On a bright and sunny Sunday morning, life was good on the island of Oahu in the Territory of Hawaii. People were getting ready to go to church, frolicking on the beach of Waikiki, trying to get that little extra bit of sleep after a night out on the town the previous night, and simply enjoying life in this tropical paradise.
That all suddenly changed at a little after 8:00 on that fateful morning when airplanes of the Japanese Imperial Navy appeared in the bright blue skies over Pearl Harbor, and other military bases on Oahu, as they unleashed a surprise attack on the United States, sinking or severely damaging the majority of the Navy fleet at anchor, and most of the planes on the ground, in what then President Roosevelt called "A day that will live in infamy."
The attack, which came in two separate waves, shocked the nation out of it's complacency, and propelled us into the most devastating war this world has ever seen. Millions died as we fought to defend freedom. It was very touch and go in the early days of the war, but the Allies ultimately prevailed, defeating the Axis Powers, and restoring a semblance of order to the world.
Although we were at war with Germany, Italy and Japan, and they are now some of our staunchest allies, we must never forget that we were totally unprepared for war, and took a grievous blow in the attack on Pearl Harbor which almost knocked us out of the war before we were really in the war. The lesson of the attack on Pearl Harbor is that we must never let our guard down, and allow ourselves to become complacent in this still dangerous world, with those who oppose our way of life still lined up against us wishing to not only do us harm, but to destroy us and our way of life, as evidenced by the attack on September 11th, 2001.
Never forget.
Tuesday, December 07, 2010
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Thanksgiving Day
Just want to wish everyone a safe and warm Thanksgiving Day, and to list some of the things I'm thankful for today.
My family. I'll be spending part of the day today at my brothers place today. Don't know who all will be there, but it's all good.
My friends, both IRL and you guys. With the help and support of my IRL friends and you guys, I was able to keep my head above water during my extended period of unemployment. Thank you for that.
Speaking of employment, I'm thankful that I have a new full time job. I get along really well with my new co-workers, and I'm doing something that I'm good at.
My country. I am so thankful that I live in the United States! I enjoy so many freedoms that others do not have, and I pray that I will never take those freedoms for granted. I'm also thankful that so many people risked their lives, with some making the ultimate sacrifice, to not only give birth to this nation, but to continue to guard the freedoms that we who live here enjoy today.
I'm also thankful that one of the freedoms that we enjoy is the freedom of religion. Let us keep in mind those who do not have a job, or a place to call home this day, and ask the good Lord to extend His helping hand to those less fortunate.
What are you thankful for?
My family. I'll be spending part of the day today at my brothers place today. Don't know who all will be there, but it's all good.
My friends, both IRL and you guys. With the help and support of my IRL friends and you guys, I was able to keep my head above water during my extended period of unemployment. Thank you for that.
Speaking of employment, I'm thankful that I have a new full time job. I get along really well with my new co-workers, and I'm doing something that I'm good at.
My country. I am so thankful that I live in the United States! I enjoy so many freedoms that others do not have, and I pray that I will never take those freedoms for granted. I'm also thankful that so many people risked their lives, with some making the ultimate sacrifice, to not only give birth to this nation, but to continue to guard the freedoms that we who live here enjoy today.
I'm also thankful that one of the freedoms that we enjoy is the freedom of religion. Let us keep in mind those who do not have a job, or a place to call home this day, and ask the good Lord to extend His helping hand to those less fortunate.
What are you thankful for?
Friday, September 24, 2010
"Pledge to America" Unveiled by Republicans
SeeBS News has obtained the full text of the pledge, which you can see here.
Highlights can be found here, if you don't want to read the full 21 pages.
The above two links are via Ace.
You know what? There are already rumblings from some DA's (and, no, that does not stand for District Attorney) out there that this doesn't "go far enough".
Wait, what?
Ok, so maybe it's a little watered down from the Contract from the 1990's, but how long was that followed? Just long enough to get some people elected, that's how long. The cynics would say that the pledge is designed to accomplish the same thing - get some people elected.
Perhaps.
But, maybe, this time, the people responsible for writing the pledge are really sincere, and did not do this for their own political gain, but in a genuine effort to return America to the path the Founders set us all upon. I would hate to think the pledge is about the former, and would bet my last dollar that it's the latter, instead.
Now, here's a bit of advice to all of the DA's in the world - sit down, and STFU. Listening to you DA's has only put us in this deep hole, and I think it's time for the grown ups to take over, ok?
Highlights can be found here, if you don't want to read the full 21 pages.
The above two links are via Ace.
You know what? There are already rumblings from some DA's (and, no, that does not stand for District Attorney) out there that this doesn't "go far enough".
Wait, what?
Ok, so maybe it's a little watered down from the Contract from the 1990's, but how long was that followed? Just long enough to get some people elected, that's how long. The cynics would say that the pledge is designed to accomplish the same thing - get some people elected.
Perhaps.
But, maybe, this time, the people responsible for writing the pledge are really sincere, and did not do this for their own political gain, but in a genuine effort to return America to the path the Founders set us all upon. I would hate to think the pledge is about the former, and would bet my last dollar that it's the latter, instead.
Now, here's a bit of advice to all of the DA's in the world - sit down, and STFU. Listening to you DA's has only put us in this deep hole, and I think it's time for the grown ups to take over, ok?
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Muslim summit planned over NYC Islamic center
As reported here, [a] proposed Islamic center near ground zero is slowly being embraced by some Muslims who initially were indifferent about the plan, partly in response to a sense that their faith is under attack.
Your "faith" is not "under attack". What is "under attack" is the fact that you people want to build a monument to your "victory" on part of Ground Zero, which is a slap to the face of ALL Americans, not just New Yorkers. You want to build this monument just as you built the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem. Just as you built a mosque on the site of the cathedral in Cordoba, Spain. Just as you converted another cathedral in Sofia into a mosque. That's what you people do, when you conquer someone. I've got news for you - you haven't conquered us, so we don't want you to build a "victory mosque" on the site of what to us was an attack worse than the attack on Pearl Harbor.
A summit of U.S. Muslim organizations is planned for Saturday and Sunday in New York City to address both the project and a rise in anti-Muslim sentiments and rhetoric that has accompanied the nationwide debate over the project.
We're not so much "anti-Muslim", as we are anti-asstwits, which is what you people are by insisting that this "victory mosque" be built.
It has yet to be seen whether the groups will emerge with a firm stand on the proposed community center, dubbed Park51. The primary purpose of the meeting is to talk about ways to combat religious bigotry.
When you do discuss "combating religious bigotry", make sure you look at yourselves first. You people have a philosophy that is anti-every other religion in the world. You might want to start there first.
But Shaik Ubaid of the Islamic Leadership Council of Metropolitan New York, one of the groups organizing the gathering, said he has a growing sense that some American Muslims who initially had trepidation are now throwing their support behind the plan.
"Once it became a rallying cry for extremists, we had no choice but to stand with Feisal (Abdul) Rauf," he said, referring to the New York City imam who has been leading the drive for the center.
Two things. One, how is it extreme when we object to being slapped in the face, by having a constant reminder of what you people did to us on September 11th, 2001, built on the very ground of that atrocity? What is "extreme" is the fact that you are ignoring our sensitivities in this matter, and are only looking at proclaiming yourselves as the victims here. That's extreme, claiming that you are the victims.
The other thing is, Rauf is no imam. To be an imam, you have to go through rigorous vetting by Muslim clerics who decide who is an imam. Rauf has not gone through that rigorous vetting. What he is, is a charlatan, and a slumlord.
Pam Geller at Atlas Shrugs has much more on this, including the fact that this planned "summit" just happens to fall on Yom Kippur, giving our Jewish friends a hard slap in the face, which you can read here. So much for us Christians and Jews being the bigots, eh?
Your "faith" is not "under attack". What is "under attack" is the fact that you people want to build a monument to your "victory" on part of Ground Zero, which is a slap to the face of ALL Americans, not just New Yorkers. You want to build this monument just as you built the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem. Just as you built a mosque on the site of the cathedral in Cordoba, Spain. Just as you converted another cathedral in Sofia into a mosque. That's what you people do, when you conquer someone. I've got news for you - you haven't conquered us, so we don't want you to build a "victory mosque" on the site of what to us was an attack worse than the attack on Pearl Harbor.
A summit of U.S. Muslim organizations is planned for Saturday and Sunday in New York City to address both the project and a rise in anti-Muslim sentiments and rhetoric that has accompanied the nationwide debate over the project.
We're not so much "anti-Muslim", as we are anti-asstwits, which is what you people are by insisting that this "victory mosque" be built.
It has yet to be seen whether the groups will emerge with a firm stand on the proposed community center, dubbed Park51. The primary purpose of the meeting is to talk about ways to combat religious bigotry.
When you do discuss "combating religious bigotry", make sure you look at yourselves first. You people have a philosophy that is anti-every other religion in the world. You might want to start there first.
But Shaik Ubaid of the Islamic Leadership Council of Metropolitan New York, one of the groups organizing the gathering, said he has a growing sense that some American Muslims who initially had trepidation are now throwing their support behind the plan.
"Once it became a rallying cry for extremists, we had no choice but to stand with Feisal (Abdul) Rauf," he said, referring to the New York City imam who has been leading the drive for the center.
Two things. One, how is it extreme when we object to being slapped in the face, by having a constant reminder of what you people did to us on September 11th, 2001, built on the very ground of that atrocity? What is "extreme" is the fact that you are ignoring our sensitivities in this matter, and are only looking at proclaiming yourselves as the victims here. That's extreme, claiming that you are the victims.
The other thing is, Rauf is no imam. To be an imam, you have to go through rigorous vetting by Muslim clerics who decide who is an imam. Rauf has not gone through that rigorous vetting. What he is, is a charlatan, and a slumlord.
Pam Geller at Atlas Shrugs has much more on this, including the fact that this planned "summit" just happens to fall on Yom Kippur, giving our Jewish friends a hard slap in the face, which you can read here. So much for us Christians and Jews being the bigots, eh?
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Never Forget
This is the ninth anniversary of the worst attack on American soil in history. It is a day of tragedy and heroism. It is a day of sorrow and determination.It is a day of coming together to honor the fallen, and resolve to never forget. It is a day to recommit to continuing the fight for our freedom and values.
On September 11, 2001 four airliners were hijacked by Islamist extremists. Three were deliberately flown into the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington, DC. One, Flight 93, crashed southeast of Pittsburgh, after passengers on board attempted to retake the flight from the terrorists.
Below is the timeline of events on that day, courtesy of September 11 News.
7:58 AM - United Airlines Flight 175 departs Boston on it's way to Los Angeles. Shortly after take off, it is hijacked and diverted to New York City.
7:59 a.m. - American Airlines Flight 11 also departs Boston for Los Angeles. Shortly after take off, it also is hijacked and diverted to New York City.
8:01 a.m. - United Airlines Flight 93 departs Newark for San Francisco. Shortly after take off, it also is hijacked and diverted from it's original destination, likely to Washington, DC.
8:10 a.m. - American Airlines Flight 77 departs Washington's Dulles International Airport for Los Angeles. Shortly after take off, it also is hijacked and diverted from it's original destination, heading to the Pentagon.
8:46 a.m. - American Airlines Flight 11 from Boston crashes into the North Tower at the World Trade Center.
9:03 a.m. - United Flight 175 from Boston crashes into the South Tower at the World Trade Center.
- U.S. Federal Aviation Administration shuts down all New York area airports.
9:21 a.m. - Bridges and tunnels leading into New York City are closed.
9:25 a.m. - All domestic flights are grounded by U.S. Federal Aviation Administration.
9:45 a.m. - American Flight 77 crashes into The Pentagon.
10:05 a.m. - The South Tower at the World Trade Center collapses.
10:05 a.m. - The White House is evacuated.
10:10 a.m. - A large section of one side of The Pentagon collapses.
10:10 a.m. - United Flight 93 crashes in a wooded area in Pennsylvania, after passengers confront hijackers.
10:28 a.m. - The North Tower at the World Trade Center collapses.
To see a graph and images from that day, also courtesy of September 11 News, go here.
Almost 3,000 people perished that day, among them the passengers and aircrew of the four flights, employees of the many businesses in the World Trade Center buildings, military and civilian personnel at the Pentagon, and First Responders in New York City from the NYPD and FDNY, as well as others from outlying cities who also responded. The only satisfactory thing about this horrible day is that the 19 terrorist hijackers also died.
Before I conclude this, there is one thing I want to acknowledge, and that is the hospitality an, yes, love shown to thousands of passengers of other airliners that were diverted when the FAA ordered all flights grounded. That hospitality and love that was shown was from ordinary Canadian citizens, who went "above and beyond" in welcoming strangers to their cities, towns, and homes. Thank you all so much for that. It is a debt that may not, in truth, be repayable, but must be acknowledged and remembered.
As you go about your normal routine today, please take a moment to contemplate the events of this day, and remember.
Never Forget!
Update! I was just informed of something I was totally unaware of that also happened that day by my friend polaris93, who told me that many, many people from the Jersey Shore area of New Jersey went over to New York City in their boats to pick up folks, and took them back to their homes to give them a place of refuge and to let them call loved ones to say they were alright. By not knowing this, I was not able to acknowledge their actions. To those of you who did this, thank you so much for what you did to give aid and comfort to strangers, and I hope you will forgive me for my ignorance, and omission.
Thank you too, polaris93, for letting me know this little known fact.
On September 11, 2001 four airliners were hijacked by Islamist extremists. Three were deliberately flown into the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington, DC. One, Flight 93, crashed southeast of Pittsburgh, after passengers on board attempted to retake the flight from the terrorists.
Below is the timeline of events on that day, courtesy of September 11 News.
7:58 AM - United Airlines Flight 175 departs Boston on it's way to Los Angeles. Shortly after take off, it is hijacked and diverted to New York City.
7:59 a.m. - American Airlines Flight 11 also departs Boston for Los Angeles. Shortly after take off, it also is hijacked and diverted to New York City.
8:01 a.m. - United Airlines Flight 93 departs Newark for San Francisco. Shortly after take off, it also is hijacked and diverted from it's original destination, likely to Washington, DC.
8:10 a.m. - American Airlines Flight 77 departs Washington's Dulles International Airport for Los Angeles. Shortly after take off, it also is hijacked and diverted from it's original destination, heading to the Pentagon.
8:46 a.m. - American Airlines Flight 11 from Boston crashes into the North Tower at the World Trade Center.
9:03 a.m. - United Flight 175 from Boston crashes into the South Tower at the World Trade Center.
- U.S. Federal Aviation Administration shuts down all New York area airports.
9:21 a.m. - Bridges and tunnels leading into New York City are closed.
9:25 a.m. - All domestic flights are grounded by U.S. Federal Aviation Administration.
9:45 a.m. - American Flight 77 crashes into The Pentagon.
10:05 a.m. - The South Tower at the World Trade Center collapses.
10:05 a.m. - The White House is evacuated.
10:10 a.m. - A large section of one side of The Pentagon collapses.
10:10 a.m. - United Flight 93 crashes in a wooded area in Pennsylvania, after passengers confront hijackers.
10:28 a.m. - The North Tower at the World Trade Center collapses.
To see a graph and images from that day, also courtesy of September 11 News, go here.
Almost 3,000 people perished that day, among them the passengers and aircrew of the four flights, employees of the many businesses in the World Trade Center buildings, military and civilian personnel at the Pentagon, and First Responders in New York City from the NYPD and FDNY, as well as others from outlying cities who also responded. The only satisfactory thing about this horrible day is that the 19 terrorist hijackers also died.
Before I conclude this, there is one thing I want to acknowledge, and that is the hospitality an, yes, love shown to thousands of passengers of other airliners that were diverted when the FAA ordered all flights grounded. That hospitality and love that was shown was from ordinary Canadian citizens, who went "above and beyond" in welcoming strangers to their cities, towns, and homes. Thank you all so much for that. It is a debt that may not, in truth, be repayable, but must be acknowledged and remembered.
As you go about your normal routine today, please take a moment to contemplate the events of this day, and remember.
Never Forget!
Update! I was just informed of something I was totally unaware of that also happened that day by my friend polaris93, who told me that many, many people from the Jersey Shore area of New Jersey went over to New York City in their boats to pick up folks, and took them back to their homes to give them a place of refuge and to let them call loved ones to say they were alright. By not knowing this, I was not able to acknowledge their actions. To those of you who did this, thank you so much for what you did to give aid and comfort to strangers, and I hope you will forgive me for my ignorance, and omission.
Thank you too, polaris93, for letting me know this little known fact.
Monday, September 06, 2010
Remember in November
With the election less than two months from now, you have to ask the question then-Presidential candidate Ronald Reagan asked in 1980 - are you better off now than you were four years ago?
The answer to that, of course, is no.
The unemployemnt rate four years ago was hovering around the 5% to 5.5% mark, which was loudly trashed as being "too high" by the MFM. Now? The latest is 9.6% for August, up from 9.5% in July, nearly double what it was just four short years ago.
Housing is taking a beating, from lower new construction numbers, to higher foreclosure numbers.
We're in a stagnated recession that could, if we continue on the same failed policy path, turn into a double dip recession, meaning that unemployment numbers will rise, further worsening the recession as people hang on to what assets they have - just in case they become unemployed.
Four years ago the economy was still booming. What happened?
The Democrats gained the majority in Congress is what happened.
Since then, they pushed for the continuation of making sub-prime home loans to people who had absolutely no possible way to repay those loans, through having Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac continue to guarantee those loans (with your money).
Since then, they have nationalized the auto industry by taking over majority stockholder status in both GM and Chrysler, without giving a dime in recompense to the actual stockholders.
Since then, they "bailed out" Wallstreet, instead of letting free market forces have their way with those companies that were foolish enough to buy up bad home loans, and get involved in derivatives.
Since then, they have nationalized health care, which means that because costs and taxes (and fines!) on businesses will go up when it is fully in place, businesses are not hiring, and are "letting people go" (which is what I was told when I lost my job back in January), to cut their operating costs (which I can't really blame them for doing, since most businesses are in business to make money, not gush it like the Gulf oil spill), further exacerbating the recession.
Since then, the national debt has increased from the billions (too high, to be sure), to the trillions (ridiculously, even criminally, high), burdening probably the next three or four generations with an impossible to pay back debt load.
Since then, they have downplayed the war on terror against Al Qaida, claiming that it is more a law enforcement problem. They don't call it what it is - terrorism - and will not even acknowledge that we are at war!
Since then, attempted terrorist attacks on our own soil have happened (how many happened when Mr. Bush was President after 9/11? Zero!), because they refuse to take this war seriously!
Since then, they have announced that we won in Iraq, so they stopped combat operations, and have pulled most of the troops home, while transferring others to Afghanistan - and are taking the credit! That takes a lot of gall. (Don't get me wrong - we have won in Iraq, but I don't think all of the Iraqi's wanted us to leave just yet. I'm also glad that the majority of our troops have been removed from imminent harm's way, but the question in my mind is - is the job really finished?)
Since then, they announced a withdrawal date from Afghanistan, regardless of conditions on the ground, and have imposed such Draconian rules of engagement that our troops there are seeing their casualty rates go up. The Taliban and Al Qaida forces have also been emboldened by the stated withdrawal date, and are in fact doing whatever they can to get us to leave earlier. The Afghan people are terrified that the Taliban will take their country back over if we do leave next summer.
Since then, our allies have been snubbed and insulted, while our enemies have been feted and regaled, emboldening our enemies, and making our allies wonder if they can trust us as far as they can throw us.
So, let me ask you again - are you better off now than you were four years ago?
If you don't like the direction our country is headed, if you don't like being unemployed (or underemployed), if you don't like it when your concerns are ignored by your "representatives" in town hall meetings, if you don't like being told "this is for your own good, so just sit down and shut up!", if you don't like government telling you what to do, instead of letting you determine whether you succeed or fail on your own merits, then I urge you to -
Remember in November!
The answer to that, of course, is no.
The unemployemnt rate four years ago was hovering around the 5% to 5.5% mark, which was loudly trashed as being "too high" by the MFM. Now? The latest is 9.6% for August, up from 9.5% in July, nearly double what it was just four short years ago.
Housing is taking a beating, from lower new construction numbers, to higher foreclosure numbers.
We're in a stagnated recession that could, if we continue on the same failed policy path, turn into a double dip recession, meaning that unemployment numbers will rise, further worsening the recession as people hang on to what assets they have - just in case they become unemployed.
Four years ago the economy was still booming. What happened?
The Democrats gained the majority in Congress is what happened.
Since then, they pushed for the continuation of making sub-prime home loans to people who had absolutely no possible way to repay those loans, through having Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac continue to guarantee those loans (with your money).
Since then, they have nationalized the auto industry by taking over majority stockholder status in both GM and Chrysler, without giving a dime in recompense to the actual stockholders.
Since then, they "bailed out" Wallstreet, instead of letting free market forces have their way with those companies that were foolish enough to buy up bad home loans, and get involved in derivatives.
Since then, they have nationalized health care, which means that because costs and taxes (and fines!) on businesses will go up when it is fully in place, businesses are not hiring, and are "letting people go" (which is what I was told when I lost my job back in January), to cut their operating costs (which I can't really blame them for doing, since most businesses are in business to make money, not gush it like the Gulf oil spill), further exacerbating the recession.
Since then, the national debt has increased from the billions (too high, to be sure), to the trillions (ridiculously, even criminally, high), burdening probably the next three or four generations with an impossible to pay back debt load.
Since then, they have downplayed the war on terror against Al Qaida, claiming that it is more a law enforcement problem. They don't call it what it is - terrorism - and will not even acknowledge that we are at war!
Since then, attempted terrorist attacks on our own soil have happened (how many happened when Mr. Bush was President after 9/11? Zero!), because they refuse to take this war seriously!
Since then, they have announced that we won in Iraq, so they stopped combat operations, and have pulled most of the troops home, while transferring others to Afghanistan - and are taking the credit! That takes a lot of gall. (Don't get me wrong - we have won in Iraq, but I don't think all of the Iraqi's wanted us to leave just yet. I'm also glad that the majority of our troops have been removed from imminent harm's way, but the question in my mind is - is the job really finished?)
Since then, they announced a withdrawal date from Afghanistan, regardless of conditions on the ground, and have imposed such Draconian rules of engagement that our troops there are seeing their casualty rates go up. The Taliban and Al Qaida forces have also been emboldened by the stated withdrawal date, and are in fact doing whatever they can to get us to leave earlier. The Afghan people are terrified that the Taliban will take their country back over if we do leave next summer.
Since then, our allies have been snubbed and insulted, while our enemies have been feted and regaled, emboldening our enemies, and making our allies wonder if they can trust us as far as they can throw us.
So, let me ask you again - are you better off now than you were four years ago?
If you don't like the direction our country is headed, if you don't like being unemployed (or underemployed), if you don't like it when your concerns are ignored by your "representatives" in town hall meetings, if you don't like being told "this is for your own good, so just sit down and shut up!", if you don't like government telling you what to do, instead of letting you determine whether you succeed or fail on your own merits, then I urge you to -
Remember in November!
Saturday, August 14, 2010
The idiot ruining our country makes clear support for ground zero mosque - gee, what a surprise.
WASHINGTON -- After skirting the controversy for weeks, President ["Present"] is weighing in forcefully on the mosque near ground zero, saying a nation built on religious freedom must allow it.
"As a citizen, and as president, I believe that Muslims have the same right to practice their religion as everyone else in this country," ["Present"] told an intently listening crowd gathered at the White House Friday evening to observe the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.
"That includes the right to build a place of worship and a community center on private property in lower Manhattan, in accordance with local laws and ordinances," he said. "This is America, and our commitment to religious freedom must be unshakable."
Religious freedom IS NOT THE POINT, which he obviously knows.
The point is (actually, there is more than one point) that building that Islamofascist abomination so close to Ground Zero is a horrible slap in the face insult to not only the families of those who died on 9/11, but the entire United States. The very name they are using - Cordoba - symbolizes conquest and triumph, which is being shoved down our throats. As was often the case in past history, when Muslims conquered a land, they would demolish any Christian Churches and Jewish Temples, and erect a mosque on the foundations of those demolished buildings. That is the very thing they are attempting to do here, and IT MUST NOT BE ALLOWED TO HAPPEN!
Hopefully, the unions in New York City will refuse to do any work at all on this Islamofascist abomination. New York is a union town. Nothing happens unless a union says it will, and for once, I am pulling for the unions in New York to stand up to this and say a loud and resounding NO!.
"As a citizen, and as president, I believe that Muslims have the same right to practice their religion as everyone else in this country," ["Present"] told an intently listening crowd gathered at the White House Friday evening to observe the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.
"That includes the right to build a place of worship and a community center on private property in lower Manhattan, in accordance with local laws and ordinances," he said. "This is America, and our commitment to religious freedom must be unshakable."
Religious freedom IS NOT THE POINT, which he obviously knows.
The point is (actually, there is more than one point) that building that Islamofascist abomination so close to Ground Zero is a horrible slap in the face insult to not only the families of those who died on 9/11, but the entire United States. The very name they are using - Cordoba - symbolizes conquest and triumph, which is being shoved down our throats. As was often the case in past history, when Muslims conquered a land, they would demolish any Christian Churches and Jewish Temples, and erect a mosque on the foundations of those demolished buildings. That is the very thing they are attempting to do here, and IT MUST NOT BE ALLOWED TO HAPPEN!
Hopefully, the unions in New York City will refuse to do any work at all on this Islamofascist abomination. New York is a union town. Nothing happens unless a union says it will, and for once, I am pulling for the unions in New York to stand up to this and say a loud and resounding NO!.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Immigrant groups criticize fingerprint initiative
DENVER – The federal government is rapidly expanding a program to identify illegal immigrants using fingerprints from arrests, drawing opposition from local authorities and advocates who argue the initiative amounts to an excessive dragnet.
The program has gotten less attention than Arizona's new immigration law, but it may end up having a bigger impact because of its potential to round up and deport so many immigrants nationwide.
Hoo boy, where to start with this one. Ok, how about from the beginning of this article. Does that work for you? Works for me.
The San Francisco sheriff wanted nothing to do with the program, and the City Council in Washington, D.C., blocked use of the fingerprint plan in the nation's capital.
Effectively, both cities governments are telling their law enforcement departments to violate federal law by not cooperating with federal agencies regarding the immigration status of the arrestee. Wonder if that "flavors" the relationship between the locals and say, the FBI or BATF or DEA on major cases at all.
Colorado is the latest to debate the program, called Secure Communities, and immigrant groups have begun to speak up, telling the governor in a letter last week that the initiative will make crime victims reluctant to cooperate with police "due to fear of being drawn into the immigration regime."
Being reluctant to speak to the police if a crime victim when you are here illegally is a given. Anyone who engages in criminal behavior of any type will be reluctant to speak to the police if/when they become a crime victim themselves, so that argument is fatuous at best, and disingenuous at worst. But that hardly matters to those who advocate for criminals.
Under the program, the fingerprints of everyone who is booked into jail for any crime are run against FBI criminal history records and Department of Homeland Security immigration records to determine who is in the country illegally and whether they've been arrested previously. Most jurisdictions are not included in the program, but Immigration and Customs Enforcement has been expanding the initiative.
So basically, the only real new thing here is that your immigration status is checked through the Department of Homeland Security, as police departments nationwide routinely check not only their own databases, but those of other law enforcement agencies to see if you have any kind of a criminal history, and if so, what is the status of that. Adding DHS to the list of agency databases to check to see if you are here legally (or not) is bad how?
Since 2007, 467 jurisdictions in 26 states have joined. ICE has said it plans to have it in every jail in the country by 2013. Secure Communities is currently being phased into the places where the government sees as having the greatest need for it based on population estimates of illegal immigrants and crime statistics.
Nice start, but we need this in every jurisdiction, and the sooner the better.
Since everyone arrested would be screened, the program could easily deport more people than Arizona's new law, said Sunita Patel, an attorney who filed a lawsuit in New York against the federal government on behalf of a group worried about the program. Patel said that because illegal immigrants could be referred to ICE at the point of arrest, even before a conviction, the program can create an incentive for profiling and create a pipeline to deport more people.
First of all, "Hispanic" is not a "race". Hispanics are actually Caucasians with a nice, natural tan. Since the vast majority of illegal immigrants here are of Hispanic descent, it would be foolish not to look at them a little more carefully, especially since they've already committed a federal offense by being here illegally! Then, if they commit further crimes and get arrested, you want them to be allowed to stay here? What alternate universe are you from, Ms. Patel? (I'm assuming Sunita Patel is a "Ms.")
"It has the potential to revolutionize immigration enforcement," said Patel.
And your problem with enforcing our immigration laws is what, exactly?
Patel filed the lawsuit on behalf of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network, which is concerned the program could soon come to New York. The lawsuit seeks, among other things, statistical information about who has been deported as a result of the program and what they were arrested for.
Yeah, I could see where that might put a crimp in your business by diminishing the number of people in your labor force, but what are you people doing hiring illegals, anyway? Don't you know that's against the law? I must admit, I'd like to know how many illegals have been deported too. Whatever the number is, it's not enough, as there are still far too many illegals in this country.
Supporters of the program argue it is helping identify dangerous criminals that would otherwise go undetected. Since Oct. 27, 2008 through the end of May, almost 2.6 million people have been screened with Secure Communities. Of those, almost 35,000 were identified as illegal immigrants previously arrested or convicted for the most serious crimes, including murder and rape, ICE said Thursday. More than 205,000 who were identified as illegal immigrants had arrest records for less serious crimes.
Sounds to me like the program actually works! Considering that it's a government program, that's amazing! Ah, just kidding guys. Just because the current administration doesn't want to enforce our immigration laws (so their constituent base grows larger), doesn't mean that everyone that works for the federal government thinks that way. But I digress.
To sum up, it seems like every time - every time! - someone tries to do something constructive to get the least little handle on the problem of illegals being here through enforcing the laws, someone gets their panties in a twisted knot, and starts yelling about "racial profiling", and that crime victims will be "reluctant to cooperate" with the authorities. You know something? That's just tough. Too bad, so sad. If these people want to be here so bad, then they should go through the proper, legal, steps to gain entrance. By coming here illegally, they have already demonstrated their contempt for our laws, and it is absolutely no surprise that many of them go on to commit further crimes, some of them serious such as rape and murder. When a white or black citizen commits rape or murder, there is a great cry from society to have them removed from society, so they cannot commit more offenses, yet when a non-citizen, here illegally, does the same thing we're not supposed to remove them from society, either through putting them in prison or deporting them? That is simply insane.
Go read the rest of the article. There's some positive stuff at the end (as well as more moral relativism junk, too).
H/T Reality Hammer
The program has gotten less attention than Arizona's new immigration law, but it may end up having a bigger impact because of its potential to round up and deport so many immigrants nationwide.
Hoo boy, where to start with this one. Ok, how about from the beginning of this article. Does that work for you? Works for me.
The San Francisco sheriff wanted nothing to do with the program, and the City Council in Washington, D.C., blocked use of the fingerprint plan in the nation's capital.
Effectively, both cities governments are telling their law enforcement departments to violate federal law by not cooperating with federal agencies regarding the immigration status of the arrestee. Wonder if that "flavors" the relationship between the locals and say, the FBI or BATF or DEA on major cases at all.
Colorado is the latest to debate the program, called Secure Communities, and immigrant groups have begun to speak up, telling the governor in a letter last week that the initiative will make crime victims reluctant to cooperate with police "due to fear of being drawn into the immigration regime."
Being reluctant to speak to the police if a crime victim when you are here illegally is a given. Anyone who engages in criminal behavior of any type will be reluctant to speak to the police if/when they become a crime victim themselves, so that argument is fatuous at best, and disingenuous at worst. But that hardly matters to those who advocate for criminals.
Under the program, the fingerprints of everyone who is booked into jail for any crime are run against FBI criminal history records and Department of Homeland Security immigration records to determine who is in the country illegally and whether they've been arrested previously. Most jurisdictions are not included in the program, but Immigration and Customs Enforcement has been expanding the initiative.
So basically, the only real new thing here is that your immigration status is checked through the Department of Homeland Security, as police departments nationwide routinely check not only their own databases, but those of other law enforcement agencies to see if you have any kind of a criminal history, and if so, what is the status of that. Adding DHS to the list of agency databases to check to see if you are here legally (or not) is bad how?
Since 2007, 467 jurisdictions in 26 states have joined. ICE has said it plans to have it in every jail in the country by 2013. Secure Communities is currently being phased into the places where the government sees as having the greatest need for it based on population estimates of illegal immigrants and crime statistics.
Nice start, but we need this in every jurisdiction, and the sooner the better.
Since everyone arrested would be screened, the program could easily deport more people than Arizona's new law, said Sunita Patel, an attorney who filed a lawsuit in New York against the federal government on behalf of a group worried about the program. Patel said that because illegal immigrants could be referred to ICE at the point of arrest, even before a conviction, the program can create an incentive for profiling and create a pipeline to deport more people.
First of all, "Hispanic" is not a "race". Hispanics are actually Caucasians with a nice, natural tan. Since the vast majority of illegal immigrants here are of Hispanic descent, it would be foolish not to look at them a little more carefully, especially since they've already committed a federal offense by being here illegally! Then, if they commit further crimes and get arrested, you want them to be allowed to stay here? What alternate universe are you from, Ms. Patel? (I'm assuming Sunita Patel is a "Ms.")
"It has the potential to revolutionize immigration enforcement," said Patel.
And your problem with enforcing our immigration laws is what, exactly?
Patel filed the lawsuit on behalf of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network, which is concerned the program could soon come to New York. The lawsuit seeks, among other things, statistical information about who has been deported as a result of the program and what they were arrested for.
Yeah, I could see where that might put a crimp in your business by diminishing the number of people in your labor force, but what are you people doing hiring illegals, anyway? Don't you know that's against the law? I must admit, I'd like to know how many illegals have been deported too. Whatever the number is, it's not enough, as there are still far too many illegals in this country.
Supporters of the program argue it is helping identify dangerous criminals that would otherwise go undetected. Since Oct. 27, 2008 through the end of May, almost 2.6 million people have been screened with Secure Communities. Of those, almost 35,000 were identified as illegal immigrants previously arrested or convicted for the most serious crimes, including murder and rape, ICE said Thursday. More than 205,000 who were identified as illegal immigrants had arrest records for less serious crimes.
Sounds to me like the program actually works! Considering that it's a government program, that's amazing! Ah, just kidding guys. Just because the current administration doesn't want to enforce our immigration laws (so their constituent base grows larger), doesn't mean that everyone that works for the federal government thinks that way. But I digress.
To sum up, it seems like every time - every time! - someone tries to do something constructive to get the least little handle on the problem of illegals being here through enforcing the laws, someone gets their panties in a twisted knot, and starts yelling about "racial profiling", and that crime victims will be "reluctant to cooperate" with the authorities. You know something? That's just tough. Too bad, so sad. If these people want to be here so bad, then they should go through the proper, legal, steps to gain entrance. By coming here illegally, they have already demonstrated their contempt for our laws, and it is absolutely no surprise that many of them go on to commit further crimes, some of them serious such as rape and murder. When a white or black citizen commits rape or murder, there is a great cry from society to have them removed from society, so they cannot commit more offenses, yet when a non-citizen, here illegally, does the same thing we're not supposed to remove them from society, either through putting them in prison or deporting them? That is simply insane.
Go read the rest of the article. There's some positive stuff at the end (as well as more moral relativism junk, too).
H/T Reality Hammer
Friday, July 16, 2010
The STUPID here is monumental!
North and South Vietnam are living together side by side in peace? W.T.F. planet is this woman from? There are no two Vietnams, as anyone with two functioning brain cells well knows, and there hasn't been since 1975, when North Vietnam invaded South Vietnam, and defeated the South - because the DEMOCRAT PARTY in Congress cut off funding the defense of South Vietnam. Obviously, this woman does not possess the requisite two brain cells to have knowledge of this bit of THIRTY FIVE YEAR OLD HISTORY!
From Moe Lane, via Ace.
From Moe Lane, via Ace.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Yer doin' it wrong - again
McGinn proposes $20 car tab fee to help pay for streets
Seattle's budget problems keep getting bumpier.
City transportation workers will repair fewer potholes this year due to a $7.8 million budget gap for the Seattle Department of Transportation. To help fill the budget hole, there will be one less crew out filling holes in the street, Mayor Mike McGinn said Wednesday.
SDOT is eliminating one pothole repair crew to save about $868,000. (SDOT = Seattle Department of Transportation)
$868,000?!?! Geez Louise, how much do those guys make? Yeah, I know, the cost of materials, tools, and vehicle expenses are also factored in to that figure, but still. One crew? $868,000? Really?
McGinn used the pothole example to explain his proposal to increase the commercial parking tax and impose a $20 vehicle licensing fee for next year's budget to help the city keep up with street maintenance. Some might think they've heard this before. After all, the Bridging the Gap levy passed in 2006 was supposed to provide extra money to catch up with the city's maintenance backlog.
But McGinn says SDOT's budget also shrunk over the past few years, offsetting extra revenue from Bridging the Gap.
Can someone explain to me how a shrinking budget offsets revenue? I mean, doesn't a shrinking budget typically mean that you are cutting expenditures, so therefore revenue would increase the amount of funds on hand?
McGinn said he'll propose boosting the parking tax by 5 to 10 percent, which would generate $10-$20 million annually. The licensing fee would raise about $7 million per year, he said.SDOT's cuts represent about 14 percent of its $55 million budget.
The funds generated are, of course, projected amounts. One thing that Dems never seem to get is that when you increase fees and/or taxes is that people are going to be less inclined, not more, to avail themselves of the product or service impacted by those higher fees and/or taxes. It's simple economics.
The other thing they don't seem to get is that by increasing the commercial parking tax, less people are going to be willing to come into the city to purchase goods, eat at restaurants, go to a movie or stage show, etc., thereby hurting local city businesses, resulting in less overall tax revenue for the city. If it costs more to do or get something, the less inclined people are going to be to do or get. Especially in this economy. Duh!
SDOT also will reduce preventative maintenance on street signals and curb markings
Speaking from a maintenance tech's point of view, spending less on preventive maintenance will only cost you more in the long run on repairs. Doing preventive maintenance allows you to find and correct problems before they cause a "catastrophic failure" in the system or device affected. It is usually cheaper to repair something than to replace it. And in this particular example of doing less preventive maintenance on traffic signals, there is the liability issue to keep in mind. For example, if a traffic signal has a "catastrophic failure" at the wrong time, and results in a traffic accident that would have been prevented if the signal had been properly maintained so that it was functioning properly, the city could be opening itself to a hefty lawsuit.
Mayor Mike McGinn - doin' it wrong - again
Seattle's budget problems keep getting bumpier.
City transportation workers will repair fewer potholes this year due to a $7.8 million budget gap for the Seattle Department of Transportation. To help fill the budget hole, there will be one less crew out filling holes in the street, Mayor Mike McGinn said Wednesday.
SDOT is eliminating one pothole repair crew to save about $868,000. (SDOT = Seattle Department of Transportation)
$868,000?!?! Geez Louise, how much do those guys make? Yeah, I know, the cost of materials, tools, and vehicle expenses are also factored in to that figure, but still. One crew? $868,000? Really?
McGinn used the pothole example to explain his proposal to increase the commercial parking tax and impose a $20 vehicle licensing fee for next year's budget to help the city keep up with street maintenance. Some might think they've heard this before. After all, the Bridging the Gap levy passed in 2006 was supposed to provide extra money to catch up with the city's maintenance backlog.
But McGinn says SDOT's budget also shrunk over the past few years, offsetting extra revenue from Bridging the Gap.
Can someone explain to me how a shrinking budget offsets revenue? I mean, doesn't a shrinking budget typically mean that you are cutting expenditures, so therefore revenue would increase the amount of funds on hand?
McGinn said he'll propose boosting the parking tax by 5 to 10 percent, which would generate $10-$20 million annually. The licensing fee would raise about $7 million per year, he said.SDOT's cuts represent about 14 percent of its $55 million budget.
The funds generated are, of course, projected amounts. One thing that Dems never seem to get is that when you increase fees and/or taxes is that people are going to be less inclined, not more, to avail themselves of the product or service impacted by those higher fees and/or taxes. It's simple economics.
The other thing they don't seem to get is that by increasing the commercial parking tax, less people are going to be willing to come into the city to purchase goods, eat at restaurants, go to a movie or stage show, etc., thereby hurting local city businesses, resulting in less overall tax revenue for the city. If it costs more to do or get something, the less inclined people are going to be to do or get. Especially in this economy. Duh!
SDOT also will reduce preventative maintenance on street signals and curb markings
Speaking from a maintenance tech's point of view, spending less on preventive maintenance will only cost you more in the long run on repairs. Doing preventive maintenance allows you to find and correct problems before they cause a "catastrophic failure" in the system or device affected. It is usually cheaper to repair something than to replace it. And in this particular example of doing less preventive maintenance on traffic signals, there is the liability issue to keep in mind. For example, if a traffic signal has a "catastrophic failure" at the wrong time, and results in a traffic accident that would have been prevented if the signal had been properly maintained so that it was functioning properly, the city could be opening itself to a hefty lawsuit.
Mayor Mike McGinn - doin' it wrong - again
Sunday, July 04, 2010
Independence Day, July 4th 2010
July 4th is traditionally a day when a large majority of immigrants to our great nation take the oath of citizenship. I would just like to say "Welcome, fellow citizens!" to those taking that oath today.
May your dreams that caused you to seek a new life here come true for you in every way.
May your dreams that caused you to seek a new life here come true for you in every way.
Saturday, July 03, 2010
UN funding two "cash cows"
And environmentalists are complaining about it - which, oddly enough, is a good thing here.
UN report fuels criticism of carbon-cutting scheme
UNITED NATIONS -- European and U.S. environmentalists demanded action Friday after an obscure U.N. advisory panel lent credence to their claims that industrialized nations are wasting billions of dollars on carbon-cutting projects.
The dispute revolves around the validity of some of the largest projects funded by the $2.7 billion U.N.-managed Clean Development Mechanism.
Basically, what is happening here is that the UN is paying companies in developing countries to destroy the chemical HFC-23, a "potent greenhouse gas", under one program of the Kyoto Protocol. Problem here is that the UN is also paying companies to produce another chemical, HCFC-22 under another program geared at "saving the ozone layer", and the production of HCFC-22 results in the by-product of - wait for it - HFC-23! This has been going on for over a decade now. You'd think that someone would have checked to see if there were any conflicts here, but obviously, that didn't happen.
Now, knowing human nature, it is absolutely no surprise to me that these companies have been accepting money to produce one product, while at the same time accepting money to destroy the resulting by-product of the original product. I mean, how many people would say, "No thank you!" to someone who offered them "free money", and lots of it? Not many, that's for sure!
For once, I'm in agreement with environmentalists (oh, the irony of it all!) - this double funding needs to stop!
UN report fuels criticism of carbon-cutting scheme
UNITED NATIONS -- European and U.S. environmentalists demanded action Friday after an obscure U.N. advisory panel lent credence to their claims that industrialized nations are wasting billions of dollars on carbon-cutting projects.
The dispute revolves around the validity of some of the largest projects funded by the $2.7 billion U.N.-managed Clean Development Mechanism.
Basically, what is happening here is that the UN is paying companies in developing countries to destroy the chemical HFC-23, a "potent greenhouse gas", under one program of the Kyoto Protocol. Problem here is that the UN is also paying companies to produce another chemical, HCFC-22 under another program geared at "saving the ozone layer", and the production of HCFC-22 results in the by-product of - wait for it - HFC-23! This has been going on for over a decade now. You'd think that someone would have checked to see if there were any conflicts here, but obviously, that didn't happen.
Now, knowing human nature, it is absolutely no surprise to me that these companies have been accepting money to produce one product, while at the same time accepting money to destroy the resulting by-product of the original product. I mean, how many people would say, "No thank you!" to someone who offered them "free money", and lots of it? Not many, that's for sure!
For once, I'm in agreement with environmentalists (oh, the irony of it all!) - this double funding needs to stop!
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Is Russia our friend?
In a word, no.
10 alleged Russian secret agents arrested in US
WASHINGTON -- The FBI has arrested 10 people who allegedly spied for Russia for up to a decade - posing as innocent civilians while trying to infiltrate U.S. policymaking circles and learn about U.S. weapons, diplomatic strategy and political developments.
An 11th defendant - a man accused of delivering money to the agents - remains at large.
There was no clue in the court papers unsealed Monday about how successful the agents had been, but they were alleged to have been long-term, deep cover spies. Among them were four couples living in suburbs of New York, Washington and Boston. One woman was a reporter and editor for a prominent Spanish-language newspaper in New York whom the FBI says it videotaped contacting a Russian official in 2000 in Latin America.
These deep-cover agents are the hardest spies for the FBI to catch and are dubbed "illegals" in the intelligence world because they take civilian jobs with no visible connection to a foreign government, rather than operating from government jobs inside Russian embassies and military missions. In this case, they were spread out and seeking a wide swath of information.
The last time Russia was even remotely a friend of the US was during WWI, before their military collapse and withdrawal from that war, and certainly before the Bolshevik's took over. Once the Bolshevik's took over, the Russians have done everything in their power to gain whatever information they could about us - whether military or industrial information - and it continues to this day.
Don't ever let anyone tell you that the Russian government is our friend. It's an out and out lie.
10 alleged Russian secret agents arrested in US
WASHINGTON -- The FBI has arrested 10 people who allegedly spied for Russia for up to a decade - posing as innocent civilians while trying to infiltrate U.S. policymaking circles and learn about U.S. weapons, diplomatic strategy and political developments.
An 11th defendant - a man accused of delivering money to the agents - remains at large.
There was no clue in the court papers unsealed Monday about how successful the agents had been, but they were alleged to have been long-term, deep cover spies. Among them were four couples living in suburbs of New York, Washington and Boston. One woman was a reporter and editor for a prominent Spanish-language newspaper in New York whom the FBI says it videotaped contacting a Russian official in 2000 in Latin America.
These deep-cover agents are the hardest spies for the FBI to catch and are dubbed "illegals" in the intelligence world because they take civilian jobs with no visible connection to a foreign government, rather than operating from government jobs inside Russian embassies and military missions. In this case, they were spread out and seeking a wide swath of information.
The last time Russia was even remotely a friend of the US was during WWI, before their military collapse and withdrawal from that war, and certainly before the Bolshevik's took over. Once the Bolshevik's took over, the Russians have done everything in their power to gain whatever information they could about us - whether military or industrial information - and it continues to this day.
Don't ever let anyone tell you that the Russian government is our friend. It's an out and out lie.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
RIP Lt. Col. William Holloman
Who is William Holloman? A member of the Tuskegee Airmen, who flew during WWII, and he also served in Korea and Vietnam.
Not only that, but he was [o]ne of the airmen most responsible for preserving, protecting and promoting the history of the veterans, ensuring that the respect, belatedly, did come and that it helped change society ...
Thank you Lt. Col. Holloman for your service to your nation both during, and after, your military career. You served during a time when your devotion to duty, and love for your country was called into question simply because of the color of your skin. What you did took great courage, both in the air against our enemies, and on the ground against the fear and prejudice that was present (and still is in many ways, unfortunately), which reflects great credit upon you, sir.
To absent comrades - Lt. Col. Holloman, 1925 - 2010
Not only that, but he was [o]ne of the airmen most responsible for preserving, protecting and promoting the history of the veterans, ensuring that the respect, belatedly, did come and that it helped change society ...
Thank you Lt. Col. Holloman for your service to your nation both during, and after, your military career. You served during a time when your devotion to duty, and love for your country was called into question simply because of the color of your skin. What you did took great courage, both in the air against our enemies, and on the ground against the fear and prejudice that was present (and still is in many ways, unfortunately), which reflects great credit upon you, sir.
To absent comrades - Lt. Col. Holloman, 1925 - 2010
Thanks folks, but ...
I want to say a quick thank you to everyone who has been keeping my five year old post about Alice Cooper at the top of the Google search results page, but I have done other posts too, you know. ;)
If what you really want is a direct link to Alice Coopers web site, click here.
If what you really want is a direct link to Alice Coopers web site, click here.
Thursday, June 03, 2010
Another sad day for Seattle sports fans
Ken Griffey, Jr. has hung up his spikes.
Without "Junior", there would be no Seattle Mariners, there would be no Safeco Field, there would be no joy in "Mudville" during the summer months.
Thanks, Ken, for all of the wonderful memories you provided us over the years. Your leaping catches in center field to rob yet another hitter a home run, and probably most significantly, your full-speed-ahead race from first base on the double by Edgar Martinez to the slide at home that improbably beat the New York Yankees in 1995.
Thank you so much, Ken.
Without "Junior", there would be no Seattle Mariners, there would be no Safeco Field, there would be no joy in "Mudville" during the summer months.
Thanks, Ken, for all of the wonderful memories you provided us over the years. Your leaping catches in center field to rob yet another hitter a home run, and probably most significantly, your full-speed-ahead race from first base on the double by Edgar Martinez to the slide at home that improbably beat the New York Yankees in 1995.
Thank you so much, Ken.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Memorial Day
All gave some, and some gave all.
Today marks the day that we observe Memorial Day, the day we pay tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our great nation. In that regard, I want to pay tribute to one individual in particular today, Corporal John Henry Pruitt, US Marine Corps.
A member of the 78th Company, 6th Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, during World War I, Cpl. Pruitt single-handed attacked 2 machineguns, capturing them and killing 2 of the enemy. He then captured 40 prisoners in a dugout nearby. For this action Cpl. Pruitt was awarded our nations highest award, the Congressional Medal of Honor, and was also awarded the Army Medal of Honor. This gallant soldier was killed soon afterward by shellfire while he was sniping at the enemy.
All gave some, and some gave all.
All men and women who have worn the uniform have given some, for which I am eternally grateful, but today is the day we honor those who have given all, such as Cpl. Pruitt. This nation is what it is today because of such men and women who selflessly made the ultimate sacrifice to defend our freedom. I am truly humbled to know that there have always been, and always will be, those who will do what is necessary without thought of self, without thought of medals, without thought of "glory".
To them the Bible verse, "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.", truly applies
Today marks the day that we observe Memorial Day, the day we pay tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our great nation. In that regard, I want to pay tribute to one individual in particular today, Corporal John Henry Pruitt, US Marine Corps.
A member of the 78th Company, 6th Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, during World War I, Cpl. Pruitt single-handed attacked 2 machineguns, capturing them and killing 2 of the enemy. He then captured 40 prisoners in a dugout nearby. For this action Cpl. Pruitt was awarded our nations highest award, the Congressional Medal of Honor, and was also awarded the Army Medal of Honor. This gallant soldier was killed soon afterward by shellfire while he was sniping at the enemy.
All gave some, and some gave all.
All men and women who have worn the uniform have given some, for which I am eternally grateful, but today is the day we honor those who have given all, such as Cpl. Pruitt. This nation is what it is today because of such men and women who selflessly made the ultimate sacrifice to defend our freedom. I am truly humbled to know that there have always been, and always will be, those who will do what is necessary without thought of self, without thought of medals, without thought of "glory".
To them the Bible verse, "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.", truly applies
Monday, April 19, 2010
One other thing of note today
I almost forgot!
One year ago, Rick Santelli came out with possibly one of the greatest rants of all time. Why do I say that? Because it inspired the nation wide Tea Party movement, which is bringing real hope, and will bring real change to America this coming November.
Thanks, Rick!
Via Ace
One year ago, Rick Santelli came out with possibly one of the greatest rants of all time. Why do I say that? Because it inspired the nation wide Tea Party movement, which is bringing real hope, and will bring real change to America this coming November.
Thanks, Rick!
Via Ace
Two things of note today
One is, today is the anniversary of the shot heard 'round the world, as the first shots were fired in Lexington that led to the birth of this nation.
I am so privileged to have been born in this country. I can't imagine what my life would have been like if I had been born elsewhere. Is my life easy? Not always, but in comparison to the lives of others, I'd have to say, yeah, it is. Ever since I really woke up to what it's like to be an American (thanks in part to President Ronald Reagan), I have tried my best not to take for granted what a privileged life I do have. I admit that I haven't always been successful at that, but with recent events, my determination has become stronger than ever as I see some attempting to diminish what we all have here. To honor those who stood for freedom on that day in Lexington, and later in Concorde, let us all strive to hold what we have and make it better, and prevent those that wish us to live in a diminished country from achieving that dubious goal.
The other is, today is also the anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing. Timothy McVeigh perpetrated one of the worst domestic terrorist acts in US history when he exploded that bomb outside the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, killing 168 people, 22 of them children (3 were unborn). In jis twisted mind, McVeigh was striking back at a corrupt government that he felt had overstepped its bounds (in the totally inept mishandling of the Waco, Texas situation with David Koresh and his Branch Davidian group)..
Today we see a government that is truly overstepping its bounds, trampling the Constitution seemingly at every turn, and ridiculing the citizens of this country for having the temerity to say "STOP!", as if they were stupid little children who don't know what they are talking about. Well, contrary to the elitists "popular beliefs", we do know what we are talking about, and you are right to fear us. But, except for the odd nutjob who doesn't care who he hurts as long as he hurts "someone", you elitists don't have to fear physical violence, ala McVeigh. Rather, you should fear for your political future, as we tell you exactly how we feel about your "hope" and "change" agenda this coming November when we vote you, and your agenda, out of office.
We have had 234 years of peaceful "regime change", as the Founding Fathers envisioned and set up, and that is how it should continue. I earnestly hope and pray that you elitists won't do anything rash to hamper that process.
Via specialrpt posting in quicknews, and Ace
I am so privileged to have been born in this country. I can't imagine what my life would have been like if I had been born elsewhere. Is my life easy? Not always, but in comparison to the lives of others, I'd have to say, yeah, it is. Ever since I really woke up to what it's like to be an American (thanks in part to President Ronald Reagan), I have tried my best not to take for granted what a privileged life I do have. I admit that I haven't always been successful at that, but with recent events, my determination has become stronger than ever as I see some attempting to diminish what we all have here. To honor those who stood for freedom on that day in Lexington, and later in Concorde, let us all strive to hold what we have and make it better, and prevent those that wish us to live in a diminished country from achieving that dubious goal.
The other is, today is also the anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing. Timothy McVeigh perpetrated one of the worst domestic terrorist acts in US history when he exploded that bomb outside the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, killing 168 people, 22 of them children (3 were unborn). In jis twisted mind, McVeigh was striking back at a corrupt government that he felt had overstepped its bounds (in the totally inept mishandling of the Waco, Texas situation with David Koresh and his Branch Davidian group)..
Today we see a government that is truly overstepping its bounds, trampling the Constitution seemingly at every turn, and ridiculing the citizens of this country for having the temerity to say "STOP!", as if they were stupid little children who don't know what they are talking about. Well, contrary to the elitists "popular beliefs", we do know what we are talking about, and you are right to fear us. But, except for the odd nutjob who doesn't care who he hurts as long as he hurts "someone", you elitists don't have to fear physical violence, ala McVeigh. Rather, you should fear for your political future, as we tell you exactly how we feel about your "hope" and "change" agenda this coming November when we vote you, and your agenda, out of office.
We have had 234 years of peaceful "regime change", as the Founding Fathers envisioned and set up, and that is how it should continue. I earnestly hope and pray that you elitists won't do anything rash to hamper that process.
Via specialrpt posting in quicknews, and Ace
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
The law of unintended consequences bites Dems in the ...
Via Allahpundit at Hotair, via LC Subotai Bahadur, is a story in the NYT that would be pure comedy gold if it didn't concern the HCR rape of the American health industry bill, signed into law three weeks ago.
Why the law of unintended consequences has been invoked here is, that the new health care law will affect almost every American in some way. And, perhaps fittingly if unintentionally, no one may be more affected than members of Congress themselves.
In a new report, the Congressional Research Service says the law may have significant unintended consequences for the “personal health insurance coverage” of senators, representatives and their staff members.
For example, it says, the law may “remove members of Congress and Congressional staff” from their current coverage, in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, before any alternatives are available.
And the money quote from the article, something that everyone who voted for thispiece of excrement bill should be made to answer -
The confusion raises the inevitable question: If they did not know exactly what they were doing to themselves, did lawmakers who wrote and passed the bill fully grasp the details of how it would influence the lives of other Americans? [Emphasis mine]
In a word, that would be a "No". How could they when they couldn't be bothered to read the stupid thing to find out just what exactly was in it? Oh, and who do we have to thank for this possibly not quite so unintended consequence?
The provision governing members of Congress can be traced to the Senate Finance Committee. When the panel was working on the legislation last September, Senator Charles E. Grassley, Republican of Iowa, proposed an amendment to require that elected federal officials and all federal employees buy coverage through an exchange, “rather than using the traditional Federal Employees Health Benefits Program.”
Kudos to you, Senator! Now we just have to pressure Congress to not "fix" this, so that they are all forced to deal with the real life issue of obtaining health insurance for themselves and their families, just like the rest of us.
Perhaps because of this (but probably not), those in Congress will actually take the time to draft coherent legislation, that all other members get to actually read and debate, and that the American electorate will get to comment on.
Oh, wait ... I'm looking ahead to November. Sorry.
Why the law of unintended consequences has been invoked here is, that the new health care law will affect almost every American in some way. And, perhaps fittingly if unintentionally, no one may be more affected than members of Congress themselves.
In a new report, the Congressional Research Service says the law may have significant unintended consequences for the “personal health insurance coverage” of senators, representatives and their staff members.
For example, it says, the law may “remove members of Congress and Congressional staff” from their current coverage, in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, before any alternatives are available.
And the money quote from the article, something that everyone who voted for this
The confusion raises the inevitable question: If they did not know exactly what they were doing to themselves, did lawmakers who wrote and passed the bill fully grasp the details of how it would influence the lives of other Americans? [Emphasis mine]
In a word, that would be a "No". How could they when they couldn't be bothered to read the stupid thing to find out just what exactly was in it? Oh, and who do we have to thank for this possibly not quite so unintended consequence?
The provision governing members of Congress can be traced to the Senate Finance Committee. When the panel was working on the legislation last September, Senator Charles E. Grassley, Republican of Iowa, proposed an amendment to require that elected federal officials and all federal employees buy coverage through an exchange, “rather than using the traditional Federal Employees Health Benefits Program.”
Kudos to you, Senator! Now we just have to pressure Congress to not "fix" this, so that they are all forced to deal with the real life issue of obtaining health insurance for themselves and their families, just like the rest of us.
Perhaps because of this (but probably not), those in Congress will actually take the time to draft coherent legislation, that all other members get to actually read and debate, and that the American electorate will get to comment on.
Oh, wait ... I'm looking ahead to November. Sorry.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Polish leader, 95 others dead in Russia jet crash
MOSCOW (AP) — Polish President Lech Kaczynski and some of the country's highest military and civilian leaders died on Saturday when the presidential plane crashed as it came in for a landing in thick fog in western Russia, killing 96, officials said.
Russian and Polish officials said there were no survivors on the 26-year-old Tupolev, which was taking the president, his wife and staff to events marking the 70th anniversary of the massacre of thousands of Polish officers by Soviet secret police.
The crash devastated the upper echelons of Poland's political and military establishments. On board were the army chief of staff, national bank president, deputy foreign minister, army chaplain, head of the National Security Office, deputy parliament speaker, civil rights commissioner and at least two presidential aides and three lawmakers, the Polish foreign ministry said.
My heart goes out to those who perished, their friends and family, and to the Polish people.
May they all rest in peace.
Russian and Polish officials said there were no survivors on the 26-year-old Tupolev, which was taking the president, his wife and staff to events marking the 70th anniversary of the massacre of thousands of Polish officers by Soviet secret police.
The crash devastated the upper echelons of Poland's political and military establishments. On board were the army chief of staff, national bank president, deputy foreign minister, army chaplain, head of the National Security Office, deputy parliament speaker, civil rights commissioner and at least two presidential aides and three lawmakers, the Polish foreign ministry said.
My heart goes out to those who perished, their friends and family, and to the Polish people.
May they all rest in peace.
Wednesday, April 07, 2010
Jane Fonda still thinks she is a victim of a "myth"
In a recent interview with Larry King on CNN, where the subject of a book written by a Jane Fonda (aka "Hanoi Jane") apologist was discussed, Hanoi Jane reasserted her position that she is the victim of right-wingers perpetuating a "hateful myth" about her, the "myth" being that she was wrong in her actions on her trip to Hanoi during the Vietnam War..
I have one question for Hanoi Jane. What part of you allowing yourself to be used by the North Vietnamese government in a photo op bit of propaganda, showing you sitting at the trigger controls of a 37mm anti-aircraft cannon, wearing a North Vietnamese Army helmet, close to the main POW prison known as the Hanoi Hilton, is a myth? That is a well documented - by the North Vietnamese government - reality!
You, as a famous American actress, daughter of Henry Fonda, one of the biggest American film stars of all time, gave aid and comfort to the enemy (aka treason) of that time, hurting our efforts to assist the people of South Vietnam against the aggression of the North, also causing harm to those held captive by the North, as well as causing harm to our combat troops in the South, and you call yourself a victim?
The only victims here are the millions of Vietnamese people who suffered greatly at the hands of the Communists after the fall of South Vietnam, along with the combat troops who endured much hardship because of your visit, as well as the POWs who were treated even more viciously after you left North Vietnam, not you! As a matter of fact, after you returned to the United States, somehow you managed to carve out a pretty successful career, making millions of dollars in the process, in spite of your tarnished reputation. I would hardly call that being a victim of anything.
As for your claim that it is right-wing haters that are perpetuating a "myth", I highly doubt that ALL combat veterans of the Vietnam War are right wing, which is basically what you are claiming. I want you to know one thing Hanoi Jane. In spite of your past feeble "apology", I don't hate you - I loathe and detest you, but I don't hate you, as hate in my mind carries the implication of violence leading to violent death. I personally don't want you to die a violent death, as that is morally reprehensible, but upon your death, I will not shed a single tear of sadness.
I have one question for Hanoi Jane. What part of you allowing yourself to be used by the North Vietnamese government in a photo op bit of propaganda, showing you sitting at the trigger controls of a 37mm anti-aircraft cannon, wearing a North Vietnamese Army helmet, close to the main POW prison known as the Hanoi Hilton, is a myth? That is a well documented - by the North Vietnamese government - reality!
You, as a famous American actress, daughter of Henry Fonda, one of the biggest American film stars of all time, gave aid and comfort to the enemy (aka treason) of that time, hurting our efforts to assist the people of South Vietnam against the aggression of the North, also causing harm to those held captive by the North, as well as causing harm to our combat troops in the South, and you call yourself a victim?
The only victims here are the millions of Vietnamese people who suffered greatly at the hands of the Communists after the fall of South Vietnam, along with the combat troops who endured much hardship because of your visit, as well as the POWs who were treated even more viciously after you left North Vietnam, not you! As a matter of fact, after you returned to the United States, somehow you managed to carve out a pretty successful career, making millions of dollars in the process, in spite of your tarnished reputation. I would hardly call that being a victim of anything.
As for your claim that it is right-wing haters that are perpetuating a "myth", I highly doubt that ALL combat veterans of the Vietnam War are right wing, which is basically what you are claiming. I want you to know one thing Hanoi Jane. In spite of your past feeble "apology", I don't hate you - I loathe and detest you, but I don't hate you, as hate in my mind carries the implication of violence leading to violent death. I personally don't want you to die a violent death, as that is morally reprehensible, but upon your death, I will not shed a single tear of sadness.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Times On Line to start charging this summer
ONLINE readers will be charged £2 a week to read The Times and The Sunday Times on the web from June, News International announced today.
That would be the London Times, not the NYT ... just to clarify.
That's disappointing in that much of the stories on ClimateGate have been in the Times, plus other articles of interest.
So, it would be much appreciated that if you get a paid subscription, and post something you find in the Times, that you would copy/paste the story - or at least the relevant parts - so that those of us who do not have a paid subscription will know what the heck you are talking about.
Kthxbye.
Via doubleplusundead
That would be the London Times, not the NYT ... just to clarify.
That's disappointing in that much of the stories on ClimateGate have been in the Times, plus other articles of interest.
So, it would be much appreciated that if you get a paid subscription, and post something you find in the Times, that you would copy/paste the story - or at least the relevant parts - so that those of us who do not have a paid subscription will know what the heck you are talking about.
Kthxbye.
Via doubleplusundead
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
November can't come soon enough!
BHO signed the "Health Care Reform" bill this morning, and that changes everything, and not for the better.
This bill, if allowed to stand by the courts, will mean that:
- the relationship between the American people and the federal government will have forever been changed, as a vast majority of us will end up being dependant upon the government, rather than our own resources, which is never good (look at France and Greece for "good" examples of what happens) ;
- over time, more and more employers will opt out of providing employer-sponsored health care for their employees, which in turn will make people clamor for a "solution to this problem" from the government, which will in turn lead to a single payer system through the government, leading to a vast swathe of the insurance industry going out of business;
- with employers being forced to provide health insurance for every employee (including part-timers) or face a fine for not doing so, many employers will simply let people go in order to lower their costs, and unemployment is too high right now (I should know, as I fall in that category right now);
- with higher unemployment, the bad economy that we are all facing now will only get worse.
To sum up, this bill needs to be repealed as soon as we can possibly do it, if the courts fail to strike it down as unconstitutional. That action won't happen today or tomorrow, and that's why I say that November can't come soon enough!
This bill, if allowed to stand by the courts, will mean that:
- the relationship between the American people and the federal government will have forever been changed, as a vast majority of us will end up being dependant upon the government, rather than our own resources, which is never good (look at France and Greece for "good" examples of what happens) ;
- over time, more and more employers will opt out of providing employer-sponsored health care for their employees, which in turn will make people clamor for a "solution to this problem" from the government, which will in turn lead to a single payer system through the government, leading to a vast swathe of the insurance industry going out of business;
- with employers being forced to provide health insurance for every employee (including part-timers) or face a fine for not doing so, many employers will simply let people go in order to lower their costs, and unemployment is too high right now (I should know, as I fall in that category right now);
- with higher unemployment, the bad economy that we are all facing now will only get worse.
To sum up, this bill needs to be repealed as soon as we can possibly do it, if the courts fail to strike it down as unconstitutional. That action won't happen today or tomorrow, and that's why I say that November can't come soon enough!
Thursday, March 04, 2010
Microsoft exec pitches Internet usage tax to pay for cybersecurity
As reported here, [a] top Microsoft executive on Tuesday suggested a broad Internet tax to help defray the costs associated with computer security breaches and vast Internet attacks, according to reports.
Speaking at a security conference in San Francisco, Microsoft Vice President for Trustworthy Computing Scott Charney pitched the Web usage fee as one way to subsidize efforts to combat emerging cyber threats -- a costly venture, he said, but one that had vast community benefits.
"You could say it's a public safety issue and do it with general taxation," Charney noted.
The guy that proposed this little wonder idea probably makes enough money that another little tax wouldn't even be noticed by him (his accountant might, but not him). Hey, Charney! Instead of levying another tax on people who are fed up to here with taxes, why doesn't your company make a product that isn't vulnerable to cyber attack?
Full disclosure here - my computer has Windows XP Pro on it, and of all of the MS operating systems I've used over the years, from the old DOS days to now, this is the best one I've used (will not go near Vista, and haven't had a chance, or the money to try Win 7 yet). But, even though I think it's a really good OS, your company is constantly having to create patches for vulnerabilities. I quit counting after the 40th patch downloaded to my computer.
Here's an idea, one you guys probably have never thought of. Instead of trying to put those hackers that keep finding holes in your products in jail, why don't you hire them to test your product before it gets shipped to market? Have them document every hole they find, so the code writers can eliminate the holes, and when everyone is done, you'll have a fairly secure product.
Oh, wait ... that's too logical for those pie-in-the-sky idiots that work across the lake from me. Never mind.
Speaking at a security conference in San Francisco, Microsoft Vice President for Trustworthy Computing Scott Charney pitched the Web usage fee as one way to subsidize efforts to combat emerging cyber threats -- a costly venture, he said, but one that had vast community benefits.
"You could say it's a public safety issue and do it with general taxation," Charney noted.
The guy that proposed this little wonder idea probably makes enough money that another little tax wouldn't even be noticed by him (his accountant might, but not him). Hey, Charney! Instead of levying another tax on people who are fed up to here with taxes, why doesn't your company make a product that isn't vulnerable to cyber attack?
Full disclosure here - my computer has Windows XP Pro on it, and of all of the MS operating systems I've used over the years, from the old DOS days to now, this is the best one I've used (will not go near Vista, and haven't had a chance, or the money to try Win 7 yet). But, even though I think it's a really good OS, your company is constantly having to create patches for vulnerabilities. I quit counting after the 40th patch downloaded to my computer.
Here's an idea, one you guys probably have never thought of. Instead of trying to put those hackers that keep finding holes in your products in jail, why don't you hire them to test your product before it gets shipped to market? Have them document every hole they find, so the code writers can eliminate the holes, and when everyone is done, you'll have a fairly secure product.
Oh, wait ... that's too logical for those pie-in-the-sky idiots that work across the lake from me. Never mind.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
A few comments on the health care "forum"
Since I currently have quite a bit of time on my hands, I've been kind of keeping tabs on the "debate" that has been going on today over health care "reform".
So far, the Repub's have been staying on message, and on specific topics per speaker. Apparently, they all got together and hashed out what each of them was going to focus on, which imo, is a splendid idea, and seems to be working quite well.
One thing that has the conservative bloggers "up in arms" is the fact that BHO and a couple other Dems spoke for around thirty minutes, but cut our guy off at less than fifteen minutes. Not fair, but at least to me, not unexpected.
One guy on our side of the "debate", Rep. Paul Ryan (who gave a clear "road map" a while ago that the Dems have been trying to denigrate) has really shone, and in the clip below, he takes BHO to the woodshed, and BHO has to just sit there and take it. Good stuff.
Via Ace.
So far, the Repub's have been staying on message, and on specific topics per speaker. Apparently, they all got together and hashed out what each of them was going to focus on, which imo, is a splendid idea, and seems to be working quite well.
One thing that has the conservative bloggers "up in arms" is the fact that BHO and a couple other Dems spoke for around thirty minutes, but cut our guy off at less than fifteen minutes. Not fair, but at least to me, not unexpected.
One guy on our side of the "debate", Rep. Paul Ryan (who gave a clear "road map" a while ago that the Dems have been trying to denigrate) has really shone, and in the clip below, he takes BHO to the woodshed, and BHO has to just sit there and take it. Good stuff.
Via Ace.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
This kind of stuff doesn't help
Disabled children -- God's punishment, lawmaker claims
Disabled children are the Lord's punishment for women who "abort the first born," a Republican state legislator from Virginia has argued in calling on state officials to eliminate state money going to Planned Parenthood.
Trying to make the case for cutting off funding to Planned Parenthood is all well and good, but this kind of stuff doesn't help, as all it does is allow the opposition to point and say, "SEE! We're right! They ARE a bunch of religious nut cases! What did we tell you?".
Sigh ...
Disabled children are the Lord's punishment for women who "abort the first born," a Republican state legislator from Virginia has argued in calling on state officials to eliminate state money going to Planned Parenthood.
Trying to make the case for cutting off funding to Planned Parenthood is all well and good, but this kind of stuff doesn't help, as all it does is allow the opposition to point and say, "SEE! We're right! They ARE a bunch of religious nut cases! What did we tell you?".
Sigh ...
State Dems ignore the will of the People
Again.
OLYMPIA, Wash. -- The Washington state Legislature passed a temporary suspension of Initiative 960 Monday night, just ahead of House and Senate Democrats unveiling their budget proposals.
Temporary? Supposedly until July of next year, but when did any legislature - local, state or federal - do anything that allows them to raise taxes on a temporary basis? Anyone? *crickets*
I-960 makes it harder for lawmakers to raise taxes or to close tax exemptions, which is why the Democratic majority needs it to be suspended.
Budget writers want a mix of spending cuts, tax increases and one-time fixes to fill a $2.8 billion deficit. But Initiative 960, approved in 2007, requires two-thirds approval from legislators to raise taxes - a significant hurdle compared with the simple majority needed to pass other measures.
We passed that Initiative for a reason. That reason is that our state legislature is in the habit of spending too much of our money on things that very often do not work, and the Dems don't like not being able to spend OUR money as they see fit - kind of like Congress on the federal level.
"This is just the beginning," said Sen. Mike Carrell, R-Lakewood. "This is the catalyst that will be used to raise all sorts of taxes."
That's right. Because the Dems hold both state houses, and the governorship, we in Washington State can expect that not only will our taxes go up, but that "temporary" thing? It'll become permanent, as the state Dems ignore the will of the People of the State of Washington.
Again.
OLYMPIA, Wash. -- The Washington state Legislature passed a temporary suspension of Initiative 960 Monday night, just ahead of House and Senate Democrats unveiling their budget proposals.
Temporary? Supposedly until July of next year, but when did any legislature - local, state or federal - do anything that allows them to raise taxes on a temporary basis? Anyone? *crickets*
I-960 makes it harder for lawmakers to raise taxes or to close tax exemptions, which is why the Democratic majority needs it to be suspended.
Budget writers want a mix of spending cuts, tax increases and one-time fixes to fill a $2.8 billion deficit. But Initiative 960, approved in 2007, requires two-thirds approval from legislators to raise taxes - a significant hurdle compared with the simple majority needed to pass other measures.
We passed that Initiative for a reason. That reason is that our state legislature is in the habit of spending too much of our money on things that very often do not work, and the Dems don't like not being able to spend OUR money as they see fit - kind of like Congress on the federal level.
"This is just the beginning," said Sen. Mike Carrell, R-Lakewood. "This is the catalyst that will be used to raise all sorts of taxes."
That's right. Because the Dems hold both state houses, and the governorship, we in Washington State can expect that not only will our taxes go up, but that "temporary" thing? It'll become permanent, as the state Dems ignore the will of the People of the State of Washington.
Again.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Just a brief PSA
It's almost Census time again, folks, and although the Census Bureau has stated that the questionnaire is much shorter this year (10 questions), Walter E. Williams over at TownHall reminds us of what the Census is for (determining the number of people in the country, so that the proper number of seats in the House can be apportioned, as well as how Electoral votes each state gets), and what the government can legally require you to answer (your name, and how many people live where you do). Anything else they ask is none of the governments business.
I don't know about you, but the only things I'm going to fully answer (as far as the government is concerned, that is) is what my name is, and how many people live with me. For all other questions, the answer will be "NOYB" (none of your business).
If you're at all unsure of what to do, read the article, and ponder what Mr. Williams has said.
H/T specialrpt posting at quicknews.
I don't know about you, but the only things I'm going to fully answer (as far as the government is concerned, that is) is what my name is, and how many people live with me. For all other questions, the answer will be "NOYB" (none of your business).
If you're at all unsure of what to do, read the article, and ponder what Mr. Williams has said.
H/T specialrpt posting at quicknews.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Clinton: Iran is becoming a military dictatorship
Took ya long enough to figure that one out ... sheesh!
The fact that it takes Dems soooooooooo long to figure this stuff out truly amazes me. Of course, when you have your head buried in the sand, it does cut off any oxygen, so I guess I shouldn't be all that surprised, eh?
Morons.
The fact that it takes Dems soooooooooo long to figure this stuff out truly amazes me. Of course, when you have your head buried in the sand, it does cut off any oxygen, so I guess I shouldn't be all that surprised, eh?
Morons.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
RIP Nodar Kumaritashvili
As reported here, Nodar Kumaritashvili, Olympic luger from the country of Georgia, died Friday during a practice run when he lost control of his sled.
My heart goes out to his family, and to the other members of the team from Georgia. May you rest in peace, Nodar.
My heart goes out to his family, and to the other members of the team from Georgia. May you rest in peace, Nodar.
Tuesday, February 09, 2010
Murtha dead at 77
Pennsylvania's 12th District Representative, John Murtha - D, has died from complications following his gall bladder surgery.
Now, before anyone confuses me with someone who actually liked "ABSCAM Jack" check out the video here - this is one way how we should remember him. The other way is the man who made false accusations against the Marines (falsely) accused of "war crimes" in Haditha.
Now, before anyone confuses me with someone who actually liked "ABSCAM Jack" check out the video here - this is one way how we should remember him. The other way is the man who made false accusations against the Marines (falsely) accused of "war crimes" in Haditha.
Thursday, February 04, 2010
Senator-elect Brown to be sworn in today
As reported here, Republican Scoot Brown is poised to take over the late Sen. Edward Kennedy's long-held seat a week earlier than he had planned, ending the Democrats' supermajority and giving the GOP 41 votes they can use to block President Barack Obama's agenda.
A swearing-in ceremony was set for 5 p.m. Thursday for the little-known Massachusetts state senator who shocked the nation with his upset victory last month over a favored Democrat and put the 2010 midterm elections in play for a possible GOP takeover of Congress. Originally, Brown had said he did not want to be sworn in until Feb. 11.
His victory rocked Democrats, and put a dagger in Obama's health care overhaul just as it was nearing the finish line and catapulted Brown onto the national stage.
A couple of things here. One - and this is important, so pay attention - is that the seat the late Sen. Kennedy occupied for almost 50 years was never his - it has always been, and will remain, the seat of the people of Massachusetts, no matter who happens to occupy it, ok? That should be easy enough to understand, even for an AP reporter, so I'm glad I could clear that up for you.
Two, the 2010 midterms are definitely in play, and there are even more "dagger" wielders out there who will put an even bigger dent in the number of seats the Democrats currently hold, and you can take that to the bank!
A swearing-in ceremony was set for 5 p.m. Thursday for the little-known Massachusetts state senator who shocked the nation with his upset victory last month over a favored Democrat and put the 2010 midterm elections in play for a possible GOP takeover of Congress. Originally, Brown had said he did not want to be sworn in until Feb. 11.
His victory rocked Democrats, and put a dagger in Obama's health care overhaul just as it was nearing the finish line and catapulted Brown onto the national stage.
A couple of things here. One - and this is important, so pay attention - is that the seat the late Sen. Kennedy occupied for almost 50 years was never his - it has always been, and will remain, the seat of the people of Massachusetts, no matter who happens to occupy it, ok? That should be easy enough to understand, even for an AP reporter, so I'm glad I could clear that up for you.
Two, the 2010 midterms are definitely in play, and there are even more "dagger" wielders out there who will put an even bigger dent in the number of seats the Democrats currently hold, and you can take that to the bank!
Friday, January 29, 2010
Economics 101
As in fiscal responsibility - something we should all (especially the government!) strive to learn and adopt for our daily lives.
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