A question that the North Carolina Legislature absolutely HAS to know the answer to (and will spend an unlimited amount of taxpayer money to find out the answer):

To what extent is the high price of waterfront property to blame for the loss of fish houses along the coast?

What the hell business is it of government?

But don't worry, you can rest assured that the all-knowing Democrat-run government in North Carolina will find out the answers -- and they will spend as much of your money as they need to get the answers. You might need to work a little harder because they're currently in a $1 billion defect for the coming year, but they're going to spend this money anyway however they want. So prepare yourself for MORE tax increases this year by the NC Democrats, because they need to know why low-rent houses are disappearing on high-cost waterfront property.

Posted by: Ogre at 12:04 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Have a nice shopping day! You will NOT see the Ogre outside today. Those of you headed out, have fun. And keep in mind my my driving tips. If you're one of those who thinks the economy is bad, feel free to head outside and take a peek at capitalism in action! This economy is going gangbusters, despite out of control government. Imagine how much MORE awesome it would be if government were taking and spending even LESS of the money you earn!!!

Posted by: Ogre at 03:05 PM | Comments (5) | Add Comment
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John Kitna? Look out. I think you're going to get to meet Mr. Taylor up close and personal this afternoon. Miami may have pretty much zero offense, but they're winning with their defense. The Lions have given up 28 sacks on the year (5th worse in the league). Miami is 10th in sacks with 26 on the season. I'm seeing a few more coming up today!

Update: Dang, I wish there was football on today. The CBS channel I've got has apparently converted to the commercial channel with a couple football highlights after every 10th commercial. Geez.

Posted by: Ogre at 05:39 PM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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I just caught The Jersey Boys singing in a park (on the Hudson, I think) during a break in one of the Thanksgiving Day parades. They were singing a medley of Frankie Valli songs. Very impressive! Incredible voices. And they are sharp dressers, too.

Posted by: Ogre at 02:39 PM | Comments (7) | Add Comment
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1 Yes, I agree. Now we know what fashion style you're stuck in Most appropriately, they were on the Jersey side of the Hudson.

Posted by: Michele at November 23, 2006 03:37 PM (M8Syr)

2 I didn't know which side they were on, but the makes sense, doesn't it?

Posted by: Ogre at November 23, 2006 08:12 PM (GPb4I)

3 I've never heard of them. Now I'm searching around trying to find out if their tour might bring them anywhere near me. Not so far!

Posted by: Ogre at November 24, 2006 03:17 PM (GPb4I)

4 It is a great broadway show. For readers who might want to see some of the musical clips of the play you can visit: http://www.jerseyboystour.com/ and click on video.

Posted by: michele at November 24, 2006 04:03 PM (DPFIK)

5 ooOOO! Videos, too! Yay!

Posted by: Ogre at November 24, 2006 09:32 PM (GPb4I)

6 I'm heading back to NYC in Feb. If there is one show I want to see, it's that one. I just hope I don't get in trouble for singing along!

Posted by: Tammi at November 25, 2006 01:32 AM (3UQTn)

7 Just be sure someone is taking a video of that!

Posted by: Ogre at November 25, 2006 03:27 AM (GPb4I)

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Have a happy day, one and all.

Posted by: Ogre at 01:52 PM | Comments (8) | Add Comment
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Hey folks, I'm almost there! Today I crossed the 40,000-word mark with the NaNoWriMo challenge. In case you missed it, this is a challenge to write a 50,000-word novel in just one month. You can see how I've progressed, and if you're interested in some light, COMPLETELY unedited reading, I've put most of what I've done online. With only 10,000 words to go, now it really feels like it's going downhill and I can see the end. Now I just have to make sure there's enough story left to make it to the end!

Posted by: Ogre at 08:04 PM | Comments (5) | Add Comment
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Time for an afternoon quiz!

You Are Pumpkin Pie

Even when people are full - they make room for you. Good or bad, your smell is most likely to arouse a man.

Now you KNOW I like pie...but I'm not so sure about that second part there...Contagion, here, smell this...

Posted by: Ogre at 06:03 PM | Comments (6) | Add Comment
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1 Happy holidays Ogre!!!..save some pie for me..lol..

Posted by: Angel at November 22, 2006 06:50 PM (x8bOf)

2 Thank you -- Pie for everyone!

Posted by: Ogre at November 22, 2006 08:06 PM (oifEm)

3 Stuffing here: You're complicated and complex, yet all your pieces fit together. People miss you if you're gone - but they're not sure why. Have a great Thanksgiving, Ogre!

Posted by: Always On Watch at November 22, 2006 11:31 PM (0Co69)

4 Thanks, AOW!

Posted by: Ogre at November 23, 2006 02:28 PM (GPb4I)

5 Happy Thanksgiving!

Posted by: Michele at November 23, 2006 03:33 PM (M8Syr)

6 I hope you have a wonderful holiday, Michele!

Posted by: Ogre at November 23, 2006 08:13 PM (GPb4I)

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So, which do you choose? You are told by the government that you must either murder someone who cannot fight back -- and it will be easy, no violence involved -- or you will go to jail. On what charge, you ask? Assault. That's right, in the UK, if you REFUSE to kill someone, YOU could be charged with assault.

Be thankful this year, as you celebrate Thanksgiving in America, that you're not in the UK and not on the "unfavourable list" of the government -- or your doctor might be ordered to kill you. But don't worry, they won't just kill dissidents, they'll only kill the "undesirable" to "save costs."

The Hippocratic Oath used to say

I will not give a fatal draught to anyone if I am asked, nor will I suggest any such thing.

I will act in the patient's best interest when providing medical care.

Since that oath is too hard for these doctors and government to understand or apply, how about something a little simpler:

Primum non nocere (First, do no harm).

Posted by: Ogre at 05:08 PM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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Well folks, if you're here checking out the latest from Ogre before you head out of the holiday weekend, thanks for stopping by! And if you're just wandering around because you're NOT heading out, thanks, too. But before you get behind the wheel (whether you're driving far away or not) two quick driving tips for this well-traveled weekend for you:

1. If the weather is so bad that you can only go 40-45 mph, by all means, please do so. Do not go a speed at which you are not comfortable with your vehicle. However, please don't do this on the interstate where the speed limit is 65 and everyone is going 70. It's you that's going to cause the accident, that's just not safe.

2. If you're NOT driving anywhere this weekend, this tip is for you: Keep in mind that even though you're not going anywhere, EVERYONE else is! So when you head down to the corner store for the milk that you forgot, keep in mind that 1 out of every 3 cars you see is someone who really doesn't know where they are. They don't know about that turning lane. They're too confused to put their turn signal on. So, especially local drivers, take a little extra patience out there with you -- everyone else really IS lost!

Posted by: Ogre at 02:05 PM | Comments (5) | Add Comment
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1 Also, if you are from the North, you need to learn the difference between tree types and rock sizes, otherwise you will not be able to understand the directions we give down South

Posted by: William Teach at November 22, 2006 03:09 PM (doAuV)

2 And don't forget to know where "Old Johnson's Farm" used to be so y'all know where to turn.

Posted by: Ogre at November 22, 2006 04:21 PM (oifEm)

3 By changing your driving habits you can improve fuel economy up to 37 percent right away (depending on how you drive). Combine several tips and perform routine maintenance and you will save real dollars, not just pennies.

Posted by: people pc at November 23, 2006 02:59 PM (dJBWJ)

4 And it's even better to save money while not crashing into other people.

Posted by: Ogre at November 23, 2006 03:20 PM (GPb4I)

5 I'm with you, Fashion Jeans, it's nice when you live somewhere and the population drastically shrinks at times!

Posted by: Ogre at November 26, 2006 07:20 PM (GPb4I)

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Well, you shouldn't cheat no matter where you are. But in NC especially, you can be held financially liable if you cheat with someone who is married. And now the NC Supreme Court has ruled that the jilted spouse has 3 years after discovering the infidelity to sue.

I know many people think this is a bad rule. However, this is one of the few areas of NC law that actually promotes freedom and allows government to function as it should -- as an abitrator of broken contracts. If you consider a marriage between two people as a contract (and yes, it's really more, but legally to the state, it is a contract); and if one person breaches that contract, they should be allowed by the state to seek legal redress.

You don't want to get sued? Fine, don't cheat on your spouse. It really is as simple as that.

Posted by: Ogre at 12:42 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Sorry folks, my mind just isn't up to much today. I think it's getting burned out as I participate in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). In case you hadn't noticed, up there in the upper left corner you can see my progress. Clicking on the image shows you the daily progress (I know you don't really care, but it keeps me going). I'm at 37,000+ words now, and since I'm past the 35K mark, it's supposed to be all downhill. Well, it might be going downhill, but I think the big boulder is right behind me!

Feel free to talk amongst yourselves.

Oh wait, I remember what I was going to ask! You know those local radio shows that never seem to have enough time to get all the callers in? Have you ever listened to one and wanted to say something, but didn't have a phone with you? I was thinking about putting an afternoon post/thread up each day to continue to discussions of the local radio show played on WBT -- the Jeff Katz show. I wonder if anyone would comment. And if you're not local, you can listen to the feed on the web.

Posted by: Ogre at 04:16 PM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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The Charlotte Observer attempts to apologize for being a Democrat mouthpiece...but only for being a Democrat mouthpiece in 1898, not for being Democrat and Socialist in today's political campaigns.

What value can be placed on an "apology" made by people who had absolutely nothing to do with actions over 100 years ago? And they're apologizing to the black citizens that they help kill and drive from power. Apparently the Observer is unaware that they're all dead now.

In reality, this apology is nothing more than a precursor to support of yet more socialism and more strong-arm tactics and more support of killing and imprisonment of people they don't like. This is a result of the current Democrat theme -- taking money from those who work and giving it to those who do not. This is the Observer firing another salvo in support of giving "reparations" to the victims of the 1898 race riots.

Now keep in mind, in those riots, it was the Democrats who were killing and running blacks and Republicans out of town. It was the Observer and Democrats who wanted blacks dead. But now the Observer wants the state to give cash to descendants of the dead and oppressed blacks -- just more socialism.

Look, Observer, if you want to make reparations, how about YOU pay the cash to Republicans? Don't take my money at gunpoint and give it to blacks who will continue to support the Democrats who took their political power from them.

Then again, I've a better idea. How about we try a new political system where people are free. Wouldn't that be neat?

Posted by: Ogre at 12:35 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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This week's Tarheel Tavern is up at Slowly She Turned! Head on over and see what's new in North Carolina blogging!

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By Heidi at Euphoric Reality

Last week, two Muslim leaders in Boston were arrested for immigration fraud - illegally filing fraudulent visa documents and obtaining religious workers' visas. The arrests were the culmination of a multi-year investigation in Boston and New York:

The ICE agents arrested Hannan Wednesday along with 32 other people in eight states and the District of Columbia in connection with an alleged nationwide scheme to help many foreigners, mostly from Pakistan, immigrate and remain in the U.S. by filing false applications for religious workers' visas. Most of those taken into custody did not have religious training or experience to qualify for the visas, and held secular jobs here in the U.S., such as working at gas stations and factories or driving trucks, according to the ICE. Others were religious workers but had used fraudulent identity documents to get their visas, the agency said.

The agency claims the petitioners of the visas took substantial cash fees from the foreigners for the false paperwork filed on their behalf.

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Well, gee, you mean that's not how it's supposed to work? It seems the UNC-Chapel Hill (Berkeley East) gave nearly half a million dollars in the 2004 election cycle and appears to have given even more in this past election cycle. And where do you suppose that money came from? How many donations to this PAC come from people employed by government -- and therefore paid by tax dollars from those who actually work?

What do you suppose the chances are of their $2.6 billion budget request passing the legislature, now that they've sent bribes to the tune of a half million dollars to the legislature?

Want to fix the corruption? It's incredibly simple: get government OUT of the education business. They're horrible at it, and it just makes corruption even easier.

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For those who still think "Republican" means "Conservative," you need this book. The book is "Conservatives Betrayed." It talks about how Bush and the Republicans have completely betrayed conservatives and conservative ideas.

Jerome Corsi has written a review of the book if you want to find out more about it. And I don't have one yet, so if you're looking for a Christmas gift for the Ogre...

Posted by: Ogre at 08:11 PM | Comments (7) | Add Comment
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For those who don't know it, the Medal of Honor may not be much. To those who understand it's importance (the highest medal that can be awarded to any US service member), it's a big deal. In case you missed it this week, a U.S. Marine will be awarded the medal.

And yes, Cpl. Jason L. Dunham will receive it posthumously.

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The new issue of City Journal is up. What's the City Journal?

A quarterly magazine of urban affairs, published by the Manhattan Institute

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You Are 78% American

You're as American as red meat and shooting ranges. Tough and independent, you think big. You love everything about the US, wrong or right. And anyone who criticizes your home better not do it in front of you!

Posted by: Ogre at 07:05 PM | Comments (11) | Add Comment
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1 Same, 80%

Posted by: William Teach at November 18, 2006 12:19 AM (doAuV)

2 WOW, I was only 78% too. what question makes it 100% damnit. or even 110% for us

Posted by: Michael at November 18, 2006 12:32 AM (JWeV4)

3 85%, baby! <taunting singsong> I'm more American than youuuu are! </taunting singsong>

Posted by: McGehee at November 18, 2006 04:20 AM (lAOTn)

4 *:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:* Have A Blessed Weekend http://www.tropicalglen.com/ *:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*

Posted by: patty at November 18, 2006 04:22 AM (ByBdH)

5 That test reminded me of a multiple choice test given by one of my former employers. It asked a lot of questions with extreme answers and nothing in between. Example: "Is success primarily due to luck or hard work?" I don't know how much they paid to have a contractor administer the test, but it was probably too much.

Posted by: Weapon of Mass Disturbance at November 18, 2006 02:15 PM (rkU6o)

6 Yeah, it's all for fun and silliness, right? And McGehee, come over here and say that!

Posted by: Ogre at November 18, 2006 06:13 PM (GPb4I)

7 Thank you for stopping by, everyone.

Posted by: Ogre at November 18, 2006 06:14 PM (GPb4I)

8 I am more american then the lot of you !!! I scored 89% baby!

Posted by: Quality Weenie at November 20, 2006 01:21 PM (U8gb+)

9 That's not fair -- that's because of where you live...oh wait, that area's not much American any more, is it... ?

Posted by: Ogre at November 20, 2006 08:29 PM (oifEm)

10 Hey, is this thing rigged for women?

Posted by: Ogre at November 21, 2006 01:58 AM (GPb4I)

11 You communist!

Posted by: Ogre at November 24, 2006 03:18 PM (GPb4I)

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You Are Mud Pie

You're the perfect combo of flavor and depth Those who like you give into their impulses

I like pie.

Posted by: Ogre at 04:52 PM | Comments (5) | Add Comment
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1 It turns out I'm Lemon Meringue Pie. I'll be posting it shortly.

Posted by: michele at November 18, 2006 01:31 AM (1Akxj)

2 Can you bake me one instead? I love lemon meringue.

Posted by: Ogre at November 18, 2006 06:15 PM (GPb4I)

3 Apple pie (natch)! Just got done cooking 5 lbs of Granny Smiths into apple sauce, so maybe it was the scent that got to the computer? ;-)

Posted by: TrekMedic251 at November 19, 2006 02:55 AM (hTfi7)

4 I got apple pie. ;-) Something about -comfort food.

Posted by: Bou at November 19, 2006 02:57 AM (iHxT3)

5 I can help out with leftover apple pies this year, too, you know! Thanks for stopping along.

Posted by: Ogre at November 19, 2006 01:28 PM (GPb4I)

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