Dealing With A Gifted Child

Everyone hopes that their kid will be really, really smart. Well let me tell you, it aint all biscuits and gravy. Here is a website that describes my normal day, every day, day and night. Just a few examples:

· Asks many questions and is very curious
· Possesses a large amount of information
· Has a good memory
BUT
· Easily gets "off task" and "off topic"
· Is impatient when not called on in class

· Thinks independently
· Expresses unique and original opinions
· Is self-motivated
BUT
· Challenges authority
· Does not handle criticism well
· Does not work well in groups

· Has a sophisticated sense of humor
· Understands subtle humor
· Enjoys plays on words and satire
BUT
· Easily gets carried away with a joke
· Has a tendency to become the "class clown"

If they wanted video to show what that means, I could simply turn on the cam corder and send it in unedited.

If anyone has some real world practical ideas on how to lessen the undesirable traits while hopefully not lessening the desirable traits, I would love to hear. Post a comment or send ideas to:
andrews-dad @ hotmail dot com

Hillary!... Just To Stupid To Be President

Hillary Clinton suggests $5,000 savings bond for every U.S. baby

WASHINGTON - Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Rodham Clinton said Friday that every child born in the United States should get a $5,000 "baby bond" from the government to help pay for future costs of college or buying a home.
...
"I like the idea of giving every baby born in America a $5,000 account that will grow over time, so that when that young person turns 18 if they have finished high school they will be able to access it to go to college or maybe they will be able to make that down payment on their first home," she said.
...
"I think it's a wonderful idea," said Representative Stephanie Tubbs Jones, an Ohio Democrat who attended the event and has already endorsed Clinton. "Every child born in the United States today owes $27,000 on the national debt, why not let them come get $5,000 to grow until their 18?"

Where to start, where to start... Let's start with where is the US Government going to get the money to pay for this, this gift from the government. Last I heard the government does not have some great paying job that overflows those government coffers. Let's see... 4 million kids born in the country each year, @ $5,000 per kid... that would be 4 times 5 which is 20 now add some zeros and some more zeros, keep adding zeros, just a few more and there you go, 20 BILLION dollars... PER YEAR! Where oh where might I ask is that 20 billion a year coming from? Go look in a mirror to find that answer.

NEXT... every child born in the United States. Every child? every child born in the United States. Just wondering because not every child that is born in the United States should legally have been born in the United States. We might want to skip this one, keep the red meat down to a minimum.

NEXT... let's look at the brilliance of giving someone $5,000 when they are born to make that down payment on a house later in life. I do not know about you but where I live, the average house is about $500,000. The average house. So $5,000 is roughly 1% of $500,000, give or take nothing. You may want to spend part of that $5,000 on one of those late night no money down real estate infomercials because it gets worse. Since I purchased my house in 1993, the housing market where I live has appreciated by about 10% a year. Best I can tell, savings bonds earn about 4% a year. So if you figure someone born today buys a house 30 years from now, if housing prices go up 10% and savings bond prices go up 4%, you are actually losing money by holding the bonds. The bonds are worth less and less relative to the value of the average house each year you hold the bonds. For example, take that average $500,000 house where I live. A year from now it will be worth about $550,000, a 10% increase. The $5,000 savings bond, $5,200, a 4% increase. So a year from now, instead of the savings bond being worth 1% of the price of the house, it is now worth less than 1%, .945%. And the year after that it is worth .89% and 30 years from now it is worth .185%. So using that same bond, 30 years from now, would be just like making a down payment of $929 on a $500,000 house.

NEXT... Those $5,000 bonds. They do not print themselves and deliver themselves and administer themselves. Toss on top of all of this the cost to administer the program, millions of dollars per year.

NEXT... Every child born in the United States today owes $27,000 on the national debt, why not let them come get $5,000 to grow until their 18?" That comment, from Representative Stephanie Tubbs Jones, an Ohio Democrat, borders on the insane. Hey, why not give each kid an additional $27,000 on top of the 5K when they are born and then they will not owe anything. Problem solved.

The scariest thing about this absurd idea... that the Kossacks seem to have more hard questions for Hillary! than the MSM... scary, not surprising.

Senator McConnell & Senator Feinstein On Burma



When reached for comment about Senator McConnell & Senator Feinstein video, the protesters said "Who?"

In unrelated news, all internet access has been cut off to Burma.

YANGON, Myanmar — Soldiers and police took control of the streets today, firing warning shots and tear gas to scatter the few pro-democracy protesters who ventured out as Myanmar's military junta sealed off Buddhist monasteries and cut public Internet access.

Alice Walker, Free Educated Black Buddhist Woman Says War Is Never A Good Idea

Alice Walker, a female of African descent, who records show has never been the property of a white plantation owner, and furthermore is educated to the point where she can read and write and on top of that is not a member of the Anglican Church and in addition was once part of an "inter-racial" marriage to a Jewish man no less, was allowed to address a school room of children, some of whom were rumored to be female, not white and not Anglican. Her message was "Why War Is Never a Good Idea."

King George III could not be reached for comment but a palace spokesperson said "All in all, we have to agree".

H/T Sytman and Boze

Socialized Medicine, Not Something We Should Want To Afford

Lots of talk from candidates with plans for universal health coverage. Let me just state something that should be obvious... health care is not a right, health care is a service provided by very smart, highly trained individuals. I do not want to live in a country where health care is cheap. I do not want to live in a country where it is easy to get into med school, where stupid people who do not work hard can become doctors, where exceptional skill and dedication are not rewarded with large salaries.

Cheap Health care = Bad Health care

The best way to lessen the cost of health care, let the marketplace work. Seems to work for computers, TVs, DVDs and most everything else. Get the government out of health care. Get rid of insurance that pays for every scrap and scrape. Buy major medical, take care of yourself and be an educated consumer.

If you think health care should be a right, feel free to go through the hassle of becoming a qualified doctor and then open a clinic that does not charge for your services. Nothing stopping you from doing it now is there.

Kiro News, Consider The Source


Kiro news is running a story as I listen saying "Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington", CREW has listed Congressman Doc Hasting R- WA in their THIRD ANNUAL MOST CORRUPT MEMBERS OF CONGRESS REPORT. What they are not saying is CREW is hardly an unbiased source.

Melanie Sloan, Executive Director of CREW, founded the organization in 2003. Sloan is a former U.S. Attorney and has served as an aide to Representative John Conyers and Senator Charles Schumer, both Democrats. She currently serves on the legal team of Valerie Plame,[2] helping her sue Vice President Dick Cheney, Dick Armitage, Scooter Libby and Karl Rove.[3][4]

According to The Washington Post, CREW is funded in part through the efforts of "Democracy Alliance," a loose group of approximately one hundred progressive-oriented political donors who saw CREW as a possible counterweight to the conservative watchdog group, Judicial Watch.[5]

I called KIRO and spoke to the news department and they did not see a problem with running a story from a biased group without informing the audience of that bias. The specific reason they stated was there were Democrats on the list, 4 Democrats, 20 Republicans, and since other news outlets had picked up the report.

Guilty Until Proven Innocent


Dan Rather seems to be confused. Maybe he was sick the day they taught journalism @ Sam Houston State U.

Nobody to this day has shown that these documents were fraudulent. Nobody has proved they were fraudulent.

Umm Dan, yes they have been proven to be fraudulent and you know it, but even so, it is your job to make sure they are accurate before you put it on TV.

Here Dan gets grilled by Larry King, and by grilled, I mean, letting him ramble without any follow up.

Do you think the report was correct? Yes, I think most people know by now the story was correct.

Neil Cavuto lets Dan talk himself into knots

I said on several occasions I was uncomfortable with a number of things, including uncomfortable with the documents.

H/T Hot Air

Hiker Found Alive, Darwin Award Will Have To Wait

Search-and-rescue crews have found a hiker who has been missing since last weekend.

Mary Hyde Wingfield was found in North Cascades National Park shortly after 2:30 p.m, said Chief Ranger Kinsey Shilling.

Well that is good to hear.

Searchers had discovered two shoe prints that match Wingfield's size and the make of shoe she may have been wearing, Shilling said. They also found a water bottle, a dental insurance card, a grocery store membership card and a note on her employer's letterhead indicating she was in an emergency state without food or water.

The note, signed by Wingfield, said she was heading downstream.

H/T Bryan Suits

Busy Weekend

Junior and I will be looking for an Official "Buck TWEED Two-Speed Crime-Stopper Star Hopper bicycle", visit KVI Beach, go to Pt. Robinson lighthouse and see if Mr. S. Clos is home.

Wish us luck.

Patty Murray's Explanation, Part 2

I then called the Washington DC office of Patty Murray D - Soviet Republic of Seattle about her no vote on the pro troop, anti MoveOn.org ad and was told she voted no because it is not appropriate for the Senate to criticize, specifically mention a person or group, by name in a resolution like this. So I said she is never critical of anyone by name and was told she does say things on the floor mentioning names, that is OK, but it is inappropriate for the Senate to mention someone or group by name in a resolution.

I then laughed really, really hard.

Sounds like we may need to look into someones voting record to see if she has ever voted in favor of a resolution saying Bush Lied, People Died.

Senator Murray Does Not Support The Troops And Does Not Know Why

This morning, Senator Murray voted No on the following:

SEC. 1070. SENSE OF SENATE ON GENERAL DAVID PETRAEUS.
(a) Findings.–The Senate makes the following findings:
(1) The Senate unanimously confirmed General David H. Petraeus as Commanding General, Multi-National Force-Iraq, by a vote of 81-0 on January 26, 2007.
(2) General Petraeus graduated first in his class at the United States Army Command and General Staff College.
(3) General Petraeus earned Masters of Public Administration and Doctoral degrees in international relations from Princeton University.
(4) General Petraeus has served multiple combat tours in Iraq, including command of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) during combat operations throughout the first year of Operation Iraqi Freedom, which tours included both major combat operations and subsequent stability and support operations.
(5) General Petraeus supervised the development and crafting of the United States Army and Marine Corps counterinsurgency manual based in large measure on his combat experience in Iraq, scholarly study, and other professional experiences.
(6) General Petraeus has taken a solemn oath to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States of America.
(7) During his 35-year career, General Petraeus has amassed a distinguished and unvarnished record of military service to the United States as recognized by his receipt of a Defense Distinguished Service Medal, two Distinguished Service Medals, two Defense Superior Service Medals, four Legions of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal for valor, the State Department Superior Honor Award, the NATO Meritorious Service Medal, and other awards and medals.
(8) A recent attack through a full-page advertisement in the New York Times by the liberal activist group, Moveon.org, impugns the honor and integrity of General Petraeus and all the members of the United States Armed Forces.
(b) Sense of Senate.–It is the sense of the Senate–
(1) to reaffirm its support for all the men and women of the United States Armed Forces, including General David H. Petraeus, Commanding General, Multi-National Force-Iraq;
(2) to strongly condemn any effort to attack the honor and integrity of General Petraeus and all the members of the United States Armed Forces; and
(3) to specifically repudiate the unwarranted personal attack on General Petraeus by the liberal activist group Moveon.org.

So I called her Seattle office and was originally told it is a free speech issue... sorry, stop right there, there is no free speech issue here. Nobody is saying MoveOn.org can not say anything, nobody is threatening them with arrest. Drop the free speech issue reasoning. Then I was told I should look at the web site. I already had, nothing there. So maybe I should call Washington D.C., I have never got an answer to any question I have asked that office in the past, not sure why today would be any different.

So let me explain why she voted no. Patty Murray has no morals. She either truly believes a no vote was proper, in which case she does not support the troops or more likely she is afraid of offending the MoveOn.org crowd. Now if it is the later, what she is saying is that her vote is for sale, she does not vote the way she believes but rather what is best for her. No big surprise here.

H/T Hot Air

Mad Whiffle Ball Skills

Not sure what I find more amazing, this guys whiffle ball pitching skills or that adults appear to play competitive whiffle ball.

Sick Whiffle Ball Pitcher - Watch more free videos

Red On Red

That cheer you just heard was every single conservative blogger when they heard Dan Rather Files Lawsuit Against CBS

NEW YORK (AP) - Dan Rather filed a $70 million lawsuit Wednesday against CBS, alleging that the network made him a "scapegoat" for a discredited story about President Bush's National Guard service.

Can not wait to see the overwhelming evidence that the President Bush National Guard story, that was debunked within hours by the blogs, really was true. On the stand, under oath.

I used the last part of a quote the other day in a comment @ AofSHQ, regarding RWS and company but the original use by Jonah Goldberg, is a reference to Dan Rather.

Across the media universe the questions pour out: Why is Dan Rather doing this to himself? Why does he drag this out? Why won't he just come clean? Why would he let this happen in the first place? Why is CBS standing by him? Why . . . why . . . why? There is only one plausible answer: Ours is a just and decent God.

Some Business's Are Harder Than Others

Next time you hear someone complain about their business...

Train Runs Through Bangkok Market - Watch more free videos

Conservitave Babe Part 2

My newest favoriteist right wing babe... it is RightWingSparkle!
My favorite commentator at AofSHQ and quality blogger extraordinaire,the kind of quality that one day I hope this mess turns into... except for the capri pants and stuff.

For part 1, click here.

Is Oprah A Racist?

Clearly not in the kill whitey "Racist" sense but clearly she is in that she treats people differently based on race. As Bryan Suits recently stated, how is it she has never endorsed anyone in all of these years and now she is endorsing Barack Obama? It does not take a rocket scientist to see that if Baracks name was Jose Lopez or Paddy O'[fill in the blank], there is exactly a zero percent chance she would be endorsing someone with such a thin resume.

But to be honest, I really do not care if she is a "little r" racist or not. Let the market figure it out and deal with it and right now, the market appears to be putting a premium on treating people differently depending on race.

All that being said, my one beef with Oprah is that her and all the other "watch me and you will have a better life" pushers is they need to be honest with the audience. If they wanted them to have a better life, each and every show would be the exact same. A full hour of them starring into the camera and screaming "get off your fat ass, turn off the damn TV and do something".

Golfer Shoots 56

Nice story about an assistant pro who shot an unbelievable round of 56

How did Jay Osmon, an assistant pro at Cattails GC in Alamosa, Colo., shoot a 15-under-par 56 there on Sept. 5? He lipped out a 25-foot eagle putt at 18 for 55.

56... not sure how to explain how good that is to a non golfer. It would be like making 100 half court baketball shots in a row, blindfolded, wearing full scuba gear. Just not something that happens, ever.

That being said, since this guy is a golfer, I will guarantee that the first thing he he said after he added up the score was, if only I had not missed....

People For The Ethical Treatment of *Animals
*dogs not included

I went to the Ringling Brothers Circus in Everett last Sunday and was greeted by many members of PETA holding signs, most of which protested the treatment of Elephants. Specifically allegations of beating and deaths. A number of the signs they were holding just showed a chain around an elephant leg or said something about the elephant not choosing this life. The odd thing, at least one of these signs was held by a lady who had a dog on a leash.

It took all of my strength not to walk up and ask her if her dog gave his permission for her to put on that leash and if he had any say in being at the protest.

Now PETA is not against animal deaths, just if someone else is responsible.

According to the Wally Swett, President of Primarily Primates, PETA killed 1,946 pets in its home state of Virginia in 2005, transferring or adopting out 215, and killed 141 wild animals in the same year, transferring or releasing 52.[74] In 2004, PETA killed 2278 animals while finding homes for 368 animals.[75] Columnist Debra J. Saunders of the San Francisco Chronicle, quoting the Center for Consumer Freedom (CCF) data based on PETA's filing with the state of Virginia, has said that PETA killed over 10,000 animals from 1998 to 2003.[76]