The Tea Party on Halloween will be held at the Ag-South building at Mitchell Station. This is 4 miles north of Fitzpatrick on Hwy 110 in Bullock County.
The theme is "It's Halloween and the government is scaring me." come on out and listen to folks just like yourself give their opinion on the size of government, the national health-care menace or any other government program such as socialism that is destroying the nation we all hold dear.
Stand up and be counted. Become one of the "astro-turf" terrorists, so feared by the liberals. Let the politicians know that not only do elections have consequences but so do congressional actions.
Saturday, Oct. 31, 4 miles north of Fitzpatrick on Hwy 110. Come tell the politicians you're mad as hell and your not going to take it any more.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Messiah Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize
The Messiah has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. This award used to mean something. But the last three Americans to win it, Owlgore, Jimmy Carter and Obama have relegated the prize to irrelevance. Obama had been fighting for peace for twelve whole days when he was nominated for the award. The only possible reason for him taking the award from other people who had actually worked for peace was another slap at George Bush by the liberal European elite.
The Nobel committee said the award was for what Obama offered in the pre-election rhetoric. Who are they kidding? That's like awarding me the Nobel prize for literature for a book that I might someday write.
After Gore, Carter and Obama (and let's not forget Arafat) who could actually be proud of winning? The Nobel Prize, once the top award in the world is now nothing more than a liberal political statement.
The Nobel committee said the award was for what Obama offered in the pre-election rhetoric. Who are they kidding? That's like awarding me the Nobel prize for literature for a book that I might someday write.
After Gore, Carter and Obama (and let's not forget Arafat) who could actually be proud of winning? The Nobel Prize, once the top award in the world is now nothing more than a liberal political statement.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Halloween Tea Party
The TV show "Today in USA (Union Springs, AL.)" is hosting a political Tea Party on Halloween (Oct. 31) in the Fitzpatrick area. I'll let you know the exact location as soon as its safe to reveal it. We'll have speakers that are brave enough to speak out against the direction the government is taking our country.
Speaking of "Today in USA", the show is a re-incarnation of the show Bill Roughton and I put on a couple of years ago. But there is one major difference. The old show was available only on Channel 23 of the Union Springs cable system. The new show is streamed over the internet and available live all over the world. The website, just in case you want to tune in is www.n-focusproductions.net. It comes on at 6:30pm Sunday evenings.
I just found out that N-Focus Productions will perform a test of the website tonight (Tuesday, the 29th) at 9:00pm. They will re-broadcast last Sunday's show. The topic was survival and the speaker was David James. He'll give you something to think about that you never realized before.
It's time to stand up and be counted. It doesn't matter if you're Democrat, Republican, Independent or Mickey Mouse, it's your country that's being torn assunder. The politicians are so out of touch someone has to give them a reality check. Get involved. Come out to the Tea Party on Halloween and lets scare the hell out of a bunch of politicians.
Speaking of "Today in USA", the show is a re-incarnation of the show Bill Roughton and I put on a couple of years ago. But there is one major difference. The old show was available only on Channel 23 of the Union Springs cable system. The new show is streamed over the internet and available live all over the world. The website, just in case you want to tune in is www.n-focusproductions.net. It comes on at 6:30pm Sunday evenings.
I just found out that N-Focus Productions will perform a test of the website tonight (Tuesday, the 29th) at 9:00pm. They will re-broadcast last Sunday's show. The topic was survival and the speaker was David James. He'll give you something to think about that you never realized before.
It's time to stand up and be counted. It doesn't matter if you're Democrat, Republican, Independent or Mickey Mouse, it's your country that's being torn assunder. The politicians are so out of touch someone has to give them a reality check. Get involved. Come out to the Tea Party on Halloween and lets scare the hell out of a bunch of politicians.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Time to be Uncivil
During the messiah's speech to the joint session of Congress Rep. Joe Wilson, (R-SC)
violated protocol by shouting "You lie" in response to a statement by the messiah. During his speech the messiah stated that illegal aliens would not be covered by his proposed health care takeover.
The fact is there is nothing prohibiting care of illegals in any of the bills being considered. So the fact is, Obama lied. But the uproar caused by Wilson's outburst is not the accuracy of his statement. It is because Republicans have become so uncivil.
The Democrats fail to remember all the cries of "Bush lied" during the last administration. The Democrats could give lessons in incivility. In fact they do. During the townhall meetings they were caught on tape giving instructions on how to disrupt the meetings.
I think its time to become uncivil. John McCain's refusal to call a spade a spade is what got us to where we are today. If he had called Obama the Socialist that he is he might have won the election. If we're nice to the democrats now they won't remember it after the elections next year.
violated protocol by shouting "You lie" in response to a statement by the messiah. During his speech the messiah stated that illegal aliens would not be covered by his proposed health care takeover.
The fact is there is nothing prohibiting care of illegals in any of the bills being considered. So the fact is, Obama lied. But the uproar caused by Wilson's outburst is not the accuracy of his statement. It is because Republicans have become so uncivil.
The Democrats fail to remember all the cries of "Bush lied" during the last administration. The Democrats could give lessons in incivility. In fact they do. During the townhall meetings they were caught on tape giving instructions on how to disrupt the meetings.
I think its time to become uncivil. John McCain's refusal to call a spade a spade is what got us to where we are today. If he had called Obama the Socialist that he is he might have won the election. If we're nice to the democrats now they won't remember it after the elections next year.
Friday, September 4, 2009
High Times
Here I sit, deadline upon me, with nothing to write. I started a column a couple of days ago expounding on the reasons you shouldn’t write meaningful articles while you are mad. But I got mad and had to quit on that one. So what to do?
It’s not like I don’t have subject matter. Michael Jackson not being buried yet, Ted Kennedy buried already and of course the never ending supply of material, Barak Obama.
So why can’t I string together a few sentences for a column?
I don’t know. I’m trying to quit smoking again and am taking a new medication that is supposed to help. It really does help though it is not a slam dunk. It is still quite a struggle. It is 90 % mental and the other half physical. I always wanted to say that.
I guess I could tell you about my latest round at the hospital. It’s not nearly as interesting as Amblin’ On’s article in Dixie Living last month. Mine started with a routine stress test. I wasn’t really having any problems other than occasional angina. But the stress test revealed my heart wasn’t getting enough blood. So in they go again with one of them Roto Rooter thingies that opens up clogged arteries. When they had removed the clogs they installed three more stints to keep things flowing. I’ll admit the procedure was painless and I was conscience the whole time. The procedure was the good part.
The bad part was, lying flat on that autopsy table, or whatever it was, killed my back. I have something deteriorating in my back that allows a nerve to pinch when I lie flat. As soon as I lay down it felt like a hot knife in my back. Of course with me not being put under, I felt the pain. I politely told the doctor I needed something for my back pain. He gave me a shot of Fentanol or something like that. It did absolutely nothing for the pain. About a half hour later he gave me another dose of the same stuff. While it did help a little, the pain was excruciating. I asked him if he had any corn liquor or something that worked and after a while he gave me a shot of morphine. On my earlier hospital stay me and morphine became very good friends. But this time my friend let me down, even after a second dose.
Now this procedure took about two hours and just before it was finished I had taken all I could stand. I told the doctor I was gonna get up and walk out of there if I didn’t get some relief. He told me I was so full of dope I couldn’t walk even if he did let me get up. But he relented and gave me a shot of something that sounded like Luadenum. Now that stuff was powerful. It put me out before you could say kiss a duck.
When I woke up I was in the recovery room hooked to a bunch of monitors, IVs and some things I didn’t know what they were. The nurses told me everything had gone well but I had to lay still and keep my leg straight. Something about if I moved my leg the femoral artery might open up and I could bleed out before anything could be done. I was on cloud nine but my back was beginning to hurt again. I agreed to be still if they would give me something for my back and figure out a way for me to pee. If the word pee offends you, stop reading here.
I knew you couldn’t stop. The nurse brought me a plastic urinal, the use of which brought me pleasant relief. Then she brought me another shot of that Laudenum stuff and it was off to La-La Land.
Things went well until about 2:00 am. The first thing I knew was the nurse was standing by the bed hollering at me. I couldn’t understand why. Then I realized there were alarms going off on my monitors. Thinking I must have flat-lined I looked around for the crash cart. But all I saw was me, sitting up on the side of the bed, peeing at the plastic urinal and hitting it every now and then. I had pulled all the wires off and the IV had come unhooked. Things were kind of chaotic for a few minutes.
The nurse got me back to bed and got me all hooked up again and things quieted down. I told the nurse my back was beginning to hurt again and she said “You just hang in there Sunshine, you ain’t getting’ no more Laudenum.”
I managed to get back to sleep. I waited all morning for the nurse to give me a bath like Amblin’ On’s nurse did but it didn’t happen. Soon the doctor came around and sent me home. And here I am. I wish I had about a pint of that Laudenum.
It’s not like I don’t have subject matter. Michael Jackson not being buried yet, Ted Kennedy buried already and of course the never ending supply of material, Barak Obama.
So why can’t I string together a few sentences for a column?
I don’t know. I’m trying to quit smoking again and am taking a new medication that is supposed to help. It really does help though it is not a slam dunk. It is still quite a struggle. It is 90 % mental and the other half physical. I always wanted to say that.
I guess I could tell you about my latest round at the hospital. It’s not nearly as interesting as Amblin’ On’s article in Dixie Living last month. Mine started with a routine stress test. I wasn’t really having any problems other than occasional angina. But the stress test revealed my heart wasn’t getting enough blood. So in they go again with one of them Roto Rooter thingies that opens up clogged arteries. When they had removed the clogs they installed three more stints to keep things flowing. I’ll admit the procedure was painless and I was conscience the whole time. The procedure was the good part.
The bad part was, lying flat on that autopsy table, or whatever it was, killed my back. I have something deteriorating in my back that allows a nerve to pinch when I lie flat. As soon as I lay down it felt like a hot knife in my back. Of course with me not being put under, I felt the pain. I politely told the doctor I needed something for my back pain. He gave me a shot of Fentanol or something like that. It did absolutely nothing for the pain. About a half hour later he gave me another dose of the same stuff. While it did help a little, the pain was excruciating. I asked him if he had any corn liquor or something that worked and after a while he gave me a shot of morphine. On my earlier hospital stay me and morphine became very good friends. But this time my friend let me down, even after a second dose.
Now this procedure took about two hours and just before it was finished I had taken all I could stand. I told the doctor I was gonna get up and walk out of there if I didn’t get some relief. He told me I was so full of dope I couldn’t walk even if he did let me get up. But he relented and gave me a shot of something that sounded like Luadenum. Now that stuff was powerful. It put me out before you could say kiss a duck.
When I woke up I was in the recovery room hooked to a bunch of monitors, IVs and some things I didn’t know what they were. The nurses told me everything had gone well but I had to lay still and keep my leg straight. Something about if I moved my leg the femoral artery might open up and I could bleed out before anything could be done. I was on cloud nine but my back was beginning to hurt again. I agreed to be still if they would give me something for my back and figure out a way for me to pee. If the word pee offends you, stop reading here.
I knew you couldn’t stop. The nurse brought me a plastic urinal, the use of which brought me pleasant relief. Then she brought me another shot of that Laudenum stuff and it was off to La-La Land.
Things went well until about 2:00 am. The first thing I knew was the nurse was standing by the bed hollering at me. I couldn’t understand why. Then I realized there were alarms going off on my monitors. Thinking I must have flat-lined I looked around for the crash cart. But all I saw was me, sitting up on the side of the bed, peeing at the plastic urinal and hitting it every now and then. I had pulled all the wires off and the IV had come unhooked. Things were kind of chaotic for a few minutes.
The nurse got me back to bed and got me all hooked up again and things quieted down. I told the nurse my back was beginning to hurt again and she said “You just hang in there Sunshine, you ain’t getting’ no more Laudenum.”
I managed to get back to sleep. I waited all morning for the nurse to give me a bath like Amblin’ On’s nurse did but it didn’t happen. Soon the doctor came around and sent me home. And here I am. I wish I had about a pint of that Laudenum.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Enough Already
First read this link.If it doesn't work cut and paste into browser.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/aug/14/criminal-prayer-case-stirs-protests/?feat=home_headlines
If you didn't read it, I'll tell you a little about it. A Florida panhandle school principal and his athletic director are facing jail time for asking the blessing at a dinner/meeting at his school. Just what the hell has this country come to? Never mind how we got to where we are, how long are we going to put up with it?
I read somewhere that 86% of this country are Christians while the other 14% are complaining about it. This 14% has the ACLU on their side so they use the courts to remove God from public life. Are you aware that we, the public, are paying the ACLU with tax dollars to sue us?
When is America going to grow a backbone and stand up and say ENOUGH? I'll gladly go down to the panhandle and pray at that school. I'll bet I could find a crowd to go with me. Of course the liberals would call us a mob, Nazis, Brownshirts or paid Republican shills.
I don't know who said it first but I've repeated it many times. We have exactly the government we deserve.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/aug/14/criminal-prayer-case-stirs-protests/?feat=home_headlines
If you didn't read it, I'll tell you a little about it. A Florida panhandle school principal and his athletic director are facing jail time for asking the blessing at a dinner/meeting at his school. Just what the hell has this country come to? Never mind how we got to where we are, how long are we going to put up with it?
I read somewhere that 86% of this country are Christians while the other 14% are complaining about it. This 14% has the ACLU on their side so they use the courts to remove God from public life. Are you aware that we, the public, are paying the ACLU with tax dollars to sue us?
When is America going to grow a backbone and stand up and say ENOUGH? I'll gladly go down to the panhandle and pray at that school. I'll bet I could find a crowd to go with me. Of course the liberals would call us a mob, Nazis, Brownshirts or paid Republican shills.
I don't know who said it first but I've repeated it many times. We have exactly the government we deserve.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Obama Quote
The following is a quote attributed to Obama that I received in an email. If he really said this he should be tarred and feathered.The quote is in response to the uproar caused by his proposal to force GI's wounded in battle to pay their own medical bills.
"Look, it's an all volunteer force," Obama complained. "Nobody made these guys go to war. They had to have known and accepted the risks. Now they whine about bearing the costs of their choice? It doesn't compute..." "I thought these were people who were proud to sacrifice for their country," Obama continued. "I wasn't asking for blood, just money. With the country facing the worst financial crisis in its history, I'd have thought that the patriotic thing to do would be to try to help reduce the nation's deficit. I guess I underestimated the selfishness of some of my fellow Americans."
Whether he said this or not, it is discraceful for any president to even think about such a policy. The fact that it was considered is documented by Snopes.
I don't know if we can stand another three years of this buffoon.
"Look, it's an all volunteer force," Obama complained. "Nobody made these guys go to war. They had to have known and accepted the risks. Now they whine about bearing the costs of their choice? It doesn't compute..." "I thought these were people who were proud to sacrifice for their country," Obama continued. "I wasn't asking for blood, just money. With the country facing the worst financial crisis in its history, I'd have thought that the patriotic thing to do would be to try to help reduce the nation's deficit. I guess I underestimated the selfishness of some of my fellow Americans."
Whether he said this or not, it is discraceful for any president to even think about such a policy. The fact that it was considered is documented by Snopes.
I don't know if we can stand another three years of this buffoon.
TOP TEN INDICATORS THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS CHANGED TO A CHEAPER HEALTH CARE PLAN
(10) Your annual breast exam is done at Hooters.
(9) Directions to your doctor's office include "Take a left when you enter the trailer park."
(8) The tongue depressors taste faintly of Fudgesicles.
(7) The only proctologist in the plan is "Gus" from Roto-Rooter.
(6) The only item listed under Preventive Care Coverage is "an apple a day..."
(5) Your primary care physician is wearing the pants you gave to Goodwill last month.
(4) "The patient is responsible for 200% of out-of-network charges," is not a typographical error.
(3) The only expense covered 100% is "embalming."
(2) Your Prozac comes in different colors with little M's on them.
AND THE NUMBER ONE SIGN YOU'VE JOINED THE GOVERNMENT'S VERY
CHEAP HEALTH CARE PLAN:
(1) You ask for Viagra and they give you a Popsicle stick and Duct Tape.
(9) Directions to your doctor's office include "Take a left when you enter the trailer park."
(8) The tongue depressors taste faintly of Fudgesicles.
(7) The only proctologist in the plan is "Gus" from Roto-Rooter.
(6) The only item listed under Preventive Care Coverage is "an apple a day..."
(5) Your primary care physician is wearing the pants you gave to Goodwill last month.
(4) "The patient is responsible for 200% of out-of-network charges," is not a typographical error.
(3) The only expense covered 100% is "embalming."
(2) Your Prozac comes in different colors with little M's on them.
AND THE NUMBER ONE SIGN YOU'VE JOINED THE GOVERNMENT'S VERY
CHEAP HEALTH CARE PLAN:
(1) You ask for Viagra and they give you a Popsicle stick and Duct Tape.
Little Gems From the Health Care Bill
I know that at least a part of this is factual. I haven't read the 1400 page bill but I have heard some of it discussed on TV. If any of it is true it should have you up in arms.
Page 16: States that if you have insurance at the time of the bill becoming law and change, you will be required to take a similar plan. If that is not available, you will be required to take the gov option!
Page 22: Mandates audits of all employers that self-insure!
Page 29: Admission: your health care will be rationed!
Page 30: A government committee will decide what treatments and benefits you get (and, unlike an insurer, there will be no appeals process)
Page 42: The "Health Choices Commissioner" will decide health benefits for you. You
will have no choice. None.
Page 50: All non-US citizens, illegal or not, will be provided with free healthcare services.
Page 58: Every person will be issued a National ID Healthcard.
Page 59: The federal government will have direct, real-time access to all individual bank accounts for electronic funds transfer.
Page 65: Taxpayers will subsidize all union retiree and community organizer health plans (example: SEIU, UAW and ACORN)
Page 72: All private healthcare plans must conform to government rules to participate in a Healthcare Exchange.
Page 84: All private healthcare plans must participate in the Healthcare Exchange (i.e., total government control of private plans)
Page 91: Government mandates linguistic infrastructure for services; translation: illegal aliens
Page 95: The Government will pay ACORN and Americorps to sign up individuals for Government-run Health Care plan.
Page 102: Those eligible for Medicaid will be automatically enrolled: you have no choice in the matter.
Page 124: No company can sue the government for price-fixing. No "judicial review" is permitted against the government monopoly. Put simply, private insurers will be crushed.
Page 127: The AMA sold doctors out: the government will set wages.
Page 145: An employer MUST auto-enroll employees into the government-run public plan. No alternatives.
Page 126: Employers MUST pay healthcare bills for part-time employees AND their families.
Page 149: Any employer with a payroll of $400K or more, who does not offer the public option, pays an 8% tax on payroll
Page 150: Any employer with a payroll of $250K-400K or more, who does not offer the public option, pays a 2 to 6% tax on payroll
Page 167: Any individual who doesn’t have acceptable healthcare (according to the government) will be taxed 2.5% of income.
Page 170: Any NON-RESIDENT alien is exempt from individual taxes (Americans will pay for them).
Page 195: Officers and employees of Government Healthcare Bureaucracy will have access to ALL American financial and personal records.
Page 203: "The tax imposed under this section shall not be treated as tax." Yes, it really says that.
Page 239: Bill will reduce physician services for Medicaid. Seniors and the poor most affected."
Page 241: Doctors: no matter what specialty you have, you'll all be paid the same (thanks, AMA!)
Page 253: Government sets value of doctors' time, their professional judgment, etc.
Page 265: Government mandates and controls productivity for private healthcare industries.
Page 268: Government regulates rental and purchase of power-driven wheelchairs.
Page 272: Cancer patients: welcome to the wonderful world of rationing!
Page 280: Hospitals will be penalized for what the government deems preventable re-admissions.
Page 298: Doctors: if you treat a patient during an initial admission that results in a readmission, you will be penalized by the government.
Page 317: Doctors: you are now prohibited from owning and investing in healthcare companies!
Page 318: Prohibition on hospital expansion. Hospitals cannot expand without government approval.
Page 321: Hospital expansion hinges on "community" input: in other words, yet another payoff for ACORN.
Page 335: Government mandates establishment of outcome-based measures: i.e., rationing.
Page 341: Government has authority to disqualify Medicare Advantage Plans, HMOs, etc.
Page 354: Government will restrict enrollment of SPECIAL NEEDS individuals.
Page 379: More bureaucracy: Telehealth Advisory Committee (healthcare by phone).
Page 425: More bureaucracy: Advance Care Planning Consult: Senior Citizens, assisted suicide, euthanasia?
Page 425: Government will instruct and consult regarding living wills, durable powers of attorney, etc. Mandatory. Appears to lock in estate taxes ahead of time.
Page 425: Government provides approved list of end-of-life resources, guiding you in death.
Page 427: Government mandates program that orders end-of-life treatment; government dictates how your life ends.
Page 429: Advance Care Planning Consult will be used to dictate treatment as patient's health deteriorates. This can include an ORDER for end-of-life plans. An ORDER from the GOVERNMENT.
Page 430: Government will decide what level of treatments you may have at end-of-life.
Page 469: Community-based Home Medical Services: more payoffs for ACORN.
Page 472: Payments to Community-based organizations: more payoffs for ACORN.
Page 489: Government will cover marriage and family therapy. Government intervenes in your marriage.
Page 494: Government will cover mental health services: defining, creating and rationing those services.
It doesn't matter what your party is READ THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This health care bill not only makes us want to shoot ourselves, but it even suggests we do – every 5 years.
"ON PAGE 425 OF OBAMA'S HEALTH CARE BILL, the Federal Government will require EVERYONE who is on Social Security to undergo a counseling session every 5 years with the objective being that they will explain to them just how to end their own life earlier. Yes...They are going to push SUICIDE to cut Medicare spending!"
On page 425 it says in black and white that EVERYONE on Social Security, (will include all Senior Citizens and SSI people) will go to MANDATORY counseling every 5 years to learn and to choose from ways to end your suffering (and your life). Health care will be denied based on age. $500 Billion will be cut from senior’s healthcare. The only way for that to happen is to drastically cut health care, the oldest and the sickest will be cut first. Paying for your own care will not be an option.
Page 16: States that if you have insurance at the time of the bill becoming law and change, you will be required to take a similar plan. If that is not available, you will be required to take the gov option!
Page 22: Mandates audits of all employers that self-insure!
Page 29: Admission: your health care will be rationed!
Page 30: A government committee will decide what treatments and benefits you get (and, unlike an insurer, there will be no appeals process)
Page 42: The "Health Choices Commissioner" will decide health benefits for you. You
will have no choice. None.
Page 50: All non-US citizens, illegal or not, will be provided with free healthcare services.
Page 58: Every person will be issued a National ID Healthcard.
Page 59: The federal government will have direct, real-time access to all individual bank accounts for electronic funds transfer.
Page 65: Taxpayers will subsidize all union retiree and community organizer health plans (example: SEIU, UAW and ACORN)
Page 72: All private healthcare plans must conform to government rules to participate in a Healthcare Exchange.
Page 84: All private healthcare plans must participate in the Healthcare Exchange (i.e., total government control of private plans)
Page 91: Government mandates linguistic infrastructure for services; translation: illegal aliens
Page 95: The Government will pay ACORN and Americorps to sign up individuals for Government-run Health Care plan.
Page 102: Those eligible for Medicaid will be automatically enrolled: you have no choice in the matter.
Page 124: No company can sue the government for price-fixing. No "judicial review" is permitted against the government monopoly. Put simply, private insurers will be crushed.
Page 127: The AMA sold doctors out: the government will set wages.
Page 145: An employer MUST auto-enroll employees into the government-run public plan. No alternatives.
Page 126: Employers MUST pay healthcare bills for part-time employees AND their families.
Page 149: Any employer with a payroll of $400K or more, who does not offer the public option, pays an 8% tax on payroll
Page 150: Any employer with a payroll of $250K-400K or more, who does not offer the public option, pays a 2 to 6% tax on payroll
Page 167: Any individual who doesn’t have acceptable healthcare (according to the government) will be taxed 2.5% of income.
Page 170: Any NON-RESIDENT alien is exempt from individual taxes (Americans will pay for them).
Page 195: Officers and employees of Government Healthcare Bureaucracy will have access to ALL American financial and personal records.
Page 203: "The tax imposed under this section shall not be treated as tax." Yes, it really says that.
Page 239: Bill will reduce physician services for Medicaid. Seniors and the poor most affected."
Page 241: Doctors: no matter what specialty you have, you'll all be paid the same (thanks, AMA!)
Page 253: Government sets value of doctors' time, their professional judgment, etc.
Page 265: Government mandates and controls productivity for private healthcare industries.
Page 268: Government regulates rental and purchase of power-driven wheelchairs.
Page 272: Cancer patients: welcome to the wonderful world of rationing!
Page 280: Hospitals will be penalized for what the government deems preventable re-admissions.
Page 298: Doctors: if you treat a patient during an initial admission that results in a readmission, you will be penalized by the government.
Page 317: Doctors: you are now prohibited from owning and investing in healthcare companies!
Page 318: Prohibition on hospital expansion. Hospitals cannot expand without government approval.
Page 321: Hospital expansion hinges on "community" input: in other words, yet another payoff for ACORN.
Page 335: Government mandates establishment of outcome-based measures: i.e., rationing.
Page 341: Government has authority to disqualify Medicare Advantage Plans, HMOs, etc.
Page 354: Government will restrict enrollment of SPECIAL NEEDS individuals.
Page 379: More bureaucracy: Telehealth Advisory Committee (healthcare by phone).
Page 425: More bureaucracy: Advance Care Planning Consult: Senior Citizens, assisted suicide, euthanasia?
Page 425: Government will instruct and consult regarding living wills, durable powers of attorney, etc. Mandatory. Appears to lock in estate taxes ahead of time.
Page 425: Government provides approved list of end-of-life resources, guiding you in death.
Page 427: Government mandates program that orders end-of-life treatment; government dictates how your life ends.
Page 429: Advance Care Planning Consult will be used to dictate treatment as patient's health deteriorates. This can include an ORDER for end-of-life plans. An ORDER from the GOVERNMENT.
Page 430: Government will decide what level of treatments you may have at end-of-life.
Page 469: Community-based Home Medical Services: more payoffs for ACORN.
Page 472: Payments to Community-based organizations: more payoffs for ACORN.
Page 489: Government will cover marriage and family therapy. Government intervenes in your marriage.
Page 494: Government will cover mental health services: defining, creating and rationing those services.
It doesn't matter what your party is READ THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This health care bill not only makes us want to shoot ourselves, but it even suggests we do – every 5 years.
"ON PAGE 425 OF OBAMA'S HEALTH CARE BILL, the Federal Government will require EVERYONE who is on Social Security to undergo a counseling session every 5 years with the objective being that they will explain to them just how to end their own life earlier. Yes...They are going to push SUICIDE to cut Medicare spending!"
On page 425 it says in black and white that EVERYONE on Social Security, (will include all Senior Citizens and SSI people) will go to MANDATORY counseling every 5 years to learn and to choose from ways to end your suffering (and your life). Health care will be denied based on age. $500 Billion will be cut from senior’s healthcare. The only way for that to happen is to drastically cut health care, the oldest and the sickest will be cut first. Paying for your own care will not be an option.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
OK, Now I'm Insulted
In response to all the protests over the Obama Health Care take-over, the whitehouse has put out the word for all liberals to forward all emails criticizing the program to them. they call them "fishy" emails. This smacks of the old Russian KGB. What has my drawers in a wad is I've forwarded every email I get about this socialist president and his policies and the Secret Service has yet to knock on my door. Think of the prestige I will have when Obama's jack-booted thugs show up and drag me off to the gulag.
At least at the gulag I would have medical care that you won't have anymore. You know how bleeding heart liberals want to coddle prisoners.
If you pay any attention to the news you've seen the many protests at town hall meetings across the land. The Democrats are calling this "mob rule." It seems they applauded "mob rule" when Bush was in office. (Remember their love affair with Cindy Sheehan?) The Dems claim these aren't upset citizens at these meetings, but are Republican stooges paid to create dissent. They can't believe that the american public don't want big brother government rationing their health care.
Part of one of the health care bills actually funds instruction on assisted suicide as a cost cutting measure. The movie Soylent Green comes to mind. How sick is that? (Here's another of those fishy stories that the whitehouse wants to hear about. If they actually read their own bills they wouldn't have to have the public telling them about it.)
If I disappear you'll know what happened. But don't worry. I'll not go quietly into the good night.
At least at the gulag I would have medical care that you won't have anymore. You know how bleeding heart liberals want to coddle prisoners.
If you pay any attention to the news you've seen the many protests at town hall meetings across the land. The Democrats are calling this "mob rule." It seems they applauded "mob rule" when Bush was in office. (Remember their love affair with Cindy Sheehan?) The Dems claim these aren't upset citizens at these meetings, but are Republican stooges paid to create dissent. They can't believe that the american public don't want big brother government rationing their health care.
Part of one of the health care bills actually funds instruction on assisted suicide as a cost cutting measure. The movie Soylent Green comes to mind. How sick is that? (Here's another of those fishy stories that the whitehouse wants to hear about. If they actually read their own bills they wouldn't have to have the public telling them about it.)
If I disappear you'll know what happened. But don't worry. I'll not go quietly into the good night.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Free Fuel
Yeah, I know I lied to you again. Here’s last Saturday’s post.
One of the biggest threats facing us today is the price of gas and oil. But it need not be. You are probably not aware that during WWII Europeans ran their cars, trucks, and tractors on wood. That’s right, wood. By attaching a wood gas generator to their vehicle, they were able to thumb their noses at the oil shortage.
And much to the dismay of oil companies, these wood gas generators are easily constructed using common materials found in a junk yard. Send me an email and I’ll send you a link for instructions on how to build one.
There are some down-sides to making your fuel from wood. For one thing, you have to haul around a unit that has fire in it, probably not what you’d want in the trunk if your Mercedes. But if your transportation is limited to 15 year old cars or an old beater of a pickup truck, you could live with it.
Then there’s the problem of cutting wood. Almost any wood will do. If you live in an area where there are ongoing timber operations, you will have an almost unlimited supply from left over limbs etc. from the timber cutting process. If not, used lumber and other scrap wood will propel you down the road.
Another problem is the ever intrusive government. I’m sure hauling around a wood-burning apparatus on your vehicle would violate all kinds of pollution and safety regulations. But when (not if) TEOTWAWNKI hits not many of us will pay much attention to these regulations.
The up-side to wood gas generators is no fuel costs. These units can be adapted to run a generator to power your home or pump water. They can run your farm tractor. They can do anything gasoline can do.
This technology has been around for a long time. The reason no one uses it any more is after WWII gasoline got cheap. And the oil companies couldn’t figure out how to charge you for it. Therefore, it disappeared. But thanks to the internet it is available again. Better grab it before it disappears again. Otherwise, you might be walking.
One of the biggest threats facing us today is the price of gas and oil. But it need not be. You are probably not aware that during WWII Europeans ran their cars, trucks, and tractors on wood. That’s right, wood. By attaching a wood gas generator to their vehicle, they were able to thumb their noses at the oil shortage.
And much to the dismay of oil companies, these wood gas generators are easily constructed using common materials found in a junk yard. Send me an email and I’ll send you a link for instructions on how to build one.
There are some down-sides to making your fuel from wood. For one thing, you have to haul around a unit that has fire in it, probably not what you’d want in the trunk if your Mercedes. But if your transportation is limited to 15 year old cars or an old beater of a pickup truck, you could live with it.
Then there’s the problem of cutting wood. Almost any wood will do. If you live in an area where there are ongoing timber operations, you will have an almost unlimited supply from left over limbs etc. from the timber cutting process. If not, used lumber and other scrap wood will propel you down the road.
Another problem is the ever intrusive government. I’m sure hauling around a wood-burning apparatus on your vehicle would violate all kinds of pollution and safety regulations. But when (not if) TEOTWAWNKI hits not many of us will pay much attention to these regulations.
The up-side to wood gas generators is no fuel costs. These units can be adapted to run a generator to power your home or pump water. They can run your farm tractor. They can do anything gasoline can do.
This technology has been around for a long time. The reason no one uses it any more is after WWII gasoline got cheap. And the oil companies couldn’t figure out how to charge you for it. Therefore, it disappeared. But thanks to the internet it is available again. Better grab it before it disappears again. Otherwise, you might be walking.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Obama Didn't Inherit Nothing
I am sick to death of hearing the Obama administration “inherited” all its problems from the Bush administration. Obama didn’t “inherit” anything. When someone dies he has the opportunity to leave his worldly possessions to whomever he wants. This is accomplished through an instrument called a will.
Last time I looked, Bush didn’t die. And if he had died he most assuredly would not have left anything to Hussein Obama. The fact is, Obama wanted to be President so bad he lied, cheated and who knows what else to get what he wanted.
Another fact is that the economy was in poor shape when Obama was elected. Bush had decided to bail out the banking industry in hope of stimulating the economy. Obama had every chance to stop this. But he instead pumped billions of dollars we didn’t have into more than one industry. Thanks to him, we, the tax payers, now own General Motors, Chrysler and several banks. All under the control and direction of the liberal federal government. You know how well the government runs businesses. Just look at Medic-Care, Medic-Aid and Social Security. If private business ran their affairs like the government runs these programs the prisons couldn’t hold all the CEOs.
Instead of blaming the Bush administration for the mess Obama has created he needs to act like a man and say “I screwed up”. But he’s not a man. He’ll watch the country fall into oblivion and like a school-yard child. He’ll say “Bush did it.”
Last time I looked, Bush didn’t die. And if he had died he most assuredly would not have left anything to Hussein Obama. The fact is, Obama wanted to be President so bad he lied, cheated and who knows what else to get what he wanted.
Another fact is that the economy was in poor shape when Obama was elected. Bush had decided to bail out the banking industry in hope of stimulating the economy. Obama had every chance to stop this. But he instead pumped billions of dollars we didn’t have into more than one industry. Thanks to him, we, the tax payers, now own General Motors, Chrysler and several banks. All under the control and direction of the liberal federal government. You know how well the government runs businesses. Just look at Medic-Care, Medic-Aid and Social Security. If private business ran their affairs like the government runs these programs the prisons couldn’t hold all the CEOs.
Instead of blaming the Bush administration for the mess Obama has created he needs to act like a man and say “I screwed up”. But he’s not a man. He’ll watch the country fall into oblivion and like a school-yard child. He’ll say “Bush did it.”
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Random Thoughts
I’m going to make Saturday my regular post day. There might be other posts in between but on Saturdays you’ll get something even if its just random thoughts.
EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson said, "I believe the central parts of the [EPA] chart are that U.S. action alone will not impact world CO2 levels." When Obama's Energy Secretary, Steven Chu, was shown the EPA charts he simply said that he disagrees. Good. That settles it now, doesn't it? The EPA Administrator says that our wonderful cap-and-tax bill won't make any difference in global temperatures, and the Energy Secretary disagrees. So everything is just fine. Let the tax increase roll on.
Obama’s approval ratings are down. I guess the honeymoon is over. America is finally waking up. I hope its not too late.
The pervert Michael Jackson news is finally slowing down. There will be a big fight over his estate. MJ’s father is claiming MJ was murdered. What a mess.
Obama is touring the world. He says Ghana is a “Model for success”. Wouldn’t you like the U.S. to be just like Ghana? Where the hell is Ghana anyway?
The Sarah Palin bashers just won’t give it a rest. One claimed she resigned because she had something to do with MJ’s death. Give me a break. If anybody ever had a reason for removing themselves from public office, she did. She has been beat up, maligned, and ridiculed by the liberal left even more than “Dubya”. Now that she’s not hindered by the governor’s office, I hope she says the things that Republicans needed to say during the campaign. Take off the gloves, Sarah. Kick the crap out of ‘em.
I wonder if the feds are monitoring my blog for anti-Obama statements. It’s a sad state of affairs when that even crosses my mind.
EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson said, "I believe the central parts of the [EPA] chart are that U.S. action alone will not impact world CO2 levels." When Obama's Energy Secretary, Steven Chu, was shown the EPA charts he simply said that he disagrees. Good. That settles it now, doesn't it? The EPA Administrator says that our wonderful cap-and-tax bill won't make any difference in global temperatures, and the Energy Secretary disagrees. So everything is just fine. Let the tax increase roll on.
Obama’s approval ratings are down. I guess the honeymoon is over. America is finally waking up. I hope its not too late.
The pervert Michael Jackson news is finally slowing down. There will be a big fight over his estate. MJ’s father is claiming MJ was murdered. What a mess.
Obama is touring the world. He says Ghana is a “Model for success”. Wouldn’t you like the U.S. to be just like Ghana? Where the hell is Ghana anyway?
The Sarah Palin bashers just won’t give it a rest. One claimed she resigned because she had something to do with MJ’s death. Give me a break. If anybody ever had a reason for removing themselves from public office, she did. She has been beat up, maligned, and ridiculed by the liberal left even more than “Dubya”. Now that she’s not hindered by the governor’s office, I hope she says the things that Republicans needed to say during the campaign. Take off the gloves, Sarah. Kick the crap out of ‘em.
I wonder if the feds are monitoring my blog for anti-Obama statements. It’s a sad state of affairs when that even crosses my mind.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
I Ain’t Gonna Do It
When Saddam Hussein was captured I refused to write a column about it because every columnist in the world had written one. So it is with the death of Michael Jackson. I refuse to be a part of publicizing the death of a pervert.
I refuse to comment on all the children he corrupted by feeding them alcohol and other unspeakable acts against them during ‘sleep-overs”. Thanks only to a liberal, celebrity worshipping jury MJ was not in prison.
I won’t tell you how cute MJ was during his early years. He was the star of the Jackson Five, a pop group made up of his brothers and himself. They had several big rock and roll hits in the 1960’s. Even a future redneck like me could appreciate the talent.
I’ll pass on telling you how something went wrong in MJ’s life. And about how he wanted to be white so bad he bleached his skin and underwent many plastic surgeries to alter his appearance. And forget about hearing from me how something caused his nose to fall off necessitating the use of prosthesis.
And never will I bring up his celebrity marriage to Lisa Marie Pressley, the daughter of the real King, Elvis. I took this as absolute proof that Elvis is really dead. If he had been alive he most assuredly would have surfaced when he got the wedding invitation. He then would have died.
So don’t turn to me looking for me to write sympathetic words about this freak. I ain’t gonna do it.
I refuse to comment on all the children he corrupted by feeding them alcohol and other unspeakable acts against them during ‘sleep-overs”. Thanks only to a liberal, celebrity worshipping jury MJ was not in prison.
I won’t tell you how cute MJ was during his early years. He was the star of the Jackson Five, a pop group made up of his brothers and himself. They had several big rock and roll hits in the 1960’s. Even a future redneck like me could appreciate the talent.
I’ll pass on telling you how something went wrong in MJ’s life. And about how he wanted to be white so bad he bleached his skin and underwent many plastic surgeries to alter his appearance. And forget about hearing from me how something caused his nose to fall off necessitating the use of prosthesis.
And never will I bring up his celebrity marriage to Lisa Marie Pressley, the daughter of the real King, Elvis. I took this as absolute proof that Elvis is really dead. If he had been alive he most assuredly would have surfaced when he got the wedding invitation. He then would have died.
So don’t turn to me looking for me to write sympathetic words about this freak. I ain’t gonna do it.
Friday, June 19, 2009
TEOTWAWNKI
TEOTWAWNKI is a survivalist acronymn for The End Of The World As We Now Know It. It doesn’t mean the “end of times” in the biblical sense. It means our lives are about to change drastically, and not for the better.
The way things are going in the Mid-East and right here in our own country makes me think the survivalists might be right. What could be the worst case scenario? That would be an all out nuclear war, probably started by Iran or North Korea. Even if a bomb never fell in the US it would have far reaching consequences. Short of nuclear war, I think a more probable catastrophe that would change our lives would be the mismanagement of our government that causes a meltdown of government services. The government has intruded into our daily lives so deeply that if it were to disappear our living conditions would surely change. Banks would close. Oil production would cease. Money would be worthless.
The loss of the oil supply would bring the most immediate crisis. Trucks and trains would stop running. Grocery stores would be empty in three days. None of us want to admit that this is a possibility but there it is. What would you do if you no longer could get gas to go to the store? If you managed to get there and the store was empty how would you eat? Plant a garden, you say. It takes at least 45 days for a mess of peas to grow. Could you last 45 days with what you have on hand? Most of us could not.
So what are you supposed to do? You certainly won’t be able to turn to the government. If you live in the country you already know what you would do. You would turn to the land for your sustenance. The fields and streams of this country have supported humans for thousands of years. Country folks know how to do it. Most city dwellers, especially the young, don’t have a clue. I read a response to an article in some paper the other day written by an obviously clueless anti-hunter that told hunters that they should go to the supermarket to get their meat, where it is made without hurting animals. This is the mindset of those that won’t survive TEOTWAWNKI.
Any redneck can tell you that with a .22 rifle, a 12 ga. Shotgun and a few fish hooks he can eat regularly. But there’s more to it than that. If TEOTWAWNKI hits, those that aren’t prepared will try to take what you have accumulated. You must be willing and able to defend what’s yours. I truly hope that none of this comes to pass. But if it does, I am prepared. I will survive. The question is, will you?
The way things are going in the Mid-East and right here in our own country makes me think the survivalists might be right. What could be the worst case scenario? That would be an all out nuclear war, probably started by Iran or North Korea. Even if a bomb never fell in the US it would have far reaching consequences. Short of nuclear war, I think a more probable catastrophe that would change our lives would be the mismanagement of our government that causes a meltdown of government services. The government has intruded into our daily lives so deeply that if it were to disappear our living conditions would surely change. Banks would close. Oil production would cease. Money would be worthless.
The loss of the oil supply would bring the most immediate crisis. Trucks and trains would stop running. Grocery stores would be empty in three days. None of us want to admit that this is a possibility but there it is. What would you do if you no longer could get gas to go to the store? If you managed to get there and the store was empty how would you eat? Plant a garden, you say. It takes at least 45 days for a mess of peas to grow. Could you last 45 days with what you have on hand? Most of us could not.
So what are you supposed to do? You certainly won’t be able to turn to the government. If you live in the country you already know what you would do. You would turn to the land for your sustenance. The fields and streams of this country have supported humans for thousands of years. Country folks know how to do it. Most city dwellers, especially the young, don’t have a clue. I read a response to an article in some paper the other day written by an obviously clueless anti-hunter that told hunters that they should go to the supermarket to get their meat, where it is made without hurting animals. This is the mindset of those that won’t survive TEOTWAWNKI.
Any redneck can tell you that with a .22 rifle, a 12 ga. Shotgun and a few fish hooks he can eat regularly. But there’s more to it than that. If TEOTWAWNKI hits, those that aren’t prepared will try to take what you have accumulated. You must be willing and able to defend what’s yours. I truly hope that none of this comes to pass. But if it does, I am prepared. I will survive. The question is, will you?
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
The Chrysler Bankruptcy
Late yesterday the US Supreme court cleared the way for the Obama administration's orchestrated bankruptcy sale to Fiat. There's a big problem with that but it takes some explaining.
First, you have to know the difference between secured and unsecured debt and where they lie in the bankruptcy scheme of things. When the courts dole out the assets of a bankrupt corporation folks holding secured debt get satisfied first. That's what bankruptcy law says plain and simple. After they are satisfied the folks holding unsecured debt divide up what's left.
But under the Obama administration law apparently doesn't count. They gave most of Chrysler's assets to the labor unions who held unsecured debt. Bondholders, who held secured debt were given pennies on the dollar. Naturally upset, they took their complaint to the Supreme court. What's shocking is the Supreme Court backed Obama.
This is illegal, scandalous and just plain wrong. Think about what this does to the economy. What person in his right mind is going to loan any company capital to start or expand a business. Most loans are made with the assurance that if the venture fails the sale of the companies assets will help them recoup at least a part of their investment. Not any more.
The Obama plan gave 55% ownership of Chrysler to the labor unions. The secured debt holders were left with 29 cents on the dollar. What could have motivated such an illicit plan? Payback. From 2000-2008 the labor unions gave 23.7 million dollars to Democrats while giving Republicans $193,540.
To quote Newt Gingrich, "The issue of secured creditors' rights is bigger than Chrysler. It's an essential foundation of our capital markets. And fundamentally, this is about the law." Under Obama the law just don't matter anymore.
First, you have to know the difference between secured and unsecured debt and where they lie in the bankruptcy scheme of things. When the courts dole out the assets of a bankrupt corporation folks holding secured debt get satisfied first. That's what bankruptcy law says plain and simple. After they are satisfied the folks holding unsecured debt divide up what's left.
But under the Obama administration law apparently doesn't count. They gave most of Chrysler's assets to the labor unions who held unsecured debt. Bondholders, who held secured debt were given pennies on the dollar. Naturally upset, they took their complaint to the Supreme court. What's shocking is the Supreme Court backed Obama.
This is illegal, scandalous and just plain wrong. Think about what this does to the economy. What person in his right mind is going to loan any company capital to start or expand a business. Most loans are made with the assurance that if the venture fails the sale of the companies assets will help them recoup at least a part of their investment. Not any more.
The Obama plan gave 55% ownership of Chrysler to the labor unions. The secured debt holders were left with 29 cents on the dollar. What could have motivated such an illicit plan? Payback. From 2000-2008 the labor unions gave 23.7 million dollars to Democrats while giving Republicans $193,540.
To quote Newt Gingrich, "The issue of secured creditors' rights is bigger than Chrysler. It's an essential foundation of our capital markets. And fundamentally, this is about the law." Under Obama the law just don't matter anymore.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Shame On Me
I have been so disgusted with our government that I quit writing the View From Tanyard. Besides that, the fish have been biting. But I guess it's time to get back in the saddle.
Where to start? There's always politics but I hear so much of that I'm sick of it and you probably are too. With that, I'll start with my new dog. My old pal, Buddy the feist, passed on a while back. I didn't want another dog. But I really missed Buddy. I don't know when I became so sentimental but there you are. I came across this little lap dog and I couldn't resist. I named her Sadie.
I've had dogs for years. One time I had 26 hog dogs at one time. I had a policy not to feed a dog that couldn't earn its keep. So how does a lap dog earn its Keep? By keeping me company. She goes everywhere with me. Whether we're in the garden, in the woods or watching TV, she's right there. It's funny how time changes a feller.
Check back in a few days. I'm going to try to get a handle on writing again.
Where to start? There's always politics but I hear so much of that I'm sick of it and you probably are too. With that, I'll start with my new dog. My old pal, Buddy the feist, passed on a while back. I didn't want another dog. But I really missed Buddy. I don't know when I became so sentimental but there you are. I came across this little lap dog and I couldn't resist. I named her Sadie.
I've had dogs for years. One time I had 26 hog dogs at one time. I had a policy not to feed a dog that couldn't earn its keep. So how does a lap dog earn its Keep? By keeping me company. She goes everywhere with me. Whether we're in the garden, in the woods or watching TV, she's right there. It's funny how time changes a feller.
Check back in a few days. I'm going to try to get a handle on writing again.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Received this in an email. Check the reference
Whether you are an Obama fan, or not, EVERYONE IN THE U. S. needs to know....
Something happened... H.R. 1388 was passed yesterday, behind our backs. You may want to read about it. It wasn't mentioned on the news... just went by on the ticker tape at the bottom of the CNN screen.
Obama funds $20M in tax payer dollars to immigrate Hamas Refugees to the USA. This is the news that didn't make the headlines...
By executive order, President Barack Obama has ordered the expenditure of $20.3 million in "migration assistance" to the Palestinian refugees and "conflict victims" in Gaza.
The "presidential determination", which allows hundreds of thousands of Palestinians with ties to Hamas to resettle in the United States, was signed on January 27 and appeared in the Federal Register on February 4.
Few on Capitol Hill, or in the media, took note that the order provides a free ticket replete with housing and food allowances to individuals who have displayed their overwhelming support to the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) in the parliamentary election of January 2006.
Let's review...itemized list of some of Barack Obama's most recent actions since his inauguration:
His first call to any head of state, as president, was to Mahmoud Abbas, leader of Fatah party in the Palestinian territory.
His first one-on-one television interview with any news organization was with Al Arabia television.
His first executive order was to fund/facilitate abortion(s) not just here within the U. S., but within the world, using U. S. tax payer funds.
He ordered Guantanamo Bay closed and all military trials of detainees halted.
He ordered overseas CIA interrogation centers closed.
He withdrew all charges against the masterminds behind the USS Cole and the "terror attack" on 9/11.
Now we learn that he is allowing hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refuges to move to, and live in, the US at American taxpayer expense.
These important, and insightful, issues are being "lost" in the blinding bail-outs and "stimulation" packages.
Doubtful? To verify this for yourself:
www.thefederalregister.com/d.p/2009-02-04-E9-2488
PLEASE PASS THIS ON... AMERICA NEEDS TO KNOW
WE are losing this country at a rapid pace.
Something happened... H.R. 1388 was passed yesterday, behind our backs. You may want to read about it. It wasn't mentioned on the news... just went by on the ticker tape at the bottom of the CNN screen.
Obama funds $20M in tax payer dollars to immigrate Hamas Refugees to the USA. This is the news that didn't make the headlines...
By executive order, President Barack Obama has ordered the expenditure of $20.3 million in "migration assistance" to the Palestinian refugees and "conflict victims" in Gaza.
The "presidential determination", which allows hundreds of thousands of Palestinians with ties to Hamas to resettle in the United States, was signed on January 27 and appeared in the Federal Register on February 4.
Few on Capitol Hill, or in the media, took note that the order provides a free ticket replete with housing and food allowances to individuals who have displayed their overwhelming support to the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) in the parliamentary election of January 2006.
Let's review...itemized list of some of Barack Obama's most recent actions since his inauguration:
His first call to any head of state, as president, was to Mahmoud Abbas, leader of Fatah party in the Palestinian territory.
His first one-on-one television interview with any news organization was with Al Arabia television.
His first executive order was to fund/facilitate abortion(s) not just here within the U. S., but within the world, using U. S. tax payer funds.
He ordered Guantanamo Bay closed and all military trials of detainees halted.
He ordered overseas CIA interrogation centers closed.
He withdrew all charges against the masterminds behind the USS Cole and the "terror attack" on 9/11.
Now we learn that he is allowing hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refuges to move to, and live in, the US at American taxpayer expense.
These important, and insightful, issues are being "lost" in the blinding bail-outs and "stimulation" packages.
Doubtful? To verify this for yourself:
www.thefederalregister.com/d.p/2009-02-04-E9-2488
PLEASE PASS THIS ON... AMERICA NEEDS TO KNOW
WE are losing this country at a rapid pace.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
I'm Sick
No, my health is not failing. I'm just sick of Congress, Republicans and Democrats alike. Yesterday I watched the Senators grill the new head of AIG over 165 million dollars worth of bonuses they paid employees with tax money. At first blush this seems preposterous. Our tax dollars are bailing AIG out of financial disaster. And they are giving some employees up to 6 million dollars for putting AIG in the position it's in.
But a little research tells a different story. Yes, AIG did pay these bonuses. But these bonuses are part of a legal, binding employment contract. Congress says they shouldn't use tax money for this purpose. Well, our illustrious congress gave AIG this money with no strings attached. They could have spent the whole 170 BILLION (the total amount of the bailout) on Hooters parties and jello shots and the congress could do nothing about it. This is what happens when you pass bills without reading them.
Rep. Olympia Snow inserted an amendment into the bill that limited bonuses to 100K but the democrats (Chris Dodd) had it removed and replaced with language that mandated bonuses in contracts signed in 2008 be honored. In effect what our brilliant representatives in Congress said to AIG was "you will pay these bonuses".
Now that the public has found out about it the congress is up in arms holding hearings looking for someone to lynch. One Senator wants the names of the people receiving the bonuses so that the government can sue to recover the money. Some of these employment contracts were signed in Maryland and subject to local law. One of the laws says that if you breech a contract you will pay double the amount in question plus attorney's fees. Naturally, these people say bring it on.
Another Senator wants to pass a law taxing these bonuses 100%. There are constitutional prohibitions to this kind of law. Exposte Facto and Bills of Attainder are terms that come to mind. These laws will never pass a court review and these senators damn well know it.
I probably don't need to point this out but the senators making these outrageous demands are all Democrats.
The bottom line is if the government had not gotten involved with private enterprise we wouldn't be facing these problems anyway. If congress is looking for a lynching they should start in the Whitehouse and work their way down.
But a little research tells a different story. Yes, AIG did pay these bonuses. But these bonuses are part of a legal, binding employment contract. Congress says they shouldn't use tax money for this purpose. Well, our illustrious congress gave AIG this money with no strings attached. They could have spent the whole 170 BILLION (the total amount of the bailout) on Hooters parties and jello shots and the congress could do nothing about it. This is what happens when you pass bills without reading them.
Rep. Olympia Snow inserted an amendment into the bill that limited bonuses to 100K but the democrats (Chris Dodd) had it removed and replaced with language that mandated bonuses in contracts signed in 2008 be honored. In effect what our brilliant representatives in Congress said to AIG was "you will pay these bonuses".
Now that the public has found out about it the congress is up in arms holding hearings looking for someone to lynch. One Senator wants the names of the people receiving the bonuses so that the government can sue to recover the money. Some of these employment contracts were signed in Maryland and subject to local law. One of the laws says that if you breech a contract you will pay double the amount in question plus attorney's fees. Naturally, these people say bring it on.
Another Senator wants to pass a law taxing these bonuses 100%. There are constitutional prohibitions to this kind of law. Exposte Facto and Bills of Attainder are terms that come to mind. These laws will never pass a court review and these senators damn well know it.
I probably don't need to point this out but the senators making these outrageous demands are all Democrats.
The bottom line is if the government had not gotten involved with private enterprise we wouldn't be facing these problems anyway. If congress is looking for a lynching they should start in the Whitehouse and work their way down.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Same Ole Thing
Rumors are bouncing all over Bullock County. There is some truth to them but I haven't taken the time to sort it out.
First up ---- Do you remember a couple of years ago a man was killed when hit by a county truck that was supposed to be parked for the weekend? County crews don't work on Fridays. The accident happened on Friday. Commission Chairman Ron Smith explained it away by stating the employees in the truck were gathering supplies for Monday morning. He wouldn't release pay records to show the employees were on the clock. It is common knowledge that employees use county equipment for personal reasons on the weekend. Of course, Smith denies this. So how will he explain a county employee getting arrested for DUI in a county truck on Hwy 110 on a Friday? He probably won't explain it. No one will ask.
Next--- It seems the Union Springs Mayor showed up for a city council meeting drunk. Rumor has it that Union Springs Herald editorialist Thomas May wrote a piece about this that the paper wouldn't print. That's par for the Herald.
There is also rumors about the county trying to slip a landfill into the county under the radar. Citizens around the proposed site at Hwy 82 and C/R 7 are protesting.
I used to blame the politicians for this kind of crap going on. But not any longer. Now I lay it at the feet of the voters. They keep on tolerating it. You get the kind of government you deserve. This also applies to the national government.
First up ---- Do you remember a couple of years ago a man was killed when hit by a county truck that was supposed to be parked for the weekend? County crews don't work on Fridays. The accident happened on Friday. Commission Chairman Ron Smith explained it away by stating the employees in the truck were gathering supplies for Monday morning. He wouldn't release pay records to show the employees were on the clock. It is common knowledge that employees use county equipment for personal reasons on the weekend. Of course, Smith denies this. So how will he explain a county employee getting arrested for DUI in a county truck on Hwy 110 on a Friday? He probably won't explain it. No one will ask.
Next--- It seems the Union Springs Mayor showed up for a city council meeting drunk. Rumor has it that Union Springs Herald editorialist Thomas May wrote a piece about this that the paper wouldn't print. That's par for the Herald.
There is also rumors about the county trying to slip a landfill into the county under the radar. Citizens around the proposed site at Hwy 82 and C/R 7 are protesting.
I used to blame the politicians for this kind of crap going on. But not any longer. Now I lay it at the feet of the voters. They keep on tolerating it. You get the kind of government you deserve. This also applies to the national government.
Monday, March 9, 2009
I HAVE MY TEA BAG ALL READY & SET TO GO~~~~~
I did not author this. It came to me in an email. But it sounds like a good idea to me.
There's a storm abrewin'. What happens when good, responsible people keep quiet? Washington has forgotten they work for us. We don't work for them. Throwing good money after bad is NOT the answer. I am sick of the midnight, closed door sessions to come up with a plan. I am sick of Congress raking CEO's over the coals while they, themselves, have defaulted on their taxes. I am sick of the bailed out companies having lavish vacations and retreats on my dollar. I am sick of being told it is MY responsibility to rescue people that, knowingly, bought more house than they could afford. I am sick of being made to feel it is my patriotic duty to pay MORE taxes. I, like all of you, am a responsible citizen. I pay my taxes. I live on a budget and I don't ask someone else to carry the burden for poor decisions I may make. I have emailed my congressmen and senators asking them to NOT vote for the stimulus package as it was written without reading it first. No one listened. They voted for it, pork and all.
O.K. folks, here it is. You may think you are just one voice and what you think won't make a difference. Well, yes it will and YES, WE CAN!! If you are disgusted and angry with the way Washington is handling our taxes. If you are fearful of the fallout from the wreckless spending of BILLIONS to bailout and "stimulate" without accountability and responsibility then we need to become ONE, LOUD VOICE THAT CAN BE HEARD FROM EVERY CITY, TOWN, SUBURB AND HOME IN AMERICA. There is a growing protest to demand that Congress, the President and his cabinet LISTEN to us, the American Citizens. What is being done in Washington is NOT the way to handle the economic free fall.
So, here's the plan. On April 1, 2009, all Americans are asked to send a TEABAG to Washington , D.C. You do not have to enclose a note or any other information unless you so desire. Just a TEABAG. Many cities are organizing protests. If you simply search, "New American Tea Party", several sites will come up. If you aren't the 'protester' type, simply make your one voice heard with a TEABAG. Your one voice will become a roar when joined with millions of others that feel the same way. Yes, something needs to be done but the lack of confidence as shown by the steady decline in the stock market speaks volumes. I will add to this that if you put it in a red envelope you can, at the same time, voice your objection to the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) which will once again allow partial birth abortions and allow abortions for minors without parental notification.
This was not my idea. I visited the sites of the 'New American Tea Pary' and an online survey showed over 90% of thousands said they would send the teabag on April 1. Why, April 1?? We want them to reach Washington by April 15. Will you do it? I will. Send it to; 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Washington , D.C. 20500 .
I would encourage everyone to go ahead and get the envelope ready to mail, then just drop it in the mail April 1. Can't guarantee what the postage will be by then, it is going up as we speak, but have your envelope ready. What will this cost you? A little time and a 40 something cent stamp.
What could you receive in benefits? Maybe, just maybe, our elected officials will start to listen to the people. Take out the Pork. Tell us how the money is being spent. We want TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY. Remember, the money will be spent over the next 4-5 years. It is not too late.
There's a storm abrewin'. What happens when good, responsible people keep quiet? Washington has forgotten they work for us. We don't work for them. Throwing good money after bad is NOT the answer. I am sick of the midnight, closed door sessions to come up with a plan. I am sick of Congress raking CEO's over the coals while they, themselves, have defaulted on their taxes. I am sick of the bailed out companies having lavish vacations and retreats on my dollar. I am sick of being told it is MY responsibility to rescue people that, knowingly, bought more house than they could afford. I am sick of being made to feel it is my patriotic duty to pay MORE taxes. I, like all of you, am a responsible citizen. I pay my taxes. I live on a budget and I don't ask someone else to carry the burden for poor decisions I may make. I have emailed my congressmen and senators asking them to NOT vote for the stimulus package as it was written without reading it first. No one listened. They voted for it, pork and all.
O.K. folks, here it is. You may think you are just one voice and what you think won't make a difference. Well, yes it will and YES, WE CAN!! If you are disgusted and angry with the way Washington is handling our taxes. If you are fearful of the fallout from the wreckless spending of BILLIONS to bailout and "stimulate" without accountability and responsibility then we need to become ONE, LOUD VOICE THAT CAN BE HEARD FROM EVERY CITY, TOWN, SUBURB AND HOME IN AMERICA. There is a growing protest to demand that Congress, the President and his cabinet LISTEN to us, the American Citizens. What is being done in Washington is NOT the way to handle the economic free fall.
So, here's the plan. On April 1, 2009, all Americans are asked to send a TEABAG to Washington , D.C. You do not have to enclose a note or any other information unless you so desire. Just a TEABAG. Many cities are organizing protests. If you simply search, "New American Tea Party", several sites will come up. If you aren't the 'protester' type, simply make your one voice heard with a TEABAG. Your one voice will become a roar when joined with millions of others that feel the same way. Yes, something needs to be done but the lack of confidence as shown by the steady decline in the stock market speaks volumes. I will add to this that if you put it in a red envelope you can, at the same time, voice your objection to the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) which will once again allow partial birth abortions and allow abortions for minors without parental notification.
This was not my idea. I visited the sites of the 'New American Tea Pary' and an online survey showed over 90% of thousands said they would send the teabag on April 1. Why, April 1?? We want them to reach Washington by April 15. Will you do it? I will. Send it to; 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Washington , D.C. 20500 .
I would encourage everyone to go ahead and get the envelope ready to mail, then just drop it in the mail April 1. Can't guarantee what the postage will be by then, it is going up as we speak, but have your envelope ready. What will this cost you? A little time and a 40 something cent stamp.
What could you receive in benefits? Maybe, just maybe, our elected officials will start to listen to the people. Take out the Pork. Tell us how the money is being spent. We want TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY. Remember, the money will be spent over the next 4-5 years. It is not too late.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
From Snopes.com
It Is No Secret
Claim: Billy Graham and John Wayne had a hand in the creation of the song "It Is No Secret."
Status: True.
Example:
Back in the 50's there was a well known radio host/comedian/song writer in Hollywood named Russ Hamblin who was noted for his drinking, womanizing, partying, etc. One of his bigger hits at the time was "I won't go hunting with you Jake, but I'll go chasing women".
And along came a young preacher holding a tent revival. Hamblin had him on his radio show, presumably to poke fun at him. And to gather more material, Hamblin showed up at one of the revival meetings. Early in the service the preacher announced, "There is one man in this audience who is a big fake."
There were probably others who thought the same thing, but Hamblin was convinced that he was the one the preacher was talking about (some would call that conviction), but he was having none of that. Still the words continued to haunt him until a couple of nights later he showed up drunk at the preacher's hotel door around 2 am. Demanding that the preacher pray for him. But the preacher refused, saying, "This is between you and God and I'm not going to get in the middle of it." But he did invite Russ in and they talked about 5 am at which point Russ dropped to his knees and with tears, cried out to God.
But that is not the end of the story. Russ quit drinking, quit chasing, quit everything that was "fun". And began to lose favor with the Hollywood crowd. He was ultimately fired by the radio station when he refused to accept a beer company as a sponsor. Hard times were upon him. He tried writing a couple of "Christian" songs but the only one that had much success was "This Old House", written for his friend Rosemary Clooney.
As he continued to struggle, an old friend named John took him aside and told him all your troubles started when you "got religion" and asked if it was worth it all. Russ answered simply, "Yes". Then his friend said, "You liked your booze so much. Don't you ever miss it?" And the answer was, "No". John then said, "I don't understand how you could give it up so easily." And Russ's response was, "It's no big secret. All things are possible with God." To this John said, "That's a catchy phrase. You should write a song about it."
As they say, the rest is history. The song Russ wrote was "It Is No Secret" - "It is no secret, what God can do. What He's done for others, He'll do for you. With arms wide open, He'll welcome you. It is no secret, what God can do." etc...
By the way, the friend was John Wayne, and the young preacher who refused to pray for Russ Hamblin was Billy Graham. And now you know "the rest of the story."
Origins: Many who find solace in spirituals find an additional measure of satisfaction in discovering that cherished songs were penned by folks possessed of colorful histories. Songs celebrating the mercy of God seem to mean more when they issue from reformed sinners, so stories that play up that aspect of a song's history are especially prized, even if key points are embellished.
As was the case with "Amazing Grace," though it is well grounded in fact, the history of "It Is No Secret (What God Can Do)" has been exaggerated at some points to make for better telling.
Carl Stuart Hamblen (the e-mailed account misidentifies him as Russ Hamblin) composed and recorded "It Is No Secret" in 1950. Born in Texas in 1908, Hamblen enjoyed a long and successful musical career as a singer/songwriter, with more than two hundred songs to his credit, before he passed away in California in 1989. Hamblen was a heavy drinker who swore off demon rum and made religion a central part of his life in 1949 after attending "Youth for Christ," a historic revival meeting held by the Reverend Dr. Billy Graham in Los Angeles.
Various biographies of both Hamblen and Graham support the claim of the songwriter's having gone to Dr. Graham's hotel room and insisted he be prayed for. According to Grady Wilson, a lifelong friend and associate of Billy Graham, after attending the revival meeting earlier that night coming away from it troubled, Hamblen and his wife did pay a call on Dr. Graham at the Langham Hotel, one block off Wilshire Boulevard, at 4 a.m., asking to be saved. Wilson reports the singer was "broken up and crying as Billy said, 'We've been praying for you for weeks.'"
Hamblen's daughter, Lisa Hamblen Jaserie, also supports the tale of the "dark of the night" conversion.
John Wayne's connection to the song does appear to be well established. According to Stuart Hamblen (and if anyone would know, it would be him) he did indeed gain his inspiration for "It Is No Secret" from a response he made to the movie star. Hamblen did appear in a number of minor westerns, including some that starred the Duke, so they knew each other, at least casually. The inspiration came from a brief conversation at a party: in reply to Wayne's comment "What's this I hear — you got religion?," Stuart answered, "It is no secret what God can do in a man's life." The movie star then reportedly drawled, "Well that sounds like a song," thereby planting the idea in the songwriter's mind.
Yet not all the claims made in the e-mailed version of the song's history hold up. This one, for instance, is clearly false:
And along came a young preacher holding a tent revival. Hamblin had him on his radio show, presumably to poke fun at him. And to gather more material, Hamblin showed up at one of the revival meetings.
According to Dr. Graham, he went on Stuart Hamblen's radio show as part of a media push to raise interest in advance of the revival meeting. He and the other organizers of the event were having trouble getting any advance press coverage, so his appearance on Hamblen's show was a boon to them. And rather than poking fun at the Reverend, Hamblen told his listeners to "go on down to Billy Graham's tent and hear the preaching."
Another aspect of this e-mailed account rings false: it is inaccurate to say of Hamblen that "hard times were upon him" after his spiritual awakening. A year after his discovery of the Lord, Hamblen wrote "It Is No Secret," a tune that brought him tremendous
acclaim as it became the first cross-over gospel, country, and pop ballad, reaching the number one spot on all three charts. That same year, he wrote "Remember Me, I'm The One Who Loves You," a song which peaked at #2 on the gospel and country charts and held that position for a full nine weeks. As for "This Ole House," supposedly the sole bright spot in Hamblen's career during a period of professional reverses between his conversion and the success of "It Is No Secret," he didn't write that song until 1954, four years after he'd topped the charts with "It Is No Secret." ("This Ole House" shouldn't be dismissively described as "the only one that had much success" — it went to #2 in the country field and stayed on the charts for thirty weeks, while Rosemary Clooney's version went to #3 in the pop charts and was named Song Of The Year.)
In the early 1950s Hamblen did lose his radio show, the Cowboy Church of the Air, over his refusal to do a commercial promoting alcohol, but his principled stand led the Prohibition Party to nominate him as their candidate for President of the United States in 1952. Hamblen racked up nearly 73,000 votes and finished fourth in a field of twelve candidates despite appearing on the ballot in only twenty-one states.
Claim: Billy Graham and John Wayne had a hand in the creation of the song "It Is No Secret."
Status: True.
Example:
Back in the 50's there was a well known radio host/comedian/song writer in Hollywood named Russ Hamblin who was noted for his drinking, womanizing, partying, etc. One of his bigger hits at the time was "I won't go hunting with you Jake, but I'll go chasing women".
And along came a young preacher holding a tent revival. Hamblin had him on his radio show, presumably to poke fun at him. And to gather more material, Hamblin showed up at one of the revival meetings. Early in the service the preacher announced, "There is one man in this audience who is a big fake."
There were probably others who thought the same thing, but Hamblin was convinced that he was the one the preacher was talking about (some would call that conviction), but he was having none of that. Still the words continued to haunt him until a couple of nights later he showed up drunk at the preacher's hotel door around 2 am. Demanding that the preacher pray for him. But the preacher refused, saying, "This is between you and God and I'm not going to get in the middle of it." But he did invite Russ in and they talked about 5 am at which point Russ dropped to his knees and with tears, cried out to God.
But that is not the end of the story. Russ quit drinking, quit chasing, quit everything that was "fun". And began to lose favor with the Hollywood crowd. He was ultimately fired by the radio station when he refused to accept a beer company as a sponsor. Hard times were upon him. He tried writing a couple of "Christian" songs but the only one that had much success was "This Old House", written for his friend Rosemary Clooney.
As he continued to struggle, an old friend named John took him aside and told him all your troubles started when you "got religion" and asked if it was worth it all. Russ answered simply, "Yes". Then his friend said, "You liked your booze so much. Don't you ever miss it?" And the answer was, "No". John then said, "I don't understand how you could give it up so easily." And Russ's response was, "It's no big secret. All things are possible with God." To this John said, "That's a catchy phrase. You should write a song about it."
As they say, the rest is history. The song Russ wrote was "It Is No Secret" - "It is no secret, what God can do. What He's done for others, He'll do for you. With arms wide open, He'll welcome you. It is no secret, what God can do." etc...
By the way, the friend was John Wayne, and the young preacher who refused to pray for Russ Hamblin was Billy Graham. And now you know "the rest of the story."
Origins: Many who find solace in spirituals find an additional measure of satisfaction in discovering that cherished songs were penned by folks possessed of colorful histories. Songs celebrating the mercy of God seem to mean more when they issue from reformed sinners, so stories that play up that aspect of a song's history are especially prized, even if key points are embellished.
As was the case with "Amazing Grace," though it is well grounded in fact, the history of "It Is No Secret (What God Can Do)" has been exaggerated at some points to make for better telling.
Carl Stuart Hamblen (the e-mailed account misidentifies him as Russ Hamblin) composed and recorded "It Is No Secret" in 1950. Born in Texas in 1908, Hamblen enjoyed a long and successful musical career as a singer/songwriter, with more than two hundred songs to his credit, before he passed away in California in 1989. Hamblen was a heavy drinker who swore off demon rum and made religion a central part of his life in 1949 after attending "Youth for Christ," a historic revival meeting held by the Reverend Dr. Billy Graham in Los Angeles.
Various biographies of both Hamblen and Graham support the claim of the songwriter's having gone to Dr. Graham's hotel room and insisted he be prayed for. According to Grady Wilson, a lifelong friend and associate of Billy Graham, after attending the revival meeting earlier that night coming away from it troubled, Hamblen and his wife did pay a call on Dr. Graham at the Langham Hotel, one block off Wilshire Boulevard, at 4 a.m., asking to be saved. Wilson reports the singer was "broken up and crying as Billy said, 'We've been praying for you for weeks.'"
Hamblen's daughter, Lisa Hamblen Jaserie, also supports the tale of the "dark of the night" conversion.
John Wayne's connection to the song does appear to be well established. According to Stuart Hamblen (and if anyone would know, it would be him) he did indeed gain his inspiration for "It Is No Secret" from a response he made to the movie star. Hamblen did appear in a number of minor westerns, including some that starred the Duke, so they knew each other, at least casually. The inspiration came from a brief conversation at a party: in reply to Wayne's comment "What's this I hear — you got religion?," Stuart answered, "It is no secret what God can do in a man's life." The movie star then reportedly drawled, "Well that sounds like a song," thereby planting the idea in the songwriter's mind.
Yet not all the claims made in the e-mailed version of the song's history hold up. This one, for instance, is clearly false:
And along came a young preacher holding a tent revival. Hamblin had him on his radio show, presumably to poke fun at him. And to gather more material, Hamblin showed up at one of the revival meetings.
According to Dr. Graham, he went on Stuart Hamblen's radio show as part of a media push to raise interest in advance of the revival meeting. He and the other organizers of the event were having trouble getting any advance press coverage, so his appearance on Hamblen's show was a boon to them. And rather than poking fun at the Reverend, Hamblen told his listeners to "go on down to Billy Graham's tent and hear the preaching."
Another aspect of this e-mailed account rings false: it is inaccurate to say of Hamblen that "hard times were upon him" after his spiritual awakening. A year after his discovery of the Lord, Hamblen wrote "It Is No Secret," a tune that brought him tremendous
acclaim as it became the first cross-over gospel, country, and pop ballad, reaching the number one spot on all three charts. That same year, he wrote "Remember Me, I'm The One Who Loves You," a song which peaked at #2 on the gospel and country charts and held that position for a full nine weeks. As for "This Ole House," supposedly the sole bright spot in Hamblen's career during a period of professional reverses between his conversion and the success of "It Is No Secret," he didn't write that song until 1954, four years after he'd topped the charts with "It Is No Secret." ("This Ole House" shouldn't be dismissively described as "the only one that had much success" — it went to #2 in the country field and stayed on the charts for thirty weeks, while Rosemary Clooney's version went to #3 in the pop charts and was named Song Of The Year.)
In the early 1950s Hamblen did lose his radio show, the Cowboy Church of the Air, over his refusal to do a commercial promoting alcohol, but his principled stand led the Prohibition Party to nominate him as their candidate for President of the United States in 1952. Hamblen racked up nearly 73,000 votes and finished fourth in a field of twelve candidates despite appearing on the ballot in only twenty-one states.
Time to Reboot America
Thomas L. Friedman
I had a bad day last Friday, but it was an all-too-typical day for America. It actually started well, on Kau Sai Chau, an island off Hong Kong, where I stood on a rocky hilltop overlooking the South China Sea and talked to my wife back in Maryland, static-free, using a friend’s Chinese cellphone. A few hours later, I took off from Hong Kong’s ultramodern airport after riding out there from downtown on a sleek high-speed train — with wireless connectivity that was so good I was able to surf the Web the whole way on my laptop.
Landing at Kennedy Airport from Hong Kong was, as I’ve argued before, like going from the Jetsons to the Flintstones. The ugly, low-ceilinged arrival hall was cramped, and using a luggage cart cost $3. (Couldn’t we at least supply foreign visitors with a free luggage cart, like other major airports in the world?) As I looked around at this dingy room, it reminded of somewhere I had been before. Then I remembered: It was the luggage hall in the old Hong Kong Kai Tak Airport. It closed in 1998.
The next day I went to Penn Station, where the escalators down to the tracks are so narrow that they seem to have been designed before suitcases were invented. The disgusting track-side platforms apparently have not been cleaned since World War II. I took the Acela, America’s sorry excuse for a bullet train, from New York to Washington. Along the way, I tried to use my cellphone to conduct an interview and my conversation was interrupted by three dropped calls within one 15-minute span.
All I could think to myself was: If we’re so smart, why are other people living so much better than us? What has become of our infrastructure, which is so crucial to productivity? Back home, I was greeted by the news that General Motors was being bailed out — that’s the G.M. that Fortune magazine just noted “lost more than $72 billion in the past four years, and yet you can count on one hand the number of executives who have been reassigned or lost their job.”
My fellow Americans, we can’t continue in this mode of “Dumb as we wanna be.” We’ve indulged ourselves for too long with tax cuts that we can’t afford, bailouts of auto companies that have become giant wealth-destruction machines, energy prices that do not encourage investment in 21st-century renewable power systems or efficient cars, public schools with no national standards to prevent illiterates from graduating and immigration policies that have our colleges educating the world’s best scientists and engineers and then, when these foreigners graduate, instead of stapling green cards to their diplomas, we order them to go home and start companies to compete against ours.
To top it off, we’ve fallen into a trend of diverting and rewarding the best of our collective I.Q. to people doing financial engineering rather than real engineering. These rocket scientists and engineers were designing complex financial instruments to make money out of money — rather than designing cars, phones, computers, teaching tools, Internet programs and medical equipment that could improve the lives and productivity of millions.
For all these reasons, our present crisis is not just a financial meltdown crying out for a cash injection. We are in much deeper trouble. In fact, we as a country have become General Motors — as a result of our national drift. Look in the mirror: G.M. is us.
That’s why we don’t just need a bailout. We need a reboot. We need a build out. We need a buildup. We need a national makeover. That is why the next few months are among the most important in U.S. history. Because of the financial crisis, Barack Obama has the bipartisan support to spend $1 trillion in stimulus. But we must make certain that every bailout dollar, which we’re borrowing from our kids’ future, is spent wisely.
It has to go into training teachers, educating scientists and engineers, paying for research and building the most productivity-enhancing infrastructure — without building white elephants. Generally, I’d like to see fewer government dollars shoveled out and more creative tax incentives to stimulate the private sector to catalyze new industries and new markets. If we allow this money to be spent on pork, it will be the end of us.
America still has the right stuff to thrive. We still have the most creative, diverse, innovative culture and open society — in a world where the ability to imagine and generate new ideas with speed and to implement them through global collaboration is the most important competitive advantage. China may have great airports, but last week it went back to censoring The New York Times and other Western news sites. Censorship restricts your people’s imaginations. That’s really, really dumb. And that’s why for all our missteps, the 21st century is still up for grabs.
John Kennedy led us on a journey to discover the moon. Obama needs to lead us on a journey to rediscover, rebuild and reinvent our own backyard.
I had a bad day last Friday, but it was an all-too-typical day for America. It actually started well, on Kau Sai Chau, an island off Hong Kong, where I stood on a rocky hilltop overlooking the South China Sea and talked to my wife back in Maryland, static-free, using a friend’s Chinese cellphone. A few hours later, I took off from Hong Kong’s ultramodern airport after riding out there from downtown on a sleek high-speed train — with wireless connectivity that was so good I was able to surf the Web the whole way on my laptop.
Landing at Kennedy Airport from Hong Kong was, as I’ve argued before, like going from the Jetsons to the Flintstones. The ugly, low-ceilinged arrival hall was cramped, and using a luggage cart cost $3. (Couldn’t we at least supply foreign visitors with a free luggage cart, like other major airports in the world?) As I looked around at this dingy room, it reminded of somewhere I had been before. Then I remembered: It was the luggage hall in the old Hong Kong Kai Tak Airport. It closed in 1998.
The next day I went to Penn Station, where the escalators down to the tracks are so narrow that they seem to have been designed before suitcases were invented. The disgusting track-side platforms apparently have not been cleaned since World War II. I took the Acela, America’s sorry excuse for a bullet train, from New York to Washington. Along the way, I tried to use my cellphone to conduct an interview and my conversation was interrupted by three dropped calls within one 15-minute span.
All I could think to myself was: If we’re so smart, why are other people living so much better than us? What has become of our infrastructure, which is so crucial to productivity? Back home, I was greeted by the news that General Motors was being bailed out — that’s the G.M. that Fortune magazine just noted “lost more than $72 billion in the past four years, and yet you can count on one hand the number of executives who have been reassigned or lost their job.”
My fellow Americans, we can’t continue in this mode of “Dumb as we wanna be.” We’ve indulged ourselves for too long with tax cuts that we can’t afford, bailouts of auto companies that have become giant wealth-destruction machines, energy prices that do not encourage investment in 21st-century renewable power systems or efficient cars, public schools with no national standards to prevent illiterates from graduating and immigration policies that have our colleges educating the world’s best scientists and engineers and then, when these foreigners graduate, instead of stapling green cards to their diplomas, we order them to go home and start companies to compete against ours.
To top it off, we’ve fallen into a trend of diverting and rewarding the best of our collective I.Q. to people doing financial engineering rather than real engineering. These rocket scientists and engineers were designing complex financial instruments to make money out of money — rather than designing cars, phones, computers, teaching tools, Internet programs and medical equipment that could improve the lives and productivity of millions.
For all these reasons, our present crisis is not just a financial meltdown crying out for a cash injection. We are in much deeper trouble. In fact, we as a country have become General Motors — as a result of our national drift. Look in the mirror: G.M. is us.
That’s why we don’t just need a bailout. We need a reboot. We need a build out. We need a buildup. We need a national makeover. That is why the next few months are among the most important in U.S. history. Because of the financial crisis, Barack Obama has the bipartisan support to spend $1 trillion in stimulus. But we must make certain that every bailout dollar, which we’re borrowing from our kids’ future, is spent wisely.
It has to go into training teachers, educating scientists and engineers, paying for research and building the most productivity-enhancing infrastructure — without building white elephants. Generally, I’d like to see fewer government dollars shoveled out and more creative tax incentives to stimulate the private sector to catalyze new industries and new markets. If we allow this money to be spent on pork, it will be the end of us.
America still has the right stuff to thrive. We still have the most creative, diverse, innovative culture and open society — in a world where the ability to imagine and generate new ideas with speed and to implement them through global collaboration is the most important competitive advantage. China may have great airports, but last week it went back to censoring The New York Times and other Western news sites. Censorship restricts your people’s imaginations. That’s really, really dumb. And that’s why for all our missteps, the 21st century is still up for grabs.
John Kennedy led us on a journey to discover the moon. Obama needs to lead us on a journey to rediscover, rebuild and reinvent our own backyard.
Monday, February 23, 2009
I've Been Bad
You may have noticed there hasn't been any new posts here for a few weeks. I took a trip to Arkansas to visit my brother. I planned to keep everyone updated but when I tried to log on from my brother's computer I couldn't remember my password (my computer remembers it for me). So I was out of luck.
Since my return the news has been so depressing that I haven't been stirred to write much. The Democrats have discovered some of the Bush policies weren't so bad after all. They have continued them. After promising the Kool Aid drinkers that he would get out of the war, the messiah has ordered 17,000 more troops to Afghanistan. That's about half of what the generals on the ground said was needed but it was enough to set off the loony left. I guess Obama's "honeymoon" didn't last long.
He did manage to push the stimulus package through Congress. It was deemed an emergency measure that had to be passed before the Congressmen had a chance to read it. It was so important to get it passed quickly that he let it lay on his desk for three days waiting for a photo op in Denver to sign it. I think each one of us should find out how our Congressmen voted and for each one that voted for it without reading it, work for his defeat in the next election regardless of party affiliation. I know I will refuse to vote for anyone who votes a bill into law when he hasn't read it. These people are working for us and we would get fired for being so irresponsible.
Some of the governors are refusing to accept parts of the stimulus money. Some of it they have no choice but to accept. But they are refusing that portion that they can. It is no coincidence that most of these are southern governors.
This is all I have until I get over my pout. When I do we'll tackle the US Attorney General who called us a nation of cowards because we couldn't talk about race. He must be referring to whites (he is black) because that is all Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton talk about.
'Til then.............
Since my return the news has been so depressing that I haven't been stirred to write much. The Democrats have discovered some of the Bush policies weren't so bad after all. They have continued them. After promising the Kool Aid drinkers that he would get out of the war, the messiah has ordered 17,000 more troops to Afghanistan. That's about half of what the generals on the ground said was needed but it was enough to set off the loony left. I guess Obama's "honeymoon" didn't last long.
He did manage to push the stimulus package through Congress. It was deemed an emergency measure that had to be passed before the Congressmen had a chance to read it. It was so important to get it passed quickly that he let it lay on his desk for three days waiting for a photo op in Denver to sign it. I think each one of us should find out how our Congressmen voted and for each one that voted for it without reading it, work for his defeat in the next election regardless of party affiliation. I know I will refuse to vote for anyone who votes a bill into law when he hasn't read it. These people are working for us and we would get fired for being so irresponsible.
Some of the governors are refusing to accept parts of the stimulus money. Some of it they have no choice but to accept. But they are refusing that portion that they can. It is no coincidence that most of these are southern governors.
This is all I have until I get over my pout. When I do we'll tackle the US Attorney General who called us a nation of cowards because we couldn't talk about race. He must be referring to whites (he is black) because that is all Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton talk about.
'Til then.............
Monday, February 2, 2009
See? It's Not Just Me
It seems I'm not the only one peeved about Jerimiah Wright being invited to Selma's Bloody Sunday event.
Alabama Democratic Rep. Artur Davis is criticizing Selma organizers for inviting President Barack Obama's former Chicago pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, to this year's commemoration of the "Bloody Sunday" civil rights march.
Davis said giving the pastor a prominent role in the event is inconsistent with its theme. Wright's comments about whites and racism in America sparked outrage during last year's campaign.
Organizers announced this week that Wright would be invited to the march.
Alabama Democratic Rep. Artur Davis is criticizing Selma organizers for inviting President Barack Obama's former Chicago pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, to this year's commemoration of the "Bloody Sunday" civil rights march.
Davis said giving the pastor a prominent role in the event is inconsistent with its theme. Wright's comments about whites and racism in America sparked outrage during last year's campaign.
Organizers announced this week that Wright would be invited to the march.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Sometimes Right Ain't Right
President Barack Obama's former Chicago pastor, the Jeremiah Wright, is among the guests invited to attend a Selma event in March commemorating the 44th anniversary of "Bloody Sunday."
There's nothing wrong with celebrating Bloody Sunday. It was a tragic event in the civil rights struggle. But there is something wrong in inviting Jeremiah Wright to participate.
This country gives the folks in Selma the right and privilege to celebrate this event and they have the right to invite anyone they want. But having the right doesn't make it right. This man sold tapes of sermons preached in his church where Wright says things such as "God damn America" "..the KKK of America...". Is this race baiting really the way Selma wants to celebrate Bloody Sunday? It sounds to me as if they are longing for the "good old days" of prejudice and discrimination.
If I had the wherewithal I would go to Selma and mount a protest. Since I can't go someone needs to. This heathen doesn't need to be made welcome in Alabama.
There's nothing wrong with celebrating Bloody Sunday. It was a tragic event in the civil rights struggle. But there is something wrong in inviting Jeremiah Wright to participate.
This country gives the folks in Selma the right and privilege to celebrate this event and they have the right to invite anyone they want. But having the right doesn't make it right. This man sold tapes of sermons preached in his church where Wright says things such as "God damn America" "..the KKK of America...". Is this race baiting really the way Selma wants to celebrate Bloody Sunday? It sounds to me as if they are longing for the "good old days" of prejudice and discrimination.
If I had the wherewithal I would go to Selma and mount a protest. Since I can't go someone needs to. This heathen doesn't need to be made welcome in Alabama.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Obama Snubs Nation's Heroes, Becomes the First President to Skip Ball Honoring Medal of Honor Recipients in Over 50 Years
Barack Obama may have stumbled over his words briefly during his inauguration, but he made an even bigger blunder later Tuesday evening. The newly sworn-in President opted not to appear at what should have been one of the most important Balls on his agenda that evening - "The Salute to Heroes Inaugural Ball."
The Salute to Heroes Inaugural Ball was begun in 1953 for President Dwight Eisenhower's inauguration. The event recognized recipients of the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest military award. There were 48 Medal of Honor recipients in attendance, who were undoubtedly disappointed by the new Commander-in-Chief's failure to show. Over the past 56 years no President has skipped this event - until now.The Salute to Heroes Inaugural Ball is sponsored by the American Legion, and co-sponsored by 13 other veteran's service organizations, including those such as the Paralyzed Veterans of America and the Military Order of the Purple Heart.
Instead of attending this ball honoring our nation's heroes, Obama was busy making stops at 10 other official balls. Obama and his wife's first stop was at the Neighborhood Ball. From there they went to the Home State Ball for Illinois and Hawaii, the Commander-in-Chief Ball, the Youth Inaugural Ball, and the State Ball for Delaware and Pennsylvania.They finished off the night with brief appearances at the Mid-Atlantic, Western, Midwest, Eastern, and Southern regional Balls. Celebrities were aplenty at the balls, with Stevie Wonder, Shakira, Mary. J. Blige,Faith Hill, Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, Adam Levine, will.i.am, Sting, Mariah Carey, and Leonardo DiCaprio in attendance at the Neighborhood Ball. In addition, the other nine balls also featured a star-studded lineup including Kanye West and Kid Rock at the Youth Ball, Marc Anthony at the Western Ball, and Cheryl Crow at the Western Ball.
It was the party without all of the celebrities that Obama skipped. The very people who he sought to have support him during his candidacy and campaign, who have fought to protect this country, were snubbed in favor of publicity and the opportunity to rub shoulders - yet again - with the out-of-touch Hollywood elite!
SHAME ON YOU PRESIDENT OBAMA. THESE BRAVE MEN CAME TO RESPECT YOU, YET YOUR BLATANT FAILURE TO RECOGNIZE THEM SENDS THEM AND ALL WHO HAVE FOUGHT TO DEFEND THIS NATION, THE WRONG MESSAGE.MAKE NO EXCUSES MR. PRESIDENT - WE NOW KNOW WHERE VETERANS STAND UNDER YOUR WATCH!
The Salute to Heroes Inaugural Ball was begun in 1953 for President Dwight Eisenhower's inauguration. The event recognized recipients of the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest military award. There were 48 Medal of Honor recipients in attendance, who were undoubtedly disappointed by the new Commander-in-Chief's failure to show. Over the past 56 years no President has skipped this event - until now.The Salute to Heroes Inaugural Ball is sponsored by the American Legion, and co-sponsored by 13 other veteran's service organizations, including those such as the Paralyzed Veterans of America and the Military Order of the Purple Heart.
Instead of attending this ball honoring our nation's heroes, Obama was busy making stops at 10 other official balls. Obama and his wife's first stop was at the Neighborhood Ball. From there they went to the Home State Ball for Illinois and Hawaii, the Commander-in-Chief Ball, the Youth Inaugural Ball, and the State Ball for Delaware and Pennsylvania.They finished off the night with brief appearances at the Mid-Atlantic, Western, Midwest, Eastern, and Southern regional Balls. Celebrities were aplenty at the balls, with Stevie Wonder, Shakira, Mary. J. Blige,Faith Hill, Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, Adam Levine, will.i.am, Sting, Mariah Carey, and Leonardo DiCaprio in attendance at the Neighborhood Ball. In addition, the other nine balls also featured a star-studded lineup including Kanye West and Kid Rock at the Youth Ball, Marc Anthony at the Western Ball, and Cheryl Crow at the Western Ball.
It was the party without all of the celebrities that Obama skipped. The very people who he sought to have support him during his candidacy and campaign, who have fought to protect this country, were snubbed in favor of publicity and the opportunity to rub shoulders - yet again - with the out-of-touch Hollywood elite!
SHAME ON YOU PRESIDENT OBAMA. THESE BRAVE MEN CAME TO RESPECT YOU, YET YOUR BLATANT FAILURE TO RECOGNIZE THEM SENDS THEM AND ALL WHO HAVE FOUGHT TO DEFEND THIS NATION, THE WRONG MESSAGE.MAKE NO EXCUSES MR. PRESIDENT - WE NOW KNOW WHERE VETERANS STAND UNDER YOUR WATCH!
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Ready to Kill More Americans
Today it was revealed that one of the prisoners we released from Gitmo is now the number two Al Quaida figure in Yemen. This came from an Al Quaida website. Draw you own conclusions.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
OK, It's Started
In the last post I gave you some things to watch for in the Obamanation. One of them was the closing of Gitmo. He has already started the process to close it down.
I also said the economy was going to tank further. On Obamanation day the stock market closed 300 points down, the lowest ever for an inauguration.
Look out for the others.
I also said the economy was going to tank further. On Obamanation day the stock market closed 300 points down, the lowest ever for an inauguration.
Look out for the others.
Monday, January 19, 2009
The Obamanation
Tomorrow will be the Obamanation. Barak Hussein Obama will take the office of the presidency. We are all supposed to get behind him and root for the country. I just can't do it. I find it hard to believe that a man that refuses to honor the flag by placing his hand over his heart during the National Anthem has the country's best interest at heart. I'm waiting to see if he places his hand on the Bible or the Koran while being sworn in. We've already had one Congressman do that.
It seems to me that the people have surrendered to Socialism. According to Obama himself the government is the solution to all the country's problems. Funny, I think the government is the cause of the country's ills.
Things to watch for in the near future:
The loss of the secret ballot in unionization efforts in the workplace. The Messiah has said he would sign it. Wal-Mart will be the first victim.
Government healthcare. You'll be standing in line for months for treatment just like the UK and Canada. If the government gets its way, you'll be jailed for going outside the system and paying for your own healthcare.
Gitmo will close. This will cause the terrorists incarcerated there to have access to our judicial system where many of them will be released because national security secrets can't be revealed in open court. Guess where they will be released. Right into your neighborhood.
The economy will tank even further. The Messiah's recovery plan calls for spending trillions on things that won't help the economy one iota. Like spending on education. It's already been shown that throwing money at government schools doesn't work. And even if the education dollars improves test scores how will that help the economy? Trying to spend our way back to prosperity is like trying to pick yourself up in a bucket by the bale while standing in the bucket.
Assaults on your gun rights. There is already a plan being formulated to tax ammo and make it unaffordable. If you've got no ammo your guns aren't much of a threat.
The only bright side is that the Messiah has realized he can't accomplish most of what he promised in the first week. Maybe he'll wake up and smell the coffee but I doubt it.
It seems to me that the people have surrendered to Socialism. According to Obama himself the government is the solution to all the country's problems. Funny, I think the government is the cause of the country's ills.
Things to watch for in the near future:
The loss of the secret ballot in unionization efforts in the workplace. The Messiah has said he would sign it. Wal-Mart will be the first victim.
Government healthcare. You'll be standing in line for months for treatment just like the UK and Canada. If the government gets its way, you'll be jailed for going outside the system and paying for your own healthcare.
Gitmo will close. This will cause the terrorists incarcerated there to have access to our judicial system where many of them will be released because national security secrets can't be revealed in open court. Guess where they will be released. Right into your neighborhood.
The economy will tank even further. The Messiah's recovery plan calls for spending trillions on things that won't help the economy one iota. Like spending on education. It's already been shown that throwing money at government schools doesn't work. And even if the education dollars improves test scores how will that help the economy? Trying to spend our way back to prosperity is like trying to pick yourself up in a bucket by the bale while standing in the bucket.
Assaults on your gun rights. There is already a plan being formulated to tax ammo and make it unaffordable. If you've got no ammo your guns aren't much of a threat.
The only bright side is that the Messiah has realized he can't accomplish most of what he promised in the first week. Maybe he'll wake up and smell the coffee but I doubt it.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Tribute to a Buddy
For those of you who remember, I once wrote an article about my little buddy, Buddy. He was a little fiest dog that I had ideas about turning into a squirrel dog. He was given to me by Leroy Benton of the Enon community. It turned out that Buddy was gun shy. Well, not really. He would follow me deer hunting and lay down under the stand and bark at every squirrel that moved. He wasn't scared of the gun, just the bang. Shoot once and Buddy was no more to be seen.
Buddy must have thought he was a cat. He lived like he had nine lives. He loved chasing cars. He used up his first life under an 18-wheeler. He was in the middle of the road when the truck came screaming down the highway. Terrorized, he squatted down and the truck passed harmlessly over him. Not too long after that he was chasing a car and paid no attention to the car following that one. The second car hit him and sent him down Hwy 29 like a bowling ball. He was laid up a couple of days with a severe case of road rash but suffered no permanent injury. I thought that would have taught him a lesson. I guess it did. From then on he would chase only the last car in a line.
Losing life number three was due to a confrontation with an animal of some sort, probably a coyote. He showed up around midnight with his throat torn open and could hardly move. Blood was everywhere. I patched up the hole as best I could. I figured if he lasted through the night I'd take him to the vet. But he started recovering so well so quickly, I never did. His throat healed and the only effect was he couldn't bark for about two weeks.
I was responsible for life number four. I was driving straight down the highway after leaving the house. Buddy was chasing after me, biting at my right front wheel. He must have stumbled for he ended up under the van. Again, no lasting injuries. He was stove up for a few days. He was soon back to chasing cars. Another car got life number five a couple of months ago. Still yet again, no serious injuries.
Buddy never met another dog he thought he couldn't whip. I never saw him start a fight but if another dog snarled at him, the battle was on. He was the smallest dog in the neighborhood and in every fight I witnessed, he ended up on his back with the larger dog standing over him. I could almost hear Buddy think, "OK big boy, I've got you right where I want you."
A couple of weeks ago Buddy came home with slobber all over him and limping pretty badly. I later learned two neighborhood dogs had ganged up on him. (Life #6) I guess he thought he had a little revenge coming for yesterday he went back for some more. He didn't come home that afternoon. The next morning my wife found him under the boat in the back yard. He couldn't get up. We scooped him up on a rug and covered him with towels warmed in the dryer.
He just lay there for about a half hour. Then with what looked like a smile on his face he died. We buried him in the back yard. With his penchant for defying all odds, I already had a plot picked out for him. I really thought a car would get him but I had it figured wrong.
It's really not the same walking out the door and him not there to greet me. And we are not the only ones who miss him. The whole neighborhood had adopted him and he would stop and visit while making his rounds. Like my neighbor Gene Harrison said, "We'll miss Buddy. He had become a Tanyard icon."
Buddy lived his life like he had something to prove. In the end, he proved he wasn't a cat.
Buddy must have thought he was a cat. He lived like he had nine lives. He loved chasing cars. He used up his first life under an 18-wheeler. He was in the middle of the road when the truck came screaming down the highway. Terrorized, he squatted down and the truck passed harmlessly over him. Not too long after that he was chasing a car and paid no attention to the car following that one. The second car hit him and sent him down Hwy 29 like a bowling ball. He was laid up a couple of days with a severe case of road rash but suffered no permanent injury. I thought that would have taught him a lesson. I guess it did. From then on he would chase only the last car in a line.
Losing life number three was due to a confrontation with an animal of some sort, probably a coyote. He showed up around midnight with his throat torn open and could hardly move. Blood was everywhere. I patched up the hole as best I could. I figured if he lasted through the night I'd take him to the vet. But he started recovering so well so quickly, I never did. His throat healed and the only effect was he couldn't bark for about two weeks.
I was responsible for life number four. I was driving straight down the highway after leaving the house. Buddy was chasing after me, biting at my right front wheel. He must have stumbled for he ended up under the van. Again, no lasting injuries. He was stove up for a few days. He was soon back to chasing cars. Another car got life number five a couple of months ago. Still yet again, no serious injuries.
Buddy never met another dog he thought he couldn't whip. I never saw him start a fight but if another dog snarled at him, the battle was on. He was the smallest dog in the neighborhood and in every fight I witnessed, he ended up on his back with the larger dog standing over him. I could almost hear Buddy think, "OK big boy, I've got you right where I want you."
A couple of weeks ago Buddy came home with slobber all over him and limping pretty badly. I later learned two neighborhood dogs had ganged up on him. (Life #6) I guess he thought he had a little revenge coming for yesterday he went back for some more. He didn't come home that afternoon. The next morning my wife found him under the boat in the back yard. He couldn't get up. We scooped him up on a rug and covered him with towels warmed in the dryer.
He just lay there for about a half hour. Then with what looked like a smile on his face he died. We buried him in the back yard. With his penchant for defying all odds, I already had a plot picked out for him. I really thought a car would get him but I had it figured wrong.
It's really not the same walking out the door and him not there to greet me. And we are not the only ones who miss him. The whole neighborhood had adopted him and he would stop and visit while making his rounds. Like my neighbor Gene Harrison said, "We'll miss Buddy. He had become a Tanyard icon."
Buddy lived his life like he had something to prove. In the end, he proved he wasn't a cat.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
It's Only Just Begun
The Messiah has not been inaugurated yet and already the Dems are in trouble. First is with Illinois Gov. Blago-whatever his name is. He is under investigation for trying to sell the Messiah's old Senate seat. He has nominated a fellow Dem to the seat and the Dem. Senate is refusing to seat him. Did I mention Blago-whatever is also a Dem? Rep. are staying clear of this mess, content to let the Dems self destruct.
And then there's the Senate race in Minnesota. This is the state that elected a Pro Wrestler (or is it 'Rassler?) to the office of governor a few years ago. Now the state Dems are trying to elect un-funny comedian Al Franken to office. Rep. Norm Coleman beat him at the polls but the Dem controlled election machine keeps finding uncounted ballots under couch cushions. They actually "found" some uncounted ballots in somebody's car trunk. They were all (or at least most) for Franken.
The recount officials, when the found ballots favor Coleman, decide that the ballots are not legitimate. When they favor Franken, they must be counted. This procedure stinks so bad it could qualify for a Bullock County election.
And then there's the Messiah's cabinet appointments. He started out well, keeping the current Sec. of Defense. He is familiar with the war. It makes sense to keep him on board. But then he turns around and appoints Leon Paneta head of the CIA. What kind of sense does this make? He has no intelligience experience. As Clinton's chief of staff he read a few classified documents. So did a few low ranking cryptologists but that does not qualify them for the position. And don't forget Bill Richardson. He was nominated for Commerce Sec. but withdrew his name because he is under a grand jury investigation for something that Dems. do. Did I mention that he is also a Dem.
It looks like the Messiah's honeymoon in office will not last long. It looks like Jimmy Carter Redeux. Let's just hope he is so busy putting out fires that he doesn't have time to gut the military and the CIA like Carter did.
It's going to be an interesting four years.
And then there's the Senate race in Minnesota. This is the state that elected a Pro Wrestler (or is it 'Rassler?) to the office of governor a few years ago. Now the state Dems are trying to elect un-funny comedian Al Franken to office. Rep. Norm Coleman beat him at the polls but the Dem controlled election machine keeps finding uncounted ballots under couch cushions. They actually "found" some uncounted ballots in somebody's car trunk. They were all (or at least most) for Franken.
The recount officials, when the found ballots favor Coleman, decide that the ballots are not legitimate. When they favor Franken, they must be counted. This procedure stinks so bad it could qualify for a Bullock County election.
And then there's the Messiah's cabinet appointments. He started out well, keeping the current Sec. of Defense. He is familiar with the war. It makes sense to keep him on board. But then he turns around and appoints Leon Paneta head of the CIA. What kind of sense does this make? He has no intelligience experience. As Clinton's chief of staff he read a few classified documents. So did a few low ranking cryptologists but that does not qualify them for the position. And don't forget Bill Richardson. He was nominated for Commerce Sec. but withdrew his name because he is under a grand jury investigation for something that Dems. do. Did I mention that he is also a Dem.
It looks like the Messiah's honeymoon in office will not last long. It looks like Jimmy Carter Redeux. Let's just hope he is so busy putting out fires that he doesn't have time to gut the military and the CIA like Carter did.
It's going to be an interesting four years.
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