April 2006 | Main | June 2006
May 29, 2006
This is *so* me!
Posted by Beth at 6:21 AM | Comments (4)
May 27, 2006
More on Home Improvements
Finally. John and I have finished the Crown Moulding, the Baseboards, the 1/4 round that goes on the baseboards and I had John remove the door between the kitchen and the front hall.
It looks pretty cool.
Now . . . to clean up the mess of building stuff and to commence with decorating!!
Oh, and I decided that I'm going to redo the backsplash with Mexican Talavera tiles. Color, color color!!!
I love it!
I love John!
As soon as I get everything dusted and clean, I'll take pictures and post before and after - but don't forget that I still have to do something with the backsplash and the windows.
Posted by Beth at 5:35 PM | Comments (3)
May 24, 2006
Changes again
Well, it looks like I'll be on a new project at work - get to learn some new things - travel a lot (as I do now), but should be able to leave on Monday mornings and come home on Thursday evening, leaving me just a one hour con call on Fridays and a 2 1/2 day weekend.
At least that is my hope - and I was told I will get more money - which is always good!
Posted by Beth at 6:39 PM | Comments (6)
May 22, 2006
Priorities are screwed up
Okay. Iraq manages, beyond most expectations, to put together a government that is very representative of the Iraqi population.
So what does the MSM talk about? (and I mean all of the media)
Natalie Holloway and Kentucky Derby winner, Barbaro.
A missing, probably dead girl and a horse with a broken leg.
Now. Tell me. What the fuck is wrong with the people running the media that a year old story about a missing, pretty blonde and a newer story about a broken horse is more important than Iraq starting to govern themselves with a reasonable bunch of people.
It just makes me shake my head in the utter disappointment and dismay at the state of the intellect of the media.
Honestly.
Posted by Beth at 7:33 PM | Comments (2)
May 21, 2006
oops
I forgot Joanie's birthday! What kind of a friend am I?
Joanie - happy 40th - a couple of days late, anyway!
Posted by Beth at 8:13 AM
May 20, 2006
Home Improvements
Well, I'm home until tomorrow at noon. The prednisone has gotten rid of most of my hives and rashes, but it makes me feel icky.
Today, I am cutting and placing all the baseboards for the kitchen - John and I bought a cool little air compressor with a brad gun, so I need to figure out how to use it.
So far, I have cut all the baseboards with my compound miter saw - what a handy piece of machinery that is!
It will get a lot more difficult to figure out how to cut the crown mouldings. Then, when John gets home after doing all sorts of stuff for the Heart Walk (John is ever so much more charitable than I am!), I hope that he can deal with the brad (is that what they are called? Little nails - like finishing nails, really) gun.
Posted by Beth at 12:44 PM | Comments (10)
May 17, 2006
Mood Swing
I have this crazy allergic reaction to something - we can't figure out what it is - that gives me these lovely rashes on my neck, face, arms, tummy, legs. So the doctor prescribes me mass quantities of prednisone - and it is working. The rashes are disappearing.
However, I feel like a crazy person. I can't sleep, I'm tense, I'm nervous, I'm sad, I'm sure my blood pressure is way up - because of the medication. Fortunately, I take less every day, so I hope to be back to normal in another week, but my heart totally goes out to all of those who take prednisone every day of their lives - bless you all!
Posted by Beth at 6:27 AM | Comments (5)
May 14, 2006
On Do It Yourself Remodeling
I have learned a few things about DIY Projects after putting in my new laminate flooring in the kitchen.
1. It will take 3 times longer to finish than you plan for.
2. There is scope creep in Home Improvements - you take out a nasty floor, and realize that it is a perfect time to paint the walls. Then you prep the walls and pick a daring paint and then . . . it takes 4 coats of paint to cover!
3. Every time you think things are going well, you find something awful that has to be repaired before you go on.
4. You will discover your own way of doing things. My Dupont Real Touch laminate flooring has instructions that make it seem so easy. And really, after you have laid about 200 square feet, it does get easy, but only because I found that I can snap the boards in much easier by laying on the floor, grabbing the plank at the proper angle and doing a pull up using all your body weight on the plank - and it snaps right in. Looks pretty funny, but it works.
5. You will spend about twice what you figured on. If you are lucky, like I was, Home Depot will have your stuff on sale for 20 percent off within 30 days after you bought it - They gave me back the difference when I went there and asked.
6. Buy the expensive tools. They are so much better that they make your life much easier.
7. I'm pretty sure that only one member of a married couple can work on such a product, otherwise, disharmony in the home will reign.
8. The cats and dogs will be very distressed when you change things around.
9. By the time you finish a project, you know you are an expert - but you might not do the same type of thing for years again!
Posted by Beth at 8:36 PM | Comments (15)
May 13, 2006
Not all rock musicians hate the USA.
Godsmack
Hurray, Godsmack
Posted by Beth at 9:55 PM | Comments (3)
Carnival of the Recipes
Wow, it's a special Mother's Day Edition of the Carnival of the Recipes!
Shawn has done a fantastic job with this week's Carnival.
I command you to go there, and be sure to have a bib on, because you are going to drool!!!
Posted by Beth at 8:42 PM
FYI
There is a new site (for me, anyway) that looks to be something like a Drudgereport for Conservatives. It is For Your Conservative Pleasure. Looks interesting, you might want to check it out, too.
Posted by Beth at 12:28 PM
Past time to touch base
Life is so busy, I've not had the time for the linky love my favorite bloggers deserve!
First of all, many Ladies of the Cotillion have seen Flight 93 and have reviewed it. It's a great carnival - go check it out.
I have been really remiss in checking my friend's blogs lately - especially, Joanie. She's having a tough time- go visit her and say hi, and think about hitting her tip jar. Back problems really screw up the livelihood of nurses.
And then, last night, our friend, Kat of The Middle Ground came by to 'help me finish the floor'. Only, she brought a friend with her. This friend is kinda sorta doglike, only smaller than most of our cats. It seems that our payment to Kat for helping me with the kitchen remodel is taking this poor little rat dog in.
Needless to say, we didn't do any work last night, but she's coming over again today and we do aim to get 'er done! And I think she's bringing her little dog, Dottie, with her.
However, if we end up keeping Dottie, we will rename her - we always rename our critters.
Oh, one more - at Explicity Anonymous - this is really funny - go read and enjoy!
Posted by Beth at 10:23 AM | Comments (1)
I had the weirdest dream last night!
Way back in the day, I took a great college course on psychology in literature. It was a combination English/Psychology course team taught by two of the best professors I ever had the pleasure to learn from.
We had about 10 books assigned for reading. One of those was Freud's Interpretation of Dreams. As an assignment, we were to record our dreams. I learned to wake myself up from a dream and write down parts of it before returning to sleep.
So, I guess old habits are hard to break. I had a crazy dream last night - it was really kinda funny. It was partly about LaShawn Barber, a very good blogger - example -, who I had the pleasure of meeting very briefly at the Millblog Conference in DC.
I dreamt that LaShawn had built a life-size model of some kind of landing craft that the Army used to land at Cleveland. (Yes, this is a dream, folks). LaShawn had worked very, very hard at putting together this exhibit, and asked my husband, John of Argghhh!, to come take a look at it for her and to correct any historical errors.
Well, her landing craft had been outfitted with those kind of round vanity light bulbs all around the edges - and of course, there were three colours, red, white and blue.
Atop these bulbs were very lacy lampshades in shades of ecru, off white and beige.
LaShawn had also spent hour upon hour aging the craft and putting sand on appropriate places. It was a very impressive, if girly, rendition of the famous landing craft that brought the Army to Cleveland.
Well, John took one look at it, and very politely said to LaShawn - you did research on this? Poor LaShawn was embarrassed and said, yes, but the boat needed some prettying up.
Anyway, the rest of my dream was involved with watching John very carefully working around this life-size model to make sure that LaShawn would not be embarrassed at the unveiling the next day.
My guess as to the meaning of this dream?
Not sure. Obviously, I think LaShawn is a very feminine lady. John is always a perfectionist when it comes to things military. And since I'm trying to redecorate this house, maybe I'm wishing that LaShawn would come and help me make all the militaria here look a little prettier.
Posted by Beth at 7:35 AM | Comments (5)
May 11, 2006
blecchhh
I love my job.
I love my job.
I love my job.
I really do, but I really, really hate being under the weather when I'm traveling. I especially hate having this weird ass skin thing going on.
So here is my rash haiku:
what's this on my face?
bumpety, red and itchy?
time for appoinmtent.
Posted by Beth at 5:57 AM | Comments (2)
May 9, 2006
Ruth's Chris Blogging
So, I'm staying at the embassy suites in Birmingham, Alabama, and the restaurant in the hotel is Ruth's Chris.
Because I do not have a car, and am dependant upon my co-worker for transportation, I am forced, forced, I say, to eat at Ruth's Chris for dinner tonight.
And because the Embassy Suites has WiFi, so does Ruth's Chris!
This has not been a great week - things were not ready here, John has now developed Cellulitis in his ankle and I have hives all over my face, neck, chest, side and legs. On the positive side, the kitchen is closer to being finished - I ran into a problem with rotted subfloor near the sink, so I cut that out and replaced it - but I still have boards to lay and trim to put up.
John stained and sealed the mouldings, but he needs to stay off his feet, so I do not want him to do anything for the rest of this week other than keep his feet up!!!!!!! Well, that and come and get me from the airport on Thursday night!
Oh, my steak is on its way. Yum.
Later!
Posted by Beth at 7:29 PM | Comments (11)
May 6, 2006
And I thought *my* life was hectic!
This has to be one of the most interesting excuses for not blogging that I have ever read.
If it wasn't for Harvey, I never woulda known about it.
Posted by Beth at 4:52 PM | Comments (2)
May 5, 2006
Men, men, men, men, men
I'll never understand men.
That's all.
UPDATE - John did not do anything wrong. Sometimes, I just don't get him.
Posted by Beth at 6:50 PM | Comments (10)
Llamas are nice - but those Elk!
This is not work safe in any environment except perhaps a zoo.
Posted by Beth at 3:26 PM | Comments (3)
On dogs
Please understand, I love critters. I love dogs, I love cats, I love squirrels, chipmunks, bunnies, birds, horses, and all other furry or feathery critters that God put here on this earth.
Yesterday, in Independence, Missouri, 3 Pit Bull dogs, running lose, mauled and seriously injured 3 different men in 3 different incidents. One man is in critical condition.
Oddly enough, 2 of the men were mowing grass when attacked.
The police had to shoot the dogs, these were horrible violent attacks that were completely unprovoked.
The really bad local TV channel interviewed a witness. He was upset that the dogs were killed in front of his son. I would be upset that dogs tried to kill 3 men in front of his son.
Good God, people, if you own a Pit Bull or a Rottie or a Chow, you are responsible for the actions of those dogs. Keep them in your well-fenced yard or in a kennel.
I will bet you anything Independence will now ban Pit Bulls from the city. And after this horrible incident, I would not blame them. I just hope that the police track down the owners of the three dogs and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law.
Now, then, there are wonderful, brave dogs - like this little daschund named PeeWee who chased away an armed robber to protect his owner.
Posted by Beth at 8:21 AM | Comments (6)
Debbie Schlussel is a person, folks
She's not the kind of person I would want to be, but she is still a person, and I feel very sorry for her. I've been thinking about all the attacks she makes on people. In some cases, I agree with her underlying assumptions, but Debbie's extreme vehemence causes her words to appear to be from an unhinged woman.
She has threatened me with legal action a few times in the past few months. She has threatened to call the FBI on me, for some purpose known only to Debbie. I suspect she has few friends and is a lonely, sad person. I have heard her speak on the podcast with Jeff and Ace, and I think she is afraid, too.
It's sad.
I am going to deal with her behavious by going thru the process that the Michigan Bar has established to deal with professional misconduct.
So please, do not harass her. That just brings you down to her level. Which is very sadly, low, I fear.
And Debbie - because even though I've banned your IP from my site, I expect you will have your lawyer read my blog - we are on the same side in a lot of cases.
I am very much against Islamofascism - but that doesn't mean that I think all Moslems are trying to take over the world and rule us all.
I may think that some people are not qualified for certain government jobs, but I certainly don't think the choice of their jewelry is pertinent.
I may agree that the borders should be closed - but I'm not too worried about a Canadian Ice Skater getting in - I doubt she has a bomb in her figure skates.
Debbie, if you growl and bite like a rabid dog on every post, people are not going to take you seriously. At least, thinking people will not.
I don't know what has caused Debbie Schlussel to be so bitter and petty and mean. She had to create her own fan club and she even likes being on the Am I Annoying web site. I suppose that to Debbie, any publicity is good publicity.
If I was Debbie, at her age, I would be practicing law. I would have a real law office and real clients and study up on the cases I wanted to handle. I would not threaten people like a little girl having a tantrum. And I would certainly stop using all CAPS in email and in the comment section.
So, let's leave her alone. She has enough problems to deal with. Again, I feel very sorry for her.
Posted by Beth at 7:04 AM | Comments (4)
This has to embarrass *Someone*
I have worked in Rhode Island a couple of times, and my clients were smart, stable, and dedicated people. It's a lovely little state, and boy, do I mean little! I kept driving out of Rhode Island trying to find the way to a particular restaurant the last time I was there - and I only drove about 20 miles.
Anyway, I would be mortified to have Patrick Kennedy as my Representative to Congress. I don't care if there was alchohol involved or not, he was clearly Under the Influence - of something, and that is illegal. Unfortunately, the Capital Police are also Under the Influence - of someone higher up, who does not allow them to do their jobs.
Feisty has an interesting suggestion on how this might play with the public, especially frat boys - here.
Posted by Beth at 6:45 AM
May 4, 2006
ha - ban Debbie Schlussel
If anyone else wants to ban Debbie Schlussel from viewing your blog, let me know, I'll send you her IP address.
Also, if anyone is interested in filing a complaint against her for professional misconduct with the Michigan Bar Association, let me know and I will fax you the proper forms as soon as I receive them from the Michigan Bar.
It's fine for anyone to have an opinion and to express it, but Debbie Schlussel doesn't play fair. She can have all the opinions she wants, she can post all the pictures of people she wants without their permission, but when it comes to mocking her as she mocks others, she can't take it.
She is a mean, rude, lawyer - and she uses her membership in the bar to threaten people all over the blogosphere.
She claims to be a conservative, but she is in exactly the same corner as old Fred Phelps - they are bigots. She hates gays, Blacks, Mexicans and Arabs. She hates cats. She hates "Fat Chicks". She hates everyone who doesn't agree with everything she says, hook line and sinker.
She makes conservatives look bad by claiming to be one. MSM outlets who invite her on to their panel discussions, etc., are obviously trying to make all conservatives appear to be as bigoted and as mean and as dumb as she is.
Ban her from your blogs. Block her out.
She is a whacko woman.
Posted by Beth at 9:52 AM | Comments (7)
May 3, 2006
Pictures of Debbie
I am not a lawyer, nor do I play one on TV, but I am smart enough to look up legal precedents, codes of professional conduct and the law.
Debbie Schlussel (who does not deserve the traffic a link from me would get her) sent me numerous emails yesterday that were of an extremely threatening nature. This is *not* the first time she has done so, and I am *not* the only person she has threatened with legal action or other threats based upon using a link to her photograph that is published all over the internet or simply because you have the temerity to disagree with her. Debbie claims that this is copy right infringement and sends harshly worded emails to those of us with a different viewpoint of hers threatening to sue us and more. I'll get to the copyright infringement discussion later in this post. Let's look at professional conduct, first.
The Preamble to the Michigan Bar Association's Rules of Professional Conduct (MRPC 1.0, Rule 1) states:
. . . A lawyer’s conduct should conform to the requirements of the law, both in professional service to clients and in the lawyer’s business and personal affairs. A lawyer should use the law’s procedures only for legitimate purposes and not to harass or intimidate others.
Further,
Many of a lawyer’s professional responsibilities are prescribed in the Rules of Professional Conduct, as well as substantive and procedural law. However, a lawyer is also guided by personal conscience and the approbation of professional peers. A lawyer should strive to attain the highest level of skill, to improve the law and the legal profession and to exemplify the legal profession’s ideals of public service.Source (Italics mine)
Well, here is Debbie's first email to me (well first one she sent me yesterday!) I had a post that was a commentary on how misguided Debbie is in her characterization of an eagle pin sold in the Library of Congress Gift Shop as being equal to a Mexican Eagle and the Eagle used as a symbol by the crazy AZTLAN bunch.
I made what I thought was a clever comparison of Debbie being not equal to Ann Coulter by using both of their pictures. The picture of Debbie I used was actually one of the prettiest pictures of her I could find on the Internet - (as her ugliness is in her behaviour, not her looks).
So, this is what Dearest Debbie sent me within 5 minutes of my posting the entry in question:
This is a cease and desist notice.
It has come to my attention that at the following URL
on your website:
http://www.thedonovan.com/beth/archives/005705.html
you have posted a photo of me to which I hold the
exclusive copyright. I did not and would never
license the use of that photo to you. Therefore, your
use of the photo is illegal and in violation of
federal copyright laws. Please immediately remove the
photo and cease and desist from posting it in the
future. If you do not do so immediately, I and my
attorneys will seek statutory damages, costs, attorney
fees, and other related remuneration. Federal law
provides statutory damages of $30,000 to $150,000 for
such copyright infringement.
Naturally, Debbie had to add a little unprofessional ism to her email:
Since you claim--and that is the operant word,
"claim"--to be a conservative, you will immediately
cease and desist the violation of U.S. copyright law
and the robbery of my property, which includes my
copyrights.Debbie Schlussel
I can't help myself - operant word is an incorrect phrase, Debbie - you should have used operative word - a recognized idiom with meaning.
I truly object to her characterization of me as a criminal, also - she used the phrase "robbery of my property". First of all, copyright infringement is not yet a criminal offense, it is a civil offense. Secondly, she is defaming me by saying I have robbed her property.
Defamation is also a civil offense, in case you didn't know.
Okay, I do not feel that publishing her picture as part of a commentary on her commentary is copyright infringement, so I wrote her back and said:
Debbie -This photo is on the World Net Daily site. Not yours.
You are a public figure, therefore, you have no copyright to a picture
that is on public display.Cheers,
Beth
Now, upon looking into the law, it appears that being a public figure makes no difference, so I was wrong on that - but I'm not sure she really is the copyright owner of that picture, since it is on WND. So I was very possibly mistaken there, and even if she is the owner of the copyright, I believe I should be able to use it as part of a blog entry about her because of fair use.
Anyway, Debbie shot back with:
Beth:
I don't know who is advising you (nor do I care), but
he/she has no concept of copyright law. You are in
violation of my copyright, and you MUST take the photo
down IMMEDIATELY.The fact that I granted WND limited license to use the
photo with my columns does NOT mean you have the right
to use it. You will be laughed out of court. I still
maintain the exclusive copyright to the photo, and
believe me, I would love to sue you for the at least
$30,000 (and in this case, more like $150,000, since
you are aware it's copyrighted and are refusing to
take it down) that is statutorily provided. Being a
public figure or that the picture is on google's
search engine or on WND is NO defense.Are you ready to face me in court and pay up? No
attorney worth his/her salt in this area would take
the case. You will lose. If the picture is not taken
down by Noon Eastern time, I will alert my attorney
Mitchell Musial and instruct him to prepare the
summons and complaint. Since this is your and your
husband's site, we will name both of you as joint and
several defendants.
This is very serious.Debbie Schlussel
Debbie, Debbie, Debbie - have you no idea what professional conduct entails - do you really think you are being civil here?
Here is the rest of the email stream if you can stand to go through the whole thing:
Since I am the owner of the photo and also hold the
exclusive copyright to it, I have the right to choose
to whom I grant a limited license to use my copyright.
I have not nor will I ever grant you such a license.
I have just checked your site and the photo remains.
Again, you have until 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time, today,
to remove it. That leaves you about 55 minutes. I
have also instructed my attorney to contact your host
to demand that your site be taken down until the photo
is removed. We are also keeping track of the amount
of time the photo is remaining up. Again, statutory
damages for this is $150,000 plus attorney's fees and
costs. And we will seek it. I will NOT settle with
you once this matter is in my lawyer's hands.
more from Debbie:
Beth:
I paid for the photo and for the copyright. I own it.
Period. You can write whatever you want to Joseph
Farah, but he does NOT hold the copyright to the
photo. Again, you need to fire your ghetto
"attorney." "Fair Use" has nothing to do with your
unauthorized copyright violation, and it does not
protect you. Remove it by Noon Eastern today. Or see
me in court (in Michigan), where will file this. I
look forward to doing a creditor's exam of you and
your husband, if necessary, and garnishing your
wages/bank account, if I have to.
Which would certainly indicate to me that she would not litigate in good faith. If she is not threatening and harassing me in these emails, then what is she doing?
So I took the picture off my blog until I could do some research. I emailed her and told her:
Hi, Debbie,I am going to remove your picture, however I will link to a Google
query for Debbie Schlussel pictures - are you also going to go after
Google?I will also tell you that I am writing my blog posts as a parody.
I will be forwarding these emails to the Michigan Bar Association as
an example of how professional you are.
And the lovely Debbie returns with:
To repeat yet again, if the photo is not removed by Noon Eastern time today, and/or if it is reposted at anytime after that, I WILL pursue this in court. As anyone who has lost to Nike--in a long line of precedential cases--will tell you, your various claims will not help you. You are currently infringing on my copyright and in violation of the law
So I took it down. I still believe she is wrong, and I also believe that I ought to email everyone who's pictures she has posted on her blog to let them know that the woman is using their pictures without their permission.
And I will let my handsome spouse continue with this bullshit about debbie.
Posted by Beth at 6:11 PM | Comments (11)
Cyber War
Once again, Aaron's CC was hit. Last night, another DDOS attack aimed at Aaron's blog shut him down.
Aaron is fighting the good fight against Islamofascism.
I am fully in support of Aaron's CC.
Good blog.
Good man.
Posted by Beth at 7:51 AM | Comments (1)
May 2, 2006
Debbie Schlussel - still an idiot
Yesterday, Debbie Schlussel once again decided that the Liberty Eagle Pin sold at the Library of Congress gift shop is a Mexican Eagle.
Now, I can see where someone with a perception problem might, maybe think that this:
is equal to this:
if you ignore the cactus, the snake, the wing position, etc.
However, now Debbie seems to think that this:
equals this:
?????????????????????
That is a lot like thinking that this woman:
Link to Debbie Schlussel's image was deleted due to threat of copyright lawsuit. To see Debbie's pictures, go to this google link.
is the same as this woman:
They are both blonde, but . . .
When I saw Debbie's post yesterday, I left this comment:
Debbie,
I am just as disgusted with illegal immigration as you are - however, you need to get your eyes checked - the eagle pin looks nothing like the eagles on the flags you are showing. You are really stretching the limits of imagination to think they are the same pin.Oh, and as far as the swastika goes - it's an evil, evil symbol now, but the Nazis stole it from the Native American Indians who used that symbol for hundreds of years before Hitler was born.
Still doesn't make it right to use it, but I think being educated about such thinks makes one more believable to the world.
Naturally, my comment never got published. She seems to think that I am an extreme right-winger, but then, she has a history of getting confused.
Misha has also discovered this post of Debbie's and has some fine commentary about it.
Posted by Beth at 11:12 AM | Comments (34)
May 1, 2006
And now ...
For your listening pleasure - what has to be the world's worst music video, found at Dean's World.
Be sure to check out the absolutely incredible footwork of the dancers.
Posted by Beth at 7:49 AM
In case you didn't already know . .
I am pro-immigration. Legal immigration. I am against illegal immigrants, undocumented workers (or non-workers), people who come across our borders without permission and without honor.
I wish the government would follow the law and send them back to wherever they came from. I don't care what country they are from, if they got here without following the rules, they need to be sent back home.
And, when immigrants do come here by following the rules, I welcome each and every one of them with open arms. We need citizens who can obey the law, not a bunch of illegal aliens who think it's okay to igore them.
Buy American today. Wear Red White and Blue.
Remember, too - those Mexicans who want us "Europeans" to go back to Europe have European blood, too - where the hell do they think the Spanish language came from?
UPDATE: Gosh, darn - I forgot to link to Darleen - who suggests we all purchase something and show our country's colours!
Posted by Beth at 7:34 AM | Comments (2)