I have been hearing sound bites today from a rant by the ultra-liberal racist Rep. Diane Watson. Once she finished deriding Conservatives she went on to extoll the virtues of Fidel Castro and the paradise that he has presided over, with his brother Raul, for the last 46 years or so. She also made the insightful comment that Che' Guavera, the hero of the revolution who is so widely admired by the Left, threw out the government and ejected the rich, before turning power over to the "brilliant mind" of Fidel the peaceful lawyer.
Am I the only one who is sickened by these uninformed and downright stupid comments by a member of the U.S. House of Representatives? I would invite the Congresswoman to go make these same pro-Castro remarks in Miami's Little Havana; I don't think they would go over as well as they do in Washington or California. And she may want to look into the death of Che' Guavera, it might teach her a little something about the beneficience of the brilliant Fidel.
Who elects these idiots??? Come on, California, Barbara Boxer, Diane Watson? You should be ashamed of yourselves.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Hope and Change
The coverage of the life and career of Sen. Edward Kennedy have given me reason to ponder some of the changes that we should not only hope for but push for at a grassroots level (I don't think too many of the following were what the Obama Campaign had in mind whilst running on that slogan). Among them:
- Term limits. It all starts here; Sen. Kennedy served 47 years in the Senate, longer than I have been alive. We need to eliminate career politicians and get back to people serving for the right reasons.
- Drastic reduction in the compensation and benefits of elected officials. Once again, we want people who choose to serve for the right reasons, not so that they can enrich and empower themselves at the public trough.
- Campaign reform and the repeal of McCain - Feingold. This legislation is unconstitutional and Bush's failure to veto it is, in my opinion, one of the major stains on his legacy. Right now the rules are rigged to favor the two-party system and the encumbents, who are typically much better funded than their challengers (the average, based on numbers I have seen, seems to be 300% - 400% better).
- Eliminate the gerrymandering of Congressional districts. Lines should be drawn in a manner that make sense geographically while at the same time providing for equal representation of all members of the population. I have seen some crazy districts in, specifically, the Chicago area (what a shock!!) and Nevada; I'm sure that the redrawing of districts to protect - or even damage - the encumbent is probably a problem to some extent almost everywhere.
These reforms would help to ensure the fairness of elections; empower independents and third-party candidates; force candidates to gain support of a broader constituency; and help to elect more responsible representation by people who want to serve and help better their country.
- Term limits. It all starts here; Sen. Kennedy served 47 years in the Senate, longer than I have been alive. We need to eliminate career politicians and get back to people serving for the right reasons.
- Drastic reduction in the compensation and benefits of elected officials. Once again, we want people who choose to serve for the right reasons, not so that they can enrich and empower themselves at the public trough.
- Campaign reform and the repeal of McCain - Feingold. This legislation is unconstitutional and Bush's failure to veto it is, in my opinion, one of the major stains on his legacy. Right now the rules are rigged to favor the two-party system and the encumbents, who are typically much better funded than their challengers (the average, based on numbers I have seen, seems to be 300% - 400% better).
- Eliminate the gerrymandering of Congressional districts. Lines should be drawn in a manner that make sense geographically while at the same time providing for equal representation of all members of the population. I have seen some crazy districts in, specifically, the Chicago area (what a shock!!) and Nevada; I'm sure that the redrawing of districts to protect - or even damage - the encumbent is probably a problem to some extent almost everywhere.
These reforms would help to ensure the fairness of elections; empower independents and third-party candidates; force candidates to gain support of a broader constituency; and help to elect more responsible representation by people who want to serve and help better their country.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
This Week's Sign Of The Apocolypse*
*To borrow a phrase from Sports Illustrated - and it won't surprise me if this shows up in those pages under the same heading. The kicker for the New Orleans Saints, Garrett Hartley, has been suspended by the NFL for four games for violation of the league substance abuse policy; specifically, he tested positive for the stimulant Adderall. Give me a break - the KICKER??? We already had our two best defensive linemen serving suspensions the first four games for testing positive for a diuretic that evidently is used to mask steroid use. But the kicker? What next - the punter? Maybe the ball boy? Evidently the Saints need to do a better job of educating their team on what is and isn't acceptable.
Enough Already!
I have wanted to publish a post about Guantanamo and the "torturing" of detainees for some time; I had backed off because the issue seemed to have (finally) gone away. But the latest announcement that Eric Holder intends to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate and potentially prosecute CIA interrogators has finally generated the steam to blow my lid off.
Where to start? With the numerous Marines that I have heard interviewed who said that the detainees lived better than their guards and that interrogations would be halted to allow them to say their 5-times daily prayers? How about the fact that former CIA director George Tenet said that enhanced interrogation techniques produced more useful intelligence than all other sources combined? Does it even matter that some of those who were interrogated were the masterminds of an attack on America that killed over 3,000 innocent people?
What is "torture"? If we perform the same techniques on our own people at SERE school is it really torture? If there are a doctor and a psychologist present at all times to protect the well-being of the detainee is it really torture? I suspect that the victims of the Japanese before and during WWII, the Nazis, and Saddam Hussien and his brutal sons, among others, would skoff at the notion that anything we did to any of these detainees amounted to more than a minor inconvenience. You were probably fortunate if any of the above killed you outright if you got on their bad side. Assuming you can find anyone alive who survived capture by the Nazis aiding the French Resistance; or the Bataan Death March; or one of Hussien's torture rooms, ask them their opinion of the "torture" at Guantanamo.
If you want a glimps of REAL torture, watch a movie like Body Of Lies or Taken, or read an account of the treatment of the Iraqi National Soccer Team under Saddam's regime. Or, if you can stomach it, find an internet video of the terrorists beheading a terrified Westerner.
Why are there people in this country who's main purpose seems to be to villify their country and it's security agencies? To "take down" the CIA? I know that paranoia and conspiracy theories abound (The U.S. Govenment blew up the World Trade Center!!), but are the lunatics really running the asylum?
So now Eric Holder, who recommended the pardon of the truly evil Marc Rich, wants to prosecute CIA personnel and members of the Bush Administration? The Democrats should beware - prosecuting members of the previous administration over political disagreement is a slippery slope. The fact that this is a diversionary tactic intended to appease the radical Left and shift attention away from National Health Care makes it all the more despicable.
Where to start? With the numerous Marines that I have heard interviewed who said that the detainees lived better than their guards and that interrogations would be halted to allow them to say their 5-times daily prayers? How about the fact that former CIA director George Tenet said that enhanced interrogation techniques produced more useful intelligence than all other sources combined? Does it even matter that some of those who were interrogated were the masterminds of an attack on America that killed over 3,000 innocent people?
What is "torture"? If we perform the same techniques on our own people at SERE school is it really torture? If there are a doctor and a psychologist present at all times to protect the well-being of the detainee is it really torture? I suspect that the victims of the Japanese before and during WWII, the Nazis, and Saddam Hussien and his brutal sons, among others, would skoff at the notion that anything we did to any of these detainees amounted to more than a minor inconvenience. You were probably fortunate if any of the above killed you outright if you got on their bad side. Assuming you can find anyone alive who survived capture by the Nazis aiding the French Resistance; or the Bataan Death March; or one of Hussien's torture rooms, ask them their opinion of the "torture" at Guantanamo.
If you want a glimps of REAL torture, watch a movie like Body Of Lies or Taken, or read an account of the treatment of the Iraqi National Soccer Team under Saddam's regime. Or, if you can stomach it, find an internet video of the terrorists beheading a terrified Westerner.
Why are there people in this country who's main purpose seems to be to villify their country and it's security agencies? To "take down" the CIA? I know that paranoia and conspiracy theories abound (The U.S. Govenment blew up the World Trade Center!!), but are the lunatics really running the asylum?
So now Eric Holder, who recommended the pardon of the truly evil Marc Rich, wants to prosecute CIA personnel and members of the Bush Administration? The Democrats should beware - prosecuting members of the previous administration over political disagreement is a slippery slope. The fact that this is a diversionary tactic intended to appease the radical Left and shift attention away from National Health Care makes it all the more despicable.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
R.I.P.
The great Les Paul died today at the age of 94. Les' contributions to modern music are many; rock and roll as we know it would not exist without him. Aside from the considerable accomplishment of inventing his eponymous electric guitar, Les also pioneered the use of tape delay and other production techniques that were huge influences on Jimmy Page, among others. Les was also an absolutely incredible player; unfortunately his heyday was the 40's and 50's and there is not a ton of footage available of him in his prime, but there are some enticing tidbits available on YouTube, including his classic '90's beer commercial.
For my part, my home photo here shows me playing a Gibson Les Paul Custom - here is another shot of it.
Les Paul - gone but certainly not forgotten. R.I.P., my friend.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Talk radio
I heard today that the new policy at CNN is to no longer have talk radio personalities on their programs. This doesn't surprise me, for a number of reasons; ultimately it is just one more attempt to silence the Conservative voices.
One of the biggest ironies right now is that the people who vilify and rail against Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Mark Levin, Bill O'Reilly, etc., are people who never have (and never will) actually listened to their shows. I have heard the most hateful things said about Bill O. by people who have never heard him, have never picked up one of his books, and don't have the first idea of what he stands for. Bill frequently reads (often hilariously) letters and e-mails from people calling him a huge liberal and a right-wing nut job who are talking about the SAME STORY!! I've seen it over and over and it never fails to crack me up.
This morning I heard Glenn Beck quoting an article in which he was taken completely out of context and misrepresented - it has become commonplace for Rush to replay segments of his show from which he has been misquoted and/or misrepresented. Which brings us to the "I hope Obama fails" brouhaha. I got an e-mail from someone who wrote an indignant letter to Michael Steele about this and the divisiveness of the far right. I have great respect for this individual, but it is obvious from his writings that he heard the left-wing media's version of what Rush said, not the actual statements in context. What Rush actually said was that he hoped Obama's policies failed; or that he hoped Obama failed in implementing his policies. This might seem like semantics, but Rush, like many of us, realized early on that Obama's policies were going (and have proven) to be disastrous for this country.
I have my own feelings about Rush, Sean, Mark Levin, Bill O., and others, some of which would undoubtedly surprise those who think that we conservatives are all automatons that are spoon-fed our opinions and information by these folks. Anyone who has followed my responses to feel-good e-mails over the years (I have been accused of curmudgeon-like behavior) knows that I don't take much at face value and research the things that I question. It is not hard to spot the hypocrisy of the Left or the Chicago strong-arm tactics of the current administration if you simply open your eyes and ears.
One of the biggest ironies right now is that the people who vilify and rail against Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Mark Levin, Bill O'Reilly, etc., are people who never have (and never will) actually listened to their shows. I have heard the most hateful things said about Bill O. by people who have never heard him, have never picked up one of his books, and don't have the first idea of what he stands for. Bill frequently reads (often hilariously) letters and e-mails from people calling him a huge liberal and a right-wing nut job who are talking about the SAME STORY!! I've seen it over and over and it never fails to crack me up.
This morning I heard Glenn Beck quoting an article in which he was taken completely out of context and misrepresented - it has become commonplace for Rush to replay segments of his show from which he has been misquoted and/or misrepresented. Which brings us to the "I hope Obama fails" brouhaha. I got an e-mail from someone who wrote an indignant letter to Michael Steele about this and the divisiveness of the far right. I have great respect for this individual, but it is obvious from his writings that he heard the left-wing media's version of what Rush said, not the actual statements in context. What Rush actually said was that he hoped Obama's policies failed; or that he hoped Obama failed in implementing his policies. This might seem like semantics, but Rush, like many of us, realized early on that Obama's policies were going (and have proven) to be disastrous for this country.
I have my own feelings about Rush, Sean, Mark Levin, Bill O., and others, some of which would undoubtedly surprise those who think that we conservatives are all automatons that are spoon-fed our opinions and information by these folks. Anyone who has followed my responses to feel-good e-mails over the years (I have been accused of curmudgeon-like behavior) knows that I don't take much at face value and research the things that I question. It is not hard to spot the hypocrisy of the Left or the Chicago strong-arm tactics of the current administration if you simply open your eyes and ears.
Duplicity Part II
President Obama, in his New Hampshire speech this morning, talked about how a single-payer system is impractical and is not the goal of the health care bill. This position directly contradicts statements he made to the SEIU in 2007 (where he identified single-payer as a long term rather than short term goal) and the AFL/CIO in 2003 (where he identified single-payer healthcare as a specific agenda item). I don't pull this stuff out of thin air; I have heard the sound bites and they are not out of context.
What the people of this country need to realize is that the far left is not looking for an immediate legislative grand slam - they are trying to pass legislation that will give them the foot in the door to leverage these policies into bigger and bigger Federal programs while eliminating private sector competition. What it all boils down to is Federal power and control over our lives and how we live them, and it is downright scary.
What the people of this country need to realize is that the far left is not looking for an immediate legislative grand slam - they are trying to pass legislation that will give them the foot in the door to leverage these policies into bigger and bigger Federal programs while eliminating private sector competition. What it all boils down to is Federal power and control over our lives and how we live them, and it is downright scary.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
More golf...
The world may be spinning off it's axis; Tiger Woods is actually playing three weeks in a row. (One for one so far... this week at Firestone, where he has dominated; next week at the PGA at Hazletine, where he has won in the past.) I can't help it, I love seeing this guy dominate, even if he has struggled in the majors this year. Of course, top tens at Augusta and Bethpage would be good for most tour players, but Tiger guages his success by his performance at the majors, so his wins at the AT&T, Memorial, Buick, and Arnold's Bay Hill are probably a little more hollow than one would expect. Wins this week and especially next week would fulfill his season, although he might be Player of the Year and FedEx points leader without either of them.
Duplicity
By the way - President Obama has been good about telling the American people what they want to hear while allowing Pelosi, Ried, et al to do his dirty work. If you doubt this, read the House version of the Health Care bill and then listen to what Obama has said in his speeches.
This man is a professional politician who was schooled by Saul Aulinski, Jerehmia Wright, Bill Ayers, Bernadette Dohrn, and others of their ilk. While it was OK for 8 years for the left to say the most vile things about George Bush, it is unacceptable to question or criticise this leftist radical who wants to "transform America" - and transform it into something that our Founders and indeed my parents would not recognize or condone.
This man is a professional politician who was schooled by Saul Aulinski, Jerehmia Wright, Bill Ayers, Bernadette Dohrn, and others of their ilk. While it was OK for 8 years for the left to say the most vile things about George Bush, it is unacceptable to question or criticise this leftist radical who wants to "transform America" - and transform it into something that our Founders and indeed my parents would not recognize or condone.
Current Events
There are a lot of things that I want to vent about right now - the health care bill that most congressmen have not read (and Obama admitted during questioning that he did not know what it contained) that will destroy health care in America; the White House web site where we can report in an Orwellian manner those who oppose the socialism of our country; the many similarities between Obama and the Left's policies and programs and those of Hitler and the Nazis (and no, I am not a nut job; the comparisons are real and valid); the insanity of Cap and Trade and our current energy policy; the inevitable tax increases that are coming to support the lunatic spending; etc. My lack of postings has more to do with my frustration and the overwhelming nature of the challenges we face than inattention on my part - I do intend to try to address some of these issues. However, I would like to see folks do their own research and see what is really going on - I don't expect people to change their minds based on anything I say, but I would at least like to see some who disagree with me expand their horizons beyond the State controlled mainstream media, leftist web sites like the Huffington Post, and liberal publications like Rolling Stone (who, to their credit, recently ran an article about how Wall Street will benefit from the Cap & Trade legislation).
The next 10
OK - the first ten essential Classic Rock albums were arbitrary, and there was room for debate. But it did represent a solid foundation for anyone interested in delving into what I consider to be the best contemporary music available. Here are the next 10 - many of which could easily have made the top 10 - by 10 different bands. If you get these 10 along with the Top 10, and then explore different albums by the bands you like, you will have a great collection.
The next 10:
Humble Pie – Smokin
Grand Funk Railroad – Closer to Home
Traffic – The Low Spark Of High Heeled Boys
Rush – 2112
Jethro Tull – Aqualung
The Who – Who’s Next
Jimi Hendrix Experience – Are You Experienced?
Cream – Disraeli Gears
The Allman Brothers – Beginnings
The Doors
Honorable Mention: Montrose; Van Morrison’s Moondance
The next 10:
Humble Pie – Smokin
Grand Funk Railroad – Closer to Home
Traffic – The Low Spark Of High Heeled Boys
Rush – 2112
Jethro Tull – Aqualung
The Who – Who’s Next
Jimi Hendrix Experience – Are You Experienced?
Cream – Disraeli Gears
The Allman Brothers – Beginnings
The Doors
Honorable Mention: Montrose; Van Morrison’s Moondance
I'm back...
Yes, for anyone who checks this, I have been negligent in posting - we were once again on the road at Fort Benning and Fort Gordon - the graduation ceremony was no less amazing this time and the Infantry Museum was fully open. It is definitely worth seeing if you are ever in the area. A highlight for me was "firing" an M16 on the same trainer that the troops use for their practice. Of course, my son the soldier laughed at my effort - definitely need a little practice to reach their standards.
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