Here's mom's country:
The Queendom of Bee Hive
"Bumble Bees Boogie"
UN Category: Liberal Democratic Socialists
Civil Rights: Very Good
Economy: Developing
Political Freedoms: Superb
Location: the South Pacific
The Queendom of Bee Hive is a tiny, environmentally stunning nation, remarkable for its devotion to social welfare. Its compassionate, intelligent population of 5 million love a good election, and the government gives them plenty of them. Universities tend to be full of students debating the merits of various civil and political rights, while businesses are tightly regulated and the wealthy viewed with suspicion.
The enormous, corrupt, socially-minded government is mainly concerned with Social Welfare, although Healthcare and Education are secondary priorities. The average income tax rate is 34%, but much higher for the wealthy. A small but healthy private sector is led by the Basket Weaving industry, followed by Retail and Arms Manufacturing.
Crime is well under control. Bee Hive's national animal is the bumble bee, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests, and its currency is the honeycomb.
And Stuart's country:
The Republic of Stugotz
"What Doesn't Kill You, Makes You Stronger"
UN Category: Democratic Socialists
Civil Rights: Very Good
Economy: Reasonable
Political Freedoms: Below Average
Location: the South Pacific
The Republic of Stugotz is a tiny, socially progressive nation, notable for its absence of drug laws. Its hard-nosed population of 5 million are fiercely patriotic and enjoy great social equality; they tend to view other, more capitalist countries as somewhat immoral and corrupt.
The enormous government concentrates mainly on Religion & Spirituality, although Education and Healthcare are on the agenda. The average income tax rate is 31%, but much higher for the wealthy. A small private sector is dominated by the Cheese Exports industry.
Crime is relatively low. Stugotz's national animal is the Sausage and Ham Pizza, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests, and its currency is the stugotzia.
LOL! Looking forward to viewing those pizzas as they frolic in the forests.
Saturday, May 29, 2004
Thursday, May 27, 2004
Found an interesting website that should be of interest to all you political fiends out there.
Here's a synopsis of what it's all about. It's based upon.
Jennifer Government: NationStates is a nation simulation game. You create your own country, fashioned after your own ideals, and care for its people. Either that or you deliberately torture them. It's really up to you.
Click on the Create a Nation link and follow it from there. You'll be asked to choose a name for your nation, a motto, a national animal, and a currency. Then you answer a short questionnaire about your politics. This will determine what sort of nation you end up with: authoritarian or permissive... left-wing or right-wing... compassionate or psychotic... you get the idea.
Once a day, you'll be faced with an issue, and need to make a decision as to what to do about it. This determines how your nation evolves.
The UN is the world's governing body. It proposes and votes on resolutions, which are then binding on all member nations. In other words, it's a hot-bed of political intrigue and double-dealing.
Your nation can join the UN, but it's not compulsory. As a non-member, you are unaffected by any UN decisions. So if you're happy looking after your nation and don't want to dabble in international politics, don't join up.
If you're ready to take your nation onto the world stage, though, the UN is for you.
Just started it a bit ago, but here's what I created so far for my country:
The Democratic Republic of Hanberland
UN Category: Democratic Socialists
Civil Rights: Below Average
Economy: Reasonable
Political Freedoms: Below Average
Location: the West Pacific
The Democratic Republic of Hanberland is a tiny, environmentally stunning nation, remarkable for its burgeoning hummingbird population. Its compassionate population of 5 million are fiercely patriotic and enjoy great social equality; they tend to view other, more capitalist countries as somewhat immoral and corrupt.
The large government juggles the competing demands of Healthcare, Social Welfare, and Education. The average income tax rate is 27%, but much higher for the wealthy. A small private sector is led by the Beef-Based Agriculture industry, followed by Uranium Mining and Book Publishing.
Crime is relatively low. Hanberland's national animal is the hummingbird, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests, and its currency is the tinara.
Here's a synopsis of what it's all about. It's based upon.
Jennifer Government: NationStates is a nation simulation game. You create your own country, fashioned after your own ideals, and care for its people. Either that or you deliberately torture them. It's really up to you.
Click on the Create a Nation link and follow it from there. You'll be asked to choose a name for your nation, a motto, a national animal, and a currency. Then you answer a short questionnaire about your politics. This will determine what sort of nation you end up with: authoritarian or permissive... left-wing or right-wing... compassionate or psychotic... you get the idea.
Once a day, you'll be faced with an issue, and need to make a decision as to what to do about it. This determines how your nation evolves.
The UN is the world's governing body. It proposes and votes on resolutions, which are then binding on all member nations. In other words, it's a hot-bed of political intrigue and double-dealing.
Your nation can join the UN, but it's not compulsory. As a non-member, you are unaffected by any UN decisions. So if you're happy looking after your nation and don't want to dabble in international politics, don't join up.
If you're ready to take your nation onto the world stage, though, the UN is for you.
Just started it a bit ago, but here's what I created so far for my country:
The Democratic Republic of Hanberland
UN Category: Democratic Socialists
Civil Rights: Below Average
Economy: Reasonable
Political Freedoms: Below Average
Location: the West Pacific
The Democratic Republic of Hanberland is a tiny, environmentally stunning nation, remarkable for its burgeoning hummingbird population. Its compassionate population of 5 million are fiercely patriotic and enjoy great social equality; they tend to view other, more capitalist countries as somewhat immoral and corrupt.
The large government juggles the competing demands of Healthcare, Social Welfare, and Education. The average income tax rate is 27%, but much higher for the wealthy. A small private sector is led by the Beef-Based Agriculture industry, followed by Uranium Mining and Book Publishing.
Crime is relatively low. Hanberland's national animal is the hummingbird, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests, and its currency is the tinara.
Sunday, May 16, 2004
WOW! Just totally wow! I am sooo impressed. I had no idea this is what my brother has been working on while recovering from his several knee surgeries and looking for work. His work is simply beautiful. I always knew he had some artistic talent when it came to woodworking, but I never dreamed he was this good. The only pieces I've ever seen of his are redwood burl coffee tables and cabinetry he's done in the form of grandfather clocks, dining room hutches and hallway coat racks. I'm just blown away at the artistry and design of his work. Very well done Stu.
The website is a little awkward to navigate, but go here (American Woodcrafter and click on the gallery link to take a look or click here to go directly to the gallery. The best way I found to view the pieces is to click on the intro picture for each gallery then click on the first photo in each gallery to initiate the slide show. This way you can see each piece in detailed magnificence.
The website is a little awkward to navigate, but go here (American Woodcrafter and click on the gallery link to take a look or click here to go directly to the gallery. The best way I found to view the pieces is to click on the intro picture for each gallery then click on the first photo in each gallery to initiate the slide show. This way you can see each piece in detailed magnificence.
Saturday, May 15, 2004
Having trouble sleeping? This should help. Counting sheep.
Finally feeling much better, well enough to start up my walks around the neighborhood again today. It must be Spring, ducklings abound. They are the cutest things. Should of taken my camera with me today.
Finally feeling much better, well enough to start up my walks around the neighborhood again today. It must be Spring, ducklings abound. They are the cutest things. Should of taken my camera with me today.
Thursday, May 13, 2004
First time in a few days that I've felt well enough to sit at the computer for any length of time. Been fighting the flu I guess. Don't have any other symptoms to blame it on. Have been vomiting and running a fever between 100 and 102 for 3 days straight. Other then every joint and muscle in my body aching, I feel great. No signs of infection anywhere. No idea where I caught the bug. Haven't been around anyone other then mom and people in the plane and airport. Was home for 10 days before the fever hit so I don't think it was from any of those places.
Anyway, I'm feeling like eating something after not being able to even look at food for a few days so I'm going to go use my remaining energy to fix something....
Yes, mom, I'll go to the doctor if I get any worse. :)
Anyway, I'm feeling like eating something after not being able to even look at food for a few days so I'm going to go use my remaining energy to fix something....
Yes, mom, I'll go to the doctor if I get any worse. :)
Monday, May 10, 2004
Friday, May 07, 2004
Interesting article by Philip Kennicott of the Washington Post, but I don't think he goes far enough in his piece entitled "A Wretched New Picture of America" in which he says:
"But these photos are us. Yes, they are the acts of individuals (though the scandal widens, as scandals almost inevitably do, and the military's own internal report calls the abuse "systemic"). But armies are made of individuals. Nations are made up of individuals. Great national crimes begin with the acts of misguided individuals; and no matter how many people are held directly accountable for these crimes, we are, collectively, responsible for what these individuals have done. We live in a democracy. Every errant smart bomb, every dead civilian, every sodomized prisoner, is ours. "
and
"Look at these images closely and you realize that they can't just be the random accidents of war, or the strange, inexplicable perversity of a few bad seeds. First of all, they exist. Soldiers who allow themselves to be photographed humiliating prisoners clearly don't believe this behavior is unpalatable. Second, the soldiers didn't just reach into a grab bag of things they thought would humiliate young Iraqi men. They chose sexual humiliation, which may recall to outsiders the rape scandal at the Air Force Academy, Tailhook and past killings of gay sailors and soldiers. "
It doesn't take much brain power to see the common denominators between what happened in the Iraqi prison and school hazing incidents such as last year's Glenbrook powder puff party. Accusations of sexual humiliation and broomstick sodomy have occurred with more frequency at school organizations with kids only receiving cancelled prom dances as punishment. Americans aren't practicing these tactics just on enemy prisoners, our children are getting first hand training and up close and personal experience while parents mutter about their reputations and what the neighbors will think.
The Rush Limbaughs of the world excuse the behavior saying that what happened at the prison at Abu-Ghraib was no worse than fraternity hazing.
We truly are one very sick society if we can excuse the abuses at the prison as nothing more then what our own kids are doing to each other at school. We never did these things to each other when I was going to school. Did you? Let me remind you of what one of the reports by Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba detailed.
"Between October and December 2003, at the Abu Ghraib Confinement Facility, numerous acts of sadistic, blatant and wanton criminal abuses were inflicted on several detainees. This systematic and illegal abuse of detainees was intentionally perpetrated by several members of the military police guard force. ... The allegations of abuse were substantiated by detailed witness statements and the discovery of extremely graphic photographic evidence ... including the following acts:
Punching, slapping and kicking detainees; jumping on their naked feet; Videotaping and photographing naked male and female detainees; Forcibly arranging detainees in various sexually explicit positions for photographing; Forcing detainees to remove their clothing and keeping them naked for several days at a time; Forcing naked male detainees to wear women's underwear; Forcing groups of male detainees to masturbate themselves while being photographed and videotaped; Arranging naked male detainees in a pile and jumping on them; A male MP guard having sex with a female detainee; Using military working dogs to intimidate and frighten detainees, and in at least one case biting and severely injuring a detainee; Taking photographs of dead Iraqi detainees; Breaking chemical lights and pouring phosphoric liquid on detainees; Beating detainees with a broom handle and chair; Threatening male detainees with rape; Sodomizing a detainee with a chemical light and perhaps with a broomstick."
If it happened to your children, would you be satisfied with a patronizing "boys will be boys" slap on the fingers? Why do we expect/demand any less from Iraqis? Why do we expect/demand so much less from ourselves and the behavior of our own children?
"But these photos are us. Yes, they are the acts of individuals (though the scandal widens, as scandals almost inevitably do, and the military's own internal report calls the abuse "systemic"). But armies are made of individuals. Nations are made up of individuals. Great national crimes begin with the acts of misguided individuals; and no matter how many people are held directly accountable for these crimes, we are, collectively, responsible for what these individuals have done. We live in a democracy. Every errant smart bomb, every dead civilian, every sodomized prisoner, is ours. "
and
"Look at these images closely and you realize that they can't just be the random accidents of war, or the strange, inexplicable perversity of a few bad seeds. First of all, they exist. Soldiers who allow themselves to be photographed humiliating prisoners clearly don't believe this behavior is unpalatable. Second, the soldiers didn't just reach into a grab bag of things they thought would humiliate young Iraqi men. They chose sexual humiliation, which may recall to outsiders the rape scandal at the Air Force Academy, Tailhook and past killings of gay sailors and soldiers. "
It doesn't take much brain power to see the common denominators between what happened in the Iraqi prison and school hazing incidents such as last year's Glenbrook powder puff party. Accusations of sexual humiliation and broomstick sodomy have occurred with more frequency at school organizations with kids only receiving cancelled prom dances as punishment. Americans aren't practicing these tactics just on enemy prisoners, our children are getting first hand training and up close and personal experience while parents mutter about their reputations and what the neighbors will think.
The Rush Limbaughs of the world excuse the behavior saying that what happened at the prison at Abu-Ghraib was no worse than fraternity hazing.
We truly are one very sick society if we can excuse the abuses at the prison as nothing more then what our own kids are doing to each other at school. We never did these things to each other when I was going to school. Did you? Let me remind you of what one of the reports by Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba detailed.
"Between October and December 2003, at the Abu Ghraib Confinement Facility, numerous acts of sadistic, blatant and wanton criminal abuses were inflicted on several detainees. This systematic and illegal abuse of detainees was intentionally perpetrated by several members of the military police guard force. ... The allegations of abuse were substantiated by detailed witness statements and the discovery of extremely graphic photographic evidence ... including the following acts:
Punching, slapping and kicking detainees; jumping on their naked feet; Videotaping and photographing naked male and female detainees; Forcibly arranging detainees in various sexually explicit positions for photographing; Forcing detainees to remove their clothing and keeping them naked for several days at a time; Forcing naked male detainees to wear women's underwear; Forcing groups of male detainees to masturbate themselves while being photographed and videotaped; Arranging naked male detainees in a pile and jumping on them; A male MP guard having sex with a female detainee; Using military working dogs to intimidate and frighten detainees, and in at least one case biting and severely injuring a detainee; Taking photographs of dead Iraqi detainees; Breaking chemical lights and pouring phosphoric liquid on detainees; Beating detainees with a broom handle and chair; Threatening male detainees with rape; Sodomizing a detainee with a chemical light and perhaps with a broomstick."
If it happened to your children, would you be satisfied with a patronizing "boys will be boys" slap on the fingers? Why do we expect/demand any less from Iraqis? Why do we expect/demand so much less from ourselves and the behavior of our own children?
Wednesday, May 05, 2004
Back from a visit with Mom in Albuquerque. Photos are up in the Photo Gallery on the "Vacations" page (click on Photo Gallery, Vacations in the menu listing on the left side of this page) or, you can view them by clicking here, but you'll have to deal with the frames on this page. Is it obvious that I fell in love with mom's dog? I miss the company that pets provide, but am enjoying being petless for the first time in 50 years. If they'd invent a pet that didn't eat, shed or poop, I'd be right there in line for one. For now, I'm content with the bird life that comes to visit me on my balcony. If I ever do get another pet, it will be a dog just like Maddy.
Had a nice time once I got acclimated to the high altitude. The first three days were pretty rough. Mom and I were in agreement, that if I got any worse, I'd immediately get back on a plane and head home. Headaches, light-headedness, shallow breathing, clogged sinuses and a feeling of suffocation were the worst of it. I was fine after that at her altitude until a rainstorm rolled in and then it started over again until the storm passed. Never was able to adjust to the higher altitude where the Asherman's house is located.
Natalie and Ash were interesting hosts. I got the grand tour of their house and art studio. They have a beautiful view of the mountains. We didn't do much sightseeing. My body just wasn't dealing well with the high altitude. That bacterial lung infection I had a few years ago really did some damage to my lungs.
Returning home three weeks later, all my plants did well. I was very surprised, considering we had two weeks of 90+ temperatures in Citrus Heights. I fully expected to find some of my plants drooping or dead.
All in all, I came away with the thought that Albuquerque is a nice place to visit, but I really would not like to live there. I've been spoiled by being a native Californian. You just can't find Nature at her best anywhere else but here in the Bay Area and Central Valley. Desert living isn't my cup of tea.
Mom spent a good portion of my last week there, helping Bob and Diane find a house to purchase. There's one that looks promising on the street behind her house. If Diane gives it a nod, mom will have two very nice friends living close by.
Speaking of Bob, you asked how you can participate in my blog. If you click on the "No Comment" link at the end of every entry, a comment form pops up. Just fill it out with your name and pearls of wisdom. It's much like a message board.
Speaking of blogs, there's an interesting story in USA Today about Iraqis enjoying their freedom by using blogs to communicate all over the world. Here are links to some of the blogs mentioned in the article:
Salam Pax
Omar Fadhil
Faisa Jarrar
Had a nice time once I got acclimated to the high altitude. The first three days were pretty rough. Mom and I were in agreement, that if I got any worse, I'd immediately get back on a plane and head home. Headaches, light-headedness, shallow breathing, clogged sinuses and a feeling of suffocation were the worst of it. I was fine after that at her altitude until a rainstorm rolled in and then it started over again until the storm passed. Never was able to adjust to the higher altitude where the Asherman's house is located.
Natalie and Ash were interesting hosts. I got the grand tour of their house and art studio. They have a beautiful view of the mountains. We didn't do much sightseeing. My body just wasn't dealing well with the high altitude. That bacterial lung infection I had a few years ago really did some damage to my lungs.
Returning home three weeks later, all my plants did well. I was very surprised, considering we had two weeks of 90+ temperatures in Citrus Heights. I fully expected to find some of my plants drooping or dead.
All in all, I came away with the thought that Albuquerque is a nice place to visit, but I really would not like to live there. I've been spoiled by being a native Californian. You just can't find Nature at her best anywhere else but here in the Bay Area and Central Valley. Desert living isn't my cup of tea.
Mom spent a good portion of my last week there, helping Bob and Diane find a house to purchase. There's one that looks promising on the street behind her house. If Diane gives it a nod, mom will have two very nice friends living close by.
Speaking of Bob, you asked how you can participate in my blog. If you click on the "No Comment" link at the end of every entry, a comment form pops up. Just fill it out with your name and pearls of wisdom. It's much like a message board.
Speaking of blogs, there's an interesting story in USA Today about Iraqis enjoying their freedom by using blogs to communicate all over the world. Here are links to some of the blogs mentioned in the article:
Salam Pax
Omar Fadhil
Faisa Jarrar
