The Original DailySkew

Dog Shampoo

2009-07-02T21:51:00.002-04:00

Is your dog itching, scratching and stinking beyond belief?

Our family brought a puppy home last week, in the hopes of alerting us to some vandals that have been prowling the neighborhood recently. We went down to the Animal Shelter and got a two-month old Black Labrador mix named Emmett. He's a cheerful and intelligent puppy, who has quickly adapted to being house-trained. He's also learned how to sit on command. He has a feisty side -- playfully stealing a show or slipper before dropping it when caught with an innocent look in his eyes.

We've been concerned that Emmett has been itching like crazy. We took him to the vet Monday, and she said we should try regular baby shampoo when bathing him.

I wish we had tried a dog shampoo, like DogOsuds. From what I've read, it's great for dogs with sensitive skin. Also, it has the added benefit of being a flea deterrent, which would be great since we live in a largely rural area. I think I'm going to order that dog shampoo for his next bath.

Emmett started smelling bad a few hours after the bath -- mostly because he loves rolling around on the wet lawn. However, I suspect that the baby shampoo didn't clean him all the way to begin with. DogOsuds looks like it will be good for dealing with that, too, since it rinses easily and cleans thoroughly. The ingredients look good, too -- all natural oils and extracts and no chemicals.

We hope to have Emmett around with us for a long time. The kids love playing with him, and so do my wife and I! I look forward to trying DogOsuds and some of the other Dinovite products -- as it seems that those products will help enhance our experience with Emmett by making him look, smell, and feel good!

WFAN David Wells Interview

2009-06-30T15:45:00.000-04:00

Things I learned while listening to Mike Francessa interview David Wells, taken with a grain of salt:
- Wells and Pettitte tried to teach Rivera the cutter. Mel Stottlemyre finally talked him into using it.
- Posada and Varitek are the best catchers of Wells' generation.
- Wells only shook off Posada if he had a scuffed ball in his hands.
- Pitchers today just throw; they don't know how to pitch.

Comments, please. The skewed perspective was making me dizzy as I listened.

I hope someone asks Rivera tonight where he learned his famous cutter. Seriously.

I guess Ivan Rodriguez doesn't exist in David Wells' universe? Maybe he should replay the 2003 World Series. Great game five, by the way.

Opinions on Honduras Coup

2009-06-30T12:51:00.000-04:00

Spoke with the Haitian Sensation, and he gave me the following opinions on Honduras and the Americas in general:

- The U.S. has had a policy against coup-de-tats in the Americas (South, Central, Caribbean) for approximately 20 years. Countries in this part of the world have been forced to live with who was elected, and follow the rules.

- If the U.S. allows a coup-de-tat in Honduras to occur, the Haitian Sensation feels more military takeovers could occur in Haiti, Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, etc.

- The U.S. needs to "set the tone," and let the Americas know this type of stuff will not be tolerated.

- A former Cuban refugee told us that the deposed President is supported by Chavez and Castro. The U.S. (Obama and Clinton) wants him back in power, to serve out his term (at least that's what we hope! Please!). Honduras wants him out because the guy wants to usurp their constitution and have a second term in power. It also turns out the military is acting to enforce their Supreme Court's ruling on the matter. So, they're having a constitutional battle.

I have yet to read anything on this issue. Just sharing some interesting opinions from people who have lived through military dictatorships. Feel free to clarify.

Jacko - What Enneagram Type?

2009-06-30T08:35:00.000-04:00

I've been thinking about where to put Michael Jackson on the Enneagram Who's What list. After reading Damian's excellent study on Type One, I decided to throw the question out there.

I did a brief search, and found sites that claimed he was a Four, with possibly a three wing. Since I tend to disagree with E-gram forums on personality types of celebrities, I was skeptical.

Besides, the three-wing didn't make sense.

I don't really know much about Jackson, other than enjoying his hit music over the years and the retrospectives that have been playing non-stop for the past week. Based on what little I do know, including the fact that he has been reclusive, somewhat mysterious, valued his privacy, and produced albums sporadically -- I saw a bit of Type Five there.

The theme of alienation that runs through some of his songs could indicate Type Four or Type Six.

I found it interesting that he wrote most of the songs on Bad. Songs like Dirty Diana and Smooth Criminal have dark themes. Heck, the song Thriller from the previous album of the same name is one of the darkest pop songs, lyrically, I've ever heard.

In his videos, he loved varied settings ... he was obviously a fan of old movies, sci-fi, and sentimental imagery.

Anyway, I don't have a firm fix on his type. I could definitely argue he's a five with a four or six wing, or a four or six with a five wing.

Considering the stories of him being beat by his father as a child and never having a childhood, I also wonder if he started as a five and was "rewired" into a four.

One final point, which is more of a side-note: I wonder if Michael Jackson is the exception to the rule that there are no environmental excuses for poor choices and poor behavior. I know every rule has an exception, and I wonder if he is the case study for celebrities.

L.R: Savage, NPR

2009-06-29T18:53:00.000-04:00

- According to the FDIC, banks made 17 Billion Dollars on Overdraft Protection Fees.

- On Savage, I learned that the President of Honduras lost an election recently. Their Supreme Court is trying to get him to comply with law and cede power; he refuses. Apparently President Obama, along with Castro and Chavez, are taking the side of the LOSER.

- Savage pointed out that, while the MEDIA's mourn M.J.'s death, Iran tortures dissidents, North Korea moves nuclear materials around, and Honduras is about to fall into a dictatorship.

L.R: Anecdotes from Rush

2009-06-29T12:32:00.000-04:00

What an opening monologue:
- Apparently, Congress voted for a Cap and Trade bill that wasn't even written yet.
- Theory: New York Republicans voted for the bill so that Wall Street can manage the Cap and Trade market. "This is a sop by Obama to Wall Street."
- Cap and Trade equals more oil imports.
- Supreme Court rejects Satomayor's decision.
- John Edwards sex video?
- Governor Sanford finds sympathy in the MEDIA? "Chickification of the News."
- Women get fat after marriage, according to NY Times. "If Sanford marries [Argentine mistress], she'll become a tub."

L.R: Anecdotes from Beck

2009-06-29T11:52:00.000-04:00

- Turns out Michael Jackson is still dead.
- M.J. called in from the Beyond to denounce the Cap and Trade bill that passed Congress.
- He just can't mention competitors like Michael Savage by name. "Who saw a potential problem with borders? People with brains!"
- Breaking News: Bernie Madoff sentenced to 150 years. "Fannie and Freddie -- where are those people? This is a small fry compared to the real criminals!"

Vahl doppelganger spotted in Hotlanta

2009-06-27T17:13:00.000-04:00

Check out the baseball scout in the orange shirt. It's more Proof! there are alternate realities in our midst....

Made in China: You Can't Win

2009-06-27T09:19:00.000-04:00

I'm looking at stakes and chains to keep my dog in the yard ... the reason is that in two weeks, my Mom and Knowme will be alone with E. during the day. Neither are fond of dogs for some strange Enneagrammic reason that only Damian and I understand.

Anyway, as you can see from the photo, all my choices here are Made in China products. To quote an unreleased hit Billy and I wrote, " It's a sad, sad affair, over there."

Quotes from the Year 3000

2009-06-26T10:46:00.000-04:00

The following is translated into early 21st century vernacular for your convenience:

"Can you believe people thought you DIED the instant a plane broke apart? Ha ha. I guess they wanted to give solace to the families. I'd hate to be free falling for minutes, knowing I'm dead, before splattering like an insect on concrete. Thank goodness for [CENSORED DAILYSKEW]."

***

"What's Elvis?"

***

"Can you believe people used to get rich by singing and dancing? And scientists were largely unknown and ignored by the populace? They would waste paper on making picture books of malnourished and deformed women, just for LOOKING at them. What an incredible WASTE. If they had only paid more attention to [CENSORED DAILYSKEW], we'd all be better off."

Naked Trees

2009-06-26T07:23:00.001-04:00

In Memoriam: Michael Jackson

2009-06-25T22:40:00.002-04:00

I, like Damian, have had the '80's King of Pop on my mind recently. What a coincidence?

Anyway, I've found myself listening to some of his classics on my MP3 player. Here's a sampling of some songs I loved as a kid, riding the vans instead of the Q7 or Q10 buses, back in the day. The driver would be tuned into KISS or WBLS on the FM dial -- one of those R&B stations that would play The Ritz or Another One Bites the Dust or some classic Michael ... like this:

I only knew the man through his music, so that is how I choose to remember him now. Thanks for the great tunes, Michael. Enjoy the peace of eternity.

Random: Sanford and Dodd

2009-06-25T12:34:00.000-04:00

Just because a politician cheats on his wife by flying to Buenos Aires (hahaha... WOOOooooo) does not mean that the ideas that politician represents are invalidated. This goes for Governors who come out of the closet or get caught with prostitutes, Congressmen caught stealing, Presidents who have sex with interns in the Oval Office, Mayors who cheat on their wife while in office, and any other politician who ends up screwing up.

What a politician represents (the wishes of the people? Hello?) should be bigger than the politician.

I know when a politician gets caught being immoral or unethical, his politics tend to get attacked. This is wrong. Hate the player; don't hate the game. Mock the politician; not the constituents.

***

That being said, Governor Sanford should RESIGN for irresponsibly going to another country without formally transferring power to the Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina. He is irresponsible and not trustworthy.

***

When I heard Senator Dodd from Connecticut claim that bipartisanship was not needed to pass a healthcare bill on NPR this morning, I almost drove off the road.

I KNOW he cried for bipartisanship when the Republicans were in power. What a joke. No shame. No shame.

And, to think, Republicans caved to Democrats on a variety of issues during the Bush administration.

In Memorian: Ed McMahon

2009-06-23T09:23:00.000-04:00

As a kid, I loved his work on TV Bloopers and Practical Jokes, with Dick Clark. Later on, I appreciated his class, humility, and humor on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. He's been parodied many times. It was sad watching the MEDIA take advantage of him as he was going through financial troubles at the end of his life.

Anyway, here's to an icon. They can take your home, but they can't erase your life.

On Anarchy

2009-06-23T08:35:00.003-04:00

Recently, on a post about how I got vandalized, an anarchist left a comment asking, basically, whether or not I had vandalized myself on purpose or not.

Here I was, feeling violated, and an anarchist was questioning me like that. Rather than respond, I thought it best to delete the comment and let it go. I was sure the anarchist didn't mean anything by it, and that I was overreacting.

And then, today, the anarchist left a comment on Damian's blog, stating that he supports burqas and nudity.

It occurred to me, at that moment, what was truly wrong with anarchy -- the absense of rules means that the civilian and the criminal both have rights in the anarchist's mind.

For example, if someone were to burglarize my home, I would have every right to shoot the intruder ... but, according to the anarchist, the burglar ALSO had every right to rob me.

This is absurdity.

So, when the anarchist asked me if I had vandalized my own front yard, he unwittingly revealed the core truth of anarchy -- if you are attacked in any way, shape, or form, you cannot be a victim or feel violated, because it's every man for themselves. The attacker has rights, too. No rules mean equality for the rapist, murderer, and the righteous.

This is sick. And wrong.

It was cool singing Anarchy in the U.K. when I was a teenager, or being against the establishment ... however, at the end of the day, anarchy is all about INJUSTICE and INHUMANITY.

I would not want to live in the anarchist's world. I demand JUSTICE; therefore, there must be rules to follow.

Mother Quail and teeny tiny offspring

2009-06-22T19:28:00.000-04:00

Message to Myanmar "Buddhists"

2009-06-22T08:50:00.000-04:00

Any Myanmar Buddhist who is okay with the minority Rohingya population being treated like slaves is not a Buddhist.

The NPR report I heard this morning was a reminder of how sick people in power can be. The Myanmar Government come off sounding like Nazis, basing their prejudice against the Rohingyas on skin color, appearance, and being from neighboring Bengal -- albeit 100's of years ago. The Rohingyas populace starves and perform back-breaking work while the rest of the populace benefits.

Kudos to NPR for reporting on this at least once.

What Joba Chamberlain Needs

2009-06-20T11:42:00.000-04:00

Message from Local Teenagers, Smallville

2009-06-19T08:08:00.001-04:00

Okay.

You waste perfectly good watermelon, mustard, and toilet paper to send a message: "Help the Poor"?

You alienate a "Rich" person (that's a laugh) to send your message.

Was that supposed to scare me into donating cash I don't have?

Did I mention my son has a terminal illness? My medical expenses are driving me into bankruptcy?

Maybe I should keep your mustard message on my car, BECAUSE I'M POOR AND NEED HELP!

Howard Zinn was right -- a divided poor community works against itself by fighting each other, while the rich reap the benefits.

Next time -- knock on my door.

Four Uigurs in Bermuda

2009-06-17T10:10:00.000-04:00

I've heard talk on Clear Channel that there are photos of released Gitmo Detainees splashing in the waters over at the beaches of Bermuda. The Clear Channel employees painted a picture of terrorists vacationing in paradise.

THANKFULLY, NPR interviewed the four Uigurs and their translator. Here's what I learned:

- Uigurs are a minority from China.
- These four left China, and ended up in the Middle East.
- They were captured by a bounty hunter; no explanation was offered for why they were wanted.
- They were found Not Guilty. They continued to stay at Gitmo, and were free to roam about. They were moved out of the prison section.
- The worst part of the detention was when Chinese interrogators were allowed to speak to them.
- China wants then back but the U.S. refuses to send them back.
- Bermuda finally agreed to take them.
- There are 20 more innocent Uigurs being detained at Gitmo, with no place to go.

I hope that clears that up. The Clear Channel employees should be ashamed for getting the story wrong.

Weekend Getaway to SeaWorld; Fly the Manta!

2009-06-16T21:02:00.004-04:00

G. and I have been talking about going away for a three-day weekend this July. After seeing the commercial for the Manta, my curiosity was piqued.

I'm not a roller coaster person, per se -- I've ridden a couple of the popular ones in Orlando. I think I might be willing to give the Manta a spin, or let it spin me! Riding on the back of the sea creature looking out at the world is a different perspective from most other roller coasters I've seen, and something worth trying out.

I haven't been to SeaWorld since I was kid. Looking at their site, there is a lot that's changed over the years. Journey to Atlantis looks like an amazing splash ride, and I love 3D simulators like the Wild Arctic Ride. They've added a lot of cool shows, while still maintaining the great tradition of Shamu and their other animal exhibits.

One thing cool about SeaWorld is that it's here in Florida, within driving distance from anywhere in the state. From Fort Lauderdale, it's only three hours to all those cool attractions.

They've got a great deal going, where you can buy a SeaWorld ticket and get a free Aquatica or Busch Gardens pass! Aquatica is right across the street from SeaWorld, and is a great place to take the whole family. There's also a Busch Gardens shuttle that will take you to Tampa if you decide to take advantage of that park, with all it's rides and exhibits. The selection is excellent; I'm certain my two kids would not be bored! If we do get away this July, I think we'll stay in Florida and try out Seaworld and Aquatica.

Mom

2009-06-16T10:01:00.000-04:00

Speaking of reminiscing Damian (subscribe to the offline Damian/Vahl email exchange today through Earth-Never stores), great scene from yesterday with my mom:

- Mom, Bubba, Knowme, and G. were eating lunch at the hospital. Bubba wanted to put his tray away after eating.

"No," said Mom. "You can't do it."

"Wait," G said. "Let him try."

Bubba had an IV plug on one arm (nothing attached). He tried to lift the tray with the other arm. He said, "Can Knowme help me?"

"See? He can't do it," said my mom.

Bubba was confused. G. overruled my mom and later apologized. Mom said,"No. You were right. You were right."

G. later related the story to me; it was like a window to the past for her, where she could see how I was raised. She remarked, "No wonder you're hesitant about doing certain things," like around the kitchen.

"I'm glad you witnessed that."

G. also noticed that Mom did not listen to Bubba when he tried to express himself.

"Yes," I said. "She would jump to conclusions before I could talk when I was a kid."

Random

2009-06-16T09:30:00.000-04:00

- I heard a clip from Obama's speech to the AMA. He mentioned Tort Reform and the physicians applauded. Obama said, "Wait a minute," and proceeded to state he was against Tort Reform AND the doctors needed to stop practicing defensive medicine and provide better care.

How are doctor's supposed to stop practicing defensive care when they're afraid of lawsuits? Telling doctors to do better is not a solution. Words will not reduce costs or inspire better care.

- Everytime I hear Rush cite veterinary care as an example of a for-profit healthcare system that works, I cringe. Ask Damian what he thinks of some veterinarians.

- Iran: I suspect that the Ayatollahs are using this thrown election to draw out potential enemies of their state into public in order to be arrested and/or shot, or just plain shot.

9th Inning: One last pitch to RAW

2009-06-13T18:54:00.001-04:00

I tried replying in the comments of the previous blog post, but it was too many characters. So, here goes:

When I say Government is the lazy way out, I am not saying the poor are lazy.

I meant society, in general, practices lazy man's ethics ... you could blame it on societal distractions (TV, Internet, Radio, Movies, Sports ... i.e. stuff that has no tangible meaning); the majority of people choose distractions over getting to know their neighbor.

South Florida is PRONE to this; people hardly ever get to know their neighbors, let alone what they are going through.

People do bond with their workmates, and those connections can lead to friendships.

In the case of the jobless, unless they already know their neighbors or have family nearby, they are screwed.

Laziness is an epidemic in our society. People don't help each other out because they're afraid of getting sued or taken advantage of.

***

One more time: duh. Our current system definitely has weaknesses. When it comes to my son ... it took five years before we had a decent idea of what was wrong with him ... five years of pediatricians downplaying his constant illness, five years of antibiotics, colonoscopies, CAT scans, skin lesions ... I have cursed the doctors and the system many times over the past seven years.

I have also had great insurance, bad insurance, and no insurance during this time, so I've seen all angles of this debate. On a side-note: I've had no insurance during my life as well, and gone to see doctors who specialize in helping immigrant communities; my mom and wife have seen DENTISTS who do that, too.

Look, in the U.S., you have to take command of your health care. Pediatricians tend to practice LME because they're afraid of lawsuits. So they play it safe and give you platitudes, and because they see sooooo many patients, they don't have time to think straight and give you individualized care ...
too many distractions.

If you rely on doctors to just give you the answer, you're hurting yourself. Doctors don't know it all. You can sometimes learn more by searching for your answers and then talking to your doctor about the info you found, rather than expecting the doctor to magically know how to solve your health problem.

Having Government-run healthcare isn't going to eliminate the need to take control of your own healthcare.

Of course, healthcare is already quasi-government run already. I'd rather have choices than one path.

***

Do you realize that liability insurance for doctors is a big reason why healthcare is sooooo expensive? The Congress has the power to reduce that cost, via Tort reform, and refuse to pass legislation to do so.

If the Democrats and Republicans really cared so much for us, that would be their first move to fix the excessive cost for healthcare. They deserve more blame than the corporations you.

I'm not here to suggest corporations are pious, but they don't deserve all the blame.

***

Based on your comments, RAW, it appears you've prayed the Universal Healthcare premise into your heart! Your faith in the Book of Sicko is unshakable.

I mean , it's all good, bro. We're just chattin'. No hard feelings.

I mean ... I wish you would defend the massive wait times in England and Canada, as well as unnecessary deaths related to those waits, and I wish you would explain how the weaknesses in a Universal Healthcare system are not as bad as the system here in the U.S., but I know you're rooting for your team. I know your a team Democrat kind of guy. I understand these kind of political conversations usually break down to who you root for, regardless of facts.

It's all good. It's okay. Like I said before, you will get your wish. Your team won in 2008, and that's that. Universal Healthcare will happen. I don't expect anyone to change their mind because of me! So, please don't feel threatened by my stance! I have Earth-Zero influence!

Like I said, I'm just going on the record, and so are you. It's cool, man. It's all good.

You can have the last word, bro. Bottom of the ninth. Your final turn at bat. That's my pitch. Enjoy.

The RAW Universal Health Care Debate Continues....

2009-06-12T09:19:00.002-04:00

I went ahead and searched for information on the woman whose son died of a tooth infection that spread to his brain.

Here's the Washington Post article.

Here's a link to the foundation that was founded in honor of the son to help prevent further dental deaths.

Funny, how a not-for-profit organization was formed to help poor kids....

Anyway, I was astounded by the article -- particularly the part about how the mother was relying on STATE-RUN MEDICAID TO SAVE HER SON. WHY?(tm) did the state of Maryland offer so little reimbursement money to Dentists? How is this the private sector's fault? Why?(tm) is the Government so slow to react?

And how is this better than private sector health coverage and not-for-profit organizations?

I found a wonderful blog post that does a great job of explaining how what happened to this boy is an example of why universal health care is a BAD IDEA. I'm Tony Vahl, and I endorse the message in that post.

Here's some video. I love (not) the part about how a dental committee was formed to study the problem ... "Gee, let's raise reimbursement rates and simplify the paperwork." I wonder how much the geniuses got paid to figure that out. I wonder if they're related to the idiots who gave mortgage loans to individuals who couldn't make the payments:

To me, this whole thing is another example of Lazy Man's Ethics. Government as a solution is the lazy way out, and the results are proof of that.