Recently released audio captured by Beyoncé’s hand microphone during her inaugural anthem proves that the song you* heard was, in fact, prerecorded. Here is what she actually sang live.

* I say “you” because I certainly didn’t watch the inauguration and don’t give a rip about Beyoncé (nor any other singer’s) ability sing live versus in a studio.

I’m afraid that I am becoming a “grumpy old man.” Well, maybe not so much “afraid” as “cautiously aware.” Basically, I complain too much. (Jeez, I hope my wife doesn’t read this. Talk about pouring fuel on the fire.)

It’s winter in DFW and, as per usual, the locals moan and grouse whenever the daily high temperature fails to crest 60 degrees. Generally, I tell them to shut their pie-holes, that I like the chill air, and point out the ignorance of saying, “it’s freezing,” when, in fact, it is a good 20 degrees above freezing. 50 is not “freezing.” THIS is “freezing”:

So, if you can’t throw boiling water and make snow, I don’t want to hear any complaining about your flip-flops and cheer shorts not keeping you toasty in January! Now, get off my lawn!

…

That said, I have to admit, I’ve enjoyed the last couple of 70 degree days. And sunset is now late enough I’ve been able to ride Thumper to work. (Insert “glee” sound muffled under my old-grump-ness.)

I’m trying to figure out the best way to showcase my twitter wisdom here on the blog. I’m no fan of redundancy, but sometimes my tweets are so golden they need to be shared as far and wide as possible. (See how humble I am?! Amazing!)

I’ve looked at a few WordPress plugins, but haven’t found what I’m looking for just yet.

In the mean time, here’s some twitter gold from the last few days:

Humor:

@trint99 I almost installed instagram on my phone for the sole purpose of making a snide comment on a friend’s pic. Emphasis on “almost.”

RT: @TheRealSheldonC Back when Batman was a 12 year old girl. pic.twitter.com/YeagZj8V

@trint99 I have a mirror so I can see when someone comes into my cubicle. NOT just so I can make silly faces at myself. Honest!! pic.twitter.com/TOfPRNb

@trint99 Only 342 shopping days until Christmas. http://t.co/bzzK3SY

Politics:

@trint99 In Texas, even angels carry guns. http://goo.gl/vjswV #LegalGunsStopCrime

@trint99 Obama can’t preach protecting children from guns given his views on protecting them from abortion. http://goo.gl/IIQz0 #DeathOfInnocents

Both:

@trint99 Wife: Maybe with the new gun laws, we should start collecting swords! I get Sting! It will light up when the Obama Orcs come! #BestWifeEver

In 2004, when SYNS was a tender young blog, only three months old and still living in the shelter of a hosted blog site, I wrote this post (clicky clicky) about gun control, the whacky Left, and the “Clinton Gun Ban.”

And now, as if going out of their way to prove King Solomon right, they’re back. The Left is chomping at the bit to bring back the Clinton ban and more. Leftist news papers are outing law abiding gun owners. Leftist politicians are pounding podiums and promising to confiscate Americans’ guns.

But, as with every Liberal banner issue, if you scratch the fresh paint off, if you look past the sound bites and head lines, underneath there’s nothing but hot air and the facts contradict the vitriol.

What might surprise most people (but no those of us who… you know… read) is that the very same Liberal fear mongers don’t even believe their own words.

Enter Project Veritas. These guys know, and probably quite enjoy exposing, that Liberal talking heads almost never really believe their own policies. They printed up some yard signs declaring “This house is proudly gun free” and visited the houses of some of the loudest and meanest anti-gun folks. Turns out (*gasp!*) they don’t want the signs because it would invite crime! No!! That CAN’T BE!

Make sure you stay with it to the end to see the most radical anti-gun columnist DEFEND THE 2ND AMENDMENT! No really! You won’t believe it until you see it.

The new year is two weeks old today. Historically speaking, today is the day New Year’s Resolutions die. How are yours?

Now, you know I don’t buy into the whole resolutions thing (mostly because I’ve failed at them so long I don’t even try anymore). But I do take some small measure of pride in the fact that I’m posting to my blog, I’ve put out a YouTube video, and Tammy and I are still going to the new city rec center twice a week to work out.

Come to think of it, I might need to hold off on that last claim until next week, huh?

All that, just to introduce this week’s white board quip (#232):

Hey there, failure puppet!
– Dilbert

Happy New Year! The first WFHF video of 2013 is a look back an our wild whirlwind holiday season of 2012. Be sure to click over to YouTube and leave a comment with your favorite Christmas tradition!

Hello, World! I’m back!! (Surely you’re not serious! I AM serious, and don’t call me Shirley!!)

It’s a new year and I just can’t keep my opinions to myself (or under 140 characters) any more. I can’t begin to express how hard it was to go through an election year, crazy political and social news events, and even a few personal life changes, without sharing my thoughts with my blog buddies.

Speaking of blog buddies, it was really interesting, after I announced I was shutting down SYNS, to see how many people were trolling the site (I seriously thought my readership was down to about 3 people, including me.) and expressed their chagrin when the lights went out. I found it oddly satisfying. Maybe I really am a sociopath!

It’s going to take me a while to be back into the swing of blogging. And my old-time readers know I have a knack for lazy non-posting. Which reminds me, I think there’s no better way to reinvigorate this blog than with a brand new White Board Quip of the Week! (I’m fairly confident that this is WBQotW #231.)

Behold the power of laziness.
-Wally