President Ford - RIP

"A government big enough to give us everything we want is a government big enough to take from us everything we have."

Gerald R. Ford, the nation's first unelected vice president and then its first unelected president, has died, his wife, Betty, said late yesterday. He was 93.


When Gerald R. Ford took the oath of office on August 9, 1974, he declared, "I assume the Presidency under extraordinary circumstances.... This is an hour of history that troubles our minds and hurts our hearts."

It was indeed an unprecedented time. He had been the first Vice President chosen under the terms of the Twenty-fifth Amendment and, in the aftermath of the Watergate scandal, was succeeding the first President ever to resign.

Ford was confronted with almost insuperable tasks. There were the challenges of mastering inflation, reviving a depressed economy, solving chronic energy shortages, and trying to ensure world peace.

Ford's major contribution as president was probably in providing a sense of stability and continuity of the office in the aftermath of the Watergate turmoil and the Nixon resignation.

Season's greetings !!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL !!

And of course all the other possible greetings of the season , just to accomodate anyone visiting Randomview , wouldn't want to be politically incorrect !
Actually , I am a Christian , so it is only natural that I would use Christmas in my greeting . I respect the right of others to follow their own faith , but ask that they NOT ask me to forget mine .
The image above is of a display my wife made for her desk at work this year , most of it was handmade or decorated by her , with a little help from me . It now sits in our breakfast nook and is the current screensaver on the computer at home .

Applicants line up at Swift

After many illegals were removed from Swift plants recently , it seems people are lining up for the open jobs .

GREELEY - The line of applicants hoping to fill jobs vacated by undocumented workers taken away by immigration agents at the Swift & Co. meat-processing plant earlier this week was out the door Thursday.

Rocky Mountain News


I am sure Swift will be more vigilant in checking citizen satus now . These jobs can and will be taken by citizens .

A different Christmas poem

This poem is traveling around the internet . I wish I knew the author so I could attribute it properly . It purportedly came from a Naval commander in Iraq .

A Different Christmas Poem

The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,
I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.
My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,
My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.
Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,
Transforming the yard to a winter delight.
The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,
Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.
My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,
Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.
In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,
So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.

The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,
But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.
Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know, Then the
sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.
My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,
And I crept to the door just to see who was near.
Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,
A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.

A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,
Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.
Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,
Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.
"What are you doing?" I asked without fear,
"Come in this moment, it's freezing out there!
Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,
You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"

For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,
Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts..
To the window that danced with a warm fire's light
Then he sighed and he said "Its really all right,
I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night."
"It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,
That separates you from the darkest of times.
No one had to ask or beg or implore me,
I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.
My Gramps died at ' Pearl on a day in December,"
Then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers."
My dad stood his watch in the jungles of 'Nam ',
And now it is my turn and so, here I am.
I've not seen my own son in more than a while,
But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile.

Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,
The red, white, and blue... an American flag.
I can live through the cold and the being alone,
Away from my family, my house and my home.
I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,
I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.
I can carry the weight of killing another,
Or lay down my life with my sister and brother..
Who stand at the front against any and all,
To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall."

"So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright,
Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."
"But isn't there something I can do, at the least,
"Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?
It seems all too little for all that you've done,
For being away from your wife and your son."
Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,
"Just tell us you love us, and never forget.
To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone,
To stand your own watch, no matter how long.
For when we come home, either standing or dead,
To know you remember we fought and we bled.
Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,
That we mattered to you as you mattered to us."

PLEASE, Would you do me the kind favor of sending this to as many people as
you can? Christmas will be coming soon and some credit is due to our
U.S.service men and women for our being able to celebrate these festivities. Let's
try in this small way to pay a tiny bit of what we owe. Make people stop and
think of our heroes, living and dead, who sacrificed themselves for
us.

ICE doing its job

It is good to see ICE is actually doing its job . A long investigation has led to the arrest and hopefully deportation of a large part of the workforce in Swift's meatpacking plants . These people have all committed at least one crime , either illegal entry into the US , or ID theft . They need to be deported forthwith . Yes , I know they will leave behind spouses and children , but such should be the consequences of criminal acts .

see the
story on myway.com .

More than 1,200 people were arrested in meatpacking plants in six states during raids that federal officials said amounted to the largest-ever workplace crackdown on illegal immigration.

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said Wednesday the investigation uncovered a "disturbing front" in the war against illegal immigration, in which illegal immigrants are using the identities of U.S. citizens to obtain jobs.

"Violations of our immigration laws and privacy rights often go hand in hand," he said. "Enforcement actions like this one protect the privacy rights of innocent Americans while striking a blow against illegal immigration."

The raids followed a 10-month investigation into illegal immigrants suspected of buying or stealing other people's identities to secure U.S. jobs. The scheme may have had hundreds victims, officials said.

Immigration officials last month informed Swift that it would remove unauthorized workers on Dec. 4, but Swift asked a federal judge to prevent agents from conducting the raid, arguing it would cause "substantial and irreparable injury" to its business.

The company estimated a raid would remove up to 40 percent of its 13,000 workers. Greeley-based Swift describes itself as the world's second-largest meat processor with sales of about $9 billion.

This should send a message to illegals and those who hire them .
Can't wait to see what the ACLU has to say about this , some are already whining " what about the children ?"

In a written statement, President and CEO Sam Rovit said the company has never knowingly hired illegal workers and does not condone the practice.

Swift uses a government pilot program to confirm whether Social Security numbers are valid. Company officials have raised questions about the program's ability to detect when two people are using the same number.

In the company I work for , we hire truck drivers and in the task of confirming identity , a simple program will flag an SSN or Driver License number that is duplicated . Seems a government program would at least have that capability .

Joining the enemy

Here is a Rabbi in an Orthodox sect who deeply misunderstands the goal of the radical Islamists . He doesn't realize that he will be killed just as quickly as all others if Amadinejad has his way .
He was attending the recent Holocaust Conference and was among those applauding the speech of Iran's hothead .

Yisroel Dovid Weiss is not your average rabbi sporting a black hat. As the head of the Neturei Karta sect in Monsey, Rockland County, Weiss proudly calls himself an anti-Zionist, and regularly burns the Israeli flag at demonstrations.

He's embraced Muslim leaders and went to Washington last year to greet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Yesterday, he was front and center at a conference denying the Holocaust took place. He applauded Ahmadinejad's keynote address urging Israel be "wiped off the map."

But Weiss' critics have called him anti-Semitic.

Abraham Foxman of the Anti-Defamation League branded Rabbi Weiss' group "Jews who hate Jews" and accused them of selling themselves as props for anti-Semitic groups worldwide.

"They are such perverters of what Judaism is all about they have to embrace all the enemies of Jews," said Foxman. "They dance at every wedding of Jew-haters."

Read the whole story on http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/479759p-403577c.html

Political correctness getting worse

The City of San Francisco has bowed to PC madness again ! MTA was forced by the city to stop an ad campaign which put cookie scented strips on the bus stop shelters in a "Got Milk" campaign .

It seems some people

"complained the ads could be offensive to the poor and homeless who can't afford to buy sweet treats."

Is this madness or what ? This would lead us to agree that any ad would be forbidden since anything advertised is unaffordable to someone in this world , even in America .
Why not block car ads , computer ads , jewelry ads , ad infinitum .??
here is the story .

Satan or Terrorist ?

Was it that Satan was on a flight to Texas , or had the Satan Chavez swore had preceded him to a speaker's podium been booked on the flight ?

If I were on an airplane and smelled burning matches , I would have been very worried , just as passengers were on an American Airlines flight the other day .

But it was just a passenger with a wish to cover her flatulence . Striking matches is a time-proven way to cover that smell , but on an airplane ?? In this day and age ?? Not smart . The passenger was removed after an emergency stop in Nashville ans has been questioned by authorities and was not allowed to get back on the plane with the others as it continued on to Texas .



wsmvnews.com had the story .

Santa Butt Beer

From

Portland, Maine — A beer distributor says Maine is being a Scrooge by barring it from selling a beer with a label depicting Santa Claus enjoying a pint of brew.

In a complaint filed in U.S. District Court, Shelton Brothers accuses the Maine Bureau of Liquor Enforcement of censorship for denying applications for labels for Santa's Butt Winter Porter and two other beers it wants to sell in Maine.

The episode is reminiscent of last year when Connecticut told Shelton Brothers it had problems with its Seriously Bad Elf ale. The state later approved the sale of the beer.

“Last year it was elves. This year it's Santa. Maybe next year it'll be reindeer,” said Daniel Shelton, owner of the company in Belchertown, Mass.

How far will political correctness go ? How many kids would be affected by this beer ? The ACLU needs to get a grip on reality and go back to fighting against REAL civil liberties offenders .

UN approves extension of military mission in Iraq

What do the "cut and runners" have to say about this ? Their favorite UN has approved an extension of the mission in Iraq on the urgings of Nouri Al-Maliki . If the UN says stay , do they still want us to leave before the job is done ?

The UN Security Council voted unanimously yesterday to extend the mandate of the 160,000-strong multinational force in Iraq.

The council acted quickly in response to a request from Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who said a top government priority is to assume full responsibility for security and stability in the country but that it needs more time.

The resolution, drafted by the U.S., extends the mandate of the multinational force for one year starting on Dec. 31 and authorizes a review at the request of the Iraqi government or by June 15.

The resolution contains the same provision as past resolutions: A commitment the council "will terminate this mandate earlier if requested by the government of Iraq."

Al-Maliki's request for the one-year extension with a termination clause came as the U.S. administration stepped up diplomatic efforts to stabilize the war-torn country, certain to be a top item on the agenda when U.S. President George W. Bush meets al-Maliki tomorrow in Jordan.

This report from AP should tell them that for at least a year , Iraq and the UN want the coalition to stay in Iraq .

Damned if we do , damned if we don't !

The Bush administration is facing a foreign policy crisis in Lebanon where the Iran-backed Hizbullah and Syria threaten to topple the weakened democratic government in Beirut.
"The future of the Middle East, certainly the future of Lebanon may well be decided in the next several days," U.S. envoy to the United Nations John Bolton told BBC radio. "A successful re-emergence of democracy there is being directly challenged by the terrorist Hizbullah and those who support them, Syria, Iran and others."

Thisarticle on Worldtribune.com tells us about the quandry we are entering into in Lebanon . We have committed money and supplies that could easily fall into the hands of Hezbollah and Syria . We are committed to helping Lebanon shore up the democracy , but can we be sure they won't succumb to the desires of our enemies , thus in essence paving the path for terroristic leadership ?

The U.S. dilemma is whether or not to provide up to $200 million in military aid to Lebanon over the next year.

Officials said the State Department intends to determine the stability of the government of Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora before the aid is sent to Beirut, Middle East Newsline reported. They said the assassination of Trade Minister Pierre Gemayel and the resulting unrest could lead to a delay in U.S. weapons to Lebanon.

"The nightmare is that we help build a military that is taken over by Hizbullah or Syria," an official said.

I haven't heard any liberal saying anything about this yet , but it sure will be another thing for them to blame on the administration if things go sour . The terrorists have patience , so it would not surprise me to see them let us go ahead with this , just to take advantage of it later . It would give them money and at least a bunch of Humvees to use against Israel , not to mention air defense equipment and weapons sent as surplus .

Consider this -

Posted on Myoldtruck.com by a member there -


Civilian Versus Military
__________________________
Your alarm goes off, you hit the snooze and sleep for another 10
minutes.
He stays up for days on end.
___________________________

You take a warm shower to help you wake up.

He goes days or weeks without running water.
__________________________

You complain of a "headache", and call in sick.

He gets shot at, as others are hit, and keeps moving forward.
__________________________

You put on your anti war/don't support the troops shirt, and go
meet up with your friends.

He still fights for your right to wear that shirt.
__________________________

You make sure your cell phone is in your pocket.

He clutches the cross hanging on his chain next to his dog tags.
__________________________

You talk trash on your "buddies" that aren't with you.

He knows he may not see some of his buddies again.
__________________________

You walk down the beach, staring at all the pretty girl s.

He walks the streets, searching for insurgents and terrorists.
__________________________

You complain about how hot it is.

He wears his heavy gear, not daring to take off his helmet to
wipe his brow.
__________________________

You go out to lunch, and complain because the restaurant got
your order wrong.

He does not get to eat today.
__________________________

Your maid makes your bed and washes your clothes.

He wears the same things for months, but makes sure his weapons
are clean.
__________________________

You go to the mall and get your hair redone.

He doesn't have time to brush his teeth today.
__________________________

You are angry because your class ran five minutes over.

He is told he will be held an extra two months.
__________________________


You call your girlfriend and set a date for that night.

He waits for the mail to see if there is a lette r from home.
__________________________

You hug and kiss your girlfriend, like you do everyday.

He holds his letter close and smells his love's perfume.
__________________________

You roll your eyes as a baby cries.

He gets a letter with pictures of his new child, and wonders if
they'll ever meet.
__________________________

You criticize your government, and say that war never solves
anything.

He sees the innocent tortured and killed by their own government
and remembers why he is fighting.
__________________________

You hear the jokes about the war, and make fun of the men like
him.

He hears the gunfire and bombs.
__________________________

You see only what the media wants you to see.

He sees the bodies lying around him.
__________________________

You are asked to go to the store by your parents. You don't.

He does what he is told.
___________________________

You choose the path you're going to lead your life on.

He lets GOD choose his!
_________________________

You stay at home and watch TV.

He takes whatever time he is given to call and write home,
sleep, and eat.
__________________________

You crawl into your bed, with down pillows, and try to get
comfortable.

He crawls under a tank for shade and a five-minute nap, only to
be woken by gunfire.
__________________________

You sit there and judge him, saying the world is a worse place
because of men like him.

If only there were more men like him.

Blue Dog Democrats

I borrowed this info from A Way With Words through Dave Wilton's weekly newsletter of Wordorigins.org .

The name is modeled after yellow dog Democrat. A yellow dog Democrat is not
especially liberal, but is rather someone who will vote party line
regardless of the circumstances. The New York Times records this from 11
March 1883:

There is no eagerness shown, however, among Republicans to seek office at
this time, when Democrats can see nothing but certain victory awaiting them.
"Why, we could nominate yellow dogs this Spring and elect every one upon the
ticket by a big majority," said one of the Democratic ward statesmen to-day.

By 1911, the above quotation had been turned into a political buzzword when
the Mansfield News (Ohio) had this on 22 April:

He favors a job for every "yellow dog Democrat" to keep him from want,
exertion and worry.

I see some hope for middle-of-the-road politicians and the center of the citizenry , because it shows that there really are some fiscally conservative Democrats in office . In my view , these Blue Dog Democrats will find their voices as the next two years show that the far left find themselves unable to pass leftist legislation , due to their running to the center to win , then veering left to legislate . It is my fervent hope that centrist politics will prevail .

The article quoted says -

They call themselves the blue-dog Democrats-yellow-dog Democrats turned blue
by the choke hold put on them by their own liberal leadership.

For those interested in etymology , Wordorigins is a very interesting discussion group , accessed by logging on to

Wordorigins , but to participate you must register with EZboard . Spammers are not welcome , and discussions are serious , though some good-natured humor is found there at times .

Windchill Index

Winter is arriving and that brings to mind something I used to wonder about , the windchill index that weather people always cite , but hardly ever explain . Specifically, the new WCT index:

Calculates wind speed at an average height of five feet (typical height of an adult human face) based on readings from the national standard height of 33 feet (typical height of an anemometer)
Is based on a human face model
Incorporates modern heat transfer theory (heat loss from the body to its surroundings, during cold and breezy/windy days)
Lowers the calm wind threshold to 3 mph
Uses a consistent standard for skin tissue resistance
Assumes no impact from the sun (i.e., clear night sky).

Perhaps this chart will help .
The chart is better viewed on The National Weather Service site .
They also offer a calculator for you .

Cartoon

I don't understand this !

Forgive me for not being a gamer and into the Playstation scene , but -
bidding is wild for the Playstation 3 that came out today ! Yesterday I saw 20 or so people camped outside the local Wally World , in line for the game system . It looked like a bunch of homeless people !
On Ebay , they have a set of rules just for Playstation and the Nintendo whatever . Since I am not a gamer , I am out of touch , but is a game system worth 5-6 hundred dollars ? Maybe so , but $9,000 or more ???????
Look at this auction - Playstation IIIdammit - the link has been killed ! Oh well , just search Playstation III on Ebay , you will see .


Guess I should have bought several and sold them on Ebay . If the system just came out today , how did they get one to sell ? The rules say it must be in the seller's possession and a receipt shown in the picture . And if you can buy it at retail today , why would you spend a ton of money ? You won't be the first to have it obviously .

Update - that auction ended at a price of $9000.00 !! The buyer's handle is brainz11203 - Really ? NO-brainz , I should think .

Borat not funny

This guy is not funny to me , and apparently not to a man in Manhattan either . Borat and Hugh Laurie ( House) were headed to a bar when Borat accosted a passer-by with his character , and got a punch in the face for his efforts .

He approached the man and said: “I like your clothings. Are nice! Please may I buying? I want have sex with it.”

But the bystander didn’t see the joke. He took one look at Cohen and punched him in the face.

From The Sun Online

Two years to rebuild

Now Conservatives have two years to rebuild the movement .

In this group , I include people from all sides in the recent election .
Many ran toward the center in order to get elected , including Republicans and Democrats .
Now the real center of the political spectrum needs to assert itself in the
political process in order for any substantive good to come from the political power
shift the voters have demanded . The center must speak out locally , regionally ,
and nationally in order to keep Washington on the road to better government .
I truly believe there are good politicians on both sides , just as there are
corrupt ones . The American public says it is tired of the staus quo in Washington ,
and in most state governments , but will we insist that our elected representatives
live up to election promises ?

I believe we can and should be ever watchful for those who become enamored
with the power offered them in office . The practice of always looking for political
favor from the special interest groups , and passing "pork projects" for states
is one of the evils of our representatives . Too often , these take precedence
over what may be good for the country . Almost every member of Congress from the
beginnings of our nation has succumbed to the temptation to get more for his or her
state and/or "friends" and this practice must be tempered by fairness , reality ,
and legality .

In the next two years we will see if the new powers that be can rise above past
ills and go forward to rebuilding our government . I don't mean that they have to
rewrite any laws or make any new ones , just that they need to govern justly
and in line with the wishes of the population . I also hope the Left doesn't go on
a witch hunt , thus ignoring the problems that led to the current situation .
It will take co-operation and bi-partisanship to achieve any lasting goals .

Some may have to reassess their label as conservative or liberal in order to stay
in power , and this would be an improvement in itself .

Democrats have to live up to promises of bringing government back to their con-
stituents by remaining as centrist as they seemed to be in their campaigns .
This can be done in part by not veering off to the far left as soon as in office .

Republicans have to re-assert themselves as a small-government party by abandoning
many of the faults they have acquired in the last six years in power . This may
require quite a bit of self-inspection on their part to rid themselves of the
image they have in the eyes of constituents .

The citizens have to become more aware of the function of government , and their
demands on government . We , as citizens must impress upon government our
awareness and hold them accountable for their actions , or inactions .

Hamas wants peace ?

Sure they want peace , but only on their own terms !
From this article on Yahoo News.

More "Land for peace " proposals from Hamas . They want peace talks with Israel reverting to an old Arab resolution in which Israel gives up even more land for
peace . Has this done any good in the past ? NO !!

The Hamas-led Palestinian government agreed Sunday to an international peace conference with Israel after the Arab League — angered by
Israel's military offensive in Gaza — voted to end a financial blockade on the Palestinians.

The Arab League statement said ministers sought a conference to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict "according to international resolutions and the principle of 'land for peace'." Arabs want Hamas to endorse a 2002 Arab initiative that calls for peace in exchange for land seized by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war — the
West Bank, the
Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem.

Israel responded by saying it would not hold talks with Hamas unless it agreed to demands, backed by the U.S. and Europe, that the group recognize Israel, renounce violence and abide by existing agreements between Israel and Palestinians.

Here we see the unrealistic demands haven't changed . The Palestinians and Hamas have no intention of ever seeking peace with Israel .

Today's election

The only thing important in today's election is it's impact on the war on terror . according to Orson Scott Card in his article in realclearpolitics.com .

Let me paraphrase --
Card says this as a Democrat, for whom the Republican domination of government threatens many values that he holds to be important to America's role as a leader among nations.

But there are no values that matter to him that will not be gravely endangered if we lose this war. And since the Democratic Party seems hellbent on losing it -- and in the most damaging possible way -- He has no choice but to advocate that his party be kept from getting its hands on the reins of national power, until it proves itself once again to be capable of recognizing our core national interests instead of its own temporary partisan advantages.

In Iraq and Afghanistan -- but especially Iraq -- President Bush is behaving according to America's best and most honorable tradition. We did not come to destroy, we came to liberate and rescue, he says -- by word and deed. We bring freedom and opportunity. Our money will help rebuild your devastated (or never built-up) economies; our expertise will help train your most talented people to be ready for prosperity and self-government; and our military will keep enemies from overwhelming you as you reinvent yourselves.

Instead of leaving an empty house, swept clean but unprotected, waiting for the devils of Islamic puritanism to come take over, President Bush has sworn that America will bring democracy, and that American soldiers will do their best to protect the decent, ordinary people until they are able to protect themselves.

"Americans Won't Stay"

How do the Islamicist tyrants answer the obvious success and growing appeal of Bush's democracy program?

They kill people, of course.

But they also tell the story, over and over: "America will never stick it out. We'll keep killing Americans till they give up and go away, and then you will answer to us!"

Until they believe that the Islamofascists are never coming into power, many people will remain afraid to commit themselves to democracy.

Under those circumstances, the remarkable thing is how courageously the Shiites of the south have embraced democracy, and how many of them are beginning to trust that we mean what they say.

But against Bush's promises and the actions of our brave and decent soldiers, the tyrants can set the behavior of Bush's political opponents, who are doing their best to promote the propaganda of the tyrants. Every Congressman who says "We must set a timetable for departure" is providing ammunition to the tyrants in their campaign of terror.

I wish I had found this before tonight . It is about 10:30 PM and most of the polls are closed . We are just waiting for the results . This may have swayed some reluctant voters to come out and make sure the Democrats don't take over the House and possibly the Senate and start us down a road to early withdrawal from Iraq .

Elizabeth Dole says Democrats content to lose in Iraq

Mrs. Dole . on Meet the Press said :

To pull out, to withdraw from this war, is losing, there’s no question about it,... The Democrats appear to be content with losing.”

This is what the opposition party is standing for , no matter what they say in speeches .

Democrats are saying they want to send more soldiers to Iraq to "police" Iraq . What is the meaning of this ? They think we can be a police force for a while and then redeploy the troops home sooner than any present plan . Would this mean "policing" in the fashion of the UN ? We have seen how well that has worked in the past .

Saddam Hussein has been convicted of crimes against humanity and sentenced to death by hanging.

Now we will see what result this sentence has on Iraq .

Perhaps it will settle things down , but just as possible is an increase in activity of insurgents .

I give no credit to those who are saying this was timed to help Bush .

This trial has dragged on so long , it seems comical to me . The trial is the first that Saddam has faced in the wake of his downfall.

It has been punctuated by walkouts, boycotts, hunger-strikes by Saddam and his co-defendants, the murder of three lawyers and the removal of the original trial judge, who announced in court that he did not believe Saddam was a dictator.

What's wrong with Walmart's "new" tardy policy ?

Walmart's tardiness policy is coming under fire as not being "Family Friendly " !
This is idiotic , there is only one new item in their policy - an 800 number to call for a code to give the supervisor when tardy or absent .

Wal-Mart’s ‘New’ Attendance Policy

Wal-Mart Watch and Wake Up Wal-Mart are touting an article from the Wall Street Journal discussing the company’s “new” attendance policy.

The new policy instructs employees requesting time off for illness to call an 800 number to get a code and then relay that code to their store manager for approval of their absence. Previously, employees asked their store manager directly for such time off, employees say.

In addition, the new policy formalizes penalties for employees who fail to get their absences authorized or don’t bother to call. Among them: Any employee with more than three unauthorized absences in a six-month span will be disciplined, and those with seven will be fired. Any employee who is absent three times during a six-month period and doesn’t call the 800 number for any of the three times can be fired. And employees needing more than three consecutive sick days are encouraged to apply for an unpaid leave of absence or time off under the Family Medical Leave Act. Previously, store managers had more discretion regarding discipline for unexcused absences.

see This Article from The Wall Street Journal .

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has enacted a new attendance policy that penalizes workers for multiple unexcused absences and requires them to call an 800 number whenever they get sick, changes critics say are part of a bigger effort to nudge out unhealthy and long-tenured employees.

I am a punctual person , and am always early to work and late to leave . I have
never been a clock-watcher , and do not understand people who are consistently late . I don't see anything wrong with this policy . It is also not new , judging by the article . Just a method to get tardiness under control . If I were a Walmart
manager , I would want my people to be on time and at their job at the assigned
time every working day . What could be wrong with that ?

Workers who are late and absent cost the company money and cause other employees to have to cover for them , perhaps having to neglect some of their own regular duties .

A QUOTE I LIKE

The important thing in the world is not where we stand , but in what direction we move .
GOETHE

I believe our position as a strong country in today's and tomorrow's world depends in part on how we weather this mid-term election and the 2008 elections . If the left gets a very strong grip on the legislative branch next week , they will build toward taking the executive branch in 2008 , and in my view , that will begin a slide downward for the US . I believe this in spite of the left's assertions that Bush is a cause of our loss of esteem around the world , and they represent a change for the better .

This is America , where we are free to have opinions , and to air them publicly . I respect the opinions of others when those opinions are based on considered facts and results . I wish the left would offer plans to better things , rather than harp on the current administration , only saying "Americans want change " .

Fine , let's have change , but not just for the sake of change !

Redneck home security

HOW TO INSTALL A HOME SECURITY SYSTEM IN THE SOUTH
------------------------------------------------------------------------

1. Go to a second-hand store and buy a pair of men's used size 14-16 work
boots.

2. Place them on your front porch, along with a copy of Guns & Ammo
magazine and your NRA magazines.

3. Put a few giant dog dishes next to the boots and magazine.

4. Leave a note on your door that reads: Hey Bubba, Big Jim, Duke and
Slim, I went for more ammunition. Back in an hour. Don't mess with the
pit bulls -- they attacked the mailman this morning and messed him up
real bad. I don't think Killer took part in it but it was hard to tell
from all the blood.

Anyways, I locked all four of 'em in the house. Better wait outside

Foot in Mouth !!

John Kerry showed us today what he thinks of our military forces . He insinuated that they are dummies that are stuck in Iraq because they did not get an education .
Of course , he claims he " mispoke " . He should do his homework himself . The average education level of our soldiers is High school plus , compared to the average of the general population in the same age group is below high school level .

Video here from MSN.com

Down-ballot voting

Is this what you see when you approach the voting machine ? Pic copyrighted by Alternet.org . (I hope the picture shows )

Winning at the local level is a precursor to winning nationally, but prosaic as it may be, the most important thing is to have good people in public offices--honest, hardworking, intelligent, and pragmatic people, men and women who can get things done for the common good. Of course, honesty and fairness are paramount qualifications for local positions. We must assure that we have clean elections because , if the offices fall into the wrong hands, they can corrupt the very foundations of democracy.

At this point, the most worrisome scenario for Republicans has large portions of the GOP base staying home on Election Day. If that happens, collateral damage could follow.

Already, five or six GOP-held governorships are leaning toward the Democrats. But the next tier of gubernatorial races — tossups in states such as Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Oregon and Wisconsin — could tilt Democratic on election night if GOP voters show up in lower-than-usual numbers. Winning most of these races could hand the Democrats a solid majority of governorships.

As for legislatures, almost two-dozen chambers are within a couple of seats of changing party control this year, including both chambers in Colorado, Maine, Iowa and Washington and one chamber each in Oregon, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

There’s a lot at stake this year in downballot races, beyond the ability to shape state policymaking. Winning legislative and gubernatorial seats builds farm teams that help a party win higher office. Moreover, with the decade starting to wind down, Congressional redistricting — which in a majority of states is handled by legislators and governors — is fast approaching. And with a pivotal presidential election coming up in two years, state-level strength could become a significant building block in the quest to put together an Electoral College victory.
I hope registered voters on all sides of the political spectrum look even deeper in the ballot , and remain aware of the importance of local city , precinct , and county elections . These elected officials are the base for the up ballot elections in the future . They run our local govrernments and are the ones who can effect change in government from the ground level . They will be members of the caucuses that elect people to the Electoral College . If we neglect to pay attention to who is elected down ballot , we will effectively lose our say-so in higher political races .


“A couple thousand votes can make a difference,” said Tim Storey, a political analyst at the National Conference of State Legislatures. “If one party is less enthusiastic, it could really hurt.”

A real hate-monger and potential terrorist

Here is a guy who thinks half of Congress should be assassinated if re-elected !
Hal Turner , An anti-Semitic white supremacist who conducts an Internet radio show says if Americans return incumbents to Washington in the Nov. 7 election, he may just have to assassinate them.
This guy is crazy !
The story was on Drudge and comes from World Net Daily

As the November 7 Election approaches, I decided to write a few lines to my fellow Americans about the state of our nation and the ugliness that may have to occur if the people who caused these problems are re-elected: They may have to be assassinated," he writes in his Oct. 27 screed.

Just so there can be no mistaking his intentions, Turner repeats his premise several times and even offers fairly detailed plans involving five-men strike forces to carry out their wet work in wiping out half the U.S. Congress and at least three members of the Supreme Court.

Guys like this are not worth listenibg to , but unfortunately many do listen . I hope no one follows his plans ! Our system may not be perfect , but it is the best in the world .

Statue of Liberty

Today is the 120th birthday of the Statue of Liberty .

Gasoline, Iraq , and Immigration

The following is a politically incorrect plan that was sent to me...


The U.S. wants us to cut the amount of gas we use. The best way to
stop using so much gas is to deport the 12 million illegal
immigrants! That would be 12 million less people using our gas. The
price of gas would come down.

Bring our troops home from Iraq to guard the border. When they catch
an illegal alien crossing the border, hand each a canteen, rifle and
some ammo.
Then ship them to Iraq. Tell them if they want to come to the U.S.
they must serve a tour in the military. Then ship them to Iraq. Give
them a soldier's pay while they're there and tax them on it.

After their tour, they will be allowed to become a citizen since they
defended this country. They will also be registered to be taxed and
be legal patriots. This option will probably deter illegal
immigration plus provide a solution for the troops in Iraq and the
aliens trying to make a better life for themselves.

If they refuse to serve, ship them to Iraq anyway, without the
canteen, rifle or ammo.



Sorry I can't take credit for coming up with this plan .

WISDOM

Old Wisdom

After working his farm every day, an old farmer rarely had time to enjoy the large pond in the back that he had fixed up years earlier with picnic tables, horseshoe courts, and benches. So one evening he decided to go down and see how things were holding up. Much to his surprise, he heard voices shouting and laughing with glee. As he came closer he saw it was a group of young women skinny dipping in his pond.

He made the women aware of his presence and they all went to the deep end. One of the women shouted to him, "We're not coming out until you leave."

The old farmer replied, "I didn't come down here to watch you ladies swim or make you get out of the pond naked. I only came down to feed the alligator."

Moral: Old age and treachery will always triumph over youth and skill.

If Democrats gain control

If the Democrats gain any control in Congress , we can expect plenty of investigations , more taxes , and several initiatives they have floated in the past . John Dingell of Michigan used to be chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee , and probably will return to that post .I quote this from Newsweek :

Dingell is careful to say he is not out to get George W. Bush, or the Republicans, and insists he will extend his hand to his GOP colleagues and conduct "oversight thoughtfully and responsibly." He says "there's no list" of things he wants to investigate. But in the next breath, he quickly ticks off a list of things he wants to investigate: The Bush administration's handling of port security and the threat of nuclear smuggling; computer privacy; climate change; concentration of media ownership; the new Medicare Part D program, which he calls a "massive scandal," and the secret meetings of Vice President Dick Cheney's energy task force. "This is a hardheaded administration," Dingell says. "So we'll probably have lots of hearings."

The House of Representatives is full of John Dingell Democrats—exiled committee chairmen awaiting the day they can reclaim the center chair on the dais. All carry lists—if only in their heads—of issues and outrages they believe Republicans have failed to probe because such questions would be politically embarrassing to the president. Henry Waxman of California is another Democratic old-timer whose ire never dims. A tireless investigator, he's in line to head the Government Reform Committee, and plans to take aim at Halliburton and alleged rip-offs and contract abuse in Iraq.
This situation shows the Democrats as relentless in thier campaign to discredit Bush rather than offer real solutions to problems . They will spend the next two tears pursuing this goal instead of working with the administration from a position of strength in the House .

Even on the question of the Iraq war , they don't have any real solutions to offer yet .
<

Democratic leaders are largely sticking with domestic issues in part because they have yet to come up with a coherent plan for the biggest problem of all: articulating a clear way out of Iraq. On the campaign trail, Democrats have been content to bash Republican failures and say they'd do better. The Democrats' official line is to promise a "new direction," and to urge, vaguely, "redeployment." If they win, they'll be forced to say what, if anything, that means.

Hillary comes clean about Sir Edmund

Sir Edmund Hillary
I wonder why it took so long for her to admit she was lying ? And now she wants us to beleive it was all her mother's fault !
© 2006 WorldNetDaily.com

Years after alternative media pointed out the virtual impossibility, Sen. Hillary Clinton finally has admitted she was not named for the famous conqueror of Mount Everest, Sir Edmund Hillary.

The New York Times, which repeated the claim as fact in a story just one week ago, reported Sen. Clinton's campaign issued a correction yesterday.

"It was a sweet family story her mother shared to inspire greatness in her daughter, to great results I might add," said spokeswoman Jennifer Hanley.

For more than a decade, Sen. Clinton's informal biography repeated the story, and it was recounted in former President Bill Clinton's 2004 autobiography, "My Life."

The problem with the tale, however, is one of timing. Sir Edmund and his Sherpa guide, Tenzing Norgay, became known to the world only in 1953, after becoming the first men to reach Everest's summit. Sen. Clinton was born in 1947.

Nevertheless, Clinton recounted to the press her meeting with Sir Edmund in 1995, during an Asian tour, in which she told the mountain climber how her mother had named her.

"It had two l's, which is how she thought she was supposed to spell Hillary," she said. "So when I was born, she called me Hillary, and she always told me it's because of Sir Edmund Hillary."

In 1947, Sir Edmund was an unknown beekeeper, but Clinton had explained her mother read about him in a publication while pregnant and liked the name.

Letter from George Bush

One of the posters on Conflicting Views ( link on sidebar ) , Bonaparte , posted this satirical letter today . What do you think about it ? I think it is funny and a great response to the critics of our "treatment" of the incarcerated extremists .

Letter from George Bush............
A Lady liberal wrote a lot of letters to the White House complaining about the treatment captive insurgent terrorists being held in Guantanamo Bay. She received back the following reply:

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Washington, D.C. 20016

Dear Concerned Citizen,

Thank you for your recent letter roundly criticizing our treatment of the Taliban and Al Quada detainees currently being held at Guantanamo Bay,Cuba.

Our administration takes these matters seriously and your opinion was heard loud and clear here in Washington.

You'll be pleased to learn that, thanks to the concerns of citizens like yourself, we are creating a new division of the Terrorist Retraining Program to be called the "Liberals Accept Responsibility for Killers" program, or LARK for short.

In accordance with the guidelines of this new program, we have decided to place one terrorist under your personal care.

Your personal detainee has been selected and scheduled for transportation under heavily armed guard to your residence next Monday.

Ali Mohammed Ahmed bin Mahmud (you can just call him Ahmed) is to be cared for pursuant to the standards you personally demanded in your letter of complaint. It will likely be necessary for you to hire some assistant caretakers. We will conduct weekly inspections to ensure that your standards of care for Ahmed are commensurate with those you so strongly recommended in your letter. Although Ahmed is a sociopath and extremely violent, we hope that your sensitivity to what you described as his "attitudinal problem" will help him overcome these character flaws. Perhaps you are correct in describing these problems as mere cultural differences. We understand that you plan to offer counselling and home schooling.

Your adopted terrorist is extremely proficient in hand-to-hand combat and can extinguish human life with such simple items as a pencil or nail clippers. We advise that you do not ask him to demonstrate these skills at your next yoga group. He is also expert at making a wide variety of explosive devices from common household products, so you may wish to keep those items locked up, unless (in your opinion) this might offend him.

Ahmed will not wish to interact with you or your daughters (except sexually) since he views all females as a subhuman form of property. This is a particularly sensitive subject for him and he has been known to show violent tendencies around women who fail to comply with the new dress code that he will recommend as more appropriate attire.

I'm sure you will come to enjoy the anonymity offered by the burka -- over time.

Just remember that it is all part of "respecting his culture and his religious beliefs". Wasn't that how you put it?

Thanks again for your letter. We truly appreciate it when folks like you keep us informed of the proper way to do our job. You take good care of Ahmed - and remember, we'll be watching.

Good luck!

Cordially, your friend,

GEORGE W. BUSH

More on the Cop Killer

The Mexican consulate hired an attorney to represent a man accused of killing a Houston police officer, KPRC Local 2 reported.

Juan Quintero, 32, was in court Friday. The Mexican consulate asked the judge to have its lawyer represent Quintero.

Quintero is an illegal immigrant who was deported in 1999 but sneaked back into the country, according to authorities.

Houston police officer Rodney Johnson, 40, was shot and killed during a traffic stop in the 9300 block of Randolph Street near Braniff Street on Sept. 21.

Investigators said Quintero shot Johnson four times in the head while sitting in the back of the officer's patrol car.

Quintero has a criminal past, including the sexual abuse of a child in 1996.

FromClick2Houston.com

Houston cop killer situation

I need to get more info on this case before I make any more comments than this ---
The killer , who is an illegal immigrant , was assigned two attorneys by the judge since he is too poor to afford legal representation .
NOW - the Mexican government has hired an attorney for him , and my question is going to be - why does our tax money need to be spent on attorneys if he has a whole government behind him ?

More to come ..........

Reid Got $1M in Land Sale

Democrats often complain of Republicans playing fast and loose with money and influence . Seems Reid might be guilty of the same shenanigans himself .
read this exclusive AP story in My Way News .

Partisan/bipartisan

Partisan - When Republicans don't agree with Dimocrats.

Bi-partisan - When Republicans agree with Dimocrats.

Principled opposition - When Dimocrats don't agree with Republicans.

I "borrowed" this from Grouchy Old Cripple .
Things have been this way in Congress for a long time . And both parties follow these definitions unfortunately . Liberals especially like to label things they don't like "partisan" , as if Republicans should always agree with Democrats . The two-party system doesn't seem to exist in their minds . Seldom is any true bi-partisan effort seen .
I would like to see some real co-operation sometime . I am afraid the Republicans are going to find themselves in a bind soon if the Democrats make any gains in the mid-term elections . Since neither side wants to work together , a split Congress is going to be our fate for at least 2 more years .

So- Mexico doesn't like the FENCE ?

Mexican leaders are thinking about taking the fence issue to the UN ! How do they think our building a fence is something the UN should have any say about ? They don't want the free flow of Mexicans stemmed , mainly because of the $$ sent back home by the illegals . It is a major part of the Mexican economy after all . They will do nothing to slow or stop this , so we must .
This article in The Washington Post reveals their hopes that the UN will stop the FENCE . Hell , the UN can't stop anything without half a dozen or more "Resolutions" that only waste time and never seem to have any effect .

But Ruben Aguilar, the spokesman for Mexican President Vicente Fox, said Thursday that Mexico had ruled out that possibility. He added he was "confident" the additional fencing would never become a reality because an immigration accord would eventually replace it.

What accord might be reached is unknown , since Mexico wants almost free passage for workers , rather than any plan that makes any sense to most Americans . I say we need as many obstacles to illegal immigration as we can use , and even the Dept. of Homeland security's " virtual fence" earlier proposed would not be enough .

THIS IS JUST CRAZY !!!

A mother used her own baby as a weapon in a domestic dispute ! "...swinging the infant through the air and striking her boyfriend with the child ..."
The baby boy suffered a cracked skull . What thought process made her think that was something to do ?
Read about it in this article from Breitbart.com .

Vacation

My wife and I both have been ( and still are ) on vacation , so not much posting lately because we have been doing lots of things together and going places . Today we went to a Sysco Food Service show in Houston . She is a cafeteria manager . We sampled many different foods and such and walked a lot .

Friday we are going to Round Top , Tx. , for the annual antique weekend that happens there and in the surrounding towns each year . I hope to find more old tools for the collection and to sell .

I will get back to politics soon .

Film of 9-11 bombers

Five years after 9-11 a film of Mohammed Atta , and other members of the group has surfaced , showing them at Bin Laden's Afghanistan headquarters . This Sunday Times article has a link to the video .
It is the first time that a videotape has appeared of Mohammed Atta — who flew an American Airlines plane into the north tower of the World Trade Center — at a training camp in Afghanistan. It fills in a significant gap in the timing of the build-up to the attacks on the United States.

Dates on the tape show Atta was filmed on January 18, 2000, together with Ziad Jarrah, the pilot of United Airlines flight 93, which crashed in Pennsylvania after the passengers apparently stormed the flight deck.

The Sunday Times has obtained a copy of the video through a previously tested channel. The tape has no soundtrack and a US source said lip readers had tried without success to decipher what was being said.

Link here .

Bush lied ?

I know we all have heard the rebuttals , but here is a montage of others who also lied , if Bush did .

Ugly reality of the Left

This is from Alain's Newsletter admittedly conservative , christian , and politically active . I was led here by a post by Drnaline , a poster at Conflicting Views an ever increasingly popular political discussion forum .

Meanwhile, as a result of that now infamous interview with Fox reporter Chris Wallace, former President Bill Clinton further exemplified the ugly reality of the American left.

During his two terms in office, Clinton did indeed diligently pursue those he considered his enemies, though their ranks were almost entirely comprised of Conservative and Christian political organizations whom he hounded with the full power of the FBI and IRS.

This is exactly why Americans should watch closely as the Left spews their hatred for Bush and Republicans . The voting public should be aware of the real agenda of the Left , and hopefuly refrain from voting for them .

Condi Blasts Clinton !

After his interview with Wallace , in which Clinton got angry for being asked a question he didn't want to answer ( and never did answer , by the way ) , the fur began to fly !
Conoleeza Rice made several responses to Clinton's claims in this
Article reported by The New York Post Online Edition .
Clinton supporters are crowing over his "handling" of Wallace , but he has done himself no good at all . Liars continue to lie , especially when cornered as Clinton was . Angry , red-faced , and overbearing in response to civil questioning is central to his character and that of many liberals .

NIE report says we are not safer?

Recent media reports that intelligence agencies say we are not safer now than before 9-11 are all over the place in the last few days . We would be wise to reserve judgement on this subject . We don't have the complete report to read and discuss , only parts and pieces promoted mainly by opponents of the administration .
Read this article from MyWaynews.com .
"The New York Times' characterization of the NIE is not representative of the complete document," said White House spokesman Peter Watkins.

He declined to comment on information contained in the classified document.

U.S. intelligence chief John Negroponte said news reports on the NIE characterize "only a small handful" of the conclusions from a broad strategic assessment of global terrorism.

"The conclusions of the intelligence community are designed to be comprehensive and viewing them through the narrow prism of a fraction of judgments distorts the broad framework they create," Negroponte said in a statement.

Negroponte said the analysis found that if the U.S. effort to establish a stable government in Iraq succeeded, jihadists would be weakened and "fewer jihadists will leave Iraq determined to carry on the fight elsewhere."

Hezbollah rearmed, Nasrallah tells rally

What did I say just a few weeks ago ? The end of the "unfortunate incidents" in southern Lebanon would give Hezbollah time to rearm themselves and get ready to fight again . The UN peace-keeping effort has only done just that , given them the opportunity to retrench .
Read this in The Boston Globe .

No army in the world will be able to make us drop the weapons from our hands! Nasrallah shouted.

More Unbelievable !!

Clinton faults Bush for inaction on bin Laden !
From Reuters comes an article in which it is reported that Clinton faults Bush for INACTION on Bin Laden , and defends his own efforts to capture or kill him !

Now if you want to criticize me for one thing, you can criticize me for this: after the Cole, I had battle plans drawn to go into Afghanistan, overthrow the Taliban and launch a full-scale attack search for bin Laden. But we needed basing rights in Uzbekistan -- which we got after 9/11,... Clinton said.

What a crock ! Twisting of truths to cover for his own failures is what I call it .

Now , today we are hearing that Bin Laden MAY have died last month from typhoid fever in Afghanistan . This article , also from Reuters tells us that we cannot confirm such reports .
The French regional daily L'Est Republicain reported that, according to a French secret service report, Saudi Arabia is convinced bin Laden died of typhoid in Pakistan in late August. The French government has said it could not confirm the report and would investigate the intelligence leak .

Unbelievable !

Charlie Rangel and Nancy Pelosi speak out against Chavez ?

RANGEL: AN ATTACK ON BUSH IS AN ATTACK ON ALL AMERICANS... 'You do not come into my country, my congressional district, and you do not condemn my president. If there is any criticism of President Bush, it should be restricted to Americans, whether they voted for him or not. I just want to make it abundantly clear to Hugo Chavez or any other president, do not come to the United States and think because we have problems with our president that any foreigner can come to our country and not think that Americans do not feel offended when you offend our Chief of State'...

"Hugo Chavez fancies himself a modern day Simon Bolivar but all he is an everyday thug," House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi said at a news conference, referring to Chavez' comments in a U.N. General Assembly speech on Wednesday.

"Hugo Chavez abused the privilege that he had, speaking at the United Nations," said Pelosi, a frequent Bush critic. "He demeaned himself and he demeaned Venezuela."

And unless I missed it somehow , the Bush administration has been quiet about the statements of Chavez at the UN .
We are constantly offended by statements by Chavez , Ahmadinejad , and others , but we don't go to their countries and plan their destruction , nor demean their leaders and politicians . If any leader or plain citizen of the US did so , he would be at least thrown out , or more likely thrown in jail or killed immediately . They do that to their own citizens that oppose their policies already . What would we expect from them in a case like this ?

Where is the Bush response to Chavez , et al ? Bolton ( mild-mannerdly at that ) did make a statement soon after Chavez's speech , but it was in the vein of : " ..won't stoop to his level " ( paraphrasing here ) , and is not enough response in my opinion .

Have you seen the Other Iraq?

Heard about this on Michael Medved's radio show .
The Other Iraq - Iraqi-Kurdistan

Take a look at this article about their ad campaigns . They actually thank us for our involvement in Iraq and the Middle east , and celebrating Democracy . Unlike other Iraquis . This is the goal of our efforts in the war on terror , to build democracy in that part of the world .

Talking to a Wall ?

Bush calls on Middle East to reject extremism
"President Bush on Tuesday called for Muslims and other residents of the Middle East to reject extremism and empower "voices of moderation," offering the latest defense of his "freedom agenda" that has rankled allies abroad and drawn criticism from Democrats at home."

"In a speech at the opening of the annual U.N. General Assembly debate, Bush singled out Iran, Syria and militia groups such as Hezbollah and Hamas as obstacles to reform and supporters of terrorism, vowing again that Iran must not be allowed to pursue nuclear weapons."

"Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad, in a speech Tuesday evening, lashed out at the U.S and Israel, accusing both nations of using the Security Council as an instrument of oppression."

"Ahmadinejad, who was not present for Bush's address, condemned the U.S. for acting as "judge, jury and executioner" on Iran's nuclear program, which he defended as "transparent, peaceful and under the watchful eyes" of U.N. inspectors."

Here are people who have for many years called for the destruction of Israel , converting the West to Islam "by the sword" , and daily kill their own people with suicide bombs , claiming they are "peaceful" and that we are the terrorists !
How many westerners have worn and detonated bombs?
How many westerners have bombed embassies ?
How many westerners have sent planes into buildings with the intent of killing ?
How many westerners have publicly cut off the heads of enemies ?

Time to move the Mississippi ?

Another result of the destruction caused by Katrina is a revisiting of plans that have been brought up in the past .
"Scientists have long said the only way to restore Louisiana’s vanishing wetlands is to undo the elaborate levee system that controls the Mississippi River, not with the small projects that have been tried here and there, but with a massive diversion that would send the muddy river flooding wholesale into the state’s sediment-starved marshes."

Vincent Laforet for The New York Times
Many scientists advocate diverting the Mississippi River below New Orleans, where towns like Pilottown, above, sit along the delta.
And most of them have long dismissed the idea as impractical, unaffordable and lethal to the region’s economy. Now, they are reconsidering. In fact, when a group of researchers convened last April to consider the fate of the Louisiana coast, their recommendation was unanimous: divert the river.

Far from rejecting the idea, state officials have embraced it, motivated not just by the lessons of Hurricane Katrina but also by growing fears that global climate change will bring rising seas, accelerating land loss and worse weather."

I think this may be just the thing for Louisiana . It COULD be a project that helps rejuvenate the state , if it can be done without pork politics getting in the way , but that might be impossible in Louisiana .
Get people working again , rebuild the landscape , and hopefully make a start toward alleviating the effect of future storms and subsidence . It will take a long time and cost a lot of money .

Another site to visit

My friend Boss has started a new forum for street cruisers of all types .
American Muscle-Street Cruizin'
From Camaros to Chargers to Mustangs and everything else in between. Got an American car or truck? Whether its showroom new or a pile of parts this is the spot to cruize into with general talk , tuner info , pics , and good friendly fun . His site is only a few days old and has already begun to be a site to check out . Includes bike discussions , and so far these haven't been limited to only American bikes . All are welcome at Street Cruizin .
Look for the link on the left sidebar , or click HERE .

Talk Like a Pirate Day 9-19-2006

Tuesday September 19th 2006 is Talk Like a Pirate Day! Talk Like a Pirate Day only comes once a year (on September 19th), this year it falls on a Tuesday. If you’re not ready yet, you can learn more about this international holiday on the About TLAPD page or practice some phrases from the PiratePhrases page. After all, you don’t want to be handed the BlackSpot when the holiday is over!


Look here , matey AAAAAAARRRRGGGGHHHHHH!
Here is an animated pirate translator

Old Clinton joke

I don't have anything better to post right now , so here is an old Bill Clinton joke for you .
It doesn't matter what party you belong to -- this is

hilarious.

From a show on Canadian TV there was a black comedian who

said he misses Bill Clinton.

"Yep, that's right - I miss Bill Clinton! He was the

closest thing

we ever got to having a black man as President.

Number 1 - He played the sax.

Number 2 - He smoked weed.


Number 3 - He had his way with ugly white women."



Even now? Look at him ... his wife works, and he don't!

And, he gets a check from the government every month.

Manufacturers announced today that they will be stocking

America's shelves this week with "Clinton Soup," in honour

of one of the nations' most distinguished men. It consists

primarily of a weenie in hot water.

Chrysler Corporation is adding a new car to its line to

honour Bill Clinton. The Dodge Drafter will be built in

Canada.

When asked what he thought about foreign affairs, Clinton

replied, "I don't know, I never had one."

The Clinton revised judicial oath: "I solemnly swear to tell the


truth as I know it, the whole truth as I believe it to be, and

nothing but what I think you need to know."

Clinton will be recorded in history as the only President

to do Hanky Panky between Bushes."

---ya gotta love it.

Observation

"The reason a dog has so many friends is that he wags his tail instead of his tongue."
Author unknown

Housebreakers

A friend sent me this in an email . I don't know the source to give credit where it is due , but if anyone knows who originated it , I will certainly thank them for the thought .

Let's say I break into your house

A lady wrote the best letter in the Editorials in ages!! It
explains
things better than all the baloney you hear on TV.

Recently large demonstrations have taken place across the country
protesting the fact that Congress is finally addressing the issue
of illegal immigration. Certain people are angry that the US might
protect
its own borders, might make it harder to sneak into this country
and, once here, to stay indefinitely. Let me see if I correctly
understand the thinking behind these protests.
Let's say I break into your house. Let's say that when you discover
me in your house, you insist that I leave. But I say, "I've made all
the beds
and washed the dishes and did the laundry and swept the floors;
I've
done all the things you don't like to do. I'm hard-working and
honest (except for when I broke into your house).

According to the protesters, not only must you let me stay, you

must add me to your family's insurance plan, educate my kids, and
provide other
benefits to me and to my family (my husband will do your yard work
because he too is hard-working and honest, except for that breaking
in part).
If you try to call the police or force me out, I will call my
friends
who will picket your house carrying signs that proclaim my right to be
there.
It's only fair, after all, because you have a nicer house than I
do,and
I'm just trying to better myself. I'm hard-working and honest, um,
except
for well, you know.
And what a deal it is for me!! I live in your house, contributing
only
a fraction of the cost of my keep, and there is nothing you can do
about it
without being accused of selfishness, prejudice and being an
anti-housebreaker. Oh yeah, and I want you to learn my language
so you can communicate with me
Why can't people see how ridiculous this is?! Only in America....if
you agree, pass it on (in English). Share it if you see the value
of it as a good simile.
If not , blow it off along with your future
Social Security funds.

Why would we care what Sean Penn thinks ? Or the Dixie Chicks ?

At the Toronto Film Festival , where the new Bush Assassination film , a remake of "All the King's Men " is being featured , Sean Penn asked photographers to stop taking pictures so he could hear questions about the film . My question is - why does anyone care what Sean Penn says ? I respect his right to voice his opinion and have his stance politically , but I don't see him as someone profound or even newsworthy as a writer ( though he has been known to write freelance from time to time ) . Actors CAN make good politicians , since being a good actor might serve one well in public life , but simply because Penn is a good actor and quite popular is no reason to advance his opinions over other better public figures .

At the press conference, a reporter returned to the notion of Bush as a good politician, and Penn said the definition has changed -- much as it has for "good actor" which now means, he said, "contest winner" (he is an Academy Award winner himself).

"So that's the level of politician I think he's good at," Penn said. "Out of context, he's Beelzebub -- and a dumb one."

Another query: Could he name a good politician? Penn said he wasn't about to "rattle off the cliches....It should be obvious, those people who sacrificed of their talents and their commitment to their country or their people . . . we know who they are and they're not currently in the White House."

Penn has written several freelance articles for the San Francisco Chronicle in recent years.
Taken from the journal
Editor and Publisher .

In the same vein , Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks can't even keep her language civil when discussing Bush . This degree of unfounded hatred is likely to be part of a leaning away from the Left by mainstream Americans , who should be tired of it by now , and will surely be tired of it by 2008 .

Here is Maines' comment in Toronto -from Entertainment Weekly
The international press won't get their first look at the documentary Dixie Chicks: Shut Up and Sing until its gala premiere at the Toronto Film Festival tonight. But EW.com got an early look at the sure-to-be-controversial doc in Los Angeles and can attest that the film will continue to bring the (ex?) country trio more plaudits from progressives and further condemnation from conservatives. And if you think singer Natalie Maines had some harsh words for President Bush in public, wait till you hear what she had to say about him behind the scenes.

In one memorable scene, Maines watches news footage of the president being interviewed about the furor that followed the singer's on-stage comment that she was ''ashamed the President of the United States is from Texas,'' which resulted in the group being dropped from most radio stations, as well as protests and plummeting sales. ''The Dixie Chicks are free to speak their mind,'' Bush told Tom Brokaw at the time, adding, ''They shouldn't have their feelings hurt just because some people don't want to buy their records when they speak out. You know, freedom is a two-way street.''

After watching this footage, Maines repeats the president's comment about how the group shouldn't have their ''feelings hurt,'' incredulous, and then says, ''What a dumb f---.'' She then looks into the camera, as if addressing Bush, and reiterates, ''You're a dumb f---.''

This stuff is all the Left is spouting these days - nothing about ways to solve problems or how they would run the country . Maybe they will be hoisted by their own petard .

Searching for the Truth

" I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crises. The great point is to bring them the real facts. "
Abraham Lincoln
16th president of US (1809 - 1865)


I quote Lincoln here because the American people need the truth now , more than ever . Yesterday's 9-11 memorials , the ABC docudrama , and President Bush's speech last night caused me and many to ask ; Are we getting the truth ?

If you read my ramblings here you see that I think we are , but the reality is that many Americans are not . Just this morning I heard that the campus newspaper at The University of Houston ( where my son just enrolled as a junior ) offered as counterpoint to the ABC movie , a free viewing of Fahrenheit 911 . The reasoning was that students need to see a balance of viewpoints . I will agree that this is true
, but I wonder how many students are encouraged by Academia to accept F-911 as the truth , rather than an opportunity to weigh the "facts" presented by both sides in the matter . Many of the students get their news only from the campus paper , and might be misled .

Debate and discussion is essential to Democracy ; they are cornerstones of freedom ! Curious people must be willing to think , to venture , and to express themselves as they discuss issues with classmates and family . Clear thinking is required so that as discussion continues , understanding increases . Clear thinking about what is to be said results in better understanding in the mind of the speaker and the listener . Reactions from the people addressed are a way of testing one's own ideas . Many a position has changed after due consideration and clear thought preceding discussion and debate . Spouting a hard line talking point from either side without reseach and consideration is fatally flawed . Both sides must be understood in the beginning , that is why debate classes require debaters to argue both sides of a question . It may not be done this way now , but years ago debaters had to prepare to debate from yay or nay , and did not know until the beginning which argument they would have to take in the debate .

I think Bush was spot on with his speech last night and covered all the bases as he wove the present into the past while memorializing 9-11 .

Democrat politicising the memorial

In Arlington , Democrat Representative Jim Moran ruined his speech by politicising the memorial with comments about Bush policy . These guys just don't know when to curb their hatred for our President .

U.S. Rep. Jim Moran, D-8th, lauded the “perfect professionalism” of Arlington's public-safety personnel, who responded to the Pentagon after the crash and won worldwide accolades for containing the damage with no additional loss of life.

He also praised the community-wide outreach effort that occurred after the attacks.

“Arlington has woven together the fabric of a community that can't be torn apart,” he said.

But Moran then maneuvered into more sensitive ground, suggesting that the country was not safer and intimating that the Bush administration's foreign policy was headed in the wrong directions.

“More people hate us,” Moran said, a comment that drew an outburst from the crowd.

“My brother died on 9/11 - don't make this political,” a woman in audience cried out.

Moran continued, calling on the nation to address the root causes of terrorism by the 10th anniversary of the attacks on the Pentagon and World Trade Center.

From
The Sun Gazette Newspapers - Arlington

Moment of Silence

I am watching the presentation at Ground Zero , and the national Moment of Silence commemorating the Attack on our country on 9-11-2001 .
I hope all will respect this memorial .

This made me wake up !

I have been busy this week making a temporary transition to working a dayshift . I will be back in circulation next week , so all THREE of my regular readers can enjoy my Random Views .
However , I just saw this comment on Drudge and it made me have to post tonight .

"As the fifth anniversary approached, the 9/11 Scholars for Truth is urging Congress to reopen the investigation claiming they have amassed a wealth of scientific evidence to prove their version of the terror attacks."

This is from an Article
in The Daily Mail about a bunch of academics that have claimed the 911 attacks were a set up designed to get us into war with Iraq and then Iran ! These misguided people are the ones "teaching" in our colleges and universities ! We need to be sure and help our college-age children to take in as much information as possible and then sift out the crap the liberals feed them in the course of "higher education" !!
Last year my #2 son was struggling to write a paper for a class about "bias" in the media . His professor had given them a list of sources for facts on the subject . HAH ! A bunch of left-leaning scholars was all he suggested , so Patrick and I searched for more balanced articles and he presented a paper that was clear and concise . The professor did pass him , but I bet he didn't like it ! The community college my son was attending still recognizes a student's work when done properly , without forcing a biased approach , thank God !
End of rant .

Poor between the ears !

Disgruntled Truck Driver has hit the nail on the head ! He tells us some of his own story about being poor , and relates it to the plight of some of the New Orleans evacuees who are "poor between the ears" , and may never improve due to their mind-set rather than the opportunities awaiting them if they would try to rebuild their lives without government hand outs . This attitude of being "owed" help is what is holding them back . The TV is now showing stories about evacuees that have relocated and gone on with their lives in another city . Many will not return to NOLA , finally seeing that the welfare mind-set has held them back for generations . I wish more would try to bootstrap themselves .


Trail-mix says -
" I submit to you, that those people could be provided with everything the Government has given them for the next 20 years and at the end, they would still be victims. They have not learned the lesson that I have learned. That's why I say, "Being poor has nothing to do with what's in your wallet. "

Ain't this the shits ?

I hope this is a spoof , but I wouldn't put it past Tom Cruise to have sanctioned this stunt . With the purported goal of auctioning this off on Ebay for a good cause ( The March of Dimes ) , a casting of his daughter's first bowel movement has supposedly been made in bronze !! It is being shown at the Capla Kesting Gallery in Brooklyn .

Court decision could shake the IRS

This story from Townhall.comwas brought to my attention by Drnaline on Conflictingviews.com .
Wonder if the ruling will stand and help in the efforts to curb the IRS and get us closer to a national sales tax ?

Here is a small part of the article by Bruce Bartlett at Townhall .
"Last week, a federal appeals court in Washington handed down an important decision relating to the definition of income for tax purposes. What is important about the decision is that it is the first one in decades saying that the Constitution itself limits what the government may tax. If upheld by the Supreme Court, it could significantly alter tax policy and possibly open the door to radical reform.

In the case, a woman named Marrita Murphy was awarded a legal settlement that included compensation for physical injury and emotional distress. The former has always been tax-exempt, just as insurance settlements are. Obviously, it makes no sense to tax as income the payment for a loss that only makes one whole again. One is not being made better off, and therefore there is no income. But under current law, compensation for non-physical injuries are taxed. "

Tell them , Condi !

In a speech to Legionnaires , Condi Rice said :
"Sept. 11, 2001, transformed America's foreign policy. The country's security is inextricably linked to spreading freedom and democracy in the Middle East. Otherwise, America runs the risk of leaving the kind of totalitarian vacuum that allowed the Taliban to flourish in Afghanistan and made that country the launching pad for 19 hijackers.
News from Iraq is "disheartening." But the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are making progress. Thousands of citizens of both countries have voted in elections and volunteered for military service.
The war on terror is a continuation of America's historical struggle for democracy - including World War II, the Korean and Vietnam wars and both Gulf wars. Americans need to be patient and steadfast. History will prove that the Bush Administration's crusade for democracy was a success. "

Read the article from The Salt Lake Tribune
HERE .

Kerry has nothing new

He just won't give up !

John Kerry lost to Bush last time and now he is considering another run at the Presidency , but he doesn't have any plans to announce . He has just reiterated charges of election fraud from 2004 .
Here he is as seen on Breitbart.com in an article by David Hammer of AP .

"Sen. John Kerry didn't contest the results at the time, but now that he's considering another run for the White House, he's alleging election improprieties by the Ohio Republican who oversaw the deciding vote in 2004.
An e-mail will be sent to 100,000 Democratic donors Tuesday asking them to support U.S. Rep. Ted Strickland for governor of Ohio. The bulk of the e-mail criticizes Strickland's opponent, GOP Secretary of State Ken Blackwell, for his dual role in 2004 as President Bush's honorary Ohio campaign co-chairman and the state's top election official.

"He used the power of his state office to try to intimidate Ohioans and suppress the Democratic vote," said Kerry's e-mail.

Kerry, D-Mass., conceded the election when he lost Ohio and its 20 electoral votes. A recount requested by minor-party candidates showed Bush won by about 118,000 votes out of 5.5 million cast. But Kerry's e-mail says Blackwell "used his office to abuse our democracy and threaten basic voting rights."

Multiple lawsuits by outside groups were unsuccessful in challenging Ohio's 2004 election. One case filed by the League of Women Voters is still in U.S. District Court in Toledo. It claims Ohio's election system discriminates against minority voters. "

Do you see the Democrats saying anything about how they will solve our problems ?

I will keep asking these questions until someone can convince me that Democrats will be better at governing than Republicans .

The "scandal" that distracted Washington

Read this from Christopher Hitchens of Slate.com .
The ridiculous end to the scandal that distracted Washington.
By Christopher Hitchens
Posted Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2006, at 1:02 PM ET

"I had a feeling that I might slightly regret the title ("Case Closed") of my July 25 column on the Niger uranium story. I have now presented thousands of words of evidence and argument to the effect that, yes, the Saddam Hussein regime did send an important Iraqi nuclear diplomat to Niger in early 1999. And I have not so far received any rebuttal from any source on this crucial point of contention. But there was always another layer to the Joseph Wilson fantasy. Easy enough as it was to prove that he had completely missed the West African evidence that was staring him in the face, there remained the charge that his nonreport on a real threat had led to a government-sponsored vendetta against him and his wife, Valerie Plame."

So , you see that the whole thing was cobbled together by Bush bashers , even some from within the administration who were opposed to going to war . This is the kind of stuff that Democrats have been doing all along in their attempts to discredit Bush and his administration , rather than working together with them to support our struggle against a foe that is determined to kill us all in the long run .

The anti-Bushies have no plan for how to run the country . They have only one goal , and that is to get rid of Bush . They will not pay attention to anything else before the elections in November , and really not much until the elections in 2008 .

I do not understand how anyone can support a group that has no plan to fix all the problems they say Bush has caused .