President Obama Awards His First Military Medal Of Honor

SGT Monti, SGT Lybert, PVT Bradbury, SGT Craig, heroes all, may you rest in peace and may your families and friends be comforted in the knowledge that they are not alone in their grief.

I would like to note that as much as I dislike most of what our President does, I applaud him for the way he handled this. It was excellent. I hope that he really listened to his own words. They can only make him a better person and a better Commander-in-Chief..

The 9/12 Project: The Story The Media Refused To Tell- in HD

Here's a clip showing a good selection of the signs at the 9/12 tea party in the District of Corruption! I noticed 1 in particular from New Hampshire. "LIVE FREE OR DIE!" which is our state motto up here. This clip, and all the pictures are from New Hampshire, specifically from coterack.com

My Good Buddy Ralph

For the last few weeks, I have been meaning to do a post about my good buddy Ralph. I probably should start by giving you a little background on the man. First, his name is not really Ralph at all. I will be calling him that to protect his privacy, and also because he is a bit of a story teller and most of his stories involve a make-believe person named, wait for it, yes, you guessed it, Ralph!

Ralph and I met a few years back, I guess it would be about 5 or 6 years by now. We got to know each other because of a marriage. Actually we met a while before the marriage, but the wedding day was probably the first lengthy meeting. It was a beautiful day on the coast of Maine. Everything was about as perfect as it could be. There was certainly an abundance of food. I think I gained 5 pounds that day, and it was ALL Ralph's fault! That man does not ever want to run out of food, and of course, he just happened to really stock up on all my favorites. The shrimp and cocktail sauce and the bacon wrapped scallops were everywhere. Each time I turned around, there was Ralph sticking the tray right in my face. I swear the guy single-handedly caused my cholestrol level to go up 50 points. The day finally wrapped up and it was then that I was able to take a break and let my poor overstuffed belly have a break. This was not the last time I was to be filled past capacity by this man's seafood buying habits. It's my own fault, I let him learn my weakness and now he exploits it.

My wife and I traveled down to the southern part of the state a few weeks ago to visit family. Ralph and his wife have a lovely home with a completely finished basement which is actually like a complete separate home, and they insisted we stay there. Their hospitality is unbelievable. Any way, back to the story. Ralph and I always end up talking politics and this weekend was no exception. Ralph is not what I would call a leftard or even an extreme liberal, BUT, he does lean quite a ways to the left.

During the course of the day, Ralph had informed me that he had a surprise which he was leaving on the bed. When the wife and I finally got around to calling it a day, I had completely forgotten the "surprise." I was about to be reminded. There, on my pillow, was a card with NObama's AUTOGRAPHED picture on it! I ended up staying wide awake ALL night! Every time I closed my eyes for a moment, I started having nightnares.

I was so tempted to destroy that card but I just couldn't. First, it was just a joke, and second, I would never do that to a friend. Besides, the card had been a gift to Ralph from his daughter and my son. We laughed like hell the next day.

There's a reason I am introducing you all to Ralph. I have found that we can talk about the politics and goings on of the day in a rational manner which leaves us both with a better understanding of how other people view what is happening. We joke about stuff, but we respect each other immensely. I feel that I have a more thorough understanding of what makes the other side tick.

Ralph so far, is the only person that I know in real life that I have shown my blog to. We haven't talked yet since I showed him how to use his computer to visit me. I am very anxious to see what he thinks. He visits almost every day and maybe someday he will get up the nerve to comment. If he does, I hope 2 things. One is that he will be treated with respect, which I know he will. The second is that he doesn't take over my blog. Ralph is quite witty. I'm sure you will all like him.

Smoking Gun Tomorrow!

Look for a SMOKING GUN to be delivered tomorrow on the Glenn Beck Show at 5:00pm. I expect that Hannity will add to the story later on his show as well. The gavel is about to come down on ACORN. Tonight, a third city was revealed. New York joined Washington and Baltimore on the disgraceful list. This SMOKING GUN promises to make their problems so far look like mild annoyances.

In case anyone hasn't seen it yet, ACORN lost a big round this evening when the senate passed the Johanns Amendment #2355 to H.R. 3288. In a 83 to 7 vote with 9 not voting, this amendment strips ACORN's funding of federal funds in the current transportation and housing appropriations bill. There are still other funds available to them, but we will see if that remains the case after tomorrow's news. Here is the list of Senators brave----or STUPID enough to vote against this amendment:

Burris (D-IL) Casey (D-PA) Durbin (D-IL)
Gillibrand (D-NY) Leahy (D-VT) Sanders (I-VT)
Whitehouse (D-RI)

These folks should be at the front of the line to get their pink slips!

9/12 Taxpayer Tea Party March on Washington, DC

Capital police are estimating 1.2 MILLION people joined in the 9/12 Tea Party in D.C. I've seen some numbers even higher. Let's hope that the politicians take notice, their pink slips are ready to be handed out! Some of them could still save their jobs, IF, they smarten up RIGHT NOW!

Don't miss the post below this one. It is well worth watching.

A 9/12 Anthem...It's Time We Started Changin'

I doubt that Bob Dylan made this clip, but I'm sure the RNC didn't either. This was done by everyday AVERAGE AMERICANS! God bless them for it!

America does NOT have the worst liberals

This article came from stuff.co.nz. Here's the link, but the entire thing is right here. Hat Tip goes to my friend MK from Australia who got it from Crusader Rabbit. I think I might have just acquired a new appreciation for our home-grown liberals. As far as I know, other than maybe PETA, they are not as bad as the crop in New Zealand. I feel really bad for the normal Kiwis, it must be Hell living on that small Island with people like the ones in this article.

Waikato art award winner just rubbish - artists


Art buffs have trashed the pile of rubbish which won this year's
Waikato National Contemporary Art Award, describing it as
embarrassing for the community.

But Waikato Museum director Kate Vusoniwailala leapt to the defence of judge Charlotte Huddleston, saying it was "an excellent decision" which had helped achieve the objective of getting people talking about art.

Berlin-based Dane Mitchell picked up $15,000 for his entry, Collateral, which consisted of the binned wrapping from other award entries tipped on to the floor of the Waikato Museum, in line with his written instructions submitted to gallery staff.
He had not seen his entry when it won.

However Mark Hayes, who built a sculpture for the award, entitled Domestic Violence is Not Okay, was unimpressed.

"If I had known that the contents of my rubbish bin would make the winning sculpture I would not have spent 26 hours cutting, welding and grinding," he said.

"Contemporary art needs to say something to you and make you think. I am sorry but I just cannot see the 'clever' and 'cheeky' in the winning sculpture. Is someone trying to make Trust Waikato look like a joke?

This was Trust Waikato's final year of award sponsorship.

Hamilton artists Collette Fergus and Bruce McLachlan said the winning entry was "the worst yet".

"A pile of rubbish that wasn't even created by this guy is worth $15,000?" said Ms Fergus. "That is insane. Do the other artists whose names were in the pile feel okay that this is clearly mocking them and their entries?

"What was the judge on when she chose this; awarding that sort of money for a piece of art mockery that does not even deserve the title of art? She has clearly lost the plot."

Ms Fergus accepted that unusual and provocative art was expected at the Waikato Contemporary Art Award.

"We however feel that perhaps they should remove the word art from the title of the award. This pile of rubbish is not art and this is not an award for artists. It's a sad mockery of us all and an embarrassment to the arts community."

But Ms Vusoniwailala was delighted with the level of public interest
being generated by the award.

"If we are having a lot of conversations about the award, we are achieving an objective," she said.

"There will always be people who love things and those who hate them. The bottom line is we always ensure the judge we select has an excellent reputation.

"She (Ms Huddleston) has been fantastic to work with, very professional, and has put together a stunning show, and a significant show for New Zealand that has shown this city has come of age."

Morrinsville women Heather Oleson questioned whether the winning entry had complied with the rules and was eligible.

"Who is the celebrating artist/winner here?" she asked. "Is it the
museum staff who created the entry, or is it Mitchell who gave the instructions?"

She noted the awards criteria required the work to be the artist's
own, with one digital photo of the work included, and artwork not permitted to be "altered" after being submitted.

US Census Bureau Divorces ACORN!

CENSUS BUREAU SEVERS TIES WITH ACORN IN 2010 COUNT

WASHINGTON – The Census Bureau on Friday severed its ties with ACORN, a community organization that has been hit with Republican accusations of voter-registration fraud. "We do not come to this decision lightly," Census director Robert Groves wrote in a letter to ACORN, which was obtained by The Associated Press.

In splitting with ACORN, Groves sought to tamp down GOP concerns and negative publicity that the partnership will taint the 2010 head count.

"It is clear that ACORN's affiliation with the 2010 census promotion has caused sufficient concern in the general public, has indeed become a distraction from our mission, and may even become a discouragement to public cooperation, negatively impacting 2010 census efforts," Groves wrote.

Stephen Buckner, a census spokesman, confirmed the letter, but declined additional comment.

ACORN spokesman Scott Levenson did not immediately return a request for comment.

In recent months, Republicans have become increasingly critical of the census' ties with ACORN, which stands for the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now. The group, which advocates for poor people, conducted a massive voter registration effort last year and became a target of conservatives when some employees were accused of submitting false registration forms with names such as "Mickey Mouse."

ACORN has said only a handful of employees submitted false registration forms and did so in a bid to boost their pay.

Partly citing ACORN's role, Sens. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., and David Vitter, R-La., earlier this year blocked a full confirmation vote of Groves for several weeks. Rep. Michelle Bachman, R-Minn., also has been calling for a census boycott because of her concerns about whether the group would tamper with the high-stakes population count.

Up to now, the Census Bureau had defended ACORN's involvement, explaining it was one of 80,000 unpaid volunteer groups that the bureau hoped would be able to raise local awareness. But in his letter, Groves said it no longer had confidence that ACORN was effectively managing its partnership.

ACORN fired two employees who were seen on hidden-camera video giving tax advice to a man posing as a pimp and a woman who pretended to be a prostitute. Fox News Channel broadcast excerpts from the video on Thursday. On the video, a man and woman visiting ACORN's Baltimore office asked about buying a house and how to account on tax forms for the woman's income. An ACORN employee advised the woman to list her occupation as "performance artist."

In a statement, ACORN Maryland board member Margaret Williams said the video was an attempt to smear ACORN, and that undercover teams attempted similar setups in at least three other ACORN offices. Williams said no tax returns were filed and no assistance was provided. Here's the link, but I grabbed the whole article.

The proverbial shit has hit the fan! Why has the Census dumped ACORN? Because of the efforts of two young people to whom we owe a great debt of gratitude. They are 25 year old independent film maker James O'Keefe, posing as the pimp, and 20 year old Hannah Giles, who posed as the prostitute. Above is the letter sent to ACORN by their supposed friend, Robert Groves, who really didn't have much choice in the matter. The 2 posts below are James and Hannah posing as a pimp and his prostitute to see just how far these dirtbags from ACORN would go. They went "all the way!" These tapes were done in Baltimore Md, and another set has aired from Washington D.C. I feel quite certain that we will see more ACORN rats in another city or two get exposed in the very near future. I also predict that there won't be enough room under the carpet to sweep this insanity and so NObama will have no choice but to throw it all under the bus. If that happens and this organization gets scrutinized by congress, we will have a MAJOR victory on our hands!

ACORN Baltimore Prostitution Investigation Part I

ACORN Baltimore Prostitution Investigation Part II

We Will Not Forget

On September 11, 2001 evil came to your shores.





Instead of writing my own post on the anniversary of Sept 11th, I have decided to share the post that my good friend from Australia, MK, did for us. Please make sure you see this fantastic gift from an Australian that loves America much more than MANY who live here! Here's the link to DOWN UNDER ON THE RIGHT SIDE.

May the departed of 9/11/2001 rest in peace and may their families and friends be comforted by knowing that the nation has not forgotten, at least many of us haven't.

The Secret History of Getting High in America

I wonder, should we consider legalizing marijuana and tax it just like cigarettes or alcohol? If legalizing it was coupled with a mandate that ALL federal taxes associated with it HAD to be used to fight other, more dangerous drugs, might that not be a good thing? Might not this be a good way to curtail the efforts of all the drug cartels? What do you think?

Marine Father Says AP Photo Was Wrong

NEW PORTLAND (NEWS CENTER) -- John Bernard says no one needs to see the photo of his son mortally wounded in Afghanistan.

His 21 year old son Joshua, was killed in Afghanistan last month. An Associated Press photographer took a picture of Bernard wounded on the battlefield before he died.

The AP published the photo after Bernard's parents asked the photo to be kept private.

John Bernard also believes the Rules of Engagement in war put the safety of citizens in other countries ahead of the safety of US Soldiers.

The sad story above was at WCSH TV channel 6. I very strongly advise you to follow this link to view the accompanying video. Listen to John, Joshua's dad tell the story.

When you get done there, I invite you all to e-mail AP and let them know how you feel about the cold-hearted way they did their "job" on this story. Here is the link you can use to "contact AP."
I looked around their site a little and found this statement of values and principles. You can follow this link to find out if they are actually living up to their OWN values, nevermind OUR values!

I've already e-mailed the heartless jerks and anyone not comfortable writing their own is more than welcome to use mine. The more people that express their anger and horror over this garbage journalism, the less likely we will see it again. Here's what I had to say to them:

"I was saddened by your complete disregard for the feelings of the family of Marine Lance Corporal Joshua Bernard. To publish his picture against the wishes of his family was a sick and perverted thing to do. He and millions of other American heros over the life of our country have paid the ultimate price to protect our freedoms, including your freedom of speech. You dishonor all of them by actions such as this. Having the freedom/right to do something does NOT make it the right thing to do. The following paragraph is from your own site. It supposedly is how you conduct your business. I would NOT call this incident "ethical behavior." Try living up to it next time!"

"In the 21st century, that news is transmitted in more ways than ever before – in print, on the air and on the Web, with words, images, graphics, sounds and video. But....always....and in all media, we insist on the....highest standards of integrity and ethical behavior....when we gather and deliver the news."

Charlie Gibson to Retire

Good riddance, don't let the door hit you in the ass on your way out!

A New Push to Play God from Washington

I found this very well written article By Thomas Sowell
over at Real Clear Politics. It sure seems real clear to me! Anything in green is my take on the topic. Red just means I wanted to brighten up the post. Here's the link.

The serious, and sometimes chilling, provisions of the medical care legislation that President Obama has been trying to rush through Congress are important enough for all of us to stop and think, even though his political strategy from the outset has been to prevent us from having time to stop and think about it. (Can you say "READ THE DAMNED BILL?")

What we also should stop to think about is the mindset behind this legislation, which is very consistent with the mindset behind other policies of this administration, whether the particular issue is bailing out General Motors, telling banks who to lend to or appointing "czars" to tell all sorts of people in many walks of life what they can and cannot do.

The idea that government officials can play God from Washington is not a new idea, but it is an idea that is being pushed with new audacity.

What they are trying to do is to create an America very unlike the America that has existed for centuries-- the America that people have been attracted to by the millions from every part of the world, the America that many generations of Americans have fought and died for.

This is the America for which Michelle Obama expressed her resentment before it became politically expedient to keep quiet. (Are you "proud" yet Fat Ass?)

It is the America that Reverend Jeremiah Wright denounced in his sermons during the 20 years when Barack Obama was a parishioner, before political expediency required Obama to withdraw and distance himself. (You remember "God Damned America" Wright don't you?)

The thing most associated with America-- freedom-- is precisely what must be destroyed if this is to be turned into a fundamentally different country to suit Obama's vision (change we can believe in) of the country and of himself. But do not expect a savvy politician like Barack Obama to express what he is doing in terms of limiting our freedom.

He may not even think of it in those terms. He may think of it in terms of promoting "social justice" or making better decisions than ordinary people are capable of making for themselves, whether about medical care or housing or many other things. Throughout history, egalitarians have been among the most arrogant people. (No, he knows EXACTLY what he's doing!)

Obama has surrounded himself with people who also think it is their job to make other people's decisions for them. Not just Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, his health care advisor who complains of Americans' "over-utilization" of medical care, but also Professor Cass Sunstein, who has written a whole book on how third parties should use government power to "nudge" people into making better decisions in general.

Then there are a whole array of Obama administration officials who take it as their job to pick winners and losers in the economy and tell companies how much they can and cannot pay their executives. (That's assuming they are lucky enough to keep their job at all!)

Just as magicians know that the secret of some of their tricks is to distract the audience, so politicians know that the secret of many political tricks is to distract the public with scapegoats.

No one is more of a political magician than Barack Obama. At the beginning of 2008, no one expected a shrewd and experienced politician like Hillary Clinton to be beaten for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States by someone completely new to the national political scene. But Obama worked his political magic, with the help of the media, which he still has. (Ah yes, the "Magical Negro".)

Barack Obama's escapes from his own past words, deeds and associations have been escapes worthy of Houdini.

Like other magicians, Obama has chosen his distractions well. The insurance industry is currently his favorite distraction as scapegoats, after he has tried to demonize doctors without much success.

Saints are no more common in the insurance industry than in politics or even among paragons of virtue like economists. So there will always be horror stories, even if these are less numerous or less horrible than what is likely to happen if Obamacare gets passed into law.

Obama even gets away with saying things like having a system to "keep insurance companies honest"-- and many people may not see the painful irony in politicians trying to keep other people honest. (Talk about the "pot calling the kettle black!" Oh shit, does that sentence make me a racist?) Certainly most of the media are unlikely to point out this irony.

Copyright 2009, Creators Syndicate Inc.

Glenn Beck Needs Our Help!

Glenn Beck needs our help and I have found a site to help us help him. I got the link from a commentor named Bryan over at Z's blog. The site is called defendglenn.com and it has the scoop on all the companies that were accused of cutting off ad dollars on his show. It seems that SOME of them really didn't and we don't want to castrate the innocent ones if in fact they are innocent. Their list is as up-to-date as any I have found. Also they have links to the data on Beck's ratings as well as some of his leftard competitors. Absolutely eyeopening! They're doing a great job for such a new site. I highly recommend you go visit this site, you won't be sorry. Then I would ask that you all do what I am in the middle of doing, send off an e-mail thanking the companies for staying with Glenn and crapping on the ones that didn't, or at least asking them to reconsider their misguided actions.

Leah From New Hampshire Rips Media on C-SPAN

You have to watch all three of these clips. I am proud of New Hampshire for producing people of this superior quality!

Leah From Manchester - Part 1

Leah From Manchester - Part 2

Happy Birthday

Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me. Happy birthday, happy birthday, happy birthday to me!

fffffffffffff hack hack cough cough hack cough (me blowing out the multitude of candles)

Update: I just got a couple of chicks for my birthday from Pepsi. Check them out right here.

No Treats From Obama

I just LOVE this dog! He's smarter than 62,000,000 American humans!

Is the Public Option Dead?

Is the public option for health insurance dead? Well, according to this article, it just might be. It seems that NObama, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, Sen. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.), and, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs have all dropped hints that maybe, just maybe, there will be NO PUBLIC OPTION in the final version of the bill . The extremist leftards are bullshit over this newest development! This isn't the only part of the bill the right hates, but it is a darned good start. How about some torte reform next??

President Barack Obama and his top aides are signaling that they’re prepared to drop a government insurance option from a final health-reform deal if that’s what’s needed to strike a compromise on Obama’s top legislative priority.
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said Sunday that the public option was “not the essential element” of the overhaul. A day earlier, Obama downplayed the public option during a Colorado town hall meeting, saying it was “just one sliver” of the debate.
He even chided Democratic supporters and Republican critics for becoming “so fixated on this that they forget everything else” — a dig at some liberals in his own party who have made the public option the main rallying cry of the health reform debate.
At the same time, Sen. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.), one of six senators involved in bipartisan Finance Committee negotiations, all but declared the public option dead in the Senate.
“Look, the fact of the matter is there are not the votes in the United States Senate for the public option,” said Conrad, who has pushed an alternative proposal to create a network of consumer cooperatives, on Fox News Sunday. “There never have been. So to continue to chase that rabbit, I think, is just a wasted effort.”

Linda Douglass, communications director for the White House Office of Health Reform, must have missed the meeting as she sent out an e-mail Sunday afternoon saying that the president is NOT backing away from the public plan. Hope you like shade Linda. You may find yourself "under the bus" for that little indiscretion.

"Nothing has changed,” said Linda Douglass, communications director for the White House Office of Health Reform. “The president has always said that what is essential is that health insurance reform must lower costs, ensure that there are affordable options for all Americans and it must increase choice and competition in the health insurance market. He believes the public option is the best way to achieve those goals."

But taken together, the remarks from Obama, Sebelius and Conrad suggest the White House is preparing supporters for a health care compromise that may well exclude the government option — which could help Obama win enough votes for a sweeping overhaul but touch off a nasty battle inside his own party between liberals and more moderate members who have resisted a bigger government role in health care.

W. W. A. A. D. #3 Healthcare Reform

One thing we have to correct----the White House and the Democrats in Congress are putting out the misleading information that conservatives don't want any health care reforms. THIS IS NOT TRUE! We just don't want THEIR idea of reform. We see no need to use a damned Machete when a scalpel would do the job just fine. I have decided that the Average American should tackle this high priority problem next.

I found the picture/chart above in a CNN article today. You can find it here. It is a very informative article and although I didn't print any of it here, I recommend you go read it. Many of the points I will make are common sense solutions to the problems pointed out in this article. I have other points beyond what they covered.

About one third of the uninsured people in America are NOT supposed to be here. Send them HOME and a big chunk of the problem goes with them. DO SOMETHING (to be read DEPORT THEM) about the 15 to 20 million illegals/criminals (at least) that continue to burden down our health care system, our educational system, and many of other our systems. I would have been working on this since DAY ONE!! A one way bus ticket out of here is a lot cheaper than letting them stay.

One of my highest priorities would be to get torte reform passed. Ridiculous malpractice insurance premiums cause doctors to perform way to many extra tests and procedures. What a terrible, and controllable waste that is. Another problem causing extra tests and procedures is doctors trying to pad their bills when these things are not medically necessary. When caught doing this, they should face stiff fines AND restitution.

Anyone who has ever had to fill out the paper work involved in a visit to the hospital or the doctor's office knows how much bull that is. Imagine how much it costs the hospital or doctor. I would push for a set of standardized forms and make it worthwhile for the insurance industry to use them. Make it mandatory only if necessary. These companies want to save money too, and so I don't think you would have to twist their arms. A no-brainer. Make these forms computer and human friendly. A provider's computer should be able to fill out most information for repeat visitors and humans would only have to verify that the information was still accurate. It should not take an hour to check in at the hospital before anything else gets done.

We NEED more doctors (especially primary care) and nurses. I would look into a program where potential doctors could get government help with their medical schooling. On a voluntary basis, the loan could be forgiven or partially forgiven in exchange for services rendered to such things as free or low income medical clinics and under served areas of the country. Living up here in the rural part of New Hampshire, I know what a problem the lack of doctors is. I have good insurance, but I DO NOT have a family doctor! Unbelievable, but true! Just not enough money up here to attract them.

You can not legislate following the doctors orders. That is best tackled with education. Things like "take all the medicine", or "stay off your feet for a week", or, "don't take these pills on an empty stomach" may not sound important enough to worry about but they contribute to many more health relapses. The medical community and the government might collaborate to better inform the public, especially on the most common offenses.

Use best practices to cut WAY down on people contacting infections in hospitals. There is absolutely NO NEED for that kind of bullshit. Save a ton of cash by keeping them cleaner and sterilized. Here again an education program aimed at hospital staff is called for. Hey Doc, WASH your hands! Cleaning lady, disinfect the bathroom fixtures and the door knob. Nurse, take the day off when you have a cold or the flu. Shit like this costs us billions!

I would ensure that "end of life" information is READILY available, BUT consultations would NOT be mandatory!!!

The so-called "public option" is a REAL BAD idea. It is being sold as not using tax money to survive. Does the government have ANY successful programs that don't get taxpayer money?? NO THEY DO NOT!! It would go bankrupt very quickly and the government would end up bailing it out because it would be "to big to fail". Bullshit!

I actually do agree with a few points of NObama's scheme. Insurance companies get ready for this. You will be required to provide coverage for preexisting conditions. You will be required to provide coverage for preventative care. You will NOT be able to drop coverage because a customer gets sick, or old.

My fingers are tired from typing and I need to rest my weary mind. I caught that sickening town hall meeting that the messiah just had in Portsmouth. That audience was at least 95% planted. More on that crap later. I need a White Russian.

And last, they BETTER start listening to our voices. WE ARE THEIR BOSSES, NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND!!!!!

UPDATE: Here's part of the article to avoid some confusion:

More than $1.2 trillion spent on health care each year is a waste of money. Members of the medical community identify the leading causes.

Down the drain: $1.2 trillion.

That's half of the $2.2 trillion the United States spends on health care each year, according to the most recent data from accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers' Health Research Institute.

What counts as waste? The report identified 16 different areas in which health care dollars are squandered. But in talking to doctors, nurses, hospital groups and patient advocacy groups, six areas totaling nearly $500 billion stood out as issues to be dealt with in the health care reform debate.

President Coming To New Hampshire

This article can be found here but it is extremely short so I decided to just steal the whole damned thing. I wish he'd just stay right away from my home state. We have enough problems without him being here.

PORTSMOUTH, N.H. (AP) -- President Barack Obama is looking forward to making his case for health care reform Tuesday at Portsmouth High School in New Hampshire.

Melody Barnes, the president's domestic policy adviser, says Obama will explain to Seacoast residents what's at stake, and why it's important to move forward now. (because he won't have both houses of Congress for much longer)

Barnes said even those who have insurance understand the problem because health care premiums have doubled in 15 years, causing deductibles and co-payments to go up. (what in Hell has NOT doubled in 15 years?)

Those who haven't already registered have missed the boat. The deadline for registering online for up to two tickets was 3 p.m. Saturday. It's unclear how many people will be invited to the town hall-style forum; Stone Gymnasium has a capacity of about 2,500 people.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

The Average American WILL NOT be attending this circus. I'd rather sit on the throne with a good book. Besides, there is not likely to be any conservatives there and even if there are, they will not likely get the chance to speak. I tried to get in on one of these circle jerks the other day---to no avail. I wrote about it in a comment at Z's and decided to steal it back and add it to this post. Here it is:

"Senator Shaheen from New Hampshire had a teletown meeting too. They called the day before and I said yes I would like to be part of it. It was scheduled for 6:10 until 7:10 and they would call when the time came. I slammed down my dinner and left the bar early to be there sitting next to the phone and waited until 6:30 when they finally called. I pushed the buttons as directed for those that wanted to speak. Every person that spoke was asked "Please repeat your question." They were ALL prescreened before they were allowed to speak, which by the way I never got the chance to do. What a pussy way to interact with your constituents! To add insult to injury, the bitch had to leave the phone to staff members several times so she could go vote so half the questions weren't even addressed by her. It was SICKENING!! As you can guess, there were NO tough questions."

What a complete waste of my time. I sat and listened to that liberal bullshit for what seemed to be all frigging night. That's why I won't waste my time driving 2 hours to go see that moron the leftard loonies think is the messiah. He and his 1000+ pages of horseshit can go pound sand! And he can take that fugly pizza-faced Piglosi with him.

Fight at Russ Carnahan Town Hall Event - Raw Video (8/6/09)

The shit has hit the fan! Not all the shouting and violence is coming from the conservative side. See what NObama caused now. You really have to visit Gateway Pundit for a great write-up and while there, BE SURE to read the comments, they're G R E A T !! http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2009/08/tea-party-protesters-attacked-1-man.html

Global Warming

And all this time we thought it was our cars, trucks, suvs, and factories that were to blame. He sure had us fooled!

W.W.A.A.D. #2 Keep Gitmo Open

Military-civilian terror prison eyed

WASHINGTON – The Obama administration is looking at creating a courtroom-within-a-prison complex in the U.S. to house suspected terrorists, combining military and civilian detention facilities at a single maximum-security prison.

Several senior U.S. officials said the administration is eyeing a soon-to-be-shuttered state maximum security prison in Michigan and the 134-year-old military penitentiary at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., as possible locations for a heavily guarded site to hold the 229 suspected al-Qaida, Taliban and foreign fighters now jailed at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp in Cuba.

The officials outlined the plans — the latest effort to comply with President Barack Obama's order to close the prison camp by Jan. 22, 2010, and satisfy congressional and public fears about incarcerating terror suspects on American soil — on condition of anonymity because the options are under review.

White House spokesman Ben LaBolt said Friday that no decisions have been made about the proposal. But the White House considers the courtroom-prison complex as the best among a series of bad options, an administration official said.

Getting the Standish prison ready for the detainees would be costly. One
official estimated it would cost over $100 million for security and other
building upgrades.

Several Michigan lawmakers, including Senate Armed Services Chairman Carl Levin and Rep. Bart Stupak, both Democrats, have said they would be open to moving detainees to Michigan as long as there is broad local support.

Yeah right! Like that is going to happen! There probably isn't a place in the country where people would give "broad support' for this monstrous calamity.

Administration officials said the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth is under consideration because it is already a hardened high-security facility that could be further protected by the surrounding military base.

It's not clear what would happen to the military's inmates already being held there. Nearly half are members of the U.S. armed forces, and by law, cannot be housed with foreign prisoners.

Kansas' GOP-dominated congressional delegation is dead set against moving Guantanamo detainees to Leavenworth. Residents told Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., at a town hall meeting in May that 95 percent of the local community opposes it. Sen. Sam Brownback and Rep. Lynn Jenkins planned a news conference in Leavenworth on Monday to "discuss opposition to any efforts to move detainees to Fort Leavenworth."

I guess they won't be very welcomed in THIS RED State! Why should the good people of Kansas feel in any way obligated to help NObama keep his stupid promise anyway?

Administration officials say they are determined to keep to his promise of closing Guantanamo in January as a worldwide example of America's commitment to humane and just treatment of the detainees.

Glenn Sulmasy, an international law professor at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, Conn., said the prison-court complex will "be difficult, but it's logical."

"This is all based on Closing Gitmo by 2010, which seems to be a priority, and if we are going to do it, we have to step up to the plate and find solutions to the conundrum we're facing," said Sulmasy, who agrees with the administration's efforts. "And this seems to be the most pragmatic way ahead."

It's ALL about the promise. Hey NObama, it's OK to break promises that NEVER should have been made in the first place!!

You may follow this link to get the entire story. I just posted the most pertinent paragraphs.

Well, for those that know me, you must be aware that I would not follow this track to deal with a very sticky problem. I won't bore you with all of NObama's details of the plan, but I WILL tell you W.W.A.A.D.

To begin with, I never would have made such an ill-conceived promise, but since that promise was made, here's the proper way to handle it. WITHOUT the help of a huge staff of speech writers and advisors, I would prepare an address to the American people explaining WHY I must break my promise to close Gitmo. I would NOT worry about addressing any other audience. The rest of the world will hear this speech, the media will take care of that! True leadership dictates being able to admit mistakes and take corrective action. This could be his chance to actually INCREASE his standings in the polls. Most conservatives and independents would be able to support him on at least this one issue. Here's the speech:

"Good evening ladies and gentlemen. I stand before you tonight with news that some of you will be delighted to hear, while others will be disenheartened. As you know, during the campaign and since then as recently as last month in Cairo, I have been adamant about closing down the facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. After much study, soul-searching, and discussions with everyone involved, I have concluded that the best scenario is to maintain what we have. We are looking into more transpanency as to their treatment so as to assure the world that they are in fact getting the best possible treatment. That is the underlying question in the minds of many, and that can be addressed at Guantanamo as well or better than anywhere else. We are still diligently trying to find homes to resettle many of the detainees, but are finding this a very slow process. Many of the most hardened terrorists we are holding may never be released, so we have to have a long-term answer, and I think we have it already."

That took me about 10 minutes to write. If I really had to do it, I would spend much more time and do a much better job, but, I think you get the idea. NObama, keep it short and sweet, 15 minutes at the most. Tell America you are just human. Tell them you are NOT the messiah, even though I know you think you are. Let people know that you are man enough to admit when you screw up!

Chris Rock - How not to get your ass kicked by the police!

I guess Henry Lewis (aka Skip) Gates must have missed this little tidbit of very useful information. Maybe NObama could benefit from watching it also.

Red White and Blue

Ed with the answer: "Red states, white people and blue uniforms."



Johhny with the question: "Which colors does NObama hate the most?"

The joke and the picture above were both shamelessly stolen from a comment in the Washington Post by "Past Your Eyes". For you youngsters who never got to enjoy the show, this was a favorite segment on the Johnny Carson Show for years. Ed would give the answer and Johnny ("Carmac" if I remember correctly) would make a big deal of rubbing the envelope with the question in it on his forehead and "fortell" what the question was. Then he would make a big display of opening the envelope to discover that he was correct. I guess you had to be there to really appreciate it. I am not sure he has the colors in the correct sequence. White people may very well be number 1 on his hate list, but I am quite sure that the blue uniforms are correct in third place.

W.W.A.A.D. # 1

What Would Average American Do.

I have decided to start a new series of posts entitled W.W.A.A.D. From time to time, NObama will do or say something that will inspire me to give my opposing view and I will explain what I would do differently, were I the POTUS. I think readers will find a marked difference in our styles. Talk about your "understatement"!!!


Well, it didn't take the lead dummycrat very long to inspire me. I no more than came up with this new format when I found this gem in today's (July 22nd)news:

However, Obama continued, "I don't know, not having been there and not seeing all the facts, what role race played in that [Gates case]. But I think it's fair to say, number one, any of us would be pretty angry; number two, that the Cambridge police acted stupidly in arresting somebody when there was already proof that they were in their own home; and, number three, what I think we know separate and apart from this incident is that there's a long history in this country of African-Americans and Latinos being stopped by law enforcement disproportionately. That's just a fact."

Here's the link to the article.

My answer would have been more like this:

"Well, not having been there and not knowing exactly what went on, all I can say is that it seems as though things got a bit out of control. I have no way of knowing who is to blame for that. I am confident that the City of Cambridge and the State of Massachusetts are competent enough to sort the whole thing out and handle things accordingly, without me adding to the problem by interjecting national politics into the mix. Next question?"

This story does not appear to be going away. Follow this link for NObama's follow-up and see how much worse he managed to make the whole affair. Here's just a teaser few paragraphs of what he and his idiot Gibbs had to say.

"I have to say I am surprised by the controversy surrounding my statement, because I think it was a pretty straightforward commentary that you probably don't need to handcuff a guy, a middle-aged man who uses a cane, who's in his own home," Obama said.

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said today that the president was not calling the Cambridge police officer stupid when he criticized his actions in the Gates incident.

On whether the president regrets the use of his words, Gibbs said: "No. He was not calling the officer stupid. The situation got out of hand."

NObama was "surprised"? Most anyone with a frigging BRAIN CELL would have expected some serious backlash. What an idiot! Gibbs, get your facts straight!! He most certainly DID call Sgt. James Crowley stupid!
God, when will these idiots get a frigging clue? Gibbs, as of right now your name has been changed. You are now "D.C. Bob". You are even more STUPID than Baghdad Bob ever thought of being!

As most of you probably know by now, the police in Cambribge and Massachusetts, as well as, I suspect, throughout the country, extremely pissed off at our not-so-beloved POTUS for being so unbelievably arrogant as to say ANYTHING AT ALL about this incident. The pompous asshole just can not seem to learn that sometimes it is best to keep one's piehole SHUT!! Some things are NOT a result of racism no matter WHO claims that to be the case. If the frigging asshole that tried to break into his own home and then got pissed off at the police for questioning him had been WHITE, do you really think the cops would have been fine with that? I think NOT!! No one has the right to get belligerent with authority for just doing their job. Here's a few more paragraphs of how people close to the scene are reacting to this story:

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – A black police officer who was at Henry Louis Gates Jr.'s home when the black Harvard scholar was arrested says he fully supports how his white fellow officer handled the situation.

Sgt. Leon Lashley says Gates was probably tired and surprised when Sgt. James Crowley demanded identification from him as officers investigated a report of a burglary. Lashley says Gates' reaction to Crowley was "a little bit stranger than it should have been."

Asked if Gates should have been arrested, Lashley said supported Crowley "100 percent."

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) — A multiracial group of police officers on Friday stood with the white officer who arrested a prominent black Harvard scholar and asked President Barack Obama and Gov. Deval Patrick to apologize for comments the union leaders called insulting.

Dennis O'Connor, president of the Cambridge Police Superior Officers Association, said Obama's remarks were "misdirected" and the Cambridge police "deeply resent the implication" that race was a factor in the arrest.

"President Obama said the actions of the CPD were stupid and linked the event to the history of racial profiling in America," O'Connor said. "The facts of the case suggested that the president used the right adjective but directed it to the wrong party."

The charge was dropped Tuesday, but Gates has demanded an apology, calling his arrest a case of racial profiling.

FUCK HIM!! There is NO WAY he deserves an apology and there is NO WAY I would have dropped the charges. What a crock of SHIT that was!!! Any apologies due in this mess are due from F###ing NObama!! Our police deserve much better than that!

Time to Quit Smoking!

NH man charged 23 quadrillion dollars for smokes

MANCHESTER, N.H. — A New Hampshire man says he swiped his debit card at
a gas station to buy a pack of cigarettes and was charged over 23 quadrillion dollars.

Josh Muszynski checked his account online a few hours later and saw the 17-digit number — a stunning $23,148,855,308,184,500 (twenty-three quadrillion, one hundred forty-eight trillion, eight hundred fifty-five billion, three hundred eight million, one hundred eighty-four thousand, five hundred dollars).

Muszynski says he spent two hours on the phone with Bank of America trying to sort out the string of numbers and the $15 overdraft fee.

The bank corrected the error the next day.

Bank of America tells WMUR-TV only the card issuer, Visa, could answer questions. Visa, in turn, referred questions to the bank.

I bought my first cigarettes when I was 14 years old. They cost me 19 cents a pack. I bought a pack of Camels yesterday. It cost me $6.21. Between NObama, the biggest taxer and spender President we ever had, and Governor Lynch, the biggest taxer and spender Governor New Hampshire ever had, they are taxing us smokers to death!

When I saw the above article, I just had to assume that our esteemed Democrap politicians had really gone and done it this time. I do believe that if they thought they could get a way with it, they would try, maybe not to that extreme, but I'm sure they would love to see at least a doubling of the price. ASSHOLES!! They want to take my cigarettes, my booze, AND my guns away from me. ASSHOLES!!

Here's the link to the article. You might get a kick out of the responses people left.

Update July 17! Here's an update article with a little explanation and apology (sort of) from Visa.

MANCHESTER, N.H. -- Visa said Wednesday that a "temporary
programming error" caused to a Manchester man and thousands of others across the
country to be charged quadrillions of dollars for small purchases.

Josh
Muszynski just wanted to buy a pack of cigarettes at a Mobil gas station, so he
was shocked to see a charge on his bank statement of more than $23 quadrillion.

"I thought my card had been compromised," Muszynski said. "I thought
somebody had bought Europe with my credit card. It was very concerning."

Because Muszynski didn't have that much in his account -- no one does,
as it's hundreds of times the gross domestic product of the world -- he was even
charged an overdraft fee. The charge and fee have since been removed, but
Muszynski took evidence of the astronomical number to the manager of the Mobil.

"The gentleman it happened to came in with his laptop and showed me that
number, and I couldn't believe it," said manager Debbie Rodriguez.

Rodriguez said she sells cigarettes for only $5 and change.

Customer Mike Johnson was so stunned when Muszynski showed the amount
that he paid for his gas and then forgot to actually pump it. He returned soon
after.

"Yeah, it scared me that much," Johnson said. "You guys threw me
way off."

The amount is difficult for people to grasp. It's more than
2,000 times bigger than the national debt. For $23 quadrillion, someone could
buy the Mobil station 33 billion times. If it's sports and entertainment you're
after, you could buy 420 million Verizon Wireless Arenas.

And if your
dream is to buy every building in the city of Manchester, you could do it 2
million times for that amount of cash.

Muszynski said if he had that
much cash, he'd start by bailing out General Motors.

Although Muszynski
originally described the affected card as a debit card, Visa said debit cards
weren't affected. He was technically using a cash pay card, which was affected
by the glitch, along with prepaid cards.

Visa said the incident will
have no financial impact on cardholders' finances or credit. The company said it
regretted the inconvenience to customers and has taken steps to ensure it
doesn't happen again. It also noted that the Mobil gas station isn't responsible
in any way for the error.

Here's the link.

Did our Tea Parties do this?

I visited my Senator's web page today (this post was written a week ago and I just now posted it) and found this:

"Mail Delay

Please note that due to heightened security in the U.S. Capitol, mail service to my Washington, D.C. Senate office is significantly delayed. If you have any correspondence that is time sensitive, please use alternatives such as e-mail, phone, or fax."

I wonder if a flood of Tea Bags had anything to do with it, or maybe it's because Napolitano's list of "Right Wing Extremists" is so long. Gee, for a "few" protesters, we sure seem to have made an awful nuisance of ourselves huh. I mean, the media said there were only a few of us and we would fizzle out and not be a problem, right? NObama didn't even know we were protesting, he must be leading quite the sheltered life.

The reason I went to her site was to send an e-mail concerning Cap and Trade. Here it is. Please consider doing the same to your Senators.

Cap and Trade regulations will be the biggest hidden tax this country has ever seen. Any Senator who sees it as anything else is very badly mistaken! There is no way that the associated costs of this ridiculous package will be absorbed by the businesses incurring them, they will be passed on to us consumers. This does not stop at the electric utilities. Fuel, food, anything that requires heat or power to manufacture, and anything that requires transportation will cost us more. I am aware that you support going "green" and believe in Global Warming, but please don't let your personal feelings dictate your vote on this matter. With all of the other exorbitant spending going on lately, WE CAN NOT AFFORD anything of this magnitude. You Senators and Representatives we sent to Washington to represent US are not doing such a great job so far. I hope your counterparts in the House will be looking for new jobs next year because of their voting records, and we are watching your every vote also. You can redeem yourself a little by voting AGAINST this one. AT LEAST READ THE WHOLE THING BEFORE YOU VOTE!!!!!!! Thank you for considering this request.

I know you attract more bees with honey than with vinegar but I couldn't help myself. The bitch just pisses me off and it is very hard to stay civil. At least I didn't swear at her! Oh, and I also didn't type in red or big fonts either, just capital letters.

A Reporter With BALLS!

On AOL Politics Daily, long-time White House reporter Carl Cannon bluntly declared that the political press gave Sarah Palin a raw deal in the 2008 campaign, and seriously failed to scrutinize Joe Biden, especially his fact-mangling and odd statements in the vice presidential debate. Cannon summed up:

In the 2008 election, we took sides, straight and simple, particularly with regard to the vice presidential race. I don't know that we played a decisive role in that campaign, and I'm not saying the better side lost. What I am saying is that we simply didn't hold Joe Biden to the same standard as Sarah Palin, and for me, the real loser in this sordid tale is my chosen profession.

He goes on to highlight 6 points during the Vice-Presidential debate where Joe "The Gaffe" Biden went way beyond gaffes and either out and out LIED or was so damned confused about the facts that he does NOT deserve to be in ANY political position at all. The biggest blunder was when he tried to explain the duties of the VPOTUS. He didn't have a frigging clue!! You really have to read the whole article. You can find it by following this link.

When you are done reading about many things WE already knew, but the press decided to ignore, you might wonder "Who is this Carl Cannon? Who is this BRAVE soul that is FINALLY outing the biased media?" Why didn't he fess up BEFORE THE ELECTION. I guess we'll never know. He could have saved our country A WHOLE LOT OF GRIEF! Follow this link for a description of his history. Here's the main part of it:

And pick them up he did. He covered the White House for The Baltimore Sun from 1993 to 1998, then moved to the National Journal in 1998 to cover the same beat. Cannon went on to win the Ford Prize in 1999 for Distinguished Reporting of the Presidency for his coverage of Bill Clinton.

He won the Beckman award this year for a National Journal cover story on Michael Gerson, the chief wordsmith for George W. Bush. That award was given on April 29 at this year's dinner hosted by the White House Correspondents' Association, an organization for which Cannon had served as president.

God Bless America Again - Bobby Bare

Here's another excellent song and clip from an excellent songmaster. Did I detect a tear of two as you watched this?


Bobby Bare


GOD BLESS AMERICA AGAIN

God bless America again.
You must know the trouble that she's in.
Wash her pretty face, dry her eyes and then
God bless America again.

Narration:
You know I wish God would bless America again
Like he did way back there when it all began.
He blessed her then, and we sort of took it for granted
And didn't ask again
So lets just kinda' hold her hand now that's all
In case she stumbles, lets don't let her fall

God bless America again.
You must know the trouble that she's in.
Wash her pretty face, dry her eyes and then
God bless America again.

Narration:
I don't understand everything I read and hear
About what's wrong with America.
When you don't have a lot of book learnin'
There's many things you don't understand
But I know this much, she's like a mother to me
And I love her with all my heart
And let me tell you this Sir, everything I am
Or ever hope to be, I owe to her.

God bless America again.
You must know the trouble that she's in.
Wash her pretty face, dry her eyes and then
God bless America again.

Oh yes God bless America again...

Bozo Barney

See the Asshole in the picture above? Just WAIT until you find out what he's up to this time! He wants to take any and all profits from the TARP repayments and spend them on--wait for it--people that don't pay taxes--AGAIN! If you will remember, any profits were supposed to go toward paying down debt. That was one of the things added into the bailout package to garner the necessary votes to get that piece of shit legislation passed. There is NO WAY, at this early stage of the game to even know if there will be a profit. Sure, maybe a few dividends are being collected right now, but who's to say that all the principal will ever get repaid? What will cover any losses that may, and probably will occur when some of the recipients go belly-up? When is that damned queer going to get aids and die? That's probably the only way we will ever get rid of the jerk, Massachusetts doesn't ever seem to vote the dumb bastards out of office. Kennedy is proof of that! Another thing, why did I have to stumble on this story? This bullshit SHOULD have been front page news in every paper and on every channel!

I am asking EVERYONE who reads this to contact your Senators and Representatives to vote AGAINST this theft! Call, write, or e-mail everyone you know and ask them to do the same. Write a blurb for your local newspapers. Get the word out to the max. If WE don't fight this stupid crap, it is our own fault. Here's the entire disgusting article for your reading displeasure. Here's the link.

Washington Examiner
By: Byron York
Chief Political Correspondent
07/01/09 9:19 PM EDT
When President Obama announced on June 9 that some financial institutions would be allowed to repay Troubled Asset Relief Program dollars, he said the massively expensive TARP bailout had made money for the federal government. "It is worth noting that in the first round of repayments from these [TARP recipients], the government has actually turned a profit," the president said. Indeed, TARP supporters have long held out the hope that the program might be profitable.

But now Rep. Barney Frank, the chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, has come up with a proposal to spend any TARP profits before they can be returned to the taxpayers. Last Friday, Frank introduced the "TARP for Main Street Act of 2009," a bill that would take profits from the program and immediately redirect them toward housing proposals favored by Frank and some fellow Democrats.

In exchange for receiving TARP money, financial institutions were required to hand over shares of preferred stock that paid a dividend for the government. In theory, if a financial institution paid the dividend faithfully, and then repaid the TARP money, then the government would turn a profit. Last month, the General Accountability Office (GAO) reported that, through June 12, 2009, the government had received $6.2 billion in dividend payments. The original TARP legislation required that money made from the program "shall be paid into the general fund of the Treasury for reduction of the public debt."

Frank, however, wants to spend the money before it can be used to pay down anything. First, the "TARP for Main Street" proposal would take $1 billion "from dividends paid by financial institutions that have received financial assistance provided under…the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act" and apply it to a trust fund that Frank has long wanted to create for low-income rental housing. (The measure, unfunded, was part of last year's bailout of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.) Next, Frank would take $1.5 billion from TARP dividends for a so-called "neighborhood stabilization" fund. Republican critics have charged that both measures might allow federal dollars to be distributed to activist groups like the Association of Community Organizers for Reform Now, or ACORN.

The "TARP for Main Street" bill would also spend $2 billion, apparently from remaining TARP funds, to subsidize people who are delinquent on their mortgages, and another $2 billion to "stabilize multifamily properties that are in default or foreclosure."

Frank's proposal comes at a time when Republicans, and some Democrats, are expressing concern about the continued use of TARP money. Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch recently complained that TARP funds are "now being used as a go-to solution to address all of our nation's economic ills." Hatch and Democratic Sen. Blanche Lincoln recently introduced a bill that would require that TARP money goes back to the Treasury for debt reduction.

Spending the dividend payments now, as Frank proposes, would reduce the chance that TARP might ever be a break-even deal for the taxpayers. "We don't know if TARP is going to be making any money, so taking the dividend payments going back to Treasury is pretty questionable," says one House GOP aide. Indeed, in its June report, the GAO revealed that 17 troubled institutions have not paid their dividends, much less repaid the TARP money itself. And last week, the Wall Street Journal reported that three other institutions were not paying dividends. But now, Frank is proposing that dividends be spent immediately. "It defeats the idea of taxpayer protection," says the GOP aide.

Iraqi Cities--Iraqi Control

BAGHDAD – Iraqi forces assumed formal control of Baghdad and other cities Tuesday after American troops handed over security in urban areas in a defining step toward ending the U.S. combat role in the country. A countdown clock broadcast on Iraqi TV ticked to zero as the midnight deadline passed for U.S. combat troops to finish their pullback to bases outside cities.
"The withdrawal of American troops is completed now from all cities after everything they sacrificed for the sake of security," said Sadiq al-Rikabi, a senior adviser to Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. "We are now celebrating the restoration of sovereignty."

Fireworks, not bombings, colored the Baghdad skyline late Monday, and thousands attended a party in a park where singers performed patriotic songs. Loudspeakers at police stations and military checkpoints played recordings of similar tunes throughout the day, as Iraqi military vehicles decorated with flowers and national flags patrolled the capital.

Midnight's handover to Iraqi forces filled many citizens with pride but also trepidation that government forces are not ready and that violence will rise. Shiites fear more bombings by Sunni militants; Sunnis fear that the Shiite-dominated Iraqi security forces will give them little protection.

On a visit to Ramadi, a Sunni city 70 miles west of the capital, Interior Minister Jawad al-Bolani, a Shiite, told the AP that when the sun rises on Tuesday "Iraqi citizens will see no U.S. soldiers in their cities. They will see only Iraqi troops protecting them."

The paragraphs above are only a small part of this wonderful story. Please follow this link for the rest. I can almost picture the grand party they had at Baghdad Park.

Well, I think it might be safe to say that "Today is the first day of the rest of the War." The celebrations in Iraq are a long time coming and I expect will last for some time yet.

The average Iraqi on the street had some mixed feelings today. A very deep sense of pride and patriotism comes with regaining 100% control of their cities. I can only imagine how fantastic it must feel for them today. The other emotion that grips the hearts and minds of many Iraqis is a deep-rooted fear of a possible return of the terrible sectarian killings of 2006 and 2007. How can anyone who lived through those days in Iraq not feel apprehensive now. Let us hope that the lessons learned during that time period will be remembered. I'm sure that there will be some who are not ready to quit yet, but I am also sure that they will squashed. I have to believe that the people will do whatever they have to to ensure that all the gains to date are not lost.

I am quite certain that every American, whether for or against us being there, hopes and prays that the peace holds. I am sure that almost all Iraqis feel the same way. Violence may and probably will increase somewhat in the short term but just maybe the light is visable at the end of the tunnel.

There are no words to adequately thank all of our fantastic servicepeople who had so much to do with the milestone we reached today. I know you have all heard me say this before, but I feel compelled to repeat myself: "Whenever you run into a vet, THANK them for what they do!!" You just can not fathom how much it means to them to hear it, and it doesn't cost a dime.

I just realized that this is the second post of the day. Please don't overlook the one below, it is a personal favorite of mine, and I think you will like it.

Veterans Monument in Gorham, N.H.

As you enter the center of the park in the town I grew up in, you will come upon this sight. It is the monument dedicated to all of the service members of all wars from the little town of Gorham, New Hampshire. The round stone structure in the foreground used to be a fountain and pool, but now they plant flowers in the center. Somebody probably all most drowned in it somewhere along the way. Liability you know. Too bad, I remember getting quite a bit of change out of there when I was a kid.

Left click on any of these pictures to fill your screen with an awesome view. You'll love them.


Here's a closer view. The stones covering the ground in front of the monument were each purchased and etched with the donors name. This provided the bulk of the funds for the construction of the project. It was dedicated on November 11th, 2000.


Most names have been listed twice, once in the concrete slabs and again on bronze plaques. I believe the ones on the bronze were the ones that actually saw combat duty because there are a few less of them, but I am not sure of this. I am on both. I spent quite a bit of time at this monument on the same day I visited the Vietnam Traveling Wall. I posted on that a couple of weeks ago. I have 14 relatives and over 80 friends memorialized here with me, this from a town of just over 3,000. I am in some very good company. My Dad, 5 cousins, 8 uncles, almost every male classmate from high school and a whole bunch of good friends, yes, very good company indeed!


This last picture is from the back side of the monument. I should have taken one of the entire back, but..... I imagine an update is due shortly. Gorham has many fine young men and women who have served recently, including quite a few from our local National Guard unit a couple years back. Sadly, I don't imagine the back will be half empty for long.

I hope you have enjoyed the second installment of my day of military reminiscing. I will have one more segment soon. I also visited Memorial Park in Berlin, where I live now, on the same day. You'll like the pictures I took of the various memorials there, especially the Vietnam Memorial.

Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson Die

As I watched the news Thursday morning, I was saddened to hear that one of my childhood sex idols, Farrah Fawcett lost her long battle with cancer. She accomplished a lot in her 62 years here. Like most older fans, my first memories of her was of a rather ditzy blonde bomb shell, one of Charlie's Angels. It took her quite a while to cast off the image of being a dizzy blonde. She proved to America that she had much more to offer when, in 1984, we saw her in "The Burning Bed." What a great performance that was. Her last work, a documentary about the cancer that ended up killing her, was by far her best performance. It might just be because of my generation, but I'll take Farrah and the countless other sex kittens from the 60's and 70's over today's crop any day. They were so much more wholesome, and so much more earthly. The term "bimbo" was never really defined until their replacements came along.



Fast-forward to Thursday evening. I'm sitting at the bar of my favorite watering hole sipping on a White Russian and trying to keep up with the closed captions as I watch CNN news. Whoooaa! What's that, Michael Jackson was just rushed to the hospital? Yup. A short while later he's dead. Wow, I'm thinking. Two celebrities on the same day. Damn, I thought he was older than 50. I guess it's all those face-lifts and various other surgeries. I remember him as a child when it was the whole family. I thought he was pretty good back then. I even still enjoyed his music during the moonwalking and the Pepsi roasting commercials era. When he started playing around with the kids, well, that's when I quit listening. I have absolutely no use for pedophiles. He may have had enough money to stay out of jail, but I will NEVER have any doubt about his guilt. I am surprised his career managed to bounce back, it certainly wasn't because of me.

Talk about media imbalance. They never stopped covering his death until I left the bar in disgust about 4 hours later. Those fucking idiots Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson were there with their ugly mugs in front of the camera. Pathetic assholes! FOUR hours talking about that damned pervert. I'll bet it lasted a lot longer than that, but when I got home, I had control of the remote! If I hadn't caught the morning news, I never would have even known that Farrah Fawcett had died the same day. Where's the fairness in that?? As far as I am concerned, good riddance. To bad Al and Jesse couldn't have caught the same ride to Hell with him!