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8/28 | Share This Article:
By Kim Hamlin--, on September 4th, 2010
If I learned anything from the Restoring Honor Rally on 8/28, it was a lesson in multiplying and dividing.
Politicians, political parties, the majority of civil rights activists, and the mainstream media, along with lots of others I’m not thinking of at the moment, are the dividers. They have to divide because it is their life’s blood. Without division, they have no chance to pocket money from those they have deluded into thinking they will work for/serve them. Without division there is no reason for press.
The multipliers include our faith, our hope, and our charity. Our belief that the dividers are not in control, our belief that we can do better, our belief that we make a difference. Our hope is defined by our faith, what we believe is the catalyst for our hope in the future. Without these beliefs, we have no hope. Our charity is the result of our faith and our hope. Without both, there is no reason to be charitable. When we believe and have faith, we multiply hope for others. When we have hope, we endure and it multiplies the faith of those around us. When we give, we heal hearts and minds. The healing of hearts and minds multiplies their hope and faith. And so the cycle goes.
Division isn’t without positive reaction, however. Division can cause faith and hope to be tested and strengthened, and it can cause those who were never charitable to dig deeper. What the dividers don’t know can hurt them. Faith, Hope and Charity are not alone, they have back up. It’s name is Love. Love for God, love for country, and love for freedom.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy. Love is never boastful, nor conceited, nor rude; It is not self-seeking, nor easily angered. It keeps no record of wrongdoing. It does not delight in evil, But rejoices in the truth. It always protects, trusts, hopes, and preserves. There is nothing love cannot face; There is no limit to its faith, hope, and endurance. In a word, there are three things that last forever: Faith, hope, and love; But the greatest of them all is love.- 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Child Abuse | Share This Article:
By Rich, on September 3rd, 2010
7 Defendants Convicted In Portugal Sex Abuse Trial
Before I even start, I wish to include a comment I saw immediately after reading this awful article.
From “Weirdo”…. “Is it possible that some of the little ones enjoyed it?”.
Weirdo 18 minutes ago Report Abuse
I feel dirty just reading that comment. It doesn’t matter if the person commenting is American or not, they are Human, or at least should act like it, and this is something that is never to be joked about. My goodness, what these 7 people did is beyond my ability to absorb it. 4500 kids in State Custody were subjected to a Pedophile Ring, and one of the Defendants(a lady) allowed her home to be used where the Perverts “met” with the children.
Honestly? There is not enough yuck in the world.
I was going to do a long post on abuse, list statistics, and the like, and I just can’t right now. This turns my stomach, and I can’t look at anymore “information” regarding this issue. On this subject there is no Independent Viewpoint, you are either on the proper side or a pervert. What punishment is possibly good enough for people like this? I am not a supporter of Torture for any reason, however in this case I would listen attentively to any arguments for it you may have. What is this World coming to?
Auto Companies | Share This Article:
By Rich, on September 2nd, 2010
The Economy is a huge topic right now, and has been for about 3 years. Yes for those of you who blame President Obama for the current Economy, it was tanking huge on President Bush’s watch. It HAS improved since President Obama took office, much to the chagrin of those “Tea Party” people. What brings this to mind tonight is an article on the Auto Industry.
Buyers Seeing Fewer Incentives
Apparently at the high point in our recent Economic boom, this country sold 17 million new cars and trucks in a year. Last year we sold 10.4 million, a 30 year low. And the average is about 14 million. This year we are on pace for 11.6 million cars and trucks. So, what is that in money terms? 2.4 million vehicles X the average new vehicle price, let’s say about $30,000. The actual price is $29,217, but I rounded up, because I am lazy! Average New Car Price $72,000,000,000 lost this year. Or for those of you “accuracy” people $70,120,800,000. 70 Billion dollars missing in this Economy, due to the lack of new vehicle purchasing, and that is just the price of the vehicles. Not to mention the Commissions on those sales, the Salaries of Mechanics, Sales People, Managers, PR People, Taxes on those sales, Salaries of the people at the factories, the Shipping people. What would a conservative estimate be for that lost money? Maybe another 10-20 Billion? How much taxes would be generated just in the purchasing of 2.4 million more new vehicles this year? With 4 months left in the year, that equals 600,000 vehicles per month extra.
Wow. And instead of doing everything they can to generate the sales, and push this Economy, the Dealerships and Automakers are taking a hard stance on Incentives, Discounts, and the like, and just saying no. Last year the Cash For Clunkers program(a part of the Stimulus plan) improved new vehicle sales dramatically. Which brought in much needed money into the Economy. The cost of the Cash For Clunkers? $2.88 Billion. And how much did it generate? There are no definite numbers I can find, but according to KTLA, Democratic Underground, and Wikipedia, 690,114 vehicles were sold as a result of the Clunker program. Using our estimates of the price of a new vehicle, lets see how much money that generated. $20,703,420,000. 20 Billion dollars on an investment of just about 3 Billion, so a gross gain of 17 Billion dollars. Now, imagine how much Tax Income was generated through those sales? Salaries, and all of that, jobs saved, just in this little snippet of the Stimulus we can see that it worked wonders, correct?
What would happen if the Auto Companies put forth similar deals this year? Instead of cutting these deals, enhance them, quit over charging for these vehicles, and sell them at a fair price? How many sales would that translate into? 200,000? 400,000? How many? Now for a moment imagine that the Government re-instated the Cash For Clunkers program? For the rest of the year. Say going based on last years 3 Billion dollar cost for 4 weeks, lets multiply that till the end of this year, and we get a price tag of $12 Billion dollars. Dick Cheney’s pool costs more. So in 4 weeks the CFC brought in an additional almost 700,000 new purchases. Imagine if that happened this year, every month till the end of the year? That would be 2.8 million new vehicle purchases. Making this year a better than average year by 400,000 purchases. And would generate $80 Billion dollars in revenue, which then would be taxed and what not.
Why are we not doing this? Why are Automakers and Dealers taking such a hard line towards the Consumer? We all know why the Government isn’t doing this(Tea Party, Republicans, and Republicans in Democrat Clothing would whine and holler, oh the costs, oh the costs, its Socialism, blah, blah, blah. Remember our talk about Socialism? Check it if you don’t get my reference here.) So for $12 Billion we could generate $80 Billion. A $68 Billion dollar gross gain into the Economy. So yes, the costs would be well covered, and would actually generate Income.
Is this the only issue with the Economy? Of course not, 10′s of millions of people are still out of work, but it would give a much needed kick in the tush that this Economy sorely needs. Other things need to be done as well, and no, that doesn’t mean more whining and bitching. As I come across things with the Economy I will post some common sense views. If anyone has an issue with my math here or my end results, by all means comment away and point out the flaws in the logic. Please provide proof as well. Thank you.
It is part of the general pattern of misguided policy that our country is now geared to an arms economy which was bred in an artificially induced psychosis of war hysteria and nurtured upon an incessant propaganda of fear. Douglas MacArthur
Economy is the method by which we prepare today to afford the improvements of tomorrow. Calvin Coolidge
In the new economy, information, education, and motivation are everything. William J. Clinton
The political system is not for the people. The people are secondary to the economy. It’s about what generates money, not about what benefits the people. Ziggy Marley
Policy | Share This Article:
By Rich, on September 1st, 2010
Pediatricians Decry Portrayals Of Sex In Media
What is Sex Education? Some segments of society want only to tell kids don’t do that. How is that working out for you? They also say that sort of “Education” should be done in the home. Ok, I can buy that, but lets wonder then how many broken and useless homes there are? How many people do you know just on your block that couldn’t explain how to get out of a wet paper bag, and you want to trust them to explain Sex Education? Maybe it is just me, but that doesn’t sound very bright, now does it?
Right now this very second, the Media, Movies, TV, Magazines, Books, Commercials, Etc., are teaching the kids more about Sex than we ever learned on the playground. Even the commercials for kids Victoria’s age contain a Sex message. In the clothing the kids wear(my goodness, some of these kids need to put some clothes on) to their actions, and what they say. Then you have movies that just simply expose them to it. Baldly. Right there. Tell me you didn’t watch Body Heat the second you could. Or 9 1/2 weeks? Or pick any movie that is on now, even Disney movies have implied suggestions in them. Whether you like it or not, todays youth is being smashed over the head with images, suggestions, and ideas from all sources, except Parents and Educators. Kids have questions, just like adults do. They also do not understand the “Emotional” part of Sex either. Neither do many adults. Why is this?
My personal view is that it is something that should be taught in school. It should be comprehensive, explaining what Sex is, what Contraceptives are AND HOW TO USE THEM! Of course Abstinence is discussed, but seeing as though it is extremely unrealistic(I wanted booty, booty dammit! Yes my parents discussed things with me, and I had Sex Ed at school. Abstinence was explained and had no appeal to me, for obvious reasons.) the kids need to be presented with choices, and given all of the information possible on those choices, and the ramifications of those decisions. Was I aware that ladies could get pregnant? Of course, if that had happened I would have dealt with it, didn’t deter me from knocking boots, now did it? ;D
I think one question is not being asked when Sex Education is brought up. What makes people have sex? Not just kids, but everyone. Why do you have sex? How does it make you feel? Especially when done properly? Afterwards most of you have a Coke and a smile, right? This is probably one of the most powerful reasons why kids have sex. It is fun, it feels good, and where else can they get that kind of euphoric feeling? Once THIS topic has been raised, and explained(along with ramifications) then kids can make an Educated choice. Don’t you agree? Another very heavy question that is brought up by the kids themselves.
Why should I wait? Tough question, right? Are there any Biological reasons to wait? None that I am aware of, if there are, feel free to enlighten me in the comments. So then the reasons to wait are Societal, and Emotional, right? Because emotionally they may not be prepared for the event, and the aftermath, which is sometimes awkward and painful. Especially if the lady was pressured, or it is a one time thing, and both parties were not aware of that fact. Emotional scarring can occur immediately, Ladies if you disagree let me know. So try and answer the question. Why should I wait? Because I said so just doesn’t cut it.
High Divorce Rates And Teen Pregnancy Are Worse In Red States Than In Blue States
I could have told you that. Common sense really. The hypocrisy of the “Super Religious” people, this article from the Christian Science Monitor really highlights just that. This holier than thou attitude cannot be kept up, and it strains families, which causes strife amongst spouses, and tensions amongst the children, leading them to rebel.
Why the hypocrisy? Why all of the drama? Kids are having sex earlier and earlier, having kids, catching disease, all because it is a “taboo” subject. At what point do these people sit down and shut up, so we can educate the youth of our nation? I would much rather they know what is going on, the risks, the challenges, and yes the positives of sex. We wouldn’t do it if it wasn’t good, so why do the kids? I think the answers are pretty obvious, don’t you?
Rise In Teenage Pregnancy
CDC, Adolescent Reproduction
The CDC has all of the stats you could want, on diseases, and pregnancy. It is staggering the amount of 15-19 year old girls that get pregnant, and it is rising. What needs to happen is Education, of the kids and the parents, that way they can learn facts, not fear mongering and making it seem dirty or perverted. Why are there so many deviants and sex offenders? I would hazard a guess that it is due to Puritanical views towards sex, and making it seem dirty and wrong. I tried looking it up, and I could not find anything suggesting a study that covers the Religious preferences and/or beliefs of Sex Offenders/Deviants. Maybe they should. I believe it would be a very interesting read. I have no witty quotes for this topic, or even any smart quotes, it is a Societal issue, that needs serious discussion and not a bunch of zealous preaching. Thank you.
Education Debate | Share This Article:
By Jonah C., on August 30th, 2010
September is rolling around again, which means I will soon return to public high school as a junior.
The courses and activities that I am involved in most likely mean I will be limited to about 5 or so posts per month, so this is the end of regular blog updates for a time. Before my hiatus of sorts begins, I’d like to take the time to present a few observations and concerns about the education system I am about to immerse myself in. My school is relatively well-off in comparison to the nationwide averages. 95% of students graduate on time and the teacher to student ratio is 1 to 12.
This compares to the national averages of 69% and 16 to 1. These figures may be a result of the competent management in my school district and across the state of Massachusetts. However, I think they are likely connected to the high levels of racial and economic homogeneity in my district. 92% of the school system is white, and only 12% are eligible for free and reduced lunch. This compares to 75% and over 50% nationwide. Still, the recent recession (and possibly double dip recession) has forced schools and libraries in my area to make extensive cuts to programs, staff, supplies, and other expenses. Ever since the bookmobile program was eliminated and statewide library funding cuts were implemented, some small towns have become intellectually isolated.
They have no money to purchase new books, and no way to obtain them through inter-library loans, a fee-based service. Local schools are also consolidating. While this lowers administrative costs, it increases class sizes and short-changes children in need of an education. All this, in conjunction with the meager 27% of adults with at least a bachelor’s degree, has created a knowledge deficit in the United States. An encouraging 97% of citizens say they are knowledgeable on the subject of global warming. However, many said they associated it most with weather, not climate. This means that there is a large portion of the populace that is misinformed but confident enough to disseminate their faulty facts.
Ignorance and bad political policy form a circuitous cycle, which is something we must break out of if we are to establish our country as a global leader in anything. Defeating the learning deficit starts with funding. If we are to support our children, we must give our educators the money they need to succeed. No student should be enrolled in lecture-style classes of 25 or more on a frequent basis. Studies have continually shown that children perform better in discussion-based and interactive classroom setups, all impossible if a school can’t afford to pay good teachers or buy new books. Reading from a 1995 textbook all day is NOT a good way to motivate students to find purpose and success in life.
We need vocational programs, after-school initiatives, ways to enfranchise young people, even if they have a rough family life or a traumatic past. None of this can happen if obstructionist politicians block education packages for costing too much, especially while there is a chronic unwillingness to cut obvious pork from the Pentagon’s budget. The time has come (In fact, it came a long time ago) to demonstrate a commitment to America’s next generation.
It’s time for Washington to own up to its missteps and pledge to improve the condition of public education.
Celebrities | Share This Article:
By Rich, on August 29th, 2010
Now, this is a Political blog, with my viewpoints on differing issues. It seems to me that the absolutely atrocious Sentencing, and enforcement of Celebrity arrests and convictions, demonstrates perfectly what is wrong with our Legal System. The straw that bent this camel’s back is Lindsay Lohan, or Lilo, for those of you who follow this stuff.
Lindsay Lohan Released After 23 Days
Now, if you or I would have been sentenced to 90 days in Rehabilitation, guess what, we would have spent 90 full days in there. Not Lohan! Or Charlie Sheen, or any of these other Celebrities that commit crimes that you and I would be put away for life over. Far be it from me to be judgmental, but if you are sentenced to do the time, shouldn’t you do it? You obviously did the crime, now pay for it. The Drug War is another post altogether, or the War on Drugs, whatever you want to call it. This case with Lohan is pretty cut and dry. She drove drunk, she should pay the penalty. How many times has she broken the law? Why is she still free? Because she is rich and famous. Bernie Madoff anyone? Is he in general population with Bubba in a hardcore prison? No, of course not, he’s at a country club probably in protective custody.
Drunk driving is a serious offense, she could have killed someone, or herself. Where is the punishment? Here in Wisconsin we have some of the most lenient Drunk Driving laws on the books, why? The Tavern League is such a powerful lobbying group and Election tool. Very few Politicians get elected in Wisconsin that mess with the Tavern League. Sounds pretty pathetic doesn’t it? Instead of protecting families and good law abiding citizens, they pander to the drunks and the people who supply the drunks with the booze, so they can have more campaign money. And when families, and children get killed, by the guy who is being arrested for his 14th or 15th DUI, they go, oh how can this happen(while on camera) then take another handout from the Taverns to ensure it happens again.
Man Arrested For Tenth Time DUI
Woman Arrested 4 Times In 4 Months For DUI
15 Times The Charm
MADD
Wow. On another post I will go over the law here in Wisconsin, and explain why it isn’t tough enough on this issue. Right now, I am bothered by the hypocrisy of the system that permits people rich enough to get away with whatever, while Joe The Plumber gets to be Bubba’s boy toy. In what way does this make sense? So long as you are famous or loaded you don’t have to worry about consequences? Is that what the Founders imagined or intended to happen? Shouldn’t the Judicial system apply to everyone equally? Isn’t that why “Lady Justice” is blindfolded? The scales are supposed to be even, but they are not. Kind of a quick post today, it just burns my biscuits to see these people not have to pay for their crimes. I just don’t get it.
Drinking and driving: there are stupider things, but it’s a very short list. ~Author Unknown
A tree never hits an automobile except in self defense. ~American Proverb
If you drink, don’t drive. Don’t even putt. ~Dean Martin
Dora | Share This Article:
By Rich, on August 28th, 2010
Yes, there are people out there that hate that little cartoon girl. She helps kids understand teamwork, explains things in English and Spanish, amongst other languages. Dora explains how to be a good friend, a good big sister, how to count, all kinds of lessons, both life and academic. What is wrong with that? Apparently quite a bit. By now I should have learned my lesson and not read the comments on a Yahoo article, I guess I must be a glutton for punishment. Well friends and neighbors, our fellow Americans in their infinite “Racial” wisdom, have left comments on an article depicting how the pint sized Latin girl helps little kids. Yeah.
Dora The Explorer May Change A Whole Generation
And now let’s see some comments before Yahoo censors them. Copying and pasting messes with my fonts and colors and stuff, so I will retype these. Are you ready? I hope one of us is…….
From Vv, “What do you call ten Mexicans in quicksand? A good start.”
From Frank, “That little illegal immigrant is corrupting our fine white country.”
From Helter Skelter , “So Juan and Jose jump off a building racing to the bottom, who wins? Society.”
From Nathan, “Whora the Explorer”
From Ponic, ” Dora should change Spanish language to some other like French or German, Spanish is very annoying, I want to vomit when I hear this retarded language.”
From William , “Push the Latina down our throats, like the Communist Manifesto, change the kids first, then the nation. Mex America”
From Terri, “Dora fits the M.O. of an anchor baby, backpack and all.”
From Blitherer, “OK, Dora subsequently devolved from a forest animal into an anchor baby then.”
And lastly because I can’t take anymore…..
From Donzi, “Straight up propaganda to make dumb white girls think illegals are ok. We should be burning everything with her face on it.”
Wow. From the mouths and fingers of our fellow Americans. Seriously people, are you kidding me? This is the sentiment that is out in Main Street America right now, don’t let anyone tell you different. My goodness. It is late, I am now incredibly cranky after reading these comments, and yes I read every single one of the 867 comments. Like I said, glutton for punishment. Someone asked me, why does it bother you? Because one of these “people” at some point is going to encounter and treat my daughter or my wife poorly, based solely on this. And instead of calming the hysteria, denouncing the calls for violence, making it clear that comments like those above are inexcusable, people like Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck, the Tea Party, Republicans of all shapes and ages, Rush Limbaugh and their ilk are encouraging this rhetoric, and even spreading it and fanning the flames of the fringe. Once again as an Independent, they have and are really turning me off to anything that their “side” has to say. I am just about to the point of putting the entire “Conservative”, “Republican” side on mute, and not just because of this issue. Whether it is the economy, supporting the Troops(and I don’t mean token rallies here and there, I mean supporting them, their families, while they are oversees, and most especially when they come back, and Republicans just don’t do that.), the immigration issue, social issues, and don’t get me started on Health Care in this country, it is an absolute joke.
I will leave you with this thought. What is next? If they can seriously do this to a children’s role model, learning tool, what else can they do? What else will they do? Awful scary thought, isn’t it? Yeah. What kind of a world will Victoria inherit? I just don’t know…
Economics | Share This Article:
By Jonah C., on August 27th, 2010
One of the criticisms of President Obama is related to his unwillingness to sign off on big funding packages for NASA. These call for a return to the moon, revitalization of a space shuttle program that travels between earth and the international space station, and ultimately, a Mars mission.
Many conservatives and scientists have maligned Obama as anti-innovation for this reason. What’s ridiculous is that if anything, the recent space budget is a prime example of government waste, which many supporters of NASA (especially Republicans) decry. We have already been to the moon. We have sent probe after probe to Mars. Space shuttles are dangerous (Challenger, Columbia) and the antithesis of innovation, as they have operated without significant changes or improvements for 28 years.
Now, the US has given lucrative contracts to the Russian government and private contractors to keep returning astronauts to the space station. In other words, we are operating a space program that has little excitement surrounding it, little potential gain, and a hefty price tag. On the reverse end of the global spectrum, nations such as China are creating ever cheaper, more effective ways to navigate space. Private companies here in the US are in the development stages of commercial space traffic to the moon (initial ticket price: $200,000/seat).
Obama has done the right thing by putting a halt to repetitive programs, but he has done the wrong thing in the sense that the US does not have a clearly defined mission in space. NASA needs a deadline to become a profitable segment of government instead of a money sink. If it fails to reach this benchmark, funding should be drastically cut and the program further pared back. If it succeeds, new funds should be injected with the expectation that NASA will continue to provide revenue.
One way that NASA could accomplish this would be to set a goal of mining the asteroid belt, which is almost immeasurably rich in minerals (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining). Another route might be to set a goal, not just of reaching Mars, but setting up a permanent colony and a transportation service. NASA surely has the resources to outcompete any space startup in terms of affordability and quality service. It needs to stop backtracking and instead return to its place as a shining example of the power of science.
Common Sense | Share This Article:
By Rich, on August 25th, 2010
I was blog hopping today, and came across a thought provoking post. A Sideways Girl: Love Is Love is the post. By all means, go ahead and check it out. The post is about Gay Marriage, and essentially asking why people are upset by this. Once again, full disclosure here. I see nothing wrong with Marriage for anyone. It does not matter to me if you are Straight, Gay, Black, White, Polka-dotted, or have antlers on your head. Doesn’t affect me, doesn’t bother me, I could not possibly care less if everyone in the World got married. BFD dude, BFD.
I have some questions I am going to ask. I will post some links, share some stats, you know, my standard fare. My main question is simply this, If you are against Gay Marriage, Why? What does it have to do with you? Does it affect you in anyway whatsoever? Honestly? Why does it bother you?
Religious Tolerance: Gay Marriage
Pew Forum: Gay marriage
Now, let us look at some other “groups” that were not permitted to Marry, because it would destroy the “Sanctity” of the Union, and bring about the “End of Days”.
Blacks could not marry Whites. Ooohhh, the horrors!
Latinos could not marry Asians. Why?
Whites could not marry anyone other than another White. Why?
What I am getting at here, is that up until 1967, Loving Vs. Virginia was the Supreme Court case that finally permitted Interracial marriage. The arguments against sound pretty familiar.
Interracial Marriage In The United States
Anti-Miscegentaion Laws
South Carolina in 1998 and Alabama in 2000, were the last States to amend their Constitutions to permit Interracial Marriage. 31 and 33 years after they were ordered to do so by the Supreme Court. Wow. The arguments are the same, it is unnatural for the races to Marry, it will ruin the Sanctity of the Marriage. Well, here we still are, aren’t we? The World did not end, the Earth did not spin off of its axis, the Sun did not stop revolving around the Earth(that one was for you “backwards thinkers”, ;D). My marriage to Yolanda would not have been permitted just 43 years ago. Though Wisconsin was among a handful of States that did not pass laws against Interracial Marriage.
Anyhow, my point is this. The people throwing stones, and spears, and vile, rude rhetoric at the Gay marriage debate, sit down and hush. You said the same exact stuff when they wanted to have people of different races/ethnicities Marry, and the World is still here. That didn’t affect your life, and neither will this.
What does affect everyone is the Divorce Rates. Divorce Rate states that currently around 50% of first Marriages end in Divorce. 67% of SECOND Marriages. And! And 74% of THIRD MARRIAGES! What gets me, is you have people hollering and shouting about the “Sanctity” of Marriage, the “Holiness” of the Union, then they turn around and get Married 6 more times. How many times has Larry King and Elizabeth Taylor been Married? Larry King, 8 times. Elizabeth Taylor, apparently planning her 9th Marriage right now. Wow. Woman Married 23 Times Damn. And her last husband? He was Married 29 times. Yeah, that “Union” is pretty Holy, don’t you think?
So after all of this, Why is this still an issue? Since people treat Marriage as no more than a “Tax Shelter”, why not allow Gay people to Marry? What is wrong with it? Anybody? Not a thing. Thank you.
If Gay and Lesbian People were given Civil Rights, then everyone would want them…. – Author Unknown
No Government has the right to tell its citizens when or whom to love. The only queer people are those that don’t love anybody. – Rita Mae Brown
War. Rape. Murder. Poverty. Equal Rights for gays. Guess which one the Southern Baptist Convention is protesting? – The Value of Families
Jesse Helms and Newt Gingrich were shaking hands congratulating themselves on the introduction of an anti-gay bill in Congress. If it passes, they won’t be able to shake hands, because it will then be illegal for a prick to touch an asshole. – Judy Carter
Why is it that, as a culture, we are more comfortable seeing two men holding guns than holding hands? – Ernest Gaines
Fox News | Share This Article:
By Jonah C., on August 24th, 2010
Buzz frequently circulates through the blogosphere about media bias. Although both accusations are made, you definitely hear more complaints about “liberal media bias” than “conservative media bias.” To test the stories, I watched a few hours of each major network at a friend’s house. I don’t normally have access to television news because I live in a mountainous area with no cable. I realize that I may have some ingrained personal impressions about the networks, but I tried to set these aside when I did the ratings. This is certainly not infallible considering the small sample size, so tell me what you think! [Note on scale: 0=extreme liberal bias, 100=extreme conservative bias, 50=entirely balanced and impartial]
How they stack up:
ABC – 60
Explanation: very mainstream, facts seemed more tailored to what public opinion polls showed than what they really were (to increase ratings?), Obama’s high disapproval numbers (46%) make this as a result slightly conservative
CBS – 40
Explanation: very mainstream and generic for the most part, a few slyly biased commentators that color it slightly, almost insignificantly blue
CNN – 50
Explanation: seemed most balanced and thoughtful, good at depicting both sides, prone to sensationalism at times but nevertheless reliable
FOX – 100
Explanation: incredible in its level of distortion, popularity a sad comment on the gullibility of Americans
MSNBC – 20
Explanation: almost as bad as FOX, commentators similarly ridiculous (Olbermann, Maddow) news hosts more tasteful than FOX
That’s my impression, don’t be shy about weighing in with your views on bias on television. I will try to do radio and newspaper editions later; they are considerably more time-consuming.
Disclose Act | Share This Article:
By Kim Hamlin--, on August 23rd, 2010
In June, I wrote about the Disclose Act, in a post titled “It’s Really All About Accountability”.
Team Obama is back, just like the Progressive machine that it is, to try and silence you. The Disclose Act failed to pass last month because of Senators’ Brown, Collins & Snowe. I can only imagine what they are being offered or how they are being threatened for the next vote, but don’t be discouraged. The administration is obviously afraid of your voice and your power, and that’s why they keep trying to pass this Act of Disgrace. We must continue to push back! We will not be silenced!
Even the Sierra Club believes this Act to be “unfair and undemocratic” and that smaller grass-roots organizations would be at a disadvantage because they don’t have the ability to deal with “the additional disclosure burdens.” Free speech for big non-profits and unions was maintained by the Supreme Court decision in January, but small corporations and small non-profits and grassroots organizations could lose theirs if we don’t demand that these Senators continue to vote No.
President Obama and his crew have stated that the Court’s decision would “open the floodgates for special interest, including foreign corporations, to spend without limit in our elections.” But guess what? Our current federal law and Federal Election Commission regulations already ban foreign corporations from participating directly or indirectly in American elections. (see 2 U.S.C. § 441e and 2 U.S.C. 437g).
Contact the Senators, thank them for their previous vote of “NO” and tell them to do like you are, and to keep on keepin’ on! God bless you! (Clicking on each Senator’s name should take you to their website where you can email them if you choose.)
Scott Brown (R-NH)
Washington DC: (T) (202) 224-4543, (F) (202) 228-2646
Olympia Snowe (R-ME)
Washington DC: (T) (202) 224-5344, Toll free (800) 432-1599, (F) (202) 224-1946
Susan Collins (R-ME)
Washington DC: (T) (202) 224-2523, (F) (202) 224-2693
Full Disclosure | Share This Article:
By Rich, on August 23rd, 2010
Birthright Citizenship this article deals with the effort to rightly or wrongly try and eradicate the 14th Amendment.
President Obama As Border Cop this article deals with President Obama’s track record in deportations. Not what the Republicans are saying, now is it?
Anchor Babies this article deals with the misinformation being given on “Birth Tourists”.
First off, I want to include some of the “Enlightened” comments from these Yahoo articles. It seems that they only censor occasionally, seeing as though these gems have made it this long. All I can say is I am quoting here, WOW.
Diego Fri Aug 13, 2010 06:43 am PDT Report Abuse
Jacob R Wed Aug 18, 2010 08:57 pm PDT Report Abuse
Some of the viewpoints of our fellow Americans. Very interesting, don’t you think?
Secondly, I am going to give full disclosure here. My interest in this issue is extremely high, mainly due to the fact that my wife Yolanda is Hispanic. Which in turn makes my daughter half-Hispanic. Before anyone gets their panties in a bunch, Yolanda was born here, and her parents came to this country the correct way, and have been citizens for a very long time. So yes, when I see comments like those above, my blood boils and I hope and pray that someone that ignorant never crosses my wife or daughters path. Unfortunately, my wife has met several people recently that have treated her in a very poor way, for merely being slightly more tan than me. She is light enough to pass as a Caucasian if she were to choose to do so, her Mother’s people come from Spain. So she is half European and Mexican as well. Which actually makes Victoria only 1/3 or 1/4 Hispanic, now doesn’t it? Yolanda is proud of her heritage, as she should be, and so does not “pass” as something she is not.
As I stated before, my passion and interest in this issue is extremely high, and yes, if someone were to treat my wife or daughter in an Un-American way in front of me, well they would be picking up their teeth. I see posts on Facebook all the time calling for “Legalizing Mexican Hunting”, I even had a so called “friend” send me a message and ask me how I could be such a “Blood Traitor”(What is this, Harry Potter?) and made rude comments and insinuations regarding both Yolanda and Victoria. Yeah. Talk about poking an angry bear with a stick, huh? Needless to say, that person(and I use the term loosely) has been blocked, and should be extremely thankful they live far away. How would you feel if this happened to you? If this type of behavior continues to spread, these comments, snide remarks, dirty looks, how should someone handle it? How would you handle it?
Because this issue is so personal to me, I have been doing additional research, editing the coming posts very carefully, to try and come out with an educated look at the issue, not a knee jerk reactionary look, as most people would, if in my situation, right? Could I be blamed for that? Probably not, but the point of the blog here is to have an Independent Viewpoint, right? It has been hard to separate myself from the issue, and I had given thought to not discussing it at all. However, Yolanda pushed me to do it, essentially saying well here you go, this issue is so hardcore about, present it with facts and whichever way it comes out with the facts, is how it is, whether you like the outcome or not. Yes, I have a very smart wife. ;D This is why I have not been posting daily like I normally would, I have been in a very deep thought process on this issue, and I do not have all of the answers, but I think some of the ones I have are pretty darn good for everyone. If the discussion can be brought back to Civil terms, we could possibly hash this one out. Stop with the fear-mongering, pandering to the fringe, and come up with some ideas and seriously talk them out.
I will continue to work on this, don’t hate me for throwing in a different topic here and there, I am going to take my time with this one. Maybe 1 post per week about it. To get it right. Because it is important to me, and my family. Thank you for your continued support!
All the problems we face in the United States today can be traced to an unenlightened immigration policy on the part of the American Indian. Pat Paulsen
America was indebted to immigration for her settlement and prosperity. That part of America which had encouraged them most had advanced most rapidly in population, agriculture and the arts. James Madison
Immigration is the sincerest form of flattery. Jack Paar
Economics | Share This Article:
By Jonah C., on August 23rd, 2010
For years, Republicans have called for a simplified tax code. They are absolutely right. Studies show Americans are frustrated with or lack the attention span to complete large amounts of paperwork. That in combination with the latest rallying cry, “Taxed Enough Already” (T.E.A.) may explain why rates of tax evasion are rising. This shouldn’t be a partisan issue; it’s a common-sense issue.
Democrats need to stop tacking on exemptions with every new bill; adding massive amounts of forms is not an enlightened way to incentivize good deeds. Republicans, on the other hand, must stop suggesting it would be beneficial to ordinary Americans to adopt a flat tax or national sales tax in place of income tax. A flat tax is so obviously anti-worker, it’s hard to believe it was ever on the table. Say the flat tax rate is 5%. A person making $20,000 pays $1,000, leaving him or her with $19,000. A person making $1,000,000 pays $50,000, leaving him or her with $950,000. Obviously, 5% is a mere drop in the bucket for someone with such a tremendous disposable income, while for someone making minimum wage and paying rent, it could mean skimping on food or medical expenses.
The national sales tax idea also unfairly singles out the poorest Americans. Those who instantly reinvest all of their income into the economy just to survive can afford less, while a tax on purchases actually provides incentive for the wealthy to hoard and accumulate, which is contrary to even the neoconservative philosophy of trickle-down economics. The paradoxical thing is that both were devised by the same people working at the same think tanks and PACs. Maybe ‘trickle down’ should be replaced with ‘short-changing the poor and padding the pockets of the rich.’ Perhaps the most frightening element of these two suggestions for reforming the tax code is that they are most vocally supported by those whom they would hurt most, the inhabitants of rural America.
It is possible to create a tax code that is simple, effective, and economically sound. It just requires the uncomfortable action of considerate thought. If the income tax were eliminated for those earning under $100,000 a year, it would be a huge boost for the economy. Much more spending could occur and jobs would be created. There would be a huge consumer base that would inject most of its money back into purchases and small businesses. To make up for the lost revenue, taxes could be raised on the wealthiest Americans ($1,000,000 or more a year) and corporations.
If massive conglomerates have the same say as physical people, they should be taxed that way too, not cushioned inside a safety net of waivers. When you hear any politician talk, they’ll tell you that the American spirit of entrepreneurship is one of the things that makes this country great. So why do they vote time and again to give big breaks to corporate fat cats, free passes that end up hurting local businesses and startups in the long run? It’s time to hold corporate America accountable for the many wrongs it has inflicted on the economy and the people, and one of the best ways to do this is to make it pick up more of the tab for schools, roads, hospitals, and parks.
Finally, one further way to increase revenue and cajole people away from bad habits would be to up the number of “sin” taxes. We already have them on alcohol and tobacco. It would not be difficult to add considerable tax on foods containing trans fats and recreational motor vehicles (i.e. snowmobiles, jet-skis, quads), which contribute a hefty percentage of arterial blockages and emissions each year, respectively. This could potentially have further dividends beyond tangible dollars, reducing the strain on both the healthcare system and the environment. A healthier nation, a cleaner nation, a small business focused nation, and a reduced paperwork nation all sound good. So why can’t clear heads prevail?
Let’s tamp down on our archaic and burgeoning tax code before next April.
Prejudice | Share This Article:
By Jonah C., on August 21st, 2010
Recent results from a Pew Research survey are sobering, and appear to explain the escalation of mosque/community center fervor in New York City and across the United States. 25% of people do not think Muslims are patriotic Americans, and a staggering 32% believe Muslims should not be permitted to run for president. 60% say their views are based on facts from the media, further evidence of the permeation of extremist radio and TV programs (other news flash: Rush Limbaugh earned $59 million from his popular “news” programs, Glenn Beck over $15 million.)
I believe advertising that is tied to media also shapes conceptions and may be another significant factor. Caucasian-Americans, African-Americans, and Asian-Americans populate most TV ads, which depict them as everyday, caring, sympathetic people. I would appreciate knowing the last time someone saw a Native American, Indian, Middle-Eastern, or Hispanic person in an ad from a major US company.
To compound the hatred and blatant ignorance of the Constitution pervading America right now with regard to the Islamic faith and other groups, France has now announced that it is expelling all Gypsies from the country, as they are somehow undesirable. This nonviolent ethnic cleansing has been sadly overlooked as of late. Other developments in the field of racial and cultural intolerance include the fact that blacks are still 6.4 times more likely to be imprisoned than whites and that 51% of Americans support Arizona’s draconian SB 1070.
Hate group memberships are rising, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center. Talk show host Laura Schlessinger lost her job after a hateful slew of slurs, and Sarah Palin defended her in two tweets (by the way, Palin now has more fans on Facebook than Jesus). After the 2008 election, emotions flowed and people suggested that a new era was here, one where racism would slowly fade away. Why were they wrong? Why do we hate so much? Lack of discrimination may be the answer (no, I don’t mean that kind of discrimination). The rise of the internet provided an unprecedented outlet for opinions.
Now media moguls have expanded their empires to the new medium. They include moguls like Rupert Murdoch, owner of so-called ‘fair and balanced’ Fox News and the once-balanced Wall Street Journal. In addition to this, bloggers like myself provide a stream of information, some factual and accurate, but much of it not. In the age of globalization and hyper-connectivity, people crave disposable, easy-to-process content. They fail to discriminate and think about the issues, and fall into the traps set by misinformation savants. Raw emotion is so much easier to latch onto than rationality. I believe a future of tolerance is possible, but only if we improve our education system so that it teaches our children to discern fact from distortion.
Until then, persecution and discrimination, to quote Norman Rockwell, will be “the problem we all live with.”
Middle East | Share This Article:
By Jonah C., on August 20th, 2010
The struggles between rival ethnic factions in the Near East go back millennia, to the biblical battles between the oft-demonized Philistines and the angelically depicted tribes of Israel. Between their arrival in the promised land and the formal creation of a Jewish state in 1948 (by the fledgling United Nations), the Jewish people had been persecuted and murdered by Romans, Medieval Europeans, Nazis, and others.
They desired and deserved a state of their own. And what better place than the Holy Land? Unfortunately, none took the time to work out the negotiations involving land and logistics before independence was declared. Palestinian families who had been peacefully existing for generations were justifiably outraged at the seizure of land and power. The UN’s golden vision fell by the wayside, and the region descended into internationally funded land squabbles.
Arabian nations backed Palestine. The West backed Israel. The Arab-Israeli War, The Six-Day War, the Yom Kippur War, and the Lebanese Wars ensued. Areas like the Golan Heights and the Sinai Peninsula became war zones. International monies flowed in, including the lucrative and continuing United States arms shipments and military aid for Israel. After decades of failed peace talks and an imaginary ‘Road Map to Peace,’ the worlds of two populations living adjacently could not be more different. Israel is modern and industrial. It is educated, economically viable, internationally recognized, and the possessor of a powerful army featuring nuclear weapons. Palestine is isolated and unaccredited. It has become a hotbed for extremists.
Many live in poverty and hunger, and people are bitter about Israel’s continuing encroachments. These include a naval blockade of the Gaza Strip, the construction of an enormous wall to divide the regions, and most of all, settlements. Seemingly endless waves of settlers roll into contentious border areas, setting up villages and houses on newly taken or claimed lands. Sometimes, riots break out when Palestinian youths forced from their homes throw rocks at people and machinery. They are easily defeated, and the settlements continue, urged by aggressive Israel politicians.
It is clear that Israel is not committed to a two-state solution. While its concerns for the safety of its people are understandable, its methods of achieving stability are not. Accelerating an already unstable arms race is inflammatory and dangerous, especially with players such as Iran in the mix. The continued repression of the Palestinian people merely adds insult to injury (the injury being that Israel has seized half of Palestine’s UN-allotted land in the conflict). Palestine is no more admirable in its actions than Israel, especially with Hamas at the helm. It is highly vulnerable, however, and until Israel develops some sensitivity to this fact and stops electing war hawks, the United States should halt the stream of aid.
8/28 | Share This Article:
By Kim Hamlin--, on August 20th, 2010
 Honor, derived from the Latin word honoris, is the evaluation of a person’s trustworthiness and social status based on that individual’s actions to support their beliefs. Honor is what determines a person’s character as to whether or not they reflect honesty, respect, integrity, and fairness. Does the rubber meet the road? Do I behave according to the way I believe? Do I allow outside influences determine my behavior, or do I stand on principle regardless?
As a veteran, I appreciate the sacrifices that our men and women make everyday, particularly while surrounded by a hell I can only imagine. Even on the homefront, it is exhausting to go about the work we do as patriots while surrounded by disheartening and discouraging news every day. The code is sometimes all that can keep your feet and honor firmly planted. Regardless of the ideologies and missteps of our current administration and our wayward politicians, we must always remember:
We are Americans, fighting in the forces which guard our country and our way of life. We must be prepared to give our lives in their defense.
We must never surrender of our own free will. If we are in charge, we will never surrender while we still have the means to resist.
If we are captured, we will continue to resist by all means available. We will make every effort to escape and aid others to escape. We will accept neither parole nor special favors from the enemy.
If we become prisoners of war, we will keep faith with our fellow prisoners. We will give no information or take part in any action which might be harmful to our comrades.
We will make no oral or written statements disloyal to our country and its allies or harmful to their cause.
We will never forget that we are Americans, fighting for freedom, responsible for our actions, and dedicated to the principles which made our
country free. We will trust in God and in the United States of America.
Honor is never tested like it is during war. And, this is war. A war against an ideology, one that says that the government knows better than you, a government that believes they can take care of you better than you can, a government that believes in redistribution, a government that is doing all it can to divide us, a government that is not listening…a government that believes that we are sheep.
Will you join me on 8/28, as we stand to show our government that we have been here before, that we have not forgotten the men and women who have sacrificed all to give us our freedom and that are still giving all to ensure that freedom? Remember the code and stand together on 8/28, whether in DC or in your community. Gather with your liberty-minded buddies, put your arm around them, ensure them that they are not alone, we stand together friends. United in the cause of freedom and we have not forgotten…we are one nation under God, indivisible.
Civil War | Share This Article:
By Rich, on August 19th, 2010
I have to vent a little bit here. I wish I could post the “comments” that I read from the Yahoo article, Voters Unsure Of President Obama’s Religion. I can’t. As I was going to copy and paste, Victoria jumped up on me, and hit refresh. Yahoo deleted the comments. I however remember what they said, and the underlying intent. What struck me most was a block of comments, by 6 separate screen names(could be the same guy/gal) within seconds of each other all espousing the same thing. No, it wasn’t commentary on the President’s religious preferences(Christian, for those of you who don’t know, technically it isn’t anyone’s business, but I digress) or even on the State of the Economy. All 6 were calls for a Second Civil War. Think about that possibility for a second.
It got my attention because each of the posts was written differently, so the same person using 6 separate accounts commenting in the span of 10 seconds is pretty out of the realm of possible, know what I mean? Following that logic, means that 6 separate people all had the SAME idea at once, and commented thusly. 3 of them were calls for an American version of a Holy War against the Islamic(Muslims) religion as well as anyone stupid enough to defend them terrorists.(Isn’t that special.) Another post was about declaring Civil War on all Liberals, and making sure they were all sent out of this God fearing country, either in a box or on their own. (Just lovely) And the other two were about them “Dirty Mexicans” ruining this great Nation of ours, and we should shoot them all, this is a country for White people only, and all “dirty” people should leave. (Very enlightened of you)
Wow. Now lets look at some percentages here. How many people read that article? And what is the rule of comments? That maybe 1 or 2 out of every 10 or 20 leave a comment? Is it even that high? So 11,692 people commented on the story, plus at least 6 people that Yahoo censored(that is another post, for another day) again following along, that would mean 2-300 thousand people at least read the article? What are the odds that 6 crazy people who all have the same idea would comment within 10 seconds of each other? How scary of a thought is that? And what does that say about the temperament and mindset of this Country? Just how fractured are we?
When President Obama was elected, Texas and a few other states were seriously talking about seceding from the Union. Remember that? Governor Says Texas To Secede And they even have a website. Texas Secede!
The anger is there, and has been from the very moment President Obama was elected. The mindset of the fringes of society has been fraying steadily as we go along. How long before there are 12 people commenting? 24? 150? Entire States want to leave because we have a Black Man as President. I heard comments, and saw comments immediately upon the Election, he hadn’t even taken Office yet, so no one had anything to complain about except for the obvious. Am I the only one that noticed?
Just how fractured are we? Are people seriously considering murdering their neighbors, friends and family because of idealogical differences? Have your neighbors already put a bullseye on your back, pending the “order” or the first signs of the conflict? There was talk from the Michigan Militia about “taking action” if “Obama’s Agenda continues…”. Remember those Militia members that were arrested for plotting to kill Police Officers and their Families? 9 Crazy People A person in a TV interview said that they were prepared to take up arms against the Government, they were just waiting for the first shot to be fired. Wow. Seriously? Come down from the Clock Tower people.
Has Common Sense died? Is it on vacation? Where did it go? Are we re-entering the Dark Ages? What is so wrong with these people’s lives that they would threaten the safety, liberty and pursuit of happiness of you and I? The people on the Fringe need to shut up and sit down. They are adding nothing to the conversation, except for calls for violence, and one of these days, someone is going to do it. Timothy McVeigh anyone? How many times do we have to be proved right before these people stop trying to incite riots, violence, and the like? At what point are Normal people going to stand up and tell the Crazies to shut up? Will that be the tipping point into what they want? That Civil War Redo? You know many people in the South want another crack at the North. I have met tons of southerners, and without fail it is a common theme amongst them, if we fought the War again, they believe they would win. And they WANT to fight it again. Take their Country back, and all that, you know?
That is not something I want, nor anyone with full brain function either. Is it on the horizon? It very well may be. Can we stop this nonsense? I sure as heck hope so. We do what we can, how we can, and hope the Crazy Fringe don’t target you. End of vent for today.
Let us have a little poll in the comments section here. When these crazy people get their wish and we have a Second Civil War, what will it be about? I will give you a handful of choices, and you decide.
Secession?
Immigration?
Race?
Religion?
Political Affiliation?
Or is there a topic you believe will tear this country even further at the seams?
When Jesus comes back, these crazy, greedy, capitalistic men are gonna kill him again. Mike Tyson
Change | Share This Article:
By Rich, on August 13th, 2010
Yes, I am enclosing this post on this blog as well. I feel it is important. Please check out the link.
I saw this post at Sanity Is Overrated and it made me proud. I speak my piece on every subject under the sun, on both blogs, and it is a grand moment when I see someone else speak up as well. Go read the post, tell Kyann you saw it here, and let me know you did. If we could link this post up on every blog, I think that would be a nice thing to do. Why Can’t We All Get Along? Why do we have to separate people? Why do we have to classify people? Why do we have to give them names, or call them derogatory names?(I am just as guilty) I wasn’t raised like that, it is something learned in society. Why can’t we change that? It is something to think about, hard, and I want each of you to do just that.
Why does it take a tragedy to bring people together? To do great things? Abraham Lincoln was assassinated and we came together as a Nation to heal this country. Pearl Harbor was attacked and we came together as a Nation and helped win the big one, WW2. John Kennedy was assassinated and we came together as a Nation, and went to the moon. 9/11 happened, and we came together as a Nation, and helped the people affected. Hurricane Katrina happened, and once again we came together as a NATION and helped out. Wouldn’t it be nice if we CAME together just because?
I think it would be, I really do, and I believe we could, if we really dug deep and tried. Check out the link, and pass it along. Thank you.
Books | Share This Article:
By Rich, on August 12th, 2010
Been a few days since I posted here, just dropping in to give a quick update. I am working on a post on Immigration Reform, and my ideas for it. Lots of reading, have actually talked to a few people, and am hoping to have it done and ready for your consumption by the weekend. I may take a stab at the Robert Gibbs story myself in between then,(I need a break!) maybe not. Another thing I wanted to share, is some of my “off-duty” reading I am doing, first is one of the Biographies of Abraham Lincoln. Interesting fellow, he had this novel idea that we should enforce that part in the Declaration of “All Men Are Created Equal”. I wonder how that turned out?  And George Washington is next. Both impressive gentleman, I look forward to getting to know them better through the books. Maybe we all should?
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