Sunday, May 31, 2009
Going Away for a While: Updates Will be Spread Out
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
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?
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
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
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
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
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
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
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?
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
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
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?
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
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!
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
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
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
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
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
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.