Weiland Blog

Yet again, my least favorite college team choked in another big bowl game. This time the Buckeyes lost the 2009 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl to the hands of the Texas Longhorns. Nice work, Longhorns! You proved that OSU was once again, overrated.

Before hitting the sack, Eddie got it right when watching the big game with us and a bowl of popcorn. "Bad Buckeyes," he said, unprompted, several times. "Bad Buckeyes."

Yep. Bad Buckeyes. Bad Buckeyes, indeed.

I think the most popular question we've all been asked over the last several days is: "So are you ready for Christmas?" As a matter of fact, I am ready for Christmas. Bring it on, I say. And like many of our friends and family, we're celebrating Christ's birthday a bit more modestly this year, but that doesn't mean we're not going to have fun. We're planning on enjoying it as much or more than we ever have before -- especially with the pulsating energy of the kiddos filling the air.

Of course, I'm also selfishly looking forward to relaxing away from "the office" and any mention of "work" over the next five days. I had a few errands to run this morning involving the procurement of food and returned home to a couple napping kiddos. After wrapping a few last-minute gifts, Chloe woke up and wanted to color in her new Christmas Puppies coloring book. She colored while I cut and taped, and afterward we shared a scrumptious and nutritious bowl of beef ramen and a clementine. Now she's helping (is that the word?) me write this blog entry. Funny that her "helping" is pointing to icons on the screen, moving the mouse erratically, and flipping off/on the nearby kitchen light switch.

Eddie is still snoozing away - working on a 2-hour nap. I'm hoping he sleeps as much as possible since Mass tonight and all the festivities and visitors will certainly hype him well into the stratosphere. "Houston, we have lift-off..."

Even though both kids refused to sit on Santa's lap this year, we're confident they still like him. I'm sure when they wake up tomorrow and see some new toys all that talk about Santa being "scary" will come to an end.

However, both have really enjoyed the various assortment of animated Christmas specials in our DVD library as well as on ABC Family Channel. Favorites this year have been: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, The Year Without A Santa Claus, The Polar Express, Frosty the Snowman, and the new A Miser Brothers Christmas. As an avid Rankin/Bass fan, it's nice to see them enjoying a lot of the old classics.

Well, Chloe is tired of sitting here typing, so it's time to sign-off. I think I'll try and finish up the Dune book I'm currently reading. Then I may move back into reading constitutional/founding father's material. I find it liberating.

Oh! I almost forgot. I found a six-pack of Winter Solstice from Cleveland's  new Indigo Imp Brewery at the local Heinen's grocery store. Not bad. They officially started selling their brew earlier this month. I have to admit, it's not as noteworthy as Great Lakes' Christmas Ale (ok... but what IS?) but it has great flavor and potential. I'm looking forward to trying some of their other brew very soon!

So without further adieu: Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

Last week, actor Gary Sinise received the Presidential Citizens Medal for his noteworthy work in supporting the American military personnel. Along with Jon Voight, Sinise is one of the few respectable and stalwart individuals in the Hollywood crowd. From the Washington Times:

"Since war became a geographically distant but very real way of life after Sept. 11, 2001, no Hollywood star has stepped up to support active duty U.S. military personnel and wounded veterans like Gary Sinise. There is no close second. And quietly, as is in his nature, he is becoming something akin to this generation´s Bob Hope.

One step in conferring this worthy title on the award-winning actor, director and producer occurred last week when President Bush bestowed on him the Presidential Citizens Medal, the second highest civilian honor awarded to citizens for exemplary deeds performed in service of the nation."

Read more...

Learn more about Operation Iraqi Children, Sinise's grass-roots effort to reach out to war-stricken Iraqi children and support American troops in their efforts to assist them. Way to go, Gary.

Source: [ Washington Times, December 10, 2008 ]

Liberty is alive and well in the US Senate. Before you get too excited, it's likely a fleeting moment. And it wasn't displayed in overwhelming fashion. But in the rejection of cloture on a bill that would have diverted $14 billion in taxpayer revenue to "bailout" General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler, I'm hoping these ramped handouts stop. Let's face it. This handout is only delaying the inevitable. These companies need to restructure themselves and smack down the outrageous demands of the UAW.

Thanks in large part to conservative Republicans in the Senate, the bill is dead. It's not often that I'm elated when President Bush is disappointed -- but I am today. His lame-duck support of this bailout is sickening. I don't care who supports it -- I will continue to say "no" to the spread of nationalization of the private sector.

Now if only all the ridiculous regulations imposed on the auto industry could be rolled-back. If that happened, would the auto industry be asking for a bailout in the first place? Likely not.

Would I still prefer a Honda? Very likely.

Today we celebrate the 75th anniversary of the end of Prohibition when the 21st Amendment was ratified on December 5, 1933:

Section 1. The eighteenth article of amendment to the Constitution of the United States is hereby repealed.

It was the 18th Amendment that mandated Prohibition by declaring "the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors within, the importation thereof into, or the exportation thereof from the United States and all territory subject to the jurisdiction thereof for beverage purposes is hereby prohibited" -- hardly a spirit-lifting measure imposed in 1919.

Thank goodness it only took our forefathers fourteen years to see the light. Thanks to Prohibition's end, I can freely sip my favorite brews today. To that I give a hearty "cheers!" 

When all appears bleak and there aren't any blips on the new-music radar, something unexpected invariably materializes and restores your faith in musical creativity. Recent releases by Karmakanic (Who's The Boss In The Factory) and Snow Patrol (A Hundred Million Suns) have done just that.

Hailing from Sweden, Karmakanic has put together a tremendously addicting collection of progressive rock tracks. The serious grandeur of selections like Who's The Boss In The Factory, Send A Message From The Heart and Eternally compliment the fun and sarcastic Let In Hollywood. And frankly, I have a hard time stopping in the middle of this 55-minute musical trek. If I start it, I must be finished. And based on comments from my friend, Andy, he's suffering just the same. Good music is hard to find, and even harder to pause when you've found it. If you're a fan of Spock's Beard, the Flower Kings, or Yes, you'll want to listen to this one.

Completely and stylistically different but no less impressive is A Hundred Million Suns by Snow Patrol. I was introduced to Snow Patrol a few years ago by a co-worker. Since then I've been a fan of their simmering, slow-building style of writing. Somehow, I hadn't known about the release of A Hundred Million Suns until the day before it was to be released, and I can't stop listening to it. And what's this? The last track (The Lightning Strike) is a 16-minute, 3-movement piece that is undoubtedly a nod toward orchestrated rock. Yes, bliss.

Other recent releases include the latest Pendragon and Marillion discs. Marillion's two-disc Happiness Is The Road is pretty darn good. But did it really need to be a two-disc release? I think they could have trimmed a few of the mediocre tunes and released a solid one-disc effort. But alas, they didn't. But after their last insipid album, Somewhere Else, this one should be heralded with much pomp and circumstance.

And I'm sorry. The new Pendragon -- as they say -- just ain't cuttin' it. More of the same 1990's sound from them.

Next week, Coldplay releases a new EP, Prospekt's March. While I can't stomach the band's drone-like political allegiance to liberalism, I do love their songwriting. Thank the Maker that I have some birthday cash still lying around. I'll be picking this one up at Best Buy next week. $5.99 is just too tempting to pass up.

It's another Monday, and it's already a better start than last week's. It's not every week we find the United States electing someone more liberal than Jimmy Carter to the presidency. It's not every week we find a #3 Penn State football team losing to an unranked Iowa Hawkeye team. And if that wasn't bad enough, the Steelers lost to the Colts yesterday in the waning minutes of their game thanks to Peyton Manning. Like I said, it will be a better week. Oh, did mention the Baltimore Dirty Birds won?

But like I said, it's already a better week. After last night's Steelers game, we corralled the kids in the family room, lit the first fire of the season and watched Santa Claus Is Coming To Town on DVD. Not to be outdone, I filled the tank in the Accord today, and it was a shiny-happy $1.89/gallon. (Hmm... I think I'll blame George Bush like they do when it soars to nearly $4.00/gallon.) But even without all of this good fortune, it's a better week just because we're alive, healthy, and together in the best country in the world.

We introduced the kids to The Sound of Music this weekend. Eddie was captivated by it, which was unexpected. The music really grabbed his attention, and I guess it's not too surprising since they both love musicals like Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and the Wizard of Oz. Eddie's Star Wars vocabulary is growing by leaps and bounds. As expected, he knows Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Chewbacca, etc., but when he points out General Grievous on-screen, I took note. He's now learning as many starship and vehicle names as possible. We counting on him testing out of History of Star Wars Vehicles 101 next semester... stay tuned!

"Society in every state is a blessing, but government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state an intolerable one; for when we suffer, or are exposed to the same miseries by a government, which we might expect in a country without government, our calamity is heightened by reflecting that we furnish the means by which we suffer."

The writings of Thomas Paine hit home in the wake of a painfully long and historic election that we witnessed over the course of the last year. It is historic in the sense that Barack Obama is the most liberal-minded person ever to be elected President of the United States. It is historic in the sense that Barack Obama will now be able to miraculously fix our souls with a gentle flick of his hand. Historic in the sense that 52% of those who managed to vote (legally and illegally) ignored the indisputably radical, anti-American influences that coddled Barack Obama, shaping his values and mindset. Historic in the sense that the unprecedented level of  media bias successfully kept the real Barack Obama hidden from the American people. Historic in the sense that if Barack Obama was distant cousin of Pinocchio, his nose would stretch to Venezuela and back.

While we're in the spirit of celebrating historic events, let's not forget the bravery of this nation's founding fathers. Because of their desire for freedom and willingness to die for liberty we were able to witness the historic election of a bi-racial candidate to the presidency - despite the endless condemnations of "progressive" naysayers that claim our founding fathers were shrewd, racist and closed-minded and that our Constitution is outdated, ineffective and flawed.

So by all accounts, the forthcoming administration is poised to be the most liberal, over-reaching, controlling, and inexperienced administration in United States history. If you thought your liberty was a doormat Before Obama (that's B.O. for you history types...) you'll likely be crying for a return to the good old days if the Messiah truly unleashes his plans for American Socialism. Welcome to the Nanny State, my friends. Where you'll be told what car to drive, what light bulbs to use, how much electricity to consume, what hospital to use, what retirement plan to contribute to, what school to attend, how much gas to buy, how much water to use when flushing the loo...

I'm tempted cry out in frustration to God and ask for clarity.  But I might as well wait until the Anointed One assumes control and dishes out my share of government Soul-Fixin'. Maybe then I'll see the light -- that is if the rolling blackouts from a bankrupt coal industry haven't started yet...

Well, it's the Sunday before election day, and we wanted to remind our fellow parishioners that as Catholics they should support Life when casting their vote this coming Tuesday.

Armed with smiles and pro-life signs not unlike other rallies from this past year, we stood at both exits of our church parking lot hoping to persuade those Catholics who might be leaning toward the pro-choice candidate, Barack Obama, to change their minds. When it was said and done, our small group was able to canvas all of the five Sunday Masses.

But our time on the sidewalk wasn't free from profane opposition. "Vote for jobs, you @$$hole" one exceedingly intelligent, liberal driver screamed to me and my two-year-old. I couldn't figure out why our signs upset him so much. Then again, I can't understand what makes any uninformed liberal drone do what they do.

So if by chance Eddie starts dropping the word @$$hole around the house, I can once again thank a lib for injecting unwanted grief into my life.

Right about now, Obama is knee-deep in his last-ditch, pre-election effort to work the masses, not unlike a young, suave bachelor at a dance club on Ladies Night. But with this flirtatious outing comes a hefty cover charge. Nearly $4 million will have been spent to pipe Obama's fireside chat through CBS, NBC, Fox, BET, Univision, MSNBC and TV One.

Sing with me, now... I know you all remember the classic Kool & The Gang song:

Oh yes it's ladies night
And the feeling's right
Oh yes it's ladies night
Oh what a night... oh what a night..

Aw heck. But what's a few million dollars anyway? We shouldn't worry that Obama's campaign has raised more than $600 million - which is almost as much as the private funds raised by Bush and Kerry combined in the 2004 election. Despite the endless endorsements Obama has received by rogue nations, terrorists, dictators, and all-around enemies of America, we shouldn't worry that almost anyone can contribute - without preconditions, mind you - to Obama's campaign. Besides, there can't be any felonious activity going on here, right? We've been assured by the Great Barack himself that this campaign has been primarily bankrolled by millions of average citizens making millions of modest on-line donations. And nobody would ever think of channeling large sums of money to the Obama campaign in the form of modest, repeat donations, right?

In closing, I guess Obama has gotten more than just cash from his friends in Hollywood. Based on the audacity of this Obammercial, I'd say Tinseltown has been helping him script a sitcom during the few months. And that might just come in handy if the anointed one is elected as our 44th president. If so, I'll have my tomatoes in-hand.

Those that know me well, know that I am not a sitcom fan. So instead of the mindlessness of the Obammercial, we opted for a Baby Einstein DVD and Elmo's World. We figured we'd learn something from 8:00 - 8:30 PM instead of turning our brains to mush. "La-la-la-laaa, la-la-la-laaa, Elmo's World!"

[Sources: New York Times: October 19, 2008; FindLaw's Writ: October 28, 2008; ]