Weiland Blog

Click to enlarge the above Michael Ramirez cartoon.

Hey Specter -- don't let the door hit you on the way out.  It's about time you left the Republican party. You've been nothing but a menace to Republicans, let alone conservatives like me who had no choice but to vote for you instead of someone more liberal than you... It was a big joke voting for you when I lived in Pennsylvania.

And isn't it funny how Arlen rode Reagan's wave of success into the Senate nearly 30 years ago - and all he has to show for it is an absurd, egotistical  liberal voting record. So faced with a likely butt-kicking by Pat Toomey in the PA GOP primary next year, Arlen thinks of none other than himself, leaves the party he used and abused for three decades, and runs with his tail between his legs to the other side. You coward. You ego-maniac. You elitist bureaucrat. Here's a news flash: it's not about your career, Arlen. It's about us. You do what is politically expedient for YOU, don't ya? But you wouldn't know anything about character, would you? You're a career politician, and that's all you know.

It's no surprise that I'm glad to see old Specter go. Now if only we can get Collins and Snowe of Maine to do the same. We'll just keep cleaning house, baby. Cleaning house. The pseudo-Republicans must go. Sayonara, Arlen. Good riddance.

Hail to the chief! Or should I say to hell with the teleprompter guy? You know, I'm concerned. I wonder what happened to the poor 'prompter pal after this canned speech of Obama's had some tele-hiccups today. Whatever happened, I'm sure it involved Rahm Emmanuel and some sort of illegal torture...

It only took Obama 90-some days to cozy up to Chavez. Now if that doesn't make you toss your cookies, I doubt anything will. Unless, of course, you think of the potential friends he'll be making in the next 100 days...

Oh my, oh my, Obama. What did you say? Basically you summed up your contempt for this country and its robust Judeo/Christian history while in Turkey this week. It actually doesn't surprise me that Obama feels this way. It does, however, surprise me that he continually peers out from under the charismatic mask that he wears. I ask all of my family and friends that were bamboozled by this charmer: are you finally starting to see where this contemptable clown wants take this country?

On April 6, 2009 Obama, kowtowing to an assembly in Turkey, said the following:

"We do not consider ourselves a Christian nation or a Jewish nation or a Muslim nation. We consider ourselves a nation of citizens who are bound by ideals and a set of values," he said.

Let's see, are those ideals and values that were fostered by the founders -- founders that brought Judeo/Christian beliefs with them? Stop apologizing for our religious beliefs. Better yet, apologize to those Austrians you insulted over the weekend by suggesting they spoke Austrian and not German.

[ Sources: The Raw Story, April 6, 2009; Right Side News, April 8, 2009 ]

Well, it's that time again - time to bottle another batch of beer. Matt and I have a bottling session at The Brew Kettle tomorrow night, and as always, we're looking forward to spending a few hours with some good people at da Kettle.

I realized, however, that my portion of this batch will require me to tap into some of my older bottles. Why is that a problem? Well, we started making beer The Brew Kettle over four years ago, and some of our bottles still have the original paper-based labels on them. Over time, some of the labels peel off and rip away as a result of repeated use and cleaning. Policy at The Brew Kettle is that no brew is allowed to leave the site in non-labeled bottles. So when all of the kids went down for their naps, I went down into the basement and lugged the old bottles upstairs to the kitchen.

So how do you effectively remove labels and sticky goo from bottles? First off, our new labels are vinyl-based and should last much longer this time, so I won't have to address these labels again any time soon. But should you find yourself faced with this situation, here's what you do:

• Simply soak your bottles in a sink full of warm water and a few ounces of bleach
• After the bottles have soaked for 5 minutes or so, simple use a razor blade to scrape off the labels and adhesive
• Simply rinse with cold water, dry the bottles, and you're ready for the new labels

Our kitchen sink is pretty large, so I can typically soak six bottles at a time. Yesterday, a case of bottles took about 45 minutes to remove the labels and clean, with an additional 10 minutes to apply the new labels. The benefits are obvious: clean bottles, new labels, an extremely sparkling sink, a kitchen that smells like an indoor swimming pool, bleached hands, and bleach-marked clothes if you're not careful.

The good news is that we only have 18 or so remaining bottles with the old labels. I'm not sure when I'll subject them to the bleach and removal treatment, but one thing is for sure: your nose will know.

Who ya gonna call? Mr. Goodwrench? Pepboys? Your local grease monkey? Nope - get ready for rationed car care compliments of the White House.

Way to go Hank, Pavel, and all the Hockeytown gang. The Red Wings have reached the 100-point mark for a record-setting 9th straight season.

To all my Pittsburgh Penguin friends and family back in Pennsylvania: take note: this is a real hockey franchise.

While we're on the subject of success... to all the great Browns fans in my life, take note of those Super Bowl XLIII-winning Steelers: that's a real football franchise.  Now I run the risk of being flogged... (again!)

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- No need to hit the panic button, Detroit fans. Despite some bad games, rocky times and nagging question marks, the Red Wings are right back atop the heap.

Chris Osgood made 23 saves for his 49th career shutout, and the Red Wings beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-0 on Sunday to become the first team in NHL history to top 100 points in nine straight seasons. Detroit also clinched its 17th consecutive playoff spot.

"Obviously, to set an NHL record, it's phenomenal," coach Mike Babcock said. "I've only been part of it for four years, [but I'm] proud of the fact that for four years we've been over the century mark."

[ Source: ESPN.com March 16, 2009 ]

The other day, Obama made a comment about the stock market that should have every 401K or pension participant wishing they had invested in snake oil rather Wall Street:

"You know, the stock market is sort of like a tracking poll in politics. It bobs up and down day to day, and if you spend all your time worrying about that, then you're probably going to get the long-term strategy wrong. What you're now seeing is profit and earning ratios are starting to get to the point where buying stocks is a potentially good deal if you've got a long-term perspective on it."

Does this clown cloister himself in a cave when not hosting fancy dinners or pushing his face into our living rooms with mindless and rambling press conferences? "Ah, someone wake the president. We've got a crisis here..."

The stock market is plummeting in response to his idealogical, from-the-hip socialistic agenda and reckless, hurried policies. The market has no faith in his vision and so it tumbles and tumbles and tumbles...

Someone pinch Obama before our portfolios are shouting goose eggs. Better yet, pinch the naive puppeteers inputing the drivel into Obama's teleprompter.

[ Sources: The Wall Street Journal, March 6, 2009; Townhall, March 5, 2009 ]

Last night our son, Luke Patrick, was born into our world amid tears of joy and much elation! After Mom had been at the hospital for about 10 hours, he decided it was time to "move on up" to that deluxe apartment we call the Weiland household. Little does he know what awaits him... two toddlers with hockey sticks and affinities for Star Wars and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. 

So at a healthy 7 pounds 12 ounces, Luke is doing very well. We are extremely thankful, humble and blessed to bring another soul into God's world. Now the fun and real work begin!