryun--KY-03:
Anne Northup--KY-04:
Geoff Davis--MD-Sen:
Michael Steele--MN-01:
Gil Gutknecht--MN-06:
Michele Bachmann--MO-Sen:
Jim Talent--MT-Sen:
Conrad Burns--NV-03:
Jon Porter--NH-02:
Charlie Bass--NJ-07:
Mike Ferguson--NM-01:
Heather Wilson--NY-03:
Peter King--NY-20:
John Sweeney--NY-26:
Tom Reynolds--NY-29:
Randy Kuhl--NC-08:
Robin Hayes--NC-11:
Charles Taylor--OH-01:
Steve Chabot--OH-02:
Jean Schmidt--OH-15:
Deborah Pryce--OH-18:
Joy Padgett--PA-04:
Melissa Hart--PA-07:
Curt Weldon--PA-08:
Mike Fitzpatrick--PA-10:
Don Sherwood--RI-Sen:
Lincoln Chafee--TN-Sen:
Bob Corker--VA-Sen:
George Allen--VA-10:
Frank Wolf--WA-Sen:
Mike McGavick--WA-08:
Dave Reichert
Pretty to Look At
I've been happy with the space on blogger.com, but along with the update to Windows Messenger came a curious link to a page on Microsoft's "Spaces" site. I've come to the decision that I like the look of the Microsoft site better (it better integrates a homey feel for me along with a blog). Therefore, my future posts, at least for the foreseeable future, will be at
http://thelloydian.spaces.msn.com.
Disneyland 2006
I went to Disneyland last weekend. What a great trip.
First came the preparation. I researched the playlist for the Sunshine Plaza area of Disney's California Adventure and made a CD with all of the tracks. I already had all but seven in my personal collection, iTunes provided four more, two were on Natalie Cole's "Unforgettable: With Love" that I picked up at Best Buy, and "California Sun" by The Rivieras was available on the "Good Morning, Vietnam" soundtrack that I found at Zia. I decided to surprise my daughter by just having the CD come on during the road trip. When it came on, she was listening to her iPod, and the effort was wasted.
I'm an owner in the Disney Vacation Club with 300 points to use per year. Since I haven't been to Florida since 2004, I have some serious points to go through. We stayed in a two bedroom Artisan Suite. What a view. On the night we arrived, I took a picture of Grizzly Peak from our balcony (no flash, shutter stayed open nearly two seconds). I'm very proud of that picture.
Unfortunately, the room was so cozy, we never made it to the rides before noon. As a result, my cost per ride exceeded $10. It was not a total loss, however, as we enjoyed meals at the ESPN Zone and Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen. And we had the joy of riding the new versions of Space Mountain and Pirates. We also got to enjoy every E-Ticket attraction while there as well as a performance by Billy Hill and the Hillbillies.
I'm already looking forward to next year.
Lazy Holiday
I live in Arizona, and my bedroom window faces north. So, every morning during the summer my room is at daytime brightness at around 6:00 AM. Yesterday, I didn't wake up until my phone rang at 9:30.
Even after that, I just transferred myself to my TV room where, thanks to a lot of drywalled former windows, it's dark all day long. So I slept, off and on, for the rest of the day. Boy, was it nice to catch up on that needed sleep.
Along the way, I watched slivers of "The Music Man" (the 1962 version, of course), "Fools Rush In" and "Great Performances" from PBS which aired the 4th of July version of "A Prairie Home Companion." Laziness never felt so good.
Mom Hates The Beatles
Okay, so the post title kind of sucks, especially since she doesn't, but I liked the play on Allan Sherman's classic "Pop Hates The Beatles" set to the music of "Pop Goes the Weasel."
Why do I bring this up? Well, my music player was busy playing "Free As a Bird," the first of the two songs the (then) surviving Beatles overdubbed to old John Lennon demo tapes to provide new singles in the '90s. In other words, it has nothing to do with the rest of this post.
I have a great life. The problems that beset much of our world really don't impact me except to the extent that I get into philosophical discussions with others. On a daily basis, however, I get up every day, I exercise, I shower, I go to work, I come home, and I wind down for the day. Along the way, I eat some meals, I carry on conversations, and sometimes I play.
Money may be tight for me, but compared to others in the world, I'm sitting pretty. I still have enough to spend $25 on a Thursday to shoot pool. When I want to visit Disneyland, I have to plan, but it's not an impossible dream. I go to football games and sit in a seat that, this year, costs $79.25 per game. I'm rich, even if the government (even under Bush) thinks I'm so poor I don't need to pay taxes.
I guess my point is, if anyone ever sees this, if you're as lucky as I am, enjoy your life. If life, for you, is a daily struggle for survival, you are why I will always have work to accomplish.
More Politics
Last night, I saw footage of the President angrily calling out the New York Times for their article on the secret tracking of banking transactions. He's saying that the Times is making the "War on Terror" harder to fight. Cheney was even more specific, but each of these examples show the old "kill the messenger" mentality that people who know they're wrong will use.
Thank you, New York Times, for pointing out their logical fallacy. The President argues that banks will be unwilling to cooperate as a result of this but also argues that the program is entirely legal. If it's so legal, why wouldn't banks cooperate?
I'm ashamed of my country's leadership.
I'm an owner in the Disney Vacation Club with 300 points to use per year. Since I haven't been to Florida since 2004, I have some serious points to go through. We stayed in a two bedroom Artisan Suite. What a view. On the night we arrived, I took a picture of Grizzly Peak from our balcony (no flash, shutter stayed open nearly two seconds). I'm very proud of that picture.
