Many of the new government spending programs need to be suspended until someone figures out how much revenue the government is taking in from income taxes and other types of taxes.
This includes suspending all plans to put Obama's health care nightmare into effect.
According to the Associated Press, tax receipts are poised to drop 18% from one year ago, which means the government needs to go on a crash diet immediately. They cannot keep spending more money than they actually have.
Congress ought to forget about health care reform for the time being until we are on firmer ground with the economy. We're already $11 trillion in debt, with another $12 trillion or more in debt on the way.
Stop this madness!
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Government Needs Massive Spending Cuts Now: Income Needs to Exceed Expenses, Not the Other Way Around
It is currently being projected that the U.S. government will have spent $23 trillion by the time this current economic downturn ends, and the economy begins to expand again.
At what point is the solution worse than the actual problem that it's trying to fix?
$23 trillion is approximately double the entire gross domestic product (GDP) of the United States. That doesn't work. The government needs to start scaling stuff back and not be left holding the bag when it's time for the bailed out companies and corporations to start paying their loans back to the taxpayers.
It should also be written into bankruptcy law that if a company that has government bailout money is liquidated, the United States Department of the Treasury gets the proceeds first, to pay the government back for the bailout.
At what point is the solution worse than the actual problem that it's trying to fix?
$23 trillion is approximately double the entire gross domestic product (GDP) of the United States. That doesn't work. The government needs to start scaling stuff back and not be left holding the bag when it's time for the bailed out companies and corporations to start paying their loans back to the taxpayers.
It should also be written into bankruptcy law that if a company that has government bailout money is liquidated, the United States Department of the Treasury gets the proceeds first, to pay the government back for the bailout.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Congress "Retires" F-22 Raptor: NOT
The press is reporting that Congress has officially "retired" the F-22 Raptor, which was to replace several older models of strike fighters operated by the Air Force and Navy.
No they didn't.
They decided to end the production of the F-22, but the 200 that have already been built will remain in service for 10-20 years before the model is officially "retired" by the military, not by Congress.
Congress abandoned the F-22 Raptor in favor of the newer and cheaper F-35 Lightning II, which will be operated by the U.S. military as the "Joint Strike Fighter." They've just placed an order for more F-35s even as they cut production of the F-22.
If this new fighter can do the workload of the F-22 for less cost, then this is a good decision. In it's heyday, the now-retired F-14 Tomcat cost $30 million per copy; the F-22 cost $99 million per copy, which made many in Congress choke on the cost.
For the billions they put into the F-22, the military should use the F-22 Raptor for a while to justify the cost that was put into R&D and procurement of the F-22.
That's a financially sound decision too.
No they didn't.
They decided to end the production of the F-22, but the 200 that have already been built will remain in service for 10-20 years before the model is officially "retired" by the military, not by Congress.
Congress abandoned the F-22 Raptor in favor of the newer and cheaper F-35 Lightning II, which will be operated by the U.S. military as the "Joint Strike Fighter." They've just placed an order for more F-35s even as they cut production of the F-22.
If this new fighter can do the workload of the F-22 for less cost, then this is a good decision. In it's heyday, the now-retired F-14 Tomcat cost $30 million per copy; the F-22 cost $99 million per copy, which made many in Congress choke on the cost.
For the billions they put into the F-22, the military should use the F-22 Raptor for a while to justify the cost that was put into R&D and procurement of the F-22.
That's a financially sound decision too.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Obama's Health Care Math is Fuzzy: Taxing One Group to Pay for Everyone Else Won't Even Come Close to Making Obama's Program Work
President Obama's health care plan is nothing short of full-scale LUNACY.
Taxing the rich to pay for his entire health care proposal won't work: he's talking about insuring 46 million people. There aren't enough American millionaires in existence to come up with the cash necessary to support this plan, which is still in infantile stage. And if they do have enough money to pay for all of this, will they the following year? And the year after that? And the year after that?
What has been left unsaid is how much the government will have to pony up to cover the shortfall in Obama's math.
There is a solution out there, but this isn't it. And the sooner they change their tune, the better.
Taxing the rich to pay for his entire health care proposal won't work: he's talking about insuring 46 million people. There aren't enough American millionaires in existence to come up with the cash necessary to support this plan, which is still in infantile stage. And if they do have enough money to pay for all of this, will they the following year? And the year after that? And the year after that?
What has been left unsaid is how much the government will have to pony up to cover the shortfall in Obama's math.
There is a solution out there, but this isn't it. And the sooner they change their tune, the better.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Sure Feels Like Global Warming, Doesn't It? Thhhp!
So, how does global warming feel to everybody?
Feels like hell has frozen over to me. What? What? Global warming causes temperatures to RISE??!
And what's that, you say? A lack of sunspot activity, you say?
Are the global warming blowhards putting two and two together?
When are the global warming alarmists going to finally admit that sunspot activity plays a much larger role in Earth's weather patterns, and that their gloom and doom forecasts are much more likely to be caused by sunspot activity than "man-made global warming?" There's a contradiction of terms if there's ever one to be found.
The globe is going to do what it wants, regardless of our absence or presence. I think we're in more danger from the hot air coming from self-important egomaniacs from within the global warming crowd. By all means, we should go green with stuff, because it's good for the environment that our struggling civilization lives in, but people ought to knock it off with the lies about global warming to further their own political agendas.
If the ocean rises and consumes our coastline, it's because it's done it before, time and time again, without man being around. Fossil records prove it, which is a constant thorn in the side of the faulty "man-made global warming" science, which has been used to convince the scientifically illiterate that "man-made global warming" is a bigger threat than it actually is. Natural global warming is being used as a tool to further a liberal agenda.
It's the role of the elder generations to leave the environment in better shape than they found it for future generations, which will, in turn, leave it cleaner than they found it for the generations that follow them.
Feels like hell has frozen over to me. What? What? Global warming causes temperatures to RISE??!
And what's that, you say? A lack of sunspot activity, you say?
Are the global warming blowhards putting two and two together?
When are the global warming alarmists going to finally admit that sunspot activity plays a much larger role in Earth's weather patterns, and that their gloom and doom forecasts are much more likely to be caused by sunspot activity than "man-made global warming?" There's a contradiction of terms if there's ever one to be found.
The globe is going to do what it wants, regardless of our absence or presence. I think we're in more danger from the hot air coming from self-important egomaniacs from within the global warming crowd. By all means, we should go green with stuff, because it's good for the environment that our struggling civilization lives in, but people ought to knock it off with the lies about global warming to further their own political agendas.
If the ocean rises and consumes our coastline, it's because it's done it before, time and time again, without man being around. Fossil records prove it, which is a constant thorn in the side of the faulty "man-made global warming" science, which has been used to convince the scientifically illiterate that "man-made global warming" is a bigger threat than it actually is. Natural global warming is being used as a tool to further a liberal agenda.
It's the role of the elder generations to leave the environment in better shape than they found it for future generations, which will, in turn, leave it cleaner than they found it for the generations that follow them.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Going Away for a While: Updates Will be Spread Out
Heading up north for the summer, so I'm not sure how often this will be updated.
Looking forward to getting back on and making more noise real soon.
Looking forward to getting back on and making more noise real soon.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
GM and Chrysler Now Have Credibility as They Finally Admit That They're Bankrupt and HAVE Been Bankrupt for Over a Year
I made a comment last year on this blog that the Big Three were already bankrupt but didn't have the guts to admit it; as of Monday it will be true for two of the Big Three.
GM is set to go into bankruptcy on Monday; Chrysler is already there and restructuring. Ford looks like it's got it's act together and successfully changed course in time to avoid joining GM and Chrysler in bankruptcy court.
The sad part about this is that they could have avoided this problem many months ago, and adapted to changing conditions much more quickly. But they chose not to, preferring not to change their already-decided auto lines to match what was happening in the economy.
I'm not interested in who was more at fault in the bankruptcy of GM and Chrysler; the management vs. union debate has been going on for many decades before this, and will likely continue for many years into the future, once this crisis has abated.
The government needs to complete this work quickly, then get out of Detroit's business. Government doesn't have time to run the auto industry; they can barely manage Washington's problems as it is, without having two auto companies to run as well.
GM is set to go into bankruptcy on Monday; Chrysler is already there and restructuring. Ford looks like it's got it's act together and successfully changed course in time to avoid joining GM and Chrysler in bankruptcy court.
The sad part about this is that they could have avoided this problem many months ago, and adapted to changing conditions much more quickly. But they chose not to, preferring not to change their already-decided auto lines to match what was happening in the economy.
I'm not interested in who was more at fault in the bankruptcy of GM and Chrysler; the management vs. union debate has been going on for many decades before this, and will likely continue for many years into the future, once this crisis has abated.
The government needs to complete this work quickly, then get out of Detroit's business. Government doesn't have time to run the auto industry; they can barely manage Washington's problems as it is, without having two auto companies to run as well.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Why Was Chrysler Taken to Bankruptcy Court in New York, and Not in Michigan, Where It's HQ Is?
I've been mulling over the Chrysler bankruptcy since it happened and one question keeps popping up:
Why did the government file for the bankruptcy in New York, and not in Michigan?
The federal government could just as easily have filed it at a federal courthouse in Michigan, as it did in New York. Many of Chrysler's debts are owed to Michigan businesses.
Not sure what the rationale was for filing this bankruptcy there instead of here, where Chrysler is headquartered.
Why did the government file for the bankruptcy in New York, and not in Michigan?
The federal government could just as easily have filed it at a federal courthouse in Michigan, as it did in New York. Many of Chrysler's debts are owed to Michigan businesses.
Not sure what the rationale was for filing this bankruptcy there instead of here, where Chrysler is headquartered.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Abuse Photos Should Be Released AFTER U.S. Troops Are GONE from Iraq, Not Before
I am of the opinion that the Abu Ghraib prison abuse photos SHOULD be released, but not until U.S. troops are GONE from Iraq, not before.
The ACLU and the media can wait two more years. They've already waited seven. They have NO RIGHT to demand that our troops be placed in any more danger, especially now that the war in Iraq is scheduled to wind down. The release of those photos may shift the sands again and turn Iraqis who are currently helping the U.S. forces against them.
The early release of those photos would be a mistake. The Obama Administration should stand it's ground on that point. When our troops are gone, THEN they can release everything and begin to make amends, but not while there's still shooting going on. We need to stop handing ammunition to the enemy and then having them shoot it back at us.
The ACLU and the media can wait two more years. They've already waited seven. They have NO RIGHT to demand that our troops be placed in any more danger, especially now that the war in Iraq is scheduled to wind down. The release of those photos may shift the sands again and turn Iraqis who are currently helping the U.S. forces against them.
The early release of those photos would be a mistake. The Obama Administration should stand it's ground on that point. When our troops are gone, THEN they can release everything and begin to make amends, but not while there's still shooting going on. We need to stop handing ammunition to the enemy and then having them shoot it back at us.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Cheney is in the News Again: Stirring the Pot Up Again With His Flawed Approach to National Security
Keeping traditions is an important part of our American tradition, and one tradition is that former Presidents of the United States do not criticize their successor for a while.
Former President Bush is honoring this time-honored tradition, saying that he "...doesn't want to criticize President Obama as he deserves my silence." His Vice President, Dick Cheney, is honoring no such tradition. He's been blasting away at Obama's approach to national security.
I thought that Cheney should have resigned alongside President Bush's former Defense Secretary, Don Rumsfeld, due to his contribution to the hype behind the Iraq War, and the mismanagement of the occupation, and his willingness to shred the Constitution in the name of national security.
In fact, I tried to blister both their hides (Rumsfeld and Cheney) with criticisms of those points, to the point that someone who reads this blog sent me an e-mail, warning me to "tone it down" or else I would end up disappearing when "martial law was declared" as that reader put it. I ignored that advice. Martial law was NOT declared, President Bush didn't seize power like some thought he would, and he and Cheney left the White House precisely on time.
Since Cheney has refused to fade quietly into the background, I'm going to dial my criticism of him back up.
And make no mistake, I think Obama's mismanaging things pretty badly, but he'll get his own articles once I have a clearer picture of what direction he's steering us in. For now, Cheney is invoking the wrath of my poison pen. Again.
Human rights should NEVER be sacrificed in the same of national security, as Cheney has suggested. Rather, human rights and national security should go hand in hand. But that means changing what our perception of "national security" is.
"National security" should involve a free American people being able to live their lives, free from fear of terrorists, of criminals, and free of being afraid of what their own government might do to them for speaking up, and criticizing the government. The American people want their government to stand up for the rights of individuals, and to honor and cherish the Bill of Rights, on which their natural rights are confirmed.
Cheney's version of national security involves star chamber justice, weakening the parts of the Constitution that he doesn't like, because they're INCONVENIENT, holding people without trial indefinitely, and denying people accused of crimes the right to challenge their imprisonment, in spite of all the international treaties that the United States has signed that says it would take the lead in upholding international norms of decency and human respect.
Human rights need to be considered in all national security matters, and shouldn't be subordinated. There are ways to do both, and still get the job done. And that's what infuriates me the most about Cheney's approach to things. His approach is that there's only one approach to all of these problems, and human rights can be sacrificed in the name of national security. His inflexibility has made him one of the most controversial Vice-Presidents of all time.
I think in time, history will be kind to Bush, but I'm not so sure about how history will judge Cheney. The damage he inflicted on the Constitution is something that should be held up as the wrong approach to solving the nation's problems.
Former President Bush is honoring this time-honored tradition, saying that he "...doesn't want to criticize President Obama as he deserves my silence." His Vice President, Dick Cheney, is honoring no such tradition. He's been blasting away at Obama's approach to national security.
I thought that Cheney should have resigned alongside President Bush's former Defense Secretary, Don Rumsfeld, due to his contribution to the hype behind the Iraq War, and the mismanagement of the occupation, and his willingness to shred the Constitution in the name of national security.
In fact, I tried to blister both their hides (Rumsfeld and Cheney) with criticisms of those points, to the point that someone who reads this blog sent me an e-mail, warning me to "tone it down" or else I would end up disappearing when "martial law was declared" as that reader put it. I ignored that advice. Martial law was NOT declared, President Bush didn't seize power like some thought he would, and he and Cheney left the White House precisely on time.
Since Cheney has refused to fade quietly into the background, I'm going to dial my criticism of him back up.
And make no mistake, I think Obama's mismanaging things pretty badly, but he'll get his own articles once I have a clearer picture of what direction he's steering us in. For now, Cheney is invoking the wrath of my poison pen. Again.
Human rights should NEVER be sacrificed in the same of national security, as Cheney has suggested. Rather, human rights and national security should go hand in hand. But that means changing what our perception of "national security" is.
"National security" should involve a free American people being able to live their lives, free from fear of terrorists, of criminals, and free of being afraid of what their own government might do to them for speaking up, and criticizing the government. The American people want their government to stand up for the rights of individuals, and to honor and cherish the Bill of Rights, on which their natural rights are confirmed.
Cheney's version of national security involves star chamber justice, weakening the parts of the Constitution that he doesn't like, because they're INCONVENIENT, holding people without trial indefinitely, and denying people accused of crimes the right to challenge their imprisonment, in spite of all the international treaties that the United States has signed that says it would take the lead in upholding international norms of decency and human respect.
Human rights need to be considered in all national security matters, and shouldn't be subordinated. There are ways to do both, and still get the job done. And that's what infuriates me the most about Cheney's approach to things. His approach is that there's only one approach to all of these problems, and human rights can be sacrificed in the name of national security. His inflexibility has made him one of the most controversial Vice-Presidents of all time.
I think in time, history will be kind to Bush, but I'm not so sure about how history will judge Cheney. The damage he inflicted on the Constitution is something that should be held up as the wrong approach to solving the nation's problems.
Thursday, May 07, 2009
Newsweek Asks if New "Star Trek" Film is Morally Relevant Like Original TV Series Was: That's the Wrong Question
"Has Star Trek Lost It's Moral Relevance?" is the title of an article found in the current Newsweek magazine. It bemoans the fact that the new film doesn't take on moral issues like the original Star Trek TV series did, as did subsequent follow-ons series Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: Enterprise. The article complains that it's a shoot-first, blow things up film.
With respect to Newsweek, that's the wrong question to be asking. After all, Star Trek is a mirror-image of our society, taking on popular questions of the day.
If Star Trek IS a mirror-image of us, what does the lack of a theme say about our SOCIETY? That's the question that the article should be asking. Welcome to moral relativism, which seems to be the rule of the day in a large part of our society. This means that the film can't address popular questions of the day, lest it be labeled racist or bigoted for DARING to take a side. See the Miss California debate to test the validity of this statement.
In addition, the film engages in popular trends of the day, introducing sex and a previously unknown relationship between Spock and Uhura into the franchise, as well as revising the history of the established Star Trek universe, which is a big no-no with "Star Trek" fans, alternate timeline notwithstanding.
Besides, not all the films did what the TV series did. The films built off one another, especially Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. The fourth film had a green theme, the fifth film addressed the issue of God-like superbeings, and the sixth and final film of the old series looked at the reconciliation of two civilizations engaged in a long Cold War, paralleling the relationship between the United States and Russia.
And the makers of the film wanted to recapture the feel of Star Trek II, substituting a half-mad Romulan from the future for Khan.
If anyone's responsible for the film not taking on controversial issues of the day, blame the liberal press and various activists, who seems to be leading the charge on criticizing those who might have ideas different from their own and dare to express those ideas, which increases their own (the liberals, that is) hypocrisy of becoming what they behold: the most intolerant people on the planet.
If that's the expectation, then this film is right on target.
With respect to Newsweek, that's the wrong question to be asking. After all, Star Trek is a mirror-image of our society, taking on popular questions of the day.
If Star Trek IS a mirror-image of us, what does the lack of a theme say about our SOCIETY? That's the question that the article should be asking. Welcome to moral relativism, which seems to be the rule of the day in a large part of our society. This means that the film can't address popular questions of the day, lest it be labeled racist or bigoted for DARING to take a side. See the Miss California debate to test the validity of this statement.
In addition, the film engages in popular trends of the day, introducing sex and a previously unknown relationship between Spock and Uhura into the franchise, as well as revising the history of the established Star Trek universe, which is a big no-no with "Star Trek" fans, alternate timeline notwithstanding.
Besides, not all the films did what the TV series did. The films built off one another, especially Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. The fourth film had a green theme, the fifth film addressed the issue of God-like superbeings, and the sixth and final film of the old series looked at the reconciliation of two civilizations engaged in a long Cold War, paralleling the relationship between the United States and Russia.
And the makers of the film wanted to recapture the feel of Star Trek II, substituting a half-mad Romulan from the future for Khan.
If anyone's responsible for the film not taking on controversial issues of the day, blame the liberal press and various activists, who seems to be leading the charge on criticizing those who might have ideas different from their own and dare to express those ideas, which increases their own (the liberals, that is) hypocrisy of becoming what they behold: the most intolerant people on the planet.
If that's the expectation, then this film is right on target.
Powell Should Follow Specter Out the Door: If Anyone Has a Right to, He Sure Does
I do think that Colin Powell should follow Arlen Specter out the door and follow his example, by joining the Democratic Party.
But it's not for the reasons that Limbaugh has stated, which are that he endorsed Obama solely based on race.
I have no comment on that point.
No, Powell should join the Democrats because the Bush Administration royally screwed him during the build-up to the Iraq War, using Powell to press the case for military action against Iraq and sending him before the U.N. Security Council with false information. CIA did Colin Powell no favors and set him up, when they knew they didn't have the evidence that Powell was pressing for to show that Iraq possessed WMDs.
If anyone has a right to be p.o.'ed by what was done to him, it's Powell. I wouldn't blame him if he never appeared at a GOP event again. Who wouldn't be angry by being set up like Powell was by his own party and his own President?
Powell will always be remembered as the Secretary of State who sat before the Security Council and told them that Iraq had WMDs and offered proof of mobile weapons labs, which U.S. and U.K. intelligence services had already discounted but didn't tell Powell about.
On the political side, he belongs to the Democratic wing of the Republican Party. I think he's burned too many bridges to simply go back and continue on as if his endorsement never happened. His pro-choice leanings are incompatible with what has been a pro-life party. He's got more in common with the Democrats than the Republicans these days; I'm surprised he didn't switch when he endorsed Obama.
I don't know if he'll ever be able to live down his actions as Secretary of State. I'm also uncertain if he'll ever return to politics, so his switching sides won't damage the Republicans any more than they already are.
But it's not for the reasons that Limbaugh has stated, which are that he endorsed Obama solely based on race.
I have no comment on that point.
No, Powell should join the Democrats because the Bush Administration royally screwed him during the build-up to the Iraq War, using Powell to press the case for military action against Iraq and sending him before the U.N. Security Council with false information. CIA did Colin Powell no favors and set him up, when they knew they didn't have the evidence that Powell was pressing for to show that Iraq possessed WMDs.
If anyone has a right to be p.o.'ed by what was done to him, it's Powell. I wouldn't blame him if he never appeared at a GOP event again. Who wouldn't be angry by being set up like Powell was by his own party and his own President?
Powell will always be remembered as the Secretary of State who sat before the Security Council and told them that Iraq had WMDs and offered proof of mobile weapons labs, which U.S. and U.K. intelligence services had already discounted but didn't tell Powell about.
On the political side, he belongs to the Democratic wing of the Republican Party. I think he's burned too many bridges to simply go back and continue on as if his endorsement never happened. His pro-choice leanings are incompatible with what has been a pro-life party. He's got more in common with the Democrats than the Republicans these days; I'm surprised he didn't switch when he endorsed Obama.
I don't know if he'll ever be able to live down his actions as Secretary of State. I'm also uncertain if he'll ever return to politics, so his switching sides won't damage the Republicans any more than they already are.
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
Democrat Specter Gets Put Into His Place: Dems Reduce His Seniority on Five Committees to Junior Status
Did Senator Specter really expect to keep his seniority when he switched from the Republican Party to the Democratic Party?
If he was, his hopes were dashed when the Senate demoted him on his committees from the top of the totem pole to the bottom on four of the committees on which he sits, and near the bottom on the fifth committee.
The Democrats did keep his seniority intact outside the committees and in the Senate, but that's all that's left.
I'm sure the Democrats are making him feel welcome, especially when he goes off the reservation like he did a few days ago when he said that the GOP might still win the open Minnesota seat currently being contested by Norm Coleman (R) and Al Franken (D). He discounted his statements as being due from switching parties and not shifting gears quickly enough.
The Democrats were said to be annoyed with the comments.
Democrats in Pennsylvania are lining up to challenge him. And his GOP rival had a 20 point lead on him when he quit the Republican Party. Specter's wish to hold onto power may be dashed by his new friends if he doesn't start parroting the new party line.
And no one seems to be sure if the Democrats are done with reducing Specter's power. But he has less to promise to his new constituents than he did when he was a Republican.
If he was, his hopes were dashed when the Senate demoted him on his committees from the top of the totem pole to the bottom on four of the committees on which he sits, and near the bottom on the fifth committee.
The Democrats did keep his seniority intact outside the committees and in the Senate, but that's all that's left.
I'm sure the Democrats are making him feel welcome, especially when he goes off the reservation like he did a few days ago when he said that the GOP might still win the open Minnesota seat currently being contested by Norm Coleman (R) and Al Franken (D). He discounted his statements as being due from switching parties and not shifting gears quickly enough.
The Democrats were said to be annoyed with the comments.
Democrats in Pennsylvania are lining up to challenge him. And his GOP rival had a 20 point lead on him when he quit the Republican Party. Specter's wish to hold onto power may be dashed by his new friends if he doesn't start parroting the new party line.
And no one seems to be sure if the Democrats are done with reducing Specter's power. But he has less to promise to his new constituents than he did when he was a Republican.
Sunday, May 03, 2009
Looks Like We Need to Keep Our Guard Up: Swine Flu Isn't As Dangerous as First Believed, But It's Hitting Close to Home
A friend of mine just posted that her kid's school over in Grand Rapids is closed due to a student there getting a "probable" case of swine flu.
That's a litle too close for comfort.
Apparently this student has a friend that returned from a visit to Mexico a few weeks ago.
I'm still uncertain as to whether we should let this thing run it's course, or to do whatever we need to in order to stop it now. It seems there is a danger that this thing could mutate into something that resembles the 1918 influenza, which could cause it to go out of control.
I think we need to stay the course for the time being. If it mutates, we could be in deep trouble. Getting things completely back to normal will have to wait for a while.
That's a litle too close for comfort.
Apparently this student has a friend that returned from a visit to Mexico a few weeks ago.
I'm still uncertain as to whether we should let this thing run it's course, or to do whatever we need to in order to stop it now. It seems there is a danger that this thing could mutate into something that resembles the 1918 influenza, which could cause it to go out of control.
I think we need to stay the course for the time being. If it mutates, we could be in deep trouble. Getting things completely back to normal will have to wait for a while.
Saturday, May 02, 2009
Is a Worldwide Alert Necessary for an Influenza That is No More Dangerous Than the Garden-Variety Flu?
Now that more information is known on the swine flu that is going around the world, and it seems to be no more dangerous to humans than the flu that hit over the winter, is there a reason that we shouldn't allow it to run it's course?
Researchers say that the virus is missing a key component that was present in the dangerous 1918 influenza that killed tens of millions around the world.
And now they're saying that they will have vaccines ready within a matter of weeks.
I'm no medical expert, so I'm asking this: is there a reason not to resume normal business and school operations around the country, and around the world? If it's no more dangerous than a normal flu, is there a danger in dropping our defenses? Is there a chance of a mutation that will actually make it dangerous?
These are questions that should be addressed by public health authorities. We don't want to drop our guard too soon, nor do we want to take steps that are medically unnecessary and scare people, schools and others into overreacting, which some are clearly already doing. Four hundred schools were closed on Friday due to H1N1 fears; 98% of them were false alarms, sparked by "suspected" swine flu fears.
There's more questions than answers right now. Hopefully they'll get a handle on this soon so we know what this virus IS and IS NOT.
Researchers say that the virus is missing a key component that was present in the dangerous 1918 influenza that killed tens of millions around the world.
And now they're saying that they will have vaccines ready within a matter of weeks.
I'm no medical expert, so I'm asking this: is there a reason not to resume normal business and school operations around the country, and around the world? If it's no more dangerous than a normal flu, is there a danger in dropping our defenses? Is there a chance of a mutation that will actually make it dangerous?
These are questions that should be addressed by public health authorities. We don't want to drop our guard too soon, nor do we want to take steps that are medically unnecessary and scare people, schools and others into overreacting, which some are clearly already doing. Four hundred schools were closed on Friday due to H1N1 fears; 98% of them were false alarms, sparked by "suspected" swine flu fears.
There's more questions than answers right now. Hopefully they'll get a handle on this soon so we know what this virus IS and IS NOT.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Obama's First 100 Days Are the Most Expensive 100 Days in Human History: 1,360 Days to 2013 Inauguration Day and Possible New Administration
Obama's first 100 days were the most expensive 100 days in human history.
There's no other way to look at it. Even Reagan's massive arms build-up in the 1980s doesn't even come close to matching the amount of money that Obama has managed to commit to "fixing" the banking system and the economy in his first 100 days in office. His spending plans are expected to add $9.3 trillion to the national debt, according to the Congressional Budget Office; Reagan took the national debt up to $3 trillion over eight years.
And Obama's $3.6 trillion budget next year won't even touch paying down the debt. It's all spending, with over 9,000 earmarks that he promised wouldn't be in the bill. Instead of running up the debt, he should be paying it down.
That's what I see when I look at his first 100 days; that's a bigger issue than his kissing up to communists and international gangsters, like the Saudi king and Hugo Chavez.
There's no other way to look at it. Even Reagan's massive arms build-up in the 1980s doesn't even come close to matching the amount of money that Obama has managed to commit to "fixing" the banking system and the economy in his first 100 days in office. His spending plans are expected to add $9.3 trillion to the national debt, according to the Congressional Budget Office; Reagan took the national debt up to $3 trillion over eight years.
And Obama's $3.6 trillion budget next year won't even touch paying down the debt. It's all spending, with over 9,000 earmarks that he promised wouldn't be in the bill. Instead of running up the debt, he should be paying it down.
That's what I see when I look at his first 100 days; that's a bigger issue than his kissing up to communists and international gangsters, like the Saudi king and Hugo Chavez.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Arlen Specter Joins the Democratic Party: All Pro-Choice Republicans Do the Same Thing
Pro-choice Republicans should follow Senator Arlen Spectre out the door and join the Democratic Party.
They're closet Democrats anyways.
The only part of his defection that I disagree with is that he isn't resigning his seat and running under his new party's banner, as a few others have done in the past.
The following senators decided to switch parties and resigned before running for the same seat under their new party (and won the special election):
Wayne Morris (Oregon)
Strom Thurmond (South Carolina)
The following Representatives did the same thing:
Albert Watson (South Carolina)
Phil Gramm (Texas)
Specter was getting killed in the polls against his primary challenger, so this may be a large part of why he's doing this now. And for giving the Democrats their supermajority, they may have offered a deal to Specter in exchange for his defection.
Good riddance.
They're closet Democrats anyways.
The only part of his defection that I disagree with is that he isn't resigning his seat and running under his new party's banner, as a few others have done in the past.
The following senators decided to switch parties and resigned before running for the same seat under their new party (and won the special election):
Wayne Morris (Oregon)
Strom Thurmond (South Carolina)
The following Representatives did the same thing:
Albert Watson (South Carolina)
Phil Gramm (Texas)
Specter was getting killed in the polls against his primary challenger, so this may be a large part of why he's doing this now. And for giving the Democrats their supermajority, they may have offered a deal to Specter in exchange for his defection.
Good riddance.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Nancy Grace Is STILL Going On and On Over the Anthony Case, and I Keep Flipping the Channel: Did Anything Else Happen in the World?
Nancy Grace over at CNN is STILL going on and on over the Caylee Anthony murder case, and I keep flipping the channel as soon as I see the word "Anthony" on the screen.
Yet when I go over to her web site, she has a TON of interesting stuff that never makes it onto the air. Her program would be MUCH more interesting if she didn't beat one case to death, daily, and for months on end.
I can't believe she's spent this much air time on ONE case.
Didn't anything else happen in the world that was newsworthy? Not judging by the content of her program.
Yet when I go over to her web site, she has a TON of interesting stuff that never makes it onto the air. Her program would be MUCH more interesting if she didn't beat one case to death, daily, and for months on end.
I can't believe she's spent this much air time on ONE case.
Didn't anything else happen in the world that was newsworthy? Not judging by the content of her program.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Army Battallion Spends Two Weeks in Iraq, Then Receives Orders to Go to Afghanistan
Wow.
An entire Army battallion that arrived in Iraq in the last few weeks just got orders to head directly to Afghanistan, where their skills set is badly needed.
This doesn't happen too often, where a unit is deployed to one war zone, then gets orders to go to another. The Army logistics people say that it will take between 40-60 flights to get the soldiers, vehicles, and equipment from the 4th Engineering Battallion from Baghdad to southern Afghanistan.
I'm surprised that it actually hasn't happened more, but it appears more likely now that the U.S. military is carrying out their orders to bump up the force in Afghanistan while reducing the size of their force in Iraq.
I think this is a good move as the mine-clearing capability of the 4th Engineers is needed to reduce the number of IED attacks on coalition forces. 60% of coalition losses are now from IED and mine attacks in Afghanistan, and they need to turn that around.
An entire Army battallion that arrived in Iraq in the last few weeks just got orders to head directly to Afghanistan, where their skills set is badly needed.
This doesn't happen too often, where a unit is deployed to one war zone, then gets orders to go to another. The Army logistics people say that it will take between 40-60 flights to get the soldiers, vehicles, and equipment from the 4th Engineering Battallion from Baghdad to southern Afghanistan.
I'm surprised that it actually hasn't happened more, but it appears more likely now that the U.S. military is carrying out their orders to bump up the force in Afghanistan while reducing the size of their force in Iraq.
I think this is a good move as the mine-clearing capability of the 4th Engineers is needed to reduce the number of IED attacks on coalition forces. 60% of coalition losses are now from IED and mine attacks in Afghanistan, and they need to turn that around.
Obama Kisses Chavez's Exterior Posterior: SHAME on Obama for Putting His Weakness on Display!
Obama's disgusting ass-kissing continued unabated at the Summit of the Americas, where he took turns kissing Chavez and Castro's exterior posteriors.
Is he going to start waving a piece of paper around saying "Peace in our time" like Neville Chamberlain did before Hitler's armies started rampaging across Europe?
Venezuela needs to be put into its proper place, not appeased. Chavez will use his massive arms buildup to arm insurgents all across South America and make the drug war in Mexico look like a picnic. He's already been accused of sending arms across his border to topple governments that he doesn't like.
Making friends with Hugo Chavez? I'm afraid to find out what Obama's going to do next. I'm not impressed with his making friends with soon-to-be-bankrupt Venezuela and it's communist leader. He's handed Chavez a HUGE propaganda victory.
I don't think this is fitting behavior for a U.S. President.
Is he going to start waving a piece of paper around saying "Peace in our time" like Neville Chamberlain did before Hitler's armies started rampaging across Europe?
Venezuela needs to be put into its proper place, not appeased. Chavez will use his massive arms buildup to arm insurgents all across South America and make the drug war in Mexico look like a picnic. He's already been accused of sending arms across his border to topple governments that he doesn't like.
Making friends with Hugo Chavez? I'm afraid to find out what Obama's going to do next. I'm not impressed with his making friends with soon-to-be-bankrupt Venezuela and it's communist leader. He's handed Chavez a HUGE propaganda victory.
I don't think this is fitting behavior for a U.S. President.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Tea Party Media Coverage Shows How Far Liberal Networks Have Fallen: Their New Format Sucks
The liberals seem to be very upset that their "monopoly" on grass-roots movements was thrown into the toilet. The Tea Parties went ahead as planned, and all the liberal media could do was criticize the people who went there, call them a bunch of racists, and make sex jokes.
It shows how inept the media has become.
While conservative media outlets dutifully covered liberal protests, like the Sheehan protests at former President Bush's ranch in Texas and the 700,000 out of a million-man march, and other liberal "grass-roots" (rent-a-mob) protests, such as the illegal-immigration protests, the liberal media didn't even cover the Tea Parties from a neutral standpoint.
MSNBC and CNN took the lead in denouncing the Tea Parties as white power racist protests against President Obama. I saw a lot of non-whites at the Michigan Tea Parties. Are they racists too?
MSNBC isn't even reporting the news anymore; the paradigm has shifted so radically there that it makes Fox News look like a pure news program with it's mix of news and personality-based political programs.
This pure aggression coming from MSNBC and the other liberal outlets won't help their ratings; it will appeal only to their own audiences. To prove the point, take a look at the ratings from April 15th: (credit: tvbythenumbers.com)
Judging by the above numbers, the liberals need to change their tactics. After all, they created the very environment that Fox News now excels in, due to their catering their programs to liberal Democrats and trying to demonize the other side. And all they can do is CRY about Fox News and the success that it enjoys.
But the new format that they seem to have adopted will backfire. We really need the networks to get back to reporting the news AS-IS, without fanfare and without Nancy Grace-ing it to DEATH.
It shows how inept the media has become.
While conservative media outlets dutifully covered liberal protests, like the Sheehan protests at former President Bush's ranch in Texas and the 700,000 out of a million-man march, and other liberal "grass-roots" (rent-a-mob) protests, such as the illegal-immigration protests, the liberal media didn't even cover the Tea Parties from a neutral standpoint.
MSNBC and CNN took the lead in denouncing the Tea Parties as white power racist protests against President Obama. I saw a lot of non-whites at the Michigan Tea Parties. Are they racists too?
MSNBC isn't even reporting the news anymore; the paradigm has shifted so radically there that it makes Fox News look like a pure news program with it's mix of news and personality-based political programs.
This pure aggression coming from MSNBC and the other liberal outlets won't help their ratings; it will appeal only to their own audiences. To prove the point, take a look at the ratings from April 15th: (credit: tvbythenumbers.com)
Live + Same Day Cable News Daily Ratings for April 15, 2009
P2+ = viewers over the age of 2
(25-54) = Adults 25-54 viewing
(35-64) = Adults 35-64 viewing
Prime Time = 8-11pm
LIVE+SD: The number that watched a program either while it was broadcast OR watched via DVR on the same day [through 3AM the next day] the program was broadcast. For more information see Numbers 101.
- Scratch = when a show’s audience fails to meet minimum Nielsen reporting levels. For more information go here.
P2+ Total Day
FNC – 1,589,000 viewers
CNN – 711,000 viewers
MSNBC –479,000 viewers
CNBC – 249,000 viewers
HLN – 400,000 viewers
P2+ Prime Time
FNC – 3,390,000 viewers
CNN—1,070,000 viewers
MSNBC –1,210,000 viewers
CNBC – 167,000 viewers
HLN – 909,000 viewers
25-54 Total Day
FNC –444,000 viewers
CNN –207,000 viewers
MSNBC –150,000 viewers
CNBC –59,000 viewers
HLN- 173,000 viewers
25-54 Prime Time
FNC – 864,000 viewers
CNN –290,000 viewers
MSNBC –388,000 viewers
CNBC – a scratch w/ 45,000 viewers
HLN – 334,000 viewers
35-64 Total Day
FNC –732,000 viewers
CNN –321,000 viewers
MSNBC –241,000 viewers
CNBC –111,000 viewers
HLN- 217,000 viewers
35-64 Prime Time
FNC –1,406,000 viewers
CNN – 404,000 viewers
MSNBC –603,000 viewers
CNBC –86,000 viewers
HLN –487,000 viewers
Morning programs (6:00AM-9:00AM) P2+ (25-54) (35-64)
FOX & Friends –1,049,000 viewers (335,000) (581,000)
American Morning- 518,000 viewers (202,000) (305,000)
Morning Joe-395,000 viewers (119,000) (200,000)
Squawk Box-210,000 viewers (53,000) (120,000)
Morning Express w/ Meade- 348,000 viewers (162,000) (198,000)
6PM - P2+ (25-54) (35-64)
Special Report w/Bret Baier – 2,401,000 viewers (541,000) (1,927,000)
Situation Room—942,000 viewers (280,000) (427,000)
Ed Show —563,000 viewers (118,000) (233,000)
Mad Money—228,000 viewers (75,000) (111,000)
Prime News—341,000 viewers (135,000) (199,000)
7PM - P2+ (25-54) (35-64)
Fox Report w/Shepard Smith– 2,185 ,000 viewers (531,000) (943,000)
Lou Dobbs –870,000 viewers (265,000) (426,000)
Hardball w/Chris Matthews—737,000 viewers (182,000) (321,000)
Kudlow Report —238,000 viewers (62,000) (123,000)
Issues– 644,000 viewers (226,000) (329,000)
8PM - P2+ (25-54) (35-64)
O’Reilly Factor —3,980,000 viewers (927,000) (1,623,000)
Campbell Brown—892,000 viewers (209,000) (346,000)
Countdown w/Keith Olbermann —1,499,000 viewers (483,000) (707,000)
CNBC Reports – 203,000 viewers (53,000) (95,000)
Nancy Grace –1,336,000 viewers (454,000) (669,000)
9 PM - P2+ (25-54) (35-64)
Hannity– 3,239,000 viewers (866,000) (1,348,000)
Larry King Live—1,292,000 viewers (349,000) (449,000)
Rachel Maddow Show —1,149,000 viewers (363,000) (550,000)
American Greed—198,000 viewers (95,000) (a scratch w/ 48,000)
Lou Dobbs Tonight- 590,000 viewers (327,000) (189,000)
10 PM P2+ (25-54) (35-64)
On the Record w/Greta—2,947,000 viewers (799,000) (1,243,000)
Anderson Cooper—1,026,000 viewers (311,000) (417,000)
Countdown w/Keith Olbermann —981,000 viewers (317,000) (552,000)
On the Money – a scratch w/ 99,000 viewers, (a scratch w/ 33,000) (69,000)
Nancy Grace –848,000 viewers (379,000) (492,000)
11 PM P2+ (25-54) (35-64)
O’Reilly Factor —2,090 ,000 viewers (741,000) (1,063,000)
Anderson Cooper—663,000 viewers (214,000) (286,000)
Rachel Maddow Show –609,000 viewers (231,000) (354,000)
Mad Money—a scratch w/89,000 viewers (a scratch w/ 35,000) (a scratch w/ 50,000)
Showbiz Tonight– 561,000 viewers (290,000) (308,000)
For other days cable news ratings click here.
----------------Judging by the above numbers, the liberals need to change their tactics. After all, they created the very environment that Fox News now excels in, due to their catering their programs to liberal Democrats and trying to demonize the other side. And all they can do is CRY about Fox News and the success that it enjoys.
But the new format that they seem to have adopted will backfire. We really need the networks to get back to reporting the news AS-IS, without fanfare and without Nancy Grace-ing it to DEATH.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
U.S. Navy Rescues American Captain Being Held on Lifeboat: Navy Did a Great Job
The American being held hostage by Somali pirates was freed earlier today, after he managed to escape them, and the pirates subsequently tangled with waiting U.S. Navy SEALs, who were itching for a fight with the pirates. Three of the pirates were killed in the shootout, and the fourth was taken prisoner.
Captain Phillips was unharmed and thanked the SEALs and the Navy for rescuing him.
I'm very glad to see this crisis resolved, thanks to the professionalism of the Navy, and the willingness of President Obama to do what must be done to deal with these thugs.
The various world navies need rules of engagement that allow them to take action against the pirates.
The Law of the Sea Treaty seems to be hindering international action to secure the shipping lanes along Somalia's coast. Something needs to be done about this so that order can be restored on the high seas. It seems to me that long-held American objections to this treaty are justified, as the treaty's weaknesses are now on full display for the entire world to see.
I don't expect any U.N. action to be taken to correct the problem. They are less likely to agree on a course of action than ever before.
Captain Phillips was unharmed and thanked the SEALs and the Navy for rescuing him.
I'm very glad to see this crisis resolved, thanks to the professionalism of the Navy, and the willingness of President Obama to do what must be done to deal with these thugs.
The various world navies need rules of engagement that allow them to take action against the pirates.
The Law of the Sea Treaty seems to be hindering international action to secure the shipping lanes along Somalia's coast. Something needs to be done about this so that order can be restored on the high seas. It seems to me that long-held American objections to this treaty are justified, as the treaty's weaknesses are now on full display for the entire world to see.
I don't expect any U.N. action to be taken to correct the problem. They are less likely to agree on a course of action than ever before.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Navy Can Safely Disable Approaching Pirate Ships: Pirates Must Not Be Allowed to Make It to Shore With Their Hostage
The Navy is concerned that seized international ships that are manned by pirate crews are going to interfere in the ongoing hostage crisis off the coast of Somalia.
It doesn't have to be that way. I'd rather see the Navy shoot out the engine rooms of the pirate vessels and set them adrift too. Or blow off a screw with a well-placed torpedo. Then make them the same deal that they're currently offering to the pirates in the lifeboat.
The Navy cannot allow the pirates to succeed.
It doesn't have to be that way. I'd rather see the Navy shoot out the engine rooms of the pirate vessels and set them adrift too. Or blow off a screw with a well-placed torpedo. Then make them the same deal that they're currently offering to the pirates in the lifeboat.
The Navy cannot allow the pirates to succeed.
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
White House Denies Presidential Bow to Saudi King: Putting a Spin on this Miscue Makes the Situation Worse
The White House attempted to put a political spin on President Obama's deep bow to Saudi King Faud while at the G-20 summit in London, saying it wasn't a bow at all.
Horsecrap!
What the hell was he doing way down there? Giving King Faud a presidential blo...never mind.
Of course not. But they would have us believe that it was ANYTHING but a bow to a foreign ruler, in spite of this serious breach of protocol being caught on video and in pictures. They ought to admit that the President screwed up, apologize and move on.
But instead he's having his spin doctors try to hoodwink the rightly-offended American public---of which nearly 60,000,000 people didn't vote for him---and his strategy isn't working. Now he's got two screw-ups to fix instead of one.
I don't even want to think about what he would do if he met with Kim Jong Il or with Uncle Fidel, who the Congressional Black Caucus likes very much. There's enough drivel coming from that group of lawmakers to make me SICK!
I'm waiting to see if the White House attempts to squirm its way out of the first two problems, or if they come clean.
Horsecrap!
What the hell was he doing way down there? Giving King Faud a presidential blo...never mind.
Of course not. But they would have us believe that it was ANYTHING but a bow to a foreign ruler, in spite of this serious breach of protocol being caught on video and in pictures. They ought to admit that the President screwed up, apologize and move on.
But instead he's having his spin doctors try to hoodwink the rightly-offended American public---of which nearly 60,000,000 people didn't vote for him---and his strategy isn't working. Now he's got two screw-ups to fix instead of one.
I don't even want to think about what he would do if he met with Kim Jong Il or with Uncle Fidel, who the Congressional Black Caucus likes very much. There's enough drivel coming from that group of lawmakers to make me SICK!
I'm waiting to see if the White House attempts to squirm its way out of the first two problems, or if they come clean.
Monday, April 06, 2009
Obama's Bow to Saudi King is Latest Example of How Weak of a Leader Obama Is: U.S. Heads of State DO NOT BOW to State Terror Sponsors
I'm seriously annoyed by President Obama's kowtowing to Europe and to the G-20, with particular regards to France and Germany.
Obama kissed so much ass that it was sickening. And his bow to the Saudi king was the last straw.
Below is two different bows to two different sovereigns. The first bow to Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip was totally appropriate. The second bow to King Faud was not. What the hell was he doing?
Then there's the speeches that Obama made to the public over in Europe to score points. Denouncing his own country and his own people while representing them while in foreign territory was the dumbest move that I've ever seen a President make.
And what of his stated foreign policy goals for this trip? It's been disaster after disaster; the Europeans manhandled President Obama with relative ease. He's going to have a lot of explaining to do when he gets back home. The media needs to do their jobs and put President Obama on the spot to explain himself and his gaffes.
Forget about Bush, Obama is the most devisive leader we've had in living memory. I am not in agreement with any of his policy statements; there's no common ground between him and the conservative opposition-at-large.
He needs to quit putting Karl Marx's book into practice. We don't like it, and we don't want it.
Obama kissed so much ass that it was sickening. And his bow to the Saudi king was the last straw.
Below is two different bows to two different sovereigns. The first bow to Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip was totally appropriate. The second bow to King Faud was not. What the hell was he doing?
Then there's the speeches that Obama made to the public over in Europe to score points. Denouncing his own country and his own people while representing them while in foreign territory was the dumbest move that I've ever seen a President make.
And what of his stated foreign policy goals for this trip? It's been disaster after disaster; the Europeans manhandled President Obama with relative ease. He's going to have a lot of explaining to do when he gets back home. The media needs to do their jobs and put President Obama on the spot to explain himself and his gaffes.
Forget about Bush, Obama is the most devisive leader we've had in living memory. I am not in agreement with any of his policy statements; there's no common ground between him and the conservative opposition-at-large.
He needs to quit putting Karl Marx's book into practice. We don't like it, and we don't want it.
Sunday, April 05, 2009
North Korea Launches Ballistic Missile Over Japan: Why Are We Still Pussyfooting Around With This Commie Runt?
North Korea went ahead and launched a ballistic missile over Japan and into the Pacific Ocean, in total defiance of the international community and the UN Security Council, which prohibited North Korea from playing with it's military hardware.
And the end result of this anger that's been building against North Korea? Absolutely nothing, from a do-nothing Security Council.
We can end North Korea's missile program right now. All Washington and Tokyo have to do is declare North Korea's missile launching facilities as weapons testing ranges for the United States and Japan. Whenever a missile is set up for launching by North Korea, the two countries conduct missile and bomb testing on the North Korean missile while it's still on the ground. Or they shoot it down while it's in the air, denying the North Koreans their research data.
We need to quit pussyfooting around with North Korea and start throwing serious punches at North Korea's missile development program. North Korea is too childish to be trusted with advanced military hardware and cannot be trusted under the current regime.
They're already launching missiles over Japanese territory, which doesn't make other nations in the region very happy. And they're continuing to rattle their sabers at Japan, the U.S., South Korea and the United Nations.
It's better to deal with them now before they develop the means to put a nuclear warhead onto their ballistic missiles and they can actually hit something without their missiles falling apart in mid-flight.
And the end result of this anger that's been building against North Korea? Absolutely nothing, from a do-nothing Security Council.
We can end North Korea's missile program right now. All Washington and Tokyo have to do is declare North Korea's missile launching facilities as weapons testing ranges for the United States and Japan. Whenever a missile is set up for launching by North Korea, the two countries conduct missile and bomb testing on the North Korean missile while it's still on the ground. Or they shoot it down while it's in the air, denying the North Koreans their research data.
We need to quit pussyfooting around with North Korea and start throwing serious punches at North Korea's missile development program. North Korea is too childish to be trusted with advanced military hardware and cannot be trusted under the current regime.
They're already launching missiles over Japanese territory, which doesn't make other nations in the region very happy. And they're continuing to rattle their sabers at Japan, the U.S., South Korea and the United Nations.
It's better to deal with them now before they develop the means to put a nuclear warhead onto their ballistic missiles and they can actually hit something without their missiles falling apart in mid-flight.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Political Correctness Crowd on the March: First "Retard," Then What? "DUH?"
Retard!
That's the latest word (and all it's variations) that the political correctness crowd is going after.
I was hoping it would be something a little more interesting so I could draw my line in the sand, but since "retard" is the target that they've chosen, it is the word I will defend, on principle alone. I don't really care if it's quietly dropped from the American lexicon or if people use it.
But I will jump on the person who jumps on someone who's exercising their First Amendment freedom of speech and freedom to be a retard.
I respect Special Olympics, but they're getting into a political movement that they have no business taking their organization into.
That's the latest word (and all it's variations) that the political correctness crowd is going after.
I was hoping it would be something a little more interesting so I could draw my line in the sand, but since "retard" is the target that they've chosen, it is the word I will defend, on principle alone. I don't really care if it's quietly dropped from the American lexicon or if people use it.
But I will jump on the person who jumps on someone who's exercising their First Amendment freedom of speech and freedom to be a retard.
I respect Special Olympics, but they're getting into a political movement that they have no business taking their organization into.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Why Did John Murtha Receive a Navy Award? He Has Yet to Apologize to the Haditha Marines for Falsely Accusing Them of "Cold-Blooded Murder"
Before he left his office a week ago, Secretary of the Navy Don Winter quietly awarded Congressman John Murtha the highest Navy civilian award (the Navy Distinguished Service Award) for his loyalty to members of the Department of the Navy.
As word as gotten out, the veterans have started to react very negatively to the award.
Murtha has yet to apologize for falsely accusing Marines from the 3rd Battallion, 1st Marine unit of murdering Iraqi civilians in Haditha, Iraq. During the 2006 midterm elections, he accused the marines of "cold-blooded murder", even as they were being arraigned on the charges. He found them guilty in the media before the courts-martial commenced.
Two years later, with six of the eight Marines exonerated, the seventh found "not guilty" and the eighth still on trial, he hasn't recanted any of his statements, which were widely seen as a political speech to ensure a Democratic take-over of Congress as the mid-term elections were approaching.
I agree with the veterans. Murtha's actions and refusal to apologize to the innocent Marines for his ill-considered and hurtful statements should disqualify him from being awarded this award.
As word as gotten out, the veterans have started to react very negatively to the award.
Murtha has yet to apologize for falsely accusing Marines from the 3rd Battallion, 1st Marine unit of murdering Iraqi civilians in Haditha, Iraq. During the 2006 midterm elections, he accused the marines of "cold-blooded murder", even as they were being arraigned on the charges. He found them guilty in the media before the courts-martial commenced.
Two years later, with six of the eight Marines exonerated, the seventh found "not guilty" and the eighth still on trial, he hasn't recanted any of his statements, which were widely seen as a political speech to ensure a Democratic take-over of Congress as the mid-term elections were approaching.
I agree with the veterans. Murtha's actions and refusal to apologize to the innocent Marines for his ill-considered and hurtful statements should disqualify him from being awarded this award.
Monday, March 23, 2009
ANOTHER $1 Trillion Bailout? Congress Should Ban This Bill From Even Making It Through the Front Door
At last we come down to the nitty gritty.
The Obama Administration now wants to relieve the banks of their failed leverage debts, and clear the decks of Wall Street's Folly.
The cost: $1 trillion or more.
No, ABSOLUTELY NOT! The banks need to get on a payment plan and start paying off their own problems, instead of Uncle Sam coming to the rescue. Again.
The homeowners who defaulted are not at fault for the banks accumulating so much leverage debt. That's the fault of Wall Street, and they should be held to account for their own actions, the same as everybody else.
What's to stop them from doing the same exact thing, when the economy is roaring along again?
Any member of Congress voting for this cockamamie plan should RESIGN! Enough is enough! Congress should be screaming bloody murder, despite what Wall Street thinks. After all, it's Wall Street that fueled the engine that took us straight off the cliff in the first place. They were originally opposed to this course of action, as I recall from earlier posts. Why are they so enthusiastically in favor of it now?
The banks are going to proceed at the same pace regardless of what happens with this piece of garbage proposal. If they get it, it'll take months to restore the credit lines; if they don't, it'll still take months. Both courses of action will take us to the same place, so why shouldn't they take care of their own mess?
The entire Congress should walk out of the Capitol to protest bailing out Wall Street's Folly before unanimously rejecting it.
The Obama Administration now wants to relieve the banks of their failed leverage debts, and clear the decks of Wall Street's Folly.
The cost: $1 trillion or more.
No, ABSOLUTELY NOT! The banks need to get on a payment plan and start paying off their own problems, instead of Uncle Sam coming to the rescue. Again.
The homeowners who defaulted are not at fault for the banks accumulating so much leverage debt. That's the fault of Wall Street, and they should be held to account for their own actions, the same as everybody else.
What's to stop them from doing the same exact thing, when the economy is roaring along again?
Any member of Congress voting for this cockamamie plan should RESIGN! Enough is enough! Congress should be screaming bloody murder, despite what Wall Street thinks. After all, it's Wall Street that fueled the engine that took us straight off the cliff in the first place. They were originally opposed to this course of action, as I recall from earlier posts. Why are they so enthusiastically in favor of it now?
The banks are going to proceed at the same pace regardless of what happens with this piece of garbage proposal. If they get it, it'll take months to restore the credit lines; if they don't, it'll still take months. Both courses of action will take us to the same place, so why shouldn't they take care of their own mess?
The entire Congress should walk out of the Capitol to protest bailing out Wall Street's Folly before unanimously rejecting it.
South Africa's Refusal to Allow Dalai Lama to Participate in Peace Conference Actually Encourages Bad Chinese Diplomatic Behavior: They'll Do It Again
South Africa set off a wave of protests and threats of boycotts of it's soon-to-be-held peace conference when it knuckled under to Chinese diplomatic pressure and refused the Dalai Lama to participate in the conference by denying him a visa.
Former South African President FW De Klerk and Archbishop Desmond Tutu announced that they were boycotting the conference until South Africa reversed its position and allowed the Tibetan leader to come.
South Africa is more worried about the 2010 World Cup, and its own interests, rather than the interests of the peace conference that they're hosting. They've lost a lot of credibility around the globe while earning China's praise. Costly move, because now the Chinese government knows it can bully the South African government around whenever China's interests are at stake.
For a democracy to cave in to China is disturbing. De Klerk said it best: "South Africa is a sovereign constitutional democracy and should not allow other countries to dictate to it regarding who it should, and should not admit to its territory - regardless of the power and influence of the country."
Perhaps South Africa should ask another nation to host this peace conference.
Former South African President FW De Klerk and Archbishop Desmond Tutu announced that they were boycotting the conference until South Africa reversed its position and allowed the Tibetan leader to come.
South Africa is more worried about the 2010 World Cup, and its own interests, rather than the interests of the peace conference that they're hosting. They've lost a lot of credibility around the globe while earning China's praise. Costly move, because now the Chinese government knows it can bully the South African government around whenever China's interests are at stake.
For a democracy to cave in to China is disturbing. De Klerk said it best: "South Africa is a sovereign constitutional democracy and should not allow other countries to dictate to it regarding who it should, and should not admit to its territory - regardless of the power and influence of the country."
Perhaps South Africa should ask another nation to host this peace conference.
Paparazzi and Media Should Leave Octuplet Family Alone: Story is Boring Anyways
The news media and the paparazzi should let the octuplet baby story fade from the headlines, but they're not ready to do it let. They're milking it for all that it's worth.
And now that the paparazzi are in on the act, any hope at decency and calm is gone. They were climbing on the family's vehicle in an attempt to get photographs of the first of the babies coming home. And they were inside the garage as family members were screaming "get out!" The police were called and had to clear 250 people out of the area.
This lady has enough problems, and I hope that they (the media) dial down the coverage to an absolute minimum. And the magazines should completely drop their coverage too, so that the paparazzi have no further financial reason to hang around there.
Frankly, this story has pretty much run its course; whenever I see coverage of it on the news, I flip the channel to one of the other stations carrying more interesting stuff.
And now that the paparazzi are in on the act, any hope at decency and calm is gone. They were climbing on the family's vehicle in an attempt to get photographs of the first of the babies coming home. And they were inside the garage as family members were screaming "get out!" The police were called and had to clear 250 people out of the area.
This lady has enough problems, and I hope that they (the media) dial down the coverage to an absolute minimum. And the magazines should completely drop their coverage too, so that the paparazzi have no further financial reason to hang around there.
Frankly, this story has pretty much run its course; whenever I see coverage of it on the news, I flip the channel to one of the other stations carrying more interesting stuff.
State of Michigan Should Reject 11% Rate Hike Proposal From Power Companies: Companies Shouldn't Be Raising Rates as Economy Flatlines
Power companies Consumers Energy and Detroit Edison want to hike the rates of Michigan customers by 11% in order to pay for upgrades to the electrical system to bring them into compliance for federal emissions standards.
The rate hike request has been sent to Lansing for consideration.
Michigan's legislative committee that approves or rejects such proposals should reject these rate hikes and the power companies should delay the projects.
Michigan has sufficient electrical power to handle the current needs of the state. While the upgrades are important, they don't have to be made all at once; it can be done a little at a time while minimizing the impact to families that are already having trouble paying for their winter heating bills.
As the economy improves, they can do more and ask for more money, but not when the economy is still in a nosedive and more people lose their jobs.
The rate hike request has been sent to Lansing for consideration.
Michigan's legislative committee that approves or rejects such proposals should reject these rate hikes and the power companies should delay the projects.
Michigan has sufficient electrical power to handle the current needs of the state. While the upgrades are important, they don't have to be made all at once; it can be done a little at a time while minimizing the impact to families that are already having trouble paying for their winter heating bills.
As the economy improves, they can do more and ask for more money, but not when the economy is still in a nosedive and more people lose their jobs.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Congress Passes Bill That May Not Be Constitutional: Is This Really the Best Way to Deal With Golden Parachutes?
The House of Representatives passed a bill that severely taxes those companies that accept federal bailouts on one hand but pay out golden parachutes (bonuses) to their past and present executives on the other. The bill is designed to address public anger over AIG and other companies paying out millions of dollars to the people that got us into this mess in the first place.
While I think that the companies have earned the public black eye that they've gotten over the last few weeks, the measure passed in the House may not pass Constitutional muster. Hasn't the Constitution been shredded enough over the last eight years? Has anyone even heard of "due process" in Congress? And targeted severe taxes on specific companies and not any others, which is prohibited in the Constitution as a "bill of attainder?"
The Democratic Congress and the Administration are messing things up good. They're acting quite hastily, and the kind of legislation born in haste usually ends up being really bad legislation.
I disagree with any measure taken by Congress that violates the Constitution.
While I think that the companies have earned the public black eye that they've gotten over the last few weeks, the measure passed in the House may not pass Constitutional muster. Hasn't the Constitution been shredded enough over the last eight years? Has anyone even heard of "due process" in Congress? And targeted severe taxes on specific companies and not any others, which is prohibited in the Constitution as a "bill of attainder?"
The Democratic Congress and the Administration are messing things up good. They're acting quite hastily, and the kind of legislation born in haste usually ends up being really bad legislation.
I disagree with any measure taken by Congress that violates the Constitution.
Detroit City Council Makes Fools Out of Themselves Again: Ingrates Demand Leno Do an Additional Free Show
What happens when you put undereducated people in charge of a major metropolitan area?
You get people wearing tiaras like they're fairy godmothers or princesses, one member of the group calling another "Shrek," the same member getting into physical confrontations with the media and with the police, and getting into arguments with school children over how she behaves in public.
This same person insulted someone else over their health and hearing aid, and called the kettle black when she said that the member she was insulting was "undereducated." And when she didn't get the type of hotel room that she wanted prior to the Democratic National Convention, she called 911 to solve the situation.
Welcome to the Detroit City Council. The council member in question above is the current President of the Council, Monica Conyers. On to more recent history:
Jay Leno decided to go out of his way to bring a little bit of comic relief to the Detroit area, and when he announced that his free show would be at the Palace of Auburn Hills, instead of organizing buses to transport people going to the show, City Council President Conyers and Council member Reeves brazenly demanded "Where's ours?" and phoned Leno to demand that he hold another show within the city of Detroit, and that it be free as well.
Would they like some cheese with all that whining? Little wonder that Detroit is in such a mess, and it has nothing to do with the economy either, despite the 22% unemployment rate. The tween twit in charge of the council really needs to crawl back into whatever hole she came out of and grow up for another twenty years. She's too incompetent to be in charge of Michigan's largest city.
Leno went along with it, scheduling the additional show during his vacation time. The theatrics of the Detroit City Council is an embarassment to the entire state, and not just to the people of Detroit.
Would the people of the city PLEASE turn these people out at the next election?
You get people wearing tiaras like they're fairy godmothers or princesses, one member of the group calling another "Shrek," the same member getting into physical confrontations with the media and with the police, and getting into arguments with school children over how she behaves in public.
This same person insulted someone else over their health and hearing aid, and called the kettle black when she said that the member she was insulting was "undereducated." And when she didn't get the type of hotel room that she wanted prior to the Democratic National Convention, she called 911 to solve the situation.
Welcome to the Detroit City Council. The council member in question above is the current President of the Council, Monica Conyers. On to more recent history:
Jay Leno decided to go out of his way to bring a little bit of comic relief to the Detroit area, and when he announced that his free show would be at the Palace of Auburn Hills, instead of organizing buses to transport people going to the show, City Council President Conyers and Council member Reeves brazenly demanded "Where's ours?" and phoned Leno to demand that he hold another show within the city of Detroit, and that it be free as well.
Would they like some cheese with all that whining? Little wonder that Detroit is in such a mess, and it has nothing to do with the economy either, despite the 22% unemployment rate. The tween twit in charge of the council really needs to crawl back into whatever hole she came out of and grow up for another twenty years. She's too incompetent to be in charge of Michigan's largest city.
Leno went along with it, scheduling the additional show during his vacation time. The theatrics of the Detroit City Council is an embarassment to the entire state, and not just to the people of Detroit.
Would the people of the city PLEASE turn these people out at the next election?
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
President Should Come to Michigan With His Advisers and Talk to People Standing in Unemployment Lines About Economic "Turnaround"
Looking out the window again, I can see the cue building up at the unemployment agency across the street, and the place doesn't open up for another couple of hours.
Perhaps President Obama and his advisers should come to Michigan and pay a few visits to these unemployment agencies--in Lansing, Flint, Grand Rapids and Detroit in particular--and tell the people standing in line that the economy has turned around. See what their reaction is to that tidbit of political good news.
Time for a reality check, Mr. President.
Perhaps President Obama and his advisers should come to Michigan and pay a few visits to these unemployment agencies--in Lansing, Flint, Grand Rapids and Detroit in particular--and tell the people standing in line that the economy has turned around. See what their reaction is to that tidbit of political good news.
Time for a reality check, Mr. President.
Monday, March 16, 2009
GOP Senator Tells AIG Leadership to "Resign or Commit Suicide": This Man Needs a SHRINK!
Is GOP Senator Charles Grassley out of his friggin' mind?
He was expressing his extreme displeasure with AIG executives over the fact that they're talking about giving out millions in taxpayer-funded dollars to themselves for a very poor job, when he committed a HUGE blunder.
He said in a radio interview that they should either resign or go out the "Japanese way", meaning killing themselves.
I'm very unhappy with these idiot companies too, but I can't and won't agree with someone telling someone else to kill themselves, under ANY circumstances. I have no respect for Senator Grassley or for what he said.
If he can't get a handle on his emotions, perhaps he should resign and let someone with MUCH more maturity and self-control take charge of his seat. His spokespeople are out doing damage control now, but some things are best left unsaid to begin with. He SCREWED UP, and offended God knows how many families who are dealing the issue of suicide.
Suicide is too touchy of an issue for it to be thrown carelessly around by a politician who probably knows nothing about it, is insensitive to the needs of others, and can't communicate without revealing his utter stupidity.
Idiot!
He was expressing his extreme displeasure with AIG executives over the fact that they're talking about giving out millions in taxpayer-funded dollars to themselves for a very poor job, when he committed a HUGE blunder.
He said in a radio interview that they should either resign or go out the "Japanese way", meaning killing themselves.
I'm very unhappy with these idiot companies too, but I can't and won't agree with someone telling someone else to kill themselves, under ANY circumstances. I have no respect for Senator Grassley or for what he said.
If he can't get a handle on his emotions, perhaps he should resign and let someone with MUCH more maturity and self-control take charge of his seat. His spokespeople are out doing damage control now, but some things are best left unsaid to begin with. He SCREWED UP, and offended God knows how many families who are dealing the issue of suicide.
Suicide is too touchy of an issue for it to be thrown carelessly around by a politician who probably knows nothing about it, is insensitive to the needs of others, and can't communicate without revealing his utter stupidity.
Idiot!
Obama Administration Says Economy's Turned Around? What Planet Are They On??!
The economy is sound, eh?
All I have to do is look out the front window of my house to the state unemployment office across the street and see the line extending out the front door to know that this economy definitely ISN'T sound. And the cars parked in front of my house with the drivers walking over there to join the line just reinforces this observation.
The economy is a LONG ways from turning around. What planet is the Obama Administration broadcasting from, because it certainly ISN'T this one!
Just because the stock market is up over the last five days doesn't mean A THING! It's still down 6,947 points from a year ago and down 3,000 points since President Obama took office. What's causing the stock market to rise is Obama not issuing press releases or having press conferences.
When the line isn't running out the door at the unemployment office and the cars aren't piled up in front of my house, and Michigan workers aren't losing their jobs left and right, THEN I'll believe his rhetoric, but not now.
What I'm watching out my own front window doesn't square with the rhetoric.
All I have to do is look out the front window of my house to the state unemployment office across the street and see the line extending out the front door to know that this economy definitely ISN'T sound. And the cars parked in front of my house with the drivers walking over there to join the line just reinforces this observation.
The economy is a LONG ways from turning around. What planet is the Obama Administration broadcasting from, because it certainly ISN'T this one!
Just because the stock market is up over the last five days doesn't mean A THING! It's still down 6,947 points from a year ago and down 3,000 points since President Obama took office. What's causing the stock market to rise is Obama not issuing press releases or having press conferences.
When the line isn't running out the door at the unemployment office and the cars aren't piled up in front of my house, and Michigan workers aren't losing their jobs left and right, THEN I'll believe his rhetoric, but not now.
What I'm watching out my own front window doesn't square with the rhetoric.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Pentagon Rethinking Two War Strategy: It's About Time!
The Pentagon appears to be rethinking it's policy of being prepared to fight two major wars simultaneously and still having enough force left to put up a fight somewhere else.
This policy has been in place since World War II and has been the cornerstone of American military strategy . But they're re-examining the policy now that America has had two wars going on for over six years, and their resources are stretched mighty thin.
With 170,000 soldiers deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, we don't have the necessary conventional ground forces to stop a North Korean attack on South Korea or a Chinese attack on Taiwan if trouble were to break out in that part of the world right now. The Navy and Air Force would have to carry the fight to the enemy until ground troops could be redeployed in a huge hurry.
Secretary Gates is engaged in a top-to-bottom review of every aspect of planning for wars of the future. Budgeting, weapons purchases, staffing, training, and the entire gambit of planning that goes into equipping a military force is being looked at.
I'm relieved that they're looking at this, though I am troubled that it's taken six years for them to get around to it. This should have been talked about much more thoroughly before troops were sent into Iraq.
The sooner the military wraps things up in Iraq, the sooner balance can be restored to the international scene. A threat of military force against an aggressor is only effective if there is muscle behind it. North Korea has realized this, and has effectively called our bluff. They realized that no American army will materialize to threaten them if they rattle their sabers around a bit while we're still engaged in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Iran is playing the same game; so is Venezuela. "When the cat's away the mice will play" seems to be the strategy being employed by North Korea, Venezuela and Iran; pretty soon the cat will be back, and those mice are going to start running for their lives.
Then we'll see how much they enjoy our undivided attention.
This policy has been in place since World War II and has been the cornerstone of American military strategy . But they're re-examining the policy now that America has had two wars going on for over six years, and their resources are stretched mighty thin.
With 170,000 soldiers deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, we don't have the necessary conventional ground forces to stop a North Korean attack on South Korea or a Chinese attack on Taiwan if trouble were to break out in that part of the world right now. The Navy and Air Force would have to carry the fight to the enemy until ground troops could be redeployed in a huge hurry.
Secretary Gates is engaged in a top-to-bottom review of every aspect of planning for wars of the future. Budgeting, weapons purchases, staffing, training, and the entire gambit of planning that goes into equipping a military force is being looked at.
I'm relieved that they're looking at this, though I am troubled that it's taken six years for them to get around to it. This should have been talked about much more thoroughly before troops were sent into Iraq.
The sooner the military wraps things up in Iraq, the sooner balance can be restored to the international scene. A threat of military force against an aggressor is only effective if there is muscle behind it. North Korea has realized this, and has effectively called our bluff. They realized that no American army will materialize to threaten them if they rattle their sabers around a bit while we're still engaged in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Iran is playing the same game; so is Venezuela. "When the cat's away the mice will play" seems to be the strategy being employed by North Korea, Venezuela and Iran; pretty soon the cat will be back, and those mice are going to start running for their lives.
Then we'll see how much they enjoy our undivided attention.
Former Detroit Mayor Has Been Punished: Does Releasing the Rest of His Raunchy Text Messages Serve a Purpose, Other Than to Punish Him More?
Former Detroit Mayer Kwame Kilpatrick was released from jail within the last few weeks and his former Chief of Staff is to be released from jail on Monday, following convictions of perjury and witness tampering.
So someone in the Detroit Clerk's office decided now would be a good time to release 6,000 more text messages; some are sexually explicit.
The cover story is that the text messages were released to determine if Kilpatrick did anything else. That smells of a witch-hunt. Why release the text messages publicly, instead of turning them over to the prosecutor's office? And why now, and not before the trial took place?
Or are they planning on keeping this man and his sordid affairs front and center for the news media to sell more papers?
Kilpatrick has since filed a $100 million retaliatory lawsuit against the cell phone carrier who released the messages originally. But I don't think it's going to go anywhere, since the monthly bill was paid by the taxpayers of Detroit and therefore falls under the auspices of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). That part of the story will be interesting to watch.
As far as everything else goes, it looks and sounds like someone taking revenge against Kilpatrick, who got what he had coming to him.
Either charge him, or get off his case.
So someone in the Detroit Clerk's office decided now would be a good time to release 6,000 more text messages; some are sexually explicit.
The cover story is that the text messages were released to determine if Kilpatrick did anything else. That smells of a witch-hunt. Why release the text messages publicly, instead of turning them over to the prosecutor's office? And why now, and not before the trial took place?
Or are they planning on keeping this man and his sordid affairs front and center for the news media to sell more papers?
Kilpatrick has since filed a $100 million retaliatory lawsuit against the cell phone carrier who released the messages originally. But I don't think it's going to go anywhere, since the monthly bill was paid by the taxpayers of Detroit and therefore falls under the auspices of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). That part of the story will be interesting to watch.
As far as everything else goes, it looks and sounds like someone taking revenge against Kilpatrick, who got what he had coming to him.
Either charge him, or get off his case.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Another Point on Last Post
I'd like to add another point to my last post about Pelosi not flying commercial like everybody else.
In my humble opinion, international terrorists will leave Nancy Pelosi alone so that she's inflicted on us if they manage to take out the President and Vice-President. The Speaker of the House is #3 in line of succession.
God help us if Pelosi winds up in charge for ANY reason. Stay healthy, Mr. President and Mr. Vice-President. Please.
In my humble opinion, international terrorists will leave Nancy Pelosi alone so that she's inflicted on us if they manage to take out the President and Vice-President. The Speaker of the House is #3 in line of succession.
God help us if Pelosi winds up in charge for ANY reason. Stay healthy, Mr. President and Mr. Vice-President. Please.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Pelosi & Co. Need To Stop Treating the U.S. Air Force Like It's Their Private Airline: If They Want Their Own Aircraft They Should Purchase Them
Speaker Pelosi & Co. are in Judicial Watch's spotlight again, and it's an old tune that the Speaker and her friends haven't grown tired of yet.
They keep requesting military aircraft to fly them around the country, rather than flying commercial like everybody else.
If they want all of these aircraft at their disposal, then perhaps they shouldn't be cutting the military budget. The U.S. Air Force is not their private airline. If they don't like that, perhaps they should contract with the Yankee Air Force or some other private organization to fly them all over the place.
I thank the Air Force for not cooperating, whether it was intentional or unintentional. They've got more important things to do than fly these Congressional airheads around.
Congress ought to fly commercial, just like we have to.
They keep requesting military aircraft to fly them around the country, rather than flying commercial like everybody else.
If they want all of these aircraft at their disposal, then perhaps they shouldn't be cutting the military budget. The U.S. Air Force is not their private airline. If they don't like that, perhaps they should contract with the Yankee Air Force or some other private organization to fly them all over the place.
I thank the Air Force for not cooperating, whether it was intentional or unintentional. They've got more important things to do than fly these Congressional airheads around.
Congress ought to fly commercial, just like we have to.
Still Too Many Sex Offenders Using Myspace and Facebook: General Public Needs to Do It's Part Too
I recently turned in a name to Facebook of a convicted sex offender who was using the social networking site and got a message back that they had dealt with the problem.
I happened upon him accidentally as I was looking at a friend's profile and saw that this guy, who spent five years in jail for sexual assault and was a classmate of mine from college, had established a profile.
I also know both of his victims--both 13 year olds at the time who would have been horrified to see him up on Facebook and communicating with other teen girls. I had no problem getting him thrown off of Facebook--I sent a link to his registry entry in my state's sex offender registry to Facebook and they put two and two together themselves.
I'm no crusader to get people thrown off any social networking sites.
But sex offenders are not supposed to be on social networking sites, yet there are tens of thousands of them using Facebook and Myspace, even risking going back to jail in some states.
Myspace has banned 90,000 convicted sex offenders from using their web site. Facebook hasn't released any information yet on how many they've barred. I know that they've barred one.
The general public needs to be aware that if they find someone that they know who are convicted sex offenders on a site like the two social sites discussed already, to contact those web sites and let them determine if the person involved falls under their guidelines, as forty-nine attorneys general have insisted that they do.
They're breaking the law by doing what they're doing and risking going back to jail. That isn't the sign of someone who is complying with the law and squaring their debt to society. If they were, they'd give Facebook and Myspace a WIDE berth and follow the instructions of their supervisors completely, no matter how unjustly they feel they're being treated.
I happened upon him accidentally as I was looking at a friend's profile and saw that this guy, who spent five years in jail for sexual assault and was a classmate of mine from college, had established a profile.
I also know both of his victims--both 13 year olds at the time who would have been horrified to see him up on Facebook and communicating with other teen girls. I had no problem getting him thrown off of Facebook--I sent a link to his registry entry in my state's sex offender registry to Facebook and they put two and two together themselves.
I'm no crusader to get people thrown off any social networking sites.
But sex offenders are not supposed to be on social networking sites, yet there are tens of thousands of them using Facebook and Myspace, even risking going back to jail in some states.
Myspace has banned 90,000 convicted sex offenders from using their web site. Facebook hasn't released any information yet on how many they've barred. I know that they've barred one.
The general public needs to be aware that if they find someone that they know who are convicted sex offenders on a site like the two social sites discussed already, to contact those web sites and let them determine if the person involved falls under their guidelines, as forty-nine attorneys general have insisted that they do.
They're breaking the law by doing what they're doing and risking going back to jail. That isn't the sign of someone who is complying with the law and squaring their debt to society. If they were, they'd give Facebook and Myspace a WIDE berth and follow the instructions of their supervisors completely, no matter how unjustly they feel they're being treated.
More Democratic Waste on the Way: Pelosi Says to Keep the Door Open on Second Stimulus
Not content with their fill of pork, Congressional leaders appear to be lining the little piggies up for more of the same, saying that they needed to keep the door open for a second stimulus package.
When will this utter stupidity come to an end? When the country is bankrupt from all of this garbage that they're signing off on?
Generational theft doesn't come close to covering what they're doing. It's so vile and obscene that the current English language doesn't come close to having a term to describe what the Democrats are doing, along with Republican turncoats who are supporting the Democrats.
Those who vote "NO" are doing us and themselves a favor; they'll be proven correct soon enough. And I dread the day when that prediction comes true. Money doesn't grow on trees; it has to be generated, and it won't be generated until the workforce is back on it's feet and producing, and people are buying their products.
But they're spending money that is years away from being generated by the economy. They shouldn't be gambling with money that they don't have and doesn't belong to them.
When will this utter stupidity come to an end? When the country is bankrupt from all of this garbage that they're signing off on?
Generational theft doesn't come close to covering what they're doing. It's so vile and obscene that the current English language doesn't come close to having a term to describe what the Democrats are doing, along with Republican turncoats who are supporting the Democrats.
Those who vote "NO" are doing us and themselves a favor; they'll be proven correct soon enough. And I dread the day when that prediction comes true. Money doesn't grow on trees; it has to be generated, and it won't be generated until the workforce is back on it's feet and producing, and people are buying their products.
But they're spending money that is years away from being generated by the economy. They shouldn't be gambling with money that they don't have and doesn't belong to them.
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
OINK!! OINK!! The Piggies are Back at the Trough Again: So Much for Change We Can Believe In
President Obama and Congress decided to break their "no pork" campaign promises and pack the budget full of pork projects.
Change we can believe in, eh? BULL HONKEY!! This looks to me like Bush III.
Someone pass the mustard, because we're all going to be eatin' this pork for a LOOOONG time to come.
Start shoveling!
Change we can believe in, eh? BULL HONKEY!! This looks to me like Bush III.
Someone pass the mustard, because we're all going to be eatin' this pork for a LOOOONG time to come.
Start shoveling!
Media Should Leave Jennifer Aniston Alone: She's Not on the Taxpayer Dime and Can Do What She Wants With Her Own Money
Fox News reported that actress Jennfier Aniston spent $50,000 on her hair during a recent PR stint for her new movie Marley & Me (an EXCELLENT movie), while average Americans are having to cut back.
I don't have an issue with someone spending their own money on their own stuff. She IS helping part of the economy.
If Uncle Sam were paying for it, I'd be pulling my own hair out, but that isn't the case at all. I think the media ought to give her a break and let her spend her money the way she wants to.
I wouldn't spend $50,000 on styling my hair, that's for sure, but if she wants to, more power to her.
I don't have an issue with someone spending their own money on their own stuff. She IS helping part of the economy.
If Uncle Sam were paying for it, I'd be pulling my own hair out, but that isn't the case at all. I think the media ought to give her a break and let her spend her money the way she wants to.
I wouldn't spend $50,000 on styling my hair, that's for sure, but if she wants to, more power to her.
Tuesday, March 03, 2009
Limbaugh ISN'T In Charge of GOP: Dems Making Hay Out of Limbaugh's Telling GOP What to Do
Democratic leaders have been reacting to a speech that Limbaugh gave to the Republican political action group (CPAC) last week, saying that Limbaugh is running the GOP.
So?
Maybe he ought to.
But the fact is, that he isn't; he's giving the Republicans a much-needed kick in the seat of their pants to get them back on track.
They've been off track for quite some time now, and voters punished them. Limbaugh has been screaming bloody murder since the Republicans started trying to out-Democrat the Democrats and turned their backs on their core principles of reducing government, lowering taxes and other conservative issues.
The GOP ought to listen to Rush and keep saying "no" to socialist proposals. It may cost them in the short term, but it'll be worth it in the long run.
So?
Maybe he ought to.
But the fact is, that he isn't; he's giving the Republicans a much-needed kick in the seat of their pants to get them back on track.
They've been off track for quite some time now, and voters punished them. Limbaugh has been screaming bloody murder since the Republicans started trying to out-Democrat the Democrats and turned their backs on their core principles of reducing government, lowering taxes and other conservative issues.
The GOP ought to listen to Rush and keep saying "no" to socialist proposals. It may cost them in the short term, but it'll be worth it in the long run.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Obama's Budget Has $1.75 Trillion Shortfall: He Should Balance the Budget By Cutting $1.75 Trillion in Spending
President Obama's budget spends more than it takes in by $1.75 trillion. He shouldn't stand for that and cut at least $1.8 trillion out of his spending proposals.
Yes, that's trillion with a "t." He can start by cutting out the big bailouts and let the system self-adjust, as painful as it will be. All they have to do is protect the value of the U.S. currency, as is Constitutionally required. That will leave him about $800 billion to cut in spending.
He should make these cuts now, and inject the system with a bit of self-discipline, which will help us more in the long run, rather than loaning billions to companies that will fail, unless they learn how to take in more than they spend.
But the socialists won't allow that to happen. They'll keep throwing other people's money at the problem until we are teetering on the brink. How many more problems are they going to create in trying to solve the current ones?
Yes, that's trillion with a "t." He can start by cutting out the big bailouts and let the system self-adjust, as painful as it will be. All they have to do is protect the value of the U.S. currency, as is Constitutionally required. That will leave him about $800 billion to cut in spending.
He should make these cuts now, and inject the system with a bit of self-discipline, which will help us more in the long run, rather than loaning billions to companies that will fail, unless they learn how to take in more than they spend.
But the socialists won't allow that to happen. They'll keep throwing other people's money at the problem until we are teetering on the brink. How many more problems are they going to create in trying to solve the current ones?
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Further Proof that Bailouts Just Delayed the Inevitable: GM Exploring Bankruptcy & AIG Needs Billions More Too
I had written a while back about my opposition to the bailouts and how the companies that were on the receiving end were responsible for their own problems, that the bailouts were pushing their failures a little further around the road.
I had also said that the auto industry was already bankrupt but didn't have the guts to admit it.
Trillions of dollars and a few short months later, we begin to see the danger signs that I predicted back in October. CITI Group is about to be nationalized due to their continued massive losses; GM is exploring three bankruptcy options, in addition to their seeking an additional $16 billion on top of the $13 billion they've already received, and AIG needs billions more on top of the $150 billion it's already gotten from taxpayers.
And they're STILL paying out their multi-million dollar bonuses to their executives. Tactless.
The bailouts were a mistake from day one. The companies should not have been nationalized; government shouldn't have put taxpayers on the line for NEARLY as much as they have. I can see some interventions, but only to prevent crippling the national currency against other markets. I'd rather have been on the hook for $200-$250 billion instead of nearly $5 trillion.
Government's running wild and needs to get a grip. Knee-jerk reactions haven't helped; they've only made matters much much worse. GM needs to get under bankruptcy protection this week. Would CITI's collapse weaken the dollar? What about AIG's?
There are some very stark decisions that will have to be made shortly. I hope everyone's up to it, because the writing's on the wall, and decision time is nearly at hand.
I had also said that the auto industry was already bankrupt but didn't have the guts to admit it.
Trillions of dollars and a few short months later, we begin to see the danger signs that I predicted back in October. CITI Group is about to be nationalized due to their continued massive losses; GM is exploring three bankruptcy options, in addition to their seeking an additional $16 billion on top of the $13 billion they've already received, and AIG needs billions more on top of the $150 billion it's already gotten from taxpayers.
And they're STILL paying out their multi-million dollar bonuses to their executives. Tactless.
The bailouts were a mistake from day one. The companies should not have been nationalized; government shouldn't have put taxpayers on the line for NEARLY as much as they have. I can see some interventions, but only to prevent crippling the national currency against other markets. I'd rather have been on the hook for $200-$250 billion instead of nearly $5 trillion.
Government's running wild and needs to get a grip. Knee-jerk reactions haven't helped; they've only made matters much much worse. GM needs to get under bankruptcy protection this week. Would CITI's collapse weaken the dollar? What about AIG's?
There are some very stark decisions that will have to be made shortly. I hope everyone's up to it, because the writing's on the wall, and decision time is nearly at hand.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Obama Administration Back-Pedals on Habeus Corpus at Guantanamo and Human Rights in China: MAJOR Disappointments
In the space of one week, the Obama Administration decided that the writ of Habeas Corpus doesn't apply to the prisoners being at Guantanamo Bay, and abandoned challenging China to improve it's domestic human rights policies.
These are MAJOR let-downs as far as I'm concerned.
I had hoped that the Obama Administration would turn things around quit feeding the Constitution to the shredding machine, but sadly, it isn't going to happen.
When are defenders of this Bush-era doctrine going to realize that if we do that kind of crap to foreigners, that the same treatment is only a few steps away from being carried out on American citizens as well? Invoking national security to hold onto someone we don't like will prove to be too tempting for a government to resist. It's only a matter of time now.
Secretary Sniper-Fire announced during her first visit to China as Secretary of State that she's had these discussions with Chinese leaders for the last decade, and both sides know what the other's position is. That's NO reason for backing down from China. And I don't care how much we need China's money either. We need to keep the pressure up on China.
Habeas corpus is NOT optional either. Setting our own Constitution aside for the moment, we agreed to it in the United Nations charter, having pushed the organization to adopt it over the objections of the Soviet Union. We need to live up to our international obligations NOW, not when it's more convenient.
If Obama wants to clean up America's image, he needs to get with the program and start DOING it.
These are MAJOR let-downs as far as I'm concerned.
I had hoped that the Obama Administration would turn things around quit feeding the Constitution to the shredding machine, but sadly, it isn't going to happen.
When are defenders of this Bush-era doctrine going to realize that if we do that kind of crap to foreigners, that the same treatment is only a few steps away from being carried out on American citizens as well? Invoking national security to hold onto someone we don't like will prove to be too tempting for a government to resist. It's only a matter of time now.
Secretary Sniper-Fire announced during her first visit to China as Secretary of State that she's had these discussions with Chinese leaders for the last decade, and both sides know what the other's position is. That's NO reason for backing down from China. And I don't care how much we need China's money either. We need to keep the pressure up on China.
Habeas corpus is NOT optional either. Setting our own Constitution aside for the moment, we agreed to it in the United Nations charter, having pushed the organization to adopt it over the objections of the Soviet Union. We need to live up to our international obligations NOW, not when it's more convenient.
If Obama wants to clean up America's image, he needs to get with the program and start DOING it.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Can Government Be Sued By Conservative Talk Radio for Restraint of Trade if Gov't Reinstates Fairness Doctrine?
Every conservative talk-radio personality has been harping on the possibility of the Fairness Doctrine returning, in which their host radio stations will either be forced to take on liberal talk shows, or the conservative shows will be forced to present a more balanced viewpoint during their own air time.
Neither is acceptable.
The radio stations know that liberal talk-radio is a money-losing proposition. Air America's business model was so screwed up that they couldn't find enough advertisers to offset their major expenses, and Air America went under in 2006. It relaunched not long after that, fired some people and took to the air again with varying results. Their ratings remain at a fraction of the conservative talk-shows, and so does their profitability.
Their remaining stations are tempted daily to switch over to all-sports programming to turn a profit, because they definitely aren't making it with left-wing programming.
So if the government reinstates the Fairness Doctrine, are they vulnerable to lawsuits from conservative talk-radio and the stations for restraint of trade, by forcing them to air unprofitable and unpopular programming? Not to mention all the First Amendment issues that come boiling up to the surface as well.
Limbaugh, Hannity, Savage, and Glenn Beck remain the top four talk-radio shows in the country. To give you an idea of how far apart the two audiences are, Air America had a 1.6 market share in Spring 2008; Limbaugh's share was a 13.5 for the same time period.
A fairness doctrine will only be fair if it also targets liberal networks CNN, MSNBC, ABC, CBS and NBC for a more balanced viewpoint as well, but I don't see that happening. Nor do any of the talk shows.
Keep the Fairness Doctrine in the trash heap, FCC. Don't bring it back.
Neither is acceptable.
The radio stations know that liberal talk-radio is a money-losing proposition. Air America's business model was so screwed up that they couldn't find enough advertisers to offset their major expenses, and Air America went under in 2006. It relaunched not long after that, fired some people and took to the air again with varying results. Their ratings remain at a fraction of the conservative talk-shows, and so does their profitability.
Their remaining stations are tempted daily to switch over to all-sports programming to turn a profit, because they definitely aren't making it with left-wing programming.
So if the government reinstates the Fairness Doctrine, are they vulnerable to lawsuits from conservative talk-radio and the stations for restraint of trade, by forcing them to air unprofitable and unpopular programming? Not to mention all the First Amendment issues that come boiling up to the surface as well.
Limbaugh, Hannity, Savage, and Glenn Beck remain the top four talk-radio shows in the country. To give you an idea of how far apart the two audiences are, Air America had a 1.6 market share in Spring 2008; Limbaugh's share was a 13.5 for the same time period.
A fairness doctrine will only be fair if it also targets liberal networks CNN, MSNBC, ABC, CBS and NBC for a more balanced viewpoint as well, but I don't see that happening. Nor do any of the talk shows.
Keep the Fairness Doctrine in the trash heap, FCC. Don't bring it back.
U.S. Relations With Pakistan Sometimes Need Secrecy: Blabbing About It Won't Help Pakistan's Situation on the Ground
The U.S. relationship with Pakistan has always been a little tricky, especially in recent decades. And some arrangements have had to be done in secret in order to keep the various Pakistani governments out of trouble with their own people and with the wider Muslim world.
For instance, when it was decided in the 1980s that the U.S. was going to supply Afghan freedom fighters with anti-aircraft missiles and other heavy weapons to shoot down Soviet Hind gunships and hurt the Red Army, a deal was struck between Israel, the U.S. and Pakistan, which insisted upon secrecy out of fear of offending not only the Soviets, but also the Muslim world by working with the Israelis.
In the early days of the campaign, the Israelis would help provide Soviet-built or inspired weapons, and would transfer them to Pakistan, who would be in charge of getting the weapons to the mujaheddin who were killing Soviet soldiers.
That story was not publicly known until well after the Soviet Red Army withdrew from Afghanistan.
The Soviets were aware of Pakistan's involvement in the Soviet-Afghan War later on; they took enough prisoners during the war to confirm that the Pakistanis were arming the Afghan rebels; the KGB and their Afghan allies struck at a munitions depot outside of Islamabad in 1988, and carried out more than one hundred attacks on targets inside of Pakistan throughout the duration of the war.
Fast forward to earlier this week. The British news story that showed American aircraft at a Pakistani base in 2006 hasn't helped the Pakistani government. They're surrendering territory to the Taliban even now, and this story will only destabilize the Pakistani government even more.
Pakistan will continue to help us, but not if the press and our Congress blab about everything.
The press should be a little more sensitive to the situation in Pakistan and understand that their reporting will have a severe impact on the government there. Do we really want a Taliban government in Islamabad? We don't, but the way that the press has been acting, they might.
For instance, when it was decided in the 1980s that the U.S. was going to supply Afghan freedom fighters with anti-aircraft missiles and other heavy weapons to shoot down Soviet Hind gunships and hurt the Red Army, a deal was struck between Israel, the U.S. and Pakistan, which insisted upon secrecy out of fear of offending not only the Soviets, but also the Muslim world by working with the Israelis.
In the early days of the campaign, the Israelis would help provide Soviet-built or inspired weapons, and would transfer them to Pakistan, who would be in charge of getting the weapons to the mujaheddin who were killing Soviet soldiers.
That story was not publicly known until well after the Soviet Red Army withdrew from Afghanistan.
The Soviets were aware of Pakistan's involvement in the Soviet-Afghan War later on; they took enough prisoners during the war to confirm that the Pakistanis were arming the Afghan rebels; the KGB and their Afghan allies struck at a munitions depot outside of Islamabad in 1988, and carried out more than one hundred attacks on targets inside of Pakistan throughout the duration of the war.
Fast forward to earlier this week. The British news story that showed American aircraft at a Pakistani base in 2006 hasn't helped the Pakistani government. They're surrendering territory to the Taliban even now, and this story will only destabilize the Pakistani government even more.
Pakistan will continue to help us, but not if the press and our Congress blab about everything.
The press should be a little more sensitive to the situation in Pakistan and understand that their reporting will have a severe impact on the government there. Do we really want a Taliban government in Islamabad? We don't, but the way that the press has been acting, they might.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Monkey from Hell Shot While Attempting to EAT a Police Officer: What Was Owner Thinking?
Monkeys are not pets.
And a monkey that is kept as one will eventually go NUTS. And someone will get HURT. It's only a matter of time, according to experts.
Such was the case with a 200 pound monkey that went nuts and attacked a friend of it's owner, partially EATING HER ALIVE before escaping and going after Connecticut police officers who came to put a stop to the carnage.
The enraged monkey pursued the police officers; one officer dove inside a patrol car and slammed the door shut. The monkey tried to open the passenger side door, broke off the mirror and then went around to the driver's side, which was unlocked and entered the vehicle. The officer drew his sidearm and opened fire, fatally wounding the monkey.
The victim remains in critical condition.
What on earth was this person thinking, having a wild animal like that outside of a zoo? This is sheer stupidity and a disaster waiting to happen, which DID.
I suppose PETA's going to protest the fact that the monkey didn't get to EAT the police officer too and got shot for his troubles. LUNACY!
And a monkey that is kept as one will eventually go NUTS. And someone will get HURT. It's only a matter of time, according to experts.
Such was the case with a 200 pound monkey that went nuts and attacked a friend of it's owner, partially EATING HER ALIVE before escaping and going after Connecticut police officers who came to put a stop to the carnage.
The enraged monkey pursued the police officers; one officer dove inside a patrol car and slammed the door shut. The monkey tried to open the passenger side door, broke off the mirror and then went around to the driver's side, which was unlocked and entered the vehicle. The officer drew his sidearm and opened fire, fatally wounding the monkey.
The victim remains in critical condition.
What on earth was this person thinking, having a wild animal like that outside of a zoo? This is sheer stupidity and a disaster waiting to happen, which DID.
I suppose PETA's going to protest the fact that the monkey didn't get to EAT the police officer too and got shot for his troubles. LUNACY!
Pakistan Knuckles Under to Taliban: If Pakistan Continues Down This Road, They Should Turn Their Nuclear Weapons Program Over to International Control
Pakistan agreed to impose Islamic law on a section of their country that is under the control of the Taliban, in a very troubling move that is a portent of things to come.
It's widely agreed that Pakistan's government has marginal control of their country and are facing a resurgent Taliban threat. And Pakistan is also nuclear-armed. Pakistan must not allow the possibility of their nuclear weapons ending up under Taliban control.
I think they should consider asking the Americans or Russians or some international agency to come in and remove their nuclear weapons if there is even a remote possibility of the entire country falling to the Taliban. They CANNOT be trusted with nuclear weapons.
It's one thing for an elected government to control it's nuclear arms and technology, but if that government is overthrown by a terrorist force such as the Taliban, the threat couldn't be clearer. It's also clear that if the Taliban do take over Pakistan, we'll be at war with that country next.
I hope that various governments are coming up with a plan to deal with this frightening possibility of a Taliban take-over and will take multi-lateral action to seize Pakistan's nuclear arms and technology if it looks like the country will fall into Taliban hands.
What other choice is there?
It's widely agreed that Pakistan's government has marginal control of their country and are facing a resurgent Taliban threat. And Pakistan is also nuclear-armed. Pakistan must not allow the possibility of their nuclear weapons ending up under Taliban control.
I think they should consider asking the Americans or Russians or some international agency to come in and remove their nuclear weapons if there is even a remote possibility of the entire country falling to the Taliban. They CANNOT be trusted with nuclear weapons.
It's one thing for an elected government to control it's nuclear arms and technology, but if that government is overthrown by a terrorist force such as the Taliban, the threat couldn't be clearer. It's also clear that if the Taliban do take over Pakistan, we'll be at war with that country next.
I hope that various governments are coming up with a plan to deal with this frightening possibility of a Taliban take-over and will take multi-lateral action to seize Pakistan's nuclear arms and technology if it looks like the country will fall into Taliban hands.
What other choice is there?
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Blackwater Security Changes Company Name in New Public Relations Move: Will It Help?
Security outfit Blackwater is changing its name from Blackwater Worldwide to Xe to repair its badly damaged reputation, following a serious shooting in Iraq and the loss of it's State Department contract for providing diplomats protection in and around Iraq.
The shooting incident left a dozen Iraqi civilians dead and caused Iraq's government to request that they leave Iraq. It was one of several incidents that Blackwater was involved in and the straw that broke the camel's back. Five Blackwater employees were charged in the shooting, which prosecutors say was not justified.
Xe will not actively seek new security contracts and is focusing on it's other lines of business that are not under public scrutiny the way that it's security operations in Iraq were.
The State Department contract was worth $300 million to Blackwater/Xe; they took in a little over a billion dollars last year from contract work around the world.
The entire system of using mercenaries to do government work in war zones needs to be examined closely. If it is determined that the services provided are necessary, then they need to be subordinate to both the U.S. military and the Iraqi military. They seemed to ride roughshod over U.S. military units, which was a big distraction for U.S. combat forces who didn't like being told what to do by a company not in their chain of command.
I'm not sure if this name change will change much of anything. It's their actions that people will be watching, not their packaging.
The shooting incident left a dozen Iraqi civilians dead and caused Iraq's government to request that they leave Iraq. It was one of several incidents that Blackwater was involved in and the straw that broke the camel's back. Five Blackwater employees were charged in the shooting, which prosecutors say was not justified.
Xe will not actively seek new security contracts and is focusing on it's other lines of business that are not under public scrutiny the way that it's security operations in Iraq were.
The State Department contract was worth $300 million to Blackwater/Xe; they took in a little over a billion dollars last year from contract work around the world.
The entire system of using mercenaries to do government work in war zones needs to be examined closely. If it is determined that the services provided are necessary, then they need to be subordinate to both the U.S. military and the Iraqi military. They seemed to ride roughshod over U.S. military units, which was a big distraction for U.S. combat forces who didn't like being told what to do by a company not in their chain of command.
I'm not sure if this name change will change much of anything. It's their actions that people will be watching, not their packaging.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Stimulus is 100% Pork That Has Simply Been Repackaged: Same Thing CAN Be Done for $170 Billion
The entire stimulus bill needs to be scrapped; it's full of CRAP! The current plan has stuff in it that has NOTHING to do with providing jobs.
STD prevention, more funding for NASA, a federal tracking system for your health treatments, tax breaks for Hollywood to purchase movie film, Smithsonian funding, smoking cessation, providing public computer centers, alcohol and substance abuse reduction, Farm Service Agency computer upgrades, golf carts for golf courses and dozens of other pork projects totaling $124 BILLION, and that's the stuff that's the stuff we know about.
Pelosi & company are keeping REAL quiet about what's actually in the bill. As of 10:38pm Thursday, Congress hasn't even seen the 780 page bill that they're voting on Friday morning, and they're out securing votes for a plan that no one has even seen in it's entirety. Congress should be ashamed of itself!
Welcome to the Democratic change that President Obama was promising.
What else is in this piece of crap bill?
On a side note, I found it very interesting to read about a Congressional Blue Dog (Conservative Democrat) alternative that does what the current monstrosity of a stimulus rescue plan does, except it does it a lot cheaper and wiser.
Instead of spending nearly $800 billion on pork, which the Democratic Congress is ram-rodding through, the Blue Dogs came up with a $170 billion plan that accomplishes the intended effect of stimulating the economy and implements controls that are missing in Pelosi & Company's $800 billion stimulus plan.
And the Blue Dog plan self-terminates when the economy recovers. The Blue Dogs call it their "Strategic Targeted American Recovery and Transition Act" or START Act.
It's an interesting read.
STD prevention, more funding for NASA, a federal tracking system for your health treatments, tax breaks for Hollywood to purchase movie film, Smithsonian funding, smoking cessation, providing public computer centers, alcohol and substance abuse reduction, Farm Service Agency computer upgrades, golf carts for golf courses and dozens of other pork projects totaling $124 BILLION, and that's the stuff that's the stuff we know about.
Pelosi & company are keeping REAL quiet about what's actually in the bill. As of 10:38pm Thursday, Congress hasn't even seen the 780 page bill that they're voting on Friday morning, and they're out securing votes for a plan that no one has even seen in it's entirety. Congress should be ashamed of itself!
Welcome to the Democratic change that President Obama was promising.
What else is in this piece of crap bill?
On a side note, I found it very interesting to read about a Congressional Blue Dog (Conservative Democrat) alternative that does what the current monstrosity of a stimulus rescue plan does, except it does it a lot cheaper and wiser.
Instead of spending nearly $800 billion on pork, which the Democratic Congress is ram-rodding through, the Blue Dogs came up with a $170 billion plan that accomplishes the intended effect of stimulating the economy and implements controls that are missing in Pelosi & Company's $800 billion stimulus plan.
And the Blue Dog plan self-terminates when the economy recovers. The Blue Dogs call it their "Strategic Targeted American Recovery and Transition Act" or START Act.
It's an interesting read.
Monday, February 09, 2009
CNN's Nancy Grace is Spending FAR Too Much Time on Caylee Anthony Murder: Yes, It Was a Horrible Crime, But That's Not the Only Thing That's Happened
Every time I'm flipping through the news channels and see Nancy Grace on CNN Headline News, she's doing EXHAUSTIVE reporting and commentary on the murder of baby Caylee Anthony.
I'm not trying to dimimish the horror of that particular case, but her nonstop coverage has sensationalized it to a point that I can't stand it anymore. If the word "Anthony" is anywhere on the screen, I flip the channel.
She really needs to vary her programming, while monitoring the situation. I do wish she'd devote some time to the issues that she covers on her web site, which proves that there are other kinds of cases going on every day around us.
I'm not completely sure why she's devoted this kind of airtime (over a month, daily) to one particular topic.
We had a similar type of case in the Lansing area a couple of years ago, where the parent/parents claimed that their little boy had gone missing, but had in fact murdered him by beating him to death with a hammer. I'm still angry over that situation and get reminded of it every so often when the parents try to weasle their way out of their sentences.
I also don't like to be reminded of it every time I turn on CNN Headline News at 10pm. Both situations ARE ugly reminders of the evil that is present in our society, but Nancy, PLEASE vary your programs a little more! The world is still going on.
I'm not trying to dimimish the horror of that particular case, but her nonstop coverage has sensationalized it to a point that I can't stand it anymore. If the word "Anthony" is anywhere on the screen, I flip the channel.
She really needs to vary her programming, while monitoring the situation. I do wish she'd devote some time to the issues that she covers on her web site, which proves that there are other kinds of cases going on every day around us.
I'm not completely sure why she's devoted this kind of airtime (over a month, daily) to one particular topic.
We had a similar type of case in the Lansing area a couple of years ago, where the parent/parents claimed that their little boy had gone missing, but had in fact murdered him by beating him to death with a hammer. I'm still angry over that situation and get reminded of it every so often when the parents try to weasle their way out of their sentences.
I also don't like to be reminded of it every time I turn on CNN Headline News at 10pm. Both situations ARE ugly reminders of the evil that is present in our society, but Nancy, PLEASE vary your programs a little more! The world is still going on.
Friday, January 30, 2009
GOP Leadership Backs Off From Comments Against Limbaugh and Steers House GOP to Reject Obama Stimulus Plan
The House GOP leadership backed away from their comments against Rush Limbaugh, saying that the comments read harsher than they were intended.
Rush seemed willing to let bygones be bygones, but pushed the leadership to be more aggressive in their attempts to stop the Obama Administration's agenda, which was also the correct thing to do.
Their conservative base will support them if they stick to their conservative principles, and don't knuckle under to the new order in Washington. The Republicans who lost their seats did a poor job of taking care of their conservative constituents, who didn't turn out to support them, or threw their votes elsewhere.
The House GOP's unanimous rejection of President Obama's stimulus bill is a very good start. I was pleased to see that. Having the Republicans get along with the Democrats is not in our nation's best interests.
Many of our problems need more than one solution, and if we get into the groupthink that the Democrats have bought into, we run the risk of restricting our choices in dealing with the economic difficulties that have put our economy into the toilet.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
House GOP Leaders Buy Into Socialist Groupthink: Telling Limbaugh to Shut Up Because He's Pointing Out Where They Need to Go Won't Help Them
The GOP House leadership told Rush Limbaugh to back off his comments and that he and Sean Hannity are brick-throwers who don't have to do what is necessary for the well-being of the public.
The House GOP has bought into the socialist feel-good groupthink of the Democrats.
This is why the GOP lost so badly in November, and why they will continue to lose seats. They're alienating their own constituents. By not standing up to the Democrats now, they're proving that this is simply a continuation of 2008, where they're trying to out-Democrat the Democrats. They haven't learned this lesson yet.
Republicans need to be Republicans, and stand on their own merits, not try to cling to the coattails of the Democrats, who are about to enter a troubled time in their own party, now that all the pieces of the elected government are in place.
The Dems are about to find out that capturing power is a lot easier than maintaining it, especially with the patchwork coalition that holds their party together trying to pull in so many different (and opposite) directions. And when Obama starts to move toward the center to govern, that's when the real fireworks will begin inside the liberal Democratic Party.
The Republicans blew it when they controlled the House, Senate and White House. They didn't do what they should have done, and then lost both houses of Congress and the Presidency.
Instead of telling Limbaugh to shut up, the GOP leadership ought to listen to what he's saying and maneuver themselves into position for the next elections. They need to FIGHT against Democratic Party initiatives and propose their own, not go along weakly with the Democrats.
And if the GOP leadership is too weak and too timid to do so, then perhaps they should stand down and let someone in who WILL! Joining the Democratic attack on Limbaugh is not the sign of strong GOP leadership, that's for certain.
Still waiting for the leadership that has been sorely lacking in the GOP....
The House GOP has bought into the socialist feel-good groupthink of the Democrats.
This is why the GOP lost so badly in November, and why they will continue to lose seats. They're alienating their own constituents. By not standing up to the Democrats now, they're proving that this is simply a continuation of 2008, where they're trying to out-Democrat the Democrats. They haven't learned this lesson yet.
Republicans need to be Republicans, and stand on their own merits, not try to cling to the coattails of the Democrats, who are about to enter a troubled time in their own party, now that all the pieces of the elected government are in place.
The Dems are about to find out that capturing power is a lot easier than maintaining it, especially with the patchwork coalition that holds their party together trying to pull in so many different (and opposite) directions. And when Obama starts to move toward the center to govern, that's when the real fireworks will begin inside the liberal Democratic Party.
The Republicans blew it when they controlled the House, Senate and White House. They didn't do what they should have done, and then lost both houses of Congress and the Presidency.
Instead of telling Limbaugh to shut up, the GOP leadership ought to listen to what he's saying and maneuver themselves into position for the next elections. They need to FIGHT against Democratic Party initiatives and propose their own, not go along weakly with the Democrats.
And if the GOP leadership is too weak and too timid to do so, then perhaps they should stand down and let someone in who WILL! Joining the Democratic attack on Limbaugh is not the sign of strong GOP leadership, that's for certain.
Still waiting for the leadership that has been sorely lacking in the GOP....
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Follow-Up to 2008 Story: FLDS vs. State of Texas
Now that seven months have gone by since Texas officials royally screwed up an investigation of the Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints (FLDS) cult and were ordered to return most of the 439 children to the unrestricted care of their parents, what's happened since then?
All but thirteen children have been returned; Texas officials believe they've sorted out the situation and have begun prosecuting this case the way it should have been in the first place.
There are multiple investigations of the cult itself and the way that it does business; there are questions of whether the FLDS ranch/compound was constructed using funds illegally siphoned from a trust, which has since been put into caretaker custody by a judge in Texas.
Several men belonging to the FLDS are being investigated for having multiple under-aged wives.
Their leader, Warren Jeffs, remains in prison, where he belongs. He was convicted of child rape in Utah and was facing eight charges in Arizona at last glance.
Overzealous officials seem to be following the rules now, having been slapped around by a Texas judge who reprimanded them for sloppiness in their handling of the case from the get-go. Hopefully they'll remember this situation if they're confronted with something similar down the road and do their homework before executing a search warrant.
That clearly didn't happen when this whole thing started.
All but thirteen children have been returned; Texas officials believe they've sorted out the situation and have begun prosecuting this case the way it should have been in the first place.
There are multiple investigations of the cult itself and the way that it does business; there are questions of whether the FLDS ranch/compound was constructed using funds illegally siphoned from a trust, which has since been put into caretaker custody by a judge in Texas.
Several men belonging to the FLDS are being investigated for having multiple under-aged wives.
Their leader, Warren Jeffs, remains in prison, where he belongs. He was convicted of child rape in Utah and was facing eight charges in Arizona at last glance.
Overzealous officials seem to be following the rules now, having been slapped around by a Texas judge who reprimanded them for sloppiness in their handling of the case from the get-go. Hopefully they'll remember this situation if they're confronted with something similar down the road and do their homework before executing a search warrant.
That clearly didn't happen when this whole thing started.
Obama Administration Mounts a PR Assault on the Military "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Policy: Strategy Will Backfire
As anticipated, the Obama Administration is making noise about dismantling the military "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy toward gays. His press secretary confirmed that he wants to go to Congress to repeal the policy, but won't do so until late 2009 or 2010.
Ultimately, it won't work.
I think it will actually drive more gays out of the military and lead President Obama to hastily restore the policy--in it's current form. There are many who wouldn't mind seeing this happen.
President Clinton beat a hasty retreat on this issue and never returned to it. I think history will repeat itself with President Obama once he takes a measure of how the military feels about this issue, and how the public feels about it. In fact, he's already delayed looking at this issue until 2010.
I'm not sure that the Democrats in Congress will want to risk alienating their constituents, who have shown that they may vote their own way on issues related to gay rights, regardless of party label. Look at California and their Proposal 8 controversy. I knew that proposal would pass; voters don't like being told what to do and having the power of their votes taken away by activist judges.
Even though the Democrats control the government, I think this will be an uphill battle for them, should they choose to try. And at this stage, I'm not sure they want to go on record with their vote.
And even if they do succeed, how long will it last?
Ultimately, it won't work.
I think it will actually drive more gays out of the military and lead President Obama to hastily restore the policy--in it's current form. There are many who wouldn't mind seeing this happen.
President Clinton beat a hasty retreat on this issue and never returned to it. I think history will repeat itself with President Obama once he takes a measure of how the military feels about this issue, and how the public feels about it. In fact, he's already delayed looking at this issue until 2010.
I'm not sure that the Democrats in Congress will want to risk alienating their constituents, who have shown that they may vote their own way on issues related to gay rights, regardless of party label. Look at California and their Proposal 8 controversy. I knew that proposal would pass; voters don't like being told what to do and having the power of their votes taken away by activist judges.
Even though the Democrats control the government, I think this will be an uphill battle for them, should they choose to try. And at this stage, I'm not sure they want to go on record with their vote.
And even if they do succeed, how long will it last?
Contrary to Popular Groupthink, Now is NOT the Time for National Unity: Now's the Time to FIGHT
The press has been going after Rush Limbaugh for saying that as a conservative, he wants "Obama to fail."
I heard CNN blasting him last night for saying this, saying it's not helpful to "national unity" behind the Obama Administration. Excuse me, but has CNN forgotten that not everyone voted for THEIR candidate?
Now is not the time for national unity; now is the time to FIGHT LIKE CATS AND DOGS to stop the Venezuelan-ization of our country. The government has no need to nationalize banks and private businesses, as Chavez has in Venezuela.
We are NOT Venezuela II or Cuba II.
Limbaugh is absolutely right. And for all these news organizations to gang up on Limbaugh in this fashion for defending the conservative position shows how far and how deep the socialist groupthink extends.
No more bailouts; the economy needs to be allowed to right itself. The accuracy of this position will be made clear when the companies that have already been bailed out start going under down the road, and taxpayers will be left with nothing but the debt to show for it.
I heard CNN blasting him last night for saying this, saying it's not helpful to "national unity" behind the Obama Administration. Excuse me, but has CNN forgotten that not everyone voted for THEIR candidate?
Now is not the time for national unity; now is the time to FIGHT LIKE CATS AND DOGS to stop the Venezuelan-ization of our country. The government has no need to nationalize banks and private businesses, as Chavez has in Venezuela.
We are NOT Venezuela II or Cuba II.
Limbaugh is absolutely right. And for all these news organizations to gang up on Limbaugh in this fashion for defending the conservative position shows how far and how deep the socialist groupthink extends.
No more bailouts; the economy needs to be allowed to right itself. The accuracy of this position will be made clear when the companies that have already been bailed out start going under down the road, and taxpayers will be left with nothing but the debt to show for it.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Current Air Force One to be Replaced: 747-200 Upgrades Becoming More Expensive as Time Goes By
The Air Force is looking to replace the current Air Force One with a newer aircraft.
An exhaustive study found that the VC-25 (which is based on the 747-200 airframe) is due for extensive air control upgrades, air defense and communication upgrades, as well as increased maintenance costs. They're having problems identifying suppliers for needed parts to keep the aircraft ready to take off at a moment's notice. As the design gets older, the problems will get worse.
Boeing and Airbus are already working on designs for a new Air Force One that will be equipped for midair refueling, will have all the communication equipment, technology, room and defensive systems that will allow the President to run the country while he or she is airborne.
The plan calls for the first aircraft to be delivered in 2017; the second Air Force One sometime in 2019 and another in 2021 (the military currently has two Air Force Ones).
The two most likely contenders (the winner gets to build all three aircraft): the Boeing 747-8I and the Airbus A380. There's also speculation that the Boeing 777-300ER might be a contender.
It'll be interesting to see who builds the next Air Force One.
An exhaustive study found that the VC-25 (which is based on the 747-200 airframe) is due for extensive air control upgrades, air defense and communication upgrades, as well as increased maintenance costs. They're having problems identifying suppliers for needed parts to keep the aircraft ready to take off at a moment's notice. As the design gets older, the problems will get worse.
Boeing and Airbus are already working on designs for a new Air Force One that will be equipped for midair refueling, will have all the communication equipment, technology, room and defensive systems that will allow the President to run the country while he or she is airborne.
The plan calls for the first aircraft to be delivered in 2017; the second Air Force One sometime in 2019 and another in 2021 (the military currently has two Air Force Ones).
The two most likely contenders (the winner gets to build all three aircraft): the Boeing 747-8I and the Airbus A380. There's also speculation that the Boeing 777-300ER might be a contender.
The Boeing 747-8I:
The Airbus A380:
The Boeing 777-300ER:
It'll be interesting to see who builds the next Air Force One.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Circuit City Reorganization Fails: Entire Chain Will Close
Circuit City had been hoping to reorganize under the auspices of a Chapter 11 bankruptcy, but were unable to find a buyer for all or part of the chain. As a result, the entire chain will close, sending another 30,000 of it's employees into unemployment. All 566 stores will be liquidated.
That's too bad. They were no match for Best Buy or Walmart, which knocked the stuffing out of Circuit City to the point that it's suppliers wouldn't do business with them until their past debts were settled.
And in doing so, the suppliers will get paid off what they're owed, with no opportunity for repeat business, which will affect their own bottom line further down the road. Where does it end?
That's too bad. They were no match for Best Buy or Walmart, which knocked the stuffing out of Circuit City to the point that it's suppliers wouldn't do business with them until their past debts were settled.
And in doing so, the suppliers will get paid off what they're owed, with no opportunity for repeat business, which will affect their own bottom line further down the road. Where does it end?
Friday, January 16, 2009
2008 Retail Bankruptcies: Some Familiar Names Go Away
2008 was a very bad year for retailers and business in general, and some big companies went under, including some that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy the week after Christmas.
The 2008 list:
You will not see the following things in 2009 as their companies have cut them:
Companies in Danger--2009
The following list of companies is listed as being in grave danger of disappearing in 2009, according to AOL Money & Finance's web site:
2008 was a very rough year, and 2009 isn't looking too healthy right now either.
The 2008 list:
- Circuit City
- Boscov's
- Sharper Image
- Mervyns
- Linens 'n Things
- Whitehall Jewelers
- Steve & Barry's
- Bennigan's
- Tribune Company
- Tweeter Opco
- Shoe Pavilion
- Waterford Wedgwood
- Advantage Rent-a-Car
- Bally's Sports Club
- Pilgrim Pride
- Aloha Airlines
- DayJet
- SkyBus
- ATA Airlines
- Mrs. Fields Famous Brands LLC
- Progressive Auto Parts
- Goody's
- Ziff Davis
- Buffets Holdings (Old Country Buffet, Ryan's Grill Buffet and HomeTown Buffet)
- KB Toys
- Polaroid
- Arena Football League
- Olsson's Books and Records
You will not see the following things in 2009 as their companies have cut them:
- Polaroid Traditional Instant Film (discontinued before Polaroid filed for bankruptcy)
- Zima (popular clear malt) (Coors Brewing Co.)
- CD sales at Starbucks
- FedEx Kinko's is dropping the Kinko's name and renaming itself FedEx Office.
- Diet Cherry Chocolate Dr. Pepper (Dr. Pepper Snapple Group) (YUCK!!)
- Volcano Taco (Taco Bell) (Company says the popular taco was a limited-run menu item)
- Crown Pilot Crackers (Nabisco)
- Smoky Chipotle Crispy Fried Chicken (Kentucky Fried Chicken)
- DHL Shipping in the United States (DHL) (They're going back to Europe)
- Hundreds of other changes as businesses try to save themselves.
Companies in Danger--2009
The following list of companies is listed as being in grave danger of disappearing in 2009, according to AOL Money & Finance's web site:
- Chrysler (Despite the government bailout)
- XM Sirius
- AIG (Despite the government bailout)
- Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (They may be folded into one government agency)
- Rite-Aid
- New York Times (has to pay off a $400 million debt in the first few months of 2009)
- Nortel (already filed for bankruptcy)
- Pier 1 Imports
- Charter Communications ($20 billion in debt, stock was trading at $.12 a share today, expenses>income, just missed a $74 million payment)
2008 was a very rough year, and 2009 isn't looking too healthy right now either.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Has Anyone Seen Chicken Little Lately? He's Strangely Quiet About Global Warming
Has anyone seen "Chicken Little" Al Gore lately?
He's been strangely quiet. Must be crunching the numbers so that he can predict triple-digit temperatures for July and August to support his faltering global warming hubris.
See you around, Al.
He's been strangely quiet. Must be crunching the numbers so that he can predict triple-digit temperatures for July and August to support his faltering global warming hubris.
See you around, Al.
Monday, January 12, 2009
World Media Needs to Give Prince Harry a Break: His Remarks Are Outweighed By His Military Service
Prince Harry is apologizing for a three-year-old video of him using racist terms and poking fun at his grandma.
The media needs to cool it and leave him alone. This is a huge non-issue that they're blowing way out of proportion; how this video made it into the media's hands should be investigated, not Prince Harry. This video was obviously not meant for public consumption and should have remained that way; the media should have ignored it.
How is he supposed to react when militants in the combat zones threaten to capture him, cut off his ears and send them to his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II? "Oh, that's nice?" Or something along the lines of "go %^@ off??!" Harry chose the latter and he's being criticized for it.
The media has it in for Prince Harry and for the royal family, and don't care about the damage that they cause in their reporting. That's more scandalous than the Prince's remarks. He did an outstanding job during his time in the war zone, but the media screwed that up for him too, didn't they?
He's apologized, which was the correct thing for him to do, now LET IT BE, media!
The media needs to cool it and leave him alone. This is a huge non-issue that they're blowing way out of proportion; how this video made it into the media's hands should be investigated, not Prince Harry. This video was obviously not meant for public consumption and should have remained that way; the media should have ignored it.
How is he supposed to react when militants in the combat zones threaten to capture him, cut off his ears and send them to his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II? "Oh, that's nice?" Or something along the lines of "go %^@ off??!" Harry chose the latter and he's being criticized for it.
The media has it in for Prince Harry and for the royal family, and don't care about the damage that they cause in their reporting. That's more scandalous than the Prince's remarks. He did an outstanding job during his time in the war zone, but the media screwed that up for him too, didn't they?
He's apologized, which was the correct thing for him to do, now LET IT BE, media!
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Plea from School District for Toilet Paper and Light Bulbs is Utterly RIDICULOUS: Administration Should Be Ashamed of Itself
I'm about ready to rip hair out of my head over this one.
A Michigan school has asked it's parents to donate toilet paper, light bulbs and trash bags to the school as there isn't money in the budget for purchasing said supplies.
Which administrator or group made this decision needs to lose their job(s) over this sad state of affairs?
There are other places to cut the budget! Something that has this large of an impact on the students and staff is inexcusable and requires immediate action.
These kinds of supplies need to be untouched on the balance sheet; they can reduce it ONLY if a school is closed, or the student population of that school drops by more than 10%. But not to the point that the school has to BEG for its parents to buy stuff that should already be provided for.
Shame!
A Michigan school has asked it's parents to donate toilet paper, light bulbs and trash bags to the school as there isn't money in the budget for purchasing said supplies.
Which administrator or group made this decision needs to lose their job(s) over this sad state of affairs?
There are other places to cut the budget! Something that has this large of an impact on the students and staff is inexcusable and requires immediate action.
These kinds of supplies need to be untouched on the balance sheet; they can reduce it ONLY if a school is closed, or the student population of that school drops by more than 10%. But not to the point that the school has to BEG for its parents to buy stuff that should already be provided for.
Shame!
Russians Turn Off Gas Lines Going Through Ukraine: It's Another Step Toward a Russian/Ukrainian Military Confrontation
The Russians are using energy as a weapon against Ukraine again in a move that will ultimately lead to a war between Russia and Ukraine.
What other conclusion can there be?
Russia found a reason to invade Georgia, which it doesn't like very much. The Russians don't like the Ukrainians very much either because of Ukraine's decision to nationalize a joint Russo/Ukrainian naval base on the Black Sea. Russia is itching to kick the Ukrainians out of the Crimean Peninsula and seize the entire Black Sea Fleet for itself. The two countries divided the Soviet Black Sea Fleet between themselves after the USSR collapsed in 1991.
Their agreement over joint use of the Sevastopol base expires in 2017, and Ukraine has signaled that the agreement will not be extended. This did not go over well in Moscow.
Nor has Ukraine's attempts to join NATO or the European Union. Ukraine has the second biggest military in Europe behind Russia, a situation that Russia doesn't like very much.
During the Russo/Georgian War last year, Russia deployed it's fleet from Sevastopol to blockade Georgia's ports, and Ukraine insisted that deployed Russian naval units needed it's permission to cross back over into Ukrainian waters, which Russia ignored.
Whether the gas gets turned back on or not, Russia's using energy to influence Ukraine is a cause of major concern. Russia wants Ukraine under it's control as a buffer between itself and NATO, which it also doesn't like. And Ukraine feels the same way about Russian interference in their internal and external affairs.
No good will come of this current crisis.
What other conclusion can there be?
Russia found a reason to invade Georgia, which it doesn't like very much. The Russians don't like the Ukrainians very much either because of Ukraine's decision to nationalize a joint Russo/Ukrainian naval base on the Black Sea. Russia is itching to kick the Ukrainians out of the Crimean Peninsula and seize the entire Black Sea Fleet for itself. The two countries divided the Soviet Black Sea Fleet between themselves after the USSR collapsed in 1991.
Their agreement over joint use of the Sevastopol base expires in 2017, and Ukraine has signaled that the agreement will not be extended. This did not go over well in Moscow.
Nor has Ukraine's attempts to join NATO or the European Union. Ukraine has the second biggest military in Europe behind Russia, a situation that Russia doesn't like very much.
During the Russo/Georgian War last year, Russia deployed it's fleet from Sevastopol to blockade Georgia's ports, and Ukraine insisted that deployed Russian naval units needed it's permission to cross back over into Ukrainian waters, which Russia ignored.
Whether the gas gets turned back on or not, Russia's using energy to influence Ukraine is a cause of major concern. Russia wants Ukraine under it's control as a buffer between itself and NATO, which it also doesn't like. And Ukraine feels the same way about Russian interference in their internal and external affairs.
No good will come of this current crisis.
Blagojevich Impeached: Saga of His Appointee to Obama's Senate Seat Goes On
Governor Rod Blagojevich was impeached by the Illinois House of Representatives on Friday; and his choice to fill President-elect Obama's Senate seat, Roland Burris, was denied permission to join the Senate.
The Illinois Supreme Court ruled in Burris' favor, saying that the appointment was completely legal. I saw that one coming. But the only question now is whether the Senate will delay the appointment, or approve him tomorrow. All the appropriate paperwork has been filed with the Secretary of the U.S. Senate and everything appears to be in order.
What now?
The Senate might well seat Burris without further comment, or delay the appointment until the impeachment of Blagojevich is complete and an outcome is decided. I hope the Senate buries this issue and gets the story out of the news. It's getting really old fast!
Unless there's a specific reason to deny Burris the seat, they should seat him and move on. His nomination by Blagojevich IS in bad taste, but Blagojevich had a right to do so. He wasn't impeached at the time of the nomination nor was he convicted of any crimes. I'm not sure if he's stripped of any powers while the impeachment is in progress in any case.
The Senate needs to settle this; it's a HUGE distraction, which is probably what Blagojevich intended in the first place.
The Illinois Supreme Court ruled in Burris' favor, saying that the appointment was completely legal. I saw that one coming. But the only question now is whether the Senate will delay the appointment, or approve him tomorrow. All the appropriate paperwork has been filed with the Secretary of the U.S. Senate and everything appears to be in order.
What now?
The Senate might well seat Burris without further comment, or delay the appointment until the impeachment of Blagojevich is complete and an outcome is decided. I hope the Senate buries this issue and gets the story out of the news. It's getting really old fast!
Unless there's a specific reason to deny Burris the seat, they should seat him and move on. His nomination by Blagojevich IS in bad taste, but Blagojevich had a right to do so. He wasn't impeached at the time of the nomination nor was he convicted of any crimes. I'm not sure if he's stripped of any powers while the impeachment is in progress in any case.
The Senate needs to settle this; it's a HUGE distraction, which is probably what Blagojevich intended in the first place.
Bush Presidency Should Not Be Judged By Historians of Today: They're Just As Polarized As the Electorate
Historians have been gathering to discuss how the Bush Presidency should be written into the history books, and already there have been dramatic announcements that Bush is the "worst President in history" by some of the "delegates" to this convention.
With all due respect to this gathering of academics and writers, I find myself questioning whether they should even be talking about this subject yet. History is written best by those who have some years of separation between the subject and themselves. Historians of today should be documenting what happens and leave the judgments to those who come after them.
The historians of today are just as polarized by the politics of today as anyone else in the American public, and so are susceptible to making judgments without the benefit of knowing what happened after President Bush left office on January 20th. Historians of today only have a partial picture; it's like calling a football game at halftime with the score tied. They can't do that. The story is still unfolding!
I doubt they can take a neutral stance on President Bush. I know I couldn't; the difference between them and me is that I can admit that I can't be neutral. And more, I WON'T. But I'm not the one who's going to be writing the history books either.
Treat whatever you hear coming from historians of today with a grain of salt. They're no different than you or me with regards to how much people like or dislike President Bush and his decisions as President.
These historians shouldn't insult us by pretending to have neutral opinions. "President Bush is the worst President in history" proves it.
With all due respect to this gathering of academics and writers, I find myself questioning whether they should even be talking about this subject yet. History is written best by those who have some years of separation between the subject and themselves. Historians of today should be documenting what happens and leave the judgments to those who come after them.
The historians of today are just as polarized by the politics of today as anyone else in the American public, and so are susceptible to making judgments without the benefit of knowing what happened after President Bush left office on January 20th. Historians of today only have a partial picture; it's like calling a football game at halftime with the score tied. They can't do that. The story is still unfolding!
I doubt they can take a neutral stance on President Bush. I know I couldn't; the difference between them and me is that I can admit that I can't be neutral. And more, I WON'T. But I'm not the one who's going to be writing the history books either.
Treat whatever you hear coming from historians of today with a grain of salt. They're no different than you or me with regards to how much people like or dislike President Bush and his decisions as President.
These historians shouldn't insult us by pretending to have neutral opinions. "President Bush is the worst President in history" proves it.
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
Governor Blagojevich Had Every Right to Appoint Obama Successor to Senate Seat: He's Not Been Removed From Office or Convicted of ANYTHING Yet
Embattled Illinois Governor Blagojevich made headlines around the world when he defied public opinion and the opinions of both his state government and the U.S. Senate itself when he appointed someone to the Senate seat that he was accused of trying to sell for profit.
And yet, he had every right to do so, and it will more than likely be upheld by the courts.
Blagojevich has not been stood up in front of a jury and been pronounced guilty; nor has the Illinois legislature voted on any measure to impeach the governor. If they wanted to prevent this end, they should have impeached Blagojevich immediately so as to strip him of the power to appoint a successor. They didn't do that, so the Illinois secretary of state is obligated to certify the appointment and issue the appropriate credentials for the new junior Senator from Illinois.
I don't have an opinion on the nominee; he's not been accused of anything wrong and he is qualified under Constitutional guidelines.
It's troubling to see the government trying to circumvent the Constitution and ignoring the fact that this governor is innocent until found guilty. And as much as I'm enjoying the spectacle, I hope it doesn't drag on. The Constitution has already been shot full of holes; we don't need one of the fundamental aspects of Constitutional protections on due process to be weakened any further.
And yet, he had every right to do so, and it will more than likely be upheld by the courts.
Blagojevich has not been stood up in front of a jury and been pronounced guilty; nor has the Illinois legislature voted on any measure to impeach the governor. If they wanted to prevent this end, they should have impeached Blagojevich immediately so as to strip him of the power to appoint a successor. They didn't do that, so the Illinois secretary of state is obligated to certify the appointment and issue the appropriate credentials for the new junior Senator from Illinois.
I don't have an opinion on the nominee; he's not been accused of anything wrong and he is qualified under Constitutional guidelines.
It's troubling to see the government trying to circumvent the Constitution and ignoring the fact that this governor is innocent until found guilty. And as much as I'm enjoying the spectacle, I hope it doesn't drag on. The Constitution has already been shot full of holes; we don't need one of the fundamental aspects of Constitutional protections on due process to be weakened any further.
Leon Panetta for CIA Director? Someone on Obama's Team is Smoking Something to Come Up With This Idea
It looks like former Chief of Staff Leon Panetta (under the Clinton Administration) is being nominated to head the Central Intelligence Agency.
The CIA??!
Why on earth would they want this? Panetta doesn't have the right type of experience for this posting. The Obama Adminstration already has a super-spy working for it: Robert Gates. Why don't they ask him to do it instead? Gates is untainted by the causes of the Iraq War, and the subsequent questions about extraordinary rendition and interrogation techniques. Obama could ask McCain to take over the Defense Department.
It appears that this nomination took a lot of Washington by surprise. It will be very interesting to see how this plays out, if it's true. Panetta has a lot of experience, but not in this department. Surely there's a posting that's a better fit.
The CIA??!
Why on earth would they want this? Panetta doesn't have the right type of experience for this posting. The Obama Adminstration already has a super-spy working for it: Robert Gates. Why don't they ask him to do it instead? Gates is untainted by the causes of the Iraq War, and the subsequent questions about extraordinary rendition and interrogation techniques. Obama could ask McCain to take over the Defense Department.
It appears that this nomination took a lot of Washington by surprise. It will be very interesting to see how this plays out, if it's true. Panetta has a lot of experience, but not in this department. Surely there's a posting that's a better fit.
Thursday, January 01, 2009
More Proof That Man's Contribution to Global Warming is Overhyped: Fewest Solar Spots on Sun Corresponds to Drop in Average Temps Across Planet
2008 is a year that global warming nuts would like to forget; it saw their ice-thin facade of science collapse in the face of decreased solar activity, which corresponded to a planet-wide drop in average temperatures.
The sun is a larger factor in global warming and global cooling than the nuts would like to acknowledge. Sunspot activity has been decreasing since 2000, and average temperatures have been falling since 1998. In addition, their global warming models did not predict the cool-down of 2007-2008. According to their model, the temperature should have increased.
Global warming alarmists should get their facts correct before trying to scare people into buying into their belief that man alone is responsible for the rise in global temperatures, which aren't rising at all. So much for the much-hyped "proven science" which other (ignored) science has DISPROVEN.
Now, I do think that we should be looking at alternative cleaner fuels and changing the types of emissions that come out of our factories and industry. It's good for the air we breathe, and for the environment, but without all the global warming hype surrounding it. That's something I'm willing to work for.
But enough of the global warming hype, already. Put it in it's proper context, global warming people!
The sun is a larger factor in global warming and global cooling than the nuts would like to acknowledge. Sunspot activity has been decreasing since 2000, and average temperatures have been falling since 1998. In addition, their global warming models did not predict the cool-down of 2007-2008. According to their model, the temperature should have increased.
Global warming alarmists should get their facts correct before trying to scare people into buying into their belief that man alone is responsible for the rise in global temperatures, which aren't rising at all. So much for the much-hyped "proven science" which other (ignored) science has DISPROVEN.
Now, I do think that we should be looking at alternative cleaner fuels and changing the types of emissions that come out of our factories and industry. It's good for the air we breathe, and for the environment, but without all the global warming hype surrounding it. That's something I'm willing to work for.
But enough of the global warming hype, already. Put it in it's proper context, global warming people!
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