Read My Lips - MORE NEW TAXES!

Omnipotent, Again!

It took over two weeks....but I've finally had all my *powers* restored.

The electric had been out essentially for the last 15 days due to the *storm of the century*.

Either due to that or to a gigantic union scam that has all the utility wires running through heavily treed BACKYARDS. (Union workers from all across the country are making double pay here....for 4 WEEKS.)

The pic above was just a pitching wedge from my house and the main culprit for the lost power....for the first week or so anyway.

You can't see it too clearly, but there are actually two trees that fell across the street - snapping the wires and poles.

Whatever. It went by fast. It wasn't that bad. But I may have been THE ONLY PERSON on Long Island (or NJ) who wasn't whining like a spoiled b*tch these past couple of weeks.

I got a ton of exercise in. I cleaned out my cupboards of canned goods that threatened to sit there for decades a la my/your parents!

Basically no one can amuse themselves today without a color TV or a color iPad.

I actually sort of enjoyed it all.

There are a few pics from my town - here.

And I wrote a bit about the experience on HomeschoolDad.com.

It truly has been a very educational time....about what is truly needed in the course of a day, etc.

Marginalizing Vote-Wasters

Did you vote for Romney or Obama today?

Well you WASTED your vote!

See what I did there?

I'm doing this to everyone in person too. I'm preempting their sophistry. I'm throwing it right back at them.

I voted for Gary Johnson today - I think - or whoever it was on the libertarian ballot. Someone I haven't a clue about.

The rest of y'all voted for someone who either admits to wanting to do very bad things or someone who promises to do good things....but most certainly won't get anything meaningful done.

Either way, if you voted for an organized political party again, you WASTED YOUR VOTE. I mean your vote didn't count one iota towards either changing the course of this sinking ship or towards changing the intellectual/moral bankruptcy of your political party.

When Kerry couldn't beat Bush in '04 it (I believe) marked the first time in many, many moons that an incumbent president wasn't ousted during a lethargic economy.

But it looks like Obama (73% odds of winning on those gambling sites at the moment) has a good chance to keep that winning streak going for recession-Presidents. Heck, FDR kept getting reelected during the Great Depression too...

Generally speaking, there are myriad reasons to vote nonetheless.

Though I can't stand these fools that delude themselves about how important their measly vote is. I mean this country is run by 'old coots', lawyers, and thugs for the benefit of 'old coots', lawyers, and thugs and it will be until some once-in-a-generation, sharp-as-hell, tough-as-nails President sneaks in there and starts throwing haymakers at them.

I heard recently something along the lines that *voting was the last/only refuge of the truly powerless*.

Indeed.

And I was reminded of that quote the other day...

While walking up 6th Ave in NYC I came across two obscenely disheveled, obese hippies prattling on and on about the election. I slowed my pace for purposes of self-amusement/eavesdropping and heard the 'old bag' say, "....my biggest fear is that he'll be SELLING Supreme Court judgeships..."

This halted the 'old coot' in his tracks, he grabbed her arm and proceeded to wax hysterical agreement!

I mean they might not have 10 years left between them - and I doubt very much they have kids and grandkids. Trust me - I'm an expert at this type of profiling.

Half the country is going to be crestfallen tomorrow...

Big Education = One Big Scam

Read - How Long Island Teachers benefit from Unusual Raise System.

It's not just another article on the *exploitable inefficiencies* of a government school system....some of the stuff is truly outrageous.

The last sentence in the story couldn't sum it up any better:

"When you talk about reform -- good luck," he said.

Wanna Bet?

It will blow out to sea, fizzle out to a Category 0 event...

And the Morons will never get back all that time they spent checking for updates, fretting, securing lawn furniture, the milk, and eggs will go bad, etc.

Who wants to bet?

As Bill Belichick Would Say...

The status is *quo*!

Now as you all know I don't pay hardly any attention to the news, er NOISE.

But every time I hear an excerpt from Obama, and I mean almost every single time(!), he's blaming *evil rich people* for everything. Or at least that's what he his handlers think most Americans want to hear.

For the record, I still think he'll get re-elected.  After all, I haven't seen an encouraging election result, well, since I've been watching elections.  (Although Romney hasn't the spine to cut anything, either.)

Thanks to PrivateCaller for this one!

Reality Counterargument

I wish people would read some books about what the Depression was like.

It wasn't just the commoners that suffered.

Many people that had been previously well-off experienced serious pain - pain that was probably on a relative basis far more excruciating.

See also:

Book Rec - The Grapes of Wrath

Book Rec - The Forgotten Man

Still Hard To Believe People Watch The News!

This is all very, very PARTIALLY TRUE.

But in a country where people could think for themselves....this would never happen.

Blame schools. Blame parents who cede their responsibilities to government agents.

I mean one can't get mad at an *industry*!

Thanks to LeagueIslander for sending me this link!

Sports Biography - Andre Agassi

I just enjoyed another can't-put-it-down biography - Open - tennis star Andre Agassi's autobiography.

It's a pretty amazing story. The guy is only a few years older than me and I remember vividly how he burst onto the scene with all sorts of hype - only to underachieve tremendously.

His lesser-touted peers Michael Chang, Jim Courier, and Pete Sampras all surpassed him.

Then, and I didn't even realize this because it happened in my later, self-orbital years when I had stopped following tennis, Andre finally turned the corner and won something like 8 Grand Slam events. (I had no idea! I thought he just won Wimbleton that once.)

Well it turns out that Andre suffered a lost childhood at the hands of his hard-charging father. And that he HATED TENNIS for many, many years.  His chronicles of depression and self-loathing will definitely shock readers.  I mean, how could he possible HATE tennis?

A hard-charging father myself I found this aspect of Andre's story to be of particular interest. I mean...his father was completely wacko in every regard.

Of course, ultimately, in Andre's climb to the top of the world rankings Mr. Agassi enjoyed the precise results he had been striving for.

Yeah there were some bumps and some *costs* along the way...

But there's plenty of downside to soft-charging parenting as well!

I'd bet anyone around the age of 40 and with a slight interest in sports will thoroughly enjoy this read.

ADDENDUM - Oh yeah, almost forgot. In one part of the book Agassi tells how he introduced Steffi Graf's hard-charging ESL father - his future father-in-law to his own ESL lunatic father.

Well, through broken English these two 'old coots' started fiercely arguing about the proper way to raise a tennis star - backhand techniques and whatnot - took their shirts off, challenged each other's manhood and just about came to blows!

C-Nut = DEAD!

Google/YouTube just cancelled my Youtube account!

Six+ years of videos are GONE.

I don't even know what videos I had preserved, quite honestly.

Why?

Because yesterday I uploaded a clip of an awesome new Sony docking station I bought.

Of course I had it playing music for purposes of demonstration.

And the Google robots must have detected it and flagged me - again, for freakin' background music.

I guess I should back up my blog before they cancel my entire account...

George Costanza - Occasionally Dead Right!

People in my *circles* know that pretty much all I wear is jeans and golf shirts - and have been doing so since 1992 when I was liberated from prison-school.

But after all these years I've decided to mix it up.

Yeah, I'm going with the *sweatpants* - actually with slightly more upscale *workout* pants these days as often as I can.

I was watching a guy in church the other day and contemplating how he had a t-shirt, a dress shirt, a tie, and a sport-coat on. I concluded that people only dress up in all those ridiculous *layers* if they want to fool someone (or God!) or sell someone something that they don't need.

Wearing workout clothes is also a good reminder....to workout more!

I also noticed that Tim Ferriss was always wearing workout clothes.

When in doubt, emulate him!

Customers Versus Friends And Family

My teaching and tutoring side business is finally gaining steam.

My clients are not actually the students. More accurately, my clients are the *parents*.

And this is a completely new experience for me - not teaching math, but having customers.

I must say I'm starting to really like it!

Consider this...

These parents:

•  Respect me
•  Are very much interested in my opinions
•  Do exactly what I tell them (sometimes)
•  They PAY ME!

Up until now my entire life's social interaction had been mostly with *friends and family*....and y'all know how much of a pain in the rump they can be!

I've always had very, very strong opinions and beliefs. So it's nice to finally find some people who are genuinely interested in them.

Again, this is one of the many reasons I knew we'd be better off amongst the 15 million people in the NYC area. It's just easier here to find the people and the lifestyle that suit you best.

Before Tim Ferriss....There Was Mark Cuban

And he was a whole lot more financially successful too!

I just read Mark's book on Kindle for something like $2 - How to Win at the Sport of Business: If I Can Do It, You Can Do It - and although a little short, I enjoyed reading about his feisty background.

Here's the money quote:

In sports, the only thing a player can truly control is effort. The same applies to business. The only thing any entrepreneur, salesperson or anyone in any position can control is their effort.

I had to kick myself in the ass and recommit to getting up early, staying up late and consuming everything I possibly could to get an edge. I had to commit to making the effort to be as productive as I possibly could. It meant making sure that every hour of the day that I could contact a customer was selling time, and when customers were sleeping, I was doing things that prepared me to make more sales and to make my company better.

And finally, I had to make sure I wasn’t lying to myself about how hard I was working. It would have been easy to judge effort by how many hours a day passed while I was at work. That’s the worst way to measure effort.

Effort is measured by setting goals and getting results. What did I need to do to close this account? What did I need to do to win this segment of business? What did I need to do to understand this technology or that business better than anyone? What did I need to do to find an edge? Where does that edge come from, and how was I going to get there?

The one requirement for success in our business lives is effort. Either you make the commitment to get results or you don't.

See also - Marginalizing Mark Cuban.

Obamacare - Teleprompter, Translated!

Read John Stossel's translation.

Skinny Jeans....Dang!

Funny GIFs - 4

The Rich Have Never Become Richer!

Just imagine the Big Media, eco-pagan socialist outcry if it wasn't *their guy* who was President!

It might not even be possible to imagine how loud and nasty the vitriol would be if it were a non-Democrat presiding over a massive (albeit manipulated), downtick-less stock market rally....while the plebes suffered double digit unemployment rates and gasoline was $4 a gallon.

Sometime between now and January I predict it will be the end, if not the very end.

Why?

Well another Obama term will be tough for the economy - what's left of it anyway - to overcome.

And because Romney won't/can't really take the drastic steps that need to be taken to deal with the trillions of debt.

Sell everything except ammo and canned goods!

Margin Call - Star-Studded BOMB!

Demi Moore, Jeremy Irons, and Kevin Spacey...

BUT it still sucked royally.

Watching 30 minutes of this will surely feel like an eternity.

It's only something I recommend, well, if you can't fall asleep!

Margin Call is so horrible it actually makes Boiler Room look *well-done*.

Forwarded Partisan Propaganda

You know the honeymoon is over, when the comedians start.

The liberals are asking us to give Obama time.

We agree...and think 25 to life would be 

appropriate. 

--Jay Leno

America needs Obama-care like Nancy 

Pelosi needs a Halloween mask. 

--Jay Leno

Q: Have you heard about McDonald's'

new Obama Value Meal?

A: Order anything you like and the guy behind you 

has to pay for it. 

--Conan O'Brien

Q: What does Barack Obama call 

lunch with a convicted felon?

A: A fund raiser. 

--Jay Leno

Q: What's the difference between

Obama's cabinet and a penitentiary?

A: One is filled with tax evaders, blackmailers,

and threats to society. The other is for housing 

prisoners. 

--David Letterman

Q: If Nancy Pelosi and Obama were 

on a boat in the middle of the ocean and it 

started to sink, who would be saved?

A: America ! 

--Jimmy Fallon

Q: What's the difference between

Obama and his dog, Bo?

A: Bo has papers. 

--Jimmy Kimmel

Q: What was the most positive result 

of the "Cash for Clunkers" program?

A: It took 95% of the Obama bumper 

stickers off the road. 

--David Letterman

Handicapped AND Lazy?

Armed 'Old Coot' Versus Dervish Hoods

This Used To Be Me!

Well, sort of.

At only 5'10.5 I could grab the rim with both hands going back a few years...

This Is Hilarious AND Wicked Awesome

You might have to do a little fast-forwarding:

Father Nature's Stairmaster

Up in Arctic Massachusetts this weekend...

My wife and I decided to tackle the *most climbed mountain in the world* yesterday morning.

It's only 3,166 feet, but ascending and descending Mt. Monadnock (in NH) at a brisk pace is quite the workout. It took about 3.5 hours of motoring on the popular White Dot trail.

My wife is still a little sore, but I feel energized and fantastic.

I wish I could figure out how to get that kind of quality vigorous exercise in more often. For some reason lifting weights, running, yoga, and other stale activities don't deliver the same uplifting results.

Maybe I need to start playing basketball or something again???

That pic is a little misleading...

The leaves have not changed up there, yet.

But just give it a week or so!

The kids, I left at my parents' house...and my wife is en route to Zurich on a work trip.

So I'm here alone in New York this week with my lengthy HomeschoolDad.com to-do list...

The Dog Days of Blogging

Check out that massive, amazing sunset. Pic was snapped in Ocean City, NJ during our little vacation there on one of those 97 degree days.

I've been very busy, of course, this summer. Teaching accelerated math in a classroom for the first time has required a little bit of work - but I think I've got a system in place now. Anyways my 6-week class ends next week and I will welcome the break.

It's been good. It's helped me *get out there* a little more; given me experience and $$$; it's helping to establish me as THE local accelerated-math guru, AND it's helping me produce the math content for HomeschoolDad.com.

I'm tentatively scheduled to continue teaching there on Saturdays during the school year (4.5 hours). Those POOR Asian kids....school all year long, 7-days a week!

Other stuff...

My father hit a casino jackpot for 180k this week.

But get this....it pays out over 20 years! So he only gets something like $8,600 per year and may not even live to see the ultimate payment.

I'm queuing up blog posts for September rather than publishing them presently. Traffic is dead in the summer anyways, and I can certainly use the break.

Y'all have seen the hideous Google Ads on my website by now. This *experiment* has yielded from $6-$11 per month. And that was what I was really interested in finding out - how profitable it would be. I will leave them up for the time being, though.

The summer has been great, as it always is here in *on the Island*. Several trips into Manhattan, the state parks, the beaches, etc. We were taken out in a Boston Whaler that could go 50 mph! It was positively awesome. Thank God I wasn't paying for it - OR for the gas. The guy told me he drove it along the North Shore (of Long Island) and down to the South Fork (The Hamptons)....and it cost $1,500 in gasoline!!! Yikes.

My wife is also in *work limbo* and has been able to spend a lot of time at home lately as well - actually since February her workload has been light. So she's been able to get a lot of her academic work (Charlotte Mason, The Story of the World, etc.) done with the kids - at least between summer camps and whatnot.

I've only played two rounds of golf in the past 2 months (albeit at fancy country clubs!) since my big Wildwood golf tournament in NJ....BUT I've been hitting a bazillion balls at the driving range and my game continues to take off. In fact, I finished the 40,000 range balls I bought two years ago and had to buy another 40,000!

See also - Loading Up On Inflation-Protected Assets

Kicking Above The Belt

Hah!

The internet is still ripping off that went-viral pic of my son when he was in my wife's *little* stomach.

See - You'd Never Remember - for the pic.  Bet you didn't know it was my son, didja?

Buffett - One BLIND Old Bat!

"For the last two years, I’ve seen everything except housing moving forward in the economy," Buffett, 81, told Betty Liu in a July 13 interview on Bloomberg Television. "In the last few months, the rest of the economy actually has flattened out. Housing is picking up."

Yeah, the economy has been *moving forward* the past 2 years.

What a freakin' Moron!

I guess by economy he means stock prices....but not food prices, energy prices, taxes, or debt.  And I guess he's not talking about jobs either.

This 'old coot' sees housing picking up too? Figures.  I guess he thinks mortgage rates will NEVER tick up or *extreme over-supply* simply doesn't matter.

I really do hope he's still alive when it all falls apart.

Video Games = Psychotic Drugs!

His mother cancelled his World of Warcraft *account* or something:

This is why I do everything I can to prevent my kids from playing video games...

I Did It - ONE MILLION HITS!

This morning my blog received its 1,000,000th hit, finally!

I thought it would happen sooner (1.5 years ago), but whatever.

Nothing is more unpopular than *the truth* (credit: Will Durant), I never tried to game the Google search results like everyone else did, and the competition for web eye-balls has gotten fierce over the past few years.

This blog has done wonders for me. It's been more educational and more rewarding than all my years of schooling. And through it I've met some terrific people - most of whom I've never met in person but still consider dear friends.

I'd like to buy each and every one of my readers a drink.....but just not in Manhattan - home of the $17 vodka tonic and $20 martini!

So thanks!

I do hope that sometime in the future I can post again with my old prolific regularity....

Teaching Science To Dumb Kids

I used to love this show:

Awesome!

Thanks to CaptiousNut for this one.