Little Red Soapbox

I have moved to "Just Plain English" and am in the process of migrating all existing content. Please excuse the dust...

Was able to get to the Sunnyland Annual Boat Show in Wooton Park, Tavares, Florida this weekend and had a blast. There were a good number of wooden boats (old and new) in attendance. I was able to make some use of our Nikon D40X and took a few picture.

Labels: boats, Photos

Received via email and verified via Snopes...

A prime example of ' do as I say, not as I do'

A Tale of Two Houses

House #1

House #1, a 20 room mansion ( not including 8 bathrooms ) heated by natural gas. Add on a pool ( and a pool house) and a separate guest house, all heated by gas. In one month this residence consumes more energy than the average American household does in a year. The average bill for electricity and natural gas runs over $2400. In natural gas alone, this property consumes more than 20 times the national average for an American home. This house is not situated in a Northern or Midwestern 'snow belt' area. It's in the South.

House #2

House #2, designed by an architecture professor at a leading national university. This house incorporates every 'green' feature current home construction can provide. The house is 4,000 square feet ( 4 bedrooms ) and is nestled on a high prairie in the American southwest. A central closet in the house holds geothermal heat-pumps drawing ground water through pipes sunk 300 feet into the ground. The water (usually 67 degrees F.) heats the house in the winter and cools it in the summer. The system uses no fossil fuels such as oil or natural gas and it consumes one-quarter the electricity required for a conventional heating/cooling system. Rainwater from the roof is collected and funneled into a 25,000 gallon underground cistern. Wastewater from showers, sinks and toilets goes into underground purifying tanks and then into the cistern. The collected water then irrigates the land surrounding the house. Surrounding flowers and shrubs native to the area enable the property to blend into the surrounding rural landscape.

HOUSE #1 is outside of Nashville, Tennessee; it is the abode of the 'environmentalist ' Al Gore. HOUSE #2 is on a ranch near Crawford,Texas; it is the residence the of the President of the United States, George W. Bush.

So much for conventional wisdom...

Labels: Gore, hypocrisy

Well sure, guns can not only help protect gays but they can also help protect people that are not gay.

Labels: 2nd amendment, self defence

This should be shown on the nightly news to highlight what the left has become but it will not.

I love the part (at about 3:25) "If only there was a organization sworn to protect free speech".

Labels: code pink, hypocrisy

It is not enough that the BBC wages a propaganda war against Israel and for Palestine, it is not enough that they willingly carry Palestine propaganda as news without a hint of fairness but now they feel it necessary to fabricate stories.

The BBC showed a home being demolished and claimed that it was the home of child murderer Alaa Abu Dheim, when in fact the home of this killer as well as a shrine erected by the Palestines to honor this human trash still stand as shown by a number of AP photos taken days after the BBC story.

That the home and shrine still stand should be sufficient proof to anyone with an open mind, who the decent participants in this conflict are. Could anyone imagine a shrine to fallen Israeli solders lasting even 5 minutes in Palestine? Me thinks not.

Labels: BBC, Israel, Palestine

House Democrats have failed the American People. They can’t even pass an “ethics” bill without violating the rules.

And I thought they were different and were going to change the atmosphere of corruption in Washington, I am so disillusioned (redux)...

Seems a bit too similar to this incident.

Labels: Democrats, hypocrisy, politics

A valid question, I think and based on this action by the Palestinian Authority, the short answer would appear to be no, not yet.

Mahmoud Abbas's official Palestinian Authority daily newspaper has honored the terrorist who gunned down eight high school students at point blank range with the status of shahid, or holy Islamic martyr.

The official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida prominently placed a picture of the point-blank child killer on the front page, with the caption, "The Shahid Alaa Abu Dheim." In a page one article on the massacre at the Mercaz HaRav Kook yeshiva, his crime was again defined as an act of martyrdom (shahada).

A cold-blooded murderer of children is a person to be vilified not honored. No matter where you stand on the Israel/Palestine issue, I would have hoped that we could all agree that someone that murders children is a monster that should be condemned by one and all. Apparently not in Palestine when the murdered children are Israelis. Do the Palestines deserve a state? At this time they are certainly not doing anything to show they have earned one and for the US to continue to push Israel forward with the "road map for peace" while Palestine continues to act like this way and to condone these acts is even more unforgivable.

Labels: Israel, opinion, Palestine

Found this on Slashdot.org and I have have previously noted where scientist have slowed and stopped light.

Don't completely understand what they are doing here but those involved seem pretty excited about it and seem to think that it will have practical uses in communications and encryption.

Labels: hi tech

So, a 17 year old can't get a judge's permission to early enlist in the Marines. Funny, if HE were instead a SHE and only 13 instead of 17, an abortion would have been no problem for the judge to approve.

Labels: hypocrisy, judges, military

Well sure, the Democrats are pandering to the lowest common denominator here and are trying to build a social security system for health care. Just as social security is a required system that I can not op-out of, both of the democratic candidates for president have their own version of "social health care security" and as Charlie Martin points out, my costs will have to be higher to ensure that everyone is covered. So, I will be charged more to cover the extra costs associated with the very old, very sick and/or very pregnant and some of my other tax dollars will be used to pay the premiums of those that can't afford the premiums on their own.

You can also rest assured (cause it is already going on) this insurance will cover all kinds of cosmetic and elective procedures as well as real life saving procedures. I will be able to get a break on the cost of Viagra though, if that is any comfort in the years ahead...

Labels: healthcare, politics

Democratic Senator Paul Wellstone (died in a small plane crash with some of his campaign workers) did not have the required workers' compensation insurance for his employees.

Democratic Senate candidate Al Franken owes a $25,000 penalty to the New York State Workers' Compensation Board for failing to carry workers' compensation insurance for employees of his namesake corporation (Alan Franken Inc.) from 2002 to 2005.

What is it with these guys? They all claim to be all about the little guy and to get them help and to stand up to "the man" but it seems in a lot of cases to be nothing but talk. They are "crushing" small business with mountains of regulations to help protect the "little guy" but it seems they often don't follow their own rhetoric.

This is in the same vain as those that call for higher taxes. You want to pay higher taxes then fine, just write uncle Sam a big fat check every year. He would be glad to take it. But no, that is not what they really mean. They mean they want us to pay higher taxes, not them. They get to keep their tax lawyers and loop holes while vilifying companies like Exxon Mobil for "record profits" that include record taxes, in fact as much taxes as those paid by the bottom 50% of tax payers.

But lets not let any thing as silly as facts get is the way of some good old reliable mimes.

Labels: hypocrisy

As others no doubt have and will point out, something this stupid can only happen in government or the education establishment. Here is an employee/student reading a book (Notre Dame vs. the Klan: How the Fighting Irish Defeated the Ku Klux Klan) on how in 1924 some Notre Dame students got in a street fight with the KKK. Instead of engaging the reader in conversation as to what the book was about, some other employees reported the reader. He was subsequently disciplined for reading an "offensive" book. Even the school administration cared not for what the book was about, just that some were offended by the title of the book. How absolutely asinine. Flashbacks to the recent Canadian fiasco involving the Western Standard come to mind.

Labels: education, hypocrisy, indoctrination, political correctness

Is he just an ignorant stooge or does he really believe what he said?

Mr. CASEY: “We want to do a couple of things with this legislation, which we know is the Foreclosure Prevention Act of 2008. Our Majority Leader, Senator Reid, and our leadership and the members of the Democratic Caucus set it out fairly specifically. A couple of basic things this legislation would have done: first of all, it would have continued what we started in the end of last year, foreclosure prevention counseling dollars, to give money to organizations around the country that are certifiably expert at this, organizations like La Raza. I know the presiding officer knows that group. We know also the Association for Community Organizations for Reform Now, known by the acronym ‘ACORN.’ They’re headquartered in Philadelphia. These are organizations which understand what a lender has to deal with but more importantly deal with borrowers when they’re borrowing money, when they’re dealing with the difficulty and complexity of borrowing money. These organizations would have helped even more so than they’re helping now with $200 million more of counseling money. That’s not going to happen right now because of what the other side did; they blocked that money by blocking this legislation.”

So La Raza, a Mexican separatist organization that wants to "reclaim" and remove from the U.S. a large part of California and Texas and return that land to Mexico is "certifiably expert" at foreclosure counseling? Really? Also, ACORN, a group that has been involved in voter fraud is "certifiably expert " in foreclosure counseling? Really? This politico really wants to give these two groups up to $200 million dollars that was to be targeted for home foreclosure counseling? Really?

First, the entire program is a waste of money. Yet again, the government is planning to reward people for poor choices and bad decisions. Sorry but NO. You can't afford to pay your mortgage then refinance, sell or foreclose. No special breaks for you. That is a slap in the face of everyone else that makes sacrifices and adult decisions in order to pay their bills and keep their homes. As for taking that wasted money and funneling it to La Raza and ACORN, this moron should be kicked out of office. What a dope.

Labels: ACORN, Democrats, La Raza, politics, stupidity

So the old gray lady still has some value.

Any space news is good news. We should be in space and have bases both in orbit and on the moon, as self sustaining as possible. In this way, even if we on tera do or are subject to a very stupid action, humans may could continue.

Labels: space science

National Academy of Sciences reviewed dozens of studies and could not find a single gun regulation that clearly led to reduced violent crime or murder.

"If someone gets into your house, which would you rather have, a handgun or a telephone? You can call the police if you want, and they'll get there, and they'll take a picture of your dead body. But they can't get there in time to save your life. The first line of defense is you."

Ain't that the truth! It is not the fault of police; they just can not be everywhere, all the time. If you are not prepared to protect yourself, you have no protection.

Labels: self defence, Stossel

The hydrogen bonds that hold the small molecules together are also key to the healing process. When two cut ends are brought together, molecules on each side reform bonds with those on the other. Time is of the essence: if the ends are not brought together quickly enough, the molecules will form bonds with other molecules on their own side, making a repair impossible.

Cool...

Labels: hi tech

Labels: art

I not only want what this could be but I want it to be a reactive contact lens as well. So that it not only can show me a virtual heads up display and correct my vision but also give me the ability to see very close up things and very far away thing as though I were using a microscope or telescope.

Oh and someone STILL owes me a flying car!

Labels: hi tech

Megan McArdle makes this observation over at Instapundit:

people are more interested in levying taxes on others than they are in paying taxes themselves.

This seems a bit like stating the obvious (and I understand that sometimes you do have to do that) and I would bet money that people are also more interested in other people being caught for speeding, drink driving and littering than they are in favor of they themselves being caught. I would further wager this is the case for all activities that are regarded as punitive. I say that with the thought that most people do regard taxes of any kind as punitive. If that were not the case, we would not need an IRS, everyone would just give the government the amount it asks for and no one would ever need to be audited.

Labels: opinion

I remember "borrowing" my dad's Mack Bolan novels when I was a kid and reading all about Mack, his "war wagon" and his one man fight against the Mafia.

What appears to be the full extended collection of Mack Bolan novels can be found here.

Yes he did say:

You know, I’ve heard from an Army captain who was the head of a rifle platoon — supposed to have 39 men in a rifle platoon. Ended up being sent to Afghanistan with 24 because 15 of those soldiers had been sent to Iraq.

And as a consequence, they didn’t have enough ammunition, they didn’t have enough Humvees. They were actually capturing Taliban weapons, because it was easier to get Taliban weapons than it was for them to get properly equipped by our current commander in chief.

A number of people believe he is a little (being charitable) confused. I wonder if he has a hat too?

Labels: Barack Obama

Labels: joke

In 1999, Obama proposed to make it a felony for the gun owner if a firearm stolen from his residence and used in a crime was not “securely stored” — effectively negating the homeowner’s right to self-defense.

Not good, not good at all...

Labels: 2nd amendment, Barack Obama

Teacher alleged that five-year-olds were also taught from the texts that Jews were "monkeys".

The head of King Fahad Academy denied the claims but shredded the 2,000 books.

I am sure that these claims are false and have absolutely no basis in facts. All 2000 books were shredded because, um, the printing was not of a high enough quality, yah, that’s the ticket, the book printing was not good enough and um, the ink was smudged...

Labels: education, Islam, racism

I captured these lunar eclipse photos with our Nikon D40X. I used a tripod, set the camera for night mode, and used manual focus. The camera was set at high quality (10 mp) and these images have been resized/blown up in Photoshop Elements. I did not use the "standard" lens but a low end telephoto lens and will update with the actual lens details later.

Labels: astronomy

Labels: space shuttle

At least here in the south east. It is supposed to run from 1o:00pm (ish) to about 11:59pm (ish).

I know the chart says Feb 21 but for us on the east coast, it is the night of the 20th. Don't miss it!

Labels: astronomy, space science

Word on the street is that apparently Obama has enough delegates to win the Democratic nomination. If that is the case, Hilary must be biting though nails right about now cause you know, everyone, just EVERYONE knew the election was supposed to be hers!

The Clinton camp apparently has not called it quits just yet and may try (hard to believe) a fast one and tug a disproportionate number of the pledged delegates over to their camp. Not unexpected and if successful I don’t think it would cause the entire Democratic party to implode but I don’t think she would have any much of an effective presidency if she were able to pull it all off and get the office. I would also expect a lot of inter-party backlash by a lot of leftish voters if that is how she wins the nomination.

Well worst case, Hillary and Gore can reminisce about what might have been, over drinks.

Labels: Democrats

Even as he finally loosens his grip on power and moves out of center stage, his lapdogs in the media continue to try and airbrush his life and actions.

As some have speculated, CNN is sure that he can’t be dead!

“Please say in our reporting that Castro stepped down in a letter he wrote to Granma (the communist party daily), as opposed to in a letter attributed to Fidel Castro. We have no reason to doubt he wrote his resignation letter, he has penned numerous articles over the past year and a half.”

If the letter could be “attributed” to Castro, what is stopping the numerous articles from being “attributed” to him as well? Anyone could have slapped his name on an article and had it run in the government controlled papers. A byline attributed to him is not proof of life. Just as a letter “attributed” to him is not proof of death. They just can not stop the spin, it is in their genetic makeup now.

“Please note Fidel did bring social reforms to Cuba – namely free education and universal health care, and racial integration. in addition to being criticized for oppressing human rights and freedom of speech.”

Oh nice, the free education and (questionable) universal health care more than make up for the evils of his dictatorship. What is a few political prisoners in the face of low illiteracy rates?

“Also the Cuban government blames a lot of Cuba’s economic problems on the US embargo, and while that has caused some difficulties, (far less so than the collapse of the Soviet Union) the bulk of Cuba’s economic problems are due to Cuba’s failed economic polices. Some analysts would say the US embargo was a benefit to Castro politically – something to blame problems on, by what the Cubans call “the imperialist,” meddling in their affairs.”

I blame the decline of American values on Hollywood and the teacher’s union and though I believe I am right, it may not be so. Just because Cuba blamed America for its economic problems, the rest of the world did not have an embargo. What, are we the only source of goods and services in the entire world?

“While despised by some, he is seen as a revolutionary hero, especially with leftist in Latin America, for standing up to the United States.”

Those Castro had killed and those still imprisoned could not be reached for comment.

Labels: Cuba, hypocrisy, media

The Anchoress takes on Keith Olbermann and scores a quick knock out. It was not really a fair fight though. In a fight of wits and logic, Keith Olbermann is not only unarmed but blind folded and his shoe laces are tied together.

Labels: Olbermann

It would seem that Goliath (the U.N. and Google) are attempting to crush little David in an attempt to shut him up.

It is rather humorous that they can shut him out in just a day but that it can take weeks to get him plugged back in. As an old SNL skit would ask, REALLY?

So much for "don't be evil"...

Labels: hypocrisy, UN

As a Jerusalem-based Reuters correspondent in 1998, I visited several Palestinian refugee camps in the West Bank and Gaza, and was astonished to see living conditions better than in the slums of Cairo, my hometown. (Frustration and not mean-spiritedness compels me to make that comparison.)

Labels: Palestine

I know I shouldn’t have (mistakes happen), I watched the local Orlando Fox News last night. Not to be confused with the cable Fox News which I believe is “fair and balanced”. The local Fox news is just like any other local news station and just as addenda driven. One of the big stories last night had to do with women and self protection.

Before I get into the story, please take this little quiz; A 95 pound woman is about to be attacked by a 200 pound man. Which one of these self defense tools will give her the best chance to survive the impending attack? A) pepper spray, B) a whistle, C) a stun gun, or D) a 32 semi-auto hand gun.

The news opened this story discussing how the story's central female citizen did not currently feel safe in her new neighborhood because very recently another lady in her neighborhood was robbed at gun point. The first woman felt that she needed some self protection to help her feel safe. The story then transitioned into all of the various methods of self protection available to women. Their list included: pepper spray, personal alarms, stun guns, stun guns made to look like cell phones, cane stun sticks, etc.

The only item missing from their report, the white elephant in the room if you will, was not only the device used by the attacker that was the basis of this story but also the answer to my quiz question above, a hand gun.

I factitiously ask, why was a hand gun not mentioned as a viable self defense option for women? Could it be that most of the media have a bias against guns and as such, they only appear in stories where they can be shown in the roll of a villainous devices? It is indeed a rare local or national news story where a gun used for self defense is highlighted. This is Florida for goodness sakes! Practically any legal resident can get a concealed carry permit.

In the hands of a person that takes the time to get familiar with it and trained in its use a hand gun it is extremely effective for self defense and unlike a stun gun; there are a number of places where you can go to practice with it. I have yet to see a single place where a person can go with a stun gun and actually get practice using it. I don’t mean just pressing the button and hear it go click-click-click and watch the sparks, I mean actually using it and knowing how to use it. It is one thing to stand there and press the stun button and saying “gee, that was easy, I can do this” it is another to actually use it in a self protection event. I would be interested to know how many women purchase a stun gun, put it in their purse and never really touch it again. I actually have a female friend that owns 3 stun guns, none of them charged. That is also why, if you own a gun, you should make it a point to go to a range on a regular basis to target shoot. First, this ensures that you are familiar with the care and operation of your gun and second it ensures that you are comfortable with holding and shooting it. One hopes that you never ever have to use a gun in self defense but if the need arises, you should not have to think about the process. You will need all of your concentration for the event, to have to think about how your gun works and how to use it are distractions you may not be able to afford.

Labels: media, self defence

In interesting read and as relevant to Australian history as it is to Guatemala, American and many other places.

Often the first reaction is to place blame for past wrongs and demand an apology even though the wrongs are so far in the past that no actual parties to the wrongs are alive today. Let us not let that get in the way though. Another missing element is perspective. Back in the 80s it was popular to push for reparations for American slavery. Though it was indeed wrong, little thought was spared for a) the live those decedents would have had, had they stayed in Africa, b) the fact that most slaves to the early Americas were sold to the slavers by other Africans, c) no actual slaves were left alive to be compensated and c) that slavery and the sex trade continue to this day in Africa and it is treated as a non-issue. People would rather continue to dredge up ancient American history in regard to slavery than to actually do something about the current slave trade that is going on in Africa and Europe.

Labels: history

Well you won't hear much cause this can't be blamed (at least not yet) on the EVIL republicans. Once they figure out a way to make this Bush's fault, there will be no end to the cries of racism.

Labels: Democrats, hypocrisy, media

This is discussed in the comments section of the preceding post about the super laser. Apparently "boiling the vacuum" is creating matter in a vacuum by injecting enough focused energy and having that energy convert into matter (remember e=mc2). A reference is here and here for those wanting to know more.

Update: 2/20/2008

This appears to be a very popular topic and as such I have searched for additional relevant references without much luck. For those not wishing to follow the above links, here is another reference to this theorized(?) phenomenon.

Such X-ray lasers may allow also for high-field science applications by exploiting the possibility to focus their beams to a spot with a small radius, hopefully in the range of the laser wavelength. Along this route one obtains very large electric fields, much larger than those obtainable with any optical laser of the same power. We consider here the possibility of obtaining an electric field so high that electron-positron pairs are spontaneously produced in vacuum (Schwinger pair production) and review the prospects to verify this non-perturbative production mechanism for the first time in the laboratory.

This reference seems to be extremely similar to the first link above and may reference the same underlying source. From there you can download the complete paper (in what some Windows users would consider non-standard formats).

Labels: hi tech

If you could hold a giant magnifying glass in space and focus all the sunlight shining toward Earth onto one grain of sand, that concentrated ray would approach the intensity of a new laser beam made in a University of Michigan laboratory.

Sweet...

Labels: hi tech

President Calderon:

I was disappointed by misguided comments you recently made regarding U.S.-Mexico relations and U.S. immigration laws. Purveying misinformation and absurd allegations is hardly a positive step to building a constructive partnership.

According to the Associated Press you recently said, “You have two economies. One economy is intensive in capital, which is the American economy. One economy is intensive in labor, which is the Mexican economy. We are two complementary economies, and that phenomenon is impossible to stop.” Yes, both countries benefit by the 85% of Mexico’s manufacturing exports that come to the U.S., but people are not commodities. While I appreciate your concern for our joint prosperity, the economic and social ills that plague your country cannot be resolved by simply exporting your citizens to the United States.

It is undeniable that Mexico faces major challenges. Endemic corruption and the power of violent drug cartels still dominate everyday life across Mexico. Beyond the headlines, Mexico has deep institutional maladies. Mexico’s absurdly antiquated Napoleonic-inquisition styled legal system and the squandering of robust energy-industry opportunity by a poorly managed, state-run Pemex monopoly are just two examples of the kind of self-inflicted wounds that hobble your troubled nation.

I understand that you are attempting to resolve some of these problems and applaud your leadership in trying to do so. But what would contribute more to the long term stability of your economy and your country would be to focus more energy on addressing your domestic challenges and less on lobbying the U.S. to provide amnesty for Mexicans who have illegally entered this country with the blessing of your government. In doing so, you might be able to keep Mexico’s “best and brightest young men” in Mexico – where they can contribute more to Mexico’s economy than remittance payments. Unfortunately, your recent comments indicate that Mexico will continue its policy of encouraging illegal immigration and treating the United States as little more than a dumping ground for your social and economic problems.

In your speech yesterday to the California State legislature, you lectured the American people on how to improve our immigration policies. Why did you not propose that we model our policies on Mexico’s own policies toward illegal entry across your own southern border? Mexico expends enormous resources to prevent Guatemalans, Hondurans and Salvadorans from entering the country illegally, but you castigate the United States for wanting secure borders. Mr. President, in my neighborhood that is called hypocrisy.

You proposed in your Sacramento speech that “migration” be made “legal, safe and organized.” Mr. President, we already have such a program and it is called legal immigration. Over one million legal immigrants come through our ports of entry each year, not across our border fences. The American people set limits on the number of legal immigrants through our immigration laws, and it is not the job of the Mexican government to revise or expand those limits.

President Calderon, you are insulting the American people when you tell us that fifteen to twenty million illegal aliens in our country bring only benefits and no costs. I challenge you to give one concrete example of how the enforcement of our existing immigration laws violates anyone’s human rights. The people of Oklahoma are not anti-Mexican for passing laws to require verification of employment eligibility. The people of Indiana are not anti-immigrant for passing laws to require photo identification for voting. The people of California are not anti-Mexican for denying driver’s licenses to illegal aliens. The people of Arizona are not anti-immigrant for passing laws that deny welfare benefits to people who are in that state unlawfully.

It is no secret that the purpose of your visit is to influence the American election, and in fact your trip has been billed as a high-stakes effort to shape the immigration debate underway in the U.S. presidential race. What is perhaps more disappointing, however, is your attempt to insinuate that anti-amnesty sentiment here in the U.S. is the same as anti-Mexican sentiment. I am referring to your statement, “I need to change in the perception that the Americans are the enemy, and it is important to change the perception that the Mexicans are the enemy.”

It is both disingenuous and dangerous for you to inject this kind of xenophobia into this debate. The fact that the overwhelming majority of Americans support the enforcement of our immigration laws and take issue with the notion that we should reward illegal behavior, hardly qualifies as ethnic animosity or international enmity. What you must understand is that a treasured aspect of our national foundation is a respect for the rule of law. Perhaps if corruption were not so widespread and commonplace in Mexico, it would be easier for you to understand this.

President Calderon, in many ways your trip thus far has been a long series of mixed messages. You accuse the United States of recent protectionist trends, yet you heavily restrict foreign entry into Mexico’s energy sector through a massive, state-run Pemex monopoly. You assure American politicians that an open flow of cheap Mexican labor is not only benign but vitally necessary, but you take great care in securing your own southern border with Guatemala. You come to the United States purportedly to promote better political and economic ties with the U.S., but then issue a thinly veiled threat that Mexicans will regard the U.S. as an enemy if we refuse to provide millions of illegal aliens with unconditional amnesty.

President Calderon, I respectfully suggest that the next time you visit our country, rather than trying to influence U.S. policymakers or our election process, you take time to listen to Americans rather than lecture them. If you want to make changes in government policies, apply your energies to Mexico’s laundry list of problems rather than meddling in domestic American politics.

Labels: hypocrisy, illegals, immigration

When is enough going to be enough, after everyone has been issued a prayer rug? Anyone familiar with the real Islam can attest that it is not compatible with other religions or cultures. It is like communism in that its practitioners want to own the entire world and will not be happy until it does.

Labels: Islam, Muslim

It is amazing how uncommon common sense can be.

Labels: economics, Stossel

This was interesting to watch, as the water and Alka-Seltzer react. It was not really the result I expected either and as one of the presenters says, "That is why you run experiments", to bridge the gap from the theoretical (what you think will happen) to actual (what does happen).

I would be curios to see if no having the wire anchor changes the results any. Does that contact point have an effect on bubble formation and migration.

Give it a look see, it won't hurt a bit!

Labels: hi tech

Here is a rather simple and straight forward explanation of our current tax system that is clear enough for even the average Democrat to understand. If after reading this, you still think that the evil rich don’t pay enough in taxes, you have spent far too much time NOT using your brains.

I wish I could take credit for this but I found it in the comments section of this blog entry.

Davies, Professor of Accounting & Chair, Division of Accounting and Business Law The University of South Dakota

What is there about this simple illustration that some don't understand? And, why do they use such inflammatory rhetoric to pit those getting the free lunch against those who are paying for it?

Let's put tax cuts in terms everyone can understand.

Suppose that every day, ten men go out for dinner. The bill for all ten comes to $100. If they paid their bill the way we pay our taxes, it would go something like this. The first four men -- the poorest -- would pay nothing; the fifth would pay $1, the sixth would pay $3, the seventh $7, the eighth $12, the ninth $18, and the tenth man -- the richest -- would pay $59.

That's what they decided to do. The ten men ate dinner in the restaurant every day and seemed quite happy with the arrangement -- until one day, the owner threw them a curve (in tax language a tax cut). "Since you are all such good customers," he said, "I'm going to reduce the cost of your daily meal by $20." So now dinner for the ten only cost $80.00.

The group still wanted to pay their bill the way we pay our taxes. So the first four men were unaffected. They would still eat for free. But what about the other six -- the paying customers? How could they divvy up the $20 windfall so that everyone would get his "fair share?" The six men realized that $20 divided by six is $3.33. But if they subtracted that from everybody's share, then the fifth man and the sixth man would end up being PAID to eat their meal. So the restaurant owner suggested that it would be fair to reduce each man's bill by roughly the same amount, and he proceeded to work out the amounts each should pay. And so the fifth man paid nothing, the sixth pitched in $2, the seventh paid $5, the eighth paid $9, the ninth paid $12, leaving the tenth man with a bill of $52 instead of his earlier $59.

Each of the six was better off than before. And the first four continued to eat for free. But once outside the restaurant, the men began to compare their savings. "I only got a dollar out of the $20," declared the sixth man, but he, pointing to the tenth. "But he got $7!". "Yeah, that's right," exclaimed the fifth man, "I only saved a dollar, too, ........It's unfair that he got seven times more than me!". "That's true!" shouted the seventh man," why should he get $7 back when I got only $2? The wealthy get all the breaks!". Wait a minute," yelled the first four men in unison, "We didn't get anything at all. The system exploits the poor!" The nine men surrounded the tenth and beat him up.

The next night he didn't show up for dinner, so the nine sat down and ate without him. But when it came time to pay the bill, they discovered, a little late what was very important. They were FIFTY-TWO DOLLARS short of paying the bill! Imagine that! And that, boys and girls, journalists and college instructors, is how the tax system works. The people who pay the highest taxes get the most benefit from a tax reduction. Tax them too much, attack them for being wealthy, and they just may not show up at the table anymore. Where would that leave the rest? Unfortunately, most taxing authorities, and many US voters, cannot seem to grasp this rather straightforward logic!

Labels: taxes

Seeing the smallest of the small...

Labels: hi tech

Saw the movie Cloverfield and as I am sure you have already heard, it is a cross between Blair Witch and Godzilla. It was a fair enough movie and my wife and I enjoyed it. The first 15 minutes or so can be a problem if you have vision/motion problems as the camera jerks around quite a bit. It does settle down a good bit after that and becomes much less of a problem. I was pleased that you do eventually get to see the “monster”. It is not a just glimpsed “secret” for the entire movie leaving you wondering what the thing was. You still wonder what it is and where it came from but you do get some good looks at it.

I would very much like to see them make a sequel, Cloverfield Redux or some such where they do the same movie but this time in a more traditional fashion. They could have 2 or three strategic cross-over scenes where the cast from the first movie are featured in the second to help give it some continuity.

If you liked Blair Witch and you liked Resident Evil, you will like this movie.

Labels: movie review, opinion

Well isn't that just special!

If that is the case (and they have admitted that it is) how is anything they say to be believed? Answer, it isn't. The only thing you can believe and trust are their actions not their talk. They will be ready for peace with Israel when they demonstrate that they are by stopping the rocket attacks, suicide bombings and teaching/training their children to hate Israel and to kill Jews.

Until that day comes, Israel can not afford any more capitulation to Palestine or UN pressure.

Labels: Israel, Muslim, Palestinian

It is amusing to me that this sort of "humor" is tolerated when it comes from those on the left side of the political aisle but would result in mass condemnations and calls for dismissal if someone on the right were to do the same thing. If Rush or Boortz ran such a "parody" skit that said if you did not vote for Obama, that Obama supporters would kill everyone and then themselves, the left and media would be all over it and would be calling for his firing. As it was aired on a left wing show and attacked right wingers, well then that is just OK. A simple apology will do if anyone notices. I don't know why I am surprised anymore at this constant double standard. It has gone on long enough that I should be used to it by now.

Labels: hypocrisy

The following is an email that was received, verbatim...

Letter from one "Angry Woman" I don't know who wrote it but they should have signed it. Some powerful words. This woman should run for president.

Written by a housewife from New Jersey and sounds like it! This is one ticked off lady.

"Are we fighting a war on terror or aren't we? Was it or was it not started by Islamic people who brought it to our shores on September 11, 2001?

Were people from all over the world, mostly Americans, not brutally murdered that day, in downtown Manhattan , across the Potomac from our nation's capitol and in a field in Pennsylvania ?

Did nearly three thousand men, women and children die a horrible, burning or crushing death that day, or didn't they?

And I'm supposed to care that a copy of the Koran was "desecrated" when an overworked American soldier kicked it or got it wet?..Well, I don't. I don't care at all.

I'll start caring when Osama bin Laden turns himself in and repents for incinerating all those innocent people on 9/11.

I'll care about the Koran when the fanatics in the Middle East start caring about the Holy Bible, the mere possession of which is a crime in Saudi Arabia.

I'll care when these thugs tell the world they are sorry for hacking off Nick Berg's head while Berg screamed through his gurgling slashed throat.

I'll care when the cowardly so-called "insurgents" in Iraq come out and fight like men instead of disrespecting their own religion by hiding in mosques.

I'll care when the mindless zealots who blow themselves up in search of nirvana care about the innocent children within range of their suicide bombs.

I'll care when the American media stops pretending that their First Amendment liberties are somehow derived from international law instead of the United States Constitution's Bill of Rights.

In the meantime, when I hear a story about a brave marine roughing up an Iraqi terrorist to obtain information, know this: I don't care.

When I see a fuzzy photo of a pile of naked Iraqi prisoners who have been humiliated in what amounts to a college-hazing incident, rest assured: I don't care.

When I see a wounded terrorist get shot in the head when he is told not to move because he might be booby-trapped, you can take it to the bank: I don't care.

When I hear that a prisoner, who was issued a Koran and a prayer mat, and fed "special" food that is paid for by my tax dollars, is complaining that his holy book is being "mishandled," you can absolutely believe in your heart of hearts: I don't care.

And oh, by the way, I've noticed that sometimes it's spelled "Koran" and other times "Quran." Well, Jimmy Crack Corn and-you guessed it-I don't care!!

If you agree with this viewpoint, pass this on to all your E-mail friends. Sooner or later, it'll get to the people responsible for this ridiculous behavior!

If you don't agree, then by all means hit the delete button. Should you choose the latter, then please don't complain when more atrocities committed by radical Muslims happen here in our great Country!

And may I add: "Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world. But, the Marines don't have that problem" -- Ronald Reagan

I have another quote that I would like to add AND......I hope you forward all this. "If we ever forget that we're One Nation Under God, then we will be a nation gone under." Also by.. Ronald Reagan

One last thought for the day: In case we find ourselves starting to believe all the Anti-American sentiment and negativity, we should remember England 's Prime Minister Tony Blair's words during a recent interview. When asked by one of his Parliament members why he believes so much in America , he said: "A simple way to take measure of a country is to look at how many want in.. And how many want out."

Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you:
1. Jesus Christ
2. The American G. I.
One died for your soul, the other for your freedom.

YOU MIGHT WANT TO PASS THIS ON, AS MANY SEEM TO FORGET BOTH OF THEM. AMEN!

The Kurdish News reported that the producer of one of the most hostile anti-American films made in Turkey "Valley of the Wolves-Irak" is a Hillary Clinton megadonor and bundler and was appointed a delegate by Hillary clinton to the Democratic National Convention later this year.

Don't expect this to make any headlines.

An't that the truth!

Labels: Clinton, media, politics

In other words, just one corporation (Exxon Mobil) pays as much in taxes ($27 billion) annually as the entire bottom 50% of individual taxpayers, which is 65,000,000 people! Further, the tax rate for the bottom 50% is only 3% of adjusted gross income ($27.4 billion / $922 billion), and the tax rate for Exxon was 41% in 2006 ($67.4 billion in taxable income, $27.9 billion in taxes).

Bet you won't hear Hillary talking about that at one of her campain stops.

Labels: politics, taxes

Reality verses what the media and the politicians want to you think...

Labels: media, politics

Zombie attacks might increase due to global warming, study shows

Save us Al Gore!

Labels: Zombies

There is nothing like a wedding to bring out the best in people.

Labels: hypocrisy

Recieved via email...

John Glenn said... This should make you think a little:

• There were 39 combat related killings in Iraq in January.
  
• In the fair city of Detroit there were 35 murders in the month of January.
  

That's just one American city, about as deadly as the entire war-torn country of Iraq.

When some claim that President Bush shouldn't have started this war, state the following:

• FDR led us into World War II.
  
• Germany never attacked us; Japan did.
  
• From 1941-1945, 450,000 lives were lost. An average of 112,500 per year.
  
  
  
• Truman finished that war and started one in Korea North.
  
• North Korea never attacked us.
  
• From 1950-1953, 55,000 lives were lost. An average of 18,334 per year.
  
  
  
• John F. Kennedy started the Vietnam conflict in 1962.
  
• Vietnam never attacked us.
  
• Johnson turned Vietnam into a quagmire.
  
• From 1965-1975, 58,000 lives were lost. An average of 5,800 per year.
  
  
  
• Clinton went to war in Bosnia without UN or French consent.
  
• Bosnia never attacked us.
  
• He was offered Osama bin Laden's head on a platter three times by Sudan and did nothing.
  
  
  
• Osama has attacked us on multiple occasions.

In the years since terrorists attacked us;

• President Bush has liberated two countries, crushed the Taliban, crippled al-Qaida, put nuclear inspectors in Libya, Iran, and North Korea without firing a shot, and captured a terrorist who slaughtered 300,000 of his own people.
  

The Democrats are complaining about how long the war is taking. But Wait;

• It took less time to take Iraq than it took Janet Reno to take the Branch Davidian compound.
  
• That was a 51-day operation.
  
  
  
• We've been looking for evidence for chemical weapons in Iraq for less time than it took Hillary Clinton to find the Rose Law Firm billing records.
  
  
  
• It took less time for the 3rd Infantry Division and the Marines to destroy the Medina Republican Guard than it took Ted Kennedy to call the police after his Oldsmobile sank at Chappaquiddick.
  
  
• It took less time to take Iraq than it tookto count the votes in Florida!!!
  

Our Commander-In-Chief is doing a GREAT JOB ! The Military morale is high! The biased media hopes we are too ignorant to realize the facts But wait!

There's more!

JOHN GLENN (on the Senate floor - January 26, 2004) Some people still don't understand why military personneldo what they do for a living. This exchange between Senators John Glenn and Senator Howard Metzenbaum is worth reading. Not only is it a pretty impressive impromptu speech, but it's also a good example of oneman's explanation of why men and women in the armed services do what they do for a living.

This IS a typical, though sad, example of what some who have never served think of the military.

Senator Metzenbaum (speaking to Senator Glenn): 'How can you run for Senate when you've never held a real job?' Senator Glenn (D-Ohio):'I served 23 years in the United States Marine Corps. I served through two wars. I flew 149 missions. My plane was hit by anti-aircraft fire on 12 different occasions. I was in the space program. It wasn't my checkbook, Howard; it was my life on the line. It was not a nine-to-five job, where I took time off to take the daily cash receipts to the bank. I ask you to go with me ... as I went the other day...to a veteran's hospital and look those men ... with their mangled bodies in the eye, and tell THEM they didn't hold a job! You go with me to the Space Program at NASA and go, as I have gone, to the widows and Orphans of Ed White, Gus Grissom and Roger Chaffee...and you look those kids in the eye and tell them that their DADS didn't hold a job.

You go with me on Memorial Day and you stand in Arlington National Cemetery, where I have more friends buried than I'd like to remember, and you watch those waving flags.

You stand there, and you think about this nation, and you tell ME that those people didn't have a job? What about you?' For those who don't remember During W.W.II, Howard Metzenbaum was an attorney representing the Communist Party in the USA .

Now he's a Senator!

Labels: hypocrisy, media, politics

Those dastardly evil rich are at it again! For the 4th straight year in a row, the top 1 percent of wage earners have paid more in Federal taxes! While this has been going on, completely unopposed by congress, the bottom 80% of income earners have had to continue to pay less!

Call your congressman NOW, this madness must end!

Some other amusing factoids:

• The richest 1% of households in the U.S. are now paying a record 27.6% of all federal taxes and a record of 38.8% of all federal income taxes.
• The richest 1% of households only earn about 17% of all income.
• The top 1.1 million households (the evil rich) pay a greater share of the income tax burden than the bottom 90 million households combined.
• The chart and the report from the CBO shows that the nation's tax burden has been shifting away from typical Americans to the wealthiest households since the early 1980s.

This dose of reality is not brought to you by any Democratic presidential candidate. It has been brought to you care of Nealz Nuze (link will work tomorrow, use this link today).

When are people going to wise up and realize that the top wage earners in this country, those the Democrats love to call the "evil rich" are the ones that help drive this country's economy. If you make over 100K you are considered rich. Most small business owners make over 100K. A lot of that money is reinvested into the business but even if that were not so, so what? These are people that are taking a risk and are trying to be their own bosses and deliver a service or product that is either cheaper, better, or faster than what is available today, if at all. To try and castrate this economic engine by raising taxes on this segment is ridicules. The bottom 50% of wage earners already don't pay their fair share of taxes and it will just continue to get worse as politicians continue to pander to those with little or no drive to better them selves or their situations. People do not value what they have not had to work for. Working for something givers you a stake in it and makes it mean something to you, the effort needed to acquire it. As the government continues to hand out "presents" like Santa Clause people value those gifts less and less and want more and more. No one "deserves" a home, car, good credit, etc. You earn those things. Instead, this country is turning into one big game show with the government as the host. In this game everyone wins but those that actually try.

Labels: Democrats, hypocrisy, politics

As is often the case with those on the left, if you don't like the history you have just rewrite it.

Labels: hypocrisy, politics

It always amazes me how those on the left talk a good game on racism and sexism but are the first to pull out the racial or sexiest slurs and diatribes as soon as the rubber meets the road. They called Colin Powell & Clarence Thomas the worst racist names possible because they dared to not tow the expected party line. Let us not forget Condilisa Rice. She got it for being blank, a woman and Conservative.

Least they on the left forget, there was a woman presidential candidate on the republican side before any ran on the Democratic side.

I think that part of what has the liberals in such a spitting frenzy of rage is that Bush dared to protect the country from a clear and present threat and not apologize for it. I am less than thrilled with his over all performance (spends way too much money). I am somewhat underwhelmed by the list of Republican candidates this time around but think we have one (Fred) or two that are worth keeping because they can be trusted to protect the country. I get no such warm and fuzzy from any of those on the Democratic side (and rarely do). With the WOT still in the news, the democrats know that they can't win unless they can shift the attention away from threats from abroad and refocus everyone on domestic issues. With their friends in the MSM they have a shot at that.

Labels: opinion, politics

At least it is if you are a member of the political class.

"I'm a retired Marine of 25 years," Alvarez said. "I just retired in 2001. Back in 1987 I was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. I got wounded many times, at the same time. I'm still around."

Alvarez later admitted he never served in the military.

He has pleaded not guilty to the medal charge, and his attorney has filed a motion to dismiss the case on the grounds that the federal statute violates the First Amendment and is therefore unconstitutional.

This is why lawyers are held in such high esteem...

Labels: hypocrisy, politics

Well, there you go! Proof that there really is a "vast right-wing conspiracy"! The "community based reality" was right all along.

Labels: politics

It is all about the meaning of words and how they are used. George Orwell knew that being able to control the language gives you control over the mind. Some have learned that lesson well.

Labels: National Socialism

I have been doing some thinking on this lately.

When I was younger, we were taught to give to others. That giving to others was the charitable thing to do. Giving to charity was lending a helping hand to those in need. It made one feel better about themselves in part for performing a selfless act. Giving is not really taught that much any more. Nowadays the lesson that is taught is “giving back”. There is a big difference. Giving is a personal act of charity whereas giving back is repaying a dept, it is in affect an obligation. You give back something you took. Giving back to society as they now say, is treated more as an obligation than a personal act of charity. It is as though anyone that does anything to reach a certain level of prosperity or fame owes it all to society and as such has an obligation to return something to the community. As though they had little to do with where they have gotten. Sorry but no. I already meet or exceed my “obligations” to society and the community by being a law abiding, tax paying citizen. Anything above or beyond that is a personal gift of giving that I elect to make, not something I owe.

Labels: opinion

Go get'em Fred!

Labels: Fred Thompson, politics

Watch the video and see if you don't agree.

Either he is on some very serious medication or he needs to be.

Nice sound track though...

P.S. For those that do watch the entire video, here are definitions of some of the abbreviation used in the video:

• SP = suppressed person, someone that criticizes Scientology
  
• KSW = Keeping Scientology Working, policy letters

Update 1/16/08:

Here is a review of the tape and situation that is interesting and amusing.

Another update:

Apparently Will Smith is getting into the Scientology act as well.

Labels: Hollyweird, Tom Cruise

Tell'em Fred!

Labels: Fred Thompson, politics

Watch the video and you will say wow...

Labels: hi tech

Cool! Space is "the final frontier" and we really should be doing more space stuff more often.

Labels: hi tech, space science