Friday, January 14, 2011

Great Moments in Right Wing Spin (A Lesson in Opinion, Fact, and False Equivalent Fallacy) - by David



The above is a photo of a Tucson radio station billboard. It was taken down on Monday, January 10, 2011.

Opinion: Jared Lee Loughner, the January 8, 2011, Tucson shooter, was a leftist anarchist, or a rightist anarchist (if there IS a difference, it’s their drug of choice), or just plain crazy. Who CARES?! (His own words will ultimately be proven to be an echo of such right-wing wingnut groups as the “patriot” movement).

Fact: Given on one side... Rush Limbaugh, Michael Savage, Glen Beck, Sean Hannity, et al, there are absolutely NO media counterparts on the other side with the amount of national media coverage and funding, nor the amount of disrespectful and hateful vitriol raining down daily on the majority of Americans.

Fact: Given on one side... Michele Bachmann, Sarah Palin, John Boehner, John McCain, Jon Kyl, Darrel Issa, et al, there are absolutely NO elected government official counterparts on the other side with the amount of access to the national media, while communicating the amount of disrespectful and hateful vitriol repeated in that national media that is raining down daily on a majority of Americans.

Fact: The above named media pundits and elected officials are working overtime to paint Loughner as a leftist, themselves as victims, and to dredge up any quote (or mis-quote) from the other side that fools too many of us into believing a false equivalence fallacy*.

*A false equivalence fallacy occurs when someone falsely equates an act by one party as being equally egregious to that of another party, without taking into account the underlying differences that may make the comparison patently invalid.

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Baby Elsa Pic and Song - by David



We've had a great time visiting Elsa Rose, Jon and Maureen this week! DJ Daddy Jon and Grandpa Dave recorded this future hit to help Elsa fall asleep and (maybe) stay asleep.

I have NO idea why I can't make a link, here below this text, to Elsa's Song! But I can make the title link to box.net, the free hosting site. I'll keep working on it. In the meantime, just click on the title, above, to link to the song.

Friday, November 26, 2010

Hot Dog Blog About to Take Another Turn - by David (iPoo'd Electronic Diaper)

Oscar and Tootsie's Hot Dog Blog started out as a simple family doggy blog, as well as a place to practice my own warped sense of humor. It's morphed several times over the past approximately two years. First, we added Jimmy Dean (the Singing Dachshund) to the family dog pound. Then the blog became much more of a vehicle to voice my economic and political views. Now it's about to change again with the addition to the extended family of our first grandchild. Mo and Jon's due date is just a week away! (Her name still remains a closely guarded secret; I guarantee that it is not some silly take-off on candy or sausage brand names).

Zenny has been busy snatching up all the clothing and toys that Baby may want to possess at any time during the next 18 years. I had to work very hard to convince her that the electronic cash register (for ages 4 and above) will probably be obsolete by the time Baby is ready to enjoy it. Delaying Zenny's idea for purchase of Baby's high school prom dress was an easier case to make.

Fortunately, I've found something for Baby - very relevant and useful - that could be used immediately. The only problem is that the iPoo'd Electronic Diaper does not yet exist. But it could be right around the corner.

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Why We Are Dog People - by David



The above artwork is by my grandfather, Raymond Boyd Rogers, circa 1950. As a sideline (one of many) from his graphic artist/advertising career in Portland, Oregon, he was "Professor Wrinklescreen", owner of Magic Lantern Company. He made and sold humorous slides that people could insert into their own family slideshows.

Giving meds to dogs is a piece of cake. To cats? Never tried it and never will. This humorous masterpiece, below, is circulating the WEB in various versions. This is one reason we are dog people, but have a healthy respect for cats, too.

How To Give A Cat A Pill

1. Pick up cat and cradle it in the crook of your left arm as if holding a baby. Position right forefinger and thumb on either side of cat’s mouth and gently apply pressure to cheeks while holding pill in right hand. As cat opens mouth, pop pill into mouth. Allow cat to close mouth and swallow.

2. Retrieve pill from floor and cat from behind sofa. Cradle cat in left arm and repeat process.

3. Retrieve cat from bedroom, and throw soggy pill away.

4. Take new pill from foil wrap, cradle cat in left arm, holding rear paws tightly with left hand. Force jaws open and push pill to back of mouth with right forefinger. Hold mouth shut for a count of ten.

5. Retrieve pill from goldfish bowl and cat from top of wardrobe. Call spouse in from the garden.

6. Kneel on floor with cat wedged firmly between knees, hold front and rear paws. Ignore low growls emitted by cat. Get spouse to hold head firmly with one hand while forcing wooden ruler into mouth. Drop pill down ruler and rub cat’s throat vigorously.

7. Retrieve cat from curtain rail. Get another pill from foil wrap. Make note to buy new ruler and repair curtains. Carefully sweep shattered figurines and vases from hearth and set to one side for gluing later.

8. Wrap cat in large towel and get spouse to lie on cat with head just visible from below armpit. Put pill in end of drinking straw, force mouth open with pencil and blow down drinking straw.

9. Check label to make sure pill not harmful to humans and drink one beer to take taste away. Apply band-aid to spouse’s forearm and remove blood from carpet with cold water and soap.

10. Retrieve cat from neighbor’s shed. Get another pill. Open another beer. Place cat in cupboard, and close door onto neck, to leave head showing. Force mouth open with dessert spoon. Flick pill down throat with elastic band.

11. Fetch screwdriver from garage and put cupboard door back on hinges. Drink beer. Fetch bottle of scotch. Pour shot, drink. Apply cold compress to cheek and check records for date of last tetanus shot. Apply whiskey compress to cheek to disinfect. Toss back another shot. Throw tee-shirt away and fetch new one from bedroom.

12. Call fire department to retrieve the damn cat from the top of the tree across the road. Apologize to neighbor who crashed into fence while swerving to avoid cat. Take last pill from foil wrap.

13. Using heavy-duty pruning gloves from shed, tie the little *&#%^’s front paws to rear paws with garden twine and bind tightly to leg of dining table. Push pill into mouth followed by large piece of filet steak. Be rough about it. Hold head vertically and pour two pints of water down throat to wash pill down.

14. Consume remainder of scotch. Get spouse to drive you to the emergency room. Sit quietly while doctor stitches fingers and forearm and removes pill remnants from right eye. Call furniture shop on way home to order new table.

15. Arrange for ASPCA to collect mutant cat from hell and call local pet shop to see if they have any hamsters.

How To Give A Dog A Pill

1. Wrap it in bacon.

2. Toss it in the air.

So true! It works every time.

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Einstein's Message for Today's Politics - by David

"We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them."
-Albert Einstein

The supply-side economic policies hatched after the fall of Nixon, and implemented during the Reagan administration, are the root of today's economic chaos. Still, today's neo-conservative GOP continues to cry out for those very same policies as the way out of the mess they created.