Pig saves goat whose foot was stuck underwater at petting zoo.
I found it here: http://fkclinic.blogspot.com/2012/09/hero-of-day.html
Sunday, September 30, 2012
"We are Hungry!"
Thanks to the School Lunch Act of 2010, we have a brilliant video produced by kids!
I found it here: http://fkclinic.blogspot.com/2012/09/life-imitates-art.html
I found it here: http://fkclinic.blogspot.com/2012/09/life-imitates-art.html
Is Salt Lake City "Vatican Lite"?
Boinky writes: "One wonders if Romney has "on the ground" info via the church rumor mill
in the same way I often know what is going on via the Catholic rumor
mill, which doesn't always agree with the NYTimes...The Vatican for
years has been a valuable source of information of what is going on
because they have members all over the place who send reports to
headquarters, and I always think of Salt Lake city as "Vatican lite".
One difference: Catholics tend to be the rich old money elite, and the poor. The Mormons, like the Evangelicals in South America and Asia, are part of the growing middle class in countries that in the past were poor. Both groups stress honesty and hard work and that our relationship to God is not just in prayer and rituals, but is shown in our everyday work."
"Building a business (which hires people and results in prosperity for oneself, one's employees, and one's country) is also doing God's work. In other words, as Luther put it: A housewife can serve God as well as a nun, and by extension a businessman can serve God and help the poor more than one who merely donates a tithe to a local charity.
So in both places, they are at the forefront of freedom and prosperity.
This idea is the most revolutionary in the modern world, but rarely noted by the elites."
Read much more here: http://fkclinic.blogspot.com/2012/09/rant-history-behind-headlines.html
One difference: Catholics tend to be the rich old money elite, and the poor. The Mormons, like the Evangelicals in South America and Asia, are part of the growing middle class in countries that in the past were poor. Both groups stress honesty and hard work and that our relationship to God is not just in prayer and rituals, but is shown in our everyday work."
"Building a business (which hires people and results in prosperity for oneself, one's employees, and one's country) is also doing God's work. In other words, as Luther put it: A housewife can serve God as well as a nun, and by extension a businessman can serve God and help the poor more than one who merely donates a tithe to a local charity.
So in both places, they are at the forefront of freedom and prosperity.
This idea is the most revolutionary in the modern world, but rarely noted by the elites."
Read much more here: http://fkclinic.blogspot.com/2012/09/rant-history-behind-headlines.html
Flattening time
"Because of the time it takes for light in the distant universe to reach Earth, when we look at, for example, a star a billion light-years away, we're actually seeing what a portion of the cosmos looked like a billion years ago.
So, by combining pictures of various reaches of a small patch of sky, Hubble's new eXtreme Deep Field (XDF) image, released Tuesday, essentially flattens time. Primitive, 13-billion-year-old galaxies—born just 450 million years after the big bang—seem to float side-by-side with closer, more advanced galaxies."
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/09/120926-hubble-space-telescope-deepest-most-detailed-view-science-nasa/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ng%2FNews%2FNews_Main+%28National+Geographic+News+-+Main%29&utm_content=Bloglines
via boinky at finest kind clinic and fish market
Save Energy, Wear a Dirty Shirt!
I saw a middle schooler today who was wearing a tee shirt that said SAVE ENERGY: WEAR A DIRTY SHIRT. I asked him where he got the shirt. He would not reveal his source.
I wanted to get one for my son Jon, who tells me that his teachers in Santa Fe are always going on and on about clean energy.
I am proud of the middle schooler, though, for wanting to protect his uniqueness!
Oops! I decided to Google it, and found this one for twelve bucks. Amazon has one for $29.50!
I wanted to get one for my son Jon, who tells me that his teachers in Santa Fe are always going on and on about clean energy.
I am proud of the middle schooler, though, for wanting to protect his uniqueness!
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Is the media now the enemy of the American people?
"The media is now the enemy of the American people. They have made themselves a fundamental threat to the democracy."
Who is your idea of a "good catch?"
How do you select a mate? Who is your idea of a good catch? Is it mostly about personal appearance? Should it be?
I think a good catch, regardless of gender, is kind, good-humored, unselfish, dependable, faithful, and giving. Note that none of these characteristics have anything to do with personal appearance! Yet, taking care of oneself is surely a good way to let your mate know that you want them to find you attractive.
Do you know anyone with all of these characteristics? They may be few and far between, but they are out there. If you are looking for a mate, and you meet someone who demonstrates all of those characteristics, go for it!
If you are not looking for a mate, or, more likely, the person who has these qualities is already "taken," let them know you have observed their unique qualities and that you appreciate them! I don't do enough of that. It is so simple to acknowledge goodness. You don't need an advanced degree in a mental health field (although I do have one); you just need to know how to give a sincere, straightforward compliment and recognition.
I think a good catch, regardless of gender, is kind, good-humored, unselfish, dependable, faithful, and giving. Note that none of these characteristics have anything to do with personal appearance! Yet, taking care of oneself is surely a good way to let your mate know that you want them to find you attractive.
Do you know anyone with all of these characteristics? They may be few and far between, but they are out there. If you are looking for a mate, and you meet someone who demonstrates all of those characteristics, go for it!
If you are not looking for a mate, or, more likely, the person who has these qualities is already "taken," let them know you have observed their unique qualities and that you appreciate them! I don't do enough of that. It is so simple to acknowledge goodness. You don't need an advanced degree in a mental health field (although I do have one); you just need to know how to give a sincere, straightforward compliment and recognition.
No Shame
Bill Clinton says "shame-based" societies will not succeed in the 21st century. He obviously knows something about having no shame.
Tonight I write about two recent examples from the store where I work. A man tried to use a gift card to buy a Visa gift card. The cashier explained that he could not do that. The man got beligerant and actually pulled out his penis and peed a little puddle right in front of the cash register. That is not the end of the story. The next day he came back into the store!
That same day a cashier filled her cart full of stuff, and walked right out the door. The police were called and she was arrested. The very next evening, she was back in the store yukking it up with her friends! The day after that, she was back in the store again!
If these are not two good examples of having no shame, I do not know what is!
Tonight I write about two recent examples from the store where I work. A man tried to use a gift card to buy a Visa gift card. The cashier explained that he could not do that. The man got beligerant and actually pulled out his penis and peed a little puddle right in front of the cash register. That is not the end of the story. The next day he came back into the store!
That same day a cashier filled her cart full of stuff, and walked right out the door. The police were called and she was arrested. The very next evening, she was back in the store yukking it up with her friends! The day after that, she was back in the store again!
If these are not two good examples of having no shame, I do not know what is!
Friday, September 28, 2012
Are you looking where you are going?
How many people injure themselves or others because they are walking or driving, while viewing their cellphones? Has anyone seen any statistics on this subject?
Obama, or Romney?
Several times recently I have heard or read people who say, "I wish Mitt would hit back like Newt did!" I agree, but my fellow Republicans did not choose Newt, they did not choose Rick, they did not choose Ron, they did not choose Herman, and they did not choose Michelle. They chose Mitt! He is our candidate. The choice is Obama or Romney.
Is Benghazi the next Watergate?
This afternoon on the way to work, I caught just the opening remarks made by Glenn Beck on his radio program. He predicted that Benghazi will be the next Watergate, and that U.S. Presidents will be called to testify at court trials. Glenn likes to predict what is going to happen in the future. Do you think he may be going a little too far on this one? Or, do you think he is prescient?
To begin with, who will do the digging that Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein did in reporting the Watergate cover-up? This time we have a President who has the media cheering for him to be re-elected. Whenever possible, they portray him in the best light.
It does seem likely that there has been a cover-up by the Obama administration in this case, as in Solyndra, Fast and Furious and other Dept. of Justice scandals. Initially they were saying that the 9-11-2012 attacks which resulted in the deaths of our ambassador to Libya and three other U.S. officials, the ripping down of American flags and putting up the black flag of Islamic terrorists, was a reaction of someone putting a movie trailer on You Tube (there is no actual movie). The trailer which is akin to a failed middle school play, is incoherent.
Wouldn't the date of the attacks, September 11, make someone in the administration suspicious that the coordinated attacks throughout the Muslim world were acts of terrorism? Only a small number of people had actually seen the You Tube trailer, as You Tube shows the number of visitors.
Like Watergate, there are many facets to this story. Why was Ambassador Stevens taken to Benghazi? Why did his Libyan "protectors" tell the mob where he was taken? Why was it called a "safehouse," when it was anything BUT safe? Why did he not have adequate protection? Did the Marines who eventually showed up have bullets? Why did the mobs have sophisticated weapons? Why did Obama not attend his intelligence briefing the morning after the attacks, but instead fly to Las Vegas for campaign fundraisers and appearances? If Ambassador Stevens was openly gay, as has been reported, why was he sent to an area of the world in which gays are clearly not safe?
There are lots more unanswered questions. Like Watergate, the process of getting answers to questions is only just beginning. All of us need to "Be Breitbart," and ask questions until we know the truth.
Update:When I got home tonight, I looked at the Fox News website. This is what I found: "This morning on America’s Newsroom, Governor Mike Huckabee called out the Obama administration for the handling of the U.S. Consulate attack in Libya. “There’s no way to sugar coat this – we’ve been lied to! We’ve flat-out been lied to,” Huckabee charged.
He continued, “It’s as if airplanes [are] crashing into the World Trade Center and somebody says those were just accidents, the planes veered off course. Everybody with two eyes and an IQ above plant life understands that what happened in Egypt and what happened in Libya was not some spontaneous reaction to a stupid 13-minute video on YouTube. It was a planned, coordinated, orchestrated attack led by terrorists.”
“If this issue really gets the traction that it deserves … let’s go back. Richard Nixon was forced out of office because he lied and because he covered some stuff up. I’m going to be blunt and tell you this – nobody died in Watergate. We have some people who are dead because of this and there are some questions to be answered. Americans ought to demand to get answers,” he said.
And from the looks of Fox News' webpage, Huckabee is not the only one looking at the cover-up. Greta VanSustern, Lou Dobbs, and Brent Baier, as well as Sean Hannity, also are joining in. http://foxnewsinsider.com/2012/09/28/mike-huckabee-likens-obamas-handling-of-libya-attack-to-watergate-americans-ought-to-demand-answers/
To begin with, who will do the digging that Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein did in reporting the Watergate cover-up? This time we have a President who has the media cheering for him to be re-elected. Whenever possible, they portray him in the best light.
It does seem likely that there has been a cover-up by the Obama administration in this case, as in Solyndra, Fast and Furious and other Dept. of Justice scandals. Initially they were saying that the 9-11-2012 attacks which resulted in the deaths of our ambassador to Libya and three other U.S. officials, the ripping down of American flags and putting up the black flag of Islamic terrorists, was a reaction of someone putting a movie trailer on You Tube (there is no actual movie). The trailer which is akin to a failed middle school play, is incoherent.
Wouldn't the date of the attacks, September 11, make someone in the administration suspicious that the coordinated attacks throughout the Muslim world were acts of terrorism? Only a small number of people had actually seen the You Tube trailer, as You Tube shows the number of visitors.
Like Watergate, there are many facets to this story. Why was Ambassador Stevens taken to Benghazi? Why did his Libyan "protectors" tell the mob where he was taken? Why was it called a "safehouse," when it was anything BUT safe? Why did he not have adequate protection? Did the Marines who eventually showed up have bullets? Why did the mobs have sophisticated weapons? Why did Obama not attend his intelligence briefing the morning after the attacks, but instead fly to Las Vegas for campaign fundraisers and appearances? If Ambassador Stevens was openly gay, as has been reported, why was he sent to an area of the world in which gays are clearly not safe?
There are lots more unanswered questions. Like Watergate, the process of getting answers to questions is only just beginning. All of us need to "Be Breitbart," and ask questions until we know the truth.
Update:When I got home tonight, I looked at the Fox News website. This is what I found: "This morning on America’s Newsroom, Governor Mike Huckabee called out the Obama administration for the handling of the U.S. Consulate attack in Libya. “There’s no way to sugar coat this – we’ve been lied to! We’ve flat-out been lied to,” Huckabee charged.
He continued, “It’s as if airplanes [are] crashing into the World Trade Center and somebody says those were just accidents, the planes veered off course. Everybody with two eyes and an IQ above plant life understands that what happened in Egypt and what happened in Libya was not some spontaneous reaction to a stupid 13-minute video on YouTube. It was a planned, coordinated, orchestrated attack led by terrorists.”
“If this issue really gets the traction that it deserves … let’s go back. Richard Nixon was forced out of office because he lied and because he covered some stuff up. I’m going to be blunt and tell you this – nobody died in Watergate. We have some people who are dead because of this and there are some questions to be answered. Americans ought to demand to get answers,” he said.
And from the looks of Fox News' webpage, Huckabee is not the only one looking at the cover-up. Greta VanSustern, Lou Dobbs, and Brent Baier, as well as Sean Hannity, also are joining in. http://foxnewsinsider.com/2012/09/28/mike-huckabee-likens-obamas-handling-of-libya-attack-to-watergate-americans-ought-to-demand-answers/
Smugglers caught
Thursday, September 27, 2012
"Islamophobia"
Dr. Sanity on "Islamophobia"
Read more here: http://www.drsanity.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-moral-savages-of-islam-and-their.html
The truth is that "Islamophobia" is not a phobia at all-- it is a completely rational fear of an insane and irrational movement that threatens to swallow the world. Being afraid of the "religion of peace" after the innumerable acts of violence, terror and depravity committed in the name of its god across the globe is not an exaggerated response to its savagery; it is not at all inexplicable; and most certainly it is not illogical in the slightest.
Being afraid of ruthless moral savages who fanatically believe in Islam as they continually denounce and limit freedom of speech and thought; as well as spit on all the key values of Western civilization, is far from a phobia--rather, it is a natural response to the sad reality of Islam as it is practiced in much of the Middle East and around the world.
The leaders of Islam appear to suffer from a bad case of "victim envy"; for all intents and purposes desirous of acquiring the label of victim even as they go around victimizing the rest of the world with their suicidal rage; and even as they plan the final solution for the demonized Jewish population.
When "Islamophobia" is used as a bludgeon to accuse and attack anyone who makes the mildest criticism of Islam--no matter how well-meaning that criticism may be--the attack becomes yet another psychological projection by Muslims that deflects and hides their own sense of shame, humiliation and inferiority.
Read more here: http://www.drsanity.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-moral-savages-of-islam-and-their.html
Speaking our minds openly and freely
"Free speech will prevail, and you'll suck it up and like it!"
Via http://www.drsanity.blogspot.com/2012/09/islam-is-crime-against-humanity.html
Via http://www.drsanity.blogspot.com/2012/09/islam-is-crime-against-humanity.html
Who made this country great?
Via Hot Air: http://hotair.com/archives/2012/09/27/oh-goody-here-comes-a-major-motion-picture-about-the-horrors-of-fracking/
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Refs and Bumps
"We have a black Muslim in the White House!"
That is what Madonna said to her followers last night in Washington D.C. Here is more:
"The trains and boats are leaving in five minutes"
"Be Breitbart and start the signal!" Romney says his campaign doesn't need a turnaround. What if Romney actually knows what he is doing? One of the best Trifectas I've seen. Bill Whittle is on fire in this one.
Obama's supporters terrorize elderly widow
Curt Dale is a friend of mine. He wrote this piece this morning.
Obama’s America lets his supporters
terrorize an elderly widow for anti-Obama views
by Curt Dale
Let me tell you a couple of true accounts
of the last 5 days. I’ve been distributing “ROMNEY-BELIEVE IN AMERICA” rear car
window stickers for about 3 weeks. Last Wednesday night a lovely widow lady
asked me to put one on her nice, royal blue sedan. I did a perfect job of
putting it on because this elderly lady showed the courage to have it put on.
Today, I saw her at her place of work and asked her if I got it on right. She
looked at me, rather distraught. She said, “Vandals took the ‘Romney’ part off
of my sticker. The Democrats in my apartment complex did it during the night.”
She said she had driven all over Denver with it showing on Thursday and when
she woke up and started to work on Friday, these terrorists had vandalized her
car.
Oh, do you disagree and say they
are not terrorists? Well, she’s terrorized. She said, “I won’t put it back on
because, the next time, they might do damage to my car or attack me when I come
home.” I asked her if she could even imagine a Republican doing such a thing to
an Obama sticker. She answered, “Of course not!” Terrorists terrorize! This
woman is terrorized into not being able to exercise her freedom of speech. This
is Obama’s America, it seems.
Terrorists? Yes, she is scared to
exercise her freedom of speech because of that sneaky, vandalistic act of
terror by her Democrat neighbors. She has no other answer to how it happened.
Think of the horrible cynicism of these neighborhood terrorists taking the name
of her chosen candidate off her car and leaving “Believe in America.” How can
one believe in America when being personally terrorized and having their freedom
of speech destroyed by neighbors. How can one believe in an America where a
political opinion become justification in the warped minds of Liberal Democrats
to destroy property a person has paid for on their own vehicle, parked in a
space for which they’ve paid.
This is not a silly little
complaint against a harmless event. This is a monumental event in the life of
an elderly widow. This event is the face of the Obama, Chicago method of
conducting a political campaign. This is an effort to suppress voting for
Romney. If the sticker isn’t viewed, then it has less impact on potential
voters. If there are less Romney Stickers on the highway because Democrats have
removed them, then it looks like Obama is stronger than he is. If they can use
these methods to place fear in the heart of this widow, who else will be terrorized
to the point they would be afraid to vote.
Is this act of terrorism in a
Denver area apartment complex any different in intent than scaling a wall at a
US Embassy to tear down and destroy a US Flag and put up an Al Qaeda Taliban flag.
No, it is not. It is to intimidate, to destroy a symbol. Her Romney sticker was
a symbol of her freedom of speech. These terrorist sneaked to her car and
maliciously scraped it off, snidely leaving the “Believe in America” subscript.
Oh! This is not an isolated
instance. One of the very first vehicles our group put a Romney Sticker on was
the pickup truck of a working man. He drove it to Denver International Airport
and parked it at his place of employment. Sure enough, when he came out, the
same terrorist act had been committed on his truck. “Romney” was scraped off
and only “Believe in America” remained.
These people are sick, sick, sick!
NO! I take that back they are not sick! They are hardcore, Liberal, Democrat
terrorists. This is not just an attack on one individual. This is a terrorist
attack on the workers in the Romney supporting organizations, an attempt to
shut them down. I’m thinking that leaving the “Believe in America” subscript is
a planned slap in the face of anyone, anything that supports Romney, against
his campaign and his candidacy.
Most sadly, though, the terrorism
crushed the courage of the widow and the working man. They have good reason to
fear expressing their views.
©Colonel Curtis D.
Dale, PhD, USAF (Ret)
26 Sept 2012
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Bill and Hillary are going in opposite directions
Bill Clinton, a man who surely knows better than most how to live without shame, says people need to learn to live without shame. Hillary, on the other hand, wants a full-out campaign to shame "Islamophobes".
Read more here: http://pjmedia.com/tatler/2012/09/25/bill-we-cant-live-in-shame-based-culture-hillary-we-must-use-peer-pressure-and-shaming-of-islamophobes/
via Instapundit
Read more here: http://pjmedia.com/tatler/2012/09/25/bill-we-cant-live-in-shame-based-culture-hillary-we-must-use-peer-pressure-and-shaming-of-islamophobes/
via Instapundit
Children's I.Q.s are increasing
Instapundit links to a piece about I.Q.s in Der Spiegel. Across the world, children's I.Q.s are increasing. Don't forget, though, that American psychologist Lewis Terman found in his research that how a child is raised is as important as I.Q. (things like self-confidence and perserverance) in predicting a child's later success.
Here are some of the points in the piece that I found interesting:
"From generation to generation, children find it easier to organize symbols, create categories and think abstractly.
While young test subjects are particularly good at solving visual and logical tasks quickly, their vocabulary is increasing only minimally -- unlike that of their parents.
"Linguistically, the generations are growing apart," Flynn states. "Young people can still understand their parents, but they can no longer mimic their style of speech. That was different in the past." One possible reason for the change is that today's young people read and write many short messages on Facebook and on their cell phones, but they rarely immerse themselves in books anymore."
Last week, a working group under Osvaldo Almeida, an Australian professor of geriatric psychiatry at the University of Western Australia, in Perth, released the results of a long-term study of over 5,500 seniors. The finding: Study participants who used computers had over 30 percent less risk of developing dementia."
http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/studies-contest-theory-that-internet-is-making-people-dumber-a-855668.html
Here are some of the points in the piece that I found interesting:
"From generation to generation, children find it easier to organize symbols, create categories and think abstractly.
While young test subjects are particularly good at solving visual and logical tasks quickly, their vocabulary is increasing only minimally -- unlike that of their parents.
"Linguistically, the generations are growing apart," Flynn states. "Young people can still understand their parents, but they can no longer mimic their style of speech. That was different in the past." One possible reason for the change is that today's young people read and write many short messages on Facebook and on their cell phones, but they rarely immerse themselves in books anymore."
Last week, a working group under Osvaldo Almeida, an Australian professor of geriatric psychiatry at the University of Western Australia, in Perth, released the results of a long-term study of over 5,500 seniors. The finding: Study participants who used computers had over 30 percent less risk of developing dementia."
http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/studies-contest-theory-that-internet-is-making-people-dumber-a-855668.html
All the President's Men
I am reading All the President's Men by Woodward and Bernstein. I was riveted to the Watergate Hearings in the 70s. It is good to be reminded that Republicans can be just as thugish as Democrats. Those two Washington Post reporters really knew how to dig and to follow up on leads. If only we had reporters like that today, who were not cheerleaders for Obama.
Are divorced fathers mere ATMs?
Dr. Helen Smith, an outstanding advocate for men having equal rights and responsibilities to women, links to a piece written by a divorced mom in Fathers and Families, a Massachusetts publication that has the following vision:
- Children are happier and more successful because their loving bonds are protected after parental separation or divorce:
- Children have a natural right to be nurtured and guided by both parents:
- Society treats fathers and mothers as equally important to the well-being of their children:
- Shared parenting after separation or divorce is the norm:
- The courts
arrange finances after separation or divorce so that both mothers and
fathers can afford to house and care for their children and themselves:
and
- Our society understands and respects the essential role of fathers.
Delicacies and other memories
Billy Bob Thornton writes in his book The Billy Bob Tapes about a Southern delicacy his mom made frequently for Billy Bob's dying father. She crumbled up cornbread and served it in a glass of buttermilk. He would eat it with a spoon. Billy Bob was seventeen when his father was diagnosed with lung cancer, the "kind you get from asbestos." Billy Bob would carry his father to the dinner table, and he said he looked like a holocaust victim as his health deteriorated.
My dad was also raised in a rural area, albeit Iowa, not Arkansas. Dad loved to cut up Wonder Bread in a cereal bowl, pour milk over it, sprinkle on some sugar, and sit down and watch Johnny Carson with me before going off to bed. Mom did not need such a sleep aid. She'd be snoring in her chair in the living room, while Dad and I watched Johnny's show. Our favorite Tonight Show guests were George Goble, Buddy Hackett, and Don Rickles, but there were many others we enjoyed, too (Dad liked Goble; I liked Hackett and Rickles).
Did your parents have favorite food items that would be considered odd today?
My dad was also raised in a rural area, albeit Iowa, not Arkansas. Dad loved to cut up Wonder Bread in a cereal bowl, pour milk over it, sprinkle on some sugar, and sit down and watch Johnny Carson with me before going off to bed. Mom did not need such a sleep aid. She'd be snoring in her chair in the living room, while Dad and I watched Johnny's show. Our favorite Tonight Show guests were George Goble, Buddy Hackett, and Don Rickles, but there were many others we enjoyed, too (Dad liked Goble; I liked Hackett and Rickles).
Did your parents have favorite food items that would be considered odd today?
Are you not insulted?
If you are an African American or Hispanic, are you not insulted by the Democrats alleging that you are not smart enough to figure out how to obtain an i.d. card to vote?
France to eliminate the words "Mother" and "Father" from marriage documents"
"A proposal to legalize gay marriage in France would also abolish all references to “mothers” and fathers” in official documents.
Under the draft bill, same-sex marriages would become legal, and gay couples would have the same rights to adopt children as heterosexual couples.
The bill would also do away with all references to “mothers and fathers” in the civil code and replace them with the gender-neutral term “parents.”
Under the draft bill, same-sex marriages would become legal, and gay couples would have the same rights to adopt children as heterosexual couples.
The bill would also do away with all references to “mothers and fathers” in the civil code and replace them with the gender-neutral term “parents.”
A day in Denver
Sara trails along behind them, wishing she had some chickens to play with. As will the rest of us, Sara will be glad when this election business is finally completed.
Shooting first and aiming later
Remember when two weeks ago Obama alleged that Romney had a tendency to "shoot first, aim later"? Well, now Obama is admitting in an appearance on ABC's The View that the September 11, 2012 attacks on our embassies in the Middle East were terrorist attacks, not just film buffs reacting to a You Tube video, as he first tried to convince us. Who is shooting first and aiming later now?
hat tip to Ed Driscoll, who has been writing for Instapundit
hat tip to Ed Driscoll, who has been writing for Instapundit
The Clinton team's meltdown at the State Department
John Hinderaker at Powerline: "We can add the scandal of Hillary Clinton’s State Department to that of
Eric Holder’s Department of Justice and many others that have
accumulated over the last four years."
Michael Hastings of Buzzfeed sent emails to Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Philippe Reines, Hillary Clinton’s personal spokesman, asking about the State Department's Libya fiasco. Here was the response from Reines, "the diplomat's diplomat":
via Instapundit
Michael Hastings of Buzzfeed sent emails to Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Philippe Reines, Hillary Clinton’s personal spokesman, asking about the State Department's Libya fiasco. Here was the response from Reines, "the diplomat's diplomat":
I now understand why the official investigation by the Department of the Defense as reported by The Army Times and The Washington Post concluded beyond a doubt that you’re an unmitigated asshole.Go here to read Hastings' questions, which prompted such an unprofessional response: http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2012/09/state-department-meltdown.php
How’s that for a non-bullshit response?
Now that we’ve gotten that out of our systems, have a good day.
And by good day, I mean Fuck Off
via Instapundit
The USDA likes conferences!
The USDA has spent over $56 million during the Obama presidency on conferences. "In nearly two dozen cases, a single U.S. Department of Agriculture employee attended a conference at a cost to taxpayers of $10,000 or more, according to a Washington Examiner analysis
of agency records. In one instance, the USDA spent nearly $57,000 for a
conference attended by only one of its employees, according to agency
disclosures that do not provide any explanation of the cost. Read much more here: http://washingtonexaminer.com/watchdog-usda-spends-millions-for-globe-trotting-conferences/article/2508910#.UGH-cK6KlJF
via Instapundit
"I like Obama, the way he do about the politics"
Howard Stern's team of interviewers talk to people about who they are planning to vote for. Hilarious and sad at the same time. Obama supporters were asked if they liked Obama's pick of Paul Ryan for Vice President, if they liked Obama because he is pro-life, if they thought John McCain and Sarah Palin would do better this time, and if they didn't like Romney because he is black.
Via http://realclearpolitics.com/video/2012/09/24/howard_stern_interviews_obama_supporters_2012.html
Via http://realclearpolitics.com/video/2012/09/24/howard_stern_interviews_obama_supporters_2012.html
SAT reading scores are the lowest in 40 years
Reading scores on the SAT college entrance exam are the lowest in 40 years. http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-09-24/news/sns-mct-college-board-sat-reading-scores-lowest-in-40-20120924_1_student-participation-rates-math-scores-new-york-state-students
Monday, September 24, 2012
Cartoons of the week
"There are going to be bumps in the road"
Bumps in Obama's road: Our Ambassador and three others are murdered, our embassies are sacked, our flag is burned and replaced by the black jihadi flag. Bumps.
http://hotair.com/archives/2012/09/24/obama-sacked-consulate-and-dead-ambassador-bumps-in-the-road/
Update: Romney campaigned yesterday in Colorado, and said, "These are not bumps in the road. These are human lives."
What Could Go Wrong?
Under the headline What Could Go Wrong? Instapundit links to this story in the Washington Times: "President Barack Obama is about to release or transfer 55 Gitmo
prisoners, despite reports that the Libyan believed to be behind the
killing of US Ambassador Christopher Stevens was a former Guantanamo
inmate transferred to Libyan custody."
Sunday, September 23, 2012
A link to the stupid anti-Islam movie
Instapundit.com linked to the stupid anti-Islam movie by "Sam Bacile" here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mToECzIyIwc
Was it a reaction to this juvenile worse-than-bad movie, as Obama claimed, or was it possibly a premeditated terrorist attack on 9-11?
Was it a reaction to this juvenile worse-than-bad movie, as Obama claimed, or was it possibly a premeditated terrorist attack on 9-11?
Time to choose
Kurt Schlichter has some advice at Breitbart.com for Ron Paul fans and libertarians:
"Support and vote for Mitt Romney, or
help Obama complete his transformation of America into a nation that
violates every principle you claim you embrace.
It’s time to choose."
Read the whole thing here: http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2012/09/18/Time-for-Ron-Paul-Fans-to-Support-the-Constitution
He should know
Breitbart has a video of Bill Clinton being interviewed on CNN today, saying that "The American people are easily misled may be true strong a word...confused." He should know.
http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-TV/2012/09/23/Bill-Clinton-The-American-People-Are-Easily-Confused
http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-TV/2012/09/23/Bill-Clinton-The-American-People-Are-Easily-Confused
Wrong image
via Instapundit
What is America? Who is Obama?
One of the first things the kids and I did this weekend was to go and see the movie 2016: Obama's America. Dinish D'Souza takes us on a journey into Obama's past. How did that past affect who Obama is? Do we really know him? D'Souza grew up in India, and saw America as a land of liberty, where he could have real opportunities. Obama was schooled by his mother's radical views, as she was attracted to ideas of communism and socialism. He saw America as a colonial power, stripping raw materials from poor countries.
After the movie, son Jon cut right to the chase. "Dad, isn't America anti-colonialism?"
I answered, "Yes, Jon, we are."
Greg was most affected by the information in the film that pointed out the staggering debt that will have to be paid off by his generation.
Sara was surprised to learn that Obama grew up without his father, just with the fantasy image of his father portrayed by his mother. Also, Sara was glad there was a chicken in the film, because she has a pet chicken named Broodie whom she plays with every day after school.
After the movie, son Jon cut right to the chase. "Dad, isn't America anti-colonialism?"
I answered, "Yes, Jon, we are."
Greg was most affected by the information in the film that pointed out the staggering debt that will have to be paid off by his generation.
Sara was surprised to learn that Obama grew up without his father, just with the fantasy image of his father portrayed by his mother. Also, Sara was glad there was a chicken in the film, because she has a pet chicken named Broodie whom she plays with every day after school.
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Studying snakes may unlock cures for cancer and diabetes
Here is an interesting article that asserts that scientific study of snake venom could unlock cures to cancer and diabetes!
"Snakes are able to convert their venom back into harmless molecules according to new research published Wednesday that scientists said could have important implications for diseases like cancer.
The joint British-Australian study of venom and tissue gene sequences in snakes showed that venom not only evolved from regular cells but could be turned back into harmless proteins."
Read the whole fascinating article here: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gF4JwrVRZNsqYrbUotVyxn61Rt7g?docId=CNG.b3b8984e6ca358a5fb5ad834c29ef3b8.131
via Instapundit
"Snakes are able to convert their venom back into harmless molecules according to new research published Wednesday that scientists said could have important implications for diseases like cancer.
The joint British-Australian study of venom and tissue gene sequences in snakes showed that venom not only evolved from regular cells but could be turned back into harmless proteins."
Read the whole fascinating article here: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gF4JwrVRZNsqYrbUotVyxn61Rt7g?docId=CNG.b3b8984e6ca358a5fb5ad834c29ef3b8.131
via Instapundit
Life in the big city
Democrat operatives, both English-speaking and Spanish-speaking, were all over downtown Denver today registering people to vote. My kids are with me (stories and photos to follow) this weekend, so we made our pilgrimage to the Denver Library and the Denver Art Museum, so the kids and I could stock up on books. Speaking of the Denver Library, I was amazed to see literally hundreds of people on the fourth floor using the computers to surf the net. I apologize for not accompanying this post with a picture of all the people using the computers. If you are homeless in Denver, or too poor to buy a computer, you can spend all day in the library on the computer, and use the restrooms to wash up, if you so desire. Free meals and lodging are also available.
Oh, I almost forgot. There was also a marathon, a half-marathon, and a "Stop War" march. I didn't get a chance to ask the marchers how they planned to accomplish that noble goal. The weather was fantastic, as, of course, were the views. The sky, though, was hazy, because of the on-going wildfires in neighboring states.
Oh, I almost forgot. There was also a marathon, a half-marathon, and a "Stop War" march. I didn't get a chance to ask the marchers how they planned to accomplish that noble goal. The weather was fantastic, as, of course, were the views. The sky, though, was hazy, because of the on-going wildfires in neighboring states.
"A Cave Full of Ghosts"
One of my favorite movies is Sling Blade, written by Billy Bob Thornton, who also starred in the movie as the eccentric Carl Childers. Billy Bob has written a book, co-authored by another old favorite of mine, Kinky Friedman. It is entitled The Billy Bob Tapes, subtitled A Cave Full of Ghosts. Kinky proposed the book to Billy Bob: "Hey, let's do a book with some weird and funny stories about growing up, and you can also bitch about whatever's on your mind."
Billy Bob thought that might be a good idea, but he writes that "The other reason I did this book is because I wanted to put my two cents in about how I truly believe our culture is crumbling before our eyes and a lot of people seem to be pretty apathetic about it. I believe that we are in a society that is encouraging, funding, and rewarding laziness, cynicism, mediocrity, and cruelty. And for some reason we've become a society that believes that it is judge and jury. Puritanical when convenient for itself, and just the opposite when that is more convenient.
There is a lot of selfishness, hatred, and self-entitlement going around. And we're being hoodwinked by companies that sell stuff to us because they know our weakness, the need to be accepted and noticed. I believe we need a cultural revolution, and I don't mean simply "It sucks"; I mean, "It's an emergency!"
I think I will read the whole thing.
Billy Bob thought that might be a good idea, but he writes that "The other reason I did this book is because I wanted to put my two cents in about how I truly believe our culture is crumbling before our eyes and a lot of people seem to be pretty apathetic about it. I believe that we are in a society that is encouraging, funding, and rewarding laziness, cynicism, mediocrity, and cruelty. And for some reason we've become a society that believes that it is judge and jury. Puritanical when convenient for itself, and just the opposite when that is more convenient.
There is a lot of selfishness, hatred, and self-entitlement going around. And we're being hoodwinked by companies that sell stuff to us because they know our weakness, the need to be accepted and noticed. I believe we need a cultural revolution, and I don't mean simply "It sucks"; I mean, "It's an emergency!"
I think I will read the whole thing.
Friday, September 21, 2012
Obama: the competence of Carter with the integrity of Nixon
"Romney will win this election. But the
wacko-left Culture Machine won’t fall silent; the schools and colleges
won’t suddenly become patriotic, serious, politically neutral. The
entertainment industry won’t discover open-mindedness regarding
Judeo-Christianity and the Bible. Nor will mainstream churches and
liberal synagogues suddenly catch on to the moral and spiritual
greatness of America. Unless conservatives start taking education and
culture seriously, an election day will arrive in which the outcome is
never in doubt, because at least 51 percent of the electorate has been
trained which way to vote. At which point the GOP might as well close
shop and take the rest of the century off.
Don’t say we didn’t warn you."
"The press is slanted, but everyone knows that. What really matters is that American culture is slanted.
Remember that Obama has demonstrated the competence of Carter with the integrity of Nixon. He has given us persistent unemployment and a pathetic recovery, Obamacare people don’t want, a pipeline project knifed in the back without explanation while money disappears down the great Green sinkhole, a staggering debt and huge yearly deficits, poisoned relations with Congress, an incompetent Department of Justice, states and cities wrestling with financial collapse across the country, schools that keep getting worse—not to mention calamitous security leaks, the Middle East in flames and Iran’s terrorist government closer to nuclear weapons every day."
Read more here: http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2012/09/david-gelernter-dont-say-we-didnt-warn-you-or-dammit-wake-up.php
via Instapundit
Don’t say we didn’t warn you."
"The press is slanted, but everyone knows that. What really matters is that American culture is slanted.
Remember that Obama has demonstrated the competence of Carter with the integrity of Nixon. He has given us persistent unemployment and a pathetic recovery, Obamacare people don’t want, a pipeline project knifed in the back without explanation while money disappears down the great Green sinkhole, a staggering debt and huge yearly deficits, poisoned relations with Congress, an incompetent Department of Justice, states and cities wrestling with financial collapse across the country, schools that keep getting worse—not to mention calamitous security leaks, the Middle East in flames and Iran’s terrorist government closer to nuclear weapons every day."
Read more here: http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2012/09/david-gelernter-dont-say-we-didnt-warn-you-or-dammit-wake-up.php
via Instapundit
Nothing personal
Via Instapundit
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Okay, Obama, try it from the outside!
Now this is more like it, Mitt! Obama says today, "I found out that you can't change Washington from the inside." Romney says, "okay, we'll give you a chance to do it from the outside!" Here is a video of Romney telling the crowd that he will change it from the inside!
http://www.therightscoop.com/boom-romney-tells-crowd-well-give-obama-a-chance-to-change-washington-from-the-outside-in-november/
http://www.therightscoop.com/boom-romney-tells-crowd-well-give-obama-a-chance-to-change-washington-from-the-outside-in-november/
350-bottle champagne tower - at $800-per-bottle
From the New York Post:
WASHINGTON — Nix the flags and the podium. Cue the opulent 18-foot tower of gold-bottled French champagne.
When President Obama addresses an elite roster of hipsters and multimillionaires, including hosts Beyoncé and Jay-Z, in New York tonight, he will do so next to a custom-designed tower of $800-per-bottle champagne that dominates the main room at Jay-Z’s 40/40 nightclub.
The 350-bottle champagne tower — designed by Jeffrey Beers — is a monument to Jay-Z’s favorite bubbly, Armand de Brignac, which is known colloquially by rappers, clubgoers and connoisseurs as Ace of Spades because of its gold-spade label.
“It’s floor-to-ceiling gold bottles in the entire space. It’s beautiful — breathtaking,” a rep for the Flatiron District hot spot told The Post. “It’s the first thing you see when you walk in.”
But the White House, which meticulously controls Obama’s image, is not expected to release any photos of the president’s appearance at the lavish club.
Details of the party are “under lock and key,” according to the rep, and the White House was guarding the guest list as if it were the latest intelligence profile of Iran’s nuclear program.
Instead, only a White House pool reporter, allowed brief admittance, will file a report tonight during Obama’s ninth fund-raising trip to the Big Apple this year.
All the campaign would say yesterday was that the president would speak to about 100 people at the $40,000-per-person event, after addressing 200 donors at a $12,500-per-family reception at the Waldorf.
That puts Obama’s campaign haul for the day at more than $6 million.
Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/beyonce_jay_host_ny_bam_ba_5wud17kNBMEiV8wim9YYJK#ixzz272hoNd43
WASHINGTON — Nix the flags and the podium. Cue the opulent 18-foot tower of gold-bottled French champagne.
When President Obama addresses an elite roster of hipsters and multimillionaires, including hosts Beyoncé and Jay-Z, in New York tonight, he will do so next to a custom-designed tower of $800-per-bottle champagne that dominates the main room at Jay-Z’s 40/40 nightclub.
The 350-bottle champagne tower — designed by Jeffrey Beers — is a monument to Jay-Z’s favorite bubbly, Armand de Brignac, which is known colloquially by rappers, clubgoers and connoisseurs as Ace of Spades because of its gold-spade label.
“It’s floor-to-ceiling gold bottles in the entire space. It’s beautiful — breathtaking,” a rep for the Flatiron District hot spot told The Post. “It’s the first thing you see when you walk in.”
But the White House, which meticulously controls Obama’s image, is not expected to release any photos of the president’s appearance at the lavish club.
Details of the party are “under lock and key,” according to the rep, and the White House was guarding the guest list as if it were the latest intelligence profile of Iran’s nuclear program.
Instead, only a White House pool reporter, allowed brief admittance, will file a report tonight during Obama’s ninth fund-raising trip to the Big Apple this year.
All the campaign would say yesterday was that the president would speak to about 100 people at the $40,000-per-person event, after addressing 200 donors at a $12,500-per-family reception at the Waldorf.
That puts Obama’s campaign haul for the day at more than $6 million.
Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/beyonce_jay_host_ny_bam_ba_5wud17kNBMEiV8wim9YYJK#ixzz272hoNd43
The writing is on the wall
Esther Cepeda has written a column bemoaning this fact: "Just 24 percent of students in the eighth and 12th grades performed at
the proficient level in writing, meaning that they demonstrated a clear
understanding of the writing task they'd been assigned, organized their
thoughts effectively, and provided details and elaboration that
supported and developed the main idea of their piece."
But I think it comes down to much the same reason we have a nation of poor readers, and underperforming math, science and history students: These subjects are hard and no one likes hard work anymore. Though we pay lip service to working hard, most students are subtlety taught to avoid it.
We drill kids with the idea that learning should be fun and show them videos so that they don't have to trudge through texts to understand meanings of challenging concepts. We teach them the language of inability by assuring them that if they are being challenged by a difficult reading passage, it must be because they are "visual learners," or if they don't like tackling tasks on their own they must be "social learners" -- and everyone knows that if we push kids, parents will have no qualms about pushing back.
Let's face it, education today is a perfect reflection of our modern lives, which are predicated on convenience and optimized for entertainment. Teacher preparation programs spend more time showing future teachers how to nurture and accommodate than how to make students into high performers."
Read more here: http://www.indystar.com/article/20120919/OPINION12/209200320/Esther-Cepeda-writing-wall
But I think it comes down to much the same reason we have a nation of poor readers, and underperforming math, science and history students: These subjects are hard and no one likes hard work anymore. Though we pay lip service to working hard, most students are subtlety taught to avoid it.
We drill kids with the idea that learning should be fun and show them videos so that they don't have to trudge through texts to understand meanings of challenging concepts. We teach them the language of inability by assuring them that if they are being challenged by a difficult reading passage, it must be because they are "visual learners," or if they don't like tackling tasks on their own they must be "social learners" -- and everyone knows that if we push kids, parents will have no qualms about pushing back.
Let's face it, education today is a perfect reflection of our modern lives, which are predicated on convenience and optimized for entertainment. Teacher preparation programs spend more time showing future teachers how to nurture and accommodate than how to make students into high performers."
Read more here: http://www.indystar.com/article/20120919/OPINION12/209200320/Esther-Cepeda-writing-wall
Defying credibility
There are some clouds over the Arab Spring. Mike Rosen writes in today's Denver Post that the "Obama administration's claim that the
posting of the trailer on YouTube two months ago triggered this latest
eruption of Muslim violence defies credibility. It was no more
spontaneous than the Occupy Wall Street circuses stage-managed by
community organizers and unions across the U.S. last year."
Furthermore, he asserts that "Obama's strategy to win the hearts and minds of radical Islamists doesn't appear to be working."
"Initial enthusiasm over the so-called Arab Spring — which Obama pretentiously compared to the American Revolution and the civil rights movement — is increasingly looking like a delusion. Moderate Muslims, an endangered species, are intimidated and overwhelmed by intolerant, brutal, irrational theocrats hopelessly trapped in a 7th century mentality. Obama's Middle East foreign policy is founded on the premise that you can reason and negotiate with the likes of Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Salafists, Hamas, al-Qaeda, the Taliban and others who take offense at the very existence of competing religious faiths and believe the ultimate goal is death to the infidels.
The longer-term casualty of this current round of Middle East turmoil is Obama's foreign policy credibility. Recognizing this, the liberal media, wholly committed to his re-election, have come to his defense, circling their wagons around him. First, they gullibly (or conveniently) bought into the pretense of the anti-Muhammad video as the catalyst for the Muslim uprising. And then they deflected attention from Obama by attacking Romney for what they characterized as his rash criticism of the administration and the feckless statement from our Cairo embassy patronizing the "hurt religious feelings of Muslims," whose habitual response to hurt feelings is murder.
You'd think an incumbent American president had never before been criticized by members of the opposition party over foreign policy. How about Nixon, Reagan and both Bushes?
Imagine if Americans at our Cairo embassy or Libyan consulate had been taken prisoner and kept as hostages right before this election. It would have been Jimmy Carter all over again, as Obama follows in his foreign policy footsteps."
Furthermore, he asserts that "Obama's strategy to win the hearts and minds of radical Islamists doesn't appear to be working."
"Initial enthusiasm over the so-called Arab Spring — which Obama pretentiously compared to the American Revolution and the civil rights movement — is increasingly looking like a delusion. Moderate Muslims, an endangered species, are intimidated and overwhelmed by intolerant, brutal, irrational theocrats hopelessly trapped in a 7th century mentality. Obama's Middle East foreign policy is founded on the premise that you can reason and negotiate with the likes of Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Salafists, Hamas, al-Qaeda, the Taliban and others who take offense at the very existence of competing religious faiths and believe the ultimate goal is death to the infidels.
The longer-term casualty of this current round of Middle East turmoil is Obama's foreign policy credibility. Recognizing this, the liberal media, wholly committed to his re-election, have come to his defense, circling their wagons around him. First, they gullibly (or conveniently) bought into the pretense of the anti-Muhammad video as the catalyst for the Muslim uprising. And then they deflected attention from Obama by attacking Romney for what they characterized as his rash criticism of the administration and the feckless statement from our Cairo embassy patronizing the "hurt religious feelings of Muslims," whose habitual response to hurt feelings is murder.
You'd think an incumbent American president had never before been criticized by members of the opposition party over foreign policy. How about Nixon, Reagan and both Bushes?
Imagine if Americans at our Cairo embassy or Libyan consulate had been taken prisoner and kept as hostages right before this election. It would have been Jimmy Carter all over again, as Obama follows in his foreign policy footsteps."
Household income shrinks
I get the digital version of the Denver Post every morning. Today they had a story about how household income has been shrinking. There was a graph that compared Colorado with the other swing states. I wanted to copy it and post it here. I Googled it. They have eliminated it from the story!
Ah, but I still have my digital copy! I can't reproduce the graph, since the Post has wiped it off its later editions, but I can reproduce the information contained in the original front page story, which has now been made into a strictly local story comparing various Colorado counties with each other.. Here it is. From 2007 to 2011, household income has declined in the following swing states:
Colorado by 7.35 percent
Florida by 14.58 percent
Nevada by 18.09 percent
North Carolina by 9.38 percent
Ohio by 9.45 percent
Virginia by 4.23 percent
Wisconsin by 8.16 percent
Ah, but I still have my digital copy! I can't reproduce the graph, since the Post has wiped it off its later editions, but I can reproduce the information contained in the original front page story, which has now been made into a strictly local story comparing various Colorado counties with each other.. Here it is. From 2007 to 2011, household income has declined in the following swing states:
Colorado by 7.35 percent
Florida by 14.58 percent
Nevada by 18.09 percent
North Carolina by 9.38 percent
Ohio by 9.45 percent
Virginia by 4.23 percent
Wisconsin by 8.16 percent
Consequences
Temper tantrums. We see it every day at the store where I work. A kid wants something. The parent says no. The child starts to scream, and continues to flail away all the way out the door.
Why? One of my colleagues has a theory that it all started in the 1960s with the "hippies," who "taught their kids not to respect authority." That colleague, by the way, said the child's mother should be "put over someone's knee, have her pants pulled down, and get a good switchin'." I looked at the mother, and said, "no thanks."
Another colleague said the child is the one who needs to be spanked, and then not allowed to return to the store for a long, long time. In other words, a consequence!
Instapundit's wife, Dr. Helen Smith, pictured above, is one who has studied the problem, and she believes it is the lack of consequences that is at the heart of the problem. Read a profile of Dr. Smith here: http://www.iwf.org/modern-feminist/2789205/Portrait-of-a-Modern-Feminist:-Helen-Smith
Another colleague said the child is the one who needs to be spanked, and then not allowed to return to the store for a long, long time. In other words, a consequence!
Instapundit's wife, Dr. Helen Smith, pictured above, is one who has studied the problem, and she believes it is the lack of consequences that is at the heart of the problem. Read a profile of Dr. Smith here: http://www.iwf.org/modern-feminist/2789205/Portrait-of-a-Modern-Feminist:-Helen-Smith
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Passions beginning to show
One of my colleagues at work was mocking Romney today. I always suspected she was a Democrat, because she is constantly portraying herself as a victim of the big, bad corporation we both work for. First, she mockingly said, "I'm trying to figure out which of our customers is in the 47 percent." Then, she added, "Romney said that people earning between 200 and 300 thousand dollars a year are "middle income."
I responded with some anger and said, "Ann (not her real name), you are better than that! Don't repeat lies like that unless you can actually find the video capturing candidate Romney saying it. If you find such a video, I will watch it and apologize to you, but you will not find such a video, because there isn't one. He did not say that, and does not believe that. He knows who is middle income."
She replied, "I have seen it at several sources." She reads the Denver Post each day at lunch. I told her I read it, too, in its digital format, and that I find it pitifully slanted to the left. And, of course, there is MSNBC and CNN etc., etc.
I came right back at her and asked her to produce it being said by Romney, not the liars in the Obama media.
For the rest of the day I was very focused.
I responded with some anger and said, "Ann (not her real name), you are better than that! Don't repeat lies like that unless you can actually find the video capturing candidate Romney saying it. If you find such a video, I will watch it and apologize to you, but you will not find such a video, because there isn't one. He did not say that, and does not believe that. He knows who is middle income."
She replied, "I have seen it at several sources." She reads the Denver Post each day at lunch. I told her I read it, too, in its digital format, and that I find it pitifully slanted to the left. And, of course, there is MSNBC and CNN etc., etc.
I came right back at her and asked her to produce it being said by Romney, not the liars in the Obama media.
For the rest of the day I was very focused.
Libs think they have a "gotcha" moment.
Today there is a raging issue in the presidential campaign. People are passionately talking about it. Extreme left wing publication Mother Jones has obtained a 49 minute tape of Romney talking with some wealthy donors. Two brief segments are controversial. One is where Romney alleges that the Palestinians are not interested in peace with Israel. The other, posted below, is where he acknowledges that he is not going to get the vote of the 47% of people who pay no income tax, and are dependent on government entitlement programs.
Romney was asked yesterday about the comments, and instead of seeing it as an opportunity to talk about American values of hard work, self-reliance, and independence, he acknowledged that he could have phrased his comments better. He doesn't want to be seen as insensitive to the needs of people who are relying on government subsidies. However, that is the way the Obama media is going to portray him, regardless of how he tries to rephrase his comments.
It looks to me like Romney is not sufficiently sociopathic to run for president. I know, an honorable man, George W. Bush, ran successfully twice, but that was because he followed the extraordinarily sociopathic Clintons. Furthermore, Americans knew Bush's father was a good man, and they hoped W. would restore honor to the presidency, which he did. Something similar may be happening now.
Americans sense that Obama talks a good game, but may be lacking in life experiences relevant to executing the duties of the president of the United States. Not only that, but Obama may actually have goals that weaken America.
In contrast, Romney's lack of sociopathy, coupled with actual executive experience, has a certain appeal, after four years of b.s.
Update: Jimmy Carter's unemployed 35-year-old grandson is the person who persuaded the person who took this footage to make it available to Mother Jones. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/us-election/9551275/US-election-Jimmy-Carters-grandson-helped-leak-Mitt-Romney-video.html
Update 2: What is sociopathy? From this website: http://www.mcafee.cc/Bin/sb.html, Here are some characteristics of sociopaths. See if you recognize anyone:
Glibness and Superficial Charm
Manipulative and Conning
They never recognize the rights of others and see their self-serving behaviors as permissible. They appear to be charming, yet are covertly hostile and domineering, seeing their victim as merely an instrument to be used. They may dominate and humiliate their victims.
Grandiose Sense of Self
Pathological Lying
Has no problem lying coolly and easily and it is almost impossible for them to be truthful on a consistent basis. Can create, and get caught up in, a complex belief about their own powers and abilities. Extremely convincing and even able to pass lie detector tests.
Lack of Remorse, Shame or Guilt
A deep seated rage, which is split off and repressed, is at their core. Does not see others around them as people, but only as targets and opportunities. Instead of friends, they have victims and accomplices who end up as victims. The end always justifies the means and they let nothing stand in their way.
Shallow Emotions
When they show what seems to be warmth, joy, love and compassion it is more feigned than experienced and serves an ulterior motive. Outraged by insignificant matters, yet remaining unmoved and cold by what would upset a normal person. Since they are not genuine, neither are their promises.
Lack of Realistic Life Plan/Parasitic Lifestyle
Tends to move around a lot or makes all encompassing promises for the future, poor work ethic but exploits others effectively.
Criminal or Entrepreneurial Versatility
Changes their image as needed to avoid prosecution. Changes life story readily.
Other Related Qualities:
Romney was asked yesterday about the comments, and instead of seeing it as an opportunity to talk about American values of hard work, self-reliance, and independence, he acknowledged that he could have phrased his comments better. He doesn't want to be seen as insensitive to the needs of people who are relying on government subsidies. However, that is the way the Obama media is going to portray him, regardless of how he tries to rephrase his comments.
It looks to me like Romney is not sufficiently sociopathic to run for president. I know, an honorable man, George W. Bush, ran successfully twice, but that was because he followed the extraordinarily sociopathic Clintons. Furthermore, Americans knew Bush's father was a good man, and they hoped W. would restore honor to the presidency, which he did. Something similar may be happening now.
Americans sense that Obama talks a good game, but may be lacking in life experiences relevant to executing the duties of the president of the United States. Not only that, but Obama may actually have goals that weaken America.
In contrast, Romney's lack of sociopathy, coupled with actual executive experience, has a certain appeal, after four years of b.s.
Update: Jimmy Carter's unemployed 35-year-old grandson is the person who persuaded the person who took this footage to make it available to Mother Jones. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/us-election/9551275/US-election-Jimmy-Carters-grandson-helped-leak-Mitt-Romney-video.html
Update 2: What is sociopathy? From this website: http://www.mcafee.cc/Bin/sb.html, Here are some characteristics of sociopaths. See if you recognize anyone:
Glibness and Superficial Charm
Manipulative and Conning
They never recognize the rights of others and see their self-serving behaviors as permissible. They appear to be charming, yet are covertly hostile and domineering, seeing their victim as merely an instrument to be used. They may dominate and humiliate their victims.
Grandiose Sense of Self
Pathological Lying
Has no problem lying coolly and easily and it is almost impossible for them to be truthful on a consistent basis. Can create, and get caught up in, a complex belief about their own powers and abilities. Extremely convincing and even able to pass lie detector tests.
Lack of Remorse, Shame or Guilt
A deep seated rage, which is split off and repressed, is at their core. Does not see others around them as people, but only as targets and opportunities. Instead of friends, they have victims and accomplices who end up as victims. The end always justifies the means and they let nothing stand in their way.
Shallow Emotions
When they show what seems to be warmth, joy, love and compassion it is more feigned than experienced and serves an ulterior motive. Outraged by insignificant matters, yet remaining unmoved and cold by what would upset a normal person. Since they are not genuine, neither are their promises.
Lack of Realistic Life Plan/Parasitic Lifestyle
Tends to move around a lot or makes all encompassing promises for the future, poor work ethic but exploits others effectively.
Criminal or Entrepreneurial Versatility
Changes their image as needed to avoid prosecution. Changes life story readily.
Other Related Qualities:
- Contemptuous of those who seek to understand them
- Does not perceive that anything is wrong with them
- Authoritarian
- Secretive
- Paranoid
- Only rarely in difficulty with the law, but seeks out situations where their tyrannical behavior will be tolerated, condoned, or admired
- Conventional appearance
- Goal of enslavement of their victim(s)
- Exercises despotic control over every aspect of the victim's life
- Has an emotional need to justify their crimes and therefore needs their victim's affirmation (respect, gratitude and love)
- Ultimate goal is the creation of a willing victim
- Incapable of real human attachment to another
- Unable to feel remorse or guilt
- Extreme narcissism and grandiose
- May state readily that their goal is to rule the world
Monday, September 17, 2012
Is the Middle East crisis an opportunity for the U.S.?
Andrew Price writes at Commentarama about the events in the Middle East. He believes that friendly overtures from the governments of Libya and Egypt are good signs. Will our leaders respond appropriately? Read the whole thing here: http://commentaramapolitics.blogspot.com/2012/09/libyaegypt-opportunity.html
Pictures that change elections
"Preserve, protect, and defend"
Will freedom of speech be protected? Yes, or no!
Arizona Congressman Trent Franks posted this You Tube video of himself questioning Assistant Attorney General Thomas Perez on whether or not the Obama administration would protect freedom of speech.
via Instapundit
via Instapundit
Will Republicans save military chaplains from Court Martials??
On September 30, 2011, the Pentagon issued
a directive to all military chaplains to perform same-sex marriage
ceremonies and to make military chapels available for any such private
ceremonies.
In response to the Pentagon directive, the Catholic Archdiocese for Military Service issued a statement that no Catholic chaplains serving in the military will perform or participate in any same-sex marriage ceremonies at any military chapels. In conjunction with the Catholic response, members of the Chaplain Alliance for Religious Liberty have issued a statement indicating that they will also not participate in performing same-sex ceremonies.
The Chaplain Alliance for Religious Liberty represents over 2,000 military chaplains. Serving as a military chaplain for 28 years, now retired Col. Ron Crews, executive director of the organization said,
“They made a very strong statement saying that no Catholic chaplains serving in the military will participate in any same-sex ceremonies at any chapels. We appreciate that strong stand. So we just wanted to let the Department of Defense know that it’s not only the Catholic chaplains, but that some 2,000 chaplains who come from evangelical backgrounds are saying our chaplains will not participate in same-sex ceremonies in the military.”
Read more here: http://lastresistance.com/79/will-republicans-save-military-chaplains-from-court-martials/
In response to the Pentagon directive, the Catholic Archdiocese for Military Service issued a statement that no Catholic chaplains serving in the military will perform or participate in any same-sex marriage ceremonies at any military chapels. In conjunction with the Catholic response, members of the Chaplain Alliance for Religious Liberty have issued a statement indicating that they will also not participate in performing same-sex ceremonies.
The Chaplain Alliance for Religious Liberty represents over 2,000 military chaplains. Serving as a military chaplain for 28 years, now retired Col. Ron Crews, executive director of the organization said,
“They made a very strong statement saying that no Catholic chaplains serving in the military will participate in any same-sex ceremonies at any chapels. We appreciate that strong stand. So we just wanted to let the Department of Defense know that it’s not only the Catholic chaplains, but that some 2,000 chaplains who come from evangelical backgrounds are saying our chaplains will not participate in same-sex ceremonies in the military.”
Read more here: http://lastresistance.com/79/will-republicans-save-military-chaplains-from-court-martials/
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Do we dare call ourselves a free people?
"This is precisely what tyranny looks like, people. It is a photo of an Obamerican subject being hauled off for “voluntary” questioning in the dead of night, in front of a mass of Ministry Of Propaganda cameras, for the Crime Against The State of exercising his supposed free speech “rights,” now nonexistent…for him, and for all of us. If this doesn’t get your blood absolutely boiling, and inspire both dismay and an ironclad determination to rid yourself of liberal-fascist tyranny once and for all, then crouch down and lick the hand that both feeds and enslaves you; may you wear your chains lightly, and may posterity forget that you were ever my countryman. The same holds especially true for any pedantic, smug fool who is making excuses for this outrage against liberty, or cheering it on. Obama just proved beyond any doubt that rioting and violence are excellent tools for any aggrieved group to use to get what they want from gutless, liberal-fascist, despotic cowards. Very well. Let’s see where that leads.
It’s gotten far uglier far faster than I dreamed it would, I’ll say that much; I didn’t expect blatant, right-out-in-the-open arrests for free-speech violations until after he was safely re-elected, honestly (any Tea Partier who sees this photo without experiencing a sudden eery chill is kidding himself). But I suppose that, ultimately, it’s good that his hand has been forced; now all can see–or, at least, those who will–what he really is. As I said: we’ll soon know if that’s enough of us.
We MUST rid ourselves of this tyrant. We must. And then we must begin the process of dismantling the Superstate that allows him or any other to wield unchecked power over us, if we are to dare to call ourselves a free people ever again. That is the simple truth, and Boehner, Romney, et al need to be made fully aware that it is NOT subject to negotiation."
Mike has been on fire. Read this post, entitled Obama implements blasphemy law, sharia here: http://coldfury.com/2012/09/16/obama-implements-blasphemy-law-sharia/
"He's a Democrat!"
I had a very funny thing happen yesterday. A fellow contacted me about wanting to buy something jointly owned by Colleen and me. I told Colleen about it, and she recommended I contact Mr. So and
So, to see if he knows the potential buyer. I did. Yes, Mr. So and So knew the man. "He's a Democrat," were the first words out of Mr. So and So's mouth. He repeated that at least six times in the course of our short conversation, emphasizing that the man is not just a Democrat, but an active Democrat. He said the man is "very honorable" and "has his values in the right place."
I thanked him, hung up the phone, and laughed the heartiest laugh I have laughed in a long, long time! How ironic that Mr. So and So would think that the man's being a Democrat would be a good thing with either Colleen or I!
So, to see if he knows the potential buyer. I did. Yes, Mr. So and So knew the man. "He's a Democrat," were the first words out of Mr. So and So's mouth. He repeated that at least six times in the course of our short conversation, emphasizing that the man is not just a Democrat, but an active Democrat. He said the man is "very honorable" and "has his values in the right place."
I thanked him, hung up the phone, and laughed the heartiest laugh I have laughed in a long, long time! How ironic that Mr. So and So would think that the man's being a Democrat would be a good thing with either Colleen or I!
Children Learn What They Live
Comparing Margaret Thatcher and Rushdie to Obama and Nakoula
Jim Bennett writes to Instapundit:
"Compare Margaret Thatcher and Rushdie to Obama and Nakoula.
When Salman Rushdie had a death fatwa pronounced on him for a novel considered insulting to Islam, Margaret Thatcher immediately ordered a protective detail to be sent to Rushdie, who took him to an undisclosed secure location. They have been protecting him ever since. Bear in mind that Rushdie had been a severe and vocal critic and political opponent of Thatcher.
Compare and contrast to Obama and Holder’s treatment of Nakoula.
I will also note that the reaction to Britain in the Middle East was not noticeably worse than the reaction the USA is getting despite Obama’s apologies."
"Compare Margaret Thatcher and Rushdie to Obama and Nakoula.
When Salman Rushdie had a death fatwa pronounced on him for a novel considered insulting to Islam, Margaret Thatcher immediately ordered a protective detail to be sent to Rushdie, who took him to an undisclosed secure location. They have been protecting him ever since. Bear in mind that Rushdie had been a severe and vocal critic and political opponent of Thatcher.
Compare and contrast to Obama and Holder’s treatment of Nakoula.
I will also note that the reaction to Britain in the Middle East was not noticeably worse than the reaction the USA is getting despite Obama’s apologies."
Contrasting Ambassador Chris Stevens on the streets of Benghazi and Barack Obama on stage at Las Vegas
Mark Steyn is at his best again this morning: "No novelist would contrast Chris Stevens on the streets of Benghazi and
Barack Obama on stage in Vegas. Too crude, too telling, too devastating." He then does exactly that in his IBD column: "So, on a highly symbolic date, mobs storm American diplomatic facilities
and drag the corpse of a U.S. ambassador through the streets. Then the
president flies to Vegas for a fundraiser."
http://news.investors.com/ibd-editorials-viewpoint/091412-625873-obama-mishandles-attacks-in-libya-egypt.htm?p=full
http://news.investors.com/ibd-editorials-viewpoint/091412-625873-obama-mishandles-attacks-in-libya-egypt.htm?p=full
The photo that should cost Obama his job
"Tending the garden of my mind"
Regular readers know that my favorite book is My Stroke of Insight, by Jill Bolte Taylor. Jill is a brain scientist at Harvard who had a stroke, causing her to lose the function of her left hemisphere of her brain. Over an eight-year period, she regained the functioning of her left hemisphere. However, during that time, she realized that she did not want some portions of her left hemisphere to be as dominant as it was prior to the stroke. In fact, she realized that there were some parts of her left brain that were downright harmful to her mental health. She calls it the "story-teller" portion of her brain.
She writes, "I'm a devout believer that paying attention to our self-talk is vitally important to our mental health. I wholeheartedly believe that 99.999 percent of the cells in my brain and body want me to be happy, healthy, and successful. A tiny portion of the story-teller, however, does not seem to be unconditionally attached to my joy, and is excellent at exploring thought patterns that have the potential to derail my feeling of inner peace. These are the cells in our verbal mind that are totally resourceful in their ability to run our loops of doom and gloom. These cells tap into our negative attributes of jealousy, fear, and rage. They thrive when they are whining, complaining, and sharing with everyone about how awful everything is."
She then consciously asks her brain to stop hooking into these negative emotions. She has found that adding an appropriate feeling to her phrases, and feeling them with genuine affect, has the effect of making the story-teller more amenable to what she wants it to do.
"I have also found that when I am least expecting it - feeling either physically tired or emotionally vulnerable - those negative circuits have a tendency to raise their hurtful heads. The more aware I remain about what my brain is saying and how those thoughts feel inside my body, the more I own my power in choosing what I want to spend my time thinking about and how I want to feel. If I want to retain my inner peace, I must be willing to consistently and persistently tend the garden of my mind moment by moment, and be willing to make the decision a thousand times a day.
I have been practicing these ideas, and have found them immensely helpful. Therefore, I am sharing them with you, my dear readers, who mean so much to me.
She writes, "I'm a devout believer that paying attention to our self-talk is vitally important to our mental health. I wholeheartedly believe that 99.999 percent of the cells in my brain and body want me to be happy, healthy, and successful. A tiny portion of the story-teller, however, does not seem to be unconditionally attached to my joy, and is excellent at exploring thought patterns that have the potential to derail my feeling of inner peace. These are the cells in our verbal mind that are totally resourceful in their ability to run our loops of doom and gloom. These cells tap into our negative attributes of jealousy, fear, and rage. They thrive when they are whining, complaining, and sharing with everyone about how awful everything is."
She then consciously asks her brain to stop hooking into these negative emotions. She has found that adding an appropriate feeling to her phrases, and feeling them with genuine affect, has the effect of making the story-teller more amenable to what she wants it to do.
"I have also found that when I am least expecting it - feeling either physically tired or emotionally vulnerable - those negative circuits have a tendency to raise their hurtful heads. The more aware I remain about what my brain is saying and how those thoughts feel inside my body, the more I own my power in choosing what I want to spend my time thinking about and how I want to feel. If I want to retain my inner peace, I must be willing to consistently and persistently tend the garden of my mind moment by moment, and be willing to make the decision a thousand times a day.
I have been practicing these ideas, and have found them immensely helpful. Therefore, I am sharing them with you, my dear readers, who mean so much to me.
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Glenn Reynolds (Instapundit) calls for Obama to resign
Glenn writes, "When taking office, the President does not swear to create jobs. He does not swear to “grow the economy.” He does not swear to institute “fairness.” The only oath the President takes is this one:
I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.By sending — literally — brownshirted enforcers to engage in — literally — a midnight knock at the door of a man for the non-crime of embarrassing the President of the United States and his administration, President Obama violated that oath. You can try to pretty this up (It’s just about possible probation violations! Sure.), or make excuses or draw distinctions, but that’s what’s happened. It is a betrayal of his duties as President, and a disgrace.
He won’t resign, of course. First, the President has the appreciation of free speech that one would expect from a Chicago Machine politician, which is to say, none. Second, he’s not getting any pressure. Indeed, the very press that went crazy over Ari Fleischer’s misrepresented remarks seems far less interested in the actions of an administration that I repeat, literally sent brown-shirted enforcers to launch a midnight knock on a filmmaker’s door.
But Obama’s behavior — and that of his enablers in the press — has laid down a marker for those who are paying attention. By these actions he is, I repeat, unfit to hold office. I hope and expect that the voters will agree in November"
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"It's on behalf of all of those people that I have worked as hard as I can. That's what you've seen the past few years. Me, working as hard as I can. Barring only occasional moments of rest - a couple of rounds of golf each month, watching less than half of the college basketball that ESPN and ESPN2 televises, a bit of daily exercise, and the odd date night flight to New York or Chicago or Los Angeles or Paris or Rio or Casablanca or Majorca or Fiji or Maui or only a couple of dozen other places - I'm at work every waking moment."
"I don't think most Americans realize how much is involved in this job, probably because I make it look so easy, but I have to give a lot of speeches in front of a lot of admirers, and I feel like I owe it to them to make it the greatest experience of their lives. It's not just speeches, either. There are a lot of dinners where I have to listen to other speeches, and campaign material to film, interviews to sit through, donation reports to review, photo shoots of me working to arrange, state dinners to host, just many different things. Tonight alone, Dave, I'm not just here talking to you, I have to go have dinner next to Beyonce later. Again."
"And then there's the foreign affairs component - of course my opponents are new to diplomacy - but it's a very important component of my job to meet with foreign leaders, smooth over damage that has been done to our relationship due to missteps by previous administrations, and explain to them what I have noticed about how they can fix various problems in their countries."
"The truth is, I don't think Mitt Romney is capable of doing what I've done over the past three and a half years, and frankly I think deep down he knows it."
http://justoneminute.typepad.com/main/2012/09/mitt-unplugged.html?cid=6a00d83451b2aa69e2017d3c280938970c#comment-6a00d83451b2aa69e2017d3c280938970c