In Celebration of Memorial Day!

(Thank you to my dear friend, Mother Reiver from YouTube, a true AMERICAN Patriot who walks with God. Thank you for a beautiful video. Check out her videos! VN8)


I wish us to remember the brave heros out there who continue to risk their lives for us. This is a tribute and memorial video - I will not accept political commentary, but only support for our troops.

This tribute falls short of expressing what I feel for our Veterans from today and yesteryear - I am in your debt, and I am proud of you.

"There's An Eagle" sung by Steve Vaus. Be sure and check out his YouTube page at:

http://www.youtube.com/user/stevevaus

Please also check out his commerical website at:

http://www.stevevaus.com/

Lyrics:

We are not strangers, To a battle
We know that freedom, Has a cost
We may be bloodied, But we're unbroken
Despite the darkness, We are not lost

For there's an eagle, high above the ashes
Close by the flag we're fighting for
There's a brave new spirit in America
United forevermore

We turn to God, For strength and comfort
To hold us closer, Than we've ever been
We pray for guidance, Through the tempest
Then we see, A sign from him

There's an eagle, high above the ashes
Close by the flag we're fighting for
There's a brave new spirit in America
United forevermore

The eagle's soaring higher
Than he ever did before
As he leads our fallen heroes
Straight through heaven's door

There's an eagle, high above the ashes
Close by the flag we're fighting for
There's a brave new spirit in America
United forevermore

Open letter to POTUS!

Kudos to Conservative Scalawag!

Damn good video! VN8

We are all going to Disney!

Here we go again, Democrats are at it again, telling employers how it's done! Folks, I'm telling you, at the rate we are going, stick a fork in it, we are almost DONE!

By: Erika Lovley
May 21, 2009

Rep. Alan Grayson was standing in the middle of Disney World when it hit him: What Americans really need is a week of paid vacation.

So on Thursday, the Florida Democrat will introduce the Paid Vacation Act — legislation that would be the first to make paid vacation time a requirement under federal law.

The bill would require companies with more than 100 employees to offer a week of paid vacation for both full-time and part-time employees after they’ve put in a year on the job. Three years after the effective date of the law, those same companies would be required to provide two weeks of paid vacation, and companies with 50 or more employees would have to provide one week.

The idea: More vacation will stimulate the economy through fewer sick days, better productivity and happier employees.

“There’s a reason why Disney World is the happiest place on Earth: The people who go there are on vacation,” said Grayson, a freshman who counts Orlando as part of his home district. “Honestly, as much as I appreciate this job and as much as I enjoy it, the best days of my life are and always have been the days I’m on vacation.”

According to the Center for Economic and Policy Research, 28 million Americans — or about a quarter of the work force — don’t get any paid vacation. The center says that a lack of vacation causes stress and workplace burnout and that those evil twins cost the economy more than $300 billion each year.

One more if-you’re-reading-this-then-you’re-probably-not-on-vacation fact: The United States is dead last among 21 industrial countries when it comes to mandatory R&R.

France currently requires employers to provide 30 days of paid leave.

Not surprisingly, some in the travel industry are salivating over Grayson’s bill; Grayson spokesman Todd Jurkowski said the U.S. Tour Operators Association and the Adventure Travel Trade Association are both on board. Other tourism and labor groups are expected to sign on in the coming days.
The Politico 44 Story Widget Requires Adobe Flash Player.


The U.S. Travel Association has not yet endorsed the measure, but Senior Vice President Geoff Freeman says Congress does need to consider new ways to stimulate the vacation industry and travel economy.

So far, no group has come out in opposition of the bill. Nor has anyone announced opposition to roller coaster rides, cookouts on the beach or salt-water taffy on the boardwalk.



But with many Americans out of work and an economy in shambles, some say this may not be the best time to propose more time away from the office, especially on the boss’s dime.

The Society for Human Resource Management issued a statement Wednesday warning that “a one-size-fits-all, government-imposed mandate is not the answer.”

Because of the 50- and 100-employee thresholds, most small businesses wouldn’t be directly affected by the bill immediately. But the National Small Business Association warned of indirect consequences; companies might artificially hold their hiring at the 50-to-100-employee level to avoid the costs of paid vacation time.

The bill also could have a negative impact on manufacturers already bracing for higher costs that could be associated with the climate-change legislation working its way through the House.

One place where the bill wouldn’t have much of an effect: Capitol Hill.

Congressional staffers already get paid vacation, even if they don’t actually have time to take it. And members can take time off during recesses — as they will next week — albeit not as much as they once did.

While members once had much of the summer off, Congress will be in session this year virtually all of June and July. That leaves August, and Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) says that’s not really enough time to unwind.

“I’m off in the state for a full month catching up on all the things I’ve missed throughout the year, but you don’t have time for yourself,” she said. “You don’t have much time for your family. And after a while, you do start to get just tired.”

Grayson’s bill is part of a larger move by Democrats to improve employee and workplace standards. Earlier this month, Democrats introduced a bill that would make employers give mandatory sick time.

“The committee is looking at a number of proposals to help workers balance family responsibilities and work duties,” said House Education and Labor Committee spokesman Aaron Albright. “The fact is the United States is behind the rest of the world in ensuring that workplaces have paid leave policies. These policies not only benefit workers but also help the employers’ bottom line because of lower turnover and better job satisfaction.”

But in the workaholic world of Washington, not everyone is so impressed with the restorative — or stimulative — powers of time unplugged.

Asked Tuesday what he’d do with an extra week of paid vacation, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) said: “I’d keep the cash and spend the week working on the farm, with my BlackBerry and office files.

Dear Mr. President,

"We the people of the United States to form a more perfect union request that you must intervene! Travesty has befallen American Idol. We all know that Adam should have been the winner of this season, but no, America is not ready for that kind of change. They solely voted against Adam because he was "different". VN8"

Oh please give me a break! Kris won because the people who were voting for the guy who was kicked off last week, turned and voted for Kris, for whatever reason. Adam is an incredibly talented guy and did a great "Freddie Mercury" tonight, will have a huge solo career, but he simply didn't win.

It was the best finale of American Idol I've ever seen! Keith Urban, man incredible! Queen was a smashing success! Rod Stewart can still belt out the tunes "Maggie, I think I got something to say to you . . . ." And KISS, wow, now that made me feel ancient!

Just so you know, I don't watch AI until they are down to the last three so I miss a lot of the drama, thank goodness! The purpose of this blog is the fact that three hours after the announcement of the winner, the rumors are already swirling that it was discrimination, the world wasn't ready for a "gay" American Idol. If this contest had been in England or Europe, Adam would have won. American has spoken. For whatever reason, Adam didn't win and I don't care if he's an alien from another planet, I didn't care for his nail polish! Maybe the President can "bail us out of another dilema of divisiveness! Yeah, I said it and you are entitled to my opinion. VN8

Anderson Cooper Says "Teabagging" Comment Was "Stupid, Silly"

Calling it a "stupid, silly, one-line aside," he touched on the attention it received. "I think it's an incorrect statement to say I was, in any way, trying to disparage legitimate protests," said Cooper. "I don't think it's my job to disparage, or encourage, which oddly other networks seemed to be doing. Protest is the great right of all Americans, and it's not my job in any way to make fun of people or disparage what they're doing."

Cooper said he regretted making the comment. "If people took offense to that and felt that I was disparaging their legitimate right to protest, and what they were doing, then that is something I truly regret, because I don't believe in doing that," he said. "Having this discussion just takes away from the real story."

(Maybe Anderson Cooper is trying to save face, we may never know the real truth. I believe it was "stupid and silly" and I might add juvenile! VN8)

The Vice President is a BOZO!

Biden Reveals Location of Secret VP Bunker
The vice president, well-known for his verbal gaffes, confirms at a dinner the existence and location of a secret hidden bunker that Cheney is believed to have used after the 9/11 attacks.

Vice President Joe Biden, well-known for his verbal gaffes, may have finally outdone himself, divulging potentially classified information meant to save the life of a sitting vice president.

According to a report, while recently attending the Gridiron Club dinner in Washington, an annual event where powerful politicians and media elite get a chance to cozy up to one another, Biden told his dinnermates about the existence of a secret bunker under the old U.S. Naval Observatory, which is now the home of the vice president.

The bunker is believed to be the secure, undisclosed location former Vice President Dick Cheney remained under protection in secret after the 9/11 attacks.

Eleanor Clift, Newsweek magazine's Washington contributing editor, said Biden revealed the location while filling in for President Obama at the dinner, who, along with Grover Cleveland, is the only president to skip the gathering.

According to the report, Biden "said a young naval officer giving him a tour of the residence showed him the hideaway, which is behind a massive steel door secured by an elaborate lock with a narrow connecting hallway lined with shelves filled with communications equipment."

Clift continued: "The officer explained that when Cheney was in lock down, this was where his most trusted aides were stationed, an image that Biden conveyed in a way that suggested we shouldn't be surprised that the policies that emerged were off the wall."

In December 2002, neighbors complained of loud construction work being done at the Naval Observatory, which has been used as a residence by vice presidents since 1974.

The upset neighbors were sent a letter by the observatory's superintendent, calling the work "sensitive in nature" and "classified" and that it was urgent it be completed "on a highly accelerated schedule."

Residents said they believed workers were digging deep into the ground, which would support Biden's report of a secret bunker, but officials never confirmed the purpose of the work performed.

The revelation is the latest from Biden, who has a long history of political blunders.

Most recently, he said in a televised interview that if a family member asked him about traveling he'd advise staying away from public transportation or confined spaces to avoid swine flu -- a remark described as "borderline fearmongering" by an airline spokesman.

BIDEN'S LIST OF POLITICAL BLUNDERS

The Vice President is a BOZO! Yeah, I said it and you are entitled to my opinion! VN8

I Want Some Tarp

The Tarp Song
Bill Zucker

Flustered Pelosi Attempts to Explain What She Knew When Regarding Waterboarding

(Hmmm, what is that I hear? Yep, I thought so, the fat lady is singing! Maybe Senator "Lights Out" Pelosi is on her way out? Her memory is so much like a steel trap, that she has to read from printed material what happened! You know why? When you know you are going to tell a big fat lie, you want to keep your story straight. Read a statement and then you think you are off the hook. "My statement is clear, and let me READ it again, let me READ it again, I'm sorry I have to find the page, was informed, blah, blah, blah." Uh, I don't think so. Can you smell them on your heels? Say bye-bye to that jet! Carbon footprint solved. Got my fingers crossed that you are out of here! While you are at it, take Senator Harry Reid and Senator Christopher Dodd! Oh and ditto what Perez Hilton said about Carrie Prejean, if the shoe fits, wear it. He'll be happy to have you back in San Francisco. VN8)

Oprah: It’s Great to Have a Private Jet

The private-jet industry may have finally found its savior.

During a speech to Duke University’s graduating class, Oprah talked about the secrets and joys of success. Among them: owning a mansion and a jet.

“It’s great to have a nice home. It’s great to have nice homes! It’s great to have a nice home that just escaped the fire in Santa Barbara,” she told the students. “It’s great to have a private jet. Anyone that tells you that having your own private jet isn’t great is lying to you.”

She went on to explain that “you haven’t completed the circle of success until you help someone else move to a higher ground and get to a better place.”

The golden nugget here is the jet part. In these times of hair-shirt capitalism and envy politics, the wealthy have been going to great lengths to pretend they don’t enjoy luxury or want nice stuff. If Oprah were like most of the faux-populist rich today, she would have said something like, “I don’t need private jets, in fact I’m happier flying commercial and living in a small house. I like the simple life.” Of course, she would be lying.

But she didn’t. She told the truth, which is that flying in a private jet is one of the great material perks that money can buy. (Talk to anyone who used to be rich and they will say one thing they really miss is the jet. Apparently Oprah’s ride is a $42 million custom-build Global Express XRS built by Bombardier Aerospace).

For the past few months, the private-jet industry has been mounting an enormous public-relations campaign to get people to fly private again. It will take a recovery and wealth creation to really turn the business around. Perhaps for the public-relations part, it should forget all the boring arguments about jobs and productivity and efficiency and run a picture of Oprah with one simple line: “It’s Great to Have a Private Jet.”

(Oprah, spare me! Think anyone will call you a sell out? I looked up hypocrite in the dictionary and there was your photo. Yeah, I said it and you are entitled to my opinion! VN8)

'SNL' Producer: Sarah Palin 'Most Confident Person I've Ever Met'

I made a new friend today . . .

 

I nicknamed him "Freedom"!

Spicy Mustard POTUS

OMG, I just found this and it is hysterical! ROFLMAO VN8

Here’s Mark Steyn on the Rush Limbaugh show:
“It was wonderful watching the coverage of the hamburger visit. He’s amazing, Obama. This coverage — he’s a regular guy. He eats a hamburger with Dijon mustard — Dijon mustard. John Kerry couldn’t get away with that stuff, but he makes it seem like just like a regular thing to do. Now there’s — I see that some of the left-wing commentators are saying, ‘Why are people making a fuss about the Dijon mustard?’ but that’s just an example of the way Obama is able to enlighten us.”

Selecting Your First Gun is Like Selecting a Purse

By Kellene Bishop

Selecting your first firearm is like selecting a purse—no one can really do it well for you. As much as my husband loves me, there’s no way that he can know enough about my preferences to appropriately select a purse on my behalf. Are the straps long enough? Does it have enough pockets in the right places? Does it have enough compartments? So I beg you NOT to allow anyone else select your first gun for you. It’s far too personal of a decision.

If you’re purchasing your first firearm for self-defense, ideally it should be a handgun. (I then advise you to move to a shotgun and then a rifle, but I’ll cover that in a future article.) Here are the primary concerns you want to consider when selecting a handgun.

1. Grip
2. Ease of loading
3. Ease of use (such as mechanics, ability to clear stoppages, etc)
4. Reliability (and safety)
5. Cost of ammo
6. Ease of assembly/disassembly


Rather than getting caught up in all of the brand names and what kind of caliber to select, first and foremost focus on the grip of the firearm. Try holding SEVERAL of them. Keep in mind if the grip is metallic, even in part, it will likely impede your shooting ability in a crisis situation as sweat will hinder your grip. I focus on a solid non-slip grip when I select my guns, or my ability to have the gun modified accordingly.

Also, when considering the grip, be sure that it is sufficient so that you can comfortably bring your other hand up to the gun for stability. There are some guns I’ve tried holding where using the other hand only seems to confine and cramp my ability to use fire the gun appropriately. While women are always conscious of fashion at some point, I implore you not to focus on whether or not it’s pink, black, or steel. Focus on the holding of it THEN focus on how it simply it loads and how easily it is for you to master cocking it. For these 3 reasons, most women go with a revolver for their first handgun or a Glock. Out of the most common options, I would opt for a Glock simply because it holds more ammo and is very forgiving of a limp wristed shot that most women possess when they shoot—myself included. It will shoot when it’s dirty, wet, muddy, etc. In other words, it’s highly reliable, and that’s what any woman needs in a time of critical self-defense.

For a myriad of reasons, you really don’t want your first gun to be too light. While you don’t want to exhaust your muscles with the weight of a gun while shooting it (like I do when shooting the AR-15 from my shoulder), I strongly advise you against purchasing a mamby-pamby gun that simply fits into the palm of your hand as your first self-defense gun. Such firearms have their place, but not as your primary self-defense weapon. A solid weight gun will actually help you to shoot more accurately, and it is typically made better as well.

While there is much discussion by “gun snobs” that a .9mm isn’t worthy of self-defense use, don’t pay any heed to it. Rather than focusing on the power of the gun, focus instead on your ability to carry it easily, retrieve it, and aim and shoot it accurately. What you DON’T want to have happen is that you buy your new gun, go shoot it, and it’s so dang powerful that you’re afraid of it and won’t continue to practice with it. So don’t let some “guy” convince you that you need to start with a more powerful caliber. 9mm’s have done just fine in warding off intruders and assailants for years, and have even been used by law enforcement officers all over that nation for a very long time. Sure, there are those rare circumstances in which a drugged up criminal is unphased by a .9mm hit, but I assure you he wasn’t hit dead center in the head or the heart when such was the case. It’s not the power in your gun, it’s the skill behind it that counts.

Another reason why I prefer to train other women on a Glock is because of the lack of a visible safety. For some women this can rattle their nerves but consider this. While the Glock actually has 3 inherent safety features, that gun is ready when you need it most, in the climax of emotion. What I don’t want to happen is to have a woman NEED to use her firearm, unveil the element of surprise as she draws her firearm and shows she’s willing to use it on an assailant, only to be hindered because she realizes that the safety was still on. That may be all the hesitation the criminal needs to remove the firearm from your possession and use it on you. I never, ever want to give away my element of surprise in my self-defense actions. If I’m pulling my firearm from my holster or its hiding place, I’m doing so for one reason and one reason only and that is to STOP an assault.

Also consider that .9 mm ammo is less expensive. If you purchase a gun with a higher caliber shooting power, you may also be less apt to practice with it due to the cost of ammo.

Ultimately, it doesn’t matter what brand or caliber you choose so long as you’re the last one standing, alive and well.


(Thanks to Conservative Scalawag, great post! VN8)

The President of the United States

Iowa Hawk

The Obama Deception

I got this song stuck in my head this morning . . .

Earth to President Barack Hussein Obama!

President Barack Obama said in Turkey : "We do not consider ourselves a Christian nation or a Jewish nation or a Muslim nation. We consider ourselves a nation of citizens who are bound by ideals and a set of values."

(Oh really POTUS! Well thanks to a blog post by Fuzzy's Dad, just in case you stumble upon this while surfing on your blackberry, educate yourself, PLEASE. We came to this land for freedom of RELIGION. We aren't forcing RELIGION on anyone and you can worship and pray anywhere or way that you want, but we ARE a Christian nation. Yeah, I said it and you are entitled to my opinion! VN8



Do you know the Preamble for your state?

Alabama 1901, Preamble We the people of the State of Alabama , invoking the favor and guidance of Almighty God, do ordain and establish the following Constitution..

Alaska 1956, Preamble We, the people of Alaska , grateful to God and to those who founded our nation and pioneered this great land.

Arizona 1911, Preamble We, the people of the State of Arizona , grateful to Almighty God for our liberties, do ordain this Constitution...

Arkansas 1874, Preamble We, the people of the State of Arkansas , grateful to Almighty God for the privilege of choosing our own form of government...

California 1879, Preamble We, the People of the State of California , grateful to Almighty God for our freedom...

Colorado 1876, Preamble We, the people of Colorado , with profound reverence for the Supreme Ruler of Universe...

Connecticut 1818, Preamble. The People of Connecticut, acknowledging with gratitude the good Providence of God in permitting them to enjoy.

Delaware 1897, Preamble Through Divine Goodness all men have, by nature, the rights of worshipping and serving their Creator according to the dictates of their consciences...

Florida 1885, Preamble We, the people of the State of Florida , grateful to Almighty God for our constitutional liberty, establish this Constitution...

Georgia 1777, Preamble We, the people of Georgia , relying upon protection and guidance of Almighty God, do ordain and establish this Constitution...

Hawaii 1959, Preamble We , the people of Hawaii , Grateful for Divine Guidance ... Establish this Constitution.

Idaho 1889, Preamble We, the people of the State of Idaho , grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, to secure its blessings.

Illinois 1870, Preamble We, the people of the State of Illinois, grateful to Almighty God for the civil , political and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy and looking to Him for a blessing on our endeavors.

Indiana 1851, Preamble We, the People of the State of Indiana , grateful to Almighty God for the free exercise of the right to choose our form of government.

Iowa 1857, Preamble We, the People of the St ate of Iowa , grateful to the Supreme Being for the blessings hitherto enjoyed, and feeling our dependence on Him for a continuation of these blessings, establish this Constitution.

Kansas 1859, Preamble We, the people of Kansas , grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious privileges establish this Constitution.

Kentucky 1891, Preamble.. We, the people of the Commonwealth are grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political and religious liberties..

Louisiana 1921, Preamble We, the people of the State of Louisiana , grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political and religious liberties we enjoy.

Maine 1820, Preamble We the People of Maine acknowledging with grateful hearts the goodness of the Sovereign Ruler of the Universe in affording us an opportunity .. And imploring His aid and direction.

Maryland 1776, Preamble We, the people of the state of Maryland , grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious liberty...

Massachusetts 1780, Preamble We...the people of Massachusetts, acknowledging with grateful hearts, the goodness of the Great Legislator of the Universe In the course of His Providence, an opportunity and devoutly imploring His direction

Michigan 1908, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Michigan , grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of freedom, establish this Constitution.

Minnesota, 1857, Preamble We, the people of the State of Minnesota, grateful to God for our civil and religious liberty, and desiring to perpetuate its blessings:

Mississippi, Preamble We, the people of Mississippi in convention assembled, grateful to Almighty God, and invoking His blessing on our work.

Missouri 1845, Preamble We, the people of Missouri , with profound reverence for the Supreme Ruler of the Universe, and grateful for His goodness . Establish this Constitution...

Montana 1889, Preamble. We, the people of Montana , grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of liberty establish this Constitution ..

Nebraska 1875, Preamble We, the people, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom . Establish this Constitution. Nevada 1864, Preamble We the people of the State of Nevada , grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, establish this Constitution...

New Hampshire 1792, Part I. Art. I. Sec. V Every individual has a natural and unalienable right to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience.

New Jersey 1844, Preamble We, the people of the State of New Jersey, grateful to Almighty God for civil and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy, and looking to Him for a blessing on our endeavors.

New Mexico 1911, Preamble We, the People of New Mexico, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of liberty..

New York 1846, Preamble We, the people of the State of New York , grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, in order to secure its blessings.

North Carolina 1868, Preamble We the people of the State of North Carolina, grateful to Almighty God, the Sovereign Ruler of Nations, for our civil, political, and religious liberties, and acknowledging our dependence upon Him for the continuance of those...

North Dakota 1889, Preamble We , the people of North Dakota , grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of civil and religious liberty, do ordain...

Ohio 1852, Preamble We the people of the state of Ohio , grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, to secure its blessings and to promote our common.

Oklahoma 1907, Preamble Invoking the guidance of Almighty God, in order to secure and perpetuate the blessings of liberty, establish this

Oregon 1857, Bill of Rights, Article I Section 2. All men shall be secure in the Natural right, to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their consciences

Pennsylvania 1776, Preamble We, the people of Pennsylvania, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of civil and religious liberty, and humbly invoking His guidance....

Rhode Island 1842, Preamble. We the People of the State of Rhode Island grateful to Almighty God for the civil and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy, and looking to Him for a blessing...

South Carolina , 1778, Preamble We, the people of he State of South Carolina grateful to God for our liberties, do ordain and establish this Constitution.

South Dakota 1889, Preamble We, the people of South Dakota , grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious liberties ...

Tennessee 1796, Art. XI..III. That all men have a natural and indefeasible right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their conscience...

Texas 1845, Preamble We the People of the Republic of Texas , acknowledging, with gratitude, the grace and beneficence of God.

Utah 1896, Preamble Grateful to Almighty God for life and liberty, we establish this Constitution.

Vermont 1777, Preamble Whereas all government ought to enable the individuals who compose it to enjoy their natural rights, and other blessings which the Author of Existence has bestowed on man ..

Virginia 1776, Bill of Rights, XVI Religion, or the Duty which we owe our Creator can be directed only by Reason and that it is the mutual duty of all to practice Christian Forbearance, Love and Charity towards each other

Washington 1889, Preamble We the People of the State of Washington, grateful to the Supreme Ruler of the Universe for our liberties, do ordain this Constitution

West Virginia 1872, Preamble Since through Divine Providence we enjoy the blessings of civil, political and religious liberty, we, the people of West Virginia reaffirm our faith in and constant reliance upon God ...

Wisconsin 1848, Preamble We, the people of Wisconsin, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, domestic tranquility...

Wyoming 1890, Preamble We, the people of the State of Wyoming , grateful to God for our civil, political, and religious liberties, establish this Constitution...

After reviewing acknowledgments of God from all 50 state constitutions, one is faced with the prospect that maybe, the ACLU and the out-of-control federal courts are wrong!

Please note that at no time is anyone told that they MUST worship God.

Barney Frank, asleep at the switch once again

By his own account, Barney Frank isn't the most observant guy around. Years ago, his live-in boyfriend ran a male prostitution ring out of Frank's apartment. Frank claimed he did not know about it.

Now Frank is again pleading inattention to the obvious, this time in a less dramatic but more significant context. Frank is chairman of the House Financial Services Committee (a travesty in itself, given his role in bringing about the financial services meltdown). By a unanimous vote, that Committee approved the Mortgage Reform and Anti-Predatory Lending Act. As Keven Mooney reports in The Examiner, one provision in that legislation, inserted by Michele Bachmann, would prevent organizations that have been indicted for voter registration or voting fraud from receiving housing counseling grants and legal assistance grants.

ACORN, the voter fraud outfit with which President Obama and other Democrats are closely allied, is under investigation for voter fraud in a dozen states and some of its workers have been indicted. Therefore, ACORN's eligibility for grants awardable under the new legislation would be jeopardized by the provision Bachmann inserted. Not that ACORN is in any risk of being left high-and-dry. Even in a worst case scenario, it would remain eligible for up to $3 billion through the stimulus package and up to $5.5 billion in the 2010 budget. Clearly, it won't get all of that money, but given its influence among Democrats it likely will do well enough.

Nonetheless, Barney Frank wants a do-over. He plans to strip Bachmann's provision out of the legislation even though he voted for it in committee. Frank explains that he did not "read [the legislation] carefully."

Translation: "I voted for the legislation, along with my entire committee, because no reasonable person would approve funding an organization that is under indictment, but I forgot that ACORN is in trouble with the law."

POST SCRIPT: I did not post this blog because Congressman Barney Frank is a homosexual, I posted this blog because Congressman Barney Frank is an idiot! Yeah, I said it and you are entitled to my opinion. VN8VN8

Good Morning Patriots . . .

Welcome to my world as I see it! Seems to me that lately, liberals are all up in arms about all the hoopla over the TEA Parties and the like. You know what I think, what happens when you take candy away from a baby? They squeal like there is no tomorrow. Well Ladies and Gentleman, my analogy goes something like this:

Seems to me like the Parental Units overslept and the children got up in the middle of the morning and decided to raid the liquor cabinet and the fridge of all of the adult beverages. The Parental Units were exhausted because they had been working day and night to pay what was due. When the Parental Units finally woke up and realized that the children had drank everything that they had no business drinking, the Parental Units were a little pissed!

Democrats have been inching along, taking more and more of what belongs to you and me, making us feel as if we were the big bad wolf because we did not want to share what we had worked for with the "less fortunate". Republicans because of our compassion, let them shame us, but no more! Democrats are like drunken sailors on leave currently, but I say let's throw them in the brig and not a minute too soon.

We are awake, our eyes are open and we see exactly what has been going on! March on Conservative Patriots, tell Senator Pelosi, Senator Reid, Senator Dodd and the newly crowned Senator Spector, we are mad as hell and we aren't taking it any more! Yeah, I said it and you are entitled to my opinion. VN8

My SENTIMENTS, exactly . . .

OK, I've been in bed all day, shoulder/neck injury, just your typical capitalist working hard, doesn't know when to stop and then, slam, incapacitated! But hey, it's raining outside and couldn't be a better day to be a slug on meds! So I've been listening to all my favorite tunes, surfing the universe via the internet and I run across this comment, I agree with "hadanuff" completely. What a brilliant time to be alive! If you want socialism, communism, bring it on, it's going to be painful, but it will not survive and if it's what we need to bring about "Real Change" in this nation, I say "Viva Revolution"!

Here's the comment:

hadanuff of E.Vassalboro, ME
May 3, 2009 8:25 PM
Socialism at its best will fail and lead to revolution. I just hope I live long enough to see it.

Way to go hadanuff, where do I sign up? VN8

This guy is going to be a Senator . . .

Check out this photo! VN8


A COMEDIAN who had a walk-on part in the Rutles film spoof of the Beatles is poised to deliver a 60-seat super-majority to the Democrats in the Senate as President Barack Obama consolidates his grip on the levers of power.

Al Franken, 57, a satirist turned Democrat politician, is expected to be proclaimed the winner of the protracted race for the US Senate in Minnesota, in time to give Obama a free hand to appoint a Supreme Court replacement for retiring Justice David Souter without fear of Republican blocking tactics.

If Franken wins, Obama will hold an unassailable majority after Senator Arlen Specter’s sudden defection from the Republicans to the Democrats last week. A 60-seat majority would deprive the Republicans of the ability to scupper appointments and legislation by filibustering.

Norman Coleman, the Republican former senator, last week asked the Minnesota supreme court to count an extra 1,359 ballots, but his own side has all but conceded that Franken will win. “Most of us think that is going to happen,” said Paul Ryan, a Republican congressman.

Hillary Clinton, Obama’s surprise choice for secretary of state, has been mooted as a wild card appointment to the Supreme Court, but she would have to abandon any remaining presidential ambitions – an unlikely prospect.

Franken, a former presenter on Air America, the left-wing radio station, has been uncharacteristically quiet during the six-month recount. He holds a 312-vote lead over Coleman out of a total of nearly 3m.

Tad Devine, a Democrat consultant and friend of Franken, warned that his party’s softly-softly tactics would not continue indefinitely.

“Our side has not kicked into gear yet,” he said. “There has been a deliberate strategy not to make a big deal of the recount but if it drags on into the summer, we could raise the stakes and force the race to a conclusion.”

Franken’s vote will be needed not just for the Supreme Court appointment but also for healthcare reform, earmarked for the autumn. It is ironic for a comedian to wield so much power, Devine noted, “but Franken is certainly comfortable with irony”.

Specter hints Kemp died of GOP agenda . . .

Monday, May 4, 2009



What a moron! VN8

Specter hints Kemp died of GOP agenda



Tom LoBianco

Sen. Arlen Specter, Pennsylvania Democrat, said part of the reason that he left the Republican Party last week was disillusionment with its health-care priorities, and suggested that had the Republicans taken a more moderate track, Jack Kemp may have won his battle with cancer.

Mr. Specter, responding to a question from CBS' Bob Schieffer over whether he had let down Pennsylvanians who wanted a Republican to represent them, said he thought his priorities were more in line with those of the Democrats.

"Well, I was sorry to disappoint many people. Frankly, I was disappointed that the Republican Party didn't want me as their candidate," Mr. Specter said on "Face the Nation." "But as a matter of principle, I'm becoming much more comfortable with the Democrats' approach. And one of the items that I'm working on, Bob, is funding for medical research."

Mr. Specter continued: "If we had pursued what President Nixon declared in 1970 as the war on cancer, we would have cured many strains. I think Jack Kemp would be alive today. And that research has saved or prolonged many lives, including mine."

Mr. Kemp died Saturday of cancer. He had been the running mate of 1996 Republican presidential candidate Bob Dole.

(Senator Arlen Spector is a moron. Yeah, I said it and you are entitled to my opinion! How about this Senator Spector, I've said it for years, instead of spending billions on a cure for all of these horrid cancers, how about someone coming clean and tell us what's causing it! I know there are plenty of people out there that believe if we were told what causes it, we wouldn't need a cure because none of us would have it! I'm not talking about lung cancer associated with cigarettes, I'm talking about all the other cancers. Is it environmental? Come on come clean. Is it chlorine in the drinking water? Is it flouride in the drinking water? Is it mercury toxicity? Is it the pollution that we breathe every day? Cancer treatment is an industry that thrives on cancer and peoples fear of dying. There will never be a cure for cancer, an entire industry would crumble. Senator Spector, do me a favor, try and convince all those other Rhinos to join your ranks, at least they won't have to masquerade as a wolf in sheep's clothing! I hope Pat Toomey whips your ever loving rear end and the people of Pennsylvania get the conservative representation that they deserve! VN8)

Jack Kemp dies at the age of 73

May 3, 2009

By MATT APUZZO and CAROLYN THOMPSON

WASHINGTON (AP) - Jack Kemp, the former pro quarterback who turned fame on the gridiron into a career in national politics and a crusade for lower taxes, has died of cancer at age 73.

Family spokeswoman Marci Robinson said Kemp died shortly after 6 p.m. Saturday, surrounded by his family. Kemp died at his home in Bethesda, Md., in the Washington suburbs, friends said.

Kemp's office announced in January that he had been diagnosed with an unspecified type of cancer. By then, however, the cancer was in an advanced stage and had spread to several organs, former campaign adviser Edwin J. Feulner said. He did not know the origin of the cancer.

Kemp, a former quarterback for the Buffalo Bills, represented western New York for nine terms in Congress, leaving the House for an unsuccessful presidential bid in 1988.

Eight years later, after serving a term as President George H.W. Bush's housing secretary, he made it onto the national ticket as Bob Dole's running-mate.

With that loss, the Republican bowed out of political office, but not out of politics. In speaking engagements and a syndicated column, he continued to advocate for the tax reform and supply-side policies - the idea that the more taxes are cut the more the economy will grow - that he pioneered.

Feulner, president of the Heritage Foundation, a Kemp family friend and his former campaign deputy chief of staff, said Kemp's legacy will be his compassion.

"The idea that all conservatives really should regroup around and identify with is that this is not an exclusive club," Feulner said. "Freedom is for everybody. That's what Jack Kemp really stood for."

Praise rolled in from fellow politicians.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., called Kemp "one of the nation's most distinguished public servants. Jack was a powerful voice in American politics for more than four decades."

Former President George W. Bush expressed his sorrow after hearing of Kemp's death.

"Laura and I are saddened by the death of Jack Kemp," he said. "Jack will be remembered for his significant contributions to the Reagan revolution and his steadfast dedication to conservative principles during his long and distinguished career in public service. Jack's wife Joanne and the rest of the Kemp family are in our thoughts and prayers."

Kemp's rapid and wordy style made the enthusiastic speaker with the neatly side-parted white hair a favorite on the lecture circuit, and a millionaire.

His style didn't win over everyone. In his memoirs, former Vice President Dan Quayle wrote that at Cabinet meetings, Bush would be irked by Kemp's habit of going off on tangents and not making "any discernible point."

Kemp also signed on with numerous educational and corporate boards and charitable organizations, including NFL Charities, which kept him connected to his football roots.

Kemp was a 17th round 1957 NFL draft pick by the Detroit Lions, but was cut before the season began. After being released by three more NFL teams and the Canadian Football League over the next three years, he joined the American Football League's Los Angeles Chargers as a free agent in 1960. A waivers foul-up two years later would land him with the Buffalo Bills, who got him at the bargain basement price of $100.

Kemp led Buffalo to the 1964 and 1965 AFL Championships, and won the league's most valuable player award in 1965. He co-founded the AFL Players Association in 1964 and was elected president of the union for five terms. When he retired from football in 1969, Kemp had enough support in blue-collar Buffalo and its suburbs to win an open congressional seat.

In 11 seasons, he sustained a dozen concussions, two broken ankles and a crushed hand - which Kemp insisted a doctor permanently set in a passing position so that he could continue to play.

"Pro football gave me a good perspective," he was quoted as saying. "When I entered the political arena, I had already been booed, cheered, cut, sold, traded, and hung in effigy."

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said "Kemp was an extraordinary American leader who became a trusted colleague and exceptional friend to countless NFL owners, team personnel and commissioners after his MVP playing career with the Buffalo Bills."

Kemp was born in California to Christian Scientist parents. He worked on the loading docks of his father's trucking company as a boy before majoring in physical education at Occidental College, where he led the nation's small colleges in passing.

He became a Presbyterian after marrying his college sweetheart, Joanne Main. The couple had four children, including two sons who played professional football. He joined with a son and son-in-law to form a Washington strategic consulting firm, Kemp Partners, after leaving office.

Through his political life, Kemp's positions spanned the social spectrum: He opposed abortion and supported school prayer, yet appealed to liberals with his outreach toward minorities and compassion for the poor. He pushed for immigration reform to include a guest-worker program and status for the illegal immigrants already here.


AP writer Carolyn Thompson reported from Buffalo.

Roses are also pink!

 
This is a rose that I grew. VN8

Demanding an apology . . .

President Obama, Speaker Pelosi, and Others Owe 1.2 Million Tea Partiers an Apology -

The American People Deserve Better From Their Elected Representatives and Are Beginning to Demand It

Among the political class it has apparently become acceptable, and even fashionable, for American politicians from the President on down to mock the citizens they represent. In a development that can only further denigrate the discourse necessary to any effective democracy, politicians and the "serious" news media are now mocking citizens regularly and with impunity. Supported by mainstream journalists on MSNBC and CNN who themselves use sexual slurs on national television to mock and attack the same citizens, the politicians openly demonstrate their feelings of superiority in regard to those they were elected to represent. They now candidly express their disdain for a significant portion of the American population without threat of reprisal by the mainstream media.

On the morning of the April 15th Tea Parties, the American public was informed on national news by one of the President's economic advisers, Jared Bernstein, that the President was "unaware" of the tea parties taking place in over 850 cities across the nation. On April 29th, the President informed a town hall meeting in St. Louis that he has now become aware of the tea parties, but only from "certain news channels on which I'm not very popular." He referred to the one million plus Patriots who came out in legitimate and constitutionally protected demonstrations of free speech on April 15th as "folks waving tea bags around..." While he collects royalties (last year about $2.6 million) from his books, The Audacity of Hope and Dreams From My Father, the President has the audacity to imply that we the people have nothing legitimate to say about high taxes, wasteful spending and corporate bailouts. The President also seems to believe that it is appropriate to mock millions of Americans who are expressing their opinions publicly in a peaceful manner. "Perhaps he feels that by mocking the tea parties and the patriots who attend them, that he can marginalize them. But we know that real patriots cannot be marginalized, and that they will continue to make their voices heard in ever greater numbers," says Mark Meckler, Sacramento Tea Party Coordinator and Tea Party Patriots National Leadership Council Member.

This sort of condescending approach to the grassroots is a hallmark of politicians all across this land. We, the grassroots are mocked by the President as "folks waving tea bags around." Discussion of our legitimate complaints and concerns is avoided through the use of derogatory and condescending rhetoric. We've heard similar rhetoric from the Speaker Nancy Pelosi who says the tea parties are an "Astroturf initiative," and "contrived events backed by those who like tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans." Rep. Jan Schakowsky (IL), called people who attended the Tea Parties "despicable" and "shameful," said they represent "corporate interests" and said the events were created only by "Republican lobbyists and politicians." At every level, the majority of politicians refuse to discuss the issues head on, and refuse to acknowledge the fact that a huge, non-partisan, grassroots movement has coalesced around limited government, fiscal responsibility and lower taxes. As politicians, they are simply interested in taking and spending more and more of our money, and in leaving our children with the burdens of their excess. And they mock, deride and oppose anyone who objects to what they are doing.

At this time, the President, and all other politicians who demeaned the tea party protesters, Speaker Pelosi (CA), and Rep. Schakowsky (IL) included, owe 1.2 million patriots an apology. If our politicians are truly interested in dialogue with the people they claim to represent, such a dialogue must begin with respect for the citizens of this country. That show of respect will begin when the politicians acknowledge that mocking and demeaning well-intentioned, peaceful patriots who love their country is the height of arrogance, and a terrible mistake. The American people deserve better from their elected representatives, and are beginning to demand it.

YIKES!

Experts Warn Internet Is Running Out of Bandwidth

Internet users face regular "brownouts" that will freeze their computers as capacity runs out in cyberspace, according to research to be published later this year.

Experts predict that consumer demand, already growing at 60 percent a year, will start to exceed supply as early as 2010 because of more people working online and the soaring popularity of bandwidth-hungry Web sites such as YouTube and services such as the BBC's iPlayer.

It will initially lead to computers being disrupted and going offline for several minutes at a time. Beginning in 2012, however, PCs and laptops are likely to operate at a much reduced speed, rendering the Internet an "unreliable toy."

When Sir Tim Berners-Lee, the British scientist, wrote the code that transformed a private computer network into the World Wide Web in 1991, the Internet appeared to be a limitless resource.

However, a report being compiled by Nemertes Research, a respected American think-tank, will warn that the Web has reached a critical point and that even the recession has failed to stave off impending problems.

(Sir Tim Berneres-Lee, what the heck, somebody call Al Gore! Someone is stealing his invention! It must be a plot! LOL VN8)