When a user goes to the Windows Update website, they may see an error that reads :
Server Error 403-Forbidden: Access Denied
You do not have permission to view this directory or page using the
credentials you supplied.
As you can see on this thread on the Microsoft community website, this issue appears to have started some time on December 10th, 2009.
Have the user check their Windows Update log file which can be found by clicking Start-Run and typing %windir%\Windowsupdate.log and looking for an entry similar to this at the bottom of the file:
FATAL: Update required for C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuweb.dll: target version =
7.2.6001.788, required version = 7.4.7600.226
The fix I have been able to confirm here is to have the user (assuming they have the correct permissions on their system) download and install this file
This will update the failing dll file to the required version. (please note that this link will only be for this version of the windows update agent, any future updates would have a different link)
EDIT: I'm seeing some google traffic hitting this post which is great. If it works for you can you please leave a comment confirming?
Friday, December 11, 2009
Thursday, December 03, 2009
A damn dirty tax and spend liberal complains about a TAX?!?!?!
Perusing an old article on Cincinnati.com this portion of the article really stuck out to me:
"A top Hamilton County official has proposed an array of tax increases – for property owners, shoppers, or smokers, among others – to make up for a hole in the fund that paid for construction of the Bengals’ and Reds’ stadiums."
Now to be fair before I begin this rant... I am a smoker. I've been a smoker for over 20 years now. I know it's bad for me, I know it's expensive, I know it smells... save your non-smoker cliche's cuz I've heard them and if my mom, wife, and 6 year old daughter haven't talked me into quitting, there's no way you've got a shot.
What bothers me here, and bothers me about sin taxes in general is not the THOUGHT behind them, but rather the application of said taxes.
See, if you keep raising the prices of cigarettes, eventually people will quit.
That's fine, that's GREAT, I'm all for it... but see you're not raising cigarette taxes to pay for something like healthcare, which costs more because I smoke. You're raising them to pay for a stadium, or a road, or more police officers.
Don't get me wrong, I'm all for stadiums, roads, and cops... but if I quit smoking, you've lost that tax revenue I was contributing to pay for those things, so where does this revenue come from? Suddenly you've got the same hole in the budget to fill because you went with the easy solution of picking on those filthy smokers again.
We're an easy group to pick on. We know what we're doing grosses most people out and in my personal experience we're some of the most deferential people in society. For the most part we don't complain that we have to go outside to smoke, we'll avoid large crowds of people, the elderly and children. We begrudgingly accept not smoking in restaurants after meals any longer (even though a smoke after a meal is one of the best 20 cigarettes of the day). Heck you guys don't even want smoking in bars any more, fine.
We've reached a point, however, where the sin tax on tobacco has reached it's peak.
mmkay?
"A top Hamilton County official has proposed an array of tax increases – for property owners, shoppers, or smokers, among others – to make up for a hole in the fund that paid for construction of the Bengals’ and Reds’ stadiums."
Now to be fair before I begin this rant... I am a smoker. I've been a smoker for over 20 years now. I know it's bad for me, I know it's expensive, I know it smells... save your non-smoker cliche's cuz I've heard them and if my mom, wife, and 6 year old daughter haven't talked me into quitting, there's no way you've got a shot.
What bothers me here, and bothers me about sin taxes in general is not the THOUGHT behind them, but rather the application of said taxes.
See, if you keep raising the prices of cigarettes, eventually people will quit.
That's fine, that's GREAT, I'm all for it... but see you're not raising cigarette taxes to pay for something like healthcare, which costs more because I smoke. You're raising them to pay for a stadium, or a road, or more police officers.
Don't get me wrong, I'm all for stadiums, roads, and cops... but if I quit smoking, you've lost that tax revenue I was contributing to pay for those things, so where does this revenue come from? Suddenly you've got the same hole in the budget to fill because you went with the easy solution of picking on those filthy smokers again.
We're an easy group to pick on. We know what we're doing grosses most people out and in my personal experience we're some of the most deferential people in society. For the most part we don't complain that we have to go outside to smoke, we'll avoid large crowds of people, the elderly and children. We begrudgingly accept not smoking in restaurants after meals any longer (even though a smoke after a meal is one of the best 20 cigarettes of the day). Heck you guys don't even want smoking in bars any more, fine.
We've reached a point, however, where the sin tax on tobacco has reached it's peak.
mmkay?
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Monday, September 21, 2009
Welcome to the death panel
Read this on Mudflats.net and it was too good not to share:
[cross-posted at The Huffington Post]
I got a phone call from my oldest friend yesterday. We’ve been friends since nursery school, stayed best friends in grade school, high school, college and beyond. We were the kind of friends that had hundreds of “in jokes” and we passed notes, and talked on the phone more than we should have, and drove our parents crazy. We survived Mrs. Nemchek’s Geometry class together. We liked the same music. Neither of us were the “popular” girls, but we didn’t want to be. We marched to our own drummer. We had each other, and we made each other laugh and we were always there for each other without reservation. We got a kick out of the fact that people would routinely ask us if we were sisters, when we looked absolutely nothing alike. There isn’t anyone else in the world with whom I share such a close personal history.
So, it wasn’t unusual to get a call from her. There are times when we talk every other day. Sometimes we seem to go for weeks without a call, but we’re always there in spirit.
“I need to tell you something,” she said. I wasn’t sure whether this was going to be good or bad, but “I need to tell you something” is always important. “I went to the doctor, and there’s something wrong with my heart.”
I wasn’t expecting that one.
My friend has had a series of health problems – a bad car accident resulting in two painful spinal surgeries, asthma, a breast cancer scare, but this was different. Her matter-of-fact tone quickly dissolved into tears of fear and vulnerability. “I can’t believe this. I’m only 43!” This wasn’t supposed to happen.
After her breast cancer scare, the doctor recommended a preventative regimen of tamoxifen, a drug which would help ward off the risk of cancer that her condition indicated might be a problem. But before they started her on the potent drug, they wanted to make sure she had a good healthy heart. A family history of heart disease put her in a high risk group, so the cardiologist insisted on a stress test.
She’s been living through multiple problems with her insurance provider, Horizon Blue Cross/Blue Shield, so she wasn’t surprised when they refused to pay for the test. She was surprised when the doctor decided to call the insurance company himself. He explained why it was important, and that he felt very strongly and in no uncertain terms that it needed to be done. They still refused to pay for the test. And then the cardiologist did an amazing thing. Outraged at the insurance company, he said that he would pay for the test himself, out of his own pocket. It was important, too important to cow to the insurance company representative whose job it was to deny claims just to increase the profits for the company.
My friend wasn’t even able to complete the stress test. After a few minutes on the treadmill, they stopped it and wouldn’t allow her to continue. Shortness of breath. Chest pain. She’d been experiencing these symptoms lately. She was mowing the lawn this week, and had to stop half way through because she couldn’t catch her breath. She chalked it off to asthma. But it was, in fact, a coronary blockage that was keeping one of the chambers of her heart from getting enough oxygen.
So, instead of starting a regimen of tamoxifen next week, she will be getting a stent in her heart tomorrow. She’s home right now, trying to “do nothing”, and trying not to get too stressed out by the thought that she’ll be in surgery in just a few hours, and never even knew anything was wrong.
If her insurance company had gotten its way, she would never have had that test. The next time she was out mowing the lawn, it could have killed her. “He saved my life,” she said, just as I was thinking the same thing. Yes, doctors are in the business of saving lives from disease, and illness and injury, but they shouldn’t have to be in the business of saving lives from business. “He saved my life from the insurance company, she continued. ”The insurance company… there’s your Death Panel.”
I didn’t even ask her his name, but I’m grateful to that cardiologist in the kind of way it’s difficult to express in words. He saved a wonderful, beautiful life. But how many people are not so lucky? A recent study found out that 45,000 people every year die because they are uninsured. And each one of those 45,000 has a story too. They are someone’s husband, or wife, or parent, or best friend since nursery school.
But my friend has health insurance. She pays $600 every month for it, and yet her coverage denied a test that saved her life. How many fully-insured Americans die every year because we allow the insurance industry to be a for-profit enterprise, making money off of people’s lives? How many die because our current system says that the money made for salaries and bonuses for insurance company executives is more important than they are? More important than your mother. More important than your son. More important than my friend. How long will we accept the harsh reality that the insurance company looks at human beings and sees nothing but a spreadsheet?
“We need a revolution in the health care industry,” my friend agreed. “We should not allow them to profit from our own illness.”
Until then, if you have insurance, get in line. Because whatever you are paying them, it’s only a matter of time before your number is up, and it’s you or someone you love that gets to stand in front of the Death Panel and plead your case. And guess what? They’d much rather pay politicians than pay to save your life. It’s cheaper.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Monday, September 14, 2009
Thursday, September 03, 2009
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Crude: The Real Price of Oil
For over three decades, Chevron chose profit over people.
While drilling in the Ecuadorian Amazon from 1964 to 1990, Texaco – which merged with Chevron in 2001 – deliberately dumped more than 18 billion gallons of toxic wastewater, spilled roughly 17 million gallons of crude oil, and left hazardous waste in hundreds of open pits dug out of the forest floor. To save money, Texaco chose to use environmental practices that were obsolete, did not meet industry standards, and were illegal in Ecuador and the United States.
The result was, and continues to be, one of the worst environmental disasters on the planet. Contamination of soil, groundwater, and surface streams has caused local indigenous and campesino people to suffer a wave of mouth, stomach and uterine cancer, birth defects, and spontaneous miscarriages. Chevron has never cleaned up the mess it inherited, and its oil wastes continue to poison the rainforest ecosystem.
Sunday, August 09, 2009
reBlog from howigotmyjob.com: How I Got My Job
In this episode of How I Got My Job (mp3, 25:10, 23.1 MB), Rob Bennett shares how he got a job as a Desk-side Support Technician. I like how he addressed the hiring managers’ concerns about being overqualified and doing a career change.howigotmyjob.com, How I Got My Job, Aug 2009
Sunday, July 26, 2009
So Long, Sarah! Anchorage Bids Farewell to the Governor.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Rules for Pooping in Public
How to Poop at Work
We've all been there but don't like to admit it..
We've all kicked back in our cubicles and suddenly felt
something brewing down below. As much as we try to convince
ourselves otherwise , the *WORK POOP* is inevitable. For those
who hate pooping at work , following is the Survival Guide
for taking a dump at work.
*CROP DUSTING* When farting , you walk really fast around
the office so the smell is not in your area and everyone
else gets a whiff , but doesn't know where it came from.
Be careful when you do this. Do not stop until the full fart
has been expelled. Walk an extra 30 feet to make sure the
smell has left your pants.
*FLY BY* The act of scouting out a bathroom before pooping.
Walk in and check for other poopers. If there are others in
the bathroom , leave and come back again. Be careful not to
become a *FREQUENT FLYER*. People may become suspicious if
they catch you constantly going into the bathroom.
*ESCAPEE* A fart that slips out while taking a pee or
forcing a poop in a stall. This is usually accompanied by a
sudden wave of embarrassment. If you release an escapee , do
not acknowledge it. Pretend it did not happen. If you are a
man and are standing next to the farter in the urinal,
pretend you did not hear it. No one likes an escapee. It is
uncomfortable for all involved. Making a joke or laughing
makes both parties feel uneasy.
*JAILBREAK* When forcing a poop , several farts slip out at
a machine gun pace. This is usually a side effect of
diarrhea or a hangover. If this should happen , do not panic.
Remain in the stall until everyone has left the bathroom to
spare everyone the awkwardness of what just occurred.
*COURTESY FLUSH* The act of flushing the toilet the instant
the poop hits the water. This reduces the amount of air time
the poop has to stink up the bathroom. This can help you
avoid being caught doing the *WALK OF SHAME*.
*WALK OF SHAME* Walking from the stall , to the sink , to the
door after you have just stunk up the bath room.. This can be
a very uncomfortable moment if someone walks in and busts
you. As with farts , it is best to pretend that the smell
does not exist. Can be avoided with the use of the *COURTESY
FLUSH*.
*OUT OF THE CLOSET POOPER* A colleague who poops at work
and is Doggone proud of it. You will often see an Out Of The
Closet Pooper enter the bathroom with a newspaper or
magazine under their arm. Always look around the office for
the Out Of The Closet Pooper before entering the bathroom.
*SAFE HAVENS* A seldom used bathroom somewhere in the
building where you can least expect visitors. Try floors
that are predominantly of the opposite sex. This will reduce
the odds of a pooper of your sex entering the bathroom.
*TURD BURGLAR* Someone who does not realize that you are in
the stall and tries to force the door open. This is one of
the most shocking and vulnerable moments that can occur when
taking a poop at work. If this occurs , remain in the stall
until the *Turd Burglar* leaves. This way you will avoid all
uncomfortable eye contact.
*CAMO-COUGH* A phony cough that alerts all new entrants
into the bathroom that you are in a stall. This can be used
to cover-up a *WATERMELON* , or to alert potential *TURD
BURGLAR*. Very effective when used in conjunction with a
*SHIRLEY TEMPLE*.
*SHIRLEY TEMPLE* A subtle toe-tapping that is used to alert
potential *TURD BURGLARS*that you are occupying a stall. This
will remove all doubt that the stall is occupied. If you
hear a *SHIRLEY TEMPLE* , leave the bathroom immediately so the
pooper can poop in peace.
*WATERMELON* A poop that creates a loud splash when hitting
the toilet water. This is also an embarrassing incident. If
you feel a Watermelon coming on , create a diversion. See
*CAMO-COUGH*.
SOME VARIETIES OF POOP YOU SHOULD BE AWARE OF:
*The King Poop* = This kind is the kind of poop that killed
Elvis. It doesn't come until you're all sweaty,
trembling and purple from straining so hard.
* Bali Belly Poop* = You poop so much you lose 5 lbs.
*Cement Block* = You wish you'd gotten a spinal block
before you poop.
*Cork Poop* = Even after the third flush , it's still floating
in there. How do I get rid of it? This poop usually happens
at someone else's house.
*The Bungee Poop* = The kind of poop that just hangs off your
rear before it falls into the water.
*The Crippler* = The kind of poop where you have to sit on
the toilet so long your legs go numb from the waist down.
*The Chitty Chitty Bang Bang* = The kind of poop that hits
you when you're trapped in your car in a traffic jam.
*The Party Pooper* = The giant poop you take at a party. And
when you flush the toilet , you watch in horror as the water
starts to rise...
NOW EVERYONE TRY TO GO POOP IN PEACE
QUIT LAUGHING... POOPING IS A NATURAL PROCESS
Thursday, July 09, 2009
Timing is everything
[14:00] MarcEntex: so I was watching mcneal lehrer last night
[14:00] MarcEntex: and they have a segment about professionals looking for work
[14:00] MarcEntex: some of them for longer then a year
[14:00] MarcEntex: so I shot myself
[14:01] armonde: apparently you should take aiming lessons from McNair's gf
[14:01] armonde: or should have I guess
[14:01] MarcEntex: she hit 4 times
[14:01] armonde: 5
[14:01] MarcEntex: including herself?
[14:01] armonde: yes
[14:01] armonde: she shot that one too, it counts
[14:02] MarcEntex: right
[14:00] MarcEntex: and they have a segment about professionals looking for work
[14:00] MarcEntex: some of them for longer then a year
[14:00] MarcEntex: so I shot myself
[14:01] armonde: apparently you should take aiming lessons from McNair's gf
[14:01] armonde: or should have I guess
[14:01] MarcEntex: she hit 4 times
[14:01] armonde: 5
[14:01] MarcEntex: including herself?
[14:01] armonde: yes
[14:01] armonde: she shot that one too, it counts
[14:02] MarcEntex: right
Monday, July 06, 2009
Top 10 REAL reasons Sarah Palin is quitting
I blatantly stole this from a comment on ADN.com, but can't find a reliable way to link to the original post, so my apologies and thanks to lilsuzq32:
Top 10 Real Reasons Sarah Palin Is Resigning As Governor:
10. She's pregnant again and is having John Edwards' baby.
9. She's "hiking the Appalachian Trail" with Mark Sanford.
8. She wants to spend more time teaching abstinence to her family.
7. She's joining the cast of "I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here!"
6. She wants to spend more time watching Russia from her house.
5. She wants to devote herself full-time to making comedians apologize for all the new jokes they're going to tell about her.
4. Her daughter Bristol actually IS having Alex Rodriguez's baby.
3. She's taking up Playboy's offer to pose nude as part of their upcoming "Governors Gone Wild" issue.
2. She came to the end of the Bridge to Nowhere that is her political career.
1. She didn't resign at all. It was an elaborate hoax pulled off by Tina Fey.
Have any better? Post them in the comments section.
Top 10 Real Reasons Sarah Palin Is Resigning As Governor:
10. She's pregnant again and is having John Edwards' baby.
9. She's "hiking the Appalachian Trail" with Mark Sanford.
8. She wants to spend more time teaching abstinence to her family.
7. She's joining the cast of "I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here!"
6. She wants to spend more time watching Russia from her house.
5. She wants to devote herself full-time to making comedians apologize for all the new jokes they're going to tell about her.
4. Her daughter Bristol actually IS having Alex Rodriguez's baby.
3. She's taking up Playboy's offer to pose nude as part of their upcoming "Governors Gone Wild" issue.
2. She came to the end of the Bridge to Nowhere that is her political career.
1. She didn't resign at all. It was an elaborate hoax pulled off by Tina Fey.
Have any better? Post them in the comments section.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Interview with Andy Hillstrand of The Time Bandit (Deadliest Catch)
In honor of tonight's season premiere of Deadliest Catch, I'm reposting the interview I did while I worked at WagNBrag.com with Andy Hillstrand, co-captain of the Time Bandit:
WagNBrag.com Celebrity Q&A - Andy Hillstrand of Deadliest Catch
I imagine that our household is not unique when it comes to our choices in what to watch on TV. My wife and I seldom agree, which means most of the time we’re watching what she wants. There is one big exception to this rule, Tuesday nights at 9pm our television is always tuned to the Discovery Channel as we are completely hooked on the show Deadliest Catch.
Watching these brave men take their lives into their hands on a moment by moment basis in one of the few true reality shows on TV makes for the type of drama only real life can create. So imagine our surprise when we discovered that just a few miles outside of Evansville Indiana one of our favorite captains on the show not only lived, but owns the Hobby Horse Acres ranch.
Andy Hillstrand, co-captain of the F/V Time Bandit, was gracious enough to take some time out of his very busy schedule to answer a few questions for WagNBrag.com. Hillstrand explains what it's like to go from pulling up king crabs in the Bering Sea to training a horse in the Heartland of America.
WNB: It’s quite a transition from a commercial fisherman to a horse trainer, who introduced you to horses and what is the appeal?
Andy: My wife bought two horses one year when I was out fishing. From there on it was just the pure raw power and gentleness of them that hooked me. Like the ocean, they can be calm one minute and explosive the next which is a fun challenge.
WNB: Your family moved from Alaska to Indiana about 5 years ago, how did the animals react to such a drastic change in climate?
Andy: Like me, they have learned to acclimate, but I’m sure they would love to be by the ocean to smell the salt air again.
WNB: Tell me about the horses you have now.
Andy: I have two dark brown foundation quarter horses, Rio and Midnight, and one quarter horse appaloosa, Snowflake. One yearling paint filly, Buckshot, and a miniature horse, Morning Star. The foundation quarter horses are five and nine years old. Rio is my favorite and he can be seen on my website. Snowflake and Morning Star are on the website too. We board an assortment of other horses too.
WNB: What about riding centers you?
Andy: It is very basic, but not simple. I have to ride the horse without getting in the way of his natural movement which takes all my emotional and mental concentration as well as my physical balance and fitness. The horse provides an instant source of feedback if I am out of balance physically, emotionally or mentally and he lets me know right away; that keeps me very centered.
WNB: What is Natural Horsemanship?
Andy: Natural Horsemanship is the training of horses and humans using communication, understanding, and psychology rather than fear or intimidation or mechanical means.
WNB: Can you apply the same principles to training and interacting with other animals such as dogs and cats?
Andy: You can apply the same principles, but dogs and cats are predators and horses are prey animals. Dogs and Cats operate off praise, reward, and recognition while horses respond to safety, comfort, and play.
WNB: How long have you been training others in Natural Horsemanship?
Andy: Only about three years on a professional level. I’ve been teaching my wife and daughter and friends for about nine years.
WNB: Is Hobby Horse Acres a family affair?
Andy: Yes the ranch is a family affair; my wife and I. Our daughters are grown and on their own.
WNB: What services do you offer at Hobby Horse Acres?
Andy: We board horses, teach riding lessons, train horses, have day camps, host birthday parties and events.
WNB: Describe a typical (if there is such a thing) day at Hobby Horse Acres.
Andy: Wake up at 6:30 AM, making coffee, letting Cali & Bait out (the dogs), checking my emails, making sure the stable hands and instructors are doing their jobs cleaning stalls and getting prepared for day camp or lessons. Until recently I was the one cleaning the stalls and giving the lessons, but now we have employees to do that so I can work on promoting Time Bandit Productions and all that entails.
WNB: What does the rest of your extended family think about the ranch?
Andy: They love it except my brother Johnathan thinks I am crazy because Superman was killed while horseback riding.
WNB: Where did your affinity for animals develop?
Andy: As a young boy growing up around animals, both wild and tame, it has always been in my blood.
WNB: Do you consider your horses as pets? Do you have any other pets?
Andy: More like friends and partners. I have two dogs and two cats.
WNB: What do the animals in your life do for you?
Andy: They teach me to live in the moment and not to take anything for granted, to have fun, live life, love and shut up and fish!
WNB: What other animals have you cared for in your life?
Andy: Baby bunnies, cats, dogs, birds, pet rodents, pet reptiles; the whole gamete of pets my children had during their childhood. Even had pet squirrels! Saved a baby bunny rabbit off the side of the road and hand fed it until I handed him off to a rabbit rescuer.
WNB: If you had to pick between pulling full pots of crabs or riding off into the sunset, which would it be?
Andy: Who said I can’t have both? Pulling pots is like riding off into the sunset.
WNB: What’s the best way to contact you about lessons or boarding?
Andy: Go to www.hobbyhorseacres.net and click on the email us link
For more information about Andy and his brother Johnathan and their lifelong ambition to catch every crab on the bottom of the Bering Sea, check out their autobiography Time Bandit: Two Brothers, the Bering Sea, and One of the World's Deadliest Jobs or visit their fishing website http://www.timebandit.tv. Also don’t miss Deadliest Catch, Tuesdays at 9pm on the Discovery Channel.
WagNBrag.com Celebrity Q&A - Andy Hillstrand of Deadliest Catch
I imagine that our household is not unique when it comes to our choices in what to watch on TV. My wife and I seldom agree, which means most of the time we’re watching what she wants. There is one big exception to this rule, Tuesday nights at 9pm our television is always tuned to the Discovery Channel as we are completely hooked on the show Deadliest Catch.
Watching these brave men take their lives into their hands on a moment by moment basis in one of the few true reality shows on TV makes for the type of drama only real life can create. So imagine our surprise when we discovered that just a few miles outside of Evansville Indiana one of our favorite captains on the show not only lived, but owns the Hobby Horse Acres ranch.
Andy Hillstrand, co-captain of the F/V Time Bandit, was gracious enough to take some time out of his very busy schedule to answer a few questions for WagNBrag.com. Hillstrand explains what it's like to go from pulling up king crabs in the Bering Sea to training a horse in the Heartland of America.
WNB: It’s quite a transition from a commercial fisherman to a horse trainer, who introduced you to horses and what is the appeal?
Andy: My wife bought two horses one year when I was out fishing. From there on it was just the pure raw power and gentleness of them that hooked me. Like the ocean, they can be calm one minute and explosive the next which is a fun challenge.
WNB: Your family moved from Alaska to Indiana about 5 years ago, how did the animals react to such a drastic change in climate?
Andy: Like me, they have learned to acclimate, but I’m sure they would love to be by the ocean to smell the salt air again.
WNB: Tell me about the horses you have now.
Andy: I have two dark brown foundation quarter horses, Rio and Midnight, and one quarter horse appaloosa, Snowflake. One yearling paint filly, Buckshot, and a miniature horse, Morning Star. The foundation quarter horses are five and nine years old. Rio is my favorite and he can be seen on my website. Snowflake and Morning Star are on the website too. We board an assortment of other horses too.
WNB: What about riding centers you?
Andy: It is very basic, but not simple. I have to ride the horse without getting in the way of his natural movement which takes all my emotional and mental concentration as well as my physical balance and fitness. The horse provides an instant source of feedback if I am out of balance physically, emotionally or mentally and he lets me know right away; that keeps me very centered.
WNB: What is Natural Horsemanship?
Andy: Natural Horsemanship is the training of horses and humans using communication, understanding, and psychology rather than fear or intimidation or mechanical means.
WNB: Can you apply the same principles to training and interacting with other animals such as dogs and cats?
Andy: You can apply the same principles, but dogs and cats are predators and horses are prey animals. Dogs and Cats operate off praise, reward, and recognition while horses respond to safety, comfort, and play.
WNB: How long have you been training others in Natural Horsemanship?
Andy: Only about three years on a professional level. I’ve been teaching my wife and daughter and friends for about nine years.
WNB: Is Hobby Horse Acres a family affair?
Andy: Yes the ranch is a family affair; my wife and I. Our daughters are grown and on their own.
WNB: What services do you offer at Hobby Horse Acres?
Andy: We board horses, teach riding lessons, train horses, have day camps, host birthday parties and events.
WNB: Describe a typical (if there is such a thing) day at Hobby Horse Acres.
Andy: Wake up at 6:30 AM, making coffee, letting Cali & Bait out (the dogs), checking my emails, making sure the stable hands and instructors are doing their jobs cleaning stalls and getting prepared for day camp or lessons. Until recently I was the one cleaning the stalls and giving the lessons, but now we have employees to do that so I can work on promoting Time Bandit Productions and all that entails.
WNB: What does the rest of your extended family think about the ranch?
Andy: They love it except my brother Johnathan thinks I am crazy because Superman was killed while horseback riding.
WNB: Where did your affinity for animals develop?
Andy: As a young boy growing up around animals, both wild and tame, it has always been in my blood.
WNB: Do you consider your horses as pets? Do you have any other pets?
Andy: More like friends and partners. I have two dogs and two cats.
WNB: What do the animals in your life do for you?
Andy: They teach me to live in the moment and not to take anything for granted, to have fun, live life, love and shut up and fish!
WNB: What other animals have you cared for in your life?
Andy: Baby bunnies, cats, dogs, birds, pet rodents, pet reptiles; the whole gamete of pets my children had during their childhood. Even had pet squirrels! Saved a baby bunny rabbit off the side of the road and hand fed it until I handed him off to a rabbit rescuer.
WNB: If you had to pick between pulling full pots of crabs or riding off into the sunset, which would it be?
Andy: Who said I can’t have both? Pulling pots is like riding off into the sunset.
WNB: What’s the best way to contact you about lessons or boarding?
Andy: Go to www.hobbyhorseacres.net and click on the email us link
For more information about Andy and his brother Johnathan and their lifelong ambition to catch every crab on the bottom of the Bering Sea, check out their autobiography Time Bandit: Two Brothers, the Bering Sea, and One of the World's Deadliest Jobs or visit their fishing website http://www.timebandit.tv. Also don’t miss Deadliest Catch, Tuesdays at 9pm on the Discovery Channel.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
You will be missed
I lost something today... and I didn't know I had it to lose.
As some of you may or may not know, I have been basically unemployed since August 2008. It's been difficult - emotional, physically, and financially - but through the support of my friends and my family we have been able to pull through so far.
About two and a half months ago, I got a very short term position via Belcan from a gentleman I had been following on Twitter for a few months prior. John Kennedy was a pioneer in his field. He realized the power of the Twitter service to reach out to the unemployed and connect with them in such a way as to better match an individual with a job. Every other recruiter I have ever dealt with is more concerned with shoving as many faces in front of the client regardless of a legitimate match on both sides just so they can get their commission. Not John. He took the time to get to know you. He wanted it to work.
A few weeks after Christmas, John was let go by Belcan. I never got the story from him, but I got the distinct impression over our conversations that it was due to him speaking his mind honestly in a Jerry Mcguire-ish way that came back to haunt him.
John took the layoff hard. We spoke on the phone several times a week, each time we spoke I could tell John was hit hard by the layoff. He was positive he was going to lose his house, concerned as to how he would provide for his wife and his father, and in general just hit very hard by the suddenness of it all.
I always stayed upbeat with him, promising him that things will work out in the long run. I would ask him how things were going on his interviews, provide him with job leads that I ran across that I felt he would be a fit for, and even talked him up to other recruiters I was in conversation with at the time as a perfect addition to their teams.
In the past week, life got in the way of our talks. I hadn't reached out and it really wasn't his way to call me. I noticed him tweeting still and this morning, decided to call him. There was no answer so I assumed he was either out on a gig or an interview. At 2pm eastern, I saw this update: "RIP you will be missed"
I called his house again and spoke with his wife.
John had committed suicide this morning.
John wasn't one of my "close" friends, but he was someone whom I cared about. He was someone I leaned on in my own way and allowed to lean on me.
I can't stress enough how important it is to help people around you. Please. If you know someone who is letting the stress of this fucked up world get to them, make sure you are supporting them. Reach out, share... just... be there.
I wish I had been there more for my friend...
As some of you may or may not know, I have been basically unemployed since August 2008. It's been difficult - emotional, physically, and financially - but through the support of my friends and my family we have been able to pull through so far.
About two and a half months ago, I got a very short term position via Belcan from a gentleman I had been following on Twitter for a few months prior. John Kennedy was a pioneer in his field. He realized the power of the Twitter service to reach out to the unemployed and connect with them in such a way as to better match an individual with a job. Every other recruiter I have ever dealt with is more concerned with shoving as many faces in front of the client regardless of a legitimate match on both sides just so they can get their commission. Not John. He took the time to get to know you. He wanted it to work.
A few weeks after Christmas, John was let go by Belcan. I never got the story from him, but I got the distinct impression over our conversations that it was due to him speaking his mind honestly in a Jerry Mcguire-ish way that came back to haunt him.
John took the layoff hard. We spoke on the phone several times a week, each time we spoke I could tell John was hit hard by the layoff. He was positive he was going to lose his house, concerned as to how he would provide for his wife and his father, and in general just hit very hard by the suddenness of it all.
I always stayed upbeat with him, promising him that things will work out in the long run. I would ask him how things were going on his interviews, provide him with job leads that I ran across that I felt he would be a fit for, and even talked him up to other recruiters I was in conversation with at the time as a perfect addition to their teams.
In the past week, life got in the way of our talks. I hadn't reached out and it really wasn't his way to call me. I noticed him tweeting still and this morning, decided to call him. There was no answer so I assumed he was either out on a gig or an interview. At 2pm eastern, I saw this update: "RIP you will be missed"
I called his house again and spoke with his wife.
John had committed suicide this morning.
John wasn't one of my "close" friends, but he was someone whom I cared about. He was someone I leaned on in my own way and allowed to lean on me.
I can't stress enough how important it is to help people around you. Please. If you know someone who is letting the stress of this fucked up world get to them, make sure you are supporting them. Reach out, share... just... be there.
I wish I had been there more for my friend...
Sunday, January 25, 2009
25 things about me
I originally posted this up to my facebook profile, but thought it would worth sharing here as well:
1. I was born in North Carolina and lived there until I was 4. My earliest memories are our two dogs and the neighbor across the street and her rabbits. I also think I remember walking down our street and seeing dinosaurs attacking each other over the treeline, but that could be the LSD my mom slipped into the formula.
2. I only got straight A's one time in my life - 3rd quarter of my 1st grade year in Richmond Virginia. Scholastically it's been all down hill since then.
3. While we lived in Richmond, my father was the engineer for WLEE AM 1480. I used to visit him at the station all the time and developed my love of music and radio during this time
4. My best friend in Richmond was a boy named Daniel. Daniel was the first Jewish person I remember meeting. Together with another boy, Jason Putt (he had a welcome mat on his house that said Putt Putt for the fun of it) we built what was the worlds greatest tree house, with multiple points of entrance, 5 different rooms across 2 full levels. My parents informed me later in life that it should have been condemned.
5. The first movie I remember my dad taking me to was Empire Strikes Back. The theater was in the Richmond mall and I remember the line stretched through the mall, out the door, down the block and around the corner. We were in line for at least 3 showings before we got in.
6. The second movie I remember my dad taking me to was Blazing Saddles 10 year re-release, I have never laughed so hard in my life and it's still one of my favorite movies.
7. Until High School, I was never in the same school for more than 2 consecutive years.
8. I went to YMCA Camp Storer every year from grade 4 through 10, and then volunteered up at the camp for another two years.
9. I graduated from St. John's Jesuit in lovely Toledo, Ohio. While at SJJ, I was personally responsible for the immortal lines "Ketchup?" and "For I am Robert, the EXPENDABLE!"... ok, so they aren't really immortal but they still make me smile when I think about them.
10. I only went to one year of college, Ohio University in Athens, where I majored in screwing up, drinking Brainstompers from The Greenery, and Euchre. My GPA was so bad I refuse to acknowledge that I had one, which is unfortunately NOT that far from the truth.
11. I moved to Cincinnati in '93 and had to cut my hair for my first job at King's Island (yes the same place Mike Brady took the kids to deliver blueprints for a new roller coaster) as an attendant in the corn dog stand in front of the King Cobra. To this day I remember that 2 corn dog's and a Coke cost $5.25 in 1993. While working at this stand I met 2 of the best friends I have ever had, even if one of them hated me for the first 4 years of our relationship.
12. While stoned out of my mind one night in 1994 watching Simpson's reruns on Fox19, I decided to attend the Ohio Center for Broadcasting to train to become a real Disk Jockey! I graduated 9 months later.
13. My first radio job was at WKID 95.9 fm in lovely Vevay (pronounced Vee Vee) Indiana. I was the Maverick on the New Kid Country. If I had to pick one genre of music that I despise more than virtually anything, it would be country, this job didn't last too long.
14. I worked for Jacor Communications in Cincinnati for several of their stations. While at Jacor, I was able to get Channel 12 news personality Cammy Dierking to discuss in depth how asparagus changes the color and smell of her urine. Within 30 seconds of the end of the conversation, I had passed the tape along to the morning show at WEBN (local "shocking" rock station) and Cammy never spoke to me again... but I still have the tape.
15. Between June 1993 and August 2000, my hair was cut exactly 6 times. Five of those were only small trims to clear out any split ends. I still miss my long hair. Here is my hair in 1995:
16. I met my wife on October 12th, 1998. This is still the luckiest day of my life.
17. My kids are named for individuals who have had extreme importance in my life without realizing it. My daughter Megan is named in honor of one of my dearest friends from high school, Megan Beck, who was tragically taken far too early from this earth. My son Joseph Tyler is named after Joe Perry and Steven Tyler of Aerosmith. As lame as that may be, the music those two created has gotten me through almost every negative period of my life since 1987.
18. In keeping with the Aerosmith moment, I have seen them over 70 times since '87, going backstage 10 times. My 50th time seeing them was 10 years and 2 days after the 1st time in the same venue and sitting within 1 row of my first seats.
19. I'm totally addicted to my xbox (live id Armonde74) and have reached the point in my life where when given a choice between being intimate with my wife or playing another game of Call Of Duty 4, I struggle with the decision.
20. I started playing bass in 1987 because I wanted to sound like one of the greatest musicians of all time, Bootsy Collins. 15 years later, I met the great Bootzilla, when a friend of mine introduced us. Bootsy lives about 1/4 of a mile down the street from me now, but in a much nicer house.
21. I've been in 5 auto accidents in my life. Two were run of the mill "normal" accidents. The remaining three involved the following: Hitting a boat (yes, with a car), skidding through a farmer's front lawn at approximately 60 mph and hitting a telephone pole he had lined his driveway with (according to the farmer I had the 1988 Dodge Caravan at least 6 feet in the air upon impact), and catching a car on fire after running over a couch cushion.
23. I nickname my animals after items I could have purchased if I didn't have to spend extra vet money on them. My dog Jack is also known as "Laptop," Kirby is "Vacation," and the newest dog Ringo is "Carton."
24. Since 1997, I have only been drunk 5 times. Twice at weddings, twice in Cancun, once in Toledo where I ran around the parking lot of the Holiday Inn Express in Perrysburg at 2 am quacking like a duck.
25. Though I like to pretend to be miserable most of the time, I know that I'm surrounded by people who love and support me. While my life has not turned out how I imagined, I am lucky to be where I am and I really do appreciate it. (I know this is a cop out answer but it's now 3 hours on this damn quiz and I'm flat out of ideas... you try and do better.)
1. I was born in North Carolina and lived there until I was 4. My earliest memories are our two dogs and the neighbor across the street and her rabbits. I also think I remember walking down our street and seeing dinosaurs attacking each other over the treeline, but that could be the LSD my mom slipped into the formula.
2. I only got straight A's one time in my life - 3rd quarter of my 1st grade year in Richmond Virginia. Scholastically it's been all down hill since then.
3. While we lived in Richmond, my father was the engineer for WLEE AM 1480. I used to visit him at the station all the time and developed my love of music and radio during this time
4. My best friend in Richmond was a boy named Daniel. Daniel was the first Jewish person I remember meeting. Together with another boy, Jason Putt (he had a welcome mat on his house that said Putt Putt for the fun of it) we built what was the worlds greatest tree house, with multiple points of entrance, 5 different rooms across 2 full levels. My parents informed me later in life that it should have been condemned.
5. The first movie I remember my dad taking me to was Empire Strikes Back. The theater was in the Richmond mall and I remember the line stretched through the mall, out the door, down the block and around the corner. We were in line for at least 3 showings before we got in.
6. The second movie I remember my dad taking me to was Blazing Saddles 10 year re-release, I have never laughed so hard in my life and it's still one of my favorite movies.
7. Until High School, I was never in the same school for more than 2 consecutive years.
8. I went to YMCA Camp Storer every year from grade 4 through 10, and then volunteered up at the camp for another two years.
9. I graduated from St. John's Jesuit in lovely Toledo, Ohio. While at SJJ, I was personally responsible for the immortal lines "Ketchup?" and "For I am Robert, the EXPENDABLE!"... ok, so they aren't really immortal but they still make me smile when I think about them.
10. I only went to one year of college, Ohio University in Athens, where I majored in screwing up, drinking Brainstompers from The Greenery, and Euchre. My GPA was so bad I refuse to acknowledge that I had one, which is unfortunately NOT that far from the truth.
11. I moved to Cincinnati in '93 and had to cut my hair for my first job at King's Island (yes the same place Mike Brady took the kids to deliver blueprints for a new roller coaster) as an attendant in the corn dog stand in front of the King Cobra. To this day I remember that 2 corn dog's and a Coke cost $5.25 in 1993. While working at this stand I met 2 of the best friends I have ever had, even if one of them hated me for the first 4 years of our relationship.
12. While stoned out of my mind one night in 1994 watching Simpson's reruns on Fox19, I decided to attend the Ohio Center for Broadcasting to train to become a real Disk Jockey! I graduated 9 months later.
13. My first radio job was at WKID 95.9 fm in lovely Vevay (pronounced Vee Vee) Indiana. I was the Maverick on the New Kid Country. If I had to pick one genre of music that I despise more than virtually anything, it would be country, this job didn't last too long.
14. I worked for Jacor Communications in Cincinnati for several of their stations. While at Jacor, I was able to get Channel 12 news personality Cammy Dierking to discuss in depth how asparagus changes the color and smell of her urine. Within 30 seconds of the end of the conversation, I had passed the tape along to the morning show at WEBN (local "shocking" rock station) and Cammy never spoke to me again... but I still have the tape.
15. Between June 1993 and August 2000, my hair was cut exactly 6 times. Five of those were only small trims to clear out any split ends. I still miss my long hair. Here is my hair in 1995:
16. I met my wife on October 12th, 1998. This is still the luckiest day of my life.
17. My kids are named for individuals who have had extreme importance in my life without realizing it. My daughter Megan is named in honor of one of my dearest friends from high school, Megan Beck, who was tragically taken far too early from this earth. My son Joseph Tyler is named after Joe Perry and Steven Tyler of Aerosmith. As lame as that may be, the music those two created has gotten me through almost every negative period of my life since 1987.
18. In keeping with the Aerosmith moment, I have seen them over 70 times since '87, going backstage 10 times. My 50th time seeing them was 10 years and 2 days after the 1st time in the same venue and sitting within 1 row of my first seats.
19. I'm totally addicted to my xbox (live id Armonde74) and have reached the point in my life where when given a choice between being intimate with my wife or playing another game of Call Of Duty 4, I struggle with the decision.
20. I started playing bass in 1987 because I wanted to sound like one of the greatest musicians of all time, Bootsy Collins. 15 years later, I met the great Bootzilla, when a friend of mine introduced us. Bootsy lives about 1/4 of a mile down the street from me now, but in a much nicer house.
21. I've been in 5 auto accidents in my life. Two were run of the mill "normal" accidents. The remaining three involved the following: Hitting a boat (yes, with a car), skidding through a farmer's front lawn at approximately 60 mph and hitting a telephone pole he had lined his driveway with (according to the farmer I had the 1988 Dodge Caravan at least 6 feet in the air upon impact), and catching a car on fire after running over a couch cushion.
23. I nickname my animals after items I could have purchased if I didn't have to spend extra vet money on them. My dog Jack is also known as "Laptop," Kirby is "Vacation," and the newest dog Ringo is "Carton."
24. Since 1997, I have only been drunk 5 times. Twice at weddings, twice in Cancun, once in Toledo where I ran around the parking lot of the Holiday Inn Express in Perrysburg at 2 am quacking like a duck.
25. Though I like to pretend to be miserable most of the time, I know that I'm surrounded by people who love and support me. While my life has not turned out how I imagined, I am lucky to be where I am and I really do appreciate it. (I know this is a cop out answer but it's now 3 hours on this damn quiz and I'm flat out of ideas... you try and do better.)
Friday, January 23, 2009
"Rob's Three Amigo's" application
I am not a social person by nature. I tend not to trust new people until I have interacted with them several times in a variety of settings and even that is just to get comfortable enough to start pushing buttons to see how far I can push them before they hate me, thus reinforcing my predetermined decision that they weren’t worth the effort to be friendly with anyways. (I know, I’m sick but it’s worked for me this long so I’ll stick with it).
That being said, similar to the Dark Lords of the Sith, I have the “Rob’s Rule of Three” which grants me the permission to be friends with three people at the same time (not counting the wife, I’m legally obligated to be friends with her). As I have been remiss in replacing the last friend to leave the circle over two years ago and facing the impending loss of another when he moves to Germany for another job, I have decided to take open applications to join “Rob’s Three Amigo’s”
Prior to filling out and submitting the application listed below, please note the following requirements. Failure to meet all requirements will result in an immediate fine of $500 and disqualification from any future interaction with anyone I know.
1) A tolerance for soliloquy’s. My favorite director is Kevin Smith and I tend to speak in the same style of long, often humorous (at least to me) diatribes about whatever subject I wish to pretend I’m an expert on that day.
2) A thorough knowledge of mid to late 80’s hair metal, in addition to an appreciation to the genius that is Aerosmith (pre 9 Lives).
3) Be geek enough to talk computers, internet, software, and video games with me.
4) Have a thick skin, as I will try to annoy you and once I find something that does that, I will NEVER stop bringing it up.
If you meet the above requirements, please fill out the following questionnaire/quiz and submit with a $25 administrative review and filing fee to armonde[at]gmail[dot]com:
1) Name:
2) Nickname:
3) If I choose to make up a nickname for you, as I most certainly will, do you have any names that are strictly off limits (ex. “Doofus,” “Bozo,” etc…)?
4) Please list your last three friends:
5) Who is your current or most recent best friend?
6) Reason for ending relationship:
7) What qualities do you possess that you feel could not be satisfied by a more traditional friend, like a dog? Use another sheet of paper if necessary.
8) What is the latest/earliest that you will accept phone calls?
9) Identify, using the quote, and re-enact the following Monty Python routines:
A) “I didn’t expect some kind of Spanish Inquisition…”
B) “Do you, in fact, have any cheese here at all?”
C) “He’s not dead, he’s pinin’ for the fjords.”
10) Fill in the blanks: “Hey, Rob, I really _____ your _____! It is totally _____!”
11) Identify the films from which the following quotes were taken:
A) “Nihilists! Fuck me. I mean, say what you like about the tenets of National Socialism, Dude, at least it's an ethos.”
B) “Prepare ship for ludicrous speed! Fasten all seatbelts, seal all entrances and exits, close all shops in the mall, cancel the three ring circus, secure all animals in the zoo!”
C) “Hi Willie. Oh, I'm Mike Walsh. You've been expecting me, haven't you? Well I made it. I beat you. I got here in one piece... so far.
12) If I were to say to you, “Hey, I just got this new Blind Slim Williamson CD. It’s a reissue of a Library of Congress recording from a back porch in Hushpuckenah, Mississippi in 1936 and features Sandbox Leroy on harmonica. If you listen closely, you can hear Williamson’s wife cussing him out during some of the softer choruses,” would you reply:
A) Wow, that sounds amazing. Put it on. Turn it up.
B) Really? Is that the one where they do a version of Memphis Johnson’s “Cott’npatch Moan?” I think I used to have that on vinyl.
C) Why the hell would I want to listen to an ancient, scratchy recording of some dead guy playing an out-of-tune guitar?
13) How many times have you seen Metallica live in concert?
14) If I were to say, “I used to be a doctor, but I had to quit, ’cause I kept losing my patience,” would you reply:
A) Oh, how very, very witty. Ah ha ha ha ha. Please! Stop! My side!
B) There was a time when I held fast to the notion that the pun was the lowest form of wit, but the more time I spend with you the more I am beginning to realize that it is a grossly overlooked and underappreciated art form, one that you are not only single-handedly reviving, but also taking to levels never before imagined possible.
C) Good bye.
That being said, similar to the Dark Lords of the Sith, I have the “Rob’s Rule of Three” which grants me the permission to be friends with three people at the same time (not counting the wife, I’m legally obligated to be friends with her). As I have been remiss in replacing the last friend to leave the circle over two years ago and facing the impending loss of another when he moves to Germany for another job, I have decided to take open applications to join “Rob’s Three Amigo’s”
Prior to filling out and submitting the application listed below, please note the following requirements. Failure to meet all requirements will result in an immediate fine of $500 and disqualification from any future interaction with anyone I know.
1) A tolerance for soliloquy’s. My favorite director is Kevin Smith and I tend to speak in the same style of long, often humorous (at least to me) diatribes about whatever subject I wish to pretend I’m an expert on that day.
2) A thorough knowledge of mid to late 80’s hair metal, in addition to an appreciation to the genius that is Aerosmith (pre 9 Lives).
3) Be geek enough to talk computers, internet, software, and video games with me.
4) Have a thick skin, as I will try to annoy you and once I find something that does that, I will NEVER stop bringing it up.
If you meet the above requirements, please fill out the following questionnaire/quiz and submit with a $25 administrative review and filing fee to armonde[at]gmail[dot]com:
1) Name:
2) Nickname:
3) If I choose to make up a nickname for you, as I most certainly will, do you have any names that are strictly off limits (ex. “Doofus,” “Bozo,” etc…)?
4) Please list your last three friends:
5) Who is your current or most recent best friend?
6) Reason for ending relationship:
7) What qualities do you possess that you feel could not be satisfied by a more traditional friend, like a dog? Use another sheet of paper if necessary.
8) What is the latest/earliest that you will accept phone calls?
9) Identify, using the quote, and re-enact the following Monty Python routines:
A) “I didn’t expect some kind of Spanish Inquisition…”
B) “Do you, in fact, have any cheese here at all?”
C) “He’s not dead, he’s pinin’ for the fjords.”
10) Fill in the blanks: “Hey, Rob, I really _____ your _____! It is totally _____!”
11) Identify the films from which the following quotes were taken:
A) “Nihilists! Fuck me. I mean, say what you like about the tenets of National Socialism, Dude, at least it's an ethos.”
B) “Prepare ship for ludicrous speed! Fasten all seatbelts, seal all entrances and exits, close all shops in the mall, cancel the three ring circus, secure all animals in the zoo!”
C) “Hi Willie. Oh, I'm Mike Walsh. You've been expecting me, haven't you? Well I made it. I beat you. I got here in one piece... so far.
12) If I were to say to you, “Hey, I just got this new Blind Slim Williamson CD. It’s a reissue of a Library of Congress recording from a back porch in Hushpuckenah, Mississippi in 1936 and features Sandbox Leroy on harmonica. If you listen closely, you can hear Williamson’s wife cussing him out during some of the softer choruses,” would you reply:
A) Wow, that sounds amazing. Put it on. Turn it up.
B) Really? Is that the one where they do a version of Memphis Johnson’s “Cott’npatch Moan?” I think I used to have that on vinyl.
C) Why the hell would I want to listen to an ancient, scratchy recording of some dead guy playing an out-of-tune guitar?
13) How many times have you seen Metallica live in concert?
14) If I were to say, “I used to be a doctor, but I had to quit, ’cause I kept losing my patience,” would you reply:
A) Oh, how very, very witty. Ah ha ha ha ha. Please! Stop! My side!
B) There was a time when I held fast to the notion that the pun was the lowest form of wit, but the more time I spend with you the more I am beginning to realize that it is a grossly overlooked and underappreciated art form, one that you are not only single-handedly reviving, but also taking to levels never before imagined possible.
C) Good bye.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Barack Obama's Inaguaration Speech
My fellow citizens:I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.
Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because we the people have remained faithful to the ideals of our forebears, and true to our founding documents.
So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.
That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.
These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land — a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.
Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America — they will be met.
On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.
On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.
We remain a young nation, but in the words of scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.
In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of shortcuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted — for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things — some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.
For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.
For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.
For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.
Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.
This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions — that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.
For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act — not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.
Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions — who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.
What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them — that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works — whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account — to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day — because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.
Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control — and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our gross domestic product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart — not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.
As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our founding fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.
Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.
We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort — even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.
For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus — and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.
To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West — know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.
To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.
As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment — a moment that will define a generation — it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.
For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.
Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends — hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism — these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility — a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.
This is the price and the promise of citizenship.
This is the source of our confidence — the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.
This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed — why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.
So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:
"Let it be told to the future world ... that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet (it)."
America, in the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.