Happy New Year

For those who follow this sort of thing, my gift to you, care of Theo:

Back to The Real World

After a delightful 24 hour break on Christmas (I hope it was a good one for all!!), back to the grim world of reality.

Our great leader has just signed an executive order, which order gives Interpol complete immunity from the safeguards built into our police agencies' powers. They can operate in this country free of any Constitutional restraints. Why don't I feel safer now than I did previously??

And of course, all the news media is simply hysterical that it took the president almost 3 hrs to be notified about an "attempted terrorist act" on board a flight into Detroit. (As an aside, it was NOT an attempted terrorist act....it WAS a terrorist act, an unsuccessful one.) What? They weren't upset?? They didn't even mention the rediculously long delay?? How can that be?? They are such phenomenal and astute and impartial observers and reporters, aren't they?? And of course, they are equally upset with our leader, in this time of economic downturn and financial hard times, going on vacation and paying $4,000/day for lodging. Yea, they really are!

Christmas

"While they were there the days of her confinement were completed. She gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the place where travelers lodged.

There were shepherds in that region, living in the fields and keeping night watch by turns over their flocks. The angel of the Lord appeared to them as the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were very much afraid. The angel said to them:"You have nothing to fear! I come to proclaim good news to you-tidings of great joy to be shared by the whole people This day in David's city a savior has been born to you, the Messiah and Lord. Let this be a sign to you: in a manger you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes." Suddenly was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,"Glory to God in the high heaven, peace on earth to those on whom His favor rests.""

To all, friends, family, to those far from home protecting us, to those on duty in police, fire, medical and ems services working today to watch over and protect us, may the peace of God be with you all and with your families and loved ones. This day your Savior has been born in Bethlehem.

A Real Football Star

I don't know squat about pro football....just not an interest of mine. But I don't have to know jack about the sport to know a real star when I see one. It sure is nice to see someone who has "made it" remember where they came from, and take the time and effort to help others. Likewise a tip of the hat to the companies who also pitched in to help make a Christmas special for others.

Whither Now??

As I write this, the stage is set for the passage of the Senate version of the monstrosity called the Obama health-care plan. This bill has brought out all too clearly just how dysfunctional the government has become. Backroom deals with graft paid for with public monies, midnight sessions, a bill that absolutely no one reads or understands, over 100 new federal agencies created, a huge chunk of the economy under government control and a bigger chunk of our freedom taken from us.....all of this and more is there in the bill. And the fact that the vast majority of the public oppose the bill and all that it stands for is totally irrelevant to our so-called representatives.

What now? What do we do and where do we go? If you expect a magical answer here, you are going to be sorely disappointed. I don't have an answer, or at least an answer that I am willing to accept myself. All of the options that we have come to expect are rapidly disappearing, taken from us by those who want and seek limitless power over us.

Repeal the bill? No, there is a clause in there that makes it impossible to repeal it.

Ignore it? Fine, if you are willing to face the consequences, including fines and possible jail time. (Can you even imagine that......being put in jail because you don't want to buy health insurance from the government? To me, that is almost inconceivable, that in our once-free country, we risk jail time for failure to buy an “approved insurance!!)

Contact your representatives? Surely you are joking. If you dare to disagree with them, you are a teabagger, a redneck racist, a nazi or some other pejorative term. Civil discourse, to those in power, consists of saying “Yes” to any and all of their plans, otherwise you are to be ignored.

Vote them out? Well, yes if, and this is a BIG if, there are fair elections. With the ongoing scandal of ACORN and their political party, and the complete disregard by Justice Dept of rampant voter fraud, there is no guarantee that the election will be anything recognizable. And the way the people in DC are behaving, there is actually no guarantee that there will even BE a next election. Some “crisis” will come up and will be so severe that elections will have to be delayed, blah, blah, blah. Why not? All of our other rights and freedoms are disappearing already, so what is one more, for the “common good”, of course.

I try to imagine our Founding Fathers being here with us now. I'm no medium who can read the minds of the dead, but do know enough history to know that what pushed the founding fathers and their followers into revolt against England was much, much less than what we are experiencing in the current time. The freedoms that they fought and died for, freedoms that were never seen before anywhere in history, freedoms that led to this country being a true beacon of hope and freedom throughout the world, those same freedoms are now being stripped from us by a government made up of people like Senators Reid, Dodd, Baucus, Burris, Feinstein, Landrieu, Franken, and of course our own Gillbrand and Schumer and Congressmen like Polosi, Frank, Rangel, and our Hinchey. These people, all of whom seem to think that they are so much smarter than you and me, and know what is good for us more than we know about ourselves, had no difficulty in voting to strip away more of our freedoms and take over almost 1/6 of the US economy. May the Lord help our country!!! And when I think of our Founding Fathers living through these times, I am led to a conclusion that I try hard to avoid. This government would be totally unrecognizable to them, and I strongly suspect that they would weep over the current situation found in Washington, and having wept,would stand together once again, shoulder to shoulder, and respond with a resounding, “NO”.

Sen Nelson, another senator with buyable beliefs

Sen Ben Nelson has been a holdout on the health bill, reportedly because of his beliefs in a pro-life stand, and his desire to limit the continued deficit spending.

WRONG!!!!

Actually he just needed a bribe big enough to make it worthwhile to sell out. He got it, and he sold out. Once again, I have learned the hard way that there really are no upright politicians in Washington, simply ones with different price-tags attached. His price was met, he walked away from all of his supposed beliefs.

We Are All In Good Hands

While the mainstream media rants and raves about all the wonderful things happening in Copenhagen, this is what is really happening.

And this is how the "leaders" behave. Do as I tell you to do, not as I do. Hmmmm, striking similarity to the note made below, isn' there? WE are special. WE know so much more than you. We must tell you how to live. WE are above all those rules that we impose on you.

And this just in! We're willing to spend billions of dollars?? WE?? Well, this WE is definitely NOT willing!!

He's MY Senator and I am So proud

This not only shows what sort of person the senator is, but also is a perfect example of the attitude so common in our esteemed representatives; not simply his rudeness to the flight attendant, but also the feeling that the rules are for everyone else, but not for HIM. Certainly HE can continue talking on his phone. He has the right to ignore the request, because he is a SENATOR!! His type honestly make me sick.....short of living high on the hog on our money, and being so much better and smarter and "specialer" than we are, he is simply a person overwhelmed by his own self-image. Well Senator, here is a real come-down for you....you are not one iota better than we are, and in fact in most things are a damn sight worse. My friends don't call women bitches; they try to follow the rules; they don't steal other people's money, and they are smart enough to know that you cannot spend more money than you have.

As to your traveling companion, our other esteemed Senator, it sure didn't take her long to show her true colors, did it? I wonder how long it will be before it dawns on her that her seatmate who has no compunction about calling women bitches might have equal respect for her as he does for the flight attendant?

A GREAT Surprise

A while back, I had purchased a gun cleaning kit from Outers. It looked great..single case that could handle anything from 12 ga shotgun to .22 rimfire via various attachments including jags, brushes, bore mops, the works.
Well, through my own stupidity I managed to break the rod, and of course none of my older rods would fit the case. I finally wrote to Outers, explained my error and asked the availability and price of a replacement rod for the kit, being sure to explain that it was MY FAULT that the rod broke. To my surprise and delight, I received an e-mail back in less than a day, advising me that a replacement rod was on its way to me. Further, when I sent back a thank-you note, it was answered with a wish for a happy Christmas. You just can't ask for better than that. My sincere thanks to Outers for their customer service and kind wishes.

WARNING GRAPHIC

I had to warn ahead of time, since some of what follows is more than graphic. And yet, it is from books on a reading list for grammar school students suggested by a group whose exec. director is our education czar. Read and cry for this country.

Interesting re ACORN and State Politics

We have all heard about ACORN and the shenanigans in the Federal gov't. But apparently there is a considerable goings-on in the states as well. This is, of course, in addition to the crap that occurred here in NYS in the Troy area.

It can boggle the mind just how much outright corruption is going on. We all have come to expect, sadly, a fair amount of wheeling and dealing in politics. But the level of out-and-out illegal activities that are being uncovered is almost beyond belief.

The solution.....get rid of ALL of them and start fresh, with people who have not and will not make a career of politics.

Even the Army Tries To Be PC

After the terrible events at Fort Hood, it would seem that the military leaders, especially at that base, would be more on-guard regarding Islamic organizations that might be out to harm our troops.
Well, read this. It seems that even on that base, those who profess to want to destroy our country and all that it stands for are not only tolerated, they are made part of the curriculum. Can you possibly imagine having SS troops teaching our GI's during WWII?

Sometimes I REALLY Get Ticked Off

A veteran of WWII, Korea, and Viet Nam, a Medal of Honor recipient, the most decorated living soldier and what does he get from his Homeowners Association? He gets this crap because he puts his American Flag up on a flagpole in his front yard!!! Dear lord what is wrong with us? Have we all lost our minds? He is a hero, an honest-to-gosh hero; he risked his life over and over to save others; he loves his country and wants to fly its flag with the honor and respect that it deserves. And a bunch of .... of...... a bunch of dimwits (Trying HARD to be civil here) try to force him to remove it or be evicted. If it weren't for people like Col Barfoot, these wusses wouldn't have a country to live in, and they dare to treat him this way?

What has happened to this country's common sense, sense of decency, and its honor? To Col. Barfoot, you sir, are a true hero. To the homeowners association members, give really hard thought to all that this man and his brothers and sisters have done and are doing for you and your country, and then think again about how you are treating him because he dares to display a flag in a way that doesn't fit into your pissy plans.

Where Do We Stand , "poor-wise"

Very interesting post here re where the country stands as far as the status of the poor is concerned compared to their status in past years.

"the Queen"

Let's see, you and I are hurting, pinching pennies and cutting back every way that we can to try and make ends meet. It sure would be nice if those in Washington would lead by example for a change. However, check out these numbers:

Says the Canada Free Press:

No, Michele Obama does not get paid to serve as the First Lady and she doesn’t perform any official duties. But this hasn’t deterred her from hiring an unprecedented number of staffers to cater to her every whim and to satisfy her every request in the midst of the Great Recession. Just think Mary Lincoln was taken to task for purchasing china for the White House during the Civil War. And Mamie Eisenhower had to shell out the salary for her personal secretary.

How things have changed! If you’re one of the tens of millions of Americans facing certain destitution, earning less than subsistence wages stocking the shelves at Wal-Mart or serving up McDonald cheeseburgers, prepare to scream and then come to realize that the benefit package for these servants of Miz Michele are the same as members of the national security and defense departments and the bill for these assorted lackeys is paid by John Q. Public:

1. $172,2000 – Sher, Susan (CHIEF OF STAFF)
2. $140,000 – Frye, Jocelyn C. (DEPUTY ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT AND DIRECTOR OF POLICY AND PROJECTS FOR THE FIRST LADY)
3. $113,000 – Rogers, Desiree G. (SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT AND WHITE HOUSE SOCIAL SECRETARY)
4. $102,000 – Johnston, Camille Y. (SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT AND DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS FOR THE FIRST LADY)
5. Winter, Melissa E. (SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT AND DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF TO THE FIRST LADY)
6. $90,000 – Medina, David S. (DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF TO THE FIRST LADY)
7. $84,000 – Lelyveld, Catherine M. (DIRECTOR AND PRESS SECRETARY TO THE FIRST LADY)
8. $75,000 – Starkey, Frances M. (DIRECTOR OF SCHEDULING AND ADVANCE FOR THE FIRST LADY)
9. $70,000 – Sanders, Trooper (DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF POLICY AND PROJECTS FOR THE FIRST LADY)
10. $65,000 – Burnough, Erinn J. (DEPUTY DIRECTOR AND DEPUTY SOCIAL SECRETARY)
11. Reinstein, Joseph B. (DEPUTY DIRECTOR AND DEPUTY SOCIAL SECRETARY)
12. $62,000 – Goodman, Jennifer R. (DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF SCHEDULING AND EVENTS COORDINATOR FOR THE FIRST LADY)
13. $60,000 – Fitts, Alan O. (DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF ADVANCE AND TRIP DIRECTOR FOR THE FIRST LADY)
14. Lewis, Dana M. (SPECIAL ASSISTANT AND PERSONAL AIDE TO THE FIRST LADY)
15. $52,500 – Mustaphi, Semonti M. (ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR AND DEPUTY PRESS SECRETARY TO THE FIRST LADY)
16. $50,000 – Jarvis, Kristen E. (SPECIAL ASSISTANT FOR SCHEDULING AND TRAVELING AIDE TO THE FIRST LADY)
17. $45,000 – Lechtenberg, Tyler A. (ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF CORRESPONDENCE FOR THE FIRST LADY)
18. Tubman, Samantha (DEPUTY ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR,SOCIAL OFFICE)
19. $40,000 – Boswell, Joseph J. (EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TO THE CHIEF OF STAFF TO THE FIRST LADY)
20. $36,000 – Armbruster, Sally M. (STAFF ASSISTANT TO THE SOCIAL SECRETARY)
21. Bookey, Natalie (STAFF ASSISTANT)
22. Jackson, Deilia A. (DEPUTY ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF CORRESPONDENCE FOR THE FIRST LADY)

It sure would be nice if Washington really REALLY understood what us "commoners" really had to face day to day, primarily because of what these "leaders" have shackled us with.

Thanksgiving

Every day, but especially on this day, I must stop and give thanks for all of the gifts that have been bestowed on me, on this country, and on the world.

I cannot list all of the wondrous gifts that I have received, but acknowledge all of them nonetheless. I especially thank God for the freedom that I have experienced, for the love of and for family and friends, and for the countless gifts He has sent my way, in spite of my failures and shortcomings. To all, a happy and Blessed Thanksgiving.

Hard To Believe

Take the few minutes to listen to this speech from Judge Napolitano. If you aren't scared by what he tells you has happened, you should be!!! This is the US of A. This sort of thing is not supposed to be happening in this country.

Unemployment #'s

We all have heard much about the unemployment numbers over the past months.
Maybe it's just me, but numbers can be hard to visualize. Here's a more visual approach to those numbers, on a county by county approach

Said Better Than I Could Have Done

Regarding the decision to try the terrorists in NYC under civil law, I strongly suggest that you read this.

Theirs was an act of war, NOT a civil crime. They should be tried in a military court, as were the leaders of the Axis powers after WWII.

It Is Really Hard

Ok, so I don't like our president's policies. And try as I might, I find it harder and harder to find any respect for him as well.



Maybe someone should have told hm that it is a sign of respect to salute the flag during the playing of our country's National Anthem. And hasn't this been an issue in the past as well? One could almost come to believe that he REALLY just doesn't respect this country after all.

Pelosi_care #2

More on Pelosi-Care

At a recent post passage news conference, someone asked Pelosi if it was true that jail time could be imposed for those not signed up for the gummint health plan. And she DID NOT deny it.

Think long and hard on this. She is saying that she feels it acceptable to put people in jail for not buying into her health plan. IN JAIL!!!! For the love of all that is holy, they did that in Russia; we don't do that in the US of A!! Going to jail for not buying insurance, simply because this woman decides it should be so.

Think about this. From the Ace of Spades
Read the whole article if you have a chance.

"The left says: You are crazy to claim your so-called freedoms are being taken away, and you are a lunatic to scream about an overly powerful state which will use violent coercion (no one goes to jail without the threat of violence if he doesn't, after all) to enforce its notions of the "economic good

And with the next breath the left says: By the way, you shall either buy health care insurance or we will throw you in prison for two or three years.

I'm paranoid? Really? I am not fretting here about some remote and unlikely possibility. We are not speaking here of "slippery slopes" or in terms of "what comes next?"

We are instead objecting to a black-letter law spelled out for all to see in the very first piece of legislation you're proposing."

Right out of the box. The state here -- Pelosi, Reid, Obama -- are claiming that they can imprison people for behavior that has never before even been hinted as being a crime, on the theory that such behavior constitutes unpatriotic economic behavior which is detrimental to the state's balance sheets.

Think about what a broad, all-encompassing term "economics" is. 80% of our waking hours are spent in economic activity of one sort or another. The state here is asserting the right to imprison people for behavior they consider not actually morally reprehensible or harmful as other crimes are, but instead merely detrimental to the Great Push Forward, the state's master plan of economic health and well-being."

Going to jail because you didn't buy an insurance plan approved by the government. Can you even conceive of that? Can you imagine any of the Founding Fathers tolerating such a law, let alone passing it? Can imagine any of those who fought for our independence obeying such a law? In your wildest fantasies, could you conceive of any of our so-called representatives daring to propose such a frightening law? But there it is, compliments of Pelosi and all the spineless zombies in the House who just blindly signed off on this piece of totalitarianism masquerading as a health-care bill. Now all those who voted for this bill either agree with this bull***t, or else didn't know that it was in there. Either way, they should be thrown out. If they didn't know, then they are incompetent; if they did know and voted for it anyway, then they are supporting a bill which is a direct violation of the Constitution and should be impeached. They are willing to put you or your family in jail if you don't agree with their bill and buy their insurance.

Well said

Every once in a while, someone says it so well that it just has to be repeated.

Major Nidal Hasan

As everyone argues back and forth whether or not he is a terrorist, a simple fact is overlooked. He is a traitor. As a member of the US Army, he took action directly against other members of the Armed Services. Therefore he is a traitor.

Aside from that, I have to almost laugh at how the Left is bending over backward to try and find any justification for his actions so as to avoid his obvious terrorist bend. A simple mind game for you to try.....instead of Muslim, replace with Methodist; instead of Army personnel, replace with abortion clinic workers. Does anyone, ANYONE, think for a single moment, that these same people would even consider justifying or explaining the shooter's activities under those simple changes. Of course we know the answer. But somehow it is "different" with those 2 simple changes. And I am so very sick of the discussion about how we have to worry about the good Muslims. Last time I checked, the only ones dead were dead because of Muslims, not because they were Muslims. And I don't know anyone of sound mind who is condemning all Muslims for the action of this man or those of his ilk. So spare me the histrionics, please and face the fact that he was trying to contact a sworn enemy of this country, had preached Jihad, and killed innocent people.

9-11 and terorist trials

I've seen nothing about this in the mainstream media (SURPRISE- SURPRISE)

link

Another "unintended consequence" or another attempt to undermine the desire for justice for all of the victims of 9/11? You decide.

Veterans' Day

To all the veterans, living and dead
To all who served in the past, or are serving now
My heartfelt thanks to you all
For all that you did and are doing
For the risks that you take to protect us
Thank you and God bless you all!

Random Thoughts

Some thoughts, more or less random, that have crossed my mind over the past few days:

Pelosi Care: I am absolutely in awe over the unmitigated gall of this woman and her ilk.

Poll after poll show that the majority of the public does NOT want this bill. Last I saw said that 55+/- oppose it. Rallies across the country join in opposition of it. But who are we to even dare to think that we know better what is good for us and our country than the fantastic geniuses in DC who are going to shove this through no matter what.

It is going to break the economy of the country. I am no financial genius, but even I know that if you try to expand coverage to 40 million more people, it IS GOING TO COST MORE! To tell us that it is budget neutral and expect us to believe it shows quite well just how stupid you think we are. And of course, there is no discussion at all about the fact that virtually every government program will cost many times more than what is projected, and that revenue starts to be collected now but expenditures don't start for 5 more years.

It specifically EXCLUDES the same idiots who are forcing it on us. If this is such a great and wonderful program, shouldn't our great leaders be first in line to participate? Shouldn't it be mandatory for them, just as they make it mandatory for us? And if they can opt out, then damn if I shouldn't be able to opt out also!

It openly and directly violates the Constitution. Now I realize that the Constitution is not held in a whole lot of respect in DC any more, but can someone, ANYONE, show me where the gummint is given power to order me to buy health insurance? Doesn't it bother anyone else when this bunch of power freaks starts with the "must" and "shall" and "will"'s? Who the hell are they to be ordering me, you, and all other law-abiding citizens around like a bunch of little tyrants? Our government no where gives them, or any other politician, such power over the citizenry. They are supposed to be our representatives in DC, NOT our bosses.

It isn't going to work. Perhaps the most basic reason to oppose this plan. It simply is not going to work. How can a bunch of bureaucrats who know exactly nothing about health care or its delivery put together a plan that will work? They obviously know nothing about balancing a budget, and nothing about what the citizenship wants or needs, but because they sit in a lofty chamber so far above us commoners, they will come up with a foolproof plan that will be within budget, cover more people with less money and fewer doctors, without taking away any services from anyone. Good lord, how stupid do they think I am?

It is much more bipartisan in the opposition than in those supporting it. With a huge majority in Congress, they had more of their own party voting against it than they had opposition party voting for it.

"Your taxes won't go up one single dime"

I seem to remember Mr Obama promising that as he marketed the new health plan. Not one single dime...not even ONE!!!!! Well, think about this courtesy of drwes.blogspot.com:

THE PACEMAKER TAX

... or is it really just an "assessment?"

The legislation does not work like a sales or excise tax. Rather, it follows the model of the punitive tobacco settlement imposed on cigarette companies in the '90s. It assesses an industry-wide payment that firms must make in proportion to their market share. It bars the them from passing along the cost of the assessment by charging more for certain basic products, but allows them to raise the price of others to raise the funds for the fee.

The result will be that virtually every piece of advanced surgical equipment will be subject to a price increase to meet the levy from Washington. No matter that these devices often make the difference between life and death and that, in effect, taxing them raises the cost of vital treatments. The vengeful White House will have its pound of flesh from the medical device industry for daring to be independent and to refuse to knuckle down to administration pressure.

Not a single dime! RIGHT!! And oh by the way, lab tests are considered a taxable device also.

Those who know me know that I have had 3 coronary artery stents (anything worth breaking is worth REALLY breaking!). My insurance, which is no different than yours, I'm sure, covered it without a fuss. When I tore the snot out of my knee, I needed repairative surgery with donor ligament and a goodly amount of PT before and afterwards. My insurance covered it without a fuss. I am on the uphill side of age 60, and I got no gripes from the insurance co. about my being too old for this sort of thing, that my "good years" were behind me, that a cane or crutch would be good enough for me, etc, etc. Compare how the gov't will treat the same situation..... from Rob't Reich. At least for me,this is NOT a tough question. Are there bugs in the current system? Definitely are! Does that mean we scrap the whole system and put government care in its place? I don't think so.

A Number We Never See

With all the finger-pointing in D.C. about the evil health insurance companies and their inhuman profits, what actually ARE their profits? Check out these numbers, courtesy of Villainous Company.com:

The President's characterization of insurance profits rated a "FALSE" on Politifact's Truth-o-meter. In fact, the insurance industry ranks 86th in profits - hardly obscene by any measure:

As I reported several months ago the industry "Health Care Plans" (includes Humana, Aetna, WellPoint, Magellan, etc.) ranks #86 by profit margin at only 3.3% (see table above, data here for the most recent quarter), not exactly strong evidence of "excessive profits" or monopoly power. Four health insurance companies (Molina, Health Net, Coventry, and Universal American) have profit margins below 1% for the most recent quarter, and another four (Humana, Magellan, WellCare and Centene) have profit margins between 1 and 2 percent (data here).

America's Health Insurance Plan, the industry's trade association, recently reported that annual health insurance premiums averaged $2,985 for individual coverage and $6,328 for family plans in 2009. Using the industry average profit margin of 3.3% means that insurance companies make less than $100 per policy in profits for individual coverage, and a little more than $200 in profits for each family policy. Doesn't seem too "excessive" or an indication of monopoly power, does it?

I wonder why we never see THAT number in the press?

Here's another invisible number for your amusement. We have a czar (a word that means the same as dictator, for crying out loud!!) who is telling private companies how much they can pay employees, especially the big exec's. While that is going on, the gov't run Freddie Mac hires a new exec. Does he bite the bullet in salaries? (this from Businessweek.com)

The pay package given to Freddie Mac's new chief financial officer should have sent a message from Washington to corporate America about how executive compensation standards must change. Instead, it did just the opposite.

The government-controlled mortgage finance company is giving CFO Ross Kari compensation worth as much as $5.5 million. That includes an almost $2 million cash signing bonus and a generous salary that could top $2.3 million.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency, which oversees Freddie Mac, approved the pay package. A spokeswoman pointed to a statement that justified the agency's approval of the pay, which was done in part because the amount was comparable to what others in the financial services industry make.

That way of thinking is exactly what helped feed the surge in executive pay over the last decade. Everyone wants to make at least as much, or more, than their peers.

Freddie Mac is not just another company. It's alive today, and nearly 80 percent owned by the government, only because almost $51 billion in taxpayer funds were pumped into it over the last year. More bailout money also may be needed in the quarters ahead as losses from its troubled mortgages mount.

What a silly notion that government should follow the rules it imposes on the low-life slobs who must pay the bills!

pretty Much Summarizes Where We Are

We're going to pass a health care plan written by a committee whose head says he
doesn't understand it, passed by a Congress that hasn't read it but exempts
themselves from it, signed by a president that also hasn't read it, and who smokes,
with funding administered by a treasury chief who didn't pay his taxes, overseen by
a surgeon general who is obese, and financed by a country that's broke.

What possibly could go wrong?

With thanks from Nebraska Bob via theo

Pelosi and health care bill

Watching the news on TV this evening, and there is the House speaker in front of the mics, absolutely gloating as she tells the reporters that the health bill will mandate health insurance, with a stiff penalty if it isn't purchased. And she says with a straight face that the people of this country overwhelmingly want the "public option" (ie Gov't insurance)

Just where the hell does she get off telling me and you that we HAVE to buy health insurance? Who exactly appointed her my nanny and/or my boss? And where exactly is there ANYTHING in the Constitution that gives her or any other jackass in Washington any right at all to mandate this? There are times when their arrogance and their deceit really hits you right in the face . At the same time as she says this, the news is reporting the most recent poll shows 50% are AGAINST gov't insurance. And as I remember, there have been more than a few protests against this massive takeover of yet one more part of our economy, but hey, what difference do us peons make anyway. Just shut up and prepare to send even more money to this idiots via her newest plan, a value-added-tax.

Back from an enforced break

First of all, an apology to the vast hordes who read the blog (I think that is somewhere between 3 and 5 people) for the long pause......my computer developed a severe personality disorder and refused to show any video. No idea why.....it was serviced, nothing was found, and it's been working fine ever since.....no doubt it is Bush's fault.

Anyway, I came across this from Mr Charles Krauthammer, and as usual, am stunned by his ability to cut to the quick. The link after the video seems not to work, so here is an essay of the full speech.
What more can be said. Our leaders seem to be comfortable taking us on a course that can only lead us away from the greatness that we have enjoyed for many, many years. Personally, I think this country is the greatest country in history. We are not perfect, nor will we ever be so, since we are a human creation. But we are the best that has ever been seen, delivering freedom from oppression to countless millions, and giving our own citizens a level of freedom that has never been seen before. And that level of freedom has led to a prosperity unmatched anywhere in the world. But we seem to be intent on throwing all of it away, instead using as a new goal some sort of socialist plan. Look at history; look at the past and what it tells us. Every time, EVERY TIME that this has been tried, it fails miserably. The inevitable outcome is an equality of misery for all except for those in power.

Have a great weekend...more later if I can collect my thoughts after collecting my fallen leaves.

ACORN and my Senator

Per this link, my senator was one of 7 who voted against defunding ACORN.
Let's see...there are tapes showing employees in one, two, three offices of ACORN who seem to see no problem helping people cheat the bank, potentially defraud the IRS, set up a whore house, and bring underage girls into that whore house. But Senator Gililbrand sees no reason to stop giving them MY money.
I stand in complete awe of these people, who hold themselves up as "leaders" of our country. But the awe is an awe of contempt, complete and utter contempt. Senator Gillibrand, I am sure, would never even think of giving money to anyone who came door to door to solicit money for a group who supported prostitution, or tax evasion, let alone for child prostitution. And yet here she is voting to give my tax dollars to a group whose workers are doing that very thing. It is truly eye opening to see what corruption comes in the nation's capital.

Teaparty Observations

I made it to the local Teaparty on Rt 9W today....a good turnout.
A very interesting observation for what it is worth; all of the participants were smiling and having a good time, enjoying their chance to show their beliefs; more passers-by were beeping and giving the thumps-up as they drove by than were disagreeing. And of those who expressed their disagreement, it was a real eye-opener to see the anger that filled many of them. The "F" bomb thrown out to total strangers, the "3rd finger salute" given with an expression of rage at us for daring to disagree with their beliefs, the apparent contempt for anyone and everyone who held different ideas than them, truly an education as to who really seems to have anger issues.

Hey folks, you are the ones in power right now. Why are you so angry with us simply because we disagree? Are you that afraid of us, people who you tell everyone are a tiny minority of the public? If we are that insignificant, why do you feel compelled to vent such rage on us? And please, please tell me why it makes you feel better or more powerful or more correct than me because you can shout out a four letter word as you drive by, or are able to flip me a bird? Heck, most kids over the age of 12 can do that, can't they? I really have to say that those "right-wing terrorist gangs" acted a whole lot better than the passers-by who disagreed with us. Just sayin'

More of 9-11 Thoughts

a link

WE MUST NEVER FORGET

This link will be up from now until sometime after 9/11.

As a firefighter, I mourn the 343 FDNY Bravest who gave their all at the Twin Towers, and all who were so heartlessly killed in New York, at the Pentagon, and over Shanksville, Pa. The rescuers, those who died thwarting a third airplane crash somewhere in D.C., and all the innocent victims, they all deserve the honor that we give them, and their families and loved ones deserve our thoughts and prayers. People like them were, are, and will be forever remembered.

Washington Arrogance

From the Fox News Site:

Families who fail to get health insurance could be fined up to $3,800 under a health care reform plan proposed by a top Senate negotiator.

Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., who as chairman of the Senate Finance Committee is leading talks among the "Gang of Six" senators to hammer out a bipartisan compromise, offered what he described on Tuesday as a "framework" and not a "final product."

Where exactly does this guy get off telling me that:

1) He knows better than me what is good for me.

2) He has a right to tell me what to do with my money.

3) The Constitution means nothing as to limitation of government powers.

I stand in complete awe of the arrogance of these people in Washington. Most of them have absolutely no concept about what the real world is like, as they jet around the world on "fact-finding tours" (us commoners look up facts on the Internet or even READ BOOKS!!!) and yet they sit and decide what they will do to us with our own freaking money. Maybe if they actually had to work for a living, and worry about the next paycheck and how to meet the mortgage payments and fuel bill, they might have a better grasp of what it is like outside of the beltway. But even so, would you be so presumptuous that you would try to mandate how your neighbor spent his/her money? Of course not, but this yo-yo who lives in Washington and supposedly represents people in a state 2,000 miles from me feels perfectly comfortable telling me that he and his cronies are going to fine me if I don't buy health insurance from a program that they will set up and control.

And our own representative, the same representative who refused to attend a townhall meeting, now pontificates on how he feels so good about getting millions of federal dollars for us, the poor slobs who can't be trusted to take care of ourselves.

"I've worked very hard to bring back tens of millions of dollars in federal funding to directly create and retain jobs and to lay the groundwork for the growth of new industries and businesses in the region so that this area will prosper for decades to come. At the same time, I've brought back federal resources to help those in need, which is not only the right thing to do, but also spares local taxpayers from having to pay for all of these much-need social services."

Hey Congressman, that is OUR money that you are returning to us. You aren't giving us jack. It was our money that you took from us. It is money that you and your ilk have been taking from us and squandering on rediculous programs that only drive us deeper and deeper into debt as a country. Please, stop treating us like morons, like you are somehow giving us this wonderful gift. Giving us our own money isn't sparing us anything at all.It is OUR MONEY, Congressman, not yours.

9-11 Service Day

9/11 to be a national service day. Click on the image on that page to enlarge.

No, damn it, No !!

We have 364 other days to be service days. This day, this one day out of the year, has been and will continue to be set aside for one purpose only, and that one purpose is to stop and remember the firefighters, police and EMS workers who gave their lives in the attacks on this day, and all the innocent victims of those attacks in New York City, Washington DC, and Shanksville Pa.

I have no argument with a service day, I guess, but I have to admit that if someone gives service on only one day, then they might want to reconsider the rest of the year and what might be done on all those other days. But aside from that snarky thought, this one day, 9/11, is NOT the day for this. This day is sacred to many of us, a day of deep sorrow and mourning over all of those who gave so very much for others, who lived up to the pledge that they made when they signed on as firefighters or police or EMS. "Others before self", "The Finest" or "The Bravest"....whichever one you want to recall, they all did what they felt had to be done to save others. And Mr Beemer and the other passengers in the plane over Pa, who knew what was happening, decided what had to be done to prevent another disaster, and did it, giving up their own lives in their actions. All of these men and women deserve at least this one day, this one 24 hour period that is theirs and theirs alone. It must not be diluted into a feel-good day of service, but kept as a solemn day of remembrance in their honor and a day to recall what heroism really is.

GREAT SUMMARY

How Do We Thank Them?

To all those in uniform, past, present and future, THANK YOU!!

I stand in awe of the courage of these men.

BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING

From the official White House website:

There is a lot of disinformation about health insurance reform out there, spanning from control of personal finances to end of life care. These rumors often travel just below the surface via chain emails or through casual conversation. Since we can’t keep track of all of them here at the White House, we’re asking for your help. If you get an email or see something on the web about health insurance reform that seems fishy, send it to flag@whitehouse.gov.

I cannot believe that this is happening in and to my country. The president is asking us to "turn in" others who dare to disagree with him and his socialist/marxist policies. What about the Constitutional right of freedom of speech? What about our right AND our obligation to stand up and disagree with policies that we see as harmful to our country? Dear lord, this man and his actions become more repressive by the minute. I am beginning to become really concerned where this is going to lead. Our useless Congressmen follow him like bleating sheep, not even realizing that his actions are usurping their power as it destroys our rights. The government claims that those of us who disagree are being organized, sponsored and funded by the Republican party and are only the radical fringe, and the press simply closes their eyes and prints whatever dribble is fed to them. I HAVE protested, and no one organized me, paid me or sponsored me or anyone else that I know. Our only stimulus was our love of country and fear for its destruction. (Of course when ACORN is bussed to some site to protest, or SEIU busses people to Conn. to protest businessmen being paid bonuses legally owed them by contract, that is the "real" people talking!!!) I don't know where this is leading, but my gut says it is not going to be a pretty or pleasant place.

Dollars for Clunkers

UPDATE BELOW

On the TV this evening, Mr Beck was discussing the Fed's $$ for clunkers program.

He noted that on the website associated with this program, there is listed there a "contract" that in effect says that if you use that site, the Government takes ownership of your computer and all data on it, and has the right to access and "listen-in" on all of your communications, e-mails etc. A lawyer guest on the program concurred with him and said that the contract is legal, binding, and irreversible.

DO NOT, repeat NOT, use that webpage auto.gov . For obvious reasons, I have not looked at the site and have absolutely no intention of doing so.

Updated info here. I find it fascinating that once again it takes private enterprise to try and correct what the government program screwed up, and in the process makes a profit AND helps the consumer!!

Just Another Day in DC

Let's see:
The economy is in the toilet
The government is taking over big business
Health Care may soon be socialized
Our allies are dumped on while our enemies are apologized to
The President shows off his true feelings re race relations
and now I find out how much I am spending on staff for Mrs Obama, who has no official status, and who sees nothing to be proud of in this country.
Theo Spark: MICHELE OBAMA'S ATTENDANTS
Oh happy day

Health Care Bill Part 3

There is a gent who is reading the healthcare bill and posting some of his findings here.

Just a few examples:
Pg 22 of the HC Bill MANDATES the Govt will audit books of ALL EMPLOYERS that self insure!!

Pg 30 Sec 123 of HC bill - THERE WILL BE A GOVT COMMITTEE that decides what treatments/benes u getPG 50 Section 152 in HC bill - HC will be provided 2 ALL non US citizens, illegal or otherwise

Pg 58HC Bill - Govt will have real-time access 2 individs finances & a National ID Healthcard will b issued!

Pg 59 HC Bill lines 21-24 Govt will have direct access 2 ur banks accts 4 elect. funds transfer


pg 124 lines 24-25 HC No company can sue GOVT on price fixing. No "judicial review" against Govt Monop

pg 127 Lines 1-16 HC Bill - Doctors/ #AMA - The Govt will tell YOU what u can make.

Pg 145 Line 15-17 An Employer MUST auto enroll employees into pub opt plan. NO CHOICE

Pg 126 Lines 22-25 Employers MUST pay 4 HC 4 part time employees AND their families.

Read more at the link, the WRITE, CALL, SCREAM, YELL (not really.....be polite but forceful.) Let those who work for us in Washington know that you don't want, need or desire them telling you what kind of healthcare you need for yourself or your family.

9-11SURCHARGE

So once again, Albany is stealing our money. They have been using the "9-11" telephone surcharge to buy uniforms, for a statewide wireless network (which is NOT working and has failed its testing), and for the infamous "general fund". And when they are discovered, their solution is to change the name of the tax so we cannot complain that the money is being misused.

What a bunch of thieves!

Math Education then, now, and in the Future

With my thanks, from Nicki at the liberty zone:

Subject: A History of teaching maths

1. Teaching maths in 1970

A logger sells a truckload of timber for £100. His cost of production is 4/5 of the price. What is his profit?

2. Teaching Maths In 1980

A logger sells a truckload of timber for £100. His cost of production is 80% of the price. What is his profit?

3. Teaching Maths In 1990

A logger sells a truckload of timber for £100. His cost of production is £80. How much was his profit?

4. Teaching Maths In 2000

A logger sells a truckload of timber for £100. His cost of production is £80 and his profit is £20. Your assignment: Underline the number 20.

5. Teaching Maths In 2005

A logger cuts down a beautiful forest because he is selfish and inconsiderate and cares nothing for the habit of animals or the preservation of our woodlands. Your assignment: Discuss how the birds and squirrels might fee l as the logger cut down their homes just for a measly profit of £20.

6. Teaching Maths In 2009

A logger is arrested for trying to cut down a tree in case it may be offensive to Muslims or other religious groups not consulted in the felling license. He is also fined a £100 as his chainsaw is in breach of Health and Safety legislation as it deemed too dangerous and could cut something. He has used the chainsaw for over 20 years without incident however he does not have the correct certificate of competence and is therefore considered to be a recidivist and habitual criminal. His DNA is sampled and his details circulated throughout all government agencies. He protests and is taken to court and fined another £100 because he is such an easy target. When he is released he returns to find Gypsies have cut down half his wood to build a camp on his land. He tries to throw them off but is arrested, prosecuted for harassing an ethnic minority, imprisoned and fined a further £100. While he is in jail the Gypsies cut down the rest of his wood and sell it on the black market for £100 cash. They also have a leaving BBQ of squirrel and pheasant and depart leaving behind several tonnes of rubbish and asbestos sheeting. The forester on release is warned that failure to clear the fly tipped rubbish immediately at his own cost is an offence. He complains and is arrested for environmental pollution, breach of the peace and invoiced £12,000 plus VAT for safe disposal costs by a regulated government contractor.

Your assignment: How many times is the logger going to have to be arrested and fined before he realises that he is never going to make £20 profit by hard work, give up, sign onto the dole and live off the state for the rest of his life?

7. Teaching Maths In 2010

A logger doesn’t sell a lorry load of timber because he can’t get a loan to buy a new lorry because his bank has spent all his and their money on a derivative of securitised debt related to sub- prime mortgages in Alabama and lost the lot with only some government money left to pay a few million pound bonuses to their senior directors and the traders who made the biggest losses. The logger struggles to pay the £1,200 road tax on his old lorry however, as it was built in the 1970s it no longer meets the emissions regulations and he is forced to scrap it. Some Bulgarian loggers buy the lorry from the scrap merchant and put it back on the roa d. They undercut everyone on price for haulage and send their cash back home, while claiming unemployment for themselves and their relatives. If questioned they speak no English and it is easier to deport them at the governments expense. Following their holiday back home they return to the UK with different names and fresh girls and start again. The logger protests, is accused of being a bigoted racist and as his name is on the side of his old lorry he is forced to pay £1,500 registration fees as a gang master. The Government borrows more money to pay more to the bankers as bonus's are not cheap. The parliamentarians feel they are missing out and claim the difference on expenses and allowances. You do the maths.

8. Teaching Maths 2017

أ المسجل تبيع حموله شاحنة من

الخشب من اجل 100 دولار. صاحب تكلفة

الانت=D

8

Musical Break and a BBQ story

Just a song that I find hard to get out of my head once I play it.

As to the BBQ........
Since it was a nice afternoon/evening, what better way to end the weekend than with some meat on the grill. The love of my life had marinaded the meat and it was my job to fire up the grill and cook the meat. So out I go to the backyard. I take the cover off the grill, turn on the gas tank, open the grill and remove the cooking trays, and am about to put some wood chips into the iron tray. This is a small cast-iron dish about 3 by 6 inches that sits over the gas burners so the wood chips smolder and smoke. But when I look, there is an accumulation of twigs, grass clippings and other "yard waste" in the dish, which was NOT there when I last used it less than a week ago. Realizing what it was, I called to my wife and she came out to see as well. As she looked in, I explained what I had found and that I thought it was a nest being built. She looked in and said that it certainly was a nest, and in fact there was the "homeowner" looking back at us. I peeked under the gas burners and was looking at a very indignant mouse whose lovely sheltered home was being destroyed by my activities! Well, it was a really good thing that he/she made his/her presence known before I had lighted the burners, so after a short game of catch-me-if-you-can, the squatter took off for other points, I cleaned out the nest and refilled the dish with hickory chips, and supper got underway as originally planned.

No moral, just an enjoyable diversion before supper.

Health Care Part 2

Now that we have lost the auto industry, much of the banking and finance market, and are in imminent danger of losing the energy market, all to government control, the next area to fall appears to be the health care industry. We are being told, over and over again, of the health care crisis that is befalling us, and how something must be done now, right now!!!!!! But wait...the stimulus bill had to be passed right now, the energy bill (cap and trade) had to be passed right now, the mortgage bailout had to be right now, etc, etc. What exactly is the big rush here? If you accept that there even is a crisis (more later) in health care, how exactly are things going to be so much worse if we take the time to read the friggin' bill and argue it? This bill has the power to change completely and possibly irreversibly how all of us get medical care in the future. Isn't that a good reason to rush into this a whole lot slower that we seem to be doing? We argue the survival of some stupid minnow in some small stream somewhere in Montana much more than we seem to spend discussing this huge bill!

But let's back up a little bit here if we may. What exactly is this "crisis" that we are supposed to be fixing? We are told that there are 47 million without health care, but virtually every study shows that this number includes illegals, as well as those who have sufficient income to purchase insurance but freely choose not to. So the number who are involuntarily uncovered is much, much less than this, well below 50% of this number. And studies show that this proposed bill will leave over 20 million uncovered. So we have gained exactly nothing.
We are also told that health insurance is too expensive, and that the insurance companies are ripping us off. Well, yes it is expensive, but at least part of that expense is driven by government regulations. I don't want a policy that covers "alternative medicine" , massage therapy, chiropractic and a scad of things that cost a lot and are of no use to me at all. But because of gov't regulations, these have to be included, driving up my costs. And likewise I can't shop for a better or less expensive policy anywhere else except in my home state, because of gov't rules. And though I sure don't like spending money, when I needed the policy for a heart attack and stenting, or when I severely damaged my knee and needed surgery to rebuild it, it was sure nice to see almost all the costs covered by the policy. And when I look at the way government plans work in Canada and England, I'm pretty sure that had we the government system in place here at those times, I would not have received the same care at the same speed, and indeed might not have had the treatment at all because of my "advanced age". Heck, why should we care if an old, over-the-hill guy of 60 + years has a knee that works or not anyway. The plan can save $$$ if we deny his treatment. And the old man, me, has NO recourse. Sorry, I'd rather have a private company who has at least some interest in my well-being than a bureaucrat in an office somewhere who has absolutely no interest in me or my health.
Additionally, much of that cost is driven by things that could be changed or controlled without tossing the whole system. Want to lower medical costs? Find ways to eliminate frivolous lawsuits. Protect drug manufacturers from ridiculous class action suits that make lawyers millions, and alleged victims almost nothing. Minimize government involvement in health care. Force everyone, everyone, to pay something toward their care. If it is going to cost you nothing to use the system, you will overuse and abuse that system. Even a nominal charge every time you visit the ER or clinic will make you a bit more selective in when you do use it.
As to the argument that there are "many" who are denied health care because of lack of finances, please look up the EMTALA laws (Emergency Medical Treatment And Labor Act). It mandates that all who present to the hospital campus must be seen, with no regard to ability to pay.

But even more basic than all this.....what do we mean when we say that everyone has a right to health care? Why do we have this right? Where did it come from? And if we have such a right, do we not also have the same right to food, shelter, an automobile to get us to the store or Dr's office, gas to run the car, a telephone, TV etc etc. Where do we stop? If the basis of this right is necessity (We must have this right or else we might die!), then what is more basic to life than food? And if I have a basic right to food, then how dare the grocery store and the farmer charge me for their products? I have a RIGHT to it!!!

More to follow

Health Care

Mr. Brady at New Majority plots the organizational chart of the Dem plan


Questions for all of our reps in Washington:

Are you going to at least read the bill?
If it is so good, will YOU be signing up for it, or once again exempting yourselves from what is so good for the rest of us?

Abortion....Finally a liberal gives an honest answer

From WND:

In an astonishing admission, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg says she was under the impression that legalizing abortion with the 1973 Roe. v. Wade case would eliminate undesirable members of the populace, or as she put it "populations that we don't want to have too many of."

Her remarks, set to be published in the New York Times Magazine this Sunday but viewable online now, came in an in-depth interview with Emily Bazelon titled, "The Place of Women on the Court."

The 16-year veteran of the high court was asked if she were a lawyer again, what would she "want to accomplish as a future feminist legal agenda."

Ginsburg responded:

Reproductive choice has to be straightened out. There will never be a woman of means without choice anymore. That just seems to me so obvious. The states that had changed their abortion laws before Roe [to make abortion legal] are not going to change back. So we have a policy that affects only poor women, and it can never be otherwise, and I don't know why this hasn't been said more often.

Question: Are you talking about the distances women have to travel because in parts of the country, abortion is essentially unavailable, because there are so few doctors and clinics that do the procedure? And also, the lack of Medicaid for abortions for poor women?

Ginsburg: Yes, the ruling about that surprised me. [Harris v. McRae – in 1980 the court upheld the Hyde Amendment, which forbids the use of Medicaid for abortions.] Frankly I had thought that at the time Roe was decided, there was concern about population growth and particularly growth in populations that we don't want to have too many of.

Think about that statement. Go ahead and try to figure out what she could have meant by it.

Anyway you slice it it is still among the most ugly, anti-human statements ever uttered by a major figure on the American political scene.

Albany Rascism

In the midst of all the unbelievably childish behavior in Albany by those who think that they are so much smarter and better than us poor commoners, comes this little gem.

People being fired on the basis of race? Here in NY?? By the legislators?? Tell me it ain't so, Joe!!!
Those people, all of them, should pack it up, go home, and stop embarrassing us.

Men

A short piece, and worth a read. I'll wait until you're back.

I sure hope that we still have people like this guy around.
Problem seen, take action, fix problem, get on with life.

I mean to cast no aspersions on anyone, but I honestly feel that we need more men as opposed to males. Maleness is simply the presence or absence of a particular gene. Men and what makes them men is something that is made, made through training and by choices throughout life. In this time of great trial and stress, our country needs men who can face up to the tasks at hand, who have the courage and strength to do the right thing, not the easy thing. The man hanging on the hook in the linked photo did the right thing; he didn't wring his hands, call for an investigation into the cause of the problem, and sincerely hope that someone did something. He saw a problem, he took action and fixed the problem and then went back to work.

As an afterthought, 5 will get you 10 that this man or his employer will get a visit and/or fine from OSHA for doing what had to be done!!

KINGSTON TEAPARTY

Kingston Independence Day Tea Party Kingston, New York Saturday, July 4, 2009 11 am to 3 pm Kingston Point Beach, City of Kingston Delaware Ave Tom & Judy Santopietro (organizer) 845-399-6943 (organizer phone)
Contact Organizer | Website | Facebook kingstonteaparty.com For other areas, check here

The Upcoming Census

A list of the groups being paid federal $$ (YOUR money) to assist in the census of 2010:

ACORN
100 Black Men of America
African American Women’s House of Imagene (sic) Shelter
American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee
Arab American Institute
Asian American Federation
Asian American Justice Center
Asian and Pacific Islander Coalition on HIV/AIDS
Association of Professors and Scholars of Iranian Heritage
Boat People SOS
Hispanic Alliance for Prosperity Institute
Hispanic Federation
Fundacion Azteca
Latino Justice PDLDEF
Mas New Mexico
Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund
Minority Access
National Alliance for Hispanic Health
National Alliance of Black School Educators
National American Indian Housing Council
NAACP National Voter Fund
NAACP (National Association of Colored People)
National Association for Black Social Workers
National Association of Colored Women’s Clubs
National association of Hispanic Federal Executives
National Association of Hispanic Publications
National Association of Latino Elected Officials
National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women’s Clubs
National Black Chamber of Commerce
National Black Child Development Institute
National Black Justice Coalition
National Black Leadership Forum
National Coalition on Black Civic Participation
National Congress of Black Women
National Federation of Filipino American Associations
National Hispanic Leadership Institute
National Hispanic Business Information Clearinghouse
National Latino Research Center
National Minority AIDS Council
National Puerto Rican Coalition
National Puerto Rican Day Parade
Rainbow Push Coalition
U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Voto Latino

More to come re the census

HUGE TAX INCREASE

The House, in a close vote, has passed the "cap-and-trade" bill, in spite of the fact that:
1) There is no good evidence for global warming
2) There is NO evidence that carbon dioxide has anything to do with global warming
3) Even Greenpeace was against the bill as being useless for conservation
4) None of the useless idiots in DC even read the bill that they were voting on (again)
5) the bill is going to put huge burdens (read dollars) on all of us and do a great job of preventing any kind of business recovery

The following Repuplicans voted FOR the bill's passage Reps. Mary Bono Mack (CA), Mike Castle (DE), Steven Kirk (IL), John McHugh (NY), Leonard Lance (NJ), Frank LoBiondo (NJ), Dave Reichert (WA), and Chris Smith (NJ). Maybe we should drop them a note to "thank" them for looking out for us, the dumb slobs who will have to pay for this.

Our Mr Hinchey.....he seems to see no problem with nailing us with yet another huge chunk of our money being taken from us.

IRAN

Link to what is happened today in Iran.

WARNING Very graphic photos.

How could anyone do this to another countryman?
And how could we be so stupid to think that talking to them is going to magically change them? These leaders are still in the Middle Ages, or worse. I'm no genius (duh, no kidding Capt Obvious!!) but I don't see a diplomatic solution here.

For all who believe in it, and I do, please pray for all the victims.

Father's Day

Tomorrow is Father's Day.
Sadly, my dad died almost 40 years ago, and to this very day, I miss him. We had the usual fights, arguments, and disagreements, as is inevitable when 2 stubborn people butt heads, but his concern for and love of his family was never, ever in doubt.
He was of the old school......his word was absolute law as we grew up, and to step beyond a certain line brought a smack on the butt that drove home the point that the line was crossed only at grave risk. And signs of affection did not come easily to him, not because he didn't feel the emotion, but it was not the thing that men did in that era.
But his love for his kids was shown in so many ways...teaching us the right way, the ONLY way, to fish for trout was with a dry fly and a bamboo rod that was probably older than we were, taking walks through the mud as Spring set in, learning the sight and sound of the birds of the area, spending endless hours in his Studebaker station wagon learning all his shortcuts (all of which added miles and hours to any trip, and limitless fun and excitement to the trip as well), exploring things in the area that most people never knew existed (lead mines, iron ore pits and such), listening to the radio in his car with him as we drove through the night, trying to pick up WWVA or KDKA (look them up, they are still there), and the quiet words of encouragement when they were most needed.
Where I am, what I am, what I have done, so much of that is because of the strength, the sense of right and wrong, the courage that he passed on to me. Thanks, dad.

The Letter

If you haven't yet seen and read it, there is a letter written to Glenn Beck, which letter he read on his TV show earlier this week. It was written by a woman who is a grandmother, just another "lady-next-door" who said a great deal of what I think has to be said. Some excerpts follow:

The fact is I no longer feel any political party or representative in Washington represents my views or works to pursue the issues important to me. There must be someone. Please tell me who you are. Please stand up and tell me that you are there and that you're willing to fight for our Constitution as it was written. Please stand up now.......

Democrat, Republican, independent, libertarian. Understand this. We don't care. Political parties are meaningless to us. Patriotic Americans are willing to do right by us and our Constitution and that is all that matters to us now. We are going to fire all of you who abuse power and seek more. It is not your power. It is ours and we want it back. We entrusted you with it and you abused it. You are dishonorable. You are dishonest. As Americans we are ashamed of you. You have brought shame to us. If you are not representing the wants and needs of your constituency loudly and consistently, in spite of the objections of your party, you will be fired. Did you hear? We no longer care about your political parties. You need to be loyal to us, not to them.

Please, go here, read the whole letter and think seriously about what she is saying. We are seeing our country rapidly changing from what it used to be, what it was created to be, what it should be, into just another centrally run, big-government, socialistic state.

What to do

There is a book out there, whose title I have unfortunately forgotten, which book tries to explain the fundamental differences between the way the men and women see, react to, and understand the world. It is not a superficial, "touchy-feely" book, but an honest attempt to understand and explain the differences.

One of the basic premises of the author is that men are, by nature, fighters. He feels that men are actually in need of something to fight for, a belief or a cause, something that they can stand up for. As I get older and perhaps a bit wiser (though that is up for questioning!!) I think that he is correct. We need something to believe in, something that we can take hold of, around which we can "circle the wagons". Add to this the desire that many feel for freedom, and I begin to see why some of us are becoming more and more active in standing up against the constant expansion of the federal government and its ever more burdensome laws, rules, and demands.

Though it hurts me deeply to have to admit it, I also see that there are way more who are not only willing, but eager, to sacrifice their freedom and give everything up to the central government in return for the "security" offered them there, losing not only their freedom, but everyone else's as well. They point to us, snicker, and call us disillusioned wackos, throwbacks to a different era, right-wing dingbats, and a host of other unflattering names. They cannot know what is being lost because they have never experienced it, having been raised in a society that sees pleasure and gratification as the only worthwhile goals, and sacrifice and struggles and hardship are things to be avoided.

How do we show them what they are missing and what they are losing? We can't tell them, because words like freedom, work, sacrifice, challenge, patriotism, and liberty either mean nothing to them, or even worse, have been corrupted into something that is bad, evil and to be shunned. If we aren't speaking the same language, if words don't mean the same thing to the listener as they do to the speaker, then understanding is impossible. We have three choices that I see:
We can continue to talk to them, to try and get them to see what the words really mean rather that the corrupted meaning that has been taught them through the years. This is time consuming, and can be frustrating beyond belief when the words that we use are either innocently or maliciously misconstrued and spat back at us. It can be like trying to order from a menu in a foreign restaurant when you haven't a clue what anything on the menu means. You are talking but not conversing. An example that we all have heard...if you criticize the president, you are a racist.
We can try, instead of talking, try to educate by example. We can show by doing rather than talking. Unfortunately, what we do is all to often then presented as something completely different from what we actually did. Think about the recent spate of tea-parties around the country. Here was a group of people exercising their freedom of expression, most of it spontaneous and non-partisan, and much of it aimed at ALL of Washington who were going completely nuts with spending. But it was then presented to the general public as a "bunch of republicans" who were "out to get Obama". Again, this is a tough way to go.
The third choice is to ignore them completely. I don't mean to sound cruel or heartless, but if they can't / won't join, then there is little that we can do about it. Those of us who have tasted freedom, who know that liberty IS worth fighting for, must do what we must do to protect and expand that freedom throughout this country. The complacent hangers-on hopefully will see the errors of their way and join us, but if not, we have done what we could and must move on. There are many who don't join simply because they are ignorant of what they are missing, and these are the ones that I fervently hope will learn and join. Others, those who see themselves as the elite, who "know so much more than we do and are so much smarter than the rest of us", these must be shown as the demagogues that they really are. Those who sit in power and pass law after law, spend billions after billions, and completely ignore the Constitution, the Bill of Rights and the Declaration of Independence, and the God-given rights that those documents uphold, these people must be shown as the power-hungry tyrants that they have become.

I will hasten to add that I am NOT pushing for an armed rebellion. God help us if it ever comes to that. The thought of Americans shooting other Americans, of our country laid waste by another civil war, is too horrible to contemplate. I hope for, I pray for, I dream of another type of revolution, a revolution of ideals, of the principals upon which this country was founded and under which it grew from 13 little colonies into the greatest and free-est country ever seen. That is what I yearn for.


There stands a man who has had enough.

He just needed about a million others to stand with him.

So do we.

(with thanks to The Smallest Majority)

REMEMBER

On the blog, let's put aside for this weekend everything except remembrance of all those who gave so very much that we might have the freedoms that we so carelessly take for granted. May God bless each and every one of them.
link here

And from the blog of AMBULANCE DRIVER,

Because I Can't Say It Any Better Than Last Year

When you partake in your Memorial Day barbecue today, try to remember a few things.

When the smoke from the grill blows into your eyes, try to imagine the terror of the young pilot as the smoke fills the cockpit of his F4 Wildcat, spiraling into the sea off Guadalcanal.

When you sample those pork ribs, remember the Iowa farm boy whose life blood stained the surf at Normandy.

When you eat a bite of potato salad, think of an Idaho preacher's kid who died with a prayer on his lips, asking God to forgive him for the enemy soldiers' lives he had taken.

When you welcome your niece's new boyfriend to the table, remember the black kid from Mississippi who died right beside his white buddies in Vietnam, though he wasn't even allowed to eat in the same restaurants back home.

When you scold your misbehaving grandchild, think of the little boy whose only knowledge of his father will come from stories told by family, because Daddy died on a dusty street in Fallujah while he was still in the womb.

When you fetch your wife another glass of tea, think of a young wife living in base housing at Fort Benning, as she hears the news that her husband died at Ia Drang.

When you invite Grandpa to say grace before the meal, think of young men cut down by a hail of fire from a Maxim at Belleau Wood.

When you reflect with pride on your daughter's recent graduation, think of a young woman cartwheeling into the sea in her F14 Tomcat after a failed carrier landing.

When you look with distaste at the tattoos on her new boyfriend, think instead of the former gang kid from Detroit who found a way up and out of poverty in the Army, only to die from an IED blast in Baghdad. And remind yourself that what matters is how he treats your daughter, not the ink on his arms.

When you sit at the table, think of a Navy Captain, a husband and father, who died at his Pentagon desk on September 11. His death was no less honorable.

If you're traveling today, think of the passengers of United Flight 93, for in a field outside Shanksville they became the first soldiers in our war on terror.

When your boys fight, as boys will do, remember the boys on both sides who died at Gettysburg.

If a loved one can't make it to the gathering today, think of Mrs. Bixby and her five sons.

While your kids play in the pool this afternoon, think of other kids not much older, trapped below decks as the Arizona went under at Pearl Harbor.

When you take a shower tonight, think of young men reeking of machine oil and sweat, desperately trying, and failing, to surface their wounded submarine somewhere in the Pacific in 1943.

I tell you of these things not to spoil your appetite or your day, but to remind you that the things we enjoy in our lives are made all the sweeter when you consider what made them possible.

Remind yourself also that your sacrifice is infinitely easier. All you need do is sacrifice a moment of your time every few years to pull a lever. The way to honor a dead soldier is not simply to fly a flag on Memorial Day. Vote to preserve the freedoms they died defending.

And stop by your local Veteran's Cemetery and put out some flowers on the grave of your choice. It need not even be the grave of someone you know.

Bring your children along, and explain to them why. It's important.

Sometimes Life Can Be a Pain and random thoughts

Saturday, a great day to get some outdoor work done. Let's see....I've been meaning to dig up an area for a small addition to the garden space. So down to the shed to get out the tiller. Oh, rats, the tiller has a flat tire... a REALLY flat tire. No problem, I'll just start it up, run it to the garage and attach it to the compressor.
But before I start it, I remember from past experience that the mice seem to like nesting inside the engine cowling, so I'll pull the starter rope very slowly to chase them out first. And as I pull it, sure enough there are mice running everywhere. Then a real pull to start it and the engine simply stops turning. It just stops, no matter how hard I pull the cord. Crimminy, now what? I can't push the tiller to the garage (it's all uphill and the flat tire now has unseated from the rim), so I go to the garage and get the necessary tools, then back to the tiller to start disassembling the cowling and starter cord assembly. Of course, the machine is built in such a way that to remove the cowling, I have to remove the gas tank, the bracket that holds the tank, and about every other part of the motor. Finally, I lift off the cowling and another swarm of mice run out, and leave behind a mouse house that would make the Trump Towers look small. Clean out the nest, reassemble the cowling but leave it loose so I can run the tiller up to the garage and blow the remaining debris out of the cooling fins. Now this motor ALWAYS starts on the second or third pull. So about a dozen pulls later, I decide that there is a problem. I still can't push it up to the garage, so maybe I can pull it there.
Get out the tractor and hitch it to the tiller. Start pulling and the flat tire immediately rolls off the rim and the tiller tips and veers off course. Reattach and try again....same result. My long-suffering wife, bless her heart, comes out and while I drive, she horses the tiller back in line until we get it to the garage. Disassemble the cowling, blow out the cooling fins, reasssemble the cowling, gas tank bracket and tank, tighten everything back up. One pull on the cord and glory be, it starts!!!. Then try blowing up the tire.....it won't seat on the bead to hold any air. Find a piece of rope, wrap the tire and cinch it down, then try inflating.....no go. Where is my bottle of SLIME.....slime the bead and rim, retighten the rope and reinflate, and IT HOLDS. Seat the bead, remove the rope, and we are ready to go. So, a job of about 20 minutes, tilling the garden, ends up being a 11/2 hour job of virtually rebuilding the tiller.
There is a law, whose name I cannot remember, which law is surprisingly accurate when it comes to home repair jobs. It states that one makes the best estimate of the time needed for a job. That time is then doubled, and the time scale moved up by one unit, and the result is the actual time needed. Thus if the best time estimate is 2 hours, then double it to 4 hours and go up one unit to 4 days, and that will be the actual time needed.

And random thoughts:

How can Pres Obama stand in front of us with a straight face and talk about how deficit spending cannot go on, while he has singlehandedly increased deficit spending more than any other president in history?

As a Catholic, I hang my head in shame over what Notre Dame University did this past weekend. Against the beliefs of the Catholic faith, against the rules put out by the bishops, against the voices of thousands who called and wrote their opposition, the president of the university gave an honorary degree to a man who has consistently voted in favor of abortions on demand, and consistently voted to allow the killing of infants who survived an attempted abortion.

And a very cool visual illusion here.

If I can clear my head and try to make some sense of all that is being done to our country, I'll try to pick up where I was. Right now, I'm whelmed by all that has happened