Thursday, March 31, 2011

Fisking Obama’s Speech on “Energy Security”

President Obama gave a speech yesterday to the Hoyas of Georgetown University on the subject of energy. Since I haven’t fully examined all the nuances and subtleties contained in one of his speeches in a while, I thought I’d have a bit of fun today.

Understand that this isn’t hard to do. Dear Leader is still being trained while on the job: basically, what we hear is his childlike wonder at discovering things for the very first time. Community organizing is so hard, rousing that rabble leaves so little time to fully comprehend just what it is that your railing against.

We sympathize, we really do. It’s just so precious watching a President take his very first steps…

After the shout-outs and a recap of the news, He Begins.

“In an economy that relies so heavily on oil, rising prices at the pump affect everybody -- workers, farmers, truck drivers, restaurant owners, students who are lucky enough to have a car. (Laughter.) Businesses see rising prices at the pump hurt their bottom line. Families feel the pinch when they fill up their tank. And for Americans that are already struggling to get by, a hike in gas prices really makes their lives that much harder. It hurts.”
Which makes your campaign pledge to “make everybody’s utility bills necessarily skyrocket” so poignant.

“If you're somebody who works in a relatively low-wage job and you've got to commute to work, it takes up a big chunk of your income. You may not be able to buy as many groceries. You may have to cut back on medicines in order to fill up the gas tank. So this is something that everybody is affected by.”
Or, Barry Discovers Economics.

Then comes the by-now mandatory dig at the Tea Party…

“Now, here's the thing -- we have been down this road before. Remember, it was just three years ago that gas prices topped $4 a gallon. I remember because I was in the middle of a presidential campaign. Working folks certainly remember because it hit a lot of people pretty hard. And because we were at the height of political season, you had all kinds of slogans and gimmicks and outraged politicians -- they were waving their three-point plans for $2 a gallon gas. You remember that -- "drill, baby, drill"-- and we were going through all that. (Laughter.) And none of it was really going to do anything to solve the problem. There was a lot of hue and cry, a lot of fulminating and hand-wringing, but nothing actually happened. Imagine that in Washington. (Laughter.)”
Wow, this really takes me back to the days when a practical energy policy wasn’t mocked or derided. How time flies.

“The truth is, none of these gimmicks, none of these slogans made a bit of difference.”
The reason why none of it was really going to do anything to solve it is because we’re prevented from harvesting our rich natural resources by you and your Progressive cronies and your belief in the Global Warming Monster.

“Politicians of every stripe have promised energy independence, but that promise has so far gone unmet.”
We know. We’re still waiting.

“The United States of America cannot afford to bet our long-term prosperity, our long-term security on a resource that will eventually run out, and even before it runs out will get more and more expensive to extract from the ground.”
Um, we’re finding new oil reserves pretty regularly, and in places where we didn’t expect to find large populations of compressed dinosaurs, like the bottom of the ocean.

“But our best opportunities to enhance our energy security can be found in our own backyard -- because we boast one critical, renewable resource that the rest of the world can't match: American ingenuity. American ingenuity, American know-how.”
The world breathless awaits the first flight of the first ingenuity-powered jumbo jet.

“To make ourselves more secure, to control our energy future, we're going to have to harness all of that ingenuity. It's a task we won't be finished with by the end of my presidency, or even by the end of the next presidency. But if we continue the work that we've already begun over the last two years, we won't just spark new jobs, industries and innovations -- we will leave your generation and future generations with a country that is safer, that is healthier, and that's more prosperous.”
Will we be using something like that Ghostbusters capturing thingy? Also, continuing the work you’ve done over the past two years will only insure more poverty, more folks on food stamps, more rising debt and more malaise. We’d be better off with the ghosts.

“So today, my administration is releasing a Blueprint for a Secure Energy Future that outlines a comprehensive national energy policy, one that we've been pursuing since the day I took office. And cutting our oil dependence by a third is part of that plan.”
Doubtless, your illegal drilling moratorium is part of that grand Blueprint?

“This begins by continuing to increase America's oil supply. Even for those of you who are interested in seeing a reduction in our dependence on fossil fuels -- and I know how passionate young people are about issues like climate change -- the fact of the matter is, is that for quite some time, America is going to be still dependent on oil in making its economy work.”
Barry discovers physics. The cuteness, it hurts.

“Moreover, we're actually pushing the oil industry to take advantage of the opportunities that they've already got. Right now the industry holds tens of millions of acres of leases where they're not producing a single drop. They're just sitting on supplies of American energy that are ready to be tapped. That's why part of our plan is to provide new and better incentives that promote rapid, responsible development of these resources.”
No, they’re sitting on land that has yet to be explored. There’s no guarantee that there’s any oil there. Those evil oil companies are merely complying with yet another burdensome regulatory system, one that adds to the cost of production and higher gas prices and is responsible for our increasing national trade imbalance.

OK, now it’s time to sing “Big Yellow Taxi.” Everyone please stand up and put your hand over your heart. In the key of “E,” one, two, three, four…

“I give out this statistic all the time, and forgive me for repeating it again: America holds about 2 percent of the world's proven oil reserves. What that means is, is that even if we drilled every drop of oil out of every single one of the reserves that we possess -- offshore and onshore -- it still wouldn't be enough to meet our long-term needs. We consume about 25 percent of the world's oil. We only have 2 percent of the reserves. Even if we doubled U.S. oil production, we're still really short.”
Yeah, we’re the world’s biggest consumer of energy. But you never say what we do with all that energy, like developing life-saving drugs and medical procedures, or finding new ways to produce energy. Stuff like that.

“Now, another substitute for oil that holds tremendous promise is renewable biofuels -- not just ethanol, but biofuels made from things like switchgrass and wood chips and biomass. If anybody doubts the potential of these fuels, consider Brazil. As I said, I was just there last week.”
Yeah, with two billion of our tax dollars we can’t afford, so they can increase their oil production. By the way, Barry, how is George Soros’ Petrobras stock doing these days?

“Half of Brazil's vehicles can run on biofuels -- half of their fleet of automobiles can run on biofuels instead of petroleum. Just last week, our Air Force -- our own Air Force -- used an advanced biofuel blend to fly a Raptor 22 -- an F-22 Raptor faster than the speed of sound. Think about that. I mean, if an F-22 Raptor can fly at the speed of -- faster than the speed of sound on biomass, then I know the old beater that you've got, that you're driving around in -- (laughter) -- can probably do so, too. There's no reason why we can't have our cars do the same.”
No reason other than the fact that ethanol is far less efficient than gasoline and eats up old fuel systems that weren’t designed for it. And that we’re using food for fuel, driving up the cost of everything we use corn for, like beef, corn syrup, cereal, and all that. We have a global food shortage, too. Those two factors couldn’t possibly be connected, now could they?

“Now, we went through 30 years where we didn't raise fuel efficiency standards on cars. And part of what happened in the U.S. auto industry was because oil appeared relatively cheap, the U.S. auto industry decided we're just going to make our money on SUVs, and we're not going to worry about fuel efficiency. Thirty years of lost time when it comes to technology that could improve the efficiency of cars.”
Which thirty years are you referring to? The last thirty have seen more and more emission and mileage standards imposed than the previous thirty. Cars got smaller and accidents became much more dangerous as a result. There’s a real sense of safety that comes from being surrounded by large sections of sheet metal, as any soccer mom will tell you.

“This summer, we're going to propose the first-ever fuel efficiency standards for heavy-duty trucks. And this fall, we'll announce the next round of fuel standards for cars that builds on what we've already done.”
Oh boy! A Smart Truck! It won’t be able to haul anything, but it gets great mileage. 0-60 in two days!

“We've also made historic investments in high-speed rail and mass transit, because part of making our transportation sector cleaner and more efficient involves offering all Americans, whether they are urban, suburban, or rural, the choice to be mobile without having to get in a car and pay for gas.”
You might want to ask the Japanese about all that high-speed rail and how mass transit in the wake of the power outages, doesn’t run. How are you going to feed your family if you can’t get to the grocery store?

“Still, there are few breakthroughs as promising for increasing fuel efficiency and reducing our dependence on oil as electric vehicles. Soon after I took office, I set a goal of having one million electric vehicles on our roads by 2015. We've created incentives for American companies to develop these vehicles, and for Americans who want them to buy them.”


You liked them so much, you bought took over the company.

“And for those of you who are wondering what that means, the thing that's been holding back electric vehicles is the battery that stores that electricity, that energy. And the more efficient, the more lightweight we can make those batteries, the easier it is to manufacture those cars at a competitive price.”
Right now, trial lawyers are licking their lips in anticipation of the first accident where one of those batteries explodes. Good times await.

Now, one other thing about electric cars -- and you don't need to talk to Chu about this -- it turns out electric cars run on electricity.”
Had you not told me, Mr. President, I never would have known. You, Sir, surely rank amongst the finest minds this country has ever produced, like Einstein, Marconi, and Tesla.

“Today, our homes and businesses consume 40 percent of the energy that we use, and it costs us billions of dollars in energy bills. Manufacturers that require large amounts of energy to make their products, they're challenged by rising energy costs. And so you can't separate the issue of oil dependence from the issue of how we are producing generally -- more energy generally.”
“The nice thing about energy efficiency is we already have the technology. We don't have to create something new. We just have to help businesses and homeowners put in place the installation, the energy-efficient windows, the energy-efficient lighting. They'll get their money back. You will save money on your electricity bill that pays for those improvements that you made, but a lot of people may not have the money up front, and so we've got to give them some incentives to do that.”
Hmm, that sounds like Cash for Caulkers. Funny thing about that is that when utility companies see reduced demand, they raise their rates. It’s almost like they’re running on a razor-thin profit, or something.

“So a clean energy standard will help drive private investment in innovation. But I want to make this point: Government funding will still be critical. Over the past two years, the historic investments my administration has made in clean and renewable energy research and technology have helped private sector companies grow and hire hundreds of thousands of new workers.”
Yup, workers who were promptly laid off when the subsidies ran out and the companies closed.

“I've visited gleaming new solar arrays that are among the largest in the world. I've tested an electric vehicle fresh off the assembly line. I mean, I didn't really test it -- I was able to drive like five feet before Secret Service said to stop.”
Sooo, it’s not just the country that doesn’t trust you to operate complex machinery…

“Unfortunately, some folks want to cut critical investments in clean energy. They want to cut our research and development into new technologies. They're shortchanging the resources necessary even to promptly issue new permits for offshore drilling. These cuts would eliminate thousands of private sector jobs; it would terminate scientists and engineers; it would end fellowships for researchers, some who may be here at Georgetown, graduate students and other talent that we desperately need to get into this area in the 21st century. That doesn't make sense.”
We are so glad you finally understand that. It certainly makes no sense to pump billions of tax dollars we don’t have into immature technologies that have yet to prove themselves in the marketplace. Private sector jobs that depend on government subsidies aren’t really private sector jobs.

Wait! I think we’re about to hear Little Barry’s first words. It’ll be nice not to hear him babble anymore…

“God bless you. God bless the United States of America.”


Don’t you feel proud?

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Chuck Schumer Commits the Ultimate Gaffe

Gaffe – noun \gaf\ - 1. A social or diplomatic blunder 2. A noticeable mistake. 3. In a political sense, when a Congressman unintentionally tells the truth and gets caught doing so.

There was a little incident yesterday that you may have heard about: Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) was on a conference call with reporters. The problem is, he thought he was on a conference call to four other Senators. He told the group to make sure they label the GOP spending cuts as "extreme."

Now, gentle reader, you may discount this little exercise as merely politics as usual inside the Beltway. You would do so at your peril. What it so clearly demonstrates is a far deeper problem: the overriding concern with holding onto power instead of conducting the business of running the country in a responsible manner.

"I always use (the word) extreme, Schumer said. “That is what the caucus instructed me to use."

This blog finds it heartening that Senator Schumer is so concerned with following the orders of the caucus. It would be nice if he were equally concerned with the orders of his constituents.

You see, our budgetary woes are directly due to the recently dismissed 111th Congress, led by the Progressive Nancy Pelosi. After running up unprecedented amounts of debt, (a goal they pursued with wild abandon) Queen Nancy deigned that she’d leave one final reminder of her legacy as a noose around the necks of the incoming Republican majority in the House in the form of a non-existent budget. A noose that Progressives would later use to strangle anyone who attempts to reduce the vastly increased spending that she engineered in her four-year reign of terror as Speaker of the House.

I don’t need to tell you how much damage that Congress did to the country; the evidence is everywhere. Never before in our history has one Congress done so much to move this country away from its’ Founders principles of limited government and toward rampant socialism. Four years of Progressive destruction, the last two aided by the most un-American president since Jimmy Carter have resulted in the drastic change of the American political landscape from a pasture to a landfill.

And the Progressives aren’t finished ruining the country. This example of Chuck Schumer putting his interest in power ahead of the good of the country is merely the latest.

How much worse do things have to get in America before we understand that we’re inflicting all of this upon ourselves by electing the wrong people to office?

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Obama and the Mideast – No Preconditions, No Postconditions

I’ll admit I didn’t watch the president’s speech on Libya last night.
I had to um, uh, feed my imaginary dog. Yeah, that’s it.

Really, there were more important things to do than waste my time hearing vague platitudes and weak-kneed explanations for our kinetic military actions in Libya. And if I were to waste my time that way, I’d have to be well nigh two sheets to the wind. At least then, what this poseur said just might make sense.

It seems like the more this president speaks, the murkier any issue becomes. Contradictions abound in his speeches on the rare occasion when they are coherent. Clarity isn’t this guy’s trademark. So I’ll let others dissect his speech, which shouldn’t take very long for anyone with a fourth-grade grasp of American English.

I will, however, say this: I don’t like what I’m not hearing from this embarrassment of a president when it comes to the upheaval in the Middle East.

What I expect to hear is a full-throated determination to win anything that bears the slightest resemblance to war. When my friends tell me that their children are being sent into harm’s way, I expect to hear a damned good reason for placing their lives in danger. I don’t want them to be anywhere any longer than necessary. If they are sent into some foreign place that probably hates the US (except for our money), there had better be something tangible for us to gain from our sacrifice of American blood.

We go in it to win it or not at all.

Part of the reason, if not all of the reason, that we’re so despised by the world has been our insistence upon attempting to fight our most recent wars in a manner that the Left finds acceptable. Apparently, their notion of fighting somehow involves harming no civilians, no children, infrastructure, or the enemy. The rules of engagement that our fighting forces must operate under favor the enemy over the safety of our troops. Our efforts to fight a politically correct war will never succeed, and the result not only looks like weakness to our enemies, it is.

And when the Senate majority leader publicly pronounces any war lost, as the despicable Harry Reid once said, then the image of America as a weakling on the world stage is firmly fixed in the mind of the world.

But, that’s the way the Left wants it. So, with them in charge, that’s the way it shall be. American military bad, any other military good (like Egypt).

It’s all so simple. And it’s all backwards.

At least President Bush had an objective that was in the best interests of the nation: he wanted people to be free. He said so at every opportunity. There was no waffling, no hesitation, no wondering about his motives for foreign interventions. This was evident following the brutal attack of 9-11 and widely supported by the Left for about two months. Then progressive brainiacs in the DNC decided that opposition to aggression against the aggressors who aided and abetted the enemy in the 9-11 attack was the winning ticket to political power, reality be damned.

Then the criticism started. Each and every movement by Bush was wrong. Any military intervention was the result of the Bush-Cheney-military-industrial-oil-big-business cabal and therefore wrong, wrong, wrong! Anti-war protests started in places like Berkeley, organized by the usual useful idiots like Code Pink and the SDS. Bush never could find the cojones to defend his position, mistakenly thinking that reality would intervene at some point and calm the left’s spittle-flecked rants.

So, hitting the reset button was necessary to appease the appeasers on the Left. Obama promised a New World Order with America as merely one among many nations united under the auspices of that august body of unity and whirled peas, the United Nations.

So, thanks to that button, we’re now supporting the very enemy that we fought in Afghanistan. Providing them with arms and military support. Aiding and abetting, if you will.

That makes sense, how?

Where is the overarching goal, Mr. President? Astute political observers pored over your speech from last night and they can’t find it.

Why is it so difficult for you to articulate a position, Sir? Why can’t you say that you support the uprisings when they are in the name of freedom, liberty, and self-determination? Or is that what you want?

I’d like to hear this from you, just once: “It’s our clear intention to solve any humanitarian crisis with strength borne of freedom. When the voices of a people unite against despotism, we will answer with liberation. We will not allow one form of tyranny to replace another. If the goal is to be democracy, let it be of the type that forged this country into the greatest society the world has ever known, with freedom and liberty for all. If the goal is to be freedom, let it be pursued with all due diligence, never wavering from the course set by the Founders of freedom not so long ago. We will be a steadfast partner to those who wish for themselves the blessings of liberty, for no other outcome is worthy of us. We have our own history to offer, our own form of government as a template and the good will of our people as inspiration. Together we shall break the chains of tyranny upon the anvil of liberty, that all may benefit. We will spend our blood and our treasure on nothing less. ”

Anything else that falls short of this kind of language will fall upon deaf ears.

Come here, Fido…

Monday, March 28, 2011

George Soros Has Been a Busy Little Boy Lately

The Man Who Just Loves America is getting a bit restless these days. His name keeps popping up like some deranged, frothing Whack-a-Mole head. But the good part is, where, several years ago, no one had heard of him outside of the circle of high financiers, his antics are now subject to a bit more publicity. After his efforts to defeat George Bush in the 2004 presidential election, we on the right have come to understand this guy as Public Enemy Number One.

I’ve done a bit of research on him, as have several others. Our radar has been recalibrated to seek out his movements, and the screens updated to recognize the serpentine signature that defines him and his efforts to overthrow the United States and eliminate our way of life. There is only one thing you need to know:

This guy hates you.

The reason why is anyone’s guess.

The fact remains that he is doing everything in his considerable power to sway public opinion in favor of his twisted plan for “world governance” and an “open, global society” (under his control, naturally) with America in a greatly reduced role, except for our money. Whatever you may think of Glenn Beck, he has dedicated himself to making sure that Soros’ agenda is not ignored. For that, Beck has been the target of repeated boycotts of his show by various arms of the Soros Media Manipulation Machine.

So, when the radar alarms sounded their claxon call, this came up on the screens in big, bold letters, “On April 8, a group he’s funded with $50 million is holding a major economic conference and Soros’s goal for such an event is to “establish new international rules” and “reform the currency system.” It’s all according to a plan laid out in a Nov. 4, 2009, Soros op-ed calling for “a grand bargain that rearranges the entire financial order.”

Hmm, a “grand bargain” from a Nazi sympathizer and collaborator? What could possibly go wrong?

All five of my readers know that I’m not particularly keen on this whole global economy thingy. We are in a unique situation as the world’s largest economy (for now), yet the rules of economic engagement no longer serve to protect the American worker from disruptions elsewhere in the world, as the disaster in Japan has so ably demonstrated. In fact, had we the manufacturing capability we once had, we might be in a better position to help the good people of Japan.

But I digress. The fact that Soros is assembling some of his closest henchmen advisors employees to reengineer the whole world’s economy should have you clicking furiously to research this. Or reaching for the nearest adult beverage. Or both.

Not content with that little exercise in subversion, this weekend the alarms sounded again with this dire warning, "The liberal group Media Matters has quietly transformed itself in preparation for what its founder, David Brock, described in an interview as an all-out campaign of “guerrilla warfare and sabotage” aimed at the Fox News Channel."

Another Hmmm. "Warfare and sabotage" of a popular news channel brought by a Nazi sympathizer and collaborator?

It’s becoming clear that this guy aims to brainwash Americans into believing things that aren’t true. Naturally, the question arises, “Why would anyone want to do this?” Maybe it’s just me, but I haven’t yet found an answer that comforts me and makes me think that I’ll be better off in any way.

Ironically, it’s this latest effort that seems to run afoul of the law. Media Matters currently operates as a tax-exempt organization, and that status depends on the stipulation that they not support any political organizations or candidates in any way. By engaging in this new tactic, Media Matters is guilty of tax evasion. Normally, I’d be content to let our justice system work its magic and expect that either Media Matters stand down or start paying taxes like every other political organization does.

Normally.

But with this administration, I no longer have that confidence in my government to enforce the law. Eric Holder has repeatedly shown contempt for certain laws and has demonstrated on numerous occasions his penchant for selective enforcement of them. Constitutionality aside, one expects everyone to play by the same rules. Not so Holder. I’m still waiting for a Congressional investigation into his quite illegal antics.

One has to wonder, at what point does speech cross the line that separates freedom of expression from open sedition?

Any way, rest well knowing that George Soros is busy, busy, busy trying to destroy your country.

Friday, March 25, 2011

Friday Bits of Tid, Elizabeth Taylor and Pinetop Perkins Edition

Amidst all the chaos and suffering in the world, this blog brings a brief pause on Fridays.

We need it.

This week saw the exit of two great American artists. Elizabeth Taylor was held in high esteem for her on-screen roles and off-screen life. Here's a good site that lists many of her accomplishments. She was an accomplished horsewoman who did most of her own riding and stunts in National Velvet. Won two Oscars. I had forgetten this little item: she offered herself in exchange for the 100 hostages in the Entebbe terrorist standoff. She will be missed. And yes, I know she was English.

The second exit this week was one of the few remaining pioneers of that uniquely American musical art form, the blues. Pinetop Perkins passed away in his sleep at the age of 97. His web site is here. As a musician myself who has grown to appreciate the many flavors and significant contributions of this deceptively simple music genre, I'm saddened that so many of the early artists are largely unknown until their death. Their lives give us the soundtrack to recent American history and their stories are filled with everything that encompasses life, all the highs and lows blending beautifully into a melancholy celebration of life. There's a link on his site to his charitable foundation for musicians, if you're so inclined.

OK, let us tid.

Everything's better on a stick. Food, that is.

Here's how to show up for your DUI court date: drunk, carrying an open beer with four more in a bag, and an hour and a half late.

"Hey bub, that's not in my contract." Union security ignores package bomb for weeks at a Federal building. The country's in the very best of hands.

This robber's probably glad he's dead. Imagine how he would've been treated in jail when his fellow incarcerees found out he was shot with a pink .38 pistol.

Searching for signs of intelligent life between Hugo Chavez's ears. He says capitalism may have ended life on Mars. Umm, OK Hugo, whatever you say...

More news about the scourge of the world, stolen condoms. When will this madness end?

Millions of dead sardines found in California. From the article, "The authorities are still trying to decide what to do with the dead sardines." Hmm, well, you could get some crackers, some hot sauce and beer. But be on the lookout for specials on pizzas that include free sardines.

Speaking of pizzas...



...and dogs...



Have a Backwards Weekend everyone. I will.

Thursday, March 24, 2011

The First Casualty of War – Truth? Nope, Language

What The Obama Administration Says (with translation below).

I truly hope that all you consumers of information are processing this in a forward-looking way. We are witnessing a new paradigm of informationality wherein the former constructs of pre- and post- content formalizations are becoming the new front in the effort by the purveyors of information distributors to establish, and thereby render useless, former preconceived notions about the delivery of fresh information to the consumer. (1)



In an unprecedented way, our country has entered into a conflagration with wide-ranging implications to the world at large. We are currently undertaking a project that involves many forms of action against a foreign regime not with the ultimate goal of change, but with the insistence upon a neutralization of the ability of the hierarchal power structure to interact with the residents of said foreign regime primarily by the use of kinetic military action, particularly on the front end. Such a projection of resources is perceived to be of a multilateral nature, as the United States has committed itself to providing unique capabilities to its other partners in this project. (2)



While recognizing the inherent difficulties in preparing a suitable response to the actions, we nevertheless have been proactive in our determination to provide traditional information sources the necessary data for distribution to their respective outlets. In an effort to be as forthcoming as possible with these various organizations, we have compiled a list of suitable terms that this administration considers appropriate for use, particularly when discussing the area of kinetic military action. Such terms as “Multilateral Limited-Theater Kineticized Response Protocol” and “Full-Spectrum Combined-Arms Enhanced Humanitarian Relief Effort” will serve to heighten public awareness of the issues and make for a deeper informational experience for the end user. (3)

Rest assured that we have given the interpretation of the events unfolding in North Africa the utmost priority. While conflagrations of this type are sometimes common, the historical ramifications are not always clear. We will always seek to countermand the perception that this action was unilateral by stressing the cooperation we have received from our various European counterparts while underplaying the unpopular notion that this is an action whereby we seek to remove or exploit any natural resources of the country due to its apparent proximity to Northern Africa. (4)

Additionally, we recognize the need to put these events into historical perspective for the benefit of the end consumers of information and thereby eliminate any confusion as to the intentions and ramifications of the actions currently under way. We will emphasize the actions taken by previous presidents as the cornerstone of our information campaign to more fully provide the end user with points of reference as to the intentions of this administration and the implications of its actions in regard to the ongoing conflict. It is our intention to magnify the actions of previous administrations actions as not being in the clearest interests of the nation, whereas we will show our current kinetic action to be one of global importance, not only in a strictly humanitarian sense, but also in the greater worldwide interest of achieving social justice for all peoples. While polls have recently been published that may show more public support for previous interventions by past administrations, we will seek to show that those statistics are misleading when compared against the greater support that our strategic allies have with this current administration and its efforts to garner the multilateral support that was previously absent from those prior administrations. Should any deviations subsist between the public perception of the effectiveness and public support of past administrations as they entered into what was clearly an imperialistic crusade, we are certain that you will emphasize the actions of the Obama administration at all times. (5)

We’re certain that those in the informational matrix will support and defend the points that we have outlined, particularly in deference to all known previous patterns of knowledge gathering and documentation whenever they conflict with the stated goals of this administration. (6)

Translation:

1. This is news.

2. We’re at war with Libya.

3. We’re not quite sure what to call it. “War” sounds all icky and stuff.

4. It’s not about oil. Really, it’s not.

5. Bush war bad – Obama war good.

6. Thank you for helping us pile this steaming heap even higher.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

The Newest Form of Terrorism

ASHEVILLE NC - A ten-block area of Asheville was evacuated last Thursday in what was described by authorities as “a unique form of terrorism.” SWAT teams were called in, surrounding a late model SUV with New Jersey plates as horrified citizens scattered.

North Carolina Chief of Homeland Security Menachem O’Halloransky described the scene this way, “There was a brief moment of pandemonium as people realized what was happening. There were only minor injuries in the rush to escape, most have been treated and released from local hospitals. Everything is back to normal and there’s no reason to panic. While we understand everyone’s concern, the public can rest assured that police have the situation under control.”

Local resident Congolia Breckenridge wasn’t convinced. “I knew it had to be something pretty serious because I’ve never seen that many cops downtown before. Had I known what was in that truck,” she said, “I would’ve been even more scared. Look at my hand, it’s trembling. I’ve never been through anything like this.”

A defiant Wes Bolan said, “Those bastards think they can intimidate us by doing something like this. They’re about to discover just how tough we Ashevillianiters are.”

Police are questioning a “person of interest” in the case. Bernard von NotHaus was seen in surveillance video nervously walking away from the rented Cadillac Escalade. Obviously hoping to get lost in the confusion and panic, he ducked into a local coffee shop where he was later led away in handcuffs before the shocked patrons. “He seemed a little shaky. I served him a double chocolate latte with extra whipped cream. For some strange reason, that seemed to calm him down,” said a distraught Amy Soporafach, an employee at the coffee shop. “We were all pretty lucky they caught him when they did. Who knows what else he may have done. Everybody was really shaken when they saw him being arrested.”

A later report from the police noted a second suspect, William Kevin Innes, had also been taken into custody. “These are serious allegations of terrorism. We expect to move quickly on this case.” O’Halloransky said to reporters.

This case has garnered nationwide attention, putting pressure on prosecutors to assure the public that justice was swiftly being pursued. For their own safety and that of the public, the two suspects were transferred to a maximum-security facility in Asheville, NC where they faced charges of domestic terrorism. Homeland Security Director Janet Napolitano was out of the country and not available for comment.

The case was investigated by the FBI, Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Secret Service with help from the U.S. Mint.

“We are determined to meet these threats through infiltration, disruption and dismantling of organizations which seek to challenge the legitimacy of our democratic form of government,” US Attorney Anne Tompkins said.

She elaborated, “Those who are determined to terrorize innocent American citizens by distributing gold coins will find themselves on the receiving end of our justice system, one that will not stand for this kind of action against the country.”

Authorities have warned the public to be on the lookout for these gold coins, called “Liberty Dollar coins” by the alleged terrorists. The coins are marked with the dollar sign, the words “dollar,” “USA,” “Liberty,” “Trust in God” (instead of “In God We Trust”) and other features associated with legitimate U.S. coins. O’Halloransky said, “Should you find yourself in the proximity of one of these coins, close all the doors and windows, evacuate the area immediately, and dial 911.”

“Try to remain calm and remember that help is on the way,” he said, “Don't panic.”

Monday, March 21, 2011

So, How’s that Global Economy Working Out for You?

Remember when all we had to worry about was our own floods and tornados? Our own labor strikes? When we only had to worry about ourselves and our economic disruptions were short-lived? Households only needed one breadwinner. We had 2.4 children and Mom, dressed up in pumps and pearls cheerfully did the chores while waiting for Dad to come home.

Ahh, those were the days.

Today, we’re so much more modern, so hip, so in tune with the rest of the world. We’re part of this wonderful new global economy where diverse cultures all share the American Dream of freedom and individual responsibility and everyone’s on the same page in a brave new world of economic freedom. No one ever takes a siesta or pauses for afternoon tea. We are the world! And the world is us. Do you feel like a global citizen yet? I know I do. We’re so much better off now that we’re all Worldians that we can barely contain our glee. A glorious new day has dawned.

And if you believe any of that, I’ve got some property to sell you, just as soon as the tide goes out. Or maybe a nice bridge.

Well boys and girls, it’s time for a healthy dose of something we used to call “reality.” As we’re seeing and feeling in our wallets, we’re much more susceptible to events far away from our shores. As we’ve become more interdependent on others in the Glorious New World Order, we’re seeing prices rise due to circumstances over which we have no control. We can’t avoid natural disasters like the massive earthquake and tsunami in Japan, but there was a time not so long ago when we were somewhat insulated from the economic effects of them. Now we have American automotive plants idled as the result of the disruption in the supply of parts from Japan.

If you’ve filled up your gas tank recently, you’ve no doubt noticed the effects of the political upheaval in the Middle East. Gas prices are on the rise and threatening an already fragile recovery at the very time when we don’t need it.

Now ask yourself why we should suffer for any of that when we don’t have to.

Back when I was in the manufacturing field, it was common practice to subcontract work to an outside vendor. Most of the time, it was necessary to meet a customer’s deadline, or to make a part that was outside the scope of the work we normally did. The price was generally cheaper, but the tradeoff was an occasional reduction in quality. While this tends to work out well for local shops, it doesn’t work well on a large scale.

Ironically, while outsourcing on a large scale has resulted in cheap consumer goods, those on the receiving end find themselves unable to afford those goods, since it was their job that was eliminated in favor of cheap foreign labor and less restrictive regulations.

Sure, TV’s are cheaper, but if you don’t have a job, those prices can be low all day long and it won’t do you any good. The president of the New York Federal Reserve found this out last week in Queens when he addressed a crowd to point out how the Fed sees the economy. He pointed out the price and features of a new iPad 2. What he heard in response was, “I can’t eat an iPad” and "When was the last time, sir, that you went grocery shopping?" There’s that reality thingy again.

The solution to our economic woes is plainly apparent to the country. What we need is a renewed emphasis on American jobs and a decreasing emphasis on global trade as the cure-all. Washington must get itself out of the way of business, stop trying to engineer our society into some sort of green utopia and start promoting the natural, organic growth of the economy. Capitalism works best when it’s left alone to flourish and create wealth. The current regulatory climate is stifling the best thing to happen to mankind in its history. If we’re not careful, we’re going to wake up one day soon not with our current 17% unemployment, but 30% or more.

This seems to be the plan, if you listen to the pointy-heads that got us into this mess. They all predict that the unemployment rate will remain at or above 9%, and that we’ll all have to get used to this new normal. As long as we have this administration in power, we will. Watch this clip of Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Shultz (D-FL) and Rep. Rob Andrews (D-N.J.) explaining how using our own national resources is “a problem, not a solution” to adding jobs to our ailing economy.


(h/t Gateway Pundit)

Did any of that make sense at all? Uh, Deb, we’ve tried things your way. What have we gotten out of it? Sky-high gas and food prices, record high unemployment, debt and poverty levels for starters. Yet this is what passes for “progressive thought” in Washington: a glaring lack of clear, concise, common sense solutions to our problems. We should begin to exploit our national resources and concentrate on American jobs. These two clearly don’t know or don’t understand what it takes to get the economy turned around. In either case, they’re unqualified to hold office and their words prove it.

What we need is a new crop of legislators and we began to install them last November. Only a swing to the political right will stop the continued erosion of our dollar and the reduction in our standard of living. Only true fiscal conservatives need apply. The Obama administration is on a planned collision course with a national disaster that need not take place. I hope that we can survive the next two years of this train wreck that’s starting to make me long for the Carter years (and I was there).

Let’s start concentrating on creating American jobs and start shrinking from this global economy and its disruptions.

It is a clear failure.

That little voice you hear is your wallet telling you the same thing.

Friday, March 18, 2011

Friday Bits of Tid - Studebaker Bankruptcy Edition

It's Friday and time to let the rest of the world soak itself in the Jacuzzi of Backwardsness whilst this blog scours the Interwebs for, um, something.

On this day in 1933, the Studebaker company entered financial receivership. Is it a coincidence that their first effort in the automotive market was an electric car? I think not.

The great Ferlin Husky is currently riding On the Wings of a Dove. He passed away yesterday at age 85. That song is the first song I can remember remembering. His bio is here and snippets of his other hits are here.

Duude, Wicked X and watching V don't mix, man. Seriously buzzed guy tells cops that Dr. Phil warned him of an alien invasion as reason for speeding.

Amtrak station named after Joe Biden comes in $5.7M over budget. Go figure.

Your bracket awaits, Mr. President.

We can all sleep better tonight: they found those stolen condoms. All 700,000 of them.

Russian bomb squad called in to defuse sex toy. Question of the day: what kind of vibrator makes a ticking sound anyway?

You can't make this stuff up. Snake bites woman's *ahem* enhanced breast, dies of silicone poisoning.

Got a good sound system? Then crank up the subwoofer. Here's what last weeks earthquake sounded like underwater.



And finally, from one awesome sound to another one...



Have a good weekend, y'all.

Thursday, March 17, 2011

The Body Slam Heard Around the World

It seems that the world is imploding before our very eyes. Unrest throughout the Middle East, the devastation in Japan, economic travails here at home overseen by a president who would clearly rather be golfing in Rio instead of solving our problems like we elected him to do, after a short while you start to feel helpless.

That’s why the story of Casey Heynes is such a welcomed relief. In case you haven’t heard about it yet, it’s a story about a kid who was bullied and finally decided he’d had enough and fought back against the aggressor. Glenn Beck even showed the video on his show yesterday. In case you haven’t seen it, here it is…



From what I’ve read, the reaction to Casey’s actions has been overwhelmingly positive. Reports are that this isn’t the first time he’d been picked on. The video clearly shows a set-up on the part of the undersized bully and his “friends.” They were intent upon inflicting psychological damage to Casey by showing what an easy target he was. Giggles can be heard as they recorded the assault.

What they got instead was a life lesson.

Casey is to be applauded for standing up for himself. He’s now being called an “Internet hero.” That may be taking it a bit too far, but for anyone who’s ever been bullied, he’s definitely a role model. He showed remarkable restraint by taking several punches to his face before he body-slammed the little bully to the ground. He then showed even more restraint by walking away. He could have just snapped (which he didn’t, by the way) and beat the bully to a pulp. And he would’ve been justified had he done so.

But he didn’t. His response has managed to give us a bit of hope that aggression can be dealt with successfully. After all, the world is seemingly full of bullies. There can only be two responses to bullying: submission or retaliation. One continues the torment, the other one stops it.

Now, for a long time, this little maxim was common knowledge. No one likes bullying in any form, but it’s been around as long as mankind. It’s only been recently, with the feminization of the education system, that the idea of defending yourself against an aggressor has been criticized.

In fact, it didn’t take long for some so-called “experts” to show how not to solve the problem by saying that bullying victims shouldn’t fight back.

That, gentle reader, is a crock of bullshit.

One Dr. Ken Rigby had this predictably weak response, "What he did was snap and physically assault this little person, breaking his ankle it wasn't a fair fight," Dr Rigby said. "Most people were applauding the student for taking action after he'd been tormented that's understandable, but the school should have been told.”

Huh? Excuse me, Doctor, did you see the same video the rest of us saw? Did you not see the times the bully punched Casey in the face first? Casey snapped? I think, good sir, that, had Casey actually “snapped,” he would have continued to beat his assailant. Again, are you looking at the same video? If you are, then I’d suggest that you seem to have some difficulty processing visual input.

The sad part is, he’s not alone. Psychologist Michael Carr-Gregg questioned why no one intervened. "Where was the supervision? If it is true that this was a long-standing feud, why had nothing been done?" he asked.

This is the inherent failure that’s built in to the attitude of submission to authority. That is precisely why nothing was done, Mr. Hyphenated-Last-Name. The school’s administration obviously chose to look the other way. This had been a long-standing feud between the two kids according to reports. That’s called capriciousness and is inherent in any type of authoritarianism. The power to control is also the power to ignore the rules and enforce them selectively.

Here’s more educated idiocy: Anti-bullying expert Karyn Healy at the Parenting and Family Support Centre said fighting back was only asking for more trouble.

Um, not if it’s done right, Ms. Healy.

I’ll hop in the Way Back Machine here for a second to remind the younger folk how It Used To Be Done.

Back then, when we used to wash our clothes by beating them on a rock by the river, adults recognized that aggression in boys was a normal part of growing up, regardless of the society. Disputes were normally handled between the aggrieved parties with an adult nearby to step in if necessary. If, after a few of these fights, things weren’t resolved, said adult would step in and a formal fight was arranged. Boxing gloves were given to the two and they were told to have at it. In the vast majority of cases, the bullied party won. Even a loss wasn’t that bad, as the bully managed to find a bit of respect for the kid that had the guts to stand up to him.

Never did a dispute advance beyond this point. A winner was declared, the loser lived with his loss and the aggression was expended. In fact, in a turn of events that I’m sure would surprise the so-called bullying experts, sometimes the two kids actually became friends.

In other words, the problem got solved.

When you compare that against the advice of these “experts,” it becomes clear that their “answers” only invite more aggression and do not stop the bullying. That’s their goal: to keep kids fighting each other so they’ll need the services of the “experts.” That’s more of a business plan than the solution to the problem.

It’s an unfortunate fact of life that you’re sometimes forced into a fight. If repeated attempts to defuse the situation have failed and you must fight, be sure to send a message. Bullies are the real weaklings in any situation: their insecurity makes them want to feel in control of someone else. When confronted with strength, they always back down. It may need to be done more than once.

The little punk bully got what he so richly deserved. I sincerely doubt that Casey will be picked on again.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

False Characterizations of the Tea Party and Why They’re Inaccurate

I’ve been wondering about something lately (there’s that damned curiosity thingy again). Why is there so much criticism of the Tea Party when the facts consistently prove otherwise? Rush kind of touched on this Monday when he talked about conservative critics of Sarah Palin. Ace sort of did the same yesterday, but from a slightly different angle. After all, SarahCuda and the Tea Party are pretty much inseparable.

Just as America gets a pretty bad rap worldwide, as do Christians, we’re in pretty good company. So there’s that. I can understand why America receives criticism from the rest of the world. The only thing they have to gauge us by is our TV shows, movies and music, which all generally suck. Hollywood seemingly ran out of ideas for good movies some years ago. TV shows about responsible Americans who love their families and go to work each day are about as engaging as watching grass grow. Shows have to be about things we don’t normally see or else why watch. As for our music, someone needs to explain to me how we got from “You Can Make It If You Try” to “Cop Killer(language warning) in the span of one generation.
Oh, and politics. CNN, MSNBC, and the alphabet stations’ news reports paint a very different picture of the country that the one I see every day, for the same reason I stated above. If that’s all they have to go by, then their low opinion of us is warranted.

But that’s the rest of the world.

When it comes to our own national news coverage of the Tea Party, I can also understand the MBM’s criticism. They have dropped all pretense of objectivity and lean solidly to the left (if they don’t fall all the way over), and since they’re now the official Progressive Pravda, their attitude merely serves their interests. The Tea Party threatens their power. This is also the prevailing attitude of the self-appointed Republican elite for the same reason. To them I say “Dede Scozzafava.”

And they all say pretty much the same things when they criticize: TP’ers are dumb hicks, gun-toting, Bible-clingers who can’t think much beyond their next six-pack. Anti-intellectual. Racists.

And they all smell of elderberries.

Of course, those of us on The Inside know differently. Just as those who routinely pounce on Glenn Beck have never seen his show, these detractors sound more like one of the five blind men who grope at different parts of an elephant, thinking they know the whole animal. A well-reasoned critique is beyond them due to their preconceived notions.

The most recent charge leveled at TP’ers is that they aren’t very smart. Well, all I can offer up is myself. I do claim to speak up for the party. What do you think? If you’ve poked around in the archives here, you’ve seen a wide range of subjects along with some ideas for solving problems. I certainly don’t consider myself an intellectual in the traditional sense: I don’t have a degree from a fancy university and I certainly wasn’t born to a prominent family, although my folks have been here since before there was an America.

I identify with Mrs. Palin because I see in her many of the same qualities. She has street smarts. She’s what I call a “real world” person, grounded in reality, aware of what works out here. She doesn’t spend her time inside an office surrounded by lackeys. She hunts and fishes alongside her husband, loves her kids and thinks government should be run by average Americans. That’s how she entered politics, as a regular citizen. And for that, she is roundly regarded as stupid. As Rush points out, the same charge was leveled at one Ronald Reagan. Again, good company.

And we’re Bible-toters. Hmm, OK, guilty as charged on that one. But how is that out of the American mainstream when over 90% of us claim to believe in a Higher Power? And what’s wrong with having a strong moral foundation with which to measure the world and the people in it? It certainly serves me well, as I’m certain it does you. But there’s something wrong with that according to some. I hold no animosity towards others who believe differently as long as they do as I do and allow me to live my life in peace.

Here’s the one that really puzzles me: Tea Partiers are racists.

Really? Then how do you explain the election of Colonel Alan West? He’s black you know. Same for Tim Scott. How about Marco Rubio? His folks are from Cuba. Nikki Haley? She’s only the first Indian-American ever elected to a governorship. Maybe it’s just me, but if the Tea Party was so full of racists, as some contend, these candidates wouldn’t have even been considered for office, much less elected. So that pervasive argument falls flat on its little face like a drunken leprechaun. They all do under a bit of scrutiny.

Yeah, we get lied about a lot, but just a couple of facts show the detractors how wrong they are.

Monday, March 14, 2011

Should Fact or Fiction Guide Our Energy Policy?

Sometimes my curiosity gets the better of me. I did a search for the term “global warming theory” and got over 1.5 million results. Then I did a search for “global warming postulate,” you know, a theory that’s been proven to be true.

I got 9 results.

Naturally, your mileage may vary. But that's a pretty big difference in results.

Now think of all the environmental rules and regulations that have been passed in the last twenty-five years or so. What have they been based upon?

A theory. An unproven theory. Not a postulate, a theory. Something might or might not be happening. It could be, but then again, it could just as easily not be. Could go either way. Tough to tell.

Kind of fills me with, um, well, I’m not really sure what it fills me with. It ain’t confidence, that’s for sure.

You see, I sort of expect people to automatically recognize what is true. Having spent my entire life in the manufacturing arena, I’ve dealt in absolutes: something either works or it doesn’t. When I made a part, it either passed or failed inspection. There was no in-between and no grey area. This was particularly important when making parts for the military, or the medical industry, or Space Shuttle flight hardware: someone’s life could very well depend on the part I made. Failure was not an option.

In fact, the term “true” applies as a principle in manufacturing. A round part is said to “run true” only if it doesn’t deviate from indicated zero. If that same round part rotates, it has to run true in order to be balanced and eliminate vibration.

If absolutes didn’t exist, nothing in our world could operate. Planes wouldn’t fly, autos wouldn’t run, and buildings wouldn’t stand. This simple fact of life also reveals the absurdity of postmodernism wherein no absolutes exist. Nothing could be further from the truth.

But I digress.

While I realize that the rest of the world doesn’t always deal in absolutes to quite the degree that engineering and manufacturing do, nonetheless the world must adhere to them. When it comes to human nature, not so much.

Now, let’s apply the notion of absolutes to politics and government. For generations, those in government were generally guided by absolutes, popularly known as the truth. Take our interstate highway system as a relatively recent example. The need for an efficient, high-speed network of roads across the country was met with a natural, common-sense response based on simple absolutes. This was how things once were.

However, today we have a much different method of operation when it comes to setting policy in Washington. Truth and absolutes have somehow taken a back seat to vagaries and possibilities, not actual outcomes. Gauzy thought and “what if” scenarios have replaced concrete results.

Nowhere is this more evident than in our national energy policy. Rather than examining our needs and meeting them with proven technology, we’re being forced to use so-called “green technology” that has yet to mature and cannot sustain itself except through large blocks of taxpayer money in the form of one-time grants. It causes further damage in the form of displaced jobs from traditional energy sectors.

All of this is based on a theory. That theory is called “man-made global warming.” It’s premise is that mankind’s actions are causing the climate of the entire world to change in the long term.

And it has yet to be proven true.

But that hasn’t stopped the supporters of this unproven theory from forcing their belief upon the rest of us. Look around you, the evidence is everywhere. From incandescent light bulbs that will soon be illegal, to aerosol propellants, to the reduced energy that our gasoline now has due to the mandated use of ethanol.

All based not on sound science, as we are told, but on a theory.

Now, before the rabid environmentalists begin their cry that BackwardsBoy wants us to have dirty air and water and we’re all gonna die, let me say for the record that I don’t want any of that. I’m all for reducing pollution within reason. But the argument that mankind has the capability to negatively affect the world’s climate is outrageous on its face, and is being taken to its absurd extreme by people who see an opportunity to gain power and to exert control over our lives.

Even the catastrophe in Japan is being blamed by some on this theory. Already, politicians on the left are marshaling their forces in an effort to eliminate nuclear energy. Is nuclear energy dangerous? As we’re seeing in Japan, there are natural forces that can destroy the most well designed reactors. But as a result, we now have more information that will enable us to design new and better reactors, so even this unfortunate event can provide us with better nuclear technology than we had before. That, my friends, is real progress.

But even though energy production is dangerous, we've been doing it safely for quite a while. There is also another tendency for those on the left to shrink from any endeavor due to danger. This attitude is effeminate in nature, and is not conducive to the advancement of technology, or life, for that matter. Just because something is dangerous is no excuse not to do it. Danger can be contained.

My point is that environmentalism has been fundamentally transformed from a common-sense effort to curb excessive pollution into a political excuse to impose an ever more intrusive government on a people who don’t want or need it. For too long, our politicians have blindly accepted this theory as truth, and legislated badly as a result. Instead of exercising a healthy skepticism, they have swallowed every prediction and believed every doomsday scenario forwarded by these environmental zealots. Let’s forget about the large sums of money that environmental groups pour into the campaign coffers of these pols for a moment and focus on the truth of their premise.

Year after year of increasingly stringent pollution regulations aren’t enough to satisfy them, even though our air and water are cleaner than ever. Nothing is ever enough, and the continued push for more restrictions on our energy supplies should tell you something else is at work. We’ve passed the point of merely curbing unhealthy pollution and have moved into an area where we are being told that by simply living our lives, we’re causing devastation on a helpless planet. This guilt allows unscrupulous politicians to do things that, once upon a time, would’ve been considered far outside the realm of politics. But now, they have what seems (to them) to be the perfect excuse and they use it often.

“How can you be for pollution?” they ask. “Don’t you care about the effect of pollution on people’s lives? What about the children?” Invariably, big corporations are targeted too. In their mind, everyone is guilty of wanting to kill the planet just by being born. Only they have the necessary morals and high purpose to “care” enough to do something about it, just ask them.

It’s time for us to put aside this national notion of mankind as some parasite on Earth. As we’ve seen in Japan, the planet is far more powerful than man is, and can confound and destroy anything that we’ve done.

It’s time to dispense with the theories and start basing our national decisions on the cold, hard facts.

In other words, it's time to get real about our energy policy.

Friday, March 11, 2011

Friday Bits of Tid, St. Patrick's Day Edition

*running through the door, panting*

I made it! Sorry I'm late, did I miss anything? No? Good.

I had a late night last night, one filled with music, drink and debauchery, or as I call it, Thursday. But a good time was had by all in attendance. Trust me.

I find it kinda hard to be funny (or try to be funny) on a day when there's been so much tragedy and destruction in Japan. My prayers go out to all who are affected by this disaster. Which reminds me, I have a friend who travels to Japan frequently whom I haven't heard from yet. Hope he's OK.

OK, let's tid.

In keeping with today's title, here's an Irish-inspired pick-up line:  "If you don't go on a date with me, the leprechauns have already won."  More here.

Gabby Giffords garners good news dept. She's walking with assistance, she recognizes and remembers visitors and may attend her husband's Shuttle launch on April 19. Continued best wishes for her recovery. In other Space Shuttle news, Captain Kirk wakes up the crew of Discovery.

Malaysian man has house stolen. I wonder how long it took him to convince the 911 operator he was serious.

This qualifies as a sacrifice? Man commits to drinking nothing but beer for Lent. Hmm, I think I'll try that beer "sacrifice" thingy with BackwardsGal.

Miller Light goes after a new customer demographic - 1 year olds. As long as they don't try to drive afterwards...

Woman brings monkey into Amherst courthouse in her bra. Asked who let the monkey through the metal detector, deputies quipped: “It wasn’t armed.”

And finally, a puppy protects the world from The Attack of the Killer Ice Cube



Have a good'un, y'all.

Oh, I almost forgot my favorite St. Paddy's Day joke: What's green and stays out all night long?

Paddy O'Furniture. *rimshot* I'm here all week, try the veal...

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Think America’s on the Wrong Track? You’re not alone.

It only took two years, but we’re starting to realize just how much damage “progressivism” and the Obama administration are doing to us. There’s a new poll from Reuters/Ipsos released yesterday that shows president Obama’s agenda to be in trouble. 64% of Americans believe that the country is on the wrong track.

The honeymoon is officially over.

If you haven’t already, click on over and read the link, but be prepared for a bit of spin. One pollster can only attribute this to the recent spike in oil and gasoline prices. The rest of us out here in the real world know it’s not just the pain at the pump, prices are rising at the grocery store, too. And this comes as the majority of Americans have lost almost all, if not all of, the equity in their homes. Businesses are failing, record numbers of people are unemployed and on food stamps. There’s civil unrest in Wisconsin, and Ohio and Indiana as their legislatures do what the good citizens of those states elected them to do and the unions rebel in an increasingly more violent way.

The effects of ObamaCare are starting to be felt nationwide, unless you belong to the growing numbers of unions and other organizations that have received waivers and are exempt from it, that number having grown to over 1000 as of this writing.

Amidst all of this, oooh, look there’s Charlie Sheen! Hmm, could he be the embodiment of America today? Strung out and haggard, the result of hookers and blow, babbling incoherently and the focus of dead pools?

It’s enough to make you retreat to your local watering hole, turn on a basketball game, and let the rest of the world consume itself.

I wouldn’t blame you if you did. In fact, that sounds like a really good idea. But we have a bit of work to do first.

We have a nation to rescue.

We’ve come to the inescapable conclusion that we’ve been had. When nearly two thirds of the country realizes we have a problem, then maybe, just maybe, we can start to fix it. What’s happening to us is our own fault: we’ve let unscrupulous scoundrels worm their way into office, saying one thing (what we want to hear) and then when in office, doing something far different. Political gain and their power is what they want, not what’s best for the country.

You may ask yourself, “Self, what can I do, as a regular American, to stop this?”

Your self would reply, “Get up and get informed! Read! Find out about your own government and how it was originally supposed to work. Then you’ll know just how far we’ve gotten away from what the Founders intended, and how your freedom is suffering as a result. Understand that there are people in government who are actively working to bring you under their direct control and determine what you think and how you act. Is that what you want? For others to control you? Or do you want to control your own life?”

Set yourself to change your country, only this time in a positive way. Use your intuition (it's not just for women anymore) to tell you what’s true and what isn’t. Find out about candidates, what they believe and which organizations are funding their campaigns. Read their speeches, watch their YouTube videos and gauge their actions against your own sense of right and wrong.

In other words, become the American you were intended to be.

Proud, independent, fiercely protective of your family and your God-given rights, truthful and intolerant of lies, particularly when they come from the people you elect to act for you, engaged, informed and capable of defending what you know is your heart is right.

Become a warrior for truth and country. And know you are not alone.

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Coming to England – Government Mandated Blackouts

Imagine that your government controls when you have electricity and when you don’t.

Imagine a refrigerator full of spoiled food.

Imagine that you can’t turn on the TV.

Imagine that you can’t access the Internet.

Imagine children dying from extreme heat because the power is off.

Imagine your grandparents dying from extreme cold because the power is off.

Imagine you or a loved one who relies on a medicine that must be constantly refrigerated.

Imagine you can’t charge your electric car and cannot travel, even for a medical emergency.

All this and more is the result of so-called “Green Technology” and the socialistic control of what was once considered a public utility – electricity. And it’s coming to Britain.

Ace of Spades HQ had this post up yesterday, The Coming Dark Ages. Here’s the article from their link.

Wind power will require lifestyle change


Electricity consumers in the UK will need to get used to flicking the switch and finding the power unavailable, according to Steve Holliday, CEO of National Grid, the country’s grid operator. Because of a six-fold increase in wind generation, which won’t be available when the wind doesn’t blow, “The grid is going to be a very different system in 2020, 2030,” he told BBC’s Radio 4. “We keep thinking that we want it to be there and provide power when we need it. It’s going to be much smarter than that.


“We are going to change our own behaviour and consume it when it is available and available cheaply.”


Holliday has for several years been predicting that blackouts could become a feature of power systems that replace reliable coal plants with wind turbines in order to meet greenhouse gas targets. Wind-based power systems are necessary to meet the government’s targets, he has explained, but they will require lifestyle changes.


Under the so-called “smart grid” that the UK is developing, the government-regulated utility will be able to decide when and where power should be delivered, to ensure that it meets the highest social purpose. Governments may, for example, decide that the needs of key industries take precedence over others, or that the needs of industry trump that of residential consumers. Governments would also be able to price power prohibitively if it is used for non-essential purposes.


Smart grids are being developed by utilities worldwide to allow the government to control electricity use in the home, down to the individual appliance. Smart grids would monitor the consumption of each appliance and be capable of turning them off if the power is needed elsewhere.


Holliday’s startling comments on BBC Radio 4 were reported by The Daily Telegraph.


(Emphasis mine.)


This, my friends, is the future as envisioned by our energy overlords. Even the idea of a battery backup is excluded.

I’m not even sure I need to expand on the insanity of this policy, as the examples I’ve outlined above should suffice. I’m sure you can think of a few more.

How the notion of moving civilization backwards ever caught on in political circles is beyond my comprehension, despite this blog’s title. But rest assured there are many in Washington with the same goal. One need look no further that the Obama administration’s continued illegal moratorium on drilling in the Gulf of Mexico to see where we’re headed.

We’re being constantly bombarded with the idea of some sort of new “green energy economy” as the self-avowed communist Van Jones puts it. The more we hear about this supposed need to rely on technology that has proven unreliable and has failed in the marketplace, the more it crowds out the fact that there are proven technologies that are being shoved aside. It won’t take long for folks to forget that there are such things as clean coal, natural gas and nuclear power. Even petroleum power is far cleaner today than it was a generation ago, and the overall improvement of air quality in many major cities proves it.

Yet this isn’t enough for the environmental movement. Now, it’s becoming clear how truly radical this movement is. They are intent on retarding mankind’s’ progress. This is truly ironic since the so-called political “progressives” are the ones promoting this madness.

They must be purged from American politics. They have proven themselves to be the enemy of mankind. Why this is so is anyone's guess, but the fact remains: this will be American if they are allowed to continue to restrict our ability to harvest our natural resources.

Monday, March 7, 2011

We’re Becoming a Nation of Busybodies

I’ve noticed a trend lately. It seems as though everyone is trying to tell me how to live.

Animal rights groups don’t want me to wear fur or eat meat or go hunting or fishing

Greenies don’t want me to drive a car.

Unions want to me to become a member so they can take my dues and support candidates I don’t agree with.

Islamists want me to convert to a religion I don’t believe in.

Charlie Sheen wants me to think he’s normal.

(I just threw that last one in there. Who’dathunk that Two and a Half Men was a documentary?)

I understand the strong urge, when one discovers a new lifestyle choice, to share it with their friends. I really do. And there’s nothing wrong with that. You want to be a vegetarian? That’s wonderful. Oh, you’re a pacifist now? Splendid. You’ve suddenly become aware of this or that cause and now want to tell the world about it? More power to you.

Umm, guys (and gals), I don’t need you to tell me what to do, or what to think, or how to spend my money, or what to teach my kids, or do any of the other things that you seem to think I need to do.

I’ve got this.

There also seems to be a trend within this trend: all of these folks who’ve gathered together for what they see as the Betterment of Mankind are on the political left. Somehow they don’t seem content to let me live as I see fit. Their growing numbers enable them to raise money for political contributions to candidates that agree with them. Once these candidates reach office, they start to push for legislation to elevate their cause into law, thereby forcing their beliefs on the rest of us.

Take the environmentalists (please). For generations, these folks have been convinced that we’re somehow doing irreparable damage to the Earth by going about our daily lives. That by going to work and caring for our families every day, we’re a pox on the planet and must be stopped. That by taking what we find and making it into something that helps to make our lives easier, we’re somehow the enemy. By their thinking, businesses are evil, profit is the Devil’s lucre and anyone who works for them is a little Hitler, raping Gaia for their own selfish gain. How do we sleep at night?

You don’t have to think for long about how difficult it would be to live without all our modern creature comforts: all you need to do is read a book to find out how it used to be. We’ve managed to do a pretty good job of beating back disease and famine to take our rightful place at the top of the food chain.

And that is somehow wrong? And being born in America makes me evil?

Granted, we were pretty sloppy once upon a time. But we’ve managed to clean up our act quite a bit since the Cuyahoga River Fire of 1969. You’d think that environmentalists would be happy that we’ve gotten a lot more responsible and that they’d declare “Mission Accomplished.” You’d be wrong.

Instead, these groups have infiltrated government and now tell us that we can’t even use incandescent light bulbs. In fact, the EPA has more power to pass more regulations than ever and looks to enact even more. This is a major reason why we don’t drill for our own oil in the face of rising gasoline prices, we don’t construct new nuclear power plants or build new refineries. We even have a hard time building new roads and bridges due to lawsuits brought by environmental groups.

Our own president even said that under his Cap-and-Trade plan, our energy bills would “necessarily skyrocket.” And that helps us how, Mr. President? Sir, in case you haven’t noticed, we’re not all rich.

A proper balance seems increasingly hard to reach. And with more pushy people comes more peer pressure to conform to what they think is the right way to live instead of what we know in our own hearts.

You can look at life any way you want. But with that freedom comes the responsibility to make damn good and sure you see things as they are, not as someone else sees them. You see, power makes folks think things that aren’t true and see things that aren’t there. Just listen to these groups scream that anyone who disagrees with them is full of hate. That’s now how adults operate.

But then again, we’re not dealing with adults, are we?

There’s a big difference between someone who wants to throw their weight around and someone who wants to accomplish a worthwhile goal that benefits everyone.

It's the difference between harvesting grapes and peeling them. Although, it makes for a cute tune...

Friday, March 4, 2011

Friday Bits of Tid, Bacon Edition

Mmmmm, bacon...

But first, some good news. Representative Gabby Giffords continues her remarkable rehabilitation, according to Rabbi David Lyon of Houston. She's sung the tune American Pie and is eating "Jewish penicillin," otherwise known as chicken soup. This blog sends her best wishes and may God speed her recovery.

Lucky Des Moinians, Des Moinites, Des Mons, people who live in Des Moines. They had their Fourth Annual Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival last weekend. I could gain five pounds just smelling it. And who among us wouldn't want a slice of a BLT pizza? Be sure to practice good hygiene by brushing your teeth afterwards with Bacon Flavored Toothpaste.

Perhaps that's where this truck was headed before it crashed with 20 tons of mayonnaise aboard.

Here's a great vid of the last launch of Discovery as seen from the air courtesy of holycoast.com via Instapundit. Could they possibly have some Space Beer stashed in the cargo hold? Bacon too?

This is true alcohol abuse. Angry woman wrecks liquor store. Police are on the lookout, the rest of us are wondering what these innocent bottles did to deserve such a fate. The horror...

All my cousins back home in Alabama (basically the entire state, Hi Y'all!) enjoy the slower pace of life there. Nobody's in much of a hurry as evidenced by this letter that was just delivered postmarked 1944.

When fold-out couches attack.

When ducks attack.

And finally, well, this really needs no explanation. I was a climber and spent my formative years in trees. That trait was passed on to BackwardsBoy's Boy, who one day went missing at the age of two. Didn't find him until he giggled from atop the fridge...



Have a good'un.

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Idiocy on Parade – What We’re Up Against

Glenn Beck played a video clip the other day that you should watch. As a side note, whether you love or hate Beck, you’d be wise to at least listen to what he has to say.

Language warning.



There are so many things wrong in that clip that it’s difficult to know where to start. From ideologies that have failed spectacularly in the past, to economic ignorance, to psychological denial and plain, old brainwashing, it’s all there. If I was that kids’ parent, I’d be embarrassed to show my face in public. The sad part is his parents likely think the same way.

First off, this kid seems to think that the whole world belongs to him. The notion of personal ownership never seems to occur to him. “What’s mine is mine, and what’s yours is mine, too” is his credo. Normally, one must go to a day-care center to find this highly intellectual concept, but here it is in the hallway of the Wisconsin statehouse.

Immaturity is also present in the meeting, where one fellow just wants to tax the rich and have someone else "clean up the mess.” Whoever edited that clip deserves an Oscar for highlighting the number of times that guy says, “I feel.” And I have no reason to doubt the dude when he says that. That’s a big part of what passes for leftist thought, emotion. Logic and reality have no room to operate inside the brain of a liberal, as emotionality takes up every available space.

But the best part starts at the 3:38 mark, where the Socialist man-child starts to bemoan the tyrannical working conditions at the restaurant where he works. How he got hired in the first place is a mystery. He seems to think that the owner should abdicate his position and take his place alongside his workers to unite in a paradise where all are equal before the fry station and no one actually performs any work.

I watched this with equal parts of humor and outrage. The humor part came from listening to the madness and wondering how anyone with two functioning brain cells to rub together could be so stupid. The outrage part came from understanding that these idiots are serious about their goals of tearing down the country and are busily working to make it happen.

Oh, and there’s also hypocrisy. I almost forgot about that. Towards the end, there’s an exchange that shouldn’t have happened, given all the anti-capitalistic talk that preceded it and gives lie to the earlier statement by the woman who said that markets don’t work.

Our little socialist man-child is more than happy to sell a copy of his organization’s magazine to the videographer.

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

False Christians - The Westboro Baptist Church

Fox News.com has this headline “Supreme Court Sides with Westboro Baptist Church on Marine Funeral Protest.”

I can understand the Court’s ruling. I wholeheartedly support the effort to protect everyone’s right to free speech and assembly. But protesting at military funerals because you don’t agree with government policy is misguided at best. At worst, and this is what we’re seeing and hearing from this group, it amounts to harassment of innocent families of the fallen. Common sense should tell the people that directing their ire at a soldier’s funeral instead of the government is the wrong thing to do. If it’s Pentagon policies you disagree with, why not protest there? Somebody needs to tell these folk a thing or two about the Bible and the teachings of Jesus.

They are wrong.

They maintain they don’t like homosexuality or homosexuals. That’s fine. You’re free to believe anything you wish. But heckling, shouting, and carrying signs at what should be a somber event just shows how depraved these people really are.

They are not Christians

What’s even worse, their actions are giving Christianity a bad name, and leading the uninformed to think that all Christians think as they do. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Yet, the media is more than happy to give them publicity in order to smear the faith by association with this fringe group. And make no mistake, this group is about as far out on the edges of religion as you can get. I can call myself a brain surgeon, but that doesn’t make me one.

As a short review of history will confirm, Christianity, like America, has always had an image problem. Those on the outside tend to view it through a distorted lens. Those on the inside know differently, but often find it difficult to project the proper understanding of it due to the preconceived notions that all Christians are alike, which this “church” seems more than happy to promote.

Thankfully, the Bible gives us a yardstick with which to measure folks: Matthew 7:16 “By their fruit, you will recognize them.” Note a subtle distinction: it’s the actions, not the words, you should watch. You can also apply this to politics. I sure do. All the flowery prose in the world can’t disguise a corrupt soul.

So, using God’s Gage, these despicable acts show us who these people really are. They could just as easily show compassion for the families of these fallen soldiers and attend the funerals quietly in a silent show of support for their sacrifice. The fact that they don’t should tell you all you need to know about them. They are in no way Christian. Their protests make a mockery of a solemn ceremony. There is no love in their hearts, nor forgiveness, nor compassion. In fact, everything I’ve seen and heard from them tells me that they worship themselves and their ego, not God or Jesus.

And this Christian denounces them.

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Paper Blood – The Global Economic War Against the US

I admit there are days when I wish I weren’t interested in politics. I could just boot up my computer, kick back with a cup of coffee, and entertain myself with Oscar results, the travails of Lindsey Lohan, or the latest buzz on American Idol contestants. But due to some curse, I find myself drawn to all things political, mesmerized by the efforts of mankind to rule himself. The juxtaposition of human nature and the machinations of government draw me in just as surely as a well-crafted song. High points, low points, counterpoint, tension and release, all played out on the stage of life.

This song came to mind as the soundtrack for today’s act…



While perusing the Interwebs this morning, I ran across a link at the Blogfather’s site, Instapundit.com. With his usual understatement, it goes like this:

ECONOMIC WARFARE: Was the U.S. a victim of an economic 9/11 in 2008? Unclassified DoD report at the link.

What I found at that link was cause for concern. Great concern. A lot of great concern. A metric shit-ton of it in fact.

Contained in that report, aside from a great deal of financial information that I was unaware of (being the layman economist that I am), were the details of a global effort to bring down the US market. The breadth and depth of the effort took me by surprise, as it will you if you’re brave enough to read it.

I must warn you, it isn’t for the squeamish.

The average American, upon reading this, would be quite rightly befuddled at the concept of anyone else in the world going to such lengths to harm us. The overwhelming majority of us want nothing more than to have a good job so we can provide for our families. We haven’t personally done anything to warrant such a reaction from anyone in any other country. We don’t want to subjugate anyone else, in fact the opposite is true. We are more than willing to share our freedom and prosperity with others. However, as we are slowly finding out, the rest of the world would rather destroy us than to have their own people live in peace and freedom. Such is power of corruption and the corruption of power.

Since this report is over 100 pages, it’s a thick read. Just my own notes were enough for a week’s worth of posts, but since I know you guys don’t care for that much detail here, I’ll try to limit this post to just the highlights. Take note of this: there is little in the way of conspiracy theories in it. All the evidence of a global financial jihad against us has already occurred.

The report points to the obvious enemies of radical Islam but also includes other well-known enemies who are working behind the scenes to topple our government, and with that, destroy our way of life. We’ll start with Osama bin Laden’s remarks in his 21 December 2001 message:

“… The economic bleeding is continuing to date, but it requires further strikes. The young people should make an effort to look for the key pillars of the US economy. The key pillars of the enemy should be struck, God willing... Thanks to Almighty God, those blessed attacks, as they themselves admitted, have inflicted on the New York and other markets more than a trillion dollars in losses. …hitting the economic structure…is basic for the military power... It is very important to concentrate on hitting the US economy through all possible means.”

We’ve heard these statements before from him, what we haven’t heard is how he plans to carry out his goal of our economic destruction. It’s here that this report details the financial instruments through which our enemies can wage an economic war on American interests and institutions. And just so you know, it’s pretty much everybody: Iran, OPEC, Russia, North Korea, Hugo Chavez, and George Soros all have a hand in this.

You’ll learn about Sovereign Wealth Funds and how they financed “bear raids.” You’ll also discover the curious differences between two similar raids of Bear Stearns and Lehman Brothers. You’ll find out why Credit Default Swaps are dangerous to companies that aren’t in the housing market. Ditto for hedge funds and short selling.

Especially enlightening is the section that chronicles the running up of oil prices in 2007 despite any drastic disruptions to the world supply.

Although replete with references to the financial hows and whys that cause most people’s eyes to glaze over, the author does a good job of defining them and giving short explanations of how they work. If you don’t yet know how short selling works or what a “bear raid” is and the damage it can cause, you’ll know when you finish reading the report.

You’ll also be scared shitless.