OK, sorry for the long headline, but it is true.
Overwhelmingly the California leftywhore media is on cue begging legislative Republicans to break ranks and approve the hair-brained scheme of Gov. Jerry Brown.
The scheme is to put on the California ballot, in a special election that will add cost to the taxpayers, an innitive that will continue the scam worked between former Gov. Benedict Arnold Schwarzenegger and legislative Democrats. That scam increased the state sales tax. Which is currently 8.25% statewide (9.25% in Los Angeles county). And increased the vehicle registration fee. In other words, politicians continuing feeding at the trough. And claiming that gee, we can not really cut anything more.
So, radio talk show hosts John and Ken have a compendium of columnists across California media. And they are begging some Republicans to break ranks and allow the vote to take place.
Enter the Sacramento Bee and writer Dan Morian.
In this he claims that Gov. Brown is the last "adult" standing. And why is that? Because he is "scolding" both fellow Dems and GOP members of the state assembly. According to Mr. Morain, it is because Gov. Brown is calling on his fellow Dems to make deeper cuts. And for GOP members to vote to allow a special election to extend tax increases.
OK, here is a clue.
Republicans have gone down this road before.
Infact, ask the former Lt. Governor, Abel Political Whore Maldonaldo where his vote to raise taxes got him. A nice beating from the current Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Mike Vilines is another who decided to be "an adult". Mr. Vilines was the Assembly Republican leader and decided to support the governor over the people. When he ran for insurance commissioner, he nearly got beat by a total unknown. In the Republican primary. Yeah, you guessed it. Mr. Vilines is not the insurance commissioner.
These are but two examples.
See, Republicans cut a deal, think that they are doing something wonderful and magnanimous and get their hat handed to them in the end.
That is why so many Republicans are saying, as The Who once sang, "We won't get fooled again".
Ah. but Mr. Morain is actually an adult on this beg of the Republicans.
This dim bulb, John Diaz, the editorial page editor of the San Francisco Chronic, er Chronicle, accuses the Republicans of hiding. Not offering anything of their own. Why, the Republicans are denying the people of the California the right to raise their taxes. And, because it appears this Diaz fellow has not listened to John and Ken, he does not like their "Heads on a stick" in reference to Republicans that say they will not raise taxes and vote to do so. Now John and Ken have had their "Heads on a stick" shtick for a while. But leave it to Mr. Diaz to throw in how awful it is ever since the assassination attempt on Arizona congressman Gabrielle Giffords to have such a reference. Here it is:
(John and Ken seem to have missed the memo about the unseemliness of violent imagery in the wake of January's attempted assassination of Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords.)
Hey, dim bulb Diaz, there is no memo except from people like you. And please, stop that already. We know that the attempted assassin, Jared Loughner, is nothing but a nut job. There was nothing political about his murderous rampage. And hey, you sure as hell reference the debate going on in Wisconsin. Why don't you mention all the signs comparing Gov. Scott Walker to Adolf Hitler? Well, maybe you just do not realize that is going on. So few of your leftywhore media folks seem to want to discuss that.
And besides, why should the Republicans make Gov. Brown's job any easier? The man wants to raise taxes. And he does not have the guts to do it. Nor do his fellow Democrats. But hey, if they get a couple of Republicans to be good sports in the legislature, the people can vote to raise their taxes themselves.
Hell, why do we need a state legislature?
This nit wit, Steve Harmon, makes John and Ken's point about the perils of Republicans voting for tax increases.
While his column presents a view that Republicans who voted for the Schwarzenegger/Democrat tax hike fared OK, none of them went on to win elections for higher office in the last election cycle.
Again, there is the Political Whore, Maldonaldo. Sure, he won the GOP primary for lieutenant governor. But no one knew who the other guy was. And I noted that Mr. Villines rely won to be the GOP candidate for insurance commissioner.
And how two tax-hikers, Roy Ashburn and Anthony Adams, are no longer in politics. That is because by the writer's own admission, they were paid off by Gov. Benedict Arnold with cushy government jobs.
The only one to win a higher office, or in this case a lower office, is Dave Codgil. He is now the tax assessor in Stanislaus county. A very appropriate job for Mr. Codgil.
Mr. Harmon's column was insipid at best, pointless at worst.
But the dean of the beggars is the Left Angeles Times Red, er George Skelton. And he invokes the era of Ronald Reagan to assert to his plea to grow up and just raise taxes already.
And of course Mr. Skelton says that taxes are not really all that high in California. He uses some strange stats to write about the income tax burden. Never mind all of the sales tax, bond measures and the like that has crippled the state. And some ballot measures that have locked certain spending in place. And the regulatory burden that has increased, not decreased. And of course business is not fleeing the state. No sir because Red Skelton says so. Or finds someone to say so. Mr. Skelton cites a United States department of commerce data that claims California is number 12 of tax burden in the United States.
The fact is that where is Bank of America? Wells Fargo? They were once two of the major employers of the state in the private sector? Well, neither call California home any more. The largest employer after the federal government is the state government. Eventually, there is not enough of a private sector to go to for more tax revenue.
And Mr. Skelton alludes to the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce coming out in support of the Brown plan.
To paraphrase our illustrous Vice-President, Joe Biden, BFD. You know what that means.
The LAACOC is an establishment group that is in bed with the leviathan of government. At all levels. They would not know what to do if they did not have the government harassing them and they trying to help their members.
If our state legislature had the testicles, they would vote on the tax hikes and budget cuts themselves and let the voters decide in the next election if they made the right vote. But, Gov. Brown backed himself in this corner by offering this ploy to look like he would not raise taxes.
But putting such a scam in a special election shortly after the voters said no to all tax increases shows the lack of seriousness in what Gov. Brown and the political class want to do.
In reality, all the politicians should look to what Gov. Walker is doing in Wisconsin. And Gov. John Kasich in Ohio. And Gov. Mitch Daniels in Indiana. They are trying for long-term structural reform. They are willing to take real chances. So are fellow Republicans.
Putting the gun to the voting public's collective heads and saying vote to increase your own taxes is itself a profile in chickeness. And that is what these leftywhores should be writing about.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Sunday, February 27, 2011
A Waste Of Television Time
UPDATE:
Like a broken clock is right at least twice a day, the Academy can get something right once in a while. For anyone who cares, The King's Speech won for Best Picture. And while I still find these awards shows a waste of time, this movie deserved to win.
I believe that there some show on television right now called the Academy Awards. I think that this is the 83rd annual movie lovefest.
I find the whole thing an absolute waste of television time.
However, for some inexplicable reason, the television powers over at ABC keep this charade up. It is treated like the Super Bowl. Yet year after year, less and less people watch.
I wonder why?
Could it be that the great unwashed masses are tired of watching the most self-indulgent people slap each other on the back? Could it be that many of us unwashed masses are tired of watching the most hypocritical people make insipid comments about current events? Could it be that people just have something better to do on the last Sunday evening in February?
I think that it is all of the above.
I write that I find all awards shows to be a bore. Do not care what kind that they are. It is just how people say how wonderful someone else is when under their breath they are wondering why they did not an award. And by and large, the people that watch have no say in the show they are watching.
In the case of the Academy Awards, it is roughly the 5,800 members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences that choose the winners of said nominated motion pictures. And the majority of those are, surprise, actors and actresses. Like I wrote, people slapping each other on the back.
And in many an awards presentation, said winner uses the time allotted for thank yous to make some political statement. Usually to slam conservatives and or conservative people. Many of whom pay to see the said movies, actors and actresses. When I hear an actor and or actress using their moment in the sun to blast a liberal or liberal people, I will have died and gone to the glory.
But I also think that people just have better things to do than waste time watching these festivals of self-indulgent bacchanalia.
I know that I have not watched an Academy Awards show in any real stretch of time in the last 15 years.
But I have not watched any awards show.
Again, I just do not see the point.
If we the people do not have some say in who wins, why should I care what some people think of each other?
I should be a fan of the People's Choice award. Yet even there, I am not.
I just do not seem to get all excited about this kind of stuff.
And as I get older, the less I find this all that important.
But I find that this is a real waste of television time. This Academy Awards.
When is the first baseball game of the 2011 season?
Like a broken clock is right at least twice a day, the Academy can get something right once in a while. For anyone who cares, The King's Speech won for Best Picture. And while I still find these awards shows a waste of time, this movie deserved to win.
I believe that there some show on television right now called the Academy Awards. I think that this is the 83rd annual movie lovefest.
I find the whole thing an absolute waste of television time.
However, for some inexplicable reason, the television powers over at ABC keep this charade up. It is treated like the Super Bowl. Yet year after year, less and less people watch.
I wonder why?
Could it be that the great unwashed masses are tired of watching the most self-indulgent people slap each other on the back? Could it be that many of us unwashed masses are tired of watching the most hypocritical people make insipid comments about current events? Could it be that people just have something better to do on the last Sunday evening in February?
I think that it is all of the above.
I write that I find all awards shows to be a bore. Do not care what kind that they are. It is just how people say how wonderful someone else is when under their breath they are wondering why they did not an award. And by and large, the people that watch have no say in the show they are watching.
In the case of the Academy Awards, it is roughly the 5,800 members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences that choose the winners of said nominated motion pictures. And the majority of those are, surprise, actors and actresses. Like I wrote, people slapping each other on the back.
And in many an awards presentation, said winner uses the time allotted for thank yous to make some political statement. Usually to slam conservatives and or conservative people. Many of whom pay to see the said movies, actors and actresses. When I hear an actor and or actress using their moment in the sun to blast a liberal or liberal people, I will have died and gone to the glory.
But I also think that people just have better things to do than waste time watching these festivals of self-indulgent bacchanalia.
I know that I have not watched an Academy Awards show in any real stretch of time in the last 15 years.
But I have not watched any awards show.
Again, I just do not see the point.
If we the people do not have some say in who wins, why should I care what some people think of each other?
I should be a fan of the People's Choice award. Yet even there, I am not.
I just do not seem to get all excited about this kind of stuff.
And as I get older, the less I find this all that important.
But I find that this is a real waste of television time. This Academy Awards.
When is the first baseball game of the 2011 season?
Ireland Swings To The Right-Sort Of
Today over 70% of Irish voters punished the ruling Fianna Fail party and gave the center-right Fine Gael party a chance to govern this economically troubled land.
The economy of Ireland suffers from the same fate that ruined the Iceland economy and is all but ruining Greece, Spain and Portugal. It has the potential to break up the European Union.
But the fact of the matter is that there is something more of a rearranging of the deck chairs of the Titanic rather than something that will fundamentally change Ireland.
As noted in the link to the Fine Gael, it is kind of sort of to the right, in regards to Irish politics. Yet it looks to coalition with the Labour party, a left-wing party.
The voters did not have a Tea Party type of leader or party to turn to.
As of this posting, The Fine Gael has 70 seats in the 166-seat Irish parliament. To govern outright, they will need to have 84 seats. If everything goes FG's way, they still will remain short. The outgoing FF is projected to have 18 seats in the new parliament. A total repudiation.
The good news is that the FG may be able to form a coalition government with the help of a slew of independents that have won election. The bad news is we do not know if there are any conservatives or center-right people among these independents.
What does all of this mean for the United States?
It means that Ireland is rejecting the strong medicine imposed on them by the European Union. It means that Irish voters may be looking for a kind of Tea Party revolt. It means that once again the United State government is behind the ball on a potentially critical foreign policy situation.
Hopefully, Irish voters are giving this new government a chance to see if it can bring the nation out of the economic doldrums on its own terms and not imposed on them by Brussel's European bureaucrats.
The economy of Ireland suffers from the same fate that ruined the Iceland economy and is all but ruining Greece, Spain and Portugal. It has the potential to break up the European Union.
But the fact of the matter is that there is something more of a rearranging of the deck chairs of the Titanic rather than something that will fundamentally change Ireland.
As noted in the link to the Fine Gael, it is kind of sort of to the right, in regards to Irish politics. Yet it looks to coalition with the Labour party, a left-wing party.
The voters did not have a Tea Party type of leader or party to turn to.
As of this posting, The Fine Gael has 70 seats in the 166-seat Irish parliament. To govern outright, they will need to have 84 seats. If everything goes FG's way, they still will remain short. The outgoing FF is projected to have 18 seats in the new parliament. A total repudiation.
The good news is that the FG may be able to form a coalition government with the help of a slew of independents that have won election. The bad news is we do not know if there are any conservatives or center-right people among these independents.
What does all of this mean for the United States?
It means that Ireland is rejecting the strong medicine imposed on them by the European Union. It means that Irish voters may be looking for a kind of Tea Party revolt. It means that once again the United State government is behind the ball on a potentially critical foreign policy situation.
Hopefully, Irish voters are giving this new government a chance to see if it can bring the nation out of the economic doldrums on its own terms and not imposed on them by Brussel's European bureaucrats.
The Dog Haus-Real Food
This being a blog about current events and pop culture, I think a pop culture is a bit in order. And it involves food. Something that I really love.
Today after church, Mrs. RVFTLC and I took another visit to the Dog Haus here in Pasadena.
And yes, it is all about the hot dog. And or the sausage.
Now, since our current political leadership is insisting that we eat like a moose-become a herbivore-this is the perfect antidote to those leading us on the path to mossedom.
This is our third visit in about a month and a half.
And, what makes this establishment unique is the roll that the hot dog or sausage is served on. It is served on King's Hawaiian Bread. For those not familiar with King's, it is a Hawai'ian sweet roll.
And trust me, these are not the obligatory Dodger Dog type of hot dog.
For today's visit, I had the Cowboy. It is a 1/4 skinless hot dog topped with white american cheese, smoked bacon, onion rings, bbq sauce and crispy onions.
As Rachel Ray would say, yummo!
The menu is worth the look over.
This is where the healthy food police could have the big bust. Mrs. Dear Leader, Michelle Obama, could close this place down. Because it is that good.
Also, the Dog Haus plays great 80's rock music and it is just the kind of atmosphere that makes a regular guy feel like a regular guy. And where a gal can let herself go for that kind of pig-out meal.
I do not want you to think that this is where your humble blogger eats all the time. I do have my fair share of healthy eating.
But, I believe that there needs to be a balance. Not trying to take away people's right to have the kind of food they want. Not forcing another agenda when people go out to eat. Or what they choose to eat at home.
For me, a place like the Dog Haus is a treat. It is good quality and yet there is a junky element to it.
If you are in the Pasadena area, I highly recommend the Dog Haus. It is real food.
Today after church, Mrs. RVFTLC and I took another visit to the Dog Haus here in Pasadena.
And yes, it is all about the hot dog. And or the sausage.
Now, since our current political leadership is insisting that we eat like a moose-become a herbivore-this is the perfect antidote to those leading us on the path to mossedom.
This is our third visit in about a month and a half.
And, what makes this establishment unique is the roll that the hot dog or sausage is served on. It is served on King's Hawaiian Bread. For those not familiar with King's, it is a Hawai'ian sweet roll.
And trust me, these are not the obligatory Dodger Dog type of hot dog.
For today's visit, I had the Cowboy. It is a 1/4 skinless hot dog topped with white american cheese, smoked bacon, onion rings, bbq sauce and crispy onions.
As Rachel Ray would say, yummo!
The menu is worth the look over.
This is where the healthy food police could have the big bust. Mrs. Dear Leader, Michelle Obama, could close this place down. Because it is that good.
Also, the Dog Haus plays great 80's rock music and it is just the kind of atmosphere that makes a regular guy feel like a regular guy. And where a gal can let herself go for that kind of pig-out meal.
I do not want you to think that this is where your humble blogger eats all the time. I do have my fair share of healthy eating.
But, I believe that there needs to be a balance. Not trying to take away people's right to have the kind of food they want. Not forcing another agenda when people go out to eat. Or what they choose to eat at home.
For me, a place like the Dog Haus is a treat. It is good quality and yet there is a junky element to it.
If you are in the Pasadena area, I highly recommend the Dog Haus. It is real food.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Trojan Horse Viruses And A Computer Horror Story
You may have noticed the lack of posts since the new year.
Well, there is a really bad reason for that.
It is called the Trojan Horse virus.
Yes, it is as bad as it sounds.
OK, it is not really a virus, per se. From my limited understanding of such things.
But around six months ago, my e-mail account apparently was hacked. And if one was on the list, they were victims of e-mail links that, well I had no idea. People no longer would open up e-mails from me.
I tried everything that I could think of to rid these things.
Alas, no such luck.
Then about two weeks ago, I could not even get this computer to start up. No, I am not kidding. It would take over a half hour to start up. Then I went online and pages, when I could access them, took forever to open up.
Last weekend, I had it. I nearly broke this Dell computer on my own. But I broke down, literally and figuratively and Mrs. RVFTLC and I took it to Best Buy.
As the kind Geek Squad lady was doing her testing, which took forever, she delivered the bad and very expensive news.
A Trojan Horse infected our computer.
While it explained a lot, I remained angry and upset. One would be because of the obvious. That some worthless excuse of a human being infected our computer. And that it would end up costing over $400 dollars to fix the problem.
A week later, and out $400 bucks, it is back. This Dell computer. And it is running great. And while I have learned a valuable lesson, I pass this on. And it is sincere.
If your computer is running slow, there is a serious problem. Don't do what I did and put it off or ignore it. Fix it right away.
Because other wise, you will find yourself unable to blog. Or read a blog.
Well, there is a really bad reason for that.
It is called the Trojan Horse virus.
Yes, it is as bad as it sounds.
OK, it is not really a virus, per se. From my limited understanding of such things.
But around six months ago, my e-mail account apparently was hacked. And if one was on the list, they were victims of e-mail links that, well I had no idea. People no longer would open up e-mails from me.
I tried everything that I could think of to rid these things.
Alas, no such luck.
Then about two weeks ago, I could not even get this computer to start up. No, I am not kidding. It would take over a half hour to start up. Then I went online and pages, when I could access them, took forever to open up.
Last weekend, I had it. I nearly broke this Dell computer on my own. But I broke down, literally and figuratively and Mrs. RVFTLC and I took it to Best Buy.
As the kind Geek Squad lady was doing her testing, which took forever, she delivered the bad and very expensive news.
A Trojan Horse infected our computer.
While it explained a lot, I remained angry and upset. One would be because of the obvious. That some worthless excuse of a human being infected our computer. And that it would end up costing over $400 dollars to fix the problem.
A week later, and out $400 bucks, it is back. This Dell computer. And it is running great. And while I have learned a valuable lesson, I pass this on. And it is sincere.
If your computer is running slow, there is a serious problem. Don't do what I did and put it off or ignore it. Fix it right away.
Because other wise, you will find yourself unable to blog. Or read a blog.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Benedict Arnold Schwarzenegger Gives California A Big Middle Finger
I have written many times that the two most regrettable votes I ever made were the two times I voted for Benedict Arnold Schwarzenegger as governor of California.
And, another fellow Californian points out a lot of why those votes were so regrettable.
Meredith Turney in this column explains that Benedict Arnold actually grew the state government at an alarming rate.
For instance, the largest tax hike in California history occurred thanks to Benedict Arnold. The irony is that one of the issues Benedict Arnold rode into Sacramento on was the so-called car tax. The correct government euphemism is the Vehicle Registration Fee. When he won the special recall election, the first thing he did was roll back the fee hikes instituted by the Gray Era, former governor Gray Davis. But, by the time he left office in January of this year, he raised the fee.
But, the real financial mess is allowing government to grow 40%. The state debt rose from $34,000,000,000 at the beginning of Benedict Arnold's term and now stands at $91,000,000,000. Or as Miss Turney notes, for each California resident, illegal or legal, the debt per citizen went from $997 to $2,362.
I believe that is called Obamanomics. And Benedict Arnold was practicing it before the Dear Leader, President Obama, became president. What a trailblazer.
The worst legacy was Assembly Bill 32. That is the Global Warming act that will when all is said and done put California out of business. So to speak.
It will cost California over 1,100,000 jobs. It will affect revenues that working people who are not working pay to the state. And it will be to prop a failure known as "Green jobs". Ask Spain how well that has worked out for them.
But you know, I almost feel really bad for Benedict Arnold.
While he was toiling away in Sacramento for seven years, he says that he lost out on around $200,000,000 in potential income.
Hey, Benedict Arnold. No one put a gun to your bloated head and made you run for governor. You claimed you did so to solve problems. All you did was make our problems worse. And your comment, sir, is essentially giving us, the citizens of California, a big fat middle finger.
You sir have cost this state jobs, revenue and reputation. You sir not only made this once Golden State a laughingstock, you also ruined the political party you claimed to be a part of. That would be the Republican party.
Now the former governor can get back to making money. And maybe when he recoups some of that lost income, fork some over to the state. You know, to help in the debt that he created.
But until then, remember that this guy, Benedict Arnold Schwarzenegger, gave us a big, fat middle finger. Now, one way to give it back is to not see him return to the silver screen.
And, another fellow Californian points out a lot of why those votes were so regrettable.
Meredith Turney in this column explains that Benedict Arnold actually grew the state government at an alarming rate.
For instance, the largest tax hike in California history occurred thanks to Benedict Arnold. The irony is that one of the issues Benedict Arnold rode into Sacramento on was the so-called car tax. The correct government euphemism is the Vehicle Registration Fee. When he won the special recall election, the first thing he did was roll back the fee hikes instituted by the Gray Era, former governor Gray Davis. But, by the time he left office in January of this year, he raised the fee.
But, the real financial mess is allowing government to grow 40%. The state debt rose from $34,000,000,000 at the beginning of Benedict Arnold's term and now stands at $91,000,000,000. Or as Miss Turney notes, for each California resident, illegal or legal, the debt per citizen went from $997 to $2,362.
I believe that is called Obamanomics. And Benedict Arnold was practicing it before the Dear Leader, President Obama, became president. What a trailblazer.
The worst legacy was Assembly Bill 32. That is the Global Warming act that will when all is said and done put California out of business. So to speak.
It will cost California over 1,100,000 jobs. It will affect revenues that working people who are not working pay to the state. And it will be to prop a failure known as "Green jobs". Ask Spain how well that has worked out for them.
But you know, I almost feel really bad for Benedict Arnold.
While he was toiling away in Sacramento for seven years, he says that he lost out on around $200,000,000 in potential income.
Hey, Benedict Arnold. No one put a gun to your bloated head and made you run for governor. You claimed you did so to solve problems. All you did was make our problems worse. And your comment, sir, is essentially giving us, the citizens of California, a big fat middle finger.
You sir have cost this state jobs, revenue and reputation. You sir not only made this once Golden State a laughingstock, you also ruined the political party you claimed to be a part of. That would be the Republican party.
Now the former governor can get back to making money. And maybe when he recoups some of that lost income, fork some over to the state. You know, to help in the debt that he created.
But until then, remember that this guy, Benedict Arnold Schwarzenegger, gave us a big, fat middle finger. Now, one way to give it back is to not see him return to the silver screen.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Hosni Has Left The Building
The now former president of Egypt, Hosni Mubarak, has finally resigned after mounting domestic and international pressure to leave office.
And this will more than likely not end well for the Egyptian people. Israel. Or the United States.
How is this for irony.
Mr. Mubarak left office 32 years to the day that the Shah of Iran, Reza Pahlavi, left the Peacock Throne in Tehran. And yes, the scenario is eerily similar. Mr. Mubarak gave his critics one last middle finger leaving on such a tragic day in history.
I know that conservatives are split on what all this means.
There is the Rich Lowry, Bill Kristol school that says we should embrace this movement because it will lead to something like a democracy in Egypt. Then there is the Glenn Beck and Sean Hannity school that says this could lead to the Muslim Brotherhood seizing power in the Cradle of Civilization. And turning the land into another Iran. Or what Afghanistan was under the Taliban.
Sorry folks, but the latter is more probable than the former.
Despite the ignorant, wishful thinking of the Director of National Intelligence, James Clapper, that the Muslim Brotherhood is a "largely secular organization", it is not in the least secular.
Helloooo! The name is the M U S L I M Brotherhood. Not the Jewish Brotherhood. Certainly not the Christian Brotherhood. Nor the Hindu Brotherhood. And not the Buddha Brotherhood. Yeah, it is a very religious Islamic group that has sought at the very least a return to the Ottoman Empire and an Islamic Caliphate.
Oh, and how is this for irony.
It was a splinter of this very group that plotted and carried out the assassination of President Anwar Sadat in 1981. And that is how Mr. Mubarak became president. He came to power at the hands of the Muslim Brotherhood and leaves as they drive to create a new Islamic state in Egypt.
And make no mistake.
Because there is no discernible leader of the protests that brought down Mr. Mubarak, there is a power vacuum. And the opportunity for the MB to fill that vacuum. Unless the military that is now in control lays down the law, within six months the IB will more than likely be in power.
Now let me go back to this Clapper fellow.
As the head of the DNI, how did he miss the recent overthrow of the Tunisia government? That this would not spread beyond Tunisia? Well, if he seriously believes that the MB is something like the YMCA, then he has to go. Actually, the man has shown his rank incompetence before. Does anyone remember the London terror arrests of last year? While being interviewed by ABC news gal Dianne Sawyer, he was asked about the arrests, Mr. Clapper was asked about it. After a long pause, his subordinate, Counterterrorism Advisor John Brennan, answered for him. Later in the interview, Mrs. Sawyer asked him if he even knew of the terror arrests and Mr. Clapper said, "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't."
Smart power folks. Smart power.
It is a real comfort to have the Three Stooges of the Anti-terror apocalypse, Messrs. Clapper and Brennan and Homeland Security secretary Janet Napolitano in charge of keeping us safe.
NOT!
With all of this, it should be a wake up call to the Dear Leader, President Obama, and his administration that this is a big deal. What happens in Egypt could very well be a domino effect that will take down other nations in the region. It will no doubt affect the balance of power in regards to Israel and stability.
Yes, Hosni has left the building. Lets hope that the building does not collapse behind him.
And this will more than likely not end well for the Egyptian people. Israel. Or the United States.
How is this for irony.
Mr. Mubarak left office 32 years to the day that the Shah of Iran, Reza Pahlavi, left the Peacock Throne in Tehran. And yes, the scenario is eerily similar. Mr. Mubarak gave his critics one last middle finger leaving on such a tragic day in history.
I know that conservatives are split on what all this means.
There is the Rich Lowry, Bill Kristol school that says we should embrace this movement because it will lead to something like a democracy in Egypt. Then there is the Glenn Beck and Sean Hannity school that says this could lead to the Muslim Brotherhood seizing power in the Cradle of Civilization. And turning the land into another Iran. Or what Afghanistan was under the Taliban.
Sorry folks, but the latter is more probable than the former.
Despite the ignorant, wishful thinking of the Director of National Intelligence, James Clapper, that the Muslim Brotherhood is a "largely secular organization", it is not in the least secular.
Helloooo! The name is the M U S L I M Brotherhood. Not the Jewish Brotherhood. Certainly not the Christian Brotherhood. Nor the Hindu Brotherhood. And not the Buddha Brotherhood. Yeah, it is a very religious Islamic group that has sought at the very least a return to the Ottoman Empire and an Islamic Caliphate.
Oh, and how is this for irony.
It was a splinter of this very group that plotted and carried out the assassination of President Anwar Sadat in 1981. And that is how Mr. Mubarak became president. He came to power at the hands of the Muslim Brotherhood and leaves as they drive to create a new Islamic state in Egypt.
And make no mistake.
Because there is no discernible leader of the protests that brought down Mr. Mubarak, there is a power vacuum. And the opportunity for the MB to fill that vacuum. Unless the military that is now in control lays down the law, within six months the IB will more than likely be in power.
Now let me go back to this Clapper fellow.
As the head of the DNI, how did he miss the recent overthrow of the Tunisia government? That this would not spread beyond Tunisia? Well, if he seriously believes that the MB is something like the YMCA, then he has to go. Actually, the man has shown his rank incompetence before. Does anyone remember the London terror arrests of last year? While being interviewed by ABC news gal Dianne Sawyer, he was asked about the arrests, Mr. Clapper was asked about it. After a long pause, his subordinate, Counterterrorism Advisor John Brennan, answered for him. Later in the interview, Mrs. Sawyer asked him if he even knew of the terror arrests and Mr. Clapper said, "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't."
Smart power folks. Smart power.
It is a real comfort to have the Three Stooges of the Anti-terror apocalypse, Messrs. Clapper and Brennan and Homeland Security secretary Janet Napolitano in charge of keeping us safe.
NOT!
With all of this, it should be a wake up call to the Dear Leader, President Obama, and his administration that this is a big deal. What happens in Egypt could very well be a domino effect that will take down other nations in the region. It will no doubt affect the balance of power in regards to Israel and stability.
Yes, Hosni has left the building. Lets hope that the building does not collapse behind him.
Sunday, February 06, 2011
Why We Conservatives Love Ronald Reagan
Today, February 6, 2011, would have been former President Ronald Reagan's 100th birthday.
For many of us in our 40s, he was the single most influential leader during the 1980s. And beyond.
But why do we conservatives love Mr. Reagan?
Because one thing was and is the fact that Mr. Reagan was not afraid to speak the truth. Yes, truth to power.
Whether it was to the communist influence in Hollywood. Whether it was a full-throated defense of the capitalist economic system during the 1950s. When he made a clean break from the Democrat party of his youth and young adult hood and became a Republican. When he gave one of the most rousing political speeches of the 20th century. That speech, known as A Time For Choosing may have not saved the Republican candidacy of Barry Goldwater. But it certainly launched the poilitcal career of Mr. Reagan.
And Mr. Reagan was talkied into running for govenor of California by some new-found political friends and allies. And he won that election by stating the obvious. That the government was getting too big, too fast and too fat. And he was right. By the time he left office as governor in 1975, he was able to reform the state welfare system. And Mr. Reagan, in the most brazen act, ran against the sitting Republican President, Gerald R. Ford for the Republican presidential nomination in 1976. As I once heard his son, Michael, opine, Mr. Reagan was the original Tea Partier.
By 1980, he was in the driver's seat for the Republican nomination to face Democrat President Jimmy Carter. Yeah, there were some bumps in the road. But that was eventually smoothed out by the time of the election. And Mr. Reagan won a 44 state landslide over President Carter. And even then, Mr. Reagan spoke with a clarity few politicians do today. He talked about the over reach of the federal government. Said that wefare had to be reformed. That we did not need a federal Education Department. Or an energy department. That communism and the Soviet Union were evil. That communism can be defeated, not contained.
This is why conservatives love Mr. Reagan. This is why many conservatives have found Sarah Palin so much like Mr. Reagan. Because she too speaks truth to power. And the powerful, as they did to Mr. Reagan, are trashing Mrs. Palin.
One other note that is important about Mr. Reagan.
Mr. Reagan was everything. He was Fox News Channel. The blogosphere. The internets. Talk radio. All rolled up in one. He spoke for positions that were denounced constantly from the dominant, left-wing media culture. But somehow this man, a man from humble beginnings in small town America, was able to cut to the chase, state his case and leave it in the hands of his fellow citizens.
And we gave him the chance of a lifetime. To lead the greatest nation in the history of man. And he did lead. He did not let others do his talking. And that is why we conservatives love Ronald Reagan. That is why we celebrate the 100th anniversary of his birth this day. And that is why we miss his plain speaking and love for the United States of America.
For many of us in our 40s, he was the single most influential leader during the 1980s. And beyond.
But why do we conservatives love Mr. Reagan?
Because one thing was and is the fact that Mr. Reagan was not afraid to speak the truth. Yes, truth to power.
Whether it was to the communist influence in Hollywood. Whether it was a full-throated defense of the capitalist economic system during the 1950s. When he made a clean break from the Democrat party of his youth and young adult hood and became a Republican. When he gave one of the most rousing political speeches of the 20th century. That speech, known as A Time For Choosing may have not saved the Republican candidacy of Barry Goldwater. But it certainly launched the poilitcal career of Mr. Reagan.
And Mr. Reagan was talkied into running for govenor of California by some new-found political friends and allies. And he won that election by stating the obvious. That the government was getting too big, too fast and too fat. And he was right. By the time he left office as governor in 1975, he was able to reform the state welfare system. And Mr. Reagan, in the most brazen act, ran against the sitting Republican President, Gerald R. Ford for the Republican presidential nomination in 1976. As I once heard his son, Michael, opine, Mr. Reagan was the original Tea Partier.
By 1980, he was in the driver's seat for the Republican nomination to face Democrat President Jimmy Carter. Yeah, there were some bumps in the road. But that was eventually smoothed out by the time of the election. And Mr. Reagan won a 44 state landslide over President Carter. And even then, Mr. Reagan spoke with a clarity few politicians do today. He talked about the over reach of the federal government. Said that wefare had to be reformed. That we did not need a federal Education Department. Or an energy department. That communism and the Soviet Union were evil. That communism can be defeated, not contained.
This is why conservatives love Mr. Reagan. This is why many conservatives have found Sarah Palin so much like Mr. Reagan. Because she too speaks truth to power. And the powerful, as they did to Mr. Reagan, are trashing Mrs. Palin.
One other note that is important about Mr. Reagan.
Mr. Reagan was everything. He was Fox News Channel. The blogosphere. The internets. Talk radio. All rolled up in one. He spoke for positions that were denounced constantly from the dominant, left-wing media culture. But somehow this man, a man from humble beginnings in small town America, was able to cut to the chase, state his case and leave it in the hands of his fellow citizens.
And we gave him the chance of a lifetime. To lead the greatest nation in the history of man. And he did lead. He did not let others do his talking. And that is why we conservatives love Ronald Reagan. That is why we celebrate the 100th anniversary of his birth this day. And that is why we miss his plain speaking and love for the United States of America.
Not A Bad Prediction, Eh?!
No, I am not clairvoyant. I wished sometimes that I was. Especially in picking winning lottery numbers!
But, I even amaze myself with the prediction of the final score of Super Bowl XLV.
The final was Green Bay 31, Pittsburgh 25. And as noted, your humble blogger had the score Green Bay 31, Pittsburgh 24.
But it was a really great game between two scrappy, workingmen teams. And both teams representing the so-called flyover country made for a better game than those elite teams like either New York team. Or the New England Patriots.
No, this was classic rock 'em sock 'em football. The kind that used to be played every Sunday.
All that can be said now is that THE PACK IS BACK!
But, I even amaze myself with the prediction of the final score of Super Bowl XLV.
The final was Green Bay 31, Pittsburgh 25. And as noted, your humble blogger had the score Green Bay 31, Pittsburgh 24.
But it was a really great game between two scrappy, workingmen teams. And both teams representing the so-called flyover country made for a better game than those elite teams like either New York team. Or the New England Patriots.
No, this was classic rock 'em sock 'em football. The kind that used to be played every Sunday.
All that can be said now is that THE PACK IS BACK!
Super Bowl Prediction
Got your attention, didn't I?!
So here it is.
The official RVFTLC Super Bowl XLV prediction is. . . drum roll please . . .
Green Bay Packers 31
Pittsburgh Steelers 24
Both teams are pretty evenly matched. The Steelers have a veteran quarterback in Ben Rothlisberger. But I am impressed by the young and scrappy Aaron Rogers.
I am going with the Pack because I want the NFC to win. Nothing against the Steelers and their great tradition. But, the Packers have an even stronger tradition. I hate to admit but I will be happy no matter who wins. But I really think that the Pack Is Back! And they will be the winners of Super Bowl XLV.
Now, maybe next year we can get rid of the Roman numerals.
So here it is.
The official RVFTLC Super Bowl XLV prediction is. . . drum roll please . . .
Green Bay Packers 31
Pittsburgh Steelers 24
Both teams are pretty evenly matched. The Steelers have a veteran quarterback in Ben Rothlisberger. But I am impressed by the young and scrappy Aaron Rogers.
I am going with the Pack because I want the NFC to win. Nothing against the Steelers and their great tradition. But, the Packers have an even stronger tradition. I hate to admit but I will be happy no matter who wins. But I really think that the Pack Is Back! And they will be the winners of Super Bowl XLV.
Now, maybe next year we can get rid of the Roman numerals.
Saturday, February 05, 2011
When Day Job Changes Affect My Ability To Blog. . .
Yeah, it is crazy at the day job. And what is really bad is that it has affected this blog.
But it is not only changes at work.
Our baby, Scout the Wonder Dog is having a relapse of uveitis. Uveitis is an autoimmune condition that affects her eyes. This time, it is much more severe in her left eye. I will NOT show you her photo on Facebook.
Between those two things, and a third item I will discuss at a later date-a potentially good thing-it has been impossible for me to get to the serious work of analyzing the events in Egypt. The ever growing intranzigence of the reign of the Dear Leader, President Obama. To offer the fearless prediction of the Super Bowl tomorrow. BTW, Green Bay 31 Pittsburgh 24. The Pack is back!
But this is going to be a catch-up weekend and a lot of analysis from the bunker of RVFTLC headquarters.
Stay tuned!
But it is not only changes at work.
Our baby, Scout the Wonder Dog is having a relapse of uveitis. Uveitis is an autoimmune condition that affects her eyes. This time, it is much more severe in her left eye. I will NOT show you her photo on Facebook.
Between those two things, and a third item I will discuss at a later date-a potentially good thing-it has been impossible for me to get to the serious work of analyzing the events in Egypt. The ever growing intranzigence of the reign of the Dear Leader, President Obama. To offer the fearless prediction of the Super Bowl tomorrow. BTW, Green Bay 31 Pittsburgh 24. The Pack is back!
But this is going to be a catch-up weekend and a lot of analysis from the bunker of RVFTLC headquarters.
Stay tuned!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)