How Dumb Can A Machine Be?

This morning I went to my local Krogers (a supermarket chain) to buy the Sunday paper. It was the only purchase I was making so I availed myself of the self service checkout. I hit the touchscreen to start my purchase, and then "swiped" my Krogers card to make sure they would know I was spending a whole dollar and fifty cents.

Per direction (from the machine) I scanned my item and placed it in the bag. With no other items to purchase I then pressed the "button" to "proceed to checkout". The machine then asked me the question "Do you have any coupons?"

I roared with laughter thinking to myself.........

"Why yes I do, I have a whole damn paper full of them."

I know the machine was only doing as it was told, and the question was really if I had a coupon to scan, but for a brief second I thought.......

"How dumb can a machine be?"

Question The Candidates - Made In The USA ?

In the presidential campaign you hear every candidate speak about American workers, American jobs going overseas, and U.S. trade policies.

So my first question is "who to believe"? I think a good place to start is find out what the candidates sell for gear. Most (but not all) candidate's websites have an online store to buy "goodies".

I checked 15 online candidates stores on December 14, 2007 and here are the results:

Good Guys:
Fred Thompson - all products made in the USA
Mitt Romney - all products proudly made in USA
Rudy Giuliani - all products made in USA
Barack Obama - All of our products are union and USA made and produced. (have uswa logo)

Questionable:
John Edwards - some products are union made union printed, some are union made in USA
Dennis Kucinich - Union made and Union printed in the USA. Union Made In The U.S.A. Union Made
Bill Richardson - Your one stop shopping center for quality Union Made and Union Printed


Bad Guys (and girl):
Hillary Clinton
Ron Paul
Tom Tancredo
Mike Huckabee
These four candidates have nothing to indicate made in USA or union made!

Five candidates have no store on their website - Joe Biden, John McCain, Chris Dodd, and Duncan Hunter

Now my second question is to Hillary, Ron, Tom, and Mike WHAT GIVES! It appears you talk a good game but do not put your money where your mouth is.

Muses note: This blog entry was proudly made in the USA.

Top Huckabee Aid Promises NIE Report

Today Mike Huckabee's top political advisor delivers his long awaited report on AIDS, and promises to have the NIE report on Iran completed before Armageddon.

Mitch and Harry - The Nothing Twins

The Senate is back from their Thanksgiving break, and has picked up right where they left off, doing NOTHING.
Mitch blames Harry and the democrats.
Harry blames Mitch and the republicans.
I blame them both. They both lie, spin, and tell half-truths. What we (Harry, Mitch, and me) all agree on is NOTHING IS GETTING DONE.
My solution, a civilian surge. Contact your representatives in Washington, and make these "leaders" understand that we deserve and demand better from OUR elected officials. Their childish bickering will no longer do.

A Holiday Eggnog For Politicians

Politicians are always trying to "position" themselves on the issues. So, in the spirit of the season, here is my little gift to them. (with step-by-step instructions, because without instructions I am sure they will mess this up)

1) Remove lid from blender.

2) Add eggnog to blender.

3) Add food coloring. Add blue to be liberal, red to be conservative, or both to be moderate. Note: The more you add of either color the stronger your position.

4) Turn on blender.

PRESTO! You have just blended the perfectly positioned holiday eggnog.

Muse's Note: If you were to stupid to replace the lid on the blender before you turned it on, then your to stupid to get my vote.