A stupid comment

You're a pseudo-intellectual and you're spouting crap

Hey, it's better than being a real dumbfuck, which you are.

Serously, this is called an ad hominem is the logical fallacy of attempting to undermine a speaker's argument by attacking the speaker instead of addressing the argument.

An ad hominem argument has the basic form:

Person 1 makes claim X
There is something objectionable about Person 1
Therefore claim X is false

The first premise is called a 'factual claim' and is the pivot point of much debate. The contention is referred to as an 'inferential claim' and represents the reasoning process. There are two types of inferential claim, explicit and implicit. Put briefly, ad hominem is "You are an ignorant person, therefore your arguments are wrong" or "X says Y, therefore anything else X says is wrong". The fallacy does not represent a valid form of reasoning because even if you accept both co-premises, that does not guarantee the truthfulness of the contention. This can also be thought of as the argument having an un-stated co-premise.

This type of tactic shows that one is losing the argument or just can't back up their argument since they can't address the issues, but must attack the person saying it.

So-- "Hey, dumbfuck, your argument is incorrect because of reasons A, B, C, and D" is not an ad hominem. The mere presence of a personal attack does not indicate ad hominem: the attack must be used for the purpose of undermining the argument, or otherwise the logical fallacy isn't there.

So, "you're an idiot to believe that the Second Amendment includes self-defence since the term is conspicuously absent" or you are an ignorant person and can't understand what I am saying may be insulting, but they are not ad hominem arguments.

The monetary crash is inevitable

If you are a good capitalist, then you should have no problem with banks failing, or people losing their houses since they are making bad money decisions. The problem is that you have been deceived. This video is an excellent exposition on the monetary system:

14 October 2008

I have been seeing a lot of things like this posted on the Internet recently:

My Dear brothers and sisters of light, I have just registered on ATS to send you this wonderful news and confirm something great that is about to happen. I am also a channeler for the Pleiadians and Galactic Federation of Light and there is a message I would like to share. I would like to confirm Blossom Good Childs message that I have also received and it’s wonderful news that this year on October 14th the GFL will show up in a super galactic space ship beyond human comprehension in size. I have channeled some of the details about the ship and it will be around 2,000 of our earth miles in diameter and will send loving messages to all the people of the world. This ship will cover entire cities and circle areas of earth for 3 days, no sky will be seen upon it’s arrival for those viewing it and this will cause panic among the masses but we shall not fear because they are here to reveal to the world that it’s time for our awakening, it’s time to realize we are not alone and that we are being watched over by a benevolent group of loving ET’s who look almost identical to us and consider us family in the stars.

They have carefully selected this time to show up and are doing it out of goodwill because of the great evils behind this world that we as humans cannot see for this cause they have decided to take action before it‘s to late, they do love us and care for us like family, they realize most of us our blind to the truths of this world and being controlled by something we do not really fully understand. It’s time to break free from wars, pestilence, famine, poverty, sickness, disease, rich and poor and all the world sufferings that people have purposely caused us. It’s time for us to demand these world afflictions and sufferings stop once and for all so everyone may ascend and properly evolve as the due time of the galactic alignment is coming soon. The help will soon arrive but we need to work together and assure each other not to lose faith, be prepared and spread the word, keep love in your heart, this love is the very light that connects us together with all life and light in the universe.

For this reason our family of light has chosen to come for us in this great time of need because they do know what the rulers of this world who are not even human are about to unleash before a great awakening occurs on the planet and they are here to set us free. These evil rulers have controlled those who rule as puppets and been the very reason for wars, famine, starvation, disease and great sufferings and they do not want the human race to succeed in a great awakening of the soul. They do not want us to learn who we really are and what are true capability is but for those who stand firm in love and light there is no stopping us.

If you are not a believer in any of this please remember I warned you as I have heard their voices personally and know of a surety this will happen. Please follow your heart and at least keep an open mind as they will surely show up as they have promised. When they do maybe then you will see the reality of this and then you can consider that all we have said is true, be prepared in mind and heart as those who rule this world will do all they can to stop you from believing and containing this information.

Please watch this video with love and Light to all!



Well, it beats what is contending to be elected in the States!

Why is the term "Conservative" synonymous with "Cretin" in US English?

Try this lady if you want a conservative woman: not some cretin like Sarah Palin. She can't have a thought on her own.

Tyranny

OK, isn't tyranny where people who are not local enact unpopular laws upon people without a vote? Isn't tyranny where people are spied upon for their political views? Isn't tyranny where people talk about Freedom, yet advocate policies which eliminate freedom?

Funny, but I am thinking about a group that runs around saying it protects America's First Freedom, yet works to overturn locally enacted laws enacted by locally elected officials. In particular, those of Washington, DC.

As I like to point out, Washington, DC's gun laws were popular among the people who enacted them: the citizens of Washington, DC.

But they sure pissed off people who didn't live there!

Now, it seems that the NRA wants to tell the US legislature how to draft Washington, DC's gun laws.

Funny, but the "Patriots" (or "traitors" in my opinion) during the War for American independence were protesting just that kind of action. Legislators from far away creating legislation for a populace without a vote. The United States would be much better off taking its legislation from Britain if that is the way it wishes to act.

I won't get into the spying aspect, but I will reiterate something I like to quote, Ambrose Bierce's Devil's Dictionary:

PATRIOT, n.
One to whom the interests of a part seem superior to those of the whole. The dupe of statesmen and the tool of conquerors.
PATRIOTISM, n.
Combustible rubbish read to the torch of any one ambitious to illuminate his name.

In Dr. Johnson's famous dictionary patriotism is defined as the last resort of a scoundrel. With all due respect to an enlightened but inferior lexicographer I beg to submit that it is the first.

Tell us more Mrs. Palin!

From Time Magazine:

The Obama campaign has a lot less margin for error than Reagan did in 1984, and it knows that. So while it is quick to point out inaccuracies in Palin's record — her claim that she firmly opposed the so-called Bridge to Nowhere and other wasteful Washington earmarks — the campaign is primarily relying on the public and the media to press Palin. Answers may be a long time coming, though, if McCain adviser Nicolle Wallace is to be believed. She suggested on MSNBC Thursday that the media has been so unfair to Palin that it doesn't deserve a chance to interview her, and that all anyone will see of Palin will be her public speeches. The Obama campaign wasted little time in latching onto this: "I assume the American people are going to demand that she account for her own record and for John McCain's agenda," says David Plouffe, Obama's campaign manager.

OK, if Mrs. Palin is so tough, let her explain her record.

Not to mention the fact that she is supposedly very abrasive. Any opposition is seen as personal, which has no place in politics. Sarah Palin is divisive, not inclusive.

Shark Food Sarah.

Funny

Shouldn't this be in Red, White, and Blue?

These are the Alaska State Colours!

This is not a beauty contest Mrs. Palin!

Washington, DC is full of sharks and "Sarah Barracuda" will be shark food.

Her handlers are doing a wonderful job of keeping her out of the public eye and in an arena where she will be turned into mooseburgers. I mean why did she name her daughter a word that means "tits" anyway? I can't keep my mind off of that one and it would be a scream if the late night crowd found that one and started harping on it.

But what do you expect from a woman who has never been out of the US?

I am not sure if she considers the US a foreign country anyway.

I mean even though they are obfuscating her connections to the Alaskan Independence Party, that video makes me really question her connections to it.

I mean would Margaret Thatcher have done a welcome video for the Scottish National Party? She was for competition as well.

We need the truth here!

Anyway, I make no bones about it, my loyalties are to the UK, not the USA. So, Sarah, you are in good company!

At least Ms. Palin is willing to put her son where her mouth is as far as the Iraq war. Will she be so confident of a victory if he comes back in a box, or without some of his limbs?

Sorry, Sarah, but you are no Mrs. Pritchard.

You will be ripped to shreds.

It's 9 O'Clock. Do you know where your daughter is Mr. and Mrs. Palin?

Now, I know everyone is saying: lay off poor Bristol Palin (editorial note: WTF did the Palins give their kid a name which means "breasts" in British slang?) and her parents, but these are people who purport to believe in family values. Despite Sarah's claim that she is against corruption, she did fire an Alaskan State Trooper because he was having custody problems with Ms. Palin's sister.

Now, why couldn't they have used the troopers to suss out the boy their daughter is dating? I mean, I don't run about saying "family values" like its a mantra, but I sure as hell would like to know about who is dating my daughter. I mean if the kid calls himself "a fucking redneck" who doesn't want children on his myspace, I sure as hell would like to know.

We can tell he is pretty irresponsible without him getting my daughter preggers.

Also, doesn't "family values" mean that you talk with your daughter about sex and the possibility of getting pregnant? Or are you hoping that your daughter will be abstainent?

OK, The Palins don't believe in abortion and poor little Bristol will now have a taste of responsibility, which isn't fair as she wasn't responsible in the first place. It's fine that the Palins don't believe in abortion for themselves, as I said in a previous post, they can have 100 children through rape, incest, irresponsibility, etcetera.

On the other hand, Choice means that one can make up their own mind whether or not to have an abortion. I would want my child to have the option of having an abortion. I can also afford to send my child somewhere it would be legal to have an abortion, but that is not an option for everyone.

If Ms. Palin believes that government should keep out of people's business, then she should believe that government has no right to dictate a person's personal choice, especially where having children is concerned.

On the other hand, Ms. Palin also believes in Censorship and caused the Wasilla Librarian to resign.

Now, I am pretty certain that the Palins subscribe to the Insurrectionist interpretation of the Second Amendment. This is the belief that armed resistance is acceptable against tyranny. I believe that the imposition of others' religious opinions and the violation of First Amendment rights falls square under the defintion of tyranny.

Additionally, I am not sure that Ms. Palin totally supports the US Constitution given her voicing support for the Alaskan Independence Party and dubious connections to that party. She may not have been a registered AKIP member, but she has made enough comments to make me wonder about her loyalty to the United, er Failed States of America.

I mean, I should run for president if this woman is running for vice-president and I make no bones that the US government is illegitimate as it was based upon a rebellion that was not supported by all the citizens. Additionally, as is the case with these fake elections, the political system has failed.

I owe allegiance to Queen Elizabeth the Second of Great Britain.

So, Sarah, come out of the closet and show your true colours, which are Navy and Gold, not red, white and blue.

You have nothing in common with those citizens of the "lower 48".

Sarah Palin and the Alaskan Independence Party

Lately, the Alaskan independence Party has changed its tune that Sarah Palin was a member. For some reason, the leader of the party remembered her as a member, but now the records show that it was only her husband. This is despite comments by high ranking AIP members that Gov Palin was a member.

Why the change of tune?

Also, why would Gov. Palin make an introductory address for a convention to a party of which she was not a member? Why would she say she holds the same ideals?



This video is an edited version of the above which has more info on Gov. Palin's relationship to the Alaskan independence Party:



Of course, I see nothing wrong with Gov. Palin wanting to see the destruction of the Failed states of America, but I worry about what will take its place. Those who rebelled against the Crown over 200 years ago were like bratty children, but we have to live with their mistakes.

So, fess up Sarah, what are your connections to the AIP?

Palinguage

John Ridley came up with a guide to Sarah Palin's Palinguage. A couple of examples are:

If you live in an urban area and you get a girl pregnant you're a "baby daddy."

If you're the same in Alaska you're a "teen father." (Actually, according to your own MySpace page you're an F'n redneck that don't want any kids, but that's too long a phrase for the evil liberal media to take out of context and flog morning, noon and night.)


Black teen pregnancies? A "crisis" in black America.

White teen pregnancies? A "blessed event."

I would add in that it's useful that Sarah Palin is a life member of the NRA since it makes it easier to ensure her daughter will have shotgun weddings.

Sarah Palin is indeed a Washington outsider since she belongs to the extreme right wing fringe. I would say she is on the outside of most American politics.

I'll take my religious fanatic extra crispy!

The religious right needs to remember that the First Amendment was written to provide us from government interference in religious affairs. In fact, the United States is supposed to be religiously neutral.

Unfortunately, countries such as Britain with an official church show a much better example of religious tolerance than the religiously neutral United States. Somehow the belief that this is a Christian nation has become popular.

And given the tendency of Justice Robert's Supreme Court's to neglect inconvenient language in the constitution, we may be able to kill Catholics and burn protestants.

Nothing like a nice religious war.

I love Sarah Palin!

How can you not love someone who belonged to a political party that is dedicated to the destruction of the United States? Sarah was a member of the Alaska Independence Party in the 1990s, but I guess she decided to go more mainstream with the new Republican Party, which is working on making the Failed States of America a reality.

Not to mention she is the embodiment of the Bimbos for McCain caucus.

I also love her belief in family values and the advocacy of abstinance-based sex education. I know that oopses can happen in any family, but Sarah, you need to talk with your daughter about sex if you believe in abstinance-based sex education.

I mean isn't parental responsibility the real basis for abstinance-based sex education?

Another thing is that family values means you spend time with your family, not run around being mayor, governor, or vice president. You have a special needs child and a daughter with a bun in the oven, which shows you aren't being very good in the family values department.

Add in that it seems you cut funding for programs that help teenaged mothers. Now, Sarah dear, if you believe that a woman's place is barefoot and pregnant, you are being a real hypocrite here. What are you doing running for political office? I guess it comes from the confusion between women's two roles in the far right wing paradigm, which doesn't account for women being anything of substance.

No, this isn't left wing hypocracy, but right wing hypocracy as someone attempts to force her beliefs upon other women. Sarah can remain confused whether she is a virgin or a whore for all I care, but other women would like to have a choice, especially when it comes to their reproductive rights. Abstinance-based sex education does not work, even in families which claim to have "family values", such as the Palins. And you can't go around cutting benefits for teen moms if you're going to advocate policies that bring more unwanted children into this world.

Do you realise how much grief poor, uneducated teenage mothers can bring to society, Sarah?

You can have 100 children, but that is your choice: do NOT force your belief about reproductive freedom on others.

As Cecile Richards said "expecting women to vote for Sarah Palin is like expecting chickens to vote for Colonel Sanders". The working class males who supported Hillary Clinton may support Sarah Palin since she is a piece of ass, but that is really hoping that the citizens of the United States are thicker than pig shit.

I guess that the republican party is really hopeful that racism will scare off voters from Obama to John McCain.

That is if Sarah Palin survives scrutiny. She may be the governor of the Largest US State (not for long if she had her way), but size doesn't matter, Sarah. It's population, not geographic size. The Alaska National Guard has fewer soldiers than a large lower 48 city has police officers.

So, the American people should vote for a bimbo from a huge ass state with more moose than people.

As for you, Sarah, you can do whatever you will with your life, but don't force your values upon others: especially if it will cost society.

Give me a break!

Yet another reason to not get a tattoo

if injecting car paint into the largest organ of your body wasn't enough of a reason. Karen Taylor from BBC 3 's Touch me I'm Karen Taylor

Crap this clip was yanked. Karen Taylor is a crappy tattoo artist with a hard man client who wants a tattoo that says "I love Arsenal" on his back, but she doesn't make it fit. Figure it out.

Instead, we have this method of dealing with armed robbers:

Joe Biden, DC v. Heller, and the Individual Right

When I thought I wasn't interested in the US Elections, the democrats give the ultimate fuck you to the RKBA crowd by putting Joe Biden in the Vice-presidential spot. You know, Joe Biden the bloke who told the dickless asshole with the assault rifle "if that is his baby, he needs help.I think he just made an admission against self-interest. I don't know that he is mentally qualified to own that gun. I'm being serious. Look, just like me, we go around talking about people who own guns."

Here it is for your viewing pleasure:




Now, DC v. Heller, S.Ct Docket # 07-290, 554 U.S. ___ (2008) has come up with the most fucked up interpretation of the Second Amendment. Well, fucked up for everybody except the gun grabbers. "Although we do not undertake an exhaustive historical analysis today of the full scope of the Second Amendment, nothing in our opinion should be taken to cast doubt on longstanding prohibitions on the possession of firearms by felons and the mentally ill, or laws forbidding the carrying of firearms in sensitive places such as schools and government buildings, or laws imposing conditions and qualifications on the commercial sale of arms." That means pretty much that as long as guns are available, they can be regulated.

What did DC do? They went back to the pre-1976 law, which was still the strictest gun laws on the books! It just allowed for the possession of .38 revolvers with 4 inch barrels! Well, Heller can have his gun for self-defence.

Hahahahahahahahahaha!

Not to mention dickhead Bob Levy has come out to say that the Second Amendment cannot infringe upon property rights. He supports those business owners who want to keep guns off their property. What was he thinking?

Bob, if you lived in Germany in the 20s you would have supported Hitler because he hated Communists. I mean all that anti-semitic stuff wasn't really pertinent was it?

The problem is that the self-defence interpretation from New Scholarship which has become precedent for the time being only came about in the last 20 or so years.

As I like to say: show me where in the Second Amendment the term "self-defence" is mentioned! They only time the word defence is used in the Constitution is in regard to the "Common defence".

So, after the courts get pissed off with the frivolous law suits from felons who want to own guns and trying to sort of which right takes precedence self-defence or property, there is only one proper interpretation of the Second Amendment: the collective/civic/public/militia right. That is the one that ties the Second Amendment guarantee to ensuring the efficacy of Article I, Section 8 militias.

Anyway, the upshot is that the Democrats will all say they can't ban guns, that's unconstitutional.

Thank you Antonin Scalia for a totally screwed up and unscholarly piece of shit decision. You can't base law upon a logical fallacy (argumentum ad populum).

The Law of abundance, manifesting, and my opinion

As I said in a previous post, it seems to me that if someone had the secret on how to use quantum physics to really create a better world, he wouldn't need to charge for the secret for a multitude of reasons. The first one being that few people would believe it. The Second one being that if you could produce that much abundance in the world, why would you need more money or abundant whatever? Additionally, wouldn't people be so grateful they would give you money?

I am reading a book called "Seed Money in Action" by Jon Speller and Kathleen Shedaker where they talk about how people give them donations after making money using the seed money concept. I am not really sure what the concept is, but it sounds a bit like the economic concept of the velocity of money, where money in use seems like there is a larger pool because it is being used. But they talk of "green energy" (or money energy if you live in countries where the currency is multicoloured) which something I have mentioned other places, maybe not here.

There was a program called "Jute City" that had one very memorable quote going along the lines of "money is basically an accounting principle in that it is used to trade resources. Once it becomes a commodity and can be horded, then it becomes evil because people are moving away from using it as a resource for facilitating trade". In other words, money as something that can be used to trade my services for tangiable goods is useful. But it's useless if I let it just accumulate.

So, "trickle down" economics is great in theory, but it's useless as a reality if the money isn't really moving and it gets stuck in the hands of a few people. But money isn't really the issue to me, although it is very nice and useful.

I have to admit if it comes to giving money and services in the belief that there will be an eventual return, I should be one of the world's wealthiest men. I mean part of the reason I do court appointments is the "pro-bono" aspect since it sure as heck isn't the money. And I have done loads of work for "pro-bono" without pay. Also, there is the Healy money, which if that ain't seed money, I don't know what it. I am still waiting for that one to come around and I could buy a few real Scottish Castles, like Balmoral.

But, the problem is that I can have all the money in the world, but I am still stuck with things as they are if that is where I put my focus. And if we are going with something like winning the big lottery prize, it is somewhat limited, unless I invest it as well.

For example, I would love a Smart. I had a deposit in for one, but the dealer called me a week ago. I couldn't buy it even if I had the money. First off, I don't really have a place to park it that I consider safe, convenient, or affordable. On the other hand, I could make it the size of my Maisto diecast 1:18 Smart and put it on my mantle if I could do magic.

Likewise, I could have a Scottish castle like Eilean Donan wherever I wanted it. Better yet, if it is a recent knock off, I can have it look old like Eilean Donan. So, I could have a little Scottish Village in the Adirondacks compleat with a super Indian and Thai restaurant that is near my Scottish castle. Not to mention also having a great kiltmaker and Scottish crafts store. The town would look exactly like Lochdubh!

Now, back to where I started from. What would you give me if I told you I could help you control your life. I mean look at this blurb:

Turn your dreams into reality with Psychic Manifestation

This will give you a MUCH deeper understanding of manifestation and how to design the future you desire. You'll discover:

• The KEY missing ingredient to supercharge the manifesting of your desires
• Why conflicts between your conscious and your subsconscious mind will sabotage your efforts in achieving your goals and what you MUST do to prevent this
• The force that changes psychic realities into phyical realities - understand the manifestation process clearly, and it WILL help you get the results you are after
• Why the physical world is not as solid as you think and this is why your mind really does have power over matter.
• Why consciousness can over ride some laws of physics ...and many more hidden secrets

But the person wants me to pay. Maybe it's that "seed money" thing, But I think I would be happy as heck sharing this secret if I knew it. And, as they point out in "Seed Money in Action", I would be happy to donate after I hit the big one.

Anyway, maybe someone can give me a hint here. As I said before: "Tell everyone what you want to do and someone will want to help you do it."

After all, I have some bagpipes I want set up properly (and am too lazy to do it myself), a house I want clean, a dog I want back from the dead, and so on and so forth.

Things money just can't buy.

Another interesting aside

I said a while back that the best way to ban or regulate "assault rifles" was to consider them machineguns citing the Federal Definition of a machinegun (26 USC 5845(b)):

any weapon which shoots, is designed to shoot, or can be readily restored to shoot, automatically more than one shot, without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger. The term shall also include the frame or receiver of any such weapon, any part designed and intended solely and exclusively, or combination of parts designed and intended, for use in converting a weapon into a machinegun, and any combination of parts from which a machinegun can be assembled if such parts are in the possession or under the control of a person.

From VPC's website:

The Court’s ruling today does not appear to affect the District’s ban on “machine guns,” which under DC law includes any gun “which shoots, is designed to shoot, or can be readily converted or restored to shoot semiautomatically, more than 12 shots without manual reloading.” This definition would include virtually all semiautomatic handguns. As a result, the District’s ban can remain in force for those types of handguns, commonly known as pistols. In essence, the Court’s ruling for the most part will only affect revolvers and derringers.

So, forget registering a semi-auto pistol, unless it cannot accept a magazine larger than 11 rounds!

Also, anyone wanting to ban assault weapons could take the DC statute definition of machinegun. That makes it hard to skirt the ban with "sporter models" that made the last assault weapon ban a joke.

So, the real winners in DC v. Heller aren't the RKBA crowd, but the gun control crowd.

Take about blowback!

Why repeal the Second Amendment?

People who say this seem to have neglected that not only was the first part of the Second Amendment trashed (A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State), Justice Scalia also chopped off the last clause (shall not be infringed) with the same axe. Why, because he says that the decision is not meant “to cast doubt on longstanding prohibitions on the possession of firearms by felons and the mentally ill, or laws forbidding the carrying of firearms in sensitive places such as schools and government buildings, or laws imposing conditions and qualifications on the commercial sale of arms.”

So, what is left is a wholly, new right created whole cloth by the justices: the right of the people to keep and bear Arms.

Justice Scalia has created a bastard right, and like any illegitimate child has refused to give it the proper tools to go forth into the world. This right can be reasonably infringed. But Justice Scalia didn't give his bastard child any guidance. The right is no longer with heritage since it has been abandoned by the document that gave it birth. It will go forth into the world to cause havoc in the judicial system since lower courts will refuse to invalidate many other gun laws, citing the court’s caveat regarding not doubting longstanding laws.

So, it is a phrase that has no meaning since the meaning it has had no longer exists.

Don't mourn the passing of the collective right interpretation as it will make a comeback as courts have to grasp the meaning of this bastard right. An originalist interpretation, at a minimum, must give respect to the meaning of every word of the Second Amendment, including its preamble. Second, the interpretation must situate the Second Amendment intra-textually within the context of the entire Constitution: meaning relate it the Congress's power to regulate the militia in article I, Section 8. Third, an originalist interpretation must be honest about the possibility of obsolescence -- namely, that something is in the Constitution which may have no modern analog. Fourth, to the extent it is consistent with the original understanding, precedent must be respected.

What do these principles suggest is the meaning of the Second Amendment? Just this:

The Second Amendment reflects the concerns of the founders that the federal government might exercise its Article I militia power to subjugate the people by disarming local militias in the several states. The Second Amendment was drafted to combat this particular fear, and therefore, the Second Amendment is no limitation whatsoever upon the authority of the people within the several states, by the power reserved to them under the 10th amendment, either to broadly protect individual rights of gun ownership or the opposite. So, when it comes to the States, they must argue vociferously that the Collective right interpretation is the correct interpretation and that DC. V Heller does not apply to the States since DC is a federal entity!

The local jurisdictions must not make the mistakes made by Walter Dellinger in his oral argument. Precedent is that the Second Amendment is to prevent the Federal Government from exercising it's article I, Section 8 powers over the states. The arguments made by Justices Stevens and Breyers in their dissents, buttressed by the majority's admonition to not overrule longstanding laws must be what the local jurisdictions use in their battles to preserve their gun laws. Anyone arguing must point out that this had the force of precedent and must remain precedent.

The only real meaning of DC v. Heller is that guns will never be banned for lawful uses.

San Francisco to vote on naming sewer after George Bush

This puts the DC v. Heller decision in World Perspective:
By Guy Adams in Los Angeles
The Independent (UK)
Friday, 27 June 2008

San Francisco Public Utilities Commission

The plant that could be renamed the George W Bush Sewage Plant

Some presidents get carved into Mt Rushmore; others have airports, motorways, and even entire cities named in their honour. But when George Bush leaves office, his most visible memorial may be a mouldering patch of human effluent.

In November, alongside casting their ballot for the next president, the people of San Francisco will also vote on a measure to rename one of the city's largest sewage works the George W Bush Sewage Plant, to provide a "fitting monument" to the outgoing commander-in-chief's achievements.

Activists from the Presidential Memorial Commission of San Francisco, a mischievously-named group behind the move, will ask supporters to participate in a "synchronised flush".

It may sound like a student prank, but the proposal is almost certain to be passed. Democrats usually secure between 70 and 80 per cent of the vote in San Francisco – and in 2006 passed a proposition to impeach Mr Bush and his Vice-President Dick Cheney by a majority of almost two to one.

"In 50 years from now, we want people to see George Bush's name on that plant, and ask each other what went wrong," said Brian McConnell, the Memorial Commission's organiser. "We want them to be reminded of the Iraq war, and his other dramatic mistakes, and this is the perfect way to do it."

The ballot takes advantage of local government rules, which state that any proposal supported by a petition carrying the signatures of more than 7,168 voters must go to the polls. At present, the supporters of the sewage plant proposal claim to have 8,500 signatures, and counting. If the measure passes, city authorities will be forced to erect a prominent sign bearing the legend "George W Bush Sewage Plant" at the site of the bayside facility.

Local Republicans call it an "abuse of process" and promised to "use all means" to defeat it, Howard Epstein, the party's spokesman, told the San Francisco Chronicle: "There's no use to this other than to make these nutcases feel good." The proposal even jollified yesterday's White House press briefing, where a spokesman three times refused to comment.

However, Mr McConnell claimed to have only noticed two forms of opposition during his campaign so far. "First, we get people who say they just want to forget George Bush's presidency," he said. "Second, we hear from those who say that sewage plants perform a valuable public service and, as such, it does not make sense to name one after George Bush."

Nothing changes.

I decided to talk to Jon Mirowitz who is, not sure how to describe him since "gun nut" tends to come to mind, but he is the expert on this. Jon eats, sleep, drinks, breaths, etc. guns. The only person I know who is more fanatic is Evan Nappen (google HIM!), but he is in NJ. Jon is of the opinion that this will need to be fleshed out in the Courts, but this is only the slip opinion. The problem is that no standard has been set, which means loads of litigation. Jon pointed out that this stuff was already being litigated, as in the PA Open Carry cases.

The problem is that Scalia said that certain laws were constitutional, but will DC go to a system which makes registering a handgun more impossible than any other firearm? Also, DC had requirements on storage and inspection of the firearms, even during the "ban" phase, are those OK? I would prefer to get a better opinion than that offered by the "chattering classes". There was an interesting piece at the Blog of the American Constitution Society by Adam Winkler, Professor of Law, UCLA School of Law, who points out, as I do that the majority refused to adopt a standard of review for judging future disputes.

In Heller, the majority said that the decision is not meant “to cast doubt on longstanding prohibitions on the possession of firearms by felons and the mentally ill, or laws forbidding the carrying of firearms in sensitive places such as schools and government buildings, or laws imposing conditions and qualifications on the commercial sale of arms.” The Court, once again, is trying to avoid the obvious implications of its broad statement of the right to bear arms.

The Court did not provide an indication of what laws might be undermined by the newly recognized right. Don’t be surprised if lower courts refuse to invalidate many other gun laws, citing the court’s caveat regarding not doubting longstanding laws. If so, Heller would constitute the high-water mark for the individual right to bear arms — and we’ll be writing articles years from now about the birth and sudden death of a strong Second Amendment right to bear arms.

We can also guess whether the "collective right" school is dead or dormant given that a lot of courts may give up and say that it makes more sense. That standard, after all was the rationale used for most of those gun laws. The individual right articulated by the court is worse than the collective right interpretation. As one person pointed out, DC can ban guns while Kennesaw, GA can require everyone own them since the Amendment doesn't really go either way. This standard means that not much may change except politicians can keep repeating the mantra of gun rights to placate certain segments of the population as they enact strict gun laws.

We respect your gun rights, there can't be a complete ban on firearms since that's unconstitutional!

Nope, this will only lead to loads of litigation, so the Lawyers win! Not to mention, all those who were trumpeting their victory will be eating humble pie (Ha Ha, Gene Volokh!). Guns cannot be banned, but they can be strongly regulated. From the WSJ blog The District goes back to the law that existed prior to 1976. Back in those days, people could get handguns, subject to certain restrictions. There were, for instance, restrictions on the use of ammunition, and gun owners had to register their firearms. DC has a few federally licensed gun dealers who don't sell to the public (e.g., VPC's Josh Sugarman) and very stringent zoning laws that severely restrict where explosive devices can be sold. The powers that be in the District, the mayor, the city council, the police, and a good portion of DC's populace, are still very against the sale of guns and will do everything in their power to restrict it. At this point, bets are on that they use the zoning laws to keep the stores out.

A gun dealer looking for a place to open a shop in D.C. will have to take on the liability of opening a store in a crime-ridden area where the likelihood exists that he will be robbed and undergo an extremely tough background check. Not to mention that 76% of DC residents supported the gun ban. On the other hand, he tries to open in a more affluent part of the city where you’re going to get fought tooth and nail on zoning ordinances which has happened in Chevy Chase, MD when a fancy outdoors outfitter tried opening a "gun shop" that sold expensive shotguns. Either option, the gun dealer will have to deal with local opposition to opening a store. So, even if there is an "Individual right", the gun dealer with have to deal with local opposition to outside interference in DC's politics.

Also, there will be loads of opposition to gun ownership if there is an increase in "Gun violence" due to the creation of this new right. Not to mention the implications that this decision has on Constitutional interpretation. The real upshot is that the DC v. Heller decision has opened a pandora's box of litigation and implications that show it was not well thought out.

Registering a firearm in DC.

Back in the day when I was at USAO-DC, I went through the motions of registering a firearm in WDC. I didn't actually register a gun, but I went through the process as if I had actually bought a firearm and was registering it. I had to fill out the form, which asked me where I would use the gun and keep it. I took it to the office when it was open, which were very limited hours during the business week. Since I was USAO-DC and only going through the motions, they opened up especially for me! To say the least, it was a pain in the arse to "register a gun", which means even "law abiding citizens" don't do it. Quite a few just keep their guns broken down in a case without registering them.

With this new decision, does it mean that some of the requirements of registration, such as belonging to a place to shoot the gun, the requirement that stored guns can be inspected, and so on are reasonable? I like how DC used to only register .38 revolvers with 4" barrels. Will that be the law, only handguns of that description are registrable? Can the district charge an exorbitant fee to register a firearm?

One provision of DC's Firearms code is that anyone who wishes to legally own a firearm must register it, which I assume has not been overruled. Any gun which cannot be registered must be removed from the District, or otherwise disposed of, in a period of 10 days to 2 weeks.

Some victory for the RKBA!

It's here!!!

Well, Justice Scalia proved that judicial certainty is merely a concept deigning to put his name to the Heller decision. This is a wonderfully Pyrrhic victory for the RKBA crowd as it means absolutely nothing; in fact, it more than proves the Second Amendment is merely a quaint piece of rubbish from the 18th Century that has no meaning. The Militia clause has been held to be rubbish, which flies in the face of all concepts of US Constitutional interpretation since Marbury v. Madison which said no verbiage in the Constitution was mere surplusage. Additionally, the shall not be infringed language, even though it is mandatory (shall) has been held to be surplusage. The right is subject to reasonable regulation, whatever that means since the law was locally legislated.

Which gets down to another concept, the court is not supposed to look into legislative acts; however, in finding a right where no right has previously existed, they had to destroy local legislation. So, I am not sure what exactly they are doing here, but it is truly questionable in my mind. I believe Judicial activism is when courts do not confine themselves to reasonable interpretations of laws, but instead create law. The Supreme Court has decided to violate the separation of powers and create new rights, laws, and overthrow "democracy". Not that overthrowing the will of the people is bad, but here it will harm the general welfare.

The question has now become what exactly is reasonable regulation? Where does one draw the line between reasonable regulation and a ban? One can prohibit assault weapons or machineguns, but not pistols, which are the most common crime guns: explain the logic here? Not to mention DC's PPW statute and its definition of a machinegun will preclude most semi-auto pistols from being registered. What sort of rubbish is Scalia promulgating? Is he trying to create more work for the lawyers and courts? Not a bad idea, but the city of Philadelphia is piss poor when it comes to paying me for my "pro-bono" court appointment work.

Anyway, Scalia has some form of weird theory of Constitutional interpretation that allows for personal opinion to interfere with legal thinking and nothing to do with a professed "originalism". In fact, personal opinion can overrule things like stare decisis and the rule of law--heavy duty. I take from Doug Kmiec's piece on the Second Amendment and DC's gun ban:

An originalist interpretation, at a minimum, must give respect to the meaning of every word of the Second Amendment, including its preamble. Second, the interpretation must situate the Second Amendment intra-textually within the context of the entire Constitution. Third, an originalist interpretation must be honest about the possibility of obsolescence -- namely, that something is in the Constitution which may have no modern analog. Fourth, to the extent it is consistent with the original understanding, precedent must be respected.

What do these principles suggest is the meaning of the Second Amendment? Just this:

The Second Amendment reflects the concerns of the founders that the federal government might exercise its Article I militia power to subjugate the people by disarming local militias in the several states. The Second Amendment was drafted to combat this particular fear, and therefore, the Second Amendment is no limitation whatsoever upon the authority of the people within the several states, by the power reserved to them under the 10th amendment, either to broadly protect individual rights of gun ownership or the opposite.

Scalia has held that one can pick and choose in Constitutional interpretation, ignore the bits which don't fit your interpretation, such as shall not be infringed. Not to mention ignore 70 years of judicial decisions to the contrary. Gun laws are subject to reasonable regulation; however, a local legislature believing that handguns were detrimental to their population and choosing to ban them can be overturned. But nevermind, this is subject to reasonable regulation, which means that DC goes back to pre-Ban days and allows for only .38 revolvers with 4" barrels to be licenced. Of course, one can only register their handgun on alternate Wednesdays between the hours of 8.30-11.30 and 2.30-4.30 since that is when the MPD can spare the manpower to register the weapons! I will add in that DC should charge an extortionate fee for registering the firearm, something on the lines of a couple of hundred bucks. That would make it impossible for the common man to register a firearm, if they were willing to go through the hassles involved.

What fool these justices be!

But, as I point out, one of the complaints of the Colonial Rebels was that they didn't want interference from a legislature 3,000 miles away. They wanted the ability to rule locally, but this decision flies in the face of that concept. DC is a colony and its laws overturned on mere whims and fancies.

Where were you, Justice Alito? You who once ruled that the Second Amendment protected a collective right. Does it depend on what tie I wear if I argue before you whether I will prevail? The day of the week? What sways your whim that you can vote willy-nilly in the truest meaning of that term.

The ultimate flight of fancy came from Justice Kennedy, who cannot differentiate between myth and reality. The frontier farmer is a wonderfully romantic piece from the dime novels, but the reality was the first US citizens to see a grizzly were the members of the Lewis and Clark expedition, which took place nearly 20 years after the Constitution. It's dangerous when myth becomes a basis for overruling prior judicial decisions and stare decisis.

As for Justice Roberts, he didn't fail me. He should have gone through his apprenticeship before becoming a master. His court will prove a mockery of "justice", especially if he can countenance such a ridiculous opinion as that promulgated by his court today. It is an opinion which flies in the face of all that a court, especially one entrusted with the duty of protecting a BUMPF constitution should do. The best part is that he said he didn't want to burden the Second Amendment with the same sort of baggage that the First had, yet this decision will more than burden the courts with baggage for years to come.

Although, as a tory, the Constitution is BUMPF and the Robert's Court only emphasises that quality. Perhaps they can continue their good work in trashing anything that resembles a rule of law and establish democracy as it was understood in the 18th Century, which the Bush administration is well on its way of doing as well.

GOD SAVE THE QUEEN!
P.s. Apologies to the "liberal" wing as Justices Stevens and Breyer wrote excellent dissents and were joined by Justices Ginsburg and Souter; however, the other five are complete bozos.

Scary early Laci story

I do have a story from my early days with Laci that will scare you. She had been with me only a couple of months when this happened.

I had gone to the dry cleaners to pick up my laundry, but there was too much for me to take home in one trip (I walk most everywhere). The dry cleaners said they would watch Laci. Anyway, as I am going back to the dry cleaners I see Laci running down the street near my house with the dry cleaner in hot pursuit. Laci stopped and stayed when I told her to. I went and grabbed her and hugged her: not sure whether to chew her out or be happy she was alive. I wasn't happy that Laci had escaped

It seems that the postman had come in to deliver the mail and Laci was too quick for anyone. She escaped and ran three blocks to my house--through city traffic. Now, the drivers in this town go whizzing down the streets, but Laci made it safely.

As I said, I wasn't sure what to do when I saw here since it was scary seeing her do that. I was glad she made it, but knew that she could have been seriously hurt or worse. I also wasn't sure what I would have told people had she been hurt. I know I wouldn't have felt too good about it.

Well, she made it safely and I let her know I loved her, but she shouldn't go running through the city streets.

Another nice dream

Last night I dreamed I brought Honey back to life. I was walking down a forest path with view of a lake in a valley. She was there. I knew she was dead, but I brought her back. I kept having that dream last night.

In praise of Laci

After being out of sorts for over a week about the loss of Honey, it's about time that I praise Laci. It's unfortunate that Laci has lived in the shadow of Honey, especially since I think she is all around the far better dog. Although I do have to admit to our linking up as being a bizarre thing.

She was like a mailorder bride in that I knew Virginia was going to take Honey and there was no way that I would have been without a dog after Honey. So, I went to my friends who bred Chinese Cresteds and they linked me up with the person who was Laci's guardian. Laci came from Illinois, which meant that I got her sight unseen, with the exception of a couple of pictures, one of which is to the right. She was also a powderpuff crested and I was used to the hairless. Anyway, it was a go.

So, even though I knew I would miss Honey, I had another dog coming on the scene. That meant that the shock of losing Honey wasn't that great. There were only three days in which I was dogless, and the last one was the worst.

Laci flew in US Air Cargo with a 19.30 arrival time. I was at the airport at 18.30 waiting for her to get here. Now, Cargo means that she unloads after the airplane has let off the passengers and also unloads in another part of the airport away from the passenger section. The women working at the counter told me they would call when Laci arrived at the airfreight terminal. They also asked her name so they could make her feel at welcome. So, I drove back home had dinner and came back to find Laci waiting in her crate (left). I could tell that she was wondering who the heck all these people were and how they knew her name.

What I really remember about that night was that Laci was far more interested in a chicken carcass that was thrown on the ground outside the airfreight terminal. I know the thing was a shock to her system since she didn't like being in the car. She would also panic if we went anywhere near the airport.

One memorable thing from the early days was that we were walking in the antiques district when someone pointed out that she looked like Falcor the Luck Dragon from the Neverending Story, which was an interesting comment. That film was nearly 20 years old at the time and the person who said it was probably late teens-early 20s. Maybe Laci is my luck dragon.

With the exception of her going nuttsomuttso, I really like her. Although, I did question whether my dog was sane the first time she did that in front of me. Nuttsomuttso is where she would make nesting motions on the bed and spin around grunting, growling, and snapping. I have learned that this is her in extreme joy. Although, it does look as if she is insane when she does it if you don't know what is going on.

Laci has a larger range of emotions that Honey did. Not to mention that Laci smiles and yodles, which is pretty rare for a Chinese crested. They do one or the other, but not both.

I haven't had a lot of problems with Laci other than chewing and the occasional peeing on the carpet if I have been gone too long. She is a very smart dog.

I am glad I kept her. She's a great buddy!

More Honey

I just received a message from Virginia that she sent me by mistake. At least, I am giving her the benefit of the doubt here since she may have hit reply not realising that I forwarded the message. Anyway, it said:

Thanks for kind condolences on my loss of Escapades Sweet Honey B. Michael is all over the internet about her loss, but hasn't laid eyes on her in five years. Go figure. I guess we do what we have to do.

I am sorry you lost one of your girls. Was it Tess?

email me at XXXXXXXX@gmail .com

Yours truly, Virginia

I am obviously feeling better since this pisses me off, but not to the extent her last message did.

What really upsets me is that Virginia said "no" when I asked if she was going to get another dog. Her reason was that the dog would be left alone all day. Well, she pretty much knew that Honey would probably be left alone all day when she left to move to South Carolina.

Now, why pull an animal from a house where it is getting loads of attention and you know it will be taken good care of: Especially if you know you won't be able to give it that type of attention?

Conceive, Believe, Achieve

I have always believed in what I call magic, which is the power to have completer control of our lives past, present, and future. This really makes us in god's image. I mean we are co-creators with god. Forget even saying co-creators: we create our lives.

As all these personal potential, new age types point out, quantum physics "proves" this is possible. And I have always believed it since I read a book called "Space, time and Beyond" when I was 16. I think most religion, spirituality, new age thought, or whatever you call it points to this fact. The problem is that no one really teaches how to do this. Possibly because the world could be a pretty crappy place if it fell into the wrong hands, but it could also be a beautiful place in the correct hands.

Alchemy talks about the Philospoher's Stone which can turn lead into gold. It also is believed to be the elixir of life, that can rejuvenate or give a person immortality. Tibetan Buddhism similarly talks about a wish fulfilling jewel that is within the mind ("the Jewel is in the Lotus") and Taoism talks about the elixir of life. In the view of spiritual alchemy, making the philosopher's stone would bring enlightenment upon the maker and conclude the Great Work. Interesting how a woman who went from a poor, single mom to Britain's Richest woman started out with a book called "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone".

This goes to where the title for this post comes from “Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve” (W. Clement Stone). That gets to my only limitation on the power of magic: your imagination! I can have Honey back as I knew her, even though she has been cremated, if I believe it is possible! No mumbo jumbo. The picture to the right is my wife if I can do this! And that is through the power of manifestation, not the amount of money she wastes on plastic surgery! I can have my London Home, Scottish Castle, place in the Cotswolds, Not to mention all these houses are NEAT AND CLEAN! Play bagpipes like the best world class pipe major, Play guitar like a cross between Segovia, Jimmy Page, John Renbourn, and Eric Clapton, Not to mention WAY MORE than enough money to live a super lifestyle (note avoiding the word "debt"), as well as anything else I can dream up.

SIGN ME UP!

Now, I have been scouring the internet for someone who can teach me how to use quantum physics to create a better world. As one of these people says, you don't need to suffer to make a better world. In fact, the way I see it, the world should be a much better place if the universe's abundance is shared. Unlike winning the lottery, which is limited, this is boundless. I don't need to worry about the party ending until I want it to end ("aren't those dogs about 200 years old?").

The problem with all the "teachers" on the internet is that they sound the same. They also sound like something on late night US TV (I.e., "You get 2 Million dollars worth of information for 9.99 with a 500% guarantee but act now this offer is for a limited time."). I have always figured that someone who can do this would give the information away for loads of reasons. The main one being that type of person isn't going to need money and wants to share the secret with others. Another one would be that most people think you are crazy when you discuss this, but I just admitted to being broken up by the death of a little dog I hadn't seen in five years: so, sod you if you think I am crazy! The fact that most people wouldn't believe it could work would be useful for avoiding its spreading to the masses.

There is another quote from W. Clement Stone that I am going to mention here: “Tell everyone what you want to do and someone will want to help you do it.”

Now, I am not sure who reads these blogs, and I don't really care since I do this for myself, but if there is someone out there who can help me do this. I guess you know how to get in touch with me. I hope you do soon since I have been flopping around on this by my lonesome for the past 30 odd years on a hit or miss basis. I would like to be much more "hit" than "miss", not because I want a sexy wife I can rutt all night, but to make the world a better place.

If life is a dream, I am having a nightmare. That is really annoying since I am a lucid dreamer and can pretty much control my dreams. Now, I want to control my reality!

Feeling better

I have to admit to beginning to feel normal again. It is coming up on a week since Honey died.

I went to one of the places in the country we used to walk, which was near a place called "Honey Hollow"! Once, we were walking along the canal and there was a snake sunning itself across the path. I grabbed a stick and flipped the snake into the canal. Honey was very impressed! The thought of going there was very strong and it helped with the grief. Actually, we used to drive around on our adventures in that part of the world which was cathartic.

Anyway, I plan on doing a rainbow bridge ceremony tonight.

Analysing the grief.

I am really pissed off at what Virginia said about my grief not being real. Add in "All about me Alayne's" being more interested in herself than me, but that's normal and doesn't bother me as much. Whenever I think I am over the grief, things come back and I find I am about ready to break up. Not without good reason.

I dug around the house to find Laci's book to fill it in given that Honey's death only acted to emphasise that whatever time I will have with her will not be enough. I am thoroughly convinced that Honey died before her time. Well, she could have lived longer under different circumstances. One of those having been that she stayed with me. I was always able to give her much more time than Virginia could. Honey was depressed from being alone again. She was a different dog the last time I saw her: definitely not as cheerful as she was when we were all together.

I have also been looking at the pictures and home movies of Honey and Laci. It was a revelation since I saw that Laci and I have done quite a few things together. Different things than what I did with Honey. Laci is a well traveled dog. Not as well traveled as I would have liked, but we have done a lot of things together.

One of the things I was thinking was causing this grief to be so deep was that I thought I might be blurring Laci and Honey. But looking at the pictures, I don't think that is as much the case. Laci has done quite a few of the things that I did with Honey with the exception of going to Morristown. In fact, Laci has done a lot more than Honey ever did. The quality of our adventures has been pretty good. Although, I do have to miss those long Saturday trips with the opera on the radio.

Laci and Honey (add in Dhyanna) were my dogs. We had bonded, which even Virginia knew. After the Nurse Honey incident, I realised that dogs are indeed the best companion animals. Humans and dogs have a lot in common in that we are pack animals. Honey and I bonded in more ways than I can probably imagine: Although I do know a few of them. Virginia knew I bonded with Honey and that we had an "interspecies love affair".

Unless you have been really touched by animal, you will take that last phrase in a really sick way. Those who know how close humans and animals can become will understand exactly what I mean. And even though I have had a lot of dogs in my life who were significant, Honey was my first love. That little dog meant a lot to me. And like all first loves, no other seems as good in comparison (sorry, Laci and Dhyanna). Honey was my shadow. Maybe I am making it into more than it was, but there was some pretty serious bonding that went on there.

And I am the first to want to call them companion animals rather than pets because that is what they are: Companion. I spent as much time as I could with Honey and did the things which bonded us: walking and hunting. I shared my food with her and pampered her. Honey was the first dog to pretty much be with me all the time: being carried surreptitiouslyin the Sherpa bag into cinemas, restaurants, stores, etcetera. The only thing I haven't done for her or Laci is to find someone to stay with them when I will be out more than a couple of hours a day. I have a friend who lives in town that does that sometimes, but Jean isn't always around.

I can say a lot of the same things about Laci that I can about Honey, but Laci doesn't seem as demonstrative about her affections. At least, that is how i feel when she puts her butt in my face. I know Laci feels the affection as well as Honey did, but it just doesn't feel as strong. It was probably because I treated Honey like the companion animal she was rather than a thing. Honey reveled in the fact that someone was paying her attention, where Laci it's a normal thing. It's that show dog bullshit that made Honey feel so special because I loved her for being her (so much for Virginia's "warts and all comment")*.

People who know the dog show circus know what I am talking about. The person I got Laci from was going to show her, but decided not to. She said:

It's good to know that Laci is so loved by you & I am sure she is much happier chasing squirrels than being at shows all day sitting in a crate most of the time.

We retired all our guys after a couple of years, bred them 2 times & have not shown anything for the last few years. I think my friend Sandy was right all along, showing dogs is just a beauty pageant & most of the dogs hate it anyway.

I like my fur kids better when I am just able to love them & play with them.

Even though breeders love their dogs, there is still that objectifying of the animal. That was really true in Virginia's case. She wanted a champion show dog to breed. Honey was a champion, the champion of my heart. I bought her a little trophy that said "champion" for just that reason. But Virginia wanted something official that said "Champion" even if it wasn't something Honey wanted.

I remember one dog show where Honey pissed on the seat of the rented car. My guess was that she was so nervous about what was going to go on. I don't blame the poor girl.

The ultimate upshot of this was that Honey would have preferred that the pack remain together, but if it didn't I am pretty sure she would have preferred being with the person who would give her the time, love, and attention she needed. Of course, that person was me. Maybe the first sentence in this paragraph is the real key to one thing that would have kept Honey alive longer: a happy pack.

The other thing that killed off Honey was moving to South Carolina, which was a place that didn't agree with her. She was uncomfortable there. You can see her (and Laci) panting in the heat below. Honey tried to hide from the heat and the sun on that hike, which was not typical for that little trooper.

But what really killed her were the brown recluse spiders as she was bitten twice. The last time was fatal.

Anyway, the people who knew Honey and me know that my grief is very real and very deep. Friends have said to tell Virginia to stick it. My opinion was that Honey was the last connection Virginia had that she could use on me. And trust me, she did use it to try and get money from me. That bond is broken.

But, I still wish Honey were on this earth to live a long and happy life, but I guess her life was no longer happy.

Well, Honey, you may be with us in spirit because there were loads of squirrels in the square for Laci to chase even though there were plenty of other dogs. I saw and played with a young pup, and I wished her a long and happy life. And I like to think that you are with me in spirit, but that really isn't a substitute for you actually being with me. And even though I will see you again at the rainbow bridge, that seems too long a time for me. Besides, I would like to give you the quality time I did when we were together.

This is getting hard to write because i am crying.

I really miss you Honey. I will always love you little girl.

Editorial comment, the "This is getting hard to write because i am crying" will stay the way it was because it was hard to write the last two lines.

* Honey was a hairless dog. Actually worse, a hairy hairless dog which meant she looked like she had a skin condition that caused her hair to fall out. I still saw her inner beauty.

Celebrating Life!

Patrick is on vacation, which means that I can do what I've been wanting to do the past couple of days: Take a long walk with Laci. The kind of long walk that Honey and I used to do. Well, Laci and I used to do that kind of walk before I met Alayne.

The day couldn't have been better for it as it wasn't too hot. The sun was out and the sky was blue as we made our way to the places where squirrels are. These are places full of memories of Honey and Laci. Laci sort of knew the way we would go as we have walked that way before. It had been a long time since we made that trek. We also did it in a special way since I didn't get upset if Laci stayed to sniff for longer than I liked. This was for both her and Honey.

I took my camera for "kodak moments" as they are what will last longer than Laci may. I am not sure what I would do if I didn't have my pictures of Honey. Even the videos that were taken on digital cameras where you can barely make her out, but you can make out enough of her to bring back memories of our time together and remember what she was like.

Anyway, Honey must have been with us because the squirrels were indeed acting as if they wanted to be chased. We went through the hospital garden on our way to the square where Laci was stalking a squirrel. I wanted a video of her doing that because she has this crouching motion like a wild dog and the squirrel was just standing there like he was posing for the camera.

In the square, there were three squirrels who were just letting Laci chase them. There are only two in the picture of this. But they were just letting Laci chase them. They were back when we returned to head toward a New Age, Mystic Book store so I could buy a candle of something to have a ritual for Honey.

Laci was thirsty and I went down Delancey Street to go to a market to buy a bottle of water for her. I grabbed a little cup that they use for dressing at the salad bar so she cold have a drink and we headed back to the book store, but they are no longer. We went back up to Delancey street to go toward the New Market Headhouse. Laci was happy about that since she knew that there were squirrels on that path, but, alas, they were hiding.

Anyway, I wanted a kodak moment in the headhouse. Laci wasn't being very cooperative when a woman came along to try to help. She told me she had a Yorkie who died, but she replaced it with a new pup. That was the best thing she could have done in her opinion. Anyway, she told me about taking pictures of her pup for a contest. They just kept taking pictures until they got a good one. Eventually, Laci stood still long enough to get this picture.

We walked down to the River, which is something we haven't done in ages. I remember doing it all the time with Honey, but only when I first got Laci five years ago. I let Laci pick whether we would walk down the stairs or the ramp. She chose the ramp. It was funny as she would look back to see I was behind her. There was a large tanker coming down the River as approached. It was really a cool sight.

There were loads of school kids on the walk. Some of them said that Laci was really cute and I thanked them.

Anyway, there was no one on the embarcadero, so I let Laci off the lead to run. She was really happy about that. While it was great doing a city walk, it would have been really great being somewhere Laci could have run. I don't know if Honey was ever let off lead to run, but I imagine she is running in heaven. I hope she is learning to play. Other than a few runners, we were it on the embarcadero. I stopped to give Laci some water and would have loved to have taken a picture. Next time I will remember to take a tripod.

Laci was scared by a float. I am not sure what happened, but she was sniffing behind a storage bin and she leaped. I saw the float there when I walked up.

There was an observation platform at the end of the embarcadero. Laci got there before me. I wondered what she would do. Would she go around and we would have a comic episode as we chase each other around the platform. Instead, Laci waited for me to come around.

When we came to the end of the embarcadero, I picked up Laci to give her love.

There was a couple who were using a camera, I offered to take a picture of them hoping they would reciprocate. The man said something about not being able to see the screen. So we walked on. We went up the stairs to head toward the old park visitor centre which has now become the Living History Centre.

This was a place we would frequent on our walks if only to use the restrooms. I put Laci into the sherpa bag to go inside. They had an exhibit on archaeology and I asked the person there if he had ever seen "Time Team"? He hadn't, but he had heard of it. Too bad as I knew what they were doing from having watched that show.

Anyway, I went into the park and let Laci out of the bag. She was looking for squirrels the whole time. We were both disappointed that there weren't any out, especially at the section where Honey nipped me because I wasn't getting her in quick enough to chase squirrels. That same place had a memory of Laci jumping a small wall like a horse as she chased a squirrel. As I said, I was disappointed that there weren't that many squirrels, but we did find one in the final block of the park before the square. Laci spotted it as soon as we got there. And, like all the other squirrels on this trip, this one wanted to be chased.

We did a final pass through the square on the way to the Whole Foods market. The squirrels were being very cooperative. Likewise, there was one in the hospital garden where we stopped to rest. I let Laci lie down and have some water. I was able to get a picture of us on this trip. We don't look the happiest. I put the camera on a ledge and carried Laci to the bench. Those kodak moments really count when you want to recall the memories.

Anyway, we walked back in front of the historic part of the hospital and I remembered how they once allowed dogs on the grounds, but no longer do. Laci seemed tired and I put her in the Sherpa bag to rest for a bit. I would need to do that anyway as we were going into Whole Foods. I bought some things for tonight's supper.

It was a pleasant walk and a great way to remember Honey. But, I say it a lot, I never really miss Honey since Laci reminds me a lot of her. In fact, Laci is the much better dog. I did well in getting her, but that is the subject of another post, or maybe loads of posts.

Unfortunately, I received a really nasty e-mail from Virginia with this in it in response to my condolences:

You don't share my grief because my grief is real and from the heart. All you have is images in the ether. It is not real life.

Unfortunately, I was so pissed off at this I sent it off to a few people to get their opinions. My wife was upset that I said she wasn't adventurous. Funny, but she has never really done the things I did with Virginia. In fact, she comes up with reasons for hanging around the house.

But, that's a whole nother story!

BITCH FIGHT!

I went back to bed after posting the "if tears could build..." poem on my blog. I was lying on my back with Laci under my left arm and I imagined that I was holding Honey under my right arm. I could feel Honey there and it felt so good.

Honey's real place was in my left arm. Not to mention she would snore. Of course, having her there with me snoring away would be really great. I've always missed our naps together. Laci tends to curl up or put her butt near my face. Honey would put her head on my shoulder. Actually, she would even lie on her back like a human. It would be so comfortable to hear her snoring away right now.

Despite all that dreaming about having Honey back, there is the reality of having two dogs in my life. The major one being the logistics of carrying two dogs in a bag when I go out. Much better that one if I had someone who was a dog lover as a life partner instead of the crazy cat lady.

The reality is that Laci loves being an only dog, which I am pretty sure Honey did as well. Honey despite her apparently sweet nature could be a real bitch (as my dog friends pointed out "they don't call them that for nothing!"). I remember when Laci met Honey and Laci growled at Honey. I said, "Hey, Laci be nice to the old bitch!"

Not that there isn't a part of me who wouldn't mind having Laci, Honey, and Dhyanna back in my life. But I remember how Honey and Dhyanna could fight, which is why Dhyanna went away. I asked Virginia what do I do about Dhyanna. The answer was almost euthanasia, but ended up being almost as bad that Dhyanna was taken to Morris Animal Shelter. Dhyanna was immediately adopted and I visited her at Morris. Dhyanna was glad to see me. I know she knew she was going to a new home, but she was glad to see me. She knew I saved her life.

Anyway, I don't think I could have more than one dog in my life, but it doesn't stop me from missing my old pals and thinking about us being together again.

If tears could build a stairway...

If tears could build a stairway,
And memories were a lane,
I would walk right up to Heaven
To bring you home again.
No farewell's were spoken,
No time for goodbye,
You were gone before I knew it,
And only God knows why.
My heart still aches in sadness,
And secret tears will flow,
What is meant to me to lose you,
No one will ever know.

Author Unknown

Love you Honey!

Work in progress...(more Honey obit)

I've stopped by the office on my way to be conflict counsel at the YSC. There are loads of reasons I would rather not do this with the two major ones being that I am still mourning for Honey and I want to be with Laci. The best tribute to Honey would have been to have taken a long walk with Laci the way I used to walk with Honey. Unfortunately, the weather was too stinking hot to do that. Better yet, a trip to Jockey Hollow for a long walk would have really done the trick for remembering Honey.

One of my memories was when Honey nipped me because we weren't getting into a park where she would chase squirrels as quickly as she wanted. Actually, there were two gates to the park and I made her walk by one to go to another and she nipped me. I did grab her nose and chew her out for that, which was as physical as I got with her. I did spoil Honey.

Honey was an ex-show dog. Virginia liked to boast that Honey was one point short of her championship. Show dogs don't have much of a life. Honey didn't play, hike, or chase squirrels until she met me. The thing was that Honey trained me to do those things by doing her "thing" in the house. So, regular walks became routine. That was prior to my having West Nile and her being "Nurse Honey" and I kind of resented having to walk her. After she nursed me: well, that as they say is history. Rather well known in fact. The sort of thing that got me national attention with Laci. Honey was the first dog I began to spoil rotten, but she was low maintenance as far as that went: clothes, harnesses, leashes, food, and treats. Honey wasn't into playing as much as she was into chasing squirrels. I bought Honey Baa Baa Que treats that she really loved.

I bought Honey as harness, the first of many, because she would pull on the lead as she chased squirrels. You can see how she walked in the Youtube posts of us at Jockey Hollow (search JCMB1 videos or use "Honey Virginia Chinese crested Jockey Hollow" on youtube or google videos). she was an eager hiker walking long trails. Honey used to do the longest trail at Jockey Hollow in Morristown, which is a pretty tough trail. Honey was a real trooper when it came to hiking.

It probably isn't a good idea for me to write this prior to going to work since I am beginning to tear up at the memories. I will work on this later...

Later that day...

It's hard being a "hardened criminal defense attorney on Philadelphia's mean streets" when your eyes are puffy from crying, which writing this was beginning to do to me. I didn't start wailing the way I did yesterday. The really bad thing was that my mind was thinking more about Honey and the adventures we had than what was going on in court.

My mind kept remembering the store in Flemington, NJ called the "Bee Happy Honey House" since Honey's real name was Escapades Sweet Honey B. I remembered how we joked about going in and telling them her name and seeing what they would do. Also, I always thought Honey was pretty happy being with me. She was very happy on our jaunts, especially the weekend ones where we went someplace far from home. What a dumb thing to think about at work.

Honey loved going with us. That was the major reason for getting the sherpa bag: she could go with us most places provided there wasn't security and a prohibition against dogs coming in. Honey would see us getting ready to leave and hope in the sherpa tote. You could tell she wanted to go with us. And, she did go most places with me.

The funniest event was when we were in Nawab Indian Restaurant in Bethlehem. Honey managed to escape from the sherpa bag. She was walking around the restaurant and the owner saw her and gave a startled look. We put her back in the bag, but the owner never said anything. In fact, one of the people who worked there thought it was great that we brought our dog in with us and would ask if we had her. It was sort of a well kept secret that we brought the dog into the restaurant. That was one of the reasons I liked going there. The other was that it was "on our way back" from Morristown--the scenic route.

If you've seen the videos, you know that we loved hiking there as mentioned above. Loads of memories of Jockey Hollow at Morristown. But there were other places we loved to hike: Stover Park/High Rocks, the Delaware Canal, The Raritan and Delaware, Heinz National Wildlife Refuge, and Valley Forge. We used to bike with Honey carried by me in a backpack.

The thing is that I wonder how many of these memories were done with Honey and how many with Laci? The only place I know that Laci hasn't gone to is Morristown: at least to hike. The real thing has come down to all the fun adventures I had with Honey, and by extension: Virginia. My wife is not as adventurous as Virginia was, and I miss the day trips. Alayne talks about doing them, but she is too much of a homebody to leave the house for errands let alone adventures.

Honey was a very special dog. Most people who didn't know her thought she had no personality, but she was a very private dog. I felt very special to be loved by Honey. Chinese Cresteds are kind of like wild dogs. Virginia liked to point out they were aloof with strangers. I found they are very into dog etiquette. They don't like being rushed by strange dogs. Honey was also very alpha in her behaviour. I remember Honey making calming signs (yawning) the day when Virginia left.

My mom shared the memory of when we were in the Design Centre and I had gone out of Honey's sight. She was looking around and trying to find me. Then she realised that I was in the restroom and she stood outside the door waiting for me. Honey and I had bonded pretty tightly. Virginia used to come in on Honey and me napping. We would both be on our backs with Honey in my arms and we would be snoring away!

Also, the best way to bathe a hairless crested was to just take her into the shower with me. I used to joke about taking showers with a cute blonde: too bad she was a dog.

One thing I don't miss was all the dumb comments you get when you have a hairless dog: the usual "that's what they look like when they have a haircut" thing. The worst were the world's ugliest dog type comments. Dave Pearson had a good retort which was that they were magic dogs and what you thought about them was your opinion of yourself. Anyway, Honey had real inner beauty in my opinion. A beauty which could only be known by truly knowing her.

Anyway, I miss my pals and the adventures we had. I hope to one day be able to do them again. But until then, here is Honey and Virginia to say goodbye!