musings ala Houston

Clean Sheet...

2012-01-01T20:39:00.000-08:00

Happiest of New Years to any unfortunate who stumbles upon. I am going to try to write regularly this year. 2011 was such a miserable disaster, this HAS to be gooder!
Lots of plans for this year! Hoping I am up to following thru. Planning a trip -journey really- this summer on my motorcycle. Fingers crossed, pooper puckered!
Baby steps!

Diogenes here...

2011-12-13T11:36:00.000-08:00

A good friend just asked me a question:
"I just have one question all of us need to ponder before we vote next November. Why do we have 40% more national debt now than we had 3 years ago?"
Does anyone have an answer?

So I bought myself a motorcycle... or two..

2011-12-03T09:01:00.000-08:00

So I bought myself a motorcycle. 19 May 2011
I have not had a motorcycle in about 30 years. Then my neighbor comes up with an old 1971 Harley Sportster Ironhead. It needed a little work (or so I thought) and the price was about right so I took the plunge. I immediately found myself way into deep water. Nothing there that I couldn't handle, but a lot more work than I anticipated. I bought the thing deride not to make a career of, so I figured if I was going to be able to ride in 2011 I needed to find a motorcycle I could ride.
Enter Phyllis! Phyllis joined my life via a craigslist ad. She looked good in print, and even better in person. A couple conversations with the owner convinced me I needed to go down and look at this bike. A phone call to my good friend Mike (who amazingly enough is usually willing to participate in my wild schemes) got me a ride down to see this motorcycle. It was everything I wanted and more. A very well cared for 1987 Harley Sportster. The price was fair and the only negotiation or concern was as to getting the bike licensed. I paid the man, took the title and headed for a vehicle licensing office. Everything went without a hitch and I owned a motorcycle.
All of this is actual threat actually a prelude to the real story.
The next morning is a BEAUTIFUL MORNING! Another quick run down 405 and I am ready to take possession of my new toy. Now for a little bit of reviewing the story. Remember I said that I hadn't owned a motorcycle in 30 years? Well that means I also had ridden a motorcycle in 30 years. I suppose it wouldn't have been particularly difficult except that this motorcycle had "forward controls". I had never ridden a motorcycle went forward controls. True, riding a motorcycle is a lot like swimming; once you know how you never really forget. HOWEVER:... You do get out of practice. My lack of familiarity with this particular bike, lack of experience riding with forward controls and allowing my skill set to get extremely rusty over 30 years made for an exhausting ride home.
I LOVE THIS MOTORCYCLE!!!
I need to make that clear, because the ride home was more than exhausting, It Was Nerve-Racking! Three blocks away from where I picked motorcycle up, the shift linkage fell apart. Luckily there was a tire shop across the street, so I limped over to the tire shop and rented a crescent wrench from the guy and reassembled my motorcycle. The freeway was about the only option for riding home. It probably would have been a good idea to bring a trailer and haul it home. There were a lot of things about road conditions that had either change or I had forgotten. Add to that, the straight pipes on the motorcycle were actually real shiny flamethrowers. The man I purchased the motorcycle from was a mechanic, but he worked on diesel electric locomotives. Arriving home after filling the tank at the local Chevron station, I calculated a whopping 20 miles to the gallon. Not exactly why I purchased the motorcycle. But I was home and in one piece! Whew.
Next chapter, making it work.

A GREAT LOGICAL GUN ARGUMENT

2011-01-11T13:29:00.000-08:00

I have not posted this before and I'll probably do it again any time someone starts talking gun control. This is an email I received. It is not my work but I agree with the writer.

As the Supreme Court hears arguments for and against the Chicago, IL Gun Ban, I offer you another stellar example of a letter (written by a Marine) that places the proper perspective on what a gun means to a civilized society.

Read this eloquent and profound letter and pay close attention to the last paragraph of the letter....

"The Gun Is Civilization" by Maj. L. Caudill USMC (Ret)

Human beings only have two ways to deal with one another: reason and force. If you want me to do something for you, you have a choice of either convincing me via argument, or force me to do your bidding under threat of force. Every human interaction falls into one of those two categories, without exception. Reason or force, that's it.

In a truly moral and civilized society, people exclusively interact through persuasion. Force has no place as a valid method of social interaction, and the only thing that removes force from the menu is the personal firearm, as paradoxical as it may sound to some.

When I carry a gun, you cannot deal with me by force. You have to use reason and try to persuade me, because I have a way to negate your threat or employment of force.

The gun is the only personal weapon that puts a 100-pound woman on equal footing with a 220-pound mugger, a 75-year old retiree on equal footing with a 19-year old gang banger, and a single guy on equal footing with a carload of drunk guys with baseball bats. The gun removes the disparity in physical strength, size, or numbers between a potential attacker and a defender.

There are plenty of people who consider the gun as the source of bad force equations. These are the people who think that we'd be more civilized if all guns were removed from society, because a firearm makes it easier for a [armed] mugger to do his job. That, of course, is only true if the mugger's potential victims are mostly disarmed either by choice or by legislative fiat--it has no validity when most of a mugger's potential marks are armed.

People who argue for the banning of arms ask for automatic rule by the young, the strong, and the many, and that's the exact opposite of a civilized society. A mugger, even an armed one, can only make a successful living in a society where the state has granted him a force monopoly.

Then there's the argument that the gun makes confrontations lethal that otherwise would only result in injury. This argument is fallacious in several ways. Without guns involved, confrontations are won by the physically superior party inflicting overwhelming injury on the loser.

People who think that fists, bats, sticks, or stones don't constitute lethal force watch too much TV, where people take beatings and come out of it with a bloody lip at worst. The fact that the gun makes lethal force easier works solely in favor of the weaker defender, not the stronger attacker. If both are armed, the field is level.

The gun is the only weapon that's as lethal in the hands of an octogenarian as it is in the hands of a weight lifter. It simply wouldn't work as well as a force equalizer if it wasn't both lethal and easily employable.

When I carry a gun, I don't do so because I am looking for a fight, but because I'm looking to be left alone. The gun at my side means that I cannot be forced, only persuaded. I don't carry it because I'm afraid, but because it enables me to be unafraid. It doesn't limit the actions of those who would interact with me through reason, only the actions of those who would do so by force. It removes force from the equation... and that's why carrying a gun is a civilized act.

By Maj. L. Caudill USMC (Ret.)

So the greatest civilization is one where all citizens are equally armed and can only be persuaded, never forced.
Thank You

Just 5 more minutes?

2010-08-18T15:33:00.000-07:00

While at the park one day, a woman sat down next to a man on a bench near a playground.
“That’s my son over there,” she said, pointing to a little boy in a red sweater who was gliding down the slide.
“He’s a fine looking boy” the man said. “That’s my daughter on the bike in the white dress.”
Then, looking at his watch, he called to his daughter. “What do you say we go, Melissa?”
Melissa pleaded, “Just five more minutes, Dad. Please? Just five more minutes.”
The man nodded and Melissa continued to ride her bike to her heart ’s content. Minutes passed and the father stood and called again to his daughter. “Time to go now?”
Again Melissa pleaded, “Five more minutes, Dad. Just five more minutes.”
The man smiled and said, “OK.”
“My, you certainly are a patient father,” the woman responded.
The man smiled and then said, “Her older brother Tommy was killed by a drunk driver last year while he was riding his bike near here. I never spent much time with Tommy and now I ’d give anything for just five more minutes with him. I’ve vowed not to make the same mistake with Melissa.
She thinks she has five more minutes to ride her bike. The truth is, I get Five more minutes to watch her play. ”
Life is all about making priorities, what are your priorities?
Give someone you love 5 more minutes of your time today!

About time!

2010-08-01T08:47:00.000-07:00

Faced with reality, and the pressure of a self-imposed deadline to begin withdrawing troops by July 2011, the Obama administration is starting to count more heavily on the strategy of hunting down insurgents. The shift could change the nature of the war and potentially, in the view of some officials, hasten a political settlement with the Taliban. (what a concept)

Instead, what has turned out to work well is an approach American officials have talked much less about: counter terrorism, military-speak for the targeted killings of insurgents from Al Qaeda and the Taliban. (you mean ACTUALLY KILL the bad guys?)

While this appears to be a radical departure from the ‘sing Kumbayah’ strategy in the hopes they will think we are nice people and lay down their arms and welcome us...

I would LOVE to know...

2010-07-23T14:05:00.001-07:00

What is all the hub bub over the AZ immigration laws?
They are FAR less restrictive than those of Mexico as I see it.
Also they are ALMOST EXACTLY the same as the US Federal Statutes.
OH!!!! They actually plan to enforce them!

Total: cost a whopping $538.3 BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR!!!

2010-07-12T15:09:00.000-07:00

What if 20 Million Illegal Aliens Vacated America ? (note: ILLEGAL - here without papers)

I, Tina Griego, journalist for the Denver Rocky Mountain News wrote a column titled, 'Mexican Visitor's Lament' -- 10/25/07.

I interviewed Mexican journalist Evangelina Hernandez while visiting Denver last week.
Hernandez said, 'They (illegal aliens) pay rent, buy groceries, buy clothes. What happens to your country's economy if 20 million people go away?'
Hummm, I thought, what would happen, so I did my due diligence, buried my nose as a reporter into the FACTS I found below.
It's a good question - it deserves an honest answer. Over 80% of Americans demand secured borders and illegal migration stopped. But what would happen if all 20 million or more vacated America ?

The answers I found may surprise you!

In California, if 3.5 million illegal aliens moved back to Mexico, it would leave an extra $10.2 billion to spend on overloaded school systems, bankrupt hospitals and overrun prisons. It would leave highways cleaner, safer and less congested. Everyone could understand one another as English became the dominant language again.

In Colorado , 500,000 illegal migrants, plus their 300,000 kids and grand-kids - would move back 'home', mostly to Mexico . That would save Coloradans an estimated $2 billion (other experts say $7 billion) annually in taxes that pay for schooling, medical, social-services and incarceration costs. It means 12,000 gang members would vanish out of Denver alone.
Colorado would save more than $20 million in prison costs, and the terror that those 7,300 alien criminals set upon local citizens. Denver Officer Don Young and hundreds of Colorado victims would not have suffered death, accidents, rapes and other crimes by illegals.
Denver Public Schools would not suffer a 67 percent drop-out/flunk-out rate because of thousands of illegal alien students speaking 41 different languages. At least 200,000 vehicles would vanish from our gridlocked cities in Colorado. Denver's 4% unemployment rate would vanish as our working poor would gain jobs at a living wage.
In Florida, 1.5 million illegals would return the Sunshine State back to America , the rule of law, and English.
In Chicago, Illinois, 2.1 million illegals would free up hospitals, schools, prisons and highways for a safer, cleaner and more crime-free experience.

If 20 million illegal aliens returned 'home', the U.S. Economy would return to the rule of law. Employers would hire legal American citizens at a living wage. Everyone would pay their fair share of taxes because they wouldn't be working off the books. That would result in an additional $401 billion in IRS income taxes collected annually, and an equal amount for local, state and city coffers.

No more push '1' for Spanish or '2' for English. No more confusion in American schools that now must contend with over 100 languages that degrade the educational system for American kids. Our over-crowded schools would lose more than two million illegal alien kids at a cost of billions in ESL and free breakfasts and lunches.

We would lose 500,000 illegal criminal alien inmates at a cost of more than $1.6 billion annually. That includes 15,000 MS-13 gang members who distribute $130 billion in drugs annually would vacate our country.

In cities like L.A., 20,000 members of the '18th Street Gang' would vanish from our nation. No more Mexican forgery gangs for ID theft from Americans! No more foreign rapists and child molesters!

Losing more than 20 million people would clear up our crowded highways and gridlock. Cleaner air and less drinking and driving American deaths by illegal aliens!
America's economy is drained. Taxpayers are harmed. Employers get rich. Over $80 billion annually wouldn't return to the aliens' home countries by cash transfers. Illegal migrants earned half that money untaxed, which further drains America's economy - which currently suffers an
$8.7 trillion debt.

At least 400,000 anchor babies would not be born in our country, costing us $109 billion per year per cycle. At least 86 hospitals in California, Georgia and Florida would still be operating instead of being bankrupt out of existence because illegals pay nothing via the EMTOLA Act.
Americans wouldn't suffer thousands of TB and hepatitis cases rampant in our country-brought in by illegals unscreened at our borders.

Our cities would see 20 million less people driving, polluting and grid locking our cities. It would also put the 'progressives' on the horns of a dilemma; illegal aliens and their families cause 11 percent of our greenhouse gases.

Over one million of Mexico 's poorest citizens now live inside and along our border from Brownsville, Texas to San Diego, California in what the New York Times called, 'colonias' or new neighborhoods. Trouble is, those living areas resemble Bombay and Calcutta where grinding poverty, filth, diseases, drugs, crimes, no sanitation and worse. They live without sewage, clean water, streets, elec tricity, roads or any kind of sanitation.

The New York Times reported them to be America's new 'Third World' inside our own country. Within 20 years, at their current growth rate, they expect 20 million residents of those colonias(I've seen them personally in Texas and Arizona; it's sickening beyond anything you can imagine.)
By enforcing our laws, we could repatriate them back to Mexico. We should invite 20 million aliens to go home, fix their own countries and/or make a better life in Mexico. We already invite a million people into our country legally more than all other countries combined annually. We cannot and must not allow anarchy at our borders, more anarchy within our borders and growing lawlessness at every level in our nation. It's time to stand up for our country, our culture, our civilization and our way of life.

Interesting Statistics!
Here are 14 reasons illegal aliens should vacate America, and I hope they are forwarded over and over again until they are read so many times that the reader gets sick of reading them:
1. $14 billion to $22 billion dollars are spent each year on welfare to illegal aliens. (that's Billion with a 'B') - http://tinyurl.com/zob77

2.. $2.2 billion dollars are spent each year on food assistance programs such as food stamps, WIC, and free school lunches for illegal aliens. - http://www.cis.org/articles/2004/fiscalexec.html

3. $7.5 billion dollars are spent each year on Medicaid for illegal aliens. http://www.cis.org/articles/2004/fiscalexec.html

4. $12 billion dollars are spent each year on primary and secondary school education for children here illegally and they still cannot speak a word of English! http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html

5. $27 billion dollars are spent each year for education for the American-born children of illegal aliens, known as anchor babies. -
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html

6. $3 Million Dollars 'PER DAY' is spent to incarcerate illegal aliens. That's $1.2 Billion a year. http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html

7. 28% percent of all federal prison inmates are illegal aliens.
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html

8. $190 billion dollars are spent each year on illegal aliens for welfare & social services by the American taxpayers. - http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0610/29/ldt.01.html

9. $200 billion dollars per year in suppressed American wages are caused by the illegal aliens.
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html

10. The illegal aliens in the United States have a crime rate that's two and a half times that of white non-illegal aliens. In particular, their children, are going to make a huge additional crime probl em in the US. - http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0606/12/ldt.01.html

11. During the year 2005, there were 8 to 10 MILLION illegal aliens that crossed our southern border with as many as 19,500 illegal aliens from other terrorist countries. Over 10,000 of those were middle-eastern terrorists. Millions of pounds of drugs, cocaine, meth, heroine, crack, guns, and marijuana crossed into the U.S. from the southern border. - http://tinyurl.com/t9sht

12.. The National Policy Institute, estimates that the total cost of mass deportation would be between $206 and $230 billion, or an average cost of between $41 and $46 billion annually over a five year period.& nbsp; - http://www.nationalpolicyinstitute..org/publications.php?b=deportation
13. In 2006, illegal aliens sent home $65 BILLION in remittances back to their countries of origin, to their families & friends. http://www.rense.com/general75/niht.htm

14. The dark side of illegal immigration: Nearly one million sex crimes are committed by illegal immigrants in the United States !' - http://www.drdsk.com/articleshtml

Total: cost a whopping $538.3 BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR!!!

The General and the Community Organizer

2010-07-08T16:30:00.000-07:00

Courageous Restraint Medal
This writer has an interesting point of view......

"......McChrystal and his people have succeeded in doing exactly what they set out to do."

The General and the Community Organizer

by Paul R. Hollrah
June 24, 2010

Channel-surfing from ABC, CBS, NBC, and CNN through MSNBC and Fox News, the inside-the-beltway pundits had a field day trying to get inside the heads of Barack Obama, Joe Biden, General Stanley McChrystal, and McChrystal's top aides. The one thing common to all of the analyses, by the most famous and highly-paid talking heads in the Western World, was that they are all wrong… dead wrong. What is certain is that they all owe General McChrystal and his senior aides an apology for assuming that they are lame-brained numbskulls.

The facts of the McChrystal case are not in dispute. General McChrystal and his senior officers allowed a reporter for Rolling Stone Magazine, Michael Hastings, to have almost unprecedented access during an extended stay in Paris. The extended stay was due, in part, to an excess of atmospheric ash from Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull volcano, keeping the McChrystal party grounded for days.

In an interview with CNN, Hastings reported that he had a tape recorder in his hand most of the time and that McChrystal was "very aware" that his comments would find their way into print. He said, "McChrystal and his people set no ground rules for their conversations, although they did ask that some parts of their conversations were off the record." Hastings subsequently published a lengthy profile of General McChrystal on June 22, titled, The Runaway General.

As Hastings wrote in his profile, McChrystal thought that Obama looked "uncomfortable and intimidated" by the roomful of military brass during their first meeting. Of their second meeting, an advisor to McChrystal quoted the general as saying that it was "a 10-minute photo op." He went on to say, "Obama clearly didn't know anything about (McChrystal), who he was. Here's the guy who's going to run his f_ _ _ing war, but he didn't seem very engaged. The Boss was pretty disappointed."

As General McChrystal flew from Afghanistan to Washington to face Obama in the Oval Office, the almost unanimous opinion of the talking heads was that the comments made by McChrystal and his staff were off the cuff and inadvertent. But to believe that is to totally ignore who these men are.

General McChrystal and his top officers are not simple-minded, knuckle-dragging brutes. To the contrary, they are intelligent, thoughtful, highly educated, patriots… graduates of West Point and other fine universities… who are dedicated to duty, honor, and country. To think that such men would be so careless as to speak unflatteringly of Obama, Biden, and other top administration figures, in the presence of a reporter for a notoriously left wing publication, defies logic… at the very least. To think that men who are trained to be careful and deliberate in everything they do, could do something so careless and so unguarded is simply beyond comprehension.

I would argue that McChrystal and his aides knew exactly what they were doing.

From the day that he became the handpicked "spear carrier" for Obama's unique brand of warfare… playing at being Commander in Chief while playing to his far left constituency… McChrystal's life had been one of constant frustration. After telling Obama exactly how many troops he needed to carry out his mission, Obama dithered for months before deciding to give him just half the troops he requested. McChrystal could not have been happy about that.

The Obama team insisted on new Rules of Engagement designed to reduce collateral damage (civilian casualties). Obama's ROE required that U.S. troops must be able to see the enemy with weapon in hand before they were allowed to return fire. One videotape circulated on the Internet showed a platoon of Marines pinned down by enemy sniper fire. But since the enemy was firing from some distance behind the open window of a building, the Marines could not actually see the weapon being fired. Although they were taking deadly fire, they were prohibited by the ROE from putting small arms fire or an RPG through the window opening.

Under Obama's politically correct ROE, our soldiers and Marines were required to fight with one hand tied behind their backs. McChrystal could not have been happy about that.

A strict new interrogation policy, dictated by Attorney General Eric Holder, required that prisoners must be delivered to an Interrogation Center within twenty-four hours of being captured or be released. A great deal of actionable intelligence was lost as a result and battle-hardened enemy fighters were returned to the field to kill Americans. McChrystal must have found that to be incomprehensible.

But the greatest insult to our troops in the field, and to the officers who lead them, may be a new battlefield medal designed by the Obama team. It is called the Courageous Restraint Medal* and is awarded to soldiers and Marines who demonstrate uncommon restrain in combat by not firing their weapons even when they feel threatened by the enemy. Would we be surprised to learn that the preponderance of these medals were awarded posthumously? McChrystal must have found that to be an insanity. This should be enough to put Obama out of the White House and politics forever. * Snopes says this medal is false, at least partially.

I suggest that, having his best military judgments subjected to the White House political sieve for nearly a year and a half, McChrystal decided that he'd had enough. And when he announced to his senior staff that he was prepared to retire they decided to push back… to make the most of a bad situation. It was clear that, if McChrystal were to simply take off his uniform and walk away, his retirement would be page-twenty news for a day or two before the mainstream media and the American people forgot all about him.

They had to make the most of his retirement because it provided a one-time opportunity to show the American people, as well as our enemies and our allies, that the man who claims the title of Commander in Chief of the U.S. military does not command the respect of our men and women in uniform. To make the most of that opportunity they had to choose their messenger very carefully.

They knew that, by openly showing their disrespect for Obama in front of just any newsman, they may not attract the attention they desired. Like any astute observer of the MSM, they knew that most reporters would turn on their own mothers if it meant a good story. But they could not take a chance that a mainstream media reporter might suffer a rare pang of conscience when confronted with the prospect of ruining the careers of some of the most senior officers in the War on Terror. They had to fix the odds as much as possible in their favor so they chose to use Michael Hastings and Rolling Stone Magazine.

During the long hours that General McChrystal was in the air between Kabul and Washington, Obama knew that he had just two choices… both bad. He could declare McChrystal to be an irreplaceable asset in the war effort, give him a public reprimand, and send him back to Kabul. Or he could fire McChrystal, sending a clear message that, at least in his own mind, he was the Commander in Chief.

In the former case, he was certain to appear weak and ineffectual… a man not totally in charge. In the latter case, he might at least win a few rave reviews from the Kool-Ade drinkers in the mainstream media. He chose the latter of the two options.

But what is now lost in all of the hand-wringing and speculation is the fact that McChrystal and his people have succeeded in doing exactly what they set out to do. They wanted to plant the seed in the minds of the American people that Obama is not up to the task of being Commander in Chief and that he does not command the respect of the men and women of the uniformed services… from the newest Private E-1 up to the top four-star generals and admirals.

That seed is now firmly planted and it cannot be unplanted.

From this day forward, no one will have to tell the American people that Stanley McChrystal is a true warrior, a man's man, and that Barack Obama is nothing more than a… community organizer. Well done, General!

The foriegn press continues --- To unfairly pick on Obama Amended

2010-07-06T11:07:00.000-07:00

London Daily Telegraph on Obama
Date: Friday, June 25, 2010, 5:30 PM

From The London Daily Telegraph On Foreign Relations

Let me be clear: I'm not normally in favour of boycotts, and I love the American people. I holiday in their country regularly, and hate the tedious snobby sneers against the United States . But the American people chose to elect an idiot who seems hell bent on insulting their allies, and something must be done to stop Obama's reckless foreign policy, before he does the dirty on his allies on every issue.
One of the most poorly kept secrets in Washington is President Obama's animosity toward Great Britain, presumably because of what he regards as its sins while ruling Kenya (1895-1963).
One of Barack Hussein Obama's first acts as president was to return to Britain a bust of Winston Churchill that had graced the Oval Office since 9/11. He followed this up by denying Prime Minister Gordon Brown, on his first state visit, the usual joint press conference with flags.
The president was 'too tired' to grant the leader of America 's closest ally a proper welcome, his aides told British journalists.
Mr. Obama followed this up with cheesy gifts for Mr. Brown and the Queen. Columnist Ian Martin described his behavior as 'rudeness personified.' There was more rudeness in store for Mr. Brown at the opening session of the United Nations in September.
"The prime minister was forced to dash through the kitchens of the UN in New York to secure five minutes of face time with President Obama after five requests for a sit down meeting were rejected by the White House," said London Telegraph columnist David Hughes. "Mr. Obama's churlishness is unforgivable," Mr. Hughes said.
The administration went beyond snubs and slights last week when Secretary of State Hillary Clinton endorsed the demand of Argentine President Cristina Kirchner, a Hugo Chavez ally, for mediation of Argentina 's specious claim to the Falkland Islands , a British dependency since 1833.
The people who live in the Falklands, who speak English, want nothing to do with Argentina. When, in 1982, an earlier Argentine dictatorship tried to seize the Falklands by force, the British -- with strong support from President Ronald Reagan -- expelled them.
"It is truly shocking that Barack Obama has decided to disregard our shared history," wrote Telegraph columnist Toby Young. "Does Britain 's friendship really mean so little to him? One could ask, does the friendship of anyone in the entire world mean anything to him?"
"I recently asked several senior administration officials, separately, to name a foreign leader with whom Barack Obama has forged a strong personal relationship during his first year in office," wrote Jackson Diehl, deputy editorial page editor of the Washington Post, on Monday. "A lot of hemming and hawing ensued." One official named French President Nicolas Sarkozy, but his contempt for Mr. Obama is an open secret. Another named German Chancellor Angela Merkel. But, said Mr. Diehl, "Merkel too has been conspicuously cool toward Obama."
Mr. Obama certainly doesn't care about the Poles and Czechs, whom he has betrayed on missile defense. Honduras and Israel also can attest that he's been an unreliable ally and an unfaithful friend. Ironically, our relations with both Israel and the Palestinian Authority have never been worse. Russia has offered nothing in exchange for Mr. Obama's abandonment of missile defense. Russia and China won't support serious sanctions on Iran. Syria 's support for terrorism has not diminished despite efforts to normalize diplomatic relations. The reclusive military dictatorship that runs Burma has responded to our efforts at "engagement" by deepening its ties to North Korea .
And the Chinese make little effort to disguise their contempt for him.
For the first time in a long time, the President of the United States is actually distrusted by its allies and not in the least feared by its adversaries. Nor is Mr. Obama now respected by the majority of Americans. Understandably focused on the dismal economy and Mr. Obama's relentless efforts to nationalize and socialize health care, Americans apparently have yet to notice his dismal performance and lack of respect in the world community. They soon will.

Alex Singleton
London Daily Telegraph Editor

Amendment:
Suddenly I... See More’ve become a poster boy for the Republican Right. It started when Fox News linked to a blog I’d written suggesting, not terribly seriously, that Brits ought to boycott America in retaliation against Barack Obama’s refusal to support us in the Falklands.

Now thousands of emails are being forwarded around the US – particularly in southern states such as Texas – quoting me. The Telegraph’s reader-relations department is being innundated with queries asking if I really called for a boycott of America. And Google tells me that quotes from the post now appear in hundreds of websites.

This would all be fine, except that after the first paragraph in the email, it transforms into a rant about “Barack Hussein Obama”, using bizarre language that certainly isn’t mine. No doubt this email appeals to the nuttier supporters of the Republican Party, for whom politics has ceased to be about principles and is now all about smearing opponents with false accusations about their nationalities and their patriotism. It also contains the delusional claim that Reagan supported Thatcher over the Falklands (he didn’t) and denounces Obama for failing to suck up to Gordon Brown (as if that was a bad thing).

My new fans won’t like me saying this, but while Barack Obama is clearly one of the most hopeless Western leaders at the moment, I haven’t forgiven the Republicans for their disgraceful record under George W. Bush. These supposed conservatives stood by as Bush threw away the wonderful Reagan legacy by signing off on ruinous spending commitments and imposing economically illiterate steel tariffs, as he destroyed ancient civil liberties, and as he sank their country into an ill-conceived and disasterously managed war in Iraq. Britain’s Conservatives, even under Ted Health, have never been that destructive.

The voice of experience

2010-06-29T16:39:00.000-07:00

This is the best article I have read on the immigration problem we are facing... every politician in Washington should be forced to read it... maybe then something will happen.

This letter sent to Tennessee Senator Bill Frist from David J. Stoddard, a retired border patrol agent, and it has more common sense than all the bull being spewed from the Senate, with the exception of a few sensible representatives.

Dear Senator Frist:

There is a huge amount of propaganda and myths circulating about illegal aliens, particularly illegal Mexican, Salvadorian, Guatemalan and Honduran aliens.

#1. Illegal aliens generally do NOT want US citizenship. Americans are very vain thinking that everybody in the world wants to be a US citizen. Mexicans, and other nationalities want to remain citizens of their home countries, while obtaining the benefits offered by the United States such as employment, medical care, in-state tuition, government subsidized housing and free education for their offspring. Their main attraction is employment and their loyalty usually remains at home. They want benefits earned and subsidized by middle class Americans. What illegal aliens want are benefits of American residence without paying the price.

#2. There are no jobs that Americans won't do.
Illegal aliens are doing jobs that Americans can't take and still support their families. Illegal aliens take low wage jobs, live dozens in a single residence home, share expenses and send money to their home country. Then WE, who are not cheating by paying Illegals’ sub-standard wages, pay for their ‘benefits’. There are no jobs that Americans won't do for a decent wage.

#3. Every person who illegally entered this nation left a home. They are NOT homeless and they are NOT Americans. Some left jobs in their home countries. They come to send money to their real home as evidenced by the more than 20 billion dollars sent out of the country each year by illegal aliens. Multiply that loss by 6-to-8 times that much in ‘churn’, money spent here, that generates more jobs. That’s at least 120 BILLION DOLLARS drained from our economy-- plus that much in services.
These illegal aliens knowingly and willfully entered this nation in violation of the law and therefore assumed the risk of detection and deportation. Those who brought their alien children assumed the responsibility and risk on behalf of their children. A North American or Guatamalan, trying to do the same thing in Mexico, will be thrown in prison, unless they’re lucky to only be beaten and deported.

#4. Illegal aliens are NOT critical to the economy. Illegal aliens constitute less than 5% of the workforce. However, they reduce wages and benefits for lawful US residents.

#5. This is NOT an immigrant nation. There are 280 million native born Americans. While it is true that this nation was settled and founded by immigrants (legal immigrants), it is also true that there is not a nation on this planet that was not settled by immigrants at one time or another.

#6. The United States is welcoming to legal immigrants. Illegal aliens are not immigrants by definition; they are invaders and thieves. The US accepts more lawful immigrants every year than the rest of the world combined.

#7. There is no such thing as the "Hispanic vote." Hispanics are white, brown, black and every shade in between. Hispanics are Republicans, Democrats, Anarchists, Communists, Marxists and Independents. The so-called "Hispanic vote" is a myth. Pandering to illegal aliens to get the Hispanic vote is a dead end.

#8. Mexico is NOT a friend of the United States . Since 1848 Mexicans have resented the United States . During World War I Mexico allowed German Spies to operate freely in Mexico to spy on the US . During World War II Mexico allowed the Axis powers to spy on the US from Mexico . During the Cold War Mexico allowed spies hostile to the US to operate freely. The attack on the Twin Towers in 2001 was cheered and applauded all across Mexico. Today, Mexican school children are taught that the US stole California, Arizona , New Mexico and Texas . If you don't believe it, check out some Mexican textbooks written for their school children.

#9. Although some illegal aliens enter this country for a better life, there are 6 billion people on this planet. At least 1 billion of those live on less than one dollar a day. If wanting a better life is a valid excuse to break the law and sneak into America, then let's allow those one billion to come to America and we'll turn the USA into a Third World nation overnight. Besides, there are 280 million native born Americans who want a better life. I'll bet Bill Gates and Donald Trump want a better life. When will the USA lifeboat be full? Since when is wanting a better life a good reason to trash another nation?

#10. There is a labor shortage in this country.
This is a lie. There are hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of American housewives, senior citizens, students, unemployed and underemployed who would gladly take jobs at a decent wage.

#11. It is racist to want secure borders.
What is racist about wanting secure borders and a secure America ? What is racist about not wanting people to sneak into America and steal benefits we have set aside for legal aliens, senior citizens, children and other legal residents? What is it about race that entitles people to violate our laws, steal identities, and take the American Dream without paying the price?
For about four decades American politicians have refused to secure our borders and look after the welfare of middle class Americans. These politicians have been of both parties. They have generated a huge debt to American society. This debt will be satisfied and the interest will be high. There has already been riots in the streets by illegal aliens and their supporters. There will be more. You, as a politician, have a choice to offend the illegal aliens who have stolen into this country and demanded the rights afforded to US citizens, or to offend those of us who are stakeholders in this country. The interest will be steep either way. There will be civil unrest. There will be a reckoning.

Do you have the courage to do what is right for America? Or will you bow to the wants and needs of those who don't even have a legal right to remain here?

There will be a reckoning. It will come in November of this year. We will not allow America to be stolen by third world agitators and thieves.

David J. Stoddard US
Border Patrol (RET) Hereford , Arizona

We still care

2010-06-27T15:00:00.000-07:00

Warriors are a breed;
by nature peaceful people who believe in duty and honor.
We are not war mongers;
rather servants and protectors of those who chose to spit on and defile us,
and then go on our way knowing they do not understand.

"rich Muslim heritage"

2010-06-26T08:51:00.000-07:00

OBAMA said, in his Cairo speech: "I know, too, that Islam has always been a part of America 's story.

Dear Mr. Obama:

Were those Muslims that were in America when the Pilgrims first landed?
Funny, I thought they were Native American Indians.

Were those Muslims that celebrated the first Thanksgiving day? Sorry again, those were Pilgrims and Native American Indians.

Can you show me one Muslim signature on the United States Constitution?
Declaration of Independence ? Bill of Rights? Didn't think so.

Did Muslims fight for this country's freedom from England ? No.

Did Muslims fight during the Civil War to free the slaves in America ? No, they did not. In fact, Muslims to this day are still the largest traffickers in human slavery. Your own 'half brother' a devout Muslim still advocates slavery himself, even though muslims of Arabic descent refer to black muslims as "pug nosed slaves." Says a lot of what the Muslim world really thinks of your family's "rich Islamic heritage" doesn't it Mr. Obama?

Where were Muslims during the Civil Rights era of this country? Not
present. There are no pictures or media accounts of Muslims walking side by side with Martin Luther King Jr.. or helping to advance the cause of Civil Rights.

Where were Muslims during this country's Woman's Suffrage era? Again, not present. In fact, devout Muslims demand that women are subservient to men in the Islamic culture. So much so that often they are beaten for not wearing the 'hajib' or for talking to a man that is not a direct family member or their husband. Yep, the Muslims are all for women's rights aren't they?

Where were Muslims during World War II? They were aligned with Adolf Hitler. The Muslim grand mufti himself met with Adolf Hitler, reviewed the troops and accepted support from the Nazi's in killing Jews.

Finally Mr. Obama, where were Muslims on Sept. 11th, 2001? If they weren't flying planes into the World Trade Center , the Pentagon or a field in Pennsylvania killing nearly 3,000 people on our own soil, they were rejoicing in the middle east. No one can dispute the pictures shown from all parts of the Muslim world celebrating on CNN, Fox News, MSNBC and other news networks that day. Strangely, the very "moderate" Muslims who's asses you bent over backwards to kiss in Cairo , Egypt on June 4th were stone cold silent post 9-11. To many Americans, their silence has meant approval for the acts of that day.

And THAT, Mr. Obama, is the "rich heritage" Muslims have here in America .

Ungrateful.... LOL

2010-06-03T07:58:00.000-07:00

Animal Rights Activists protested Leather-wearing at a biker rally.

HERE'S HOW POLICE FOUND ONE OF THEM.

Johnstown, PA (GlossyNews) - Local and state police scoured the hills outside rural Johnstown, Pennsylvania, after reports of three animal rights activists going missing after attempting to protest the wearing of leather at a large motorcycle gang rally this weekend. Two others, previously reported missing, were discovered by fast food workers "duct taped inside several fast food restaurant dumpsters," according to police officials.
"Something just went wrong," said a still visibly shaken organizer of the protest. "Something just went horribly, horribly, wrong." The organizer said a group of concerned animal rights activist groups, "growing tired of throwing fake blood and shouting profanities at older women wearing leather or fur coats," decided to protest the annual motorcycle club event "in a hope to show them our outrage at their wanton use of leather in their clothing and motor bike seats." "In fact," said the organizer, "motorcycle gangs are one of the biggest abusers of wearing leather, and we decided it was high time that we let them know that we disagree with them using it.ergo, they should stop."

According to witnesses, protesters arrived at the event in a vintage 1960's era Volkswagen van and began to pelt the gang members with balloons filled with red colored water, simulating blood, and shouting "you're murderers" to passers by. This evidently, is when the brouhaha began.
"They peed on me!!!" charged one activist. "They grabbed me, said I looked like I was French, started calling me 'La Trene', and duct taped me to a tree so they could pee on me all day!"
Still others claimed they were forced to eat hamburgers and hot dogs under duress. Those who resisted were allegedly held down while several bikers "farted on their heads."
Police officials declined comments on any leads or arrests due to the ongoing nature of the investigation; however, organizers for the motorcycle club rally expressed "surprise" at the allegations.
"That's preposterous," said one high-ranking member of the biker organizing committee. "We were having a party, and these people showed up and were very rude to us. They threw things at us, called us names, and tried to ruin the entire event. So, what did we do? We invited them to the party! What could be more friendly than that? You know, just because we are all members of motorcycle clubs does not mean we do not care about inclusiveness. Personally, I think it shows a lack of character for them to be saying such nasty things about us after we bent over backwards to make them feel welcome."

When confronted with the allegations of force-feeding the activists meat, using them as ad hoc latrines, leaving them incapacitated in fast food restaurant dumpsters, and 'farting on their heads,' the organizer declined to comment in detail. "That's just our secret handshake," assured the organizer.

Yeah it is a joke, but awful believable... knowing the paries involved...

THIS SHOULD FRIGHTEN YOU!

2010-05-23T19:57:00.000-07:00

This should scare the $*IT out of EVERYONE. Seriously, take a peek and THINK about the result of this on a personal level.

Plagerized!! But useful

2010-03-31T13:31:00.000-07:00

Attorney General:

I, along with every other freedom loving American, applaud your action to bring the recently passed health care law to court. This government already controlled over 50% of every dollar spent in medicine before passage of this evil bill. The results of implementing the 2,000+ pages of the law will destroy medicine in this country with ripple effects around the world. There are many specific issues and details that could be attacked in this law but only one really matters; the issue of INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS.

I urge you to base your legal case on the Constitution. Do not debate the details of the bill because if you do that you will concede the moral high ground implicitly. This IS about RIGHTS. A need does not equal a right. There is no RIGHT to enslave a man for the benefit of another; not even if the majority vote for it. This IS about The Rights Of Man!

The entire country knows that it's not just our health care that is at stake here. The actions of the US government in recent weeks are foreboding. I am encouraging you to take this battle to the Supreme Court. Don't be disheartened by the critics no matter their credentials. You are the vanguard of this MORAL Revolution; don't back down.

2010-03-26T08:08:00.001-07:00

where is it written we must be straight line??? I feel my life has been a rut for some years… I need a new life? Re invent meself? I am going nowhere and getting nowhere and feeling more & more like a failure each day. I don’t want much, but enough to survive and keep myself busy. I do not feel working for the censless is enhancing my worth to my world, my friends and myself… I am not doing anything for anyone except myself and doing damn little for me at that….

WORD OF THE DAY

2010-02-06T07:07:00.000-08:00

OBAMANOMICS...

TRICKLE UP POVERTY

CHANGE... YOU CAN BELIEVE WE WILL KEEP YOURS

THE LADY SAYS IT LIKE SHE SEE'S IT

2009-11-21T17:56:00.000-08:00

THE LADY SAYS IT LIKE SHE SEE'S IT. MORE THEN MOST "MODERATES"

This 4th grade teacher has said it all, and she was brave enough to attach her name to it.

April 17, 2009

The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington , DC 20500

Mr. Obama:
I have had it with you and your administration, sir. Your conduct on your recent trip overseas has convinced me that you are not an adequate representative of the United States of America collectively or of me personally.

You are so obsessed with appeasing the Europeans and the Muslim world that you have abdicated the responsibilities of the President of the United States of America . You are responsible to the citizens of the United States .. You are not responsible to the peoples of any other country on earth.

I personally resent that you go around the world apologizing for the United States telling Europeans that we are arrogant and do not care about their status in the world. Sir, what do you think the First World War and the Second World War were all about if not the consideration of the peoples of Europe ? Are you brain dead? What do you think the Marshall Plan was all about? Do you not understand or know the history of the 20th century?

Where do you get off telling a Muslim country that the United States does not consider itself a Christian country? Have you not read the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution of the United States? This country was founded on Judeo-Christian ethics and the principles governin g this country, at least until you came along, come directly from this heritage. Do you not understand this?

Your bowing to the king of Saudi Arabia is an affront to all Americans. Our President does not bow down to anyone, let alone the king of Saudi Arabia . You didn't show Great Britain, our best and one of our oldest allies, the respect they deserve yet you bow down to the king of Saudi Arabia .. How dare you, sir! How dare you!

You can’t find the time to visit the graves of our greatest generation because you dont want to offend the Germans but make time to visit a mosque in Turkey ... You offended our dead and every veteran when you give the Germans more respect than the people who saved the German people from themselves. Whats the matter with you? I am convinced that you and the members of your administration have the historical and intellectual depth of a mud puddleand should be ashamed of yourselves, all of you..

You are so self-righteously offended by the big bankers and the American automobile manufacturers yet do nothing about the real thieves in this situation, Mr. Dodd, Mr. Frank, Franklin Raines, Jamie Gorelic, the Fannie Mae bonuses, and the Freddie Mac bonuses. What do you intend to do about them? Anything? I seriously doubt it.

What about the U.S. House members passing out $9.1 million in bonuses to their staff members on top of the $2.5 million in automatic pay raises that lawmakers gave themselves? I understand the average House aide got a 17% bonus. I took a 5% cut in my pay to save jobs with my employer. You havent said anything about that. Who authorized that? I surely didnt!

Executives at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will be receiving $210 million in bonuses over an eighteen-month period, that's $45 million more than the AIG bonuses. In fact, Fannie and Freddie executives have already been awarded $51 million not a bad take. Who authorized that and why haven’t you expressed your outrage at this group who are largely responsible for the economic mess we have right now?

I resent that you take me and my fellow citizens as brain-dead and not caring about what you idiots do. We are watching what you are doing and we are getting increasingly fed up with all of you.

I also want you to know that I personally find just about everything you do and say to be offensive to every one of my sensibilities. I promise you that I will work tirelessly to see that you do not get a chance to spend two terms destroying my beautiful country.

Sincerely,
Every real American

P.S. I rarely ask that emails be 'passed around'.............PLEASE SEND THIS TO YOUR EMAIL LIST......it's past time for all Americans to wake up!

Ms Kathleen Lyday
Fourth Grade Teacher
Grandview Elementary School
11470 Hwy . C
Hillsboro, MO 63050
(636) 944-3291 Phone
(636) 944-3870 Fax

It is becoming a JOKE... Give us Jimmy Carter back

2009-08-06T16:48:00.000-07:00

This new President appears to want his cake and eat it too!

I thought Bush was the only one who ever suggested the press 'lighten up'
I guess it is OK for NObama to say it.

http://blogs.abcnews.com/thenote/2009/08/gop-senator-white-house-encroaching-on-first-amendment.html

A succinct comment by an astute observer.

Can YOU BELIEVE it? Snopes actually printed something O T L??
(other than Left)

http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/youscareme.asp

It gets better..
Read my lips.. I don't think it out.. (NObama paraphrase)

As on Yahoo/Finance
2 Obama officials: No guarantee taxes won't go up
2 Obama administration officials can't guarantee middle-class Americans won't see tax hike

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama's treasury secretary said Sunday he cannot rule out higher taxes to help tame an exploding budget deficit, and his chief economic adviser would not dismiss raising them on middle-class Americans as part of a health care overhaul.

As the White House sought to balance campaign rhetoric with governing, officials appeared willing to extend unemployment benefits. With former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan saying he is "pretty sure we've already seen the bottom" of the recession, Obama aides sought to defend the economic stimulus and calm a jittery public.

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and National Economic Council Director Larry Summers both sidestepped questions on Obama's intentions about taxes. Geithner said the White House was not ready to rule out a tax hike to lower the federal deficit; Summers said Obama's proposed health care overhaul needs funding from somewhere.

"There is a lot that can happen over time," Summers said, adding that the administration believes "it is never a good idea to absolutely rule things out, no matter what."

During his presidential campaign, Obama repeatedly vowed "you will not see any of your taxes increase one single dime." But the simple reality remains that his ambitious overhaul of how Americans receive health care -- promised without increasing the federal deficit -- must be paid for.

"If we want an economy that's going to grow in the future, people have to understand we have to bring those deficits down. And it's going to be difficult, hard for us to do. And the path to that is through health care reform," Geithner said. "We're not at the point yet where we're going to make a judgment about what it's going to take."

Selling that proposal, however, has proved tricky.

On Friday, the government released a report that suggested the worst recession in the United States since World War II appears on the verge of ending. The economy dipped only slightly in the second quarter of this year -- falling at a 1 percent annual pace, better than expected.

The president cautioned against instant turnaround, though.

"Well, as I've said, I think we maybe are beginning to see the end of the recession, but it's still going to be some time before we are seeing companies hiring again. That's usually the last thing that happens," Obama said in an interview with Univision that aired on Sunday.

"So I think we are still going to have a tough remainder of the year -- probably until next year -- but, you know, at least what we are seeing -- we've pulled back from the possibility of a depression. That's not the danger."

Many analysts think the economy is starting to grow again in the current quarter, setting up a long-awaited recovery.

"Most private forecasters -- and let's use their judgment -- suggest you're going to see unemployment start to come down maybe beginning in the second half of next year," Geithner said, adding those same economists predict positive growth during the second half of this year.

At the same time, Geithner and other administration officials are contemplating how to ask Congress to extend -- again -- unemployment benefits for the millions of Americans who have lost their jobs in recent months. The proposal drew measured support from Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., as long as the benefits are drawn from the already approved economic stimulus package.

"We need to take care of those who are unemployed, but we also need to make sure they get jobs," he said.

Those jobs, though, are still elusive. Greenspan said the economy is slowly coming back.

"Collapse, I think, is now off the table. We were teetering for a while," he said.

Greenspan said he doesn't think the Federal Reserve should be considering raising interest rates to ward off inflation, although he added that the Fed will have to rein in credit and raise rates at some point.

Obama's opponent for the presidency, Sen. John McCain, questioned whether the administration's actions will prove beneficial for the country.

"I think it's pretty clear, if you pump trillions of dollars into the economy, you will see some recovery," the Arizona Republican said while giving Obama credit for the improvement. "But the long-term consequences, I think, are going to be, unfortunately, devastating unless we do something about it."

Geithner and Greenspan appeared on ABC's "This Week." Summers appeared on NBC's "Meet the Press" and CBS's "Face the Nation." DeMint was interviewed on "Fox News Sunday." McCain spoke with CNN's "State of the Union."

JOHN LOTT: ABC's Shameful `20/20¹ Experiment "If I Only Had a Gun."

2009-04-22T16:23:00.000-07:00

Agenda-driven dis-information on the part of ABC. A shabby exercise in the abuse of so-called journalism. For shame.
• Article on ABC’s “If I Only Had a Gun”
• Apply for Concealed Pistol License in King County
• Get Training
--
Bill

JOHN LOTT: ABC's Shameful `20/20’ Experiment

http://foxforum.blogs.foxnews.com/2009/04/15/lott__gun_control_experiment_rigged/

Gun control advocates look desperate. Last Friday night, on April 10, ABC aired a heavily promoted, hour long "20/20” special called "If I Only Had a Gun." It is ABC's equivalent of NBC's infamous exploding gas tanks in General Motors pickups where NBC rigged the truck to explode. With legislation in Texas and Missouri advancing to eliminate gun-free zones at universities, perhaps this response isn't surprising.

The show started and ended by claiming that allowing potential victims to carry guns would not help keep them safe –- not even with hundreds of hours of practice firing guns.

No mention was made of the actual multiple victim public shootings stopped by people with concealed handguns nor did they describe who actually carried out such shootings. Instead, ABC presented a rigged experiment where one student in a classroom had a gun. But sometimes even the best editors can't hide everything the camera sees.

The experiment was set up to make the student fail. It did not resemble a real-world shooting. The same scenario is shown three times, but in each case the student with the gun is seated in the same seat –- the center seat in the front row. The attacker is not only a top-notch shooter –- a firearms expert who teaches firearms tactics and strategy to police -– but also obviously knows precisely where the student with the gun is sitting.

Each time the experiment is run, the attacker first fires two shots at the teacher in the front of the class and then turns his gun directly on the very student with the gun. The attacker wastes no time trying to gun down any of the unarmed students. Thus, very unrealistically, between the very first shot setting the armed student on notice and the shots at the armed student, there is at most 2 seconds. The armed student is allowed virtually no time to react and, unsurprisingly, fails under the same circumstances that would have led even experienced police officers to fare poorly.

But in the real world, a typical shooter is not a top-notch firearms expert and has no clue about whether or not anyone might be armed and, if so, where they are seated. If you have 50 people –- a pretty typical college classroom –- and he is unknown to the attacker, the armed student is given a tremendous advantage. Actually, if the experiment run by "20/20″ seriously demonstrated anything, it highlighted the problem of relying on uniformed police or security guards for safety: the killer instantly knows whom to shoot first.

Yet, in the ABC experiment, the purposefully disadvantaged students are not just identified and facing (within less than 2 seconds) an attacker whose gun is already drawn. They are also forced to wear unfamiliar gloves, a helmet, and a holster. This only adds to the difficulties the students face in handling their guns.

Given this set-up the second student, Danielle, performed admirably well. She shot the firearms expert in his left leg near the groin. If real bullets had been used, that might well have disabled the attacker and cut short his shooting spree.

Nevertheless, even terrible shooters can often be quite effective. Despite all of ABC's references to the Columbine attack, the network never mention the armed guard at the school. He had an unusually poor target shooting record –- indeed it is reported that he couldn't even hit a target. Yet, his bravery still saved many lives because his poorly aimed shots forced the two killers to engage in gunfire with him. This slowed down their killing spree and gave many students a chance to escape the building. The guard was only forced to retreat and leave the school himself because of the homemade grenades that the Columbine murderers had.

The Columbine murderers strongly and actively opposed passage of Colorado's right-to-carry law, particularly the part that would have allowed concealed handguns being legally carried on school campuses. What goes unnoticed is that the Columbine attack took place the very day that the state legislature scheduled final passage of the concealed handgun law.

Time after time the attackers in these multiple victim public shootings consciously avoid areas where people might be able to defend themselves. In the attack on the Jewish community center in Los Angeles in which five people were wounded, the attacker had apparently "scouted three of the West Coast's most prominent Jewish institutions—the Museum of Tolerance, the Skirball Cultural Center and the University of Judaism—but found security too tight."

In the real world, even having a gun and pointing it at an attacker has often convinced the attacker to stop shooting and surrender. Examples include high schools in Pearl, Mississippi and Edinboro, Pennsylvania, as well as the Appalachian Law School in Virginia. Street attacks in Memphis to Detroit ended this way, too, without any more shots fired.

Even if the cases don't get much attention, gun permit holders stop these multiple victim attacks on a regular basis. Ironically, just this past Saturday, the day after ABC's broadcast, a permit holder in Columbia, Texas stopped a mass robbery by fatally shooting the criminal. Some Web sites have started collecting these and other defensive gun use cases (e.g., see here, here, and here).

ABC'S "20/20″ exaggerates "the danger of accidentally hitting a friend" when confronting an attacker. The show cites as an example is a man who mistook his wife for an intruder. Obviously that case is a tragedy, but those cases are exceedingly rare. But why didn't they present a single multiple victim attack as an example? Simple, because it has not happened.

ABC pushes the notion that gun show regulations, rather than arming potential victims, can stop these attacks. But very few criminals get their guns from gun shows: a U.S. Justice Department survey of 18,000 state prison inmates showed that less than one percent (0.7%) of prisoners had obtained their gun from a gun show. Even adding flea markets and gun shows together raises the number to just 1.7 percent. There is not a single academic study showing that regulating private individuals selling their own guns — the so-called "gun show loophole" — reduces any type of violent crime. What the regulations have accomplished is cutting the number of gun shows by 25 percent.

The show ends with this claim:

"If you are wondering where are all the studies about the effectiveness of guns used by ordinary Americans for self-defense, well keep searching, we could not find one reliable study and the ones we found were contradictory."

Yet, "contradictory" is an overstatement. There have been 26 peer-reviewed studies published by criminologists and economists in academic journals and university presses. Most of these studies find large drops in crime. Some find no change, but not a single one shows an increase in crime.

You would think that if gun control worked as well as ABC implies, there wouldn't be these multiple victim public shootings in those European countries with gun laws much stricter than those being publicly discussed in the United States or by ABC. Yet, multiple victim public shootings are quite common in Europe. In just the last few days, there have been a shooting at a college in Greece and in a crowded café in Rotterdam. Of course, the worst K-12 public school shootings are in Europe.

Given the hundreds of millions of dollars that have been spent annually in the United States for police officers on campus and other programs, one would hope that this relatively inexpensive alternative, where people are willing to bear the costs themselves to protect others, would be taken more seriously.

ABC never mentions a simple fact: all multiple victim public shootings with more than 3 people killed have occurred where permitted concealed handguns are prohibited. Rather than studying what actually happens during these shootings, ABC conjured up rigged experiments aimed at convincing Americans that guns are ineffective. Unfortunately, ABC's advice, rather than making victims safe, makes things safer for attackers.

John Lott is a senior research scientist at the University of Maryland and the author of More Guns, Less Crime (University of Chicago Press, second edition, 2009) and The Bias Against Guns (Regnery, 2003). Much of the discussion here is based on both books. John Lott's past pieces for FOX News can be found here
http://foxforum.blogs.foxnews.com/2009/04/15/lott__gun_control_experiment_rigged/

I wondered why it took so long to rescue the Captain...

2009-04-22T16:14:00.000-07:00

... and now we know. Regarding the source, the closest I’ve gotten is third-hand, so limit your credence level to that with which you’re comfortable. I pray that this relatively dinky incident serves as a valuable Learning Opportunity for our President.

I maintain that declaring open season on pirates, including keeping teams of six on 24-hour watch, armed with one .50 cal., several light machine guns, RPGs and M-16s, in case any pirates got on board, would quickly shift the Risk:ROI balance toward untenable, even for starving Somali fishermen-turned-pirates, or their opportunistic warlords, who personally have little to lose. Those ‘mother ships’, from which mid-ocean pirate vessels are launched, should be either summarily sunk, or confiscated and sold, with proceeds going to those who have paid ransoms. If it’s really all about profit, let’s make it immediately unprofitable.

NOW THE REST OF THE STORY

SEAL= The United States Navy SEa, Air and Land Forces, commonly known as the US Navy SEALs, the Special Ops Forces of the U.S. Navy, employed in direct action and special reconnaissance operations. SEALs are also capable of employing unconventional warfare...
BHO = Barrack H Obama
DEVGRU=Development Group ...the old Seal team 6 out of the Norfolk area...probably the best of the best
NSWC=Navy Special Warfare Command
ROE=Rules of Engagement
RIB=Ridged Inflatable Boat
OSC=On Scene Commander
CPN=is probably the Captain of the Bainbridge
CDR=Commander
OpArea= Operations Area
Raggies= from the term ‘Rag-tag’, meaning
1. ragged or shabby; disheveled.
2. made up of mixed, often diverse, elements: a ragtag crowd.
Subject: AH, now it comes out Having spoken to some SEAL pals here in Virginia Beach yesterday and asking why this thing dragged out for 4 days, I got the following:
1. BHO wouldn't authorize the DEVGRU/NSWC SEAL teams on the scene for 36 hours, going against OSC (on scene commander) recommendation.
2. Once they arrived, BHO imposed restrictions on their ROE that they couldn't do anything unless the hostage's life was in "imminent" danger
3. The first time the hostage jumped, the SEALS had the raggies all sighted in, but could not fire due to ROE restriction.
4. When the navy RIB came under fire as it approached with supplies, no fire was returned due to ROE restrictions. As the raggies were shooting at the RIB, they were exposed and the SEALS had them all dialed in.
5. BHO specifically denied two rescue plans developed by the Bainbridge CPN and SEAL teams.
6. Bainbridge CPN and SEAL team CDR finally decide they have the OpArea and OSC authority to solely determine risk to hostage. 4 hours later, 3 dead raggies.
7. BHO immediately claims credit for his "daring and decisive" behaviour. As usual with him, it's BS. So, per our last email thread, I'm downgrading Oohbaby's performace to D-. Only reason it's not an F is that the hostage survived.
Read the following accurate account.

Philips’ first leap into the warm, dark water of the Indian Ocean hadn’t worked out as well. With the Bainbridge in range and a rescue by his country’s Navy possible, Philips threw himself off of his lifeboat prison, enabling Navy shooters onboard the destroyer a clear shot at his captors — and none was taken.

The guidance from National Command Authority — the President of the United States, Barack Obama — had been clear: a peaceful solution was the only acceptable outcome to this standoff unless the hostage’s life was in clear, extreme danger.

The next day, a small Navy boat approaching the floating raft was fired on by the Somali pirates — and again no fire was returned and no pirates killed. This was again due to the cautious stance assumed by Navy personnel thanks to the combination of a lack of clear guidance from Washington and a mandate from the commander in chief’s staff not to act until Obama, a man with no background of dealing with such issues and no track record of decisiveness, decided that any outcome other than a “peaceful solution” would be acceptable.

After taking fire from the Somali kidnappers again Saturday night, the on-scene commander decided he’d had enough.
Keeping his authority to act in the case of a clear and present danger to the hostage’s life and having heard nothing from Washington since yet another request to mount a rescue operation had been denied the day before, the Navy officer — unnamed in all media reports to date — decided the AK47 one captor had leveled at Philips’ back was an imminent threat to the hostage’s life and ordered the NSWC team to take their shots.

Three rounds downrange later, all three brigands became enemy KIA, and Philips was safe.

There is upside, downside, and spinside to the series of events over the last week that culminated in yesterday’s dramatic rescue of an American hostage.

Almost immediately following word of the rescue, the Obama administration and its supporters claimed victory against pirates in the Indian Ocean and [1] declared that the dramatic end to the standoff put paid to questions of the inexperienced president’s toughness and decisiveness.

Despite the Obama administration’s (and its sycophants’) attempt to spin yesterday’s success as a result of bold, decisive leadership by the inexperienced president, the reality is nothing of the sort.
What should have been a standoff lasting only hours — as long as it took the USS Bainbridge and its
team of NSWC operators to steam to the location — became an embarrassing four day and counting standoff between a ragtag handful of criminals with rifles and a U.S. Navy warship.

If this doesn't get you... read it again tomorrow

2009-03-02T12:30:00.000-08:00

"I DEMAND" my "RIGHTS"

Sharon Jasper has been victimized. Sharon Jasper has been rabidly wronged. She has become a Section 8 care case -- the victim of ever changing public housing policies.
Sharon Jasper has spent 57 of her 58 years dedicated to one cause and one cause only, and has nothing to show for her dedicated servitude. She has lived in Section 8 housing all but 1 of her 58 years. It was a legacy passed down from her parents who moved into Section 8 housing in 1949 when she was six months old. She has passed the legacy down to her children, but fears they may have to get jobs to pay for the utilities and deposits.
She laments about her one year hiatus from the comfort of her Section 8 nirvana, ' I tried it for a year -- you know, working and all. It's not anything I would want to go through again, or wish on anyone in my family, but I am damn proud of that year.'
Sharon was moved out of her St. Bernard housing project after hurricane Katrina and into a new, yet albeit, substandard quarterage. As can be noted from the above photo of her new Section 8 home, it is repugnant and not suitable for someone of Sharon Jasper's seniority status in the system. 'Don't be fooled by them hardwood floors,' says Sharon . 'They told me they were putting in scraped wood floors cause it was more expensive and elegant, but I am not a fool -- that was just a way to make me take scratched up wood because I am black. The 60 inch HD TV? It may look nice but it is not a plasma. It's not a plasma because I'm black. Now they want me to pay a deposit and utilities on this dump.' 'Do you know why?'
She has held her tongue in silence through the years of abuse by the system, but it came to a head at the New Orleans city council meeting where discussions were under way about the tearing down of the St. Bernard projects. When a near riotous exchange between groups opposing the tearing down of St. Bernard and groups wanting the dilapidated buildings torn down and newer ones built, Sharon unleashed verbal hell with her once silenced tongue. The object of her oratory prowess was an acquiescent poor white boy in attendance. The context of her scathing rebuke was, 'Just because you pay for my house, my car, my big screen and my food, I will not be treated like a slave!' and 'Back up and Shut up! Shut up, white boy! Shut up, white boy!'
Recapping from the mental log of the city council minutes in her head, Sharon repines, 'Our families have been displaced all over the United States. They are being forced to commit crimes in cities they are unfamiliar with. It is a very uncomfortable situation for them. Bring them back, then let's talk about redevelopment.' Sharon directs the reporter's attention across the street to Duncan Plaza where homeless people are living in tents and states that, 'I might do better out there with one of these tents.' She further lamented her sentiments about her situation. 'I might be poor, but I don't have to live poor.'
=================================================================
Any wonder why this country is in the shape it is???????

2009-02-09T13:27:00.001-08:00

How to Practice Radical Honesty

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Honesty is the first chapter of the book of wisdom. -Thomas Jefferson
You probably tell dozens of little lies and half-truths every day. And you probably spend a significant chunk of your time evaluating what's going on in other people's minds, because they're probably not being completely honest with you. What would happen if you stopped lying? Ditched the brown-nosing and diplomacy? Stopped walking on eggshells? Are you ready to find out?
The "radical honesty" movement was founded by a psychotherapist named Brad Blanton, who insists that everyone would be much happier if we were all completely honest, as in no lies--no matter how small and white they may be. It’s a pledge to see and verbally acknowledge things exactly as they are, to the best of your ability. If you have a habit of stopping short of saying what you really think, turning things around will take time, but the results can be shockingly refreshing.

Steps

Observe yourself lying. Most people lie throughout the day, every day. For example, 60% of people tell an average of two to three lies in a 10-minute conversation![1] So if you try to catch yourself lying--you may be surprised with how often you do it. It can also be enlightening to think about how often the people around you lie (see How to Detect Lies). And remember, the purpose of this step is to observe. Don't judge, or justify, like "Oh, well, I have to lie, or else blah, blah, blah." Rationalization is a product of denial, and denial is a deep form of dishonesty.
- When people ask you how you're doing, do you respond honestly?
- Do you feign interest in something that you're not really interested in?
- Do you find yourself lying in order to avoid hurting someone's feelings?
- Do you bite your tongue? Are you lying by omission?
Think deeply about whether you're really doing anyone a favor by lying. Should you really shelter someone from reality? Are you giving the recipient of your white lie enough credit? Do you assume they're too weak to handle the truth?
- Consider that telling someone the truth presents the opportunity to help them learn how to not take things personally, which is a very valuable life skill to have.
- In a way, it's manipulative and patronizing to pretend to be interested in what someone is saying, when you're really not. That's what we often do with kids, because we consider them too immature and inexperienced to understand that not everyone is interested in what they are interested in. If you treat the people around you the same way you treat children, then you might just find that the people around you act like children.
- Is lying ever really the best way to express compassion? Or is it the easiest way for you to avoid confrontation, rejection, or discomfort? If you're going to lie, then perhaps you can be honest with yourself about why you're lying--don't tell yourself it's for that person's own good, or that you're being kind, when it's really because you don't have the courage to be completely honest yet.[2]
Confess. Once you see how often you lie, try fessing up once in a while. It's usually easier to be honest after the act than during, so this is a good stepping stone. You can start off with lies from the months or years ago (it's easier for people to forgive those, and see them as water under the bridge) and then start confessing about lies that you told days, hours, or even seconds ago. ("Um--actually, just now when I told you I'd be happy eating sushi, I lied. I really don't want sushi, I just wanted to seem cool. Can we get burgers instead?")
- Some people will freak out, and some people will appreciate your candor. This is also a good way to get to know the people around you better - are they receptive and forgiving? Or are they dramatic and manipulative jerks?
- Some confessions are best served with an apology. See How to Apologize.
Uncensor yourself. Now it's time to remove the filters between what you think and what you say. (See the Warnings below.) Can you really speak your mind? Try it. Think out loud for an hour when you're by yourself, and make it a point to say whatever pops into your mind, no matter how random, dirty, or stupid it might be. It's a good warm-up exercise, and you should do it regularly, just to reinforce the direct connection between brain and mouth. Try doing it with a friend (perhaps explain to them what you're doing, and invite them to do it too, like a game). And eventually, try doing it around everyone! Some ideas to jump-start your honesty:
- Admit when you've forgotten someone's name, even if you're supposed to know that person's name because you've known them for years and seen them regularly and you know their kids' names, and even their dog's name.
- Tell someone when you're starting to get bored with the conversation. "I stopped listening about a minute ago" or "I'm not really interested in talking about this" or simply, "I'm bored. I'll be back in ten minutes."
- Express frustration with you co-workers, and even your boss. "I'm annoyed that you didn't respond to our memo earlier. But at the same time, I'm relieved, because then if we don't nail one of the things you want, we can blame any delays on your lack of response."[2]
- Start sentences with the words "I resent you for..." or "I appreciate you for..."[2]
- Read up on How to Practice Nonviolent Communication.
Inject the honesty with humor. This doesn't mean "sugar-coating" the truth by preceding and following it with a gentle reassurance (like How to Give a Feedback Sandwich or -gasp- How to Spin Bad News). This means that when you speak the truth, you express it in cheerful and lighthearted way, like you're giving them a gift, not cutting them with a knife. Take, for example, a waiter asking you how your coffee is (and it's bad):[2]
- (Sheepishly, apologetically) "Uh, yeah. I always have to order espresso here, because the espresso tastes like regular coffee. The regular coffee here is terrible. Can't you guys make stronger coffee?"
- "Yeah, man! This coffee tastes like $&!#!" Followed by a boisterous laugh.
Both statements are unabashedly true. But which one is more likely to be received well?
Take off the edge. Follow up your honesty with a reminder that you're not deliberately trying to break hearts, crush dreams, or hurt feelings. (Unless you are, in which case hopefully the person will read our article on How to Recognize a Manipulative or Controlling Relationship and leave you.)
- Say what you were doing: "I'm just being honest" or "That's what popped into my mind."
- Offer a return to the world of lies: "I want to be honest with you. If you want me stop being honest, I will. Do you want me to?" Or "I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable; I just wanted to express what was on my mind. If you want me to stop, I will."
- Change the subject. In the example of admitting boredom above, try: "Can we talk about something else?" or "Let's talk about something we have in common."
- If possible, express your honesty in person. It allows you to fully experience the ramifications of being radically honest, and makes it harder for the receiving party to run away--which probably means they'll still be there when the shock subsides, and your interaction can recover and move forward.[2]
Brace yourself for return fire. When you are radically honest, some people will respond in like manner. Welcome it. This is a good opportunity to open new dialogue, and discover things about a person that you might have otherwise never known, because you were both too scared of hurting each other's feelings. When you tell your buddy that he really is fat, he might tell you that your beard makes you look like a homeless lumberjack. Respond gracefully!
- "Thanks for telling me."
- "That's fine."
- "That's true!"
- "Really?"
Know where to draw the line. How honest is too honest? In the honesty business, there’s a fine line between radical and reckless. Reckless honesty is the result of pushing the authenticity envelope so far that you shoot yourself in the foot. The border between radical and reckless must be patrolled by your intuition. Sometimes that line is obvious, but sometimes it’s not.
- The founder of the radical honesty movement readily admits that he lies to the IRS, in golf, and in poker.[2]
- Kids are radically honest, but they may not be receptive to it. Their parents may not be receptive to it either. So you might not want to tell a child that their dog didn't really go to a farm, or that Santa Claus doesn't exist, or how you really made that baby.
- See additional Warnings below.

Video

A video featuring Brad Blanton, the therapist who created the "Radical Honesty" concept.

Tips

You're likely to experience a little adrenaline rush before and during acts of radical honesty. You're breaking taboos and taking big social risks.[2] It might be addictive.
Radical honesty can be a good way to pick up the opposite sex. Example: "I didn't really want any tea; I was just trying to figure out a way to delay you so I could talk to you for a while, because I want to go to bed with you."[2] Some people will be utterly disgusted with your honesty, but others will be shocked - and impressed - by your candor.
Address relationship problems in real time. Maintaining integrity in relationships means addressing problems that come up in real-time. Emotions are not chess pieces, and love is not a game of strategy. If you sense that something might be wrong, seek to identify and resolve the issue on the spot. If you’re constantly met with responses like the Solemn Downward Stare, followed by the Evening of Awkward Silence, and the Night Without Sex, then be warned: the game you’re playing isn’t worth winning.
Applying radical honesty in your work means creating things that are of value to you personally, and that hinges on solving problems. But you can't solve problems if you don't acknowledge problems; if you would rather deny them, ignore them, or avoid talking about them because you don't want to "rock the boat". What most frustrates you about your work, and the world in general? Almost every answer to that question is a project or business idea with your name written all over it. Asking “What most frustrates you about the world?” is not only a means of identifying opportunities to create value in your life, it’s also a compass that directs you towards the people that will help make those dreams come true.
Radical self-honesty requires a matching dose of humility. Whatever score you give yourself in any category is almost surely inflated. If the currency by which we measure others is pounds, the currency by which we measure ourselves is yen. Some of these feelings of superior knowledge, skill, or judgement are no doubt justified. But many, if not most of them, aren’t. The moment you become conscious of this, your self-awareness expands. You begin to ask yourself more honest questions and give yourself more honest answers.

Warning

Esquire writer AJ Jacobs, tried radical honesty for one month and considered it the worst month of his life.[3][4] You may not enjoy this "therapy".
At worst, you'll be fired, divorced, disowned, and sued. At best, you'll be considered rude, you'll get invited out more because you're entertaining to be around, and the relationships that remain in your life will be healthier.
Supposedly, men think about sex every three minutes.[2] If this describes you (and you don't have to be a man for it to apply to you) and you're practicing extreme honesty, you'll mention sex every three minutes and this could get you into very big trouble, both socially and legally.
- You might want to read How to Win a Street Fight, in case your radical honesty is directed towards someone else's main squeeze.

Related wikiHows

Sources and Citations

30sleeps.com - Original source of content, shared with permission.

↑ http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2002-06/uoma-urf061002.php

↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 http://www.esquire.com/features/honesty0707

↑ http://otter.covblogs.com/archives/2007/11/notes-a-book-reading-with-aj-jacobs.html

↑ http://www.esquire.com/features/honesty0707

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Practice Radical Honesty. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Listen up Ya 'all true stuff

2008-01-25T09:00:00.000-08:00

Remember the old adage,?
"Had I known I would live this long, I would have taken better care of myself"
No $hit Sherlock, is a very real fact in my life today. Spent about 60 years riding hard and putting myself away wet. News flash people, the piper demands a stiff tribute for this Tom Foolery. The piper is a stern creditor and exacts his pound of flesh without mercy. Read on and make up your own mind.
Had a pain in my side like a sore muscle. Turned out to be a pulmonary embolism. Assuredly you DO NOT want one of these babies. Eat healthy, exercise, get rest and consider an aspirin a day. The after care is almost as bad. A diet of rat poison and other medicines have kept me back & forth for 3 weeks after discharge.
It will be at least 6 months before my life gets back to any semblance of normal.

I'm baaaack..

2007-12-19T20:59:00.001-08:00

Well, since Global warming is all the rage at this point, I have some emails from friends concerning this.

Look this over if you like and add any relevant comments.

--------------------
Subject: FW: 2007 The Year of Global Cooling - MAKE SENSE???

I’ve been proactive and aggressively eco-sensitive since the 70s, when recycling meant making a special trip to one of the few recycling centers. But I consider this popular ‘Global Warming’ hysteria a trumped-up, politically-correct opportunity for more irrelevant and most often counter-productive, artificial constraints and restrictions, and continued cultural self-flagellation.

Do you really want to lessen the negative impact of humans on the earth? Have fewer children. Most of you reading this, already are. On to something more productive...

If it's printed in black'n'white, you can be certain of only one thing: It's printed in black'n'white.
Read, listen, observe critically.

Another great article on the contradictions of "Global Warming".

As I've pointed out before, how do we know the current changes in climate aren't part of the same natural climate cycling that led to the last great ice age melting off? Before we endorse the government's TAKING money from the taxpayers to address climate changes that some associate with human population growth, maybe we should take a closer look over a wider period of time to determine if the current climate changes (warming, cooling or whatever) really are occurring, and whether man's increasing population is really the reason for it, or whether it is just a normal, natural variation of weather.

If human population growth is the issue, perhaps we should address that issue specifically, rather than trying effect change by selling the people on an emotional issue that can't be substantiated by meteorological or geological facts, and that will lead to greater government control over our personal lives.

2007 The Year of Global Cooling
By David Deming
December 19, 2007

Full unedited text at http://www.washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071219/COMMENTARY/10575140

Al Gore says global warming is a planetary emergency. It is difficult to see how this can be so when record low temperatures are being set all over the world. In 2007, hundreds of people died, not from global warming, but from cold weather hazards.

Since the mid-19th century, the mean global temperature has increased by 0.7 degrees Celsius. This slight warming is not unusual, and lies well within the range of natural variation. Carbon dioxide continues to build in the atmosphere, but the mean planetary temperature hasn't increased significantly for nearly nine years. Antarctica is getting colder. Neither the intensity nor the frequency of hurricanes has increased. The 2007 season was the third-quietest since 1966. In 2006 not a single hurricane made landfall in the U.S.

South America this year experienced one of its coldest winters in decades.

In Buenos Aires, snow fell for the first time since the year 1918. Dozens of homeless people died from exposure.
In Peru, 200 people died from the cold and thousands more became infected with respiratory diseases. Crops failed, livestock perished, and the Peruvian government declared a state of emergency.

Unexpected bitter cold swept the entire Southern Hemisphere in 2007.

Johannesburg, South Africa, had the first significant snowfall in 26 years.
Australia experienced the coldest June ever. In northeastern Australia, the city of Townsville underwent the longest period of continuously cold weather since 1941.
In New Zealand, the weather turned so cold that vineyards were endangered.

Last January, $1.42 billion worth of California produce was lost to a devastating five-day freeze.

At the supermarket, citrus prices soared.
In the wake of the freeze, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger asked President Bush to issue a disaster declaration for affected counties.
A few months earlier, Mr. Schwarzenegger had enthusiastically signed the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, a law designed to cool the climate. California Sen. Barbara Boxer continues to push for similar legislation in the U.S. Senate.

In April, a killing freeze destroyed 95 percent of South Carolina's peach crop, and 90 percent of North Carolina's apple harvest.

At Charlotte, N.C., a record low temperature of 21 degrees Fahrenheit on April 8 was the coldest ever recorded for April, breaking a record set in 1923.
On June 8, Denver recorded a new low of 31 degrees Fahrenheit. Denver's temperature records extend back to 1872.

Recent weeks have seen the return of unusually cold conditions to the Northern Hemisphere.

On Dec. 7, St. Cloud, Minn., set a new record low of minus 15 degrees Fahrenheit.
On the same date, record low temperatures were also recorded in Pennsylvania and Ohio.

Extreme cold weather is occurring worldwide.

On Dec. 4, in Seoul, Korea, the temperature was a record minus 5 degrees Celsius.
Nov. 24, in Meacham, Ore., the minimum temperature was 12 degrees Fahrenheit colder than the previous record low set in 1952.
The Canadian government warns that this winter is likely to be the coldest in 15 years
Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri are just emerging from a destructive ice storm that left at least 36 people dead and a million without electric power.

If you think the preceding facts can falsify global warming, you're hopelessly naive. In 2005, a Canadian Greenpeace representative explained “global warming can mean colder, it can mean drier, it can mean wetter.” In other words, all weather variations are evidence for global warming. I can't make this stuff up.

Global warming has long since passed from scientific hypothesis to the realm of pseudo-scientific mumbo-jumbo.

David Deming is a geophysicist, an adjunct scholar with the National Center for Policy Analysis, and associate professor of Arts and Sciences at the University of Oklahoma.

Comment from friend A:
Well, uh, a couple points of interest:
the birthrate in the world hasn't changed much ... it's the death-rate that's changed dramatically: too many people living a WAY lot longer than folks used to ... uh, so maybe gov't should just start mandating an age by which people Have to die?

Okay, if that doesn't amuse you, nothing will. So I'll just make one other point to be irritating: with regard to the cited cold events, there IS irrefutable proof that global warming IS occurring, and at an alarmingly accelerated rate all the time. Photos are graphic in addition to survey measurements of glaciers and sea and polar ice all around the world. People may argue that it is not melting due to human activity all they want ... but the fact that the ice IS melting is not arguable — it's graphic.

As for human activity being the cause, that's pretty measurable too.

cheers :) We're all going to hell in a handbasket!

Comment from friend B:

You don't have to sell me on Gorebul Warming being BS... I've known the author of this piece for almost 20 years... Deming taught in my college at Oklahoma (and still does).

The other skeptic name you hear sometimes is David Legates. He is (or was, I think the PC governor yanked his title) the state climatologist in Deleware. I had him for two different classes when he was at Oklahoma, and when I ran the student computer labs he'd come down and a bunch of us would play Doom against each other on the networks. I still keep in touch with
him.

I have a good friend whose only fault is she's a liberal. Once I got her to sit down, examine the real data, and throw out on the anectdotal evidence (which Deming uses in the opposite direction below), it was easy to convert her on this AND the ozone hole (a myth - it's always been there, CFC's are heavier than air and thus can't reach the middle stratosphere, and what causes the hole - a lack of sunlight in the southern hemisphere winter, means that I am exposed to more UV radiation in 15 minutes on a summer day in Denver than someone stark naked for a week at the South Pole).

Need a good link for all this stuff? JunkScience.com

POLITICOS!!!! & the DO NOT CALL LIST!!

2007-11-20T13:42:00.000-08:00

POLITICOS!!!! & the DO NOT CALL (again) LIST!!

One of my favorite pet peeves...

The do not call list

The do not call list has been a God-send to many of US who like to eat dinner without being hounded by the 'gimme' crowd.

The lawmakers however in their 'finite' wisdom, neglected to include themselves and 'charities' in this legislation. Always strings attached. I have finally noticed a decrease in pleas from the 'We need your help' groups. Now however, they seem to be spawning a legion of 'surveys' who have a cure for something. Sure... they are not a 'sales' organization, but just willing to assist you in a problem you were unaware you had... yup! again...

Now, with the election looming close on the horizon...
instead of the old fashioned phone canvassing, I now have someone's old cast off '386' computer calling with a canned 'vote for me' message. Worse than spam or junkmail

I had the dubious pleasure of no less than 5 calls from the same candidate in 2 days. Actually 2 of them were from other agencies supporting this person. Of course when I called their campaign HQ, they said they had no control over the supporting agencies and couldn't understand why their own office called more than once! I was asked to be sure and let them know if it continued.

Bad enough to have the politicians calling me, but when they are too damned lazy to have a person call, I am done. This entire scenario is so typical of the government's inability to have any true regard for the voters.

I give up... quit.... surrender...

2007-11-18T04:21:00.000-08:00

Thursday I was invited to a VETS Day program at a local school. Actually 2 different schools.

As a Vietnam Vet, I am used to being somewhat of an also-ran. However, my experience here was of the most insulting nature. I have been defiled in a variety of manners, but this was in my estimation slightly worse than being spit on.

At the first school, we had a sit down with the Principal. He seemed like a nice sort, but was deathly afraid of allowing the children to ask questions. Seems they might ask about death. Sure wouldn't want them exposed to that.

The next school was a bit vexing. I felt a bit odd when we entered the auditorium and saw all of the flags on the wall. There were flags from many African countries and most Asian countries, PLUS MEXICO. Nowhere did I see the flags of any of our allies or other Western Nations;

England, Spain, France, Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and too many to mention.

Things became a bit more clear when the choir came out to sing. They were introduced and did a GREAT rendition of the National Anthem. This is a difficult piece for any vocalist, let alone a youth choir to do it A Capella. GREAT job… now if the moron with the mic had gotten it right… seems he thinks God Bless America is The Star Spangled Banner…

Next he presented his slick little PowerPoint presentation. Good for him.

He started out with many pix of WWI Vets and battlefields and graveyards of the WWI era. He flashed through several photos of WWII Vets and went directly a whole series of 911 firefighters. The rest of us who died and bled after WWII I guess have no place in his history. Perhaps I will write more on this some other time. Right now, I am unable to continue.

I think I will turn my ID as a member of the race... it is just not worth it as times

JOB!!! The care & feeding of same and how handy they are to have around.

2007-11-11T20:41:00.000-08:00

I have had an interesting collection of work experiences since I left Romac in the Spring.
On a whim, I went to work for the YWCA maintaining their homeless women's shelters. The job was a good one, but the staff wasn't particularly thrilled to have another man on board. Especially one who was not completely sympathetic and a flag waver for the 'alternate lifestyle' way of thinking. I guess 'live & let live' is no longer acceptable in the land of PC.

The pay was not really up to par, but it was enough to expect from a public service Org. Being able to help was worth the extra $$$. 98% of the clients were real jewels. The other 2% were real unpleasant crones who had the 'hand' out at all times and couldn't see past the tip of their own middle finger.

My boss "M" (who shall remain nameless) was / is a really great woman whom I miss. I miss also the office manager "D" who sort of 'baby-sat' me and helped me through the labyrinth of 'No-No's' that are scattered about like land mines. I also miss my compadre, whom I will call..."J". He was awarded the job of Super for Maintenance. I honestly didn't feel he was up to the task. Well, I must now eat those words. He is doing well as I hear and I wish him all the best.
I had the foolish notion that the 'golden "BOY" ' in the HR Dept was a real HR person and would take care of matters. After a multitude of phone calls and e-mails went unanswered, I faxed him (without instructions from him) some info on my Rx Ins he wanted. Seems I was NOT allowed to be irritated. Next day I had an attorney and a letter from Golden Boy outlining the 'you're fired' part. (must have caught him on a bad day or something… perhaps he broke a nail?? Or possibly a heel???) Oh well... been fired by far better people than him and the person? They sent to carry the axe...

I tried to retreat and lick my wounds from this experience, but couldn’t really find anything that hurt badly enough to require attention. Oh well, back to the grind. :(

I next hooked up with a guy who is a general contractor and has leases on several commercial buildings locally. He needed someone to keep a an eye on two of these. Best he could do was about 20 hrs. a week. He had equipment to work on, but the building was not suitable…. Too bad as he is a good guy and I could have been happy there…

Good ‘ol Volt called and had a job at Hostess Bakeries. Wasn’t too bad, but it was about 3 hrs a day on the bus. Oh also, there was a Super whose sole ability was to shout into other people’s faces and belittle them. Choice was, go to jail on assault charges…. Or leave. I suppose I could have sued, but why bother?

Next was a possible promising spot in a marine repair business working on ‘yachts’ and pleasure vessels.
Now, I don’t know about you, but the words ‘yacht’ and ‘vessel’ conjure up visions of seaworthy blue water boats. His idea was 20 ft plastic boats about 8 feet wide with a one lunger diesel shoehorned behind the ladder. This fat old man just wasn’t up to the challenge. Add to this, an owner who chews Oxycontin like candy for pain….. The day I was there, he complained continuously about all of his previous employees and the guy who was working then. I could hardly wait to hear what he would have to say about me. The next morning I was so sore, I was almost unable to get out of bed and could not tie my shoes… Damn… should have not let my membership with 24 hr fitness lapse. LOL :-)

Well, this coming week starting on Tuesday (Monday is Vets Day Observed) I have interviews. Note to self… wish self luck.

So I started this here blog.....

2007-10-02T19:09:00.000-07:00

So I started this here blog..... I figgerd I could do somethin’ useful with all the time I was wasting on the net.

SO, I started this blog with the intention of chronicling my boredom. Surprise! You guessed’er Chester... On Friday afternoon a fellow calls and asks if I am still seeking gainful employment. I assumed my best bored demeanor and said ‘when do I start?’ So much for playing hard to get. He owns two commercial buildings in the Lynnwood / Mountlake Terrace area and is a general contractor. So in addition to the buildings, he has several pieces of equipment needing service & repair.

Perhaps this could be a very good situation for both of us. I haven’t had to paint anything yet, but I did manage to lose the pass key on my first day and have spent a LOT of time unplugging toilets. Is there some Karma at work here? LOL

I have gotten letters from two women who seem to be really nice. This is a switch. I hope I can at least find a pal if not a girlfriend... sure gets lonesome here at times.

Chin up, shoulders back...

2007-09-27T13:45:00.000-07:00

Well, not a lot of success in the job interview market. All feels well until about the closing minutes. Then the old sick familiar feeling sets in. I cannot say how much not getting an education hurt me.

The woman market is not a lot better. It is amazing, almost 100% of the women I 'speak' with are very defensive online. Small wonder. I guess most guys online are looking for a hit & run. They find it difficult to believe anyone can be a a bit different.

My latest laugh was a woman who was looking for 'complete honesty' and tells me she is suffering from a bad back and will be 'unavailable' until her back gets better. I notice though, her online activity hasn't decreased any. Why not just say... "I don't see a match here"?

Finally managed to get off of my dead butt and get up on the roof to give it a fall cleaning. Great shape! Chimney needs a bit of help though.

The real challenge is still the garage. BOOOOO

Humble? Beginnings...

2007-09-25T20:01:00.000-07:00

I have often considered a blog, but in all honesty, never tipped over as what I have to say; I do not feel would be of interest to anyone save me. However, since I spend so much time here at this 'puter I figure I might as well do something with my wasted time.

I have spent the last several weeks looking into several available jobs AND reviewing the various public service activities I have considered rejoining.