Foolish Old Man….

Look at this picture.

Does it look like  a) a happy couple looking forward to a life of marital bliss, or b) a middle-aged man gloating about his young trophy hottie and a woman who's already planning how to suck him dry?

From Fox News:

NEW YORK –  Alec Baldwin and his yoga instructor fiancee tied the knot Saturday in a New York City church, with a guest list that included family and famous Hollywood pals.

Baldwin, 54, and Hilaria Thomas, 28, married at St. Patrick's Old Cathedral in a Catholic ceremony performed by the Rev. George Deas.

How's This for Perspective?

Ultimately, they'll hold their own children hostage to their own ends, clearly using OUR CONCERN for THEIR CHILDREN as a weapon AGAINST US.

Taliban to U.S.: End drone strikes in Pakistan, or no more polio vaccines 

Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- A Taliban commander in northwest Pakistan has announced a ban on polio vaccines for children as long as the United States continues its campaign of drone strikes in the region, according to a statement by the Taliban. 

"Polio drops will be banned in North Waziristan until the drones strikes are stopped," said the statement, released Saturday. "Almost every resident of North Waziristan has become a mental patient because of the drone strikes, which are worse than polio," the statement continued. "On one hand, the U.S. spends millions of dollars to eliminate polio, while on the other hand it kills hundreds with the help of its slave, Pakistan." 

Pakistan remains one of only three countries that have yet to eradicate polio.

If there's another way to interpret this, feel free to enlighten me.

Pond and Fountain World: Customer Contempt

In June, 2011, I purchased a three-tiered fountain from Pond and Fountain World, 11816 Shelbyville Road, Louisville, KY  40243.  My salesperson was Paul Peterson, a more worthless individual I've not had the misfortune of meeting.  I chose this company on the assumption of quality and service yet it's clear my assumption was invalid.

Due to the size of the fountain, and due to my own physical liabilities, I chose to have the fountain professionally installed by Pond and Fountain World.

During the installation, I noted that the top tier had been broken and repaired.  The installation personnel agreed and they proceeded to call Mr. Peterson who relayed that the broken piece would be replaced.  That fact was noted on our receipt.

I waited and, upon hearing nothing regarding the replacement part, called Pond and Fountain World to follow up.  I was told someone would look into it and call be back.  No one did.  Again, I called, relayed the story and was told that someone would call me back and, again, no one did.

In the fall (September, 2011), I spoke and corresponded with Mr. Doug Stovall who was the first person with whom I spoke who seemed to have a genuine interest in resolving the issue.  We discussed the fact that the season was winding down and it would be best (for THEM) if the replacement part in question was shipped along with other parts , but that could take months.

Foolishly, I agreed to wait until spring to have this resolved.  I thought my reasonableness would be rewarded but, alas, it was just another stall.  In March, 2012, I contacted Pond and Fountain World, asked for Mr. Doug Stovall and was told that Mr. Stovall was no longer with the company.  Once again, I told my story (this time to a fellow named “Mike”, and once again, I was told it would be handled.

In April, 2012, I unexpectedly received a small palletized shipment at my home which proved to be the replacement part.  As I was involved in other matters, the skid sat, literally untouched in my driveway until June 17, 2012, when I opened it and prepared to replace it and, nearly a year after its installation, finally have it complete.

The part in question was broken.

I called Mike on June 18, 2012, relayed the information and my profound disappointment in same.  I proposed that the company offer me an adjustment as, after the time and effort, I had decided to resign myself to settling on a two-tier fountain.  Mike’s response was to tell me that they did what was expected and to essentially tell me that their responsibility has ended.

I guess that’s my reward for being reasonable in the fall and not having been more demanding.

He did say that he would pass this along to “his supervisor” but, like every other time they said that they'd "get back with me", they didn't.

Not returning a call or two is a mistake and to err is human.  Continually being ignored by multiple individuals is indicative of a fundamental dysfunction at the corporate level.

I must say that I cannot recall having done business with another entity quite like Pond and Fountain World.  In 58 years, I have never had the occasion to write a letter such as this, but if there were ever such an occasion, this is it.

Do business with these rogues and charlatans at your own risk.

When The Truth Is Found To Be Lies…..

According to Gallup, via Garance Franke-Ruta of The Atlantic, a substantial portion of the American people believe that some 25% percent of our population is gay. The real number is somewhere between 2-5%, depending on your source, which seems reasonable to me. We've become a nation of oppressed minorities competing for the nation's attention ("awareness", as it were) and the largest and/or most oppressed minority gets attention in this cacophony of awareness.

 Making your minority seem larger, or more oppressed than rival minorities garners more attention and thus, more sympathy.  Sorry, but this practice is not only wrong, it's a selfish distraction from issues that actually deserve attention.

"Youth" Means "Not Done Yet"

Ever since the 60s, our society has worshipped "youth" as though they were imbued with an intelligence that, somehow, fades with actual life experience. In fact, the only traits "the young" possess in more abundance than their elders is energy, hubris and hormones, all of which are overrated. The 19 year-old that you wouldn't think of trusting for a week with the house, the American Express and our new car has long since become our seer and our advisor. Sorry, but "fresh eyes on the subject" is a handicap, not an advantage when the subjects include questions and problems as old as mankind itself.

Is Jonah Goldberg correct that young people are "friggin' stupid"? Yeah, that's a fair statement:

Seriously, THANKS!

And this also goes for German, Japanese and, alas, proper English.

Courtesy, IMAO.

Obama Wraps Up the Pathetic Paralyzed Pornographer Vote

I had no idea he was still alive.

Larry Flynt: 'President Obama Has Overperformed ... Done a Marvelous Job' 

In an interview with Reihan Salam for Vice magazine, pornographer Larry Flynt reveals that he's now a hardcore supporter of President Obama's just two years after calling Obama an "ineffectual wimp" for giving in too much to Republicans. 

"I think President Obama has overperformed," Flynt says. "He got handed on his platter when he became president more than any president in history ever had to deal with.... I think he's done a marvelous job."

Upon making this declaration, he dragged himself back into his hole.

What Happened to the Concept of "Covert"?

Clinton: State Department Hacking Into Al-Qaeda Websites In Yemen

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The State Department has launched a different sort of raid against al-Qaeda — hacking into al-Qaeda websites in Yemen. 

In a rare public admission of the covert cyber war against extremists, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says cyber experts based at the State Department hacked Yemeni tribal websites, replacing al-Qaeda propaganda that bragged about killing Americans.

“Within 48 hours, our team plastered the same sites with altered versions of the ads that showed the toll al-Qaeda attacks have taken on the Yemeni people,” Clinton said Wednesday.

Perhaps they would have, eventually, figured this out on their own (indeed, perhaps they already did), but shouting strategy from the rooftops like this seems to serve no purpose.  I can't imagine a case  where an al Qaeda terrorist finds his way to the propaganda website, hoping to fortify himself with some "Great Satan" or "Little Satan" hatred, instead finds pro-American counter-arguments and thinks; "hey, I've been all wrong about these guys, they're really swell fellows!"

Come on people, the government keeping secrets is sometimes a good thing, particularly in cases like this!  Even if this had become common knowledge, what end does it serve to admit it?  A little mystery goes a long way in covert operations.

Honestly, there seems to be more secrets being kept on the domestic policy front by this administration than on the foreign policy front.

Man, Parrot, Zebra, Bar.

You just can't make this stuff up.

One-Trick President

When I first heard of this Newsweek cover I thought it a joke, a parody of the god-like persona that the left has ascribed to President Obama.  I'm sure that I'm not the only one whose credulity was strained.  Alas, it's all to real, but it has a distinct odor of desperation and, let's face it, when parody becomes indistinguishable from actuality, there's something terribly wrong.

The more time goes by, the more I like Romney’s chances. All Obama has is race; his political wits are sorely lacking and his acolytes are grasping for any reason to maintain their support. I think it’s all but certain that the economy will, at best, remain anemic and at worst, will continue to fail. Democrats, save the increasingly small circle of true believers will distance themselves throughout the summer and, eventually, there will simply be no concrete reasons to reelect; “Hope and Change” will be seem cruelly mocking and Obama will become a caricature of all that's wrong with the Democrat Party.

If he had a fraction of the political aptitude of Clinton he’d be scary, but he doesn’t. They’re breaking out the messianic theme because that’s literal all they’ve got. The fact is that The First Black President is a one-trick pony who has ascended by virtue of his race and thuggish politics and as the country looks to a second act, they’ll be horrified to find that there isn’t one. In November he’ll be eased out and a substantial number of Democrats will publicly grouse but privately, they’ll be relieved to have the albatross removed from their necks.

Gimme Some "Post Racial"

To believe that there’s a racial element to Obama’s loyal opposition is to believe that racism comes and goes as though it were a fashion. That’s simply not the way people think. Literally every example of anti-Obama racism, this side of the “Stormfront” crowd, had proven baseless. Indeed, one of the reasons Obama still maintains the level of approval that he does is that his opposition has been wont to minimize criticism for fear of being “misinterpreted”.

For many Americans, “The First Black President” was an experiment that even I hoped would succeed. Many of those same Americans are concluding that, while their intentions were noble, there’s more to a being president than absolving us for the sin of slavery. In fact, this “absolver” is now wielding our past sins as his remaining weapon, having not displayed any semblance of competence.

In 2008, we did the wrong thing for the right reason – in 2010, we need to do the right thing for the right reason.

Glittery Trial Balloons Look Fabulous!

Van Jones: Obama Wouldn't Lose Black Vote If He Came Out As Gay 

“I think if President Obama came out as gay, he wouldn't lose the black vote," a cheerful Van Jones told MSNBC this afternoon. 

"President Obama is not going to lose the black vote no matter what he does," he added.

Hmm.  Is there some sort of gay conspiracy theory that's heretofore eluded me, or is this some sort of new political ploy?

Let's Set Treyvon Aside For a Bit

The Race Circus has been renewed to a level not seen since the OJ arrest/trial.  People of all minds have pre-acquitted/pre-convicted Treyvon/Zimmerman, they have proof if his innocence/guilt and they shan't be convinced otherwise.

Enough already.  At this point, even calling the Great American Race Circus what it is can be construed as inflammatory and until there is more fact than conjecture and more light than heat, I'll not be discussing the matter here. Understand that I'm not cowed by unfounded charges of racism, I just thing that people of reason, having had their initial opportunity to comment, should back away and allow the justice system to work. Once that has happened, we can all state our opinions and those opinions (hopefully) will be based on fact.

Welcome to the Great American Race Circus!

There's nothing like a business opportunity to ease through the grief process.

Trayvon Martin’s family looks to trademark ‘I am Trayvon,’ ‘Justice for Trayvon’

Trayvon Martin's mother Sybrina Fulton is seeking to trademark phrases with her son's name. 

According to applications filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office by the family's attorney last week, Fulton wants to trademark "I am Trayvon" and "Justice for Trayvon" for use in DVDs and CDs memorializing the slain teenager. 

In the wake of the news that her son had been suspended from school after traces of marijuana were found in his book bag, Fulton said Monday that those leaking information were trying to blame the victim. "They killed my son, and now they are trying to kill his reputation," Fulton said.

Soon, T-Shirts, bumper stickers, coffee mugs and, no doubt, hoodies will be popping up like spring wildflowers heralding our period of "national soul searching".... for a nominal licensing fee, of course.

Thanks to the likes of Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton (and yes, President Obama) who lit on this case like vultures on carrion, and now this example of tasteless, morbid opportunism, this affair is well on its way to living up to every nasty stereotype imaginable.

Speaking of living up to stereotypes:

Police: Trayvon protesters ransack store 

North Miami Beach police said surveillance video shows dozens of high school students demonstrating in the Trayvon Martin case Friday ransacking a Walgreens store. 

The incident occurred during a walkout from North Miami Beach Senior High School in support of Martin, 17, who was fatally shot in Sanford. Protesters have been calling for the arrest of George Zimmerman, 28, who has not been charged because he claimed self-defense in the shooting, according to police.

We all want to believe the best of our fellow man but this sort of behavior doesn't help.

Foster a Taste For Kool-Aide When They're Young

All that's missing are uniforms with the ubiquitous "Obama Logo".

Virginia middle school teacher had students do 'opposition research' on GOP candidates

A Virginia middle school teacher is under fire after making his students do "opposition research" on Republican presidential candidates, according to a report. 

Eighth-graders at Liberty Middle School in Fairfax County were assigned to research the backgrounds and positions of Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul and find any “weaknesses,” according to The Daily Caller. 

The students were then required to draft a strategy paper, mapping out how to exploit those weaknesses and then research how to forward it to the Obama campaign.

These same public schools continue to struggle in the mission producing graduates with an acceptable basic education.

Serial Killer?

It would appear that the Muslim terrorist, captured by American forces in Afghanistan and released by the French, who killed seven people in France is just another Ted Bundy.

From the Daily Mail:

Al Qaeda fanatic is DEAD: Serial killer jumps out flat window with all guns blazing in dramatic end to 32-hour siege

God forbid we should call him what he is, a Muslim terrorist. Even after incorrectly assuming he was some sort of "right wing fanatic", they cannot even bring themselves to even use the word Islam, or Muslim. It's as though his religion was as incidental as his choice of dental floss.

If we don't even have the courage to name our enemy and identify their philosophy, how can we muster the courage to fight?

Selective Outrage in LA

City Council Warns ‘Crack Ho’ Comments ‘Intolerable’, Calls For Diversity In Talk Radio

The concept of "equal protection" having completely eluded them, the LA City Council has chosen to regulate the speech used on talk radio while completely ignoring misogynist, sexist, racist and violent language found in some current Rap and Hip-Hop music.

It would appear "hate speech" is perfectly acceptable when accompanied by music, yet is "intolerable" when it's simply spoken.  They even admit as much in the very first paragraph of the news item:

LOS ANGELES (CBS) — City Council members were one step closer on Wednesday to becoming the first in the nation to adopt a resolution condemning certain types of speech on public airwaves.

The Limbaugh remark was a bit out of line and he apologized.  That said, the slurs against Bush, Palin and any number of conservative figures are, at the very least, on par with anything that can be found on conservative talk radio.  That these slurs have emanated from Cable news and entertainment channels and network television doesn't make them any less distasteful.

Some members of the Left are so convinced of their rightousness and so self-satisfied with their own beliefs that any opposing views are met with indignation.  I remember a day when there was an air of open mindedness on the Left, but now their minds are only open to ideas that were formed some 40 years ago.

Incivility on Stilts

Liberals don't just agree to disagree, they lash out like petulant children insulting your intelligence, integrity, morality and everything but your momma.  They also don't seem to be in any mood for compromise (as if they ever were), or even simple standards of verbal decency.

WHITE HOUSE DECLARES RYAN "AGGRESSIVELY AND WILLFULLY IGNORANT"

White House Press Secretary Jay Carney didn't pull any punches in his attack on Paul Ryan's budget, as he declared that supporters of the budget -- and by extension, Ryan himself -- are "aggressively and deliberately ignorant" about the need for green energy and other programs slated for cuts. 

"You have to be aggressively and deliberately ignorant of the world economy not to know and understand that clean energy technologies are going to play a huge role in the 21st century," Carney said after decrying the clean energy spending cuts in Ryan's plan. "You have to have severely diminished capacity to understand what drives economic growth in industrialized countries in this century if you do not understand that education is the key that unlocks the door to prosperity," he added.   

Carney concluded that "the budget proposed by Chairman Ryan and supported overwhelmingly already by Republicans suggests that those problems" -- aggressive ignorance and diminished comprehension -- "exist in the minds of the supporters of that plan."

How in the hell do you negotiate with people like this?  This administration becomes more strident and dictatorial by the day and this type of vitriol is unworthy and dangerous.

Let's All Think Happy Thoughts

Ever at the President's disposal, CNN goes into a lengthy explanation as to why high gasoline prices are not as bad a situation as you cretans think it is.  It gives me the impression that these high prices will be with us for some time, which is why they're trotting out the "it could be worse" feelgoodisms. 

RISING GAS PRICES AREN'T AS BAD AS YOU THINK 

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Gas prices are once again dominating the national debate.But despite rhetoric, high gas prices aren't hurting as much as they used to.

In 1981, when oil prices spiked following the Iranian Revolution, gasoline represented nearly 5% of the nation's spending, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. In 2011, only 3.7% of spending went to gas, even though prices averaged at their highest level ever that year.

In addition to spending less, we're driving more than ever -- 90% more than compared to the early '80s, according to the Federal Highway Administration.

This isn't to say high gas prices don't hurt -- they do, especially for people living paycheck-to-paycheck or those that drive a lot.

But for the average American household, which has an income of over $62,000 a year, the increase in gas prices represents a relatively small portion of total spending.

Got that?  I guess if you're not a $62,000 per year "average" American because you're unemployed or because you just don't measure up, then maybe, just maybe, high gasoline prices actually are as bad as you think.  What ever happened to Democrats going into high dudgeon when any group of Americans, regardless of how small the number, or the circumstances, were not enjoying the American dream?

Oh yeah, that only applies when a Republican is in the White House.

Cry Me a River

My, we're getting pouty, aren't we?

Obama blamed troubles on Fox News, book says 

President Barack Obama blamed Fox News for his political woes in a private meeting with labor leaders in 2010, saying he was “losing white males” who tune into the cable outlet and “hear Obama is a Muslim 24/7,” according to journalist David Corn’s new book, “Showdown.” 

In “Showdown: The Inside Story of How Obama Fought Back Against Boehner, Cantor, and the Tea Party” — which hits bookstores on Tuesday — the Washington bureau chief for Mother Jones chronicles the White House from the 2010 midterm elections to the start of the 2012 campaign. The book focuses on key moments of Obama’s presidency, such as Osama bin Laden’s assassination, the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, the Arab Spring, the debt ceiling crisis, and the president’s dealings with Congress.Continue Reading 

Corn writes that after the midterm elections, Obama told labor leaders in December 2010 that he held Fox partly responsible for him “losing white males.”

Incredible.  I watch Fox News quite a lot and have never heard this "Obama is a Muslim 24/7".  In fact, Fox is a hell of a lot fairer to Obama than the networks have ever been to any Republican President.


The President and his apologists are apparently so out of touch, and so absolutely convinced of their righteousness that they've determined that fabrication is not the least bit dishonorable.  Either that or the paranoia is playing tricks in their heads.

Man-Made Wonders

Too cool.

Mammoth cargo ship arrives at Port of Long Beach 

The Fabiola is almost as long as the Empire State Building is tall, as wide as a 10-lane freeway and big enough to carry the contents of eight 1-million-square-foot warehouses.

When I was in the Navy, I saw a supertanker in dry dock in Yokosuka, Japan. It's still one of those experiences that sticks with me to this day.

Natural wonders are, well, wonderful. That said, we oft give man-made wonders short shrift as though they're somehow unworthy of pride. I think much of this stems from the environmentalists who see accomplishments such as this to be harmful. Fools.

This, ladies and gentlemen, is progress; it's what man does. Drink it up.

A Random Monday Thought....

Both the Mexican drug cartels, as well as Cuba's Castro regime have promised to play nice during the Pope's upcoming visit to those respective countries.

Perhaps the President should take the Pope, in particular and Catholics, in general, a bit more seriously. Invisible and imperceptible influence is, nonetheless, influence......and considerably more than he's wielding at the moment.

A Good Obama Campaign Slogan; "All Of The Credit, None Of The Blame"

Israel's now being set up as the new scapegoat for rising gas prices. Alas, they'll have to share their title with George W. Bush, Wall Street speculators, Big Oil and, of course, the source of all evil; Dick Cheney and the corporate Death Star known as Halliburton.

I saw a blurb on Fox that claimed that, if Israel stroke Iran, it may bring about $6/gallon gasoline. The thing is, the specter of gasoline rising to these levels has already been raised, so this sounds curiously like a "prophylactic explanation" being trotted out, you know, just in case.

There seems to be no limit to this administration's capacity to shamelessly shift blame.

In reality, any president's power to reduce gas prices is seriously limited, but he can heavily influence prices upward. The administration's overt war on domestic oil production, capped with his blocking of the Keysone Pipeline, has tremendous influence on oil prices.

But of course, it's far easier to demonize "Big Oil", deflect responsibility, and expect the American people to buy it.  It's worked so far, but it can't work forever.

Damn!

I let the day slip away without posting one reference to The Ides of March. The shame is profound.

Should Stone Age Cultures Be Held Equal To Our Own?

No, they shouldn't be, but.....

Wyoming Native American tribe gets rare permit to kill bald eagles 

CHEYENNE, Wyo. –  The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has taken the unusual step of issuing a permit allowing an American Indian tribe in Wyoming to kill two bald eagles for religious purposes. 

The agency's decision comes after the Northern Arapaho Tribe filed a federal lawsuit last year contending the refusal to issue such permits violates tribal members' religious freedom. Although thousands of American Indians apply for eagle feathers and carcasses from a federal repository, permits allowing the killing of bald eagles are exceedingly rare, according to both tribal and legal experts on the matter.

Where the hell is PETA when you need them?


Aside from the deplorable "animal sacrifice" factor, I don't think I'd be AS concerned if all religions were given the same deference. They're not.  And spare me the "Noble Red Man" nonsense; the inconvenient fact is that "Native Americans" were stone age hunter-gatherers and were little more than cave men when the Europeans arrived.  Continuing to venerate them and their "culture" is just another exercise in self destructive White Guilt.

Even ancient legitimate religions such as Judaism eliminated animal sacrifices nearly 2,000 years ago. Modern Native American "tribesmen" using the internet, talking on cell phones and riding around in cars while still practicing a stone age "religion" is inconsistent and, quite frankly, a bit of a stretch, but I'm willing to honor it - as long as they leave the bald eagles alone.

Let a Thousand Breitbarts Bloom

BE BREITBART. 


Don't boycott the culture: embrace it and engage its inhabitants. Listen to popular music, don't get old before your time, regardless of your age. Rejoice in your conservatism and share that joy with others. Wear their insults and hate as badges of honor and return heir bile with laughter and good cheer.

Always remember that YOU are the enlightened and THEY are the benighted and be willing to share that enlightenment with anyone who'll listen and find ways to get through to those who won't.  You're not regurgitating the tired, old bromides that have been trotted out now for almost 50 years; they are.

Most of all, take your victories wherever you can find them and don't lament the small ones - parlay them into large ones.

He left the blueprint, it's up to follow it. Let a thousand flowers bloom - let a thousand Breitbarts bloom.

The Volt: A Car Built So People Can Build Volts

Alas, the car built to make work for the UAW (at Taxpayer expense) isn't even successful at that:

Volt Production Halted for 5 Weeks, 1,300 Employees Laid Off 

General Motors has told 1,300 employees at its Detroit Hamtramck that they will be temporarily laid off for five weeks as the company halts production of the Chevrolet Volt and its European counterpart, the Opel Ampera. 

“Even with sales up in February over January, we are still seeking to align our production with demand,” said GM spokesman Chris Lee. 

Lee said employees were told Thursday that production would put on hold from March 19 to April 23. 

The Chevrolet Volt, an extended-range electric car, is both a political lightning rod and a symbol of the company’s technological capability. 

Chevrolet sold 1,023 Volts in the U.S. in February and has sold 1,626 so far this year.
In 2011, Chevrolet sold 7,671 Volts, but fell short of its initial goal of 10,000. 

GM had planned to expand production of its Volt plug-in hybrid to 60,000 this year, with 45,000 earmarked for the U.S.

Perhaps just a wee bit optimistic, no?

Godspeed, Andrew

I doubt that I've ever shared a Zip Code with the man, much less a beer, but I feel as though I've lost a very dear friend.  RIP.

Andrew Breitbart, Dead at 43

Breitbart believed that we conservatives must be comfortable with popular culture in order to win political majorities and he was right.  That the Republican Party is currently deciding between Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum is testament that we have much work to do.  Let us honor him by taking up his standard and using his zeal as inspiration. 

Boomer Cultural Icon Death Alert

Monkees Singer Davy Jones Dead at 66

Davy Jones of the Monkees has died of an apparent heart attack at age 66. The singer – who had been on a solo tour this month - complained of chest pains last evening and was admitted to a hospital this morning in Stuart, Florida.

What a shame.  RIP.

Who'd have thought that Davy Jones would be dead at 66 and Keith Richards would still be alive at 68?  The vagaries of genes and nature are indeed......vague.

Is "prudence" REALLY worth the cost of a nuclear armed Iran?

US, Britain urge Israel not to attack Iran's nuclear program

The age-old question comes to mind; "if not now, when? If not us, who?". While an attack on Iran for the purpose of destroying their nuclear capabilities is most certainly risky, to say the least, is it ant more risky that allowing an unstable and apocalyptic minded regime like Iran acquire the most destructive weapon known to man?

There was a time when the West had the courage of its convictions and could distinguish between good and evil. Granted, during the years leading up to World War II, the West was slow to act upon the blatant evil that was the Third Reich. I'll not defend the foot-dragging that resulted in the murders of untold numbers of Eastern Jews and other targets of the Holocaust, but once roused, the evil of Nazi Germany was revealed for all to see and the commitment to its destruction was absolute. One would think that horrible lesson would span the generations. One would think that the horror of 9/11 would have renewed Western civilization's commitment to the elimination of the barbarism and ignorance that were at the root of that horrible September morning.

It would appear that one would be wrong on all of those counts. We seem to believe that we can negotiate with evil, that "sanctions" can eliminate more than a millennium of benighted, violent ignorance. We seem so certain of these misbegotten ideals that we're apparently willing to risk one of the most dangerous regimes in history obtaining the most destructive weapon ever developed.

This is folly on a scale heretofore unknown by virtue of the cost alone.

"Social Media" and the Adolescentization of America

MA Congessional candidate, SEAN BIELAT's people "defriended" me on Facebook and deleted my comments. Why? Because I dared to call in to account the utter shallowness of accumulating Facebook "friends". I was deleted not for profanity, but simply for my criticism of a lame post trying to drum up 10K "Facebook Friends".

Last night, before I was deleted, I was essentially told to 'either DONATE or go away'. I took exception to its nakedly cynical tone, and even stated that he's a good candidate who's ill-served by such antics. This morning I found I had been "deleted".

No matter, I don't live in MA anyway. The point I was making was the immaturity and lack of seriousness of a post, NOT TOUTING POLICIES, but accumulating "Facebook Friends". SEAN BIELAT's Facebook staff clearly doesn't care for dissent and has achieved the emotional development of a teen-aged girl so I can only assume that my dissent was right on target.

I wish Mr. Biielat the best of luck in his campaign, and When his Facebook staff gets through that annoying puberty thing, I'm sure they'll turn out just fine.

Today in History, The Beatles on Ed Sullivan

On February 9, 1964, The Beatles made their first appearance on American TV on The Ed Sullivan Show. Just three months before, President Kennedy was slain in Dallas; prior to 9/11, that was the seminal historical even of my life. America desperately needed to sing, and the Beatles were more than happy to give us the songs:



I was 10 years old and, along with most of America, I was in front of the old Black and White witnessing history, once again, unfolding in front of me. Even at that young age, I knew I was seeing something very, very special. RIP, John Lennon and George Harrison, you're missed more than you know.

As for popular music, it's still something of an echo of Elvis and the Beatles. You young folk can argue that point all you like, but it's true. All Hail Rock and Roll!

Does the Administration LOOK for ways to annoy Great Britain?

Britain had to plead with US to take part in Iran flotilla

Defence sources have revealed that the Americans only relented and allowed a Royal Navy frigate to join the mission following an intervention from Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president.

The revelation that US defence chiefs saw little military value in UK participation will raise new questions about Britain’s international clout after Coalition defence cuts.

Britain's rich naval history predates the founding of our country by centuries and is a source of British pride. To treat our friends so shabbily and callously is unforgivable, yet is, alas, becoming part of this Administration's policy trademark.

Some women simply do not understand the concept of "Team"

Top among them; Brazilian Supermodels who should be seen and not heard.

Gisele rips Patriots receivers for husband Brady's Super Bowl loss 

NDIANAPOLIS -- Gisele Bundchen ripped into the Patriots receivers for the failed plays she believes cost her quarterback husband Tom Brady a fourth Super Bowl ring 

The Brazilian supermodel was caught on camera lambasting No. 12's teammates after Sunday's game in Indianapolis as she angrily defended taunts against her husband by Giants fans. 

Fans can be heard yelling "Eli rules!" and "Eli owns your husband" as she made her way through Lucas Oil Stadium following the Patriots' 21-17 defeat, the second time Giants quarterback Eli Manning has bettered three-time winner Brady on the Super Bowl stage. 

The comments riled Bundchen, judging by video obtained by online gossip site "The Insider," with the model making it quite clear to those around her who she thought was to blame for Brady's failure to land the win. 

"You [need] to catch the ball when you're supposed to catch the ball," she is heard saying. "My husband cannot [expletive] throw the ball and catch the ball at the same time. I can't believe they dropped the ball so many times."

Maybe Tom will teach her the meaning of "STFU" during the off-season.

Actually, Yes.

Does this fall under the "Not Watching Sausage Being Made" rule?

Yeah, I think it does, and are we supposed to see this as good news?

McDonald’s confirms that it’s no longer using ‘pink slime’ chemical in hamburgers 

McDonald's announced last week that, as of last August, is has stopped using ammonium hydroxide in the production of its hamburgers. MSNBC reports that the chemical, used in fertilizers, household cleaners and even homemade explosives, was also used to prepare McDonalds' hamburger meat. 

And while the announcement is making headlines, you may (or may not) want to know about some other unusual chemicals being used in the production of some of our most-popular foods:

Actually, no, I'd prefer not to know.  If you would like to know, however, please follow the link.  I'll admit that my guilty pleasure was a periodic trip to McDonald's but as I've gotten older, the craving has been less frequent as it just made me feel like crap for the rest of the day.

That this is a chemical used in homemade explosives may explain.........oh, never mind

The United Nations: Constantly Redefining Ludicrous Since 1946

The organization that gives equal voice to despots as well as statesmen and practitioners of genocide as well as champions of freedom and self-determination has the world economy now in its sights.

Does anyone with at least one functioning synapse trust the UN with "retooling the world economy"?   It's like giving Bernie Madoff your 401K to play with in his spare time in prison or having Michael Moore watch your lunch while you go to the rest room.

UN panel says retool world economy for sustainability 

The world can no longer afford to ignore the environmental cost of economic growth and must redefine the very concept of national wealth, a UN panel of heads of state and environment ministers said Monday. 

The panel challenged leaders to recognise that "current global development is unsustainable."
"We need to chart a new, more sustainable course for the future, one that strengthens equality and economic growth while protecting our planet," UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said in Addis Ababa to mark the release of the panel's report, which outlines more than 50 policy recommendations.

By 2030, the report warned, the planet will need at least 50 percent more food, 45 percent more energy and 30 percent more water. 

These needs are emerging "at a time when environmental boundaries are throwing up new limits to supply," it said. 

Continuing along the same path as today risks "irreversible damage to both ecosystems and human communities." 

Entitled "Resilient People, Resilient Planet: A Future Worth Choosing," the 100-page report seeks to shape in broad strokes the agenda for the Rio+20 summit this summer.

It sounds a lot to me like UN-Speak for "looting and kneecapping the productive First World in order to bestow that loot on the Third World".

I care not if you "like" me on Facebook

I drove by a bank branch the over day and on their electronic message board it said; "Like us on Facebook!"

Why? I know there are some pretty insecure people out there that obsess about how many Facebook "friends" they have (even at the expense of actually, you know, making real friends), but banks? I know that banks aren't the most popular institutions these days, but have they unraveled to the point that their emotional stability is that of a teen-age girl?


The truth is, if most of your "Facebook friends" are essentially strangers, you may want to reevaluate how you're spending your time (you know, you only get so much) and look up "shallow" in the dictionary.


Why can't I dislike something on Facebook?

Oh, and about Warren Buffet and his Secretary

I wonder if Buffet pays Ms. Bosanek a "Demagogue Bonus"? With effective unemployment in this country northward of 10% and people losing their homes, trotting out a billionaire and his $200K+ secretary with two homes as examples of anything, much less the nebulous concept of "fair share" is insulting. 


Look, I'm all about capitalism; make all the money the law allows. That said, casting Berkshire-Hathaway and Warren Buffet as heroic and Bain Capital and Mitt Romney as villainous strains credulity. 


Let's face facts: increasing Capital Gains Taxes and spurring investment in innovation are mutually exclusive.

Is this beginning of the much antiipated "Newt Implosion"?

Gingrich Campaign: Debate Audience Stacked For Romney 

Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich rode a strong performance and crowd enthusiasm at a debate in South Carolina to victory in that state’s primary, but the crowds at two debates in Florida this week haven’t been as wild for Gingrich. Now his campaign is claiming that rival Mitt Romney’s campaign stacked the audience at Thursday’s debate with its supporters to shift the energy toward Romney, the Huffington Post reported. 

“They definitely packed the room," Kevin Kellems, a Gingrich adviser, told the Post. 

But that’s not the case, according to both the Florida Republican Party and the Romney campaign. The party, which doled out 900 of the 1,200 tickets, says most of them went to “rank and file” Republicans.

Gingrich professes shock at Romney’s ‘dishonest’ debate performance 

MIAMI —Former House speaker Newt Gingrich said Friday that the reason he seemed less combative during Thursday’s televised debate was that he was shocked by what he described as rival Mitt Romney’s “totally dishonest” replies to several questions. 

In a telephone interview, Gingrich cited Romney’s remarks on immigration, his vote for Democrat Paul Tsongas in 1992 and whether he knew about an ad his campaign is running against Gingrich. 

“I think it’s the most blatantly dishonest performance by a presidential candidate I’ve ever seen,” Gingrich said. At several moments during the debate, Gingrich simply leaned away from his lectern and looked down at his feet because he was so stunned by some of Romney’s statements, he said. He didn’t engage Romney at the time, he said, because “I wanted to fact check. I wanted to make sure he was as totally dishonest as I thought he was." 

Gingrich spoke as a new poll from Quinnipiac University showed Romney back on top in Florida’s high-stakes Republican primary, adding to the momentum for the former Massachusetts governor following a strong debate performance Thursday night.

This clears this primary quandary quite nicely

President John Tyler’s grandson says Newt Gingrich is a 'jerk'

President John Tyler’s grandson Harrison Tyler, 84, says he’s not impressed with the state of politics today and particularly thinks Newt Gingrich is a “big jerk” for his three marriages.

Incredibly, President Tyler, who was born in 1790 and became the 10th president in 1841, has two grandchildren still alive today. His grandson, Harrison Ruffin Tyler, currently maintains the Tyler presidential home, Sherwood Forest Plantation Foundation in Charles City, Va.

The ancestral wisdom of Mr. Tyler may not have taken into consideration that the elimination of "jerks" would seriously limit the available pool of Presidential Candidates.

Alas, an unfortunate unintended circumstance of Mr. Tyler's assertion is that Googling John Tyler Jerk produces some 921,000 results, as of now. I'm sure President Tyler would gratified to be recognized in our modern world. No one really understood "Tippecanoe and Tyler too", anyway.

That's an odd way to bolster confidence, Mr. President

'I make a mistake, every hour, every day': Obama admits his presidency has been flawed... but claims economy is stronger

Barack Obama said he makes mistakes on an hourly basis as President but stood firmly behind his administration's work in bolstering the U.S. economy and jobs market.

The President was in Las Vegas to champion investment in clean energy, declaring the U.S. 'the Saudia Arabia of natural gas' in a speech to UPS workers.

However in an interview with ABC News' Diane Sawyer last night, he said: 'I second-guess constantly… I make a mistake, you know, every hour, every day.'

I have to say, that explains a lot. One does wish this would have come out in the job interview...hell, I wish there would have been a job interview!

David Cameron: UK Rock Star

Well, perhaps that's a bit overblown, but he seems to be one of the few European (forgive me for including Great Britain in that sorry lot) leaders with the courage to speak uncomfortable truths. Kudos for that!



Why is that here, in the cradle of modern capitalism, the points he put forth not accepted fact instead of topics for debate?

Well, I guess it's glad we have this, er, recovery thing going...

US new-home sales fell in Dec., finish dismal 2011

The Commerce Department says new-home sales fell last month to a seasonally adjusted annual pace of 307,000. The pace is less than half the 700,000 that economists say must be sold in a healthy economy.

Total sales last year were less than the 323,000 sold in 2010, making it the worst year on records dating back to 1963.

The median sales prices for new homes dropped in December, as builders continued to slash prices. It fell 2.5 percent to $210,300.

The decline in sales comes as other signs suggest the depressed housing market is starting to recover. Construction picked up, sales of previously occupied homes are rising, and builders are slightly more confident.

Is This an Example of "Bad Optics"?

Actually, arrogance may be more like it.

36 Obama aides owe $833,000 in back taxes

Photo Via 

How embarrassing this must be for President Obama, whose major speech theme so far this campaign season has been that every single American, no matter how rich, should pay their "fair share" of taxes. 

Because how unfair -- indeed, un-American -- it is for an office worker like, say, Warren Buffet's secretary to dutifully pay her taxes, while some well-to-do people with better educations and higher incomes end up paying a much smaller tax rate. 

Or, worse, skipping their taxes altogether. 

A new report just out from the Internal Revenue Service reveals that 36 of President Obama's executive office staff owe the country $833,970 in back taxes. These people working for Mr. Fair Share apparently haven't paid any share, let alone their fair share.
Previous reports have shown how well-paid Obama's White House staff is, with 457 aides pulling down more than $37 million last year. That's up seven workers and nearly $4 million from the Bush administration's last year.
Nearly one-third of Obama's aides make more than $100,000 with 21 being paid the top White House salary of $172,200, each.

Someone needs to follow up and see if there's actually anything done about this. For those of you too young to remember, that's why the press used to do.

Bravo Blogmocracy!

A very thoughtful piece and reasoned discussion with regard to a piece in the Washington Post entitled "Four ways Republicans can win Hispanics back" by Jeb Bush.

So far (30+ comments in), the discussion hasn't evolved into a "Bush Bashing" session. Credit where credit is due - KUDOS!