This Is A Job For...

Super Jayvon!



Hey Eddie! I think he wants to fly to MO and visit The Incredible Bryce

Thursday Thirteen #13

13 things about Dane Bramage

13 Things to Be Thankful For Today Edition

A common theme I have noticed on Thursday Thirteens are lists of things to be thankful for. It is always a good idea to have a gratitude attitude so today I am going to list thirteen things that I am grateful for today

1. I am a year older (plus a day) and I still have my health, home, and happiness


2. My friend Dave is home from the hospital


3. My new water cooler (thanks Sis)


4. My mom's love and thoughtfulness


5. My job which provides a roof over my head, food for my table and broadband internet access


6. 4 Day weekend because my job observes Jewish holidays and I can take Friday off for my Birthday


7. Phone calls from friends in far away places


8. Emails from friends in farther away places


9. My niece who takes care of the place


10. My 2-year-old nephew Jayvon who wore his Superman cape all day and everywhere today


11. Great Bible study on the Church in the Wilderness


12. A great Church, Pastor and church family


13. I have a personal Saviour who died for my sins

---

1. TC2. Melissa3. JAM4. Dani5. my 2 cents6. mominprogress7. Frances8. Colleen Gleason9. Celfy
10. Renee11. Patchwork Anahata12. ali13. Cheysuli14. JO15. JO16. Cindy Swanson17. Laurie18. Brony
19. amy20. Eddie Butler21. N. Mallory22. Tinker23. Norma24. Irish Church Lady25. Mrs Lifecruiser

A Moment for A Musical Genius

No, seriously!
H/T beth at And Then I Woke Up

Headlines for Tuesday 9-26-2006

Cat Stevens Criticizes Pope on Islam
Sounds like that Peace Train he's always singing about has been derailed

Tom Petty gets key to Gainesville, Fla.
Aging rocker told to lock up town before he goes to bed

Fergie's solo album misses opportunities
But still charts higher than other royals

Former Life photographer Holmes dies
If she's reincarnated would she be a former Life photographer in a former life?

Deal reached to let Canadian drugs into U.S.
Stoners rejoice at not having to cross the border to get their stuff

Retired Officers to Criticize Rumsfeld
Democrats criticize timing. Wanted these losers to rehash their dribble closer to election day.

PETA Upset at Six Flags Roach Contest
Six Flags invites activist to their new PETA Motel. Whiny liberal animal huggers check in...

Feds: HIV testing should be routine for Americans
But only after unprotected Gay sex becomes routine for Americans

Fasting for Ramadan reminder of sacrifice
Rage, rioting and violence reminders that its the Religion of Peace

Pa. Farm Discovers a 4-Legged Chicken
PETA wants to protect it from KFC, evolutionist claim it's a next step, and GLBT wants to make sure that there's not some an extra friendly rooster's head stuck in the middle of this

Clinton, Fox Anchor Battle in Interview
Bubba didn't like being caught with his Legacy hanging out

Women Hit Glass Ceiling in N.J. Politics
They don't mind until you hand them the Windex and squeegees

That's it for Headlines today. Remember to visit the usual suspects for more "headliney goodness"!
basil at basil's blog
Technorati tag: Humor   Headlines

The Sherlock Holmes Meme

I have been tagged by The Random Yak

Dr. Watson lists the limitations on the great Sherlock Holmes' knowledge in A Study in Scarlet. Taking the list to its natural and probable end, Adam has generated a meme designed to plumb the shallows of bloggers' knowledge.

This Meme hails from Adams blog which has the history, Dr. Watson's analysis of Holmes and meme rules.

And now the meme...
1) What is something you know practically nothing about?
MedicineFortunatelyly Mom's a nurse.
2) What is something where your knowledge is weak?
General electronics. But it is increasing the longer I am a homeowner.
3) What is something you know just enough about to get by?
Automechanics.
4) What is something where you have a profound depth of knowledge?
Bible Scriptures. But the more I learn the more I realize I don't know.
5) What is something that you do even though you don't do it well?
Web design. Took some classes but had difficulty with the practical application.
6) What is something you are expert at?
Computer programming. Been doing it for 25 years. The basics don't change, just the languages.

And now who to tag? I am not a big fan of memes and some of my favorite cohorts in blogging crime are having some downtime. So What I am going to do is hurl the gauntlet and have anyone who so desires, pick up the gauntlet and participate in the meme. And if it aint so much to ask, leave a track back. Thanks.

Monday Miscellany

He's Getting Better

My friend Dave is in a regular room and they have put him back in solid food. No word yet on when he will be allowed home but he tells me he is ready now.

Just Wondering...

I attended another friends funeral. It was a big Catholic ceremony. The recessional was hymn #589 "Morning Has Broken" by Cat Stevens. Now given the fact the Cat Stevens is now a Muslim. And that he has made some inflammatory remarks about the Pope, Shouldn't somebody be reviewing the hymn list in the Catholic church? Just wondering...

Paid Professional Tourist

My friend Scott in Colorado emailed me to let me know how he felt. But I knew because he has always been the type of friend that never hesitates to express his love and appreciation. For that I am grateful. Scott is a truck driver or "Paid Professional Tourist" who has had a column in a Colorado paper. He is about to have a book published too. So stay tuned. I'll post details as they develop.

What Do Sunnydale and Victorian London Have in Common?

Who is Colleen Gleason? I don't know either other than she is kind enough to stop by my Thursday Thirteens and leave a nice comment now and then. Oh yeah, she is a novelist. Check out her blog For All the World to See and watch this promotional Trailer for her upcoming novel The Rest Falls Away: The Gardella Vampire Chronicles (Paperback) I'm told it will be like Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets Pride and Prejudice. You can preorder it now at Amazon (previous link) and I have it on my list of books to get.



And ask her whats the difference between novelist and author. Then explain it to me.

Happy Belated Birthday Spud

My friend Dave's birthday was Wednesday. He, as I mentioned last year at this time, was born exactly 7 days before me. I didn't get him anything but a stupid card. He's in the hospital and I haven't seen him since he went in last Friday. I didn't think life could get so hectic that I couldn't go two blocks to the hospital to visit him in intensive care. We still don't know when he will be allowed home. His wife is at the hospital everyday. He sends me the diet ginger ale they give him. I think its so he doesn't have to get me a card.

So I have a question; if your best friend were to die tomorrow, does he or she know how you feel about them? Just askin'.

Thursday Thirteen #12

13 things about Dane Bramage

13 Stress Relievers Edition

I have been under a lot of stress lately. For some time I've had mortgage issues hanging over my head. My home is packed with family and friends and I am the only source of income. My best friend and foot model is in the hospital with pancreatitis. My mom had to move out of her house, and yesterday a friend I worked with for over 5 years succumbed to cancer. Tomorrow are the calling hours and Friday is the funeral. Now that I have thoroughly bummed you out, I would like to share with you 13 things I do to relieve stress.

1. Pray. There is nothing that you can't take to the Lord in prayer.


2. Soak in a hot bath tub. Nothing melts away the tension like a hot soak. I'm not into all those fragrances you add to the water. Just soap and hot.


3. Mindless Computer Games. Sometimes I can sit and play some 4X game for hours. When I'm micromanaging a galactic empire I don't have time to focus on my problems. Not when the fate of billions depends on my decisions. It is particularly fun sometimes to be supertyrannical. Making the lives of imaginary people imaginary hell is kind of cathartic.


4. Drive. Taking the long way home or just taking off to go exploring is very relaxing. Now to overcome the stress of gas prices.


5. Gaming with friends. When a bunch of us get together and play a game, any game, I always have a good time and get very relaxed. Super Munchkin was the featured game last week. We laugh so hard we cried at times.


6. Reading. Of late I have been reading Ann Coulter. I have to be careful. Her humor gets me laughing but the points she makes about the left sometimes gets my blood pressure to rise. I need to find some nice fiction.



The rest of the list is below the fold. Go to the end of the post and click "We want to read more!"

7. Naps. A nice lazy Saturday or Sunday afternoon nap. Drains all the tension away.


8. Foot Rubs. I enjoy giving and receiving foot rubs but lately I just don't have any massagers or massagees.


9. Veg. I will sit in my comfy chair and just blob. I let my mind wander (you've read some of those results last week) and I let the stress ooze out of me. It is one of my favorite stress reducers.


10. Over indulge. Not recommended even for me but sometimes I say "to heck with dietary restrictions and portion control" and I pig out. Usually at Golden Corral. This usually leads to a session of Veg or even Nap.


11. Compute. Besides playing games, I use my computer for other creative purposes. I write stories related to the games I play or photo chop some pictures.


12. Doing something nice for others. This may sound strange but it works. When I get really stressed to the point of depression, I try to do something nice for someone. It always works. My Pastor told me this. He has never steered me wrong.


13. Talk to my Pastor. The Bible commands us to seek godly counsel. No matter what burden I have going in to see the Pastor I always feel that burden lifted when I leave.




---




1. TC2. Melissa3. JAM4. Dani5. my 2 cents6. mominprogress7. Frances8. Colleen Gleason9. Celfy10. Renee11. Patchwork Anahata12. ali13. Cheysuli14. JO15. JO16. Cindy Swanson17. Laurie18. Brony19. amy20. Eddie Butler21. N. Mallory22. Tinker23. Norma24. Irish Church Lady25. Mrs Lifecruiser


---


Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Don't Marry a Career Woman: The Debate Heats Up

What's that sound? Oh yeah its more liberal hypocrisy coming from femizons. It's seems that Michael Noer wrote a column for forbes.com called DonÂ’t Marry a Career Woman. It surveys marriages of career women and found that things were not all sunshine and roses. In fact most such marriages have high rates of dysfunction, infidelity and divorce. Big shock there huh. Carey Roberts notes the resultant meltdown and arguments in his piece Carey Roberts -- Don't Marry a Career Woman: The Debate Heats Up Carey says :

"Of course, these findings don't apply to every ambitious woman who has risen to the top of her field but the connection is true in many cases.
In practically every woman's magazine, you'll find advice columns to help the reader find Mr. Right and then entice her football-addled boyfriend to commit for the long-haul"

But when a male columnist dispenses relationship advice for men, that appears to be strictly verboten -- at least according to the Shrieking Sisters of Silliness who cut loose on Mr. Noer. "

So men can be objectified, analyzed categorized and stamped "MARRY" or "DO NOT MARRY" but don't dare touch the sacred woman. Lest the feminazis descend upon you and devour you.

Do I believe that a woman's place is in the home and she should be barefoot and pregnant? Not necessarily. You see the Biblical ideal of womanhood is a woman who exalts her husband, manages the household, instructs the children AND RUNS HER OWN BUSINESS (Proverbs 31:10-31). Not surprisingly God always has an answer. So why then do career women fail at relationships? Because of priorities. The Virtuous Woman's priorities are God, husband, children, household, business. Career women today are all about business first so everything else falls apart.

Hat Tip: Dani at Generation XPOSE

In NYC Straight Is the New Gay

I didn't know this. You can be a straight man and only have sex with men in NYC. No really. All Headline News has this article Nearly 10 Percent Of "Straight" NYC Men Only Have Sex With Men. I may be a backwards Christian hick from Ohio but I was pretty sure that when you decided as a man to only have sex with other men, you were booted out of the Straight Club. The article says:

According to WebMD, nearly all studies about sexual behavior find that the number of men who report having sex with men is higher than the number who identify themselves as gay.

Pathela's team asked men if they were bisexual, gay or straight. Then they asked about specific sexual behaviors.

Their findings include:

• Straight men who have sex with men report fewer sex partners than gay men.
  
• Straight men who have sex with men report fewer STDs in the past year than gay men.
• Straight men who have sex with men are less likely than gay men to report using a condom during their last sexual encounter.
• Straight men who have sex with men are more likely to be foreign born than gay men.

The survey also found that a straight-identified man who is having sex with men is more likely to be married than a straight man who has sex with women.

The study appears in the Sept. 19 issue of the "Annals of Internal Medicine."

In a nutshell, they find that 10% of stright men in New York City are "Gay Lite". They studied 4200 men many who were foreign born usuing translators where necessary. So I wonder how much of this Gay/Straight man stuff is merely lost in translation. I personally believe this survey was to further the gay agenda more so than to study STD risk factors. After all if 10% of all straight men only have sex with men then the gay lifestyle becomes less perverted and more mainstream. Are they sure it was the Annals of Internal Medicine?

Hat Tip Mrs R at Wuzzadem

ENOUGH ALREADY! ARRRRGH!

The stupid free poll I used has finally driven me over the edge. It loads slowly if at all and more often than not it times out trying to display the result. I do NOT recommend this free poll site to anyone. It is obviously some fly by night operation. It's unreliability has forced me to end the polling early. I did not want the poll post cluttering the top of my blog for another week.

Anyway the last time I did get to view the results, my artsy moody portrait was beating Bishop by a two to one margin. So I have changed my Blogger avatar to it. My Gravatar will remain Bishop. This gives me an option on sites that use both Blogger and Haloscan comments. Thanks to the 6 or 7 of you who patient or lucky enough to vote. Enjoy.


Is it just me or is there an annoying white line along the bottom of my photo? I'll have to take care of that.

Update: Voila!

Hedalines for Friday 09-15-2006

UK network to do fictional Bush assassination film
Promises to display constant disclaimers to head off leftist celebrations

What will Rosie bring to odd 'View'?
Shooting O'donnell from any angle is an "odd view

Professor Helps Invent Lightning Sensor
When worn, sensor registers smell of charred flesh and burnt hair when struck by lightning

Jessica Simpson Told to Rest Her Voice
When she doesn't sing, we get the rest.

Stones smoker didn't break law after all
Apparently smoking bans apply to tobacco products. Smoke all the stones you want.

Spider on front porch not itsy or bitsy
Muffet family seen fleeing area

Man May Have Sent 2 Billion Spam E-Mails
And that was just to my inbox yesterday alone

Man Says Naked Attackers Robbed Him
Witnesses say suspects were just hanging out until the man stiffed them then they streaked away

Man Charged With Stealing Underwear
Detectives uncovered evidence during panty raid. Suspect set to challenge the debriefing

10 Stingrays Killed Since Irwin's Death
PETA blames Bush's War on Terror for singling out Stingrayofacists for retribution
Hey. That's the first time I've done a "Bush blamed" headline. That was easy. Too easy.

That's it for Headlines today. Remember to visit the usual suspects for more "headliney goodness"!
basil at basil's blog

Technorati tag: Humor   Headlines

Thursday Thirteen #11

13 things about Dane Bramage

The Daydream Edition
I sometimes let my mind wander and I can imagine all sorts of stuff. Sometimes you can get to know someone by what they daydream about. I wish I could take credit for this list idea but I saw it at someone else's blog. I promised them I would steal it and I am being true to my word. So here are 13 of my daydreams.

1. I discover the means of genetically merging physical and mental traits from different people. I create an amalgam of Dr. Condoleeza Rice and Angelina Jolie. Congelina and I are happy for awhile until she runs off with an amalgam of Brad Pitt and George W. Bush.


2. I become CEO of a powerful pharmaceutical company; DaneMax, and revolutionize the industry by making pills that actually cure diseases instead of treating symptoms for life. I run the risk of going out of business as my pills cure diseases like diabetes and therefore reduce the market but I pull out of my fiscal dive when I discover a pill that tones muscles and melts fat while you sleep. I suddenly become responsible for the Great Era of Excess.


3. Sometimes I dream that I become CEO of a mega-rich oil company Daneoco. I decide that billions in profits were just too much and slash my profit margin to mere millions. The resultant boost to the economy ushers in a new era of prosperity in the U.S. Oddly enough I discover that as a oil company CEO I need billions in profits to maintain my lifestyle so I wind up living in a huge DaneMax box under the interstate overpass.


4. I also sometimes imagine that I am an insurance pioneer. I believe that our current insurance system is fatally flawed because it makes adversaries of the customers and the company. If the customer is served then the company loses money. The only time the company makes money is when they don't pay on the customer's behalf. There is something wrong there. So I magically fixed it and get my insurance company and the customers on he same side. We do great until the old-school insurance companies offer the shareholders more money than most third world governments have and buys my company. Then they destroy it and go back to the old ways. I am forced to move in with that idiot oil CEO in the interstate overpass DaneMax box.


5. My last business daydream involves starting a car company that develops an engine that sucks hydrogen from the air and water to augment it's internal combustion engine. This results in a motor that gets 500 miles to the gallon. Either big oil or big automakers decide to do something about it. My interstate overpass DaneMax box is getting pretty full.


6. I sometimes wonder what my best friend's feet would look like as shoes. I wonder if they would keep my feet warm in an interstate overpass DaneMax box.

The rest of the list is below the fold. Go to the end of the post and click "We want to read more!"


7. I sometimes imagine starting a family in space with Jeri Ryan as Seven-of-Nine. She ultimately assimilates me and I don't mind a bit. This has come to replace my daydream where I crash land on the Planet of Bouncy Mary-Lou Retton Clones.


8. I have a lot of political daydreams. As governor of Ohio, I reduce welfare roles, increase jobs by lowering taxes and inviting companies to invest in our state. I would make the state keep it's promise and take down the toll booths on I-80. I'd give those idiots in that DaneMax box under the overpass jobs (well all of them except the guy with the weird feet shoes). I can't imagine anything bad happening to me. I used to think I would get assassinated for being the first Black governor of Ohio, but Ken Blackwell is going to pave the way so that me and the other black Republican in Ohio can daydream without fear. Thanks Ken!


9. Daydreaming that I am a Senator I propose legislation that protects all religious symbols on government property as historical artifacts dedicated to the beliefs of the men and women who put them there. Separate church and state all you want but don't tear down significant historic symbology.


10. Also as Senator I would do whatever it took to bring the abortion issue to a head and make the murder of defenseless babies a heinous crime. I sometimes see myself being mobbed by rabid pro-abortionist but I happily and easily fend them off with a titanium clue bat.


11. Sometimes I imagine myself as President of the United States of America. I commission the building of the Great Wall of America. 20 feet tall with a two lane road on top so the armed hum-vees can drag race from Florida to California. The gates to Mexico are in a natural closed position needing a powerful key/wench system so massive to open it takes a truck to carry it to the gate. And when the gate needs to be closed, the truck simply drives away and the gate automatically lowers to the closed position.


12. As President of the United States of America my mid-east foreign policy would be simplified. Israel deserves to exist. Israel should not give up another inch of territory. Whatever Israel decides is necessary to insure her security, the United States will back both financially and militarily. I would then enrage the Euroweenies by challenging them to decide if they are for Israel or against. I sometimes imagine getting assassinated for being the first Black President. But sometimes I imagine the bullets bouncing right off my chest.


13. Many times I imagine myself in my glorified body I enjoying all the Eden like beauty of this planet during the Millennium. I watch over Ten cities. I enjoy the peace. Move about from point A to point B with a thought. I explore vast expanses of outer space and see things unimaginable by man. I take great pleasure punishing the moonbats who still cling to their anti-God ways even though Jesus is in Jerusalem. I look forward to the pilgrimages and talking with The Saviour and enjoying all the spoils, the treasures laid up by the wicked. This is the best daydream of all because this is the one that will come true!

---

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!


View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

The Shaved Ape: Liberals Remembering 9-11

I spent a lot of time yesterday reading some wonderful tributes to the victims of 9-11. There were also insightful perspectives on our war on terror, the president's resolve to keep our nation safe, and the overall strength of the American Spirit. Not surprisingly these views were all from the political right.

Don Long, a.k.a. The Shaved Ape posts about Liberals Remembering 9-11 He visits the likes of DailyKos, Democratic Underground, and Huffington Post among others. Liberals used this occasion to attack Bush, attack the WoT, and attack the war on Iraq. Yet they also use the opportunity to promote gay marriage? When one post suggested that America should have done NOTHING after the 9-11 attack, The Shaved Ape had this comment:

"It's a very liberal ideal to do nothing when attacked, because aggressive behavior, to these liberals, is the worst possible response, regardless of circumstance.

Imagine a playground bully who just bloodied the nose of another kid. Do you honestly tell the victim he should not fight back simply because that's what the bully wants? Just let him go on punching you, kid, because aggression is bad, no matter what.

In these trying times, I would not feel safe with this ideology in the White House.

Go read the whole thing. H/T: David Drake

In Hamburger News...

I can't make this stuff up. Man breaks into McDonald's to cook, eat burgers

LAKE HAVASU CITY - Lake Havasu City police are looking for a real-life Hamburglar. A man broke into a McDonald's early Sunday morning through a roof vent. Surveillance video shows the man turning on the grill, cooking and eating a couple of burgers before fleeing. When he fled, the burger bandit triggered a door alarm that a morning shift manager heard when she pulled into work nearly two hours later. She found a piece of drywall on the kitchen floor, and another employee noticed the grill was greasy. Damage to the McDonald's is estimated at $150.

And the hat tip goes to the only burger blog I know: A Hamburger Today Every time I visit I rush out for a mouth watering juicy hamburger somewhere.

Cthulhu Quiz

Who Are You In The Cthulhu Mythos?

You are NYARLATHOTEP, the mind, spirit, physical representation of and messenger to, the Outer Gods. Often manifesting in human form, Nyarlathotep is a great manipulator of humans, bending them to the will of his masters.In true form Nyarlathotep is a 55' tall monstrosity with a giant trunk-like proboscis. But he prefers the guise of a human, often appearing as a rich, well educated man, bending people to his will and towards their ultimate downfall.
Take this quiz!


Quizilla | Join | Make A Quiz | More Quizzes | Grab Code

What Do You Think?

Sticky: Help Me Choose A Picture

I need help deciding on an avatar for my blog. Click the "We want to read more" button to see the choices and vote. New posts are below this one!! Bishop or Me?

Okay, I have been blogging for a year and a half now. I wasn't really going to put my picture up. The image of Bishop was chosen to be my Gravatar, an avatar for my Haloscan comments. I chose Bishop because of the result of a Liquid Generation "Which Marvel Superhero Are You" quiz, the results of which have been enshrined at the bottom of my blog since I took the quiz.
While I was reading a bunch of Blogger comments I noticed that many Blogger bloggers had avatars too. So just to be consistent I set Bishop up to be my avatar. Little did I know that this would cause him to display in my profile area as my photo. Since I didn't originally intend for Bishop to be my picture, I am left with a choice. Do I add a picture or keep Bishop. So after careful consideration and deep soul searching I decided to blow it off and let you decide.
I have been playing with my digital camera and I took this photo. I photo-chopped the garbage that was sitting on my deck out ( I even photo-chopped the deck and garbage can out). I wanted to look all reflective and the photo is intentionally silhouettey. The dark background blending in with the star-filled sky motif of the blog.
What I want you to do dear reader is vote on what you think my photo/avatar should be for blogger. For the nonce I will continue to use Bishop as my Gravatar so you will still see him in Haloscan comments. Towards the goal of voting, I have created a poll. Its a freebie so bear with me if the server gives us problems. You may vote once every four hours from any single IP address. I will leave the poll up for a week. It will be sticky. I will fold it after today. Feel free to leave me a comment on the situation.

AvatarPoll

What graphic image should I use for the My Profile picture and comment avatar for Blogger?

Bishop Dane Bramage Silhouette Some generated cartoonish character Don't really care

Current Results

Back to Dane Bramage

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9-11 Remembrance

I didn't know what to write about 9-11 today. I have been surfing and reading some of the wonderful things others have been writing and I am sure I couldn't come close to their eloquence.

Today, five years later, I still tear up when I read about the phone calls to loved ones and bravery of the rescue workers. I honestly believe that we would not see such behavior anywhere else in the world, certainly not in any Islamic controlled country.

But as soon as the pride fades I find myself getting made. Not so much at the culprits who engineered the attack but at the Americans, mostly liberals who to this day would sell out this country's security for personal political gain and advancement of the liberal agenda.

Should I Be Worried?

The oldest little man in my house, Nyles who is 5, will finish his 7th full day of kindergarten. Last Friday when I picked him and his sister up from school she tattled on him.
“Nyles had to sit on the blue bench at recess,” she said. “I think it was because he pushed that girl down. Did you push that girl down Nyles?” she asked.
“Did you see me push her?” was Nyles’ response.

Fast forward to Wednesday this week. I pick the kids up from school and we go home.
“I wrote my name today,” Nyles says.
“That’s great” I reply.
When we got home he told his mom about 100 times about how he wrote his name in school. I grabbed some cabbage rolls for lunch and took the last seat at the “big” table. Nyles brings his snack to the table but sees there is no room, meaning he has to sit at the “baby” table.
“You know Uncle Kevin can eat in his office,” He says to his sister, who by the way is also sitting at the big table.
“It’s his house, he can eat wherever he wants,” was her wise 7 year old reply.
“He should eat where I tell him to eat,” says Nyles.
“Nuh un”
“Un hun!”
“Nuh un!”
“Un hun! He should do what I say. I wrote my name, I’m in charge!”

I think I am going to sleep with the door locked once he learns his ABCs.

Thursday Thirteen #10

13 things about Dane Bramage

The Favorite Games Edition

Well if you couldn't tell by my posts on Origins Games Fair and Gen Con Fair, I am a gamer. Mostly I like board games but I play role playing games (RPGs) and card games, including collectible card games (CCGs). On my Worldnet page I listed some games under "Hobbies" So I thought why not just be a lazy slob and copy use that as a basis of my Thursday Thirteen. You can click to enlarge any image.

1. Starfleet Battles:This game has been around over twenty years. The SFB Rulebook can fill a 3" D-ring binder (depending on which advanced and optional rules you use.) It is a table top, cardboard counter, hex map game. Few games come close to it in complexity which is why as a tactical game it rocks. The company has had it's ups and downs but is now publishing new material. They now have a "dumbed down" version called Federation Commander which I think they put out to appeal to the attention deficit kids who play CCGs and video games.


2. Supremacy: This game is "OOP" or "Out of Print/Production". That means you can't go find a new copy any where except collectors. I still have a copy but it has succumbed to the elements in my sister's garage. Supremacy was very popular in my circle during the eighties. A board game with contemporary world powers. A little like Risk but with nukes and killer satellites. We would start playing Friday nights and finish sometime on Saturday.


3. Talisman: The Magical Quest Game This is another "OOP" game from the eighties, plus it was an import. I have a complete set with expansions. The expansions alone would fetch about $700 on ebay. So my friends understand what a VERY SPECIAL occasion it is when I whip it out and say lets play.


4. Champions/Hero System: Champions is a superhero RPG. It has been around since the eighties and I have play all of its versions up to and including the 5th Edition which is the current one. I regularly run Champions events at both Origins and Gen Con and have for over ten years. My friends and I still get together and play (although not as frequently as we did when we were all single and could stay up all night.) There's nothing like making the world safe for Truth, Justice, and the American Way!


5. Traveller: This Sci-Fi RPG first published in 1977 is one of the oldest around. It has gone through many revisions (original ship computers weighed tons but had less processing power than your PDA) but the "classic Traveller" is still very popular.


6. Star Trek CCG: A fun CCG that is based on all things Star Trek.



The rest of the list is below the fold. Go to the end of the post and click "We want to read more!"

7. Jyhad CCG: From the wonderful people who brought you Magic the Gathering; comes this card game based on Vampire: The Masquerade RPG. Jyhad (now called Vampire: The Eternal Struggle) pits you as a vampire prince against the other princes for control of the "nightlife" of the city. Bring lunch. a short games last about three hours.


8. Munchkin! This great card game is a tongue in cheek stab at gamers who take their games a little too seriously. Munchkin comes in a series of standalone games jabbing at different RPG genres but you can throw them all together!


9. Heroclix: A miniatures system which features Marvel, DC, and Independent Comic heroes. Great for kids.


10. Space Empires IV: This computer game is pretty typical for a 4X type of game. HOWEVER; every aspect of it is completely customizable. You can program the AI to micromanage your empire exactly the way you would. Then set back and concentrate on the fun things like galactic conquest and alien extermination!


11. Space Hulk(with Death Wing and Genestealers): Another import OOP game from the eighties. I had invested probably more than $600 in my version. I bought lead and pewter figures (imported) to use instead of the plastic figures provided with the game. Those pieces would be worth a mint today. Never lend your OOP game to a friend. But besides all that it is a very enjoyable game. Great way to teach younger kids how to play board games. (And teach them never to lend your pricey pewter to friends! THANKS PAUL!)


12. Lunch Money A great teaching aid, Lunch money teaches valuable school lessons like basic math, and how to beat up the other kids and take their lunch money. Just kidding, there really isn't all that much math. A great game which is quick to play so revenge is never far off.


13. Mustangs and Messerschmitts One of my all time favorite games. M&M is a hobby unto itself. They provide the rules for plane to plane aerial combat circa WWII. YOU have to find the 1/72 scale model kits, put them together, then paint and decal them. Then you have to construct the stands and clips to mount the planes. Then you have to find an area big enough to play the game. We used to play in the parking lot next to my house. This picture is from the 2006 Origins M&M event

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A Public Service Annoucement

AIDS can be stopped cold in the Black community in less than a decade if:

1. You give your life to Christ and make him LORD over your sexuality.


2. You live a life of sexual abstinence if you are single.


3. You remain sexually faithful to your husband/wife if married.


4. You stop supporting the idea that sex is nothing more than an uncontrollable urge.

If you say that you can't do that, then what you lack is personal responsibility and self discipline. A condom can't save any lives, but keeping yourself out of sexual mischief will guarantee that you won't have to worry about AIDS knocking on your door."

This public service annoucement brought to you by Dane Bramage and D.L. Foster at Perspectives In Motion which is the source of the entire text. Honestly someone should make posters from this and hang them in every church, school, ballpark, nightclub and public meeting place in the Black community.

Happy Labor Day

Some news to go with your barbeque: Unions' Approval at Lowest Point Since 1981, Poll Finds

A new Zogby poll has some unwelcome Labor Day news for union officials: Approval of unions is at its lowest point since 1981, and almost three-quarters of workers in the U.S. say they don't want to belong to a labor union.

"These results help explain the continued decline of union membership and do not bode well for the future of unions," said David Denholm, president of the conservative Public Service Research Foundation (PSRF), which studies labor unions and union influence on public policy.

"Working Americans realize that unionism isn't in their best interests,"

Gee why would that be? Maybe they have priced labor in this country beyond a companies ability to pay and remain competitive? Anyway here are some factoids from the article:

• When asked, "In general, do you approve of labor unions?" only 55 percent replied affirmatively. When asked, "Would you personally like to be a member of a labor union?" 74 percent said "No."


• When asked if they would vote for union representation, a combined total of 58 percent said "probably not" or "definitely not," compared to a total of 36 percent who said "definitely for" or "probably for."


• Employees also expressed the belief that unions have too much political clout. 54 percent said that union political influence was "too much," compared to 38 percent who said it was "not enough."


• 64 percent of those surveyed agreed that "Nobody should be required to join or support a union as a condition of employment"


• 33 percent said that workers who benefit from union representation "should be required to pay their fair share of the cost of union representation."


• According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 12.5 percent of American workers belong to labor unions.

(Hat Tip: David Drake)