It's so infrequent that a sequel can match, much less surpass an original. Usually the characters don't develop between movies, the plot is terribly hackneyed and weak, and by the first 40 minutes you realize you've been had into spending $10 bucks and a couple of hours just because of your false hope. Oceans 12 is a perfect example of this, also Rocky 2, Star Trek 2, Battle for the Planet of the Apes, The Sting 2, Ensign Pulver, Jaws 2, Stayin Alive, Blues Brothers 2000. These movies were sucktacular and I want the combined wasted 24hours of my life back!
Others like Die Hard 2, Pirates of the Caribbean Dead Man's Chest, and Bourne Supremecy are on par with the original because although they aren't incredible movies in their own right, it's just so much fun to spend some more time with the characters. Then you have movies like Empire Strikes Back and National Treasure Book of Secrets in which you walk out of the theatre feeling as though the original were nothing but a warm-up act.
This was the most fun I've had in a treatre in a very long time! The characters sitll have their trademark personalities, but enough has changed between movies that the dynamics between the characters is different (Riley's simmering jealousy of Ben getting all the credit for the first find, Abigail didn't marry Ben and is now dating other men, the IRS has had it's effect on the first find).... all things that prevent you from feeling as though it's same old, same old. ::::::::coughOceansTwelve:cough::::::::
Then onto the adventure. I remember thinking before going into the theatre , "they're already rich as snot, having found the world's greatest treasure, what could possibly motivate them to search for another, smaller treasure with the same passion and intensity as the original?" Well, the writers did a great job of answering that one! You never question how much finding this "treasure" means to them, and when (again) Ben, Riley, and Abigail must break into The White House, Buckingham Palace, or even kidnap the President, one doesn't think twice.
The movie again is filled with Ben/Abigail sharing their "but of course" moments of obscure trivia, and Reily gets another "I know something you don't" turn. Ed Harris plays a wonderful villian and has a terrific final scene. The plot is utterly original and has some serious "Indiana Jones-esque" moments that fit the story much better than the dumb-waiter from hell in the first National Treasure! Even te dynamics between Pappa Gates (Voight) and his ex-wife were terrific! Certainly a 10-outta-10, thumbs-up, 5-stars.... can you tell I loved this movie?
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Thursday, November 01, 2007
One of my heros
This is a great demonstration of what makes Nicola Tesla the greatest inventor who ever lived!
Better than Edison or anyone else we heard of in school?! HELL yeah!
Why haven't we heard of this Tesla guy? I thought Tesla was just a rock band.
The fact that he invented the electricity we all use in our homes (AC current vs. Edison's Direct current - better known as... ahem! batteries!)... the fact that he revolutionized wireless communication and transmission of energy... the fact that he invented the AC motor (any and every motor you will ever use, from the big ones at Hoover Dam to the motors that run your windshield wipers)... the fact that he invented the first Radio Controlled vehicle ... radio, robotics, computer science (even in the EARLY 1900's).. the man was truly the genius of all geniuses.. but all that couldn't compensate for the fact that he was ecentric and a lousy PR man! Edison and Marconi got credit for inventions Tesla created and he (Tesla) was too involved with his studies and work to worry about who got credit. But here is a wonderful demonstration of the Tesla Coil!
Wikipedia page on Nicola Tesla
Tesla's Wardenclyffe Tower on Long Island New York
More on Tesla
Yet one more Tesla Link
Friday, October 26, 2007
Obama's National Anthem habits - and a recent email
OKAY, YOU ALL KNOW HOW TO READ EMAILS AND RESPONSES.... START FROM THE BOTTOM
Well said, Steve! VERY well said. Unfortunately, I'm not sure how much effect it's gunna' have. If - after 6 years - they are still repeating such disproven and erroneous lies as "war for oil", "AWOL", "Without protective equipment", "War based on lies", etc.... they are SO blinded by Michael Moron, Move-on crap, that they can't even engage in reasonable discussion. For the record......
"War based on lies" - try this website and hear what the DEMS said back in 2002 and before.. ( http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.ListAll&friendID=66003231 )
"War for oil" - same canard used by Dems during Gulf War (still no American Oil wells in Kuwait-guess they were wrong on that one) furthermore, we could have had much more oil, cheaper, and without Bush's hit to opinion polls by simply lifting the embargo. If he had wanted cheap oil for his 'oil buddies' he could have done what France and Russia did - break the embargo. That would have taken Clintonlike ethics and integrity Bush just doesn't have.
"Lack of Protective Gear" At the beginning of the war, it was not obvious the weapon of choice for insurgents and Al Queda would be IED's - afterall, they didn't use them in Afghanistan. So, as with ALL wars, the plans going in dont survive first engagement (to paraphrase a great general). As the insurgents' tactics changed, so did ours.
"Declaring forms of torture okay" - once again, a mis-statement twisting, or showing ignorance of FACTS. Bush NEVER condoned torture and asked for the legal standing of such tactics as waterboarding - IN RESPECT TO DETAINEES from Iraq and Afghanistan - Attny Gonzales correctly said The Geneva Convention has restrictions in Article 1 - Part 1 --- namely, ANYONE not wearing a uniform recognizable at a distance OR not a signatory to the conventions OR not part of an army without a chain of command OR that doesn't fight by civilized rules of warfare IS NOT repeat IS NOT COVERED BY THE GENEVA CONVENTIONS. This is an accurate interpretation of the Geneva Conventions in regards to "unlawful combatants" (Geneva Convention terminology)... Bush NEVER condoned torture - merely asked for legal standings.
"Spied on Americans" You would prefer the Janet Reno form of not tapping such individuals as Mohammad Attah ? I might remind you that in the case of Aldrich Ames, Bill Clinton not only tapped Ames' phone without FISA warrant, but had PHYSICAL SEARCHES of Ames' house and car without any warrant. There goes that double standard again!
"Healthcareless Children" Has she not HEARD any of the debate? Bush has a problem with adults collecting money in a program supposedly for 'kids' and doesn't agree folks making 80K qualify as "poor." If he had let it go through, of course they'd be saying he was just trying to help his rich friends.
I'm sure Joan had no problem voting for a admited draft dodger who sent our boys to Bosnia, Kosovo, Haiti, and ran like a kicked dog when our boys were killed and dragged through the streets of Somalia... now she has a problem with Bush and Cheney?!?!?!?
::::::: Rolling eyes::::::: At least I can say I dislike BIG TIME how Bush has handled immigration... can Joan tell us one thing she and Bush agree about? Probably not - she's too much of a hater and an ideologue, and sadly, her ideals aren't about economic theory or racial integration ... her ideology is based on one single thing-HATRED. That is the truly sad thing about America - we have an entire political party with no grater goal or ideal than to hate George W. Bush.
Steve Crecelius wrote:
HI charles, I hope this email finds you well. I thought you would be interested in my response to person below defending Obamas lack of hand on his heart during the National Anthem. Perhaps read her email way below first.
Haven’t seen you for quite a while. Are you still in Denver or has Elvis left the city?
steve
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Steve Crecelius
Sent: Thursday, October 25, 2007 10:22 PM
To: 'joanmsw@comcast.net'; JOE Scuba2000; ken.clark16@verizon.net; MMoore482@aol.com; waynesica@comcast.net; kirk.kopp.ctr@elmendorf.af.mil; Debbie Crecelius; CGiarratano@cherrycreekschools.org; JohnCowan320@comcast.net; jfw39@optonline.net; joescuba2000@hotmail.com
Subject: RE: FW: Fwd: All I really need to know about Obama
Apparently Joan only feels like an American when political or any other of the great debates are going her way. She seems unable to separate the concept of being a proud American and all that it stands for and the politics and politicians, we all seem to despise.
Regarding symbols, if they didn’t mean anything, we would still have Christmas Trees and the Manger in schools and public places. Yes, symbols and respect for the flag and our country does mean something and transcends past, current, and future politics, wars, and even standings in the world. And therefore, disrespect for those symbols does make a clear statement. One that I feel is Anti-American. Not anti left or anti right, just anti American. I do hope it is without dissent that it is my right to feel that way or any other way I want to feel and is the essence of what freedom is all about.
If Obama shows such disrespect for the symbols of our country, then how can we feel comfortable that he will respect what the country has always stood for. The flag has always stood for our country and its freedoms. And, how will he respect those who might stand against him once in possession of such great power as the presidency. Now Joan, that’s just fair and we can have every right to feel the way we do, just as you have the right to feel the way you do. It’s our country too and we are due our opinions.
Further, not only did the producer at CBS get immediately fired, but Dan Rather, anchor of several generations lost his credibility at CBS and ultimately his job for the so called AWOL story. The Bush AWOL story was simply proven false and no real evidence has been provided to show any reasonable person otherwise. Joan, I would hope that you or your loved one would not want to be falsely accused or have evidence falsified against you. Either you believe in or system of Justice or you don’t. Unless something else comes to our attention, this is a non-issue. No one cares anymore about it. It is old news so you need to just get over it.
In the final analysis, Joan has simply backed herself in the “Hate Bush” corner and thus, many of her opinions and thoughts are surely suspect. Bush is her president too, like it or not. President Clinton was my president like it or not. You must stand for something or you will fall for anything regardless of who happens to be President at any given time.
I believe Joan has also fallen for the “It’s Americas fault” crowd. She can disagree with the war, the president, and funding health care for children.
Her and Obama can certainly not use the flag on their stamps or have their hand on their heart, it is their right. There will never ever be a law against it.
What there will be is an America that stands for something including those freedoms and the symbols that represent it. Always has and always will. The constitution is not a left or right based document. There are other ways to disagree with our country’s place in the world. Joan’s view of someone who did not like Obama disrespecting the longstanding tradition of ones hand on ones heart as a racist is herself, lacking in respect for others rights, freedoms, and opinions. And, the word “racist” is a very strong and important word and people like Joan only dilute it because it gets over used and over time loses its true meaning.
And Joan, tell me about the time when you, or anyone you know has been “spied” on. Or why we can’t use reasonable techniques to get information vital to our safety. Is the system perfect? NO! Does the system change with Presidents, again No! One of every 5 people work for the government and few change their jobs when a new president comes along. The bottom line is that it is a big, bulky and yet beautiful system. It is good that change occurs slowly.
It is also important to note that regardless of whether one agrees with the war in the beginning or now, it is evident that there are forces in the world who have made it clear they want us to convert to Islam or die. Many, including the current president of Iran, believe that their own version of the second coming can be enhanced by creating more death and dismay. They honor death and not life. They are in battle with us in Iraq. The prize is a country, a country sitting on a quarter of the world’s oil reserves. Oil is power and money, and would in my estimation provide the means to buy those weapons of mass destruction. Unlike Vietnam, they WILL follow us home... and have already proven they can.
Obamas answer to the war is to simply leave Iraq. Another way of putting it, is to simply give those who have dedicated their lives to our destruction, a better means to do it. The issue to me is whether we go after this evil, or underestimate it and wait until they come to us. I am sorry, but it is certainly possible that 911 would look like a cake walk if this enemy of America is not stopped. There are many of us who rightfully and sensibly believe that Iraq is the battle front and to lose that battle front would be at our own peril. There is nothing new about war and certainly nothing new about evil and the longstanding goal of taking over the block, the country, or the world. History is full of evil using the power of religion and charisma to, in a cult and even forceful manner, influence the masses and then try to take that which is not theirs.
The country is like a child, you can not like some of the things it does, but you should still love it. Your hand on your heart is a simple way to display that love. Maybe the Joan’s of the world feel they punish America by not using stamps with the American flag on them. What symbol of America would they rather use? What other symbol might fall into place because the flag is no longer respected or honored. Who are they really punishing? Two hundred plus years later, who cares? I care!
My fear for our country is people like Joan who naively think freedom is free and that God and Country are the enemy. Whether you are religious or not, support the war or not, the failure of our country at any given point in time now or in the future, will not be based on politics, people running for president, thoughts on the war, etc. but rather where we stand together as Americans. It starts with the hand on our hearts.
steve
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: joanmsw@comcast.net [mailto:joanmsw@comcast.net]
Sent: Wednesday, October 24, 2007 8:52 PM
To: JOE Scuba2000; ken.clark16@verizon.net; MMoore482@aol.com; waynesica@comcast.net; kirk.kopp.ctr@elmendorf.af.mil; Debbie Crecelius; CGiarratano@cherrycreekschools.org; Steve Crecelius; JohnCowan320@comcast.net; jfw39@optonline.net; Joanmsw@comcast.net; joescuba2000@hotmail.com
Subject: Re: FW: Fwd: All I really need to know about Obama
I found this email racist and very upsetting. Would it be OK if Obama were Christian and did not wear an American flag lapel? Would he be OK if he did wear one, went to church, declared himself Christian and sent our young people to fight without soap much less protective equipment in a war based on lies? if he declared forms of torture to be OK, spied on American citizens declaring himself to be above the law, spent $500Billion in 5 years in this war while refusing to spend $35 billion in the next 5 years to provide health care to children. Do you know children with leukemia, juvenile diabetes etc whose parents work but have no insurance? I could go on and on. Vote for whomever you wish but PLEASE vote based on values, ethics, intelligence, platforms, not on symbols. I personally hate what is happening to our country right now, I refuse to use a stamp with a flag on it.
Neither Bush (who went AWOL) nor Cheney, two hawks, fought in the war of their (our) generation. Too busy with more important things. But they'll both wear all the American flags you'd like. Real Patriots.
I fear for our country every minute of every day!
Joan
-------------- Original message --------------
From: "JOE Scuba2000"
This guy is a real jerk. God save our country if he gets into office.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: tplbstarck@aol.com
To: Rdajun@aol.com, cleandean@comcast.net, kportzxla@aol.com, bobbyhall20@msn.com, chuckblood@aol.com, ttrogers@centurytel.net, MMoore482@aol.com, joescuba2000@hotmail.com
Subject: Fwd: All I really need to know about Obama
Date: Mon, 22 Oct 2007 02:17:22 -0400
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>-----Original Message-----
>From: SMAKS
>To: JAN ROLLER; Jo Ann Klein ; Noreen Clouse ; PBC417@aol.com; spi4hjg@rgv.rr.com; ssmigneco@charter.net; TheRyan Team ; TPLBSTARCK@aol.com; Dooley George ; willlsue@bellsouth.net; woodstockalways@charter.net
>Sent: Sat, 20 Oct 2007 6:45 pm
>Subject: Fw: All I really need to know about Obama
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>Subject: All I really need to know about Obama
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>I don't know how many of you saw this on TV, but I
>did. Notice Bill Richardson and Hillary during the playing of the National
>Anthem. I wondered at the time, "what the hell is this guy thinking?" Now that
>he has declared he will no longer wear the American Flag lapel pin (and that is
>his right and I support his right to make that decision) I understand how
>someone born a Muslim doesn't want to declare allegiance to OUR country. This is
>all I need to know about Obama.
>
>The question is, how would he act as
>President? Perish the thought!
>
Well said, Steve! VERY well said. Unfortunately, I'm not sure how much effect it's gunna' have. If - after 6 years - they are still repeating such disproven and erroneous lies as "war for oil", "AWOL", "Without protective equipment", "War based on lies", etc.... they are SO blinded by Michael Moron, Move-on crap, that they can't even engage in reasonable discussion. For the record......
"War based on lies" - try this website and hear what the DEMS said back in 2002 and before.. ( http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.ListAll&friendID=66003231 )
"War for oil" - same canard used by Dems during Gulf War (still no American Oil wells in Kuwait-guess they were wrong on that one) furthermore, we could have had much more oil, cheaper, and without Bush's hit to opinion polls by simply lifting the embargo. If he had wanted cheap oil for his 'oil buddies' he could have done what France and Russia did - break the embargo. That would have taken Clintonlike ethics and integrity Bush just doesn't have.
"Lack of Protective Gear" At the beginning of the war, it was not obvious the weapon of choice for insurgents and Al Queda would be IED's - afterall, they didn't use them in Afghanistan. So, as with ALL wars, the plans going in dont survive first engagement (to paraphrase a great general). As the insurgents' tactics changed, so did ours.
"Declaring forms of torture okay" - once again, a mis-statement twisting, or showing ignorance of FACTS. Bush NEVER condoned torture and asked for the legal standing of such tactics as waterboarding - IN RESPECT TO DETAINEES from Iraq and Afghanistan - Attny Gonzales correctly said The Geneva Convention has restrictions in Article 1 - Part 1 --- namely, ANYONE not wearing a uniform recognizable at a distance OR not a signatory to the conventions OR not part of an army without a chain of command OR that doesn't fight by civilized rules of warfare IS NOT repeat IS NOT COVERED BY THE GENEVA CONVENTIONS. This is an accurate interpretation of the Geneva Conventions in regards to "unlawful combatants" (Geneva Convention terminology)... Bush NEVER condoned torture - merely asked for legal standings.
"Spied on Americans" You would prefer the Janet Reno form of not tapping such individuals as Mohammad Attah ? I might remind you that in the case of Aldrich Ames, Bill Clinton not only tapped Ames' phone without FISA warrant, but had PHYSICAL SEARCHES of Ames' house and car without any warrant. There goes that double standard again!
"Healthcareless Children" Has she not HEARD any of the debate? Bush has a problem with adults collecting money in a program supposedly for 'kids' and doesn't agree folks making 80K qualify as "poor." If he had let it go through, of course they'd be saying he was just trying to help his rich friends.
I'm sure Joan had no problem voting for a admited draft dodger who sent our boys to Bosnia, Kosovo, Haiti, and ran like a kicked dog when our boys were killed and dragged through the streets of Somalia... now she has a problem with Bush and Cheney?!?!?!?
::::::: Rolling eyes::::::: At least I can say I dislike BIG TIME how Bush has handled immigration... can Joan tell us one thing she and Bush agree about? Probably not - she's too much of a hater and an ideologue, and sadly, her ideals aren't about economic theory or racial integration ... her ideology is based on one single thing-HATRED. That is the truly sad thing about America - we have an entire political party with no grater goal or ideal than to hate George W. Bush.
Steve Crecelius
HI charles, I hope this email finds you well. I thought you would be interested in my response to person below defending Obamas lack of hand on his heart during the National Anthem. Perhaps read her email way below first.
Haven’t seen you for quite a while. Are you still in Denver or has Elvis left the city?
steve
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Steve Crecelius
Sent: Thursday, October 25, 2007 10:22 PM
To: 'joanmsw@comcast.net'; JOE Scuba2000; ken.clark16@verizon.net; MMoore482@aol.com; waynesica@comcast.net; kirk.kopp.ctr@elmendorf.af.mil; Debbie Crecelius; CGiarratano@cherrycreekschools.org; JohnCowan320@comcast.net; jfw39@optonline.net; joescuba2000@hotmail.com
Subject: RE: FW: Fwd: All I really need to know about Obama
Apparently Joan only feels like an American when political or any other of the great debates are going her way. She seems unable to separate the concept of being a proud American and all that it stands for and the politics and politicians, we all seem to despise.
Regarding symbols, if they didn’t mean anything, we would still have Christmas Trees and the Manger in schools and public places. Yes, symbols and respect for the flag and our country does mean something and transcends past, current, and future politics, wars, and even standings in the world. And therefore, disrespect for those symbols does make a clear statement. One that I feel is Anti-American. Not anti left or anti right, just anti American. I do hope it is without dissent that it is my right to feel that way or any other way I want to feel and is the essence of what freedom is all about.
If Obama shows such disrespect for the symbols of our country, then how can we feel comfortable that he will respect what the country has always stood for. The flag has always stood for our country and its freedoms. And, how will he respect those who might stand against him once in possession of such great power as the presidency. Now Joan, that’s just fair and we can have every right to feel the way we do, just as you have the right to feel the way you do. It’s our country too and we are due our opinions.
Further, not only did the producer at CBS get immediately fired, but Dan Rather, anchor of several generations lost his credibility at CBS and ultimately his job for the so called AWOL story. The Bush AWOL story was simply proven false and no real evidence has been provided to show any reasonable person otherwise. Joan, I would hope that you or your loved one would not want to be falsely accused or have evidence falsified against you. Either you believe in or system of Justice or you don’t. Unless something else comes to our attention, this is a non-issue. No one cares anymore about it. It is old news so you need to just get over it.
In the final analysis, Joan has simply backed herself in the “Hate Bush” corner and thus, many of her opinions and thoughts are surely suspect. Bush is her president too, like it or not. President Clinton was my president like it or not. You must stand for something or you will fall for anything regardless of who happens to be President at any given time.
I believe Joan has also fallen for the “It’s Americas fault” crowd. She can disagree with the war, the president, and funding health care for children.
Her and Obama can certainly not use the flag on their stamps or have their hand on their heart, it is their right. There will never ever be a law against it.
What there will be is an America that stands for something including those freedoms and the symbols that represent it. Always has and always will. The constitution is not a left or right based document. There are other ways to disagree with our country’s place in the world. Joan’s view of someone who did not like Obama disrespecting the longstanding tradition of ones hand on ones heart as a racist is herself, lacking in respect for others rights, freedoms, and opinions. And, the word “racist” is a very strong and important word and people like Joan only dilute it because it gets over used and over time loses its true meaning.
And Joan, tell me about the time when you, or anyone you know has been “spied” on. Or why we can’t use reasonable techniques to get information vital to our safety. Is the system perfect? NO! Does the system change with Presidents, again No! One of every 5 people work for the government and few change their jobs when a new president comes along. The bottom line is that it is a big, bulky and yet beautiful system. It is good that change occurs slowly.
It is also important to note that regardless of whether one agrees with the war in the beginning or now, it is evident that there are forces in the world who have made it clear they want us to convert to Islam or die. Many, including the current president of Iran, believe that their own version of the second coming can be enhanced by creating more death and dismay. They honor death and not life. They are in battle with us in Iraq. The prize is a country, a country sitting on a quarter of the world’s oil reserves. Oil is power and money, and would in my estimation provide the means to buy those weapons of mass destruction. Unlike Vietnam, they WILL follow us home... and have already proven they can.
Obamas answer to the war is to simply leave Iraq. Another way of putting it, is to simply give those who have dedicated their lives to our destruction, a better means to do it. The issue to me is whether we go after this evil, or underestimate it and wait until they come to us. I am sorry, but it is certainly possible that 911 would look like a cake walk if this enemy of America is not stopped. There are many of us who rightfully and sensibly believe that Iraq is the battle front and to lose that battle front would be at our own peril. There is nothing new about war and certainly nothing new about evil and the longstanding goal of taking over the block, the country, or the world. History is full of evil using the power of religion and charisma to, in a cult and even forceful manner, influence the masses and then try to take that which is not theirs.
The country is like a child, you can not like some of the things it does, but you should still love it. Your hand on your heart is a simple way to display that love. Maybe the Joan’s of the world feel they punish America by not using stamps with the American flag on them. What symbol of America would they rather use? What other symbol might fall into place because the flag is no longer respected or honored. Who are they really punishing? Two hundred plus years later, who cares? I care!
My fear for our country is people like Joan who naively think freedom is free and that God and Country are the enemy. Whether you are religious or not, support the war or not, the failure of our country at any given point in time now or in the future, will not be based on politics, people running for president, thoughts on the war, etc. but rather where we stand together as Americans. It starts with the hand on our hearts.
steve
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: joanmsw@comcast.net [mailto:joanmsw@comcast.net]
Sent: Wednesday, October 24, 2007 8:52 PM
To: JOE Scuba2000; ken.clark16@verizon.net; MMoore482@aol.com; waynesica@comcast.net; kirk.kopp.ctr@elmendorf.af.mil; Debbie Crecelius; CGiarratano@cherrycreekschools.org; Steve Crecelius; JohnCowan320@comcast.net; jfw39@optonline.net; Joanmsw@comcast.net; joescuba2000@hotmail.com
Subject: Re: FW: Fwd: All I really need to know about Obama
I found this email racist and very upsetting. Would it be OK if Obama were Christian and did not wear an American flag lapel? Would he be OK if he did wear one, went to church, declared himself Christian and sent our young people to fight without soap much less protective equipment in a war based on lies? if he declared forms of torture to be OK, spied on American citizens declaring himself to be above the law, spent $500Billion in 5 years in this war while refusing to spend $35 billion in the next 5 years to provide health care to children. Do you know children with leukemia, juvenile diabetes etc whose parents work but have no insurance? I could go on and on. Vote for whomever you wish but PLEASE vote based on values, ethics, intelligence, platforms, not on symbols. I personally hate what is happening to our country right now, I refuse to use a stamp with a flag on it.
Neither Bush (who went AWOL) nor Cheney, two hawks, fought in the war of their (our) generation. Too busy with more important things. But they'll both wear all the American flags you'd like. Real Patriots.
I fear for our country every minute of every day!
Joan
-------------- Original message --------------
From: "JOE Scuba2000"
This guy is a real jerk. God save our country if he gets into office.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: tplbstarck@aol.com
To: Rdajun@aol.com, cleandean@comcast.net, kportzxla@aol.com, bobbyhall20@msn.com, chuckblood@aol.com, ttrogers@centurytel.net, MMoore482@aol.com, joescuba2000@hotmail.com
Subject: Fwd: All I really need to know about Obama
Date: Mon, 22 Oct 2007 02:17:22 -0400
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>-----Original Message-----
>From: SMAKS
>To: JAN ROLLER
>Sent: Sat, 20 Oct 2007 6:45 pm
>Subject: Fw: All I really need to know about Obama
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>Subject: All I really need to know about Obama
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>I don't know how many of you saw this on TV, but I
>did. Notice Bill Richardson and Hillary during the playing of the National
>Anthem. I wondered at the time, "what the hell is this guy thinking?" Now that
>he has declared he will no longer wear the American Flag lapel pin (and that is
>his right and I support his right to make that decision) I understand how
>someone born a Muslim doesn't want to declare allegiance to OUR country. This is
>all I need to know about Obama.
>
>The question is, how would he act as
>President? Perish the thought!
>
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Misandry, Salon, and another great historical irony
This last week, I've been promising myself to find a certain word, and the journey led me to an interesting article on Salon.com of all places.
I knew the word for a man who hates women is "misogynist'" but I wasn't aware of any parallel word for the Rosanne Barr's, Rosie O'Donald's, Jeanie Garafalo's of the world who just out-and-out seem to hate men and anything they (we) stand for. I found "misandry" on wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Misogyny) ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Misandry )and then tangented off to a few other websites that came up within the search. including....
http://www.salon.com/books/feature/2007/10/03/faludi/ and
http://letters.salon.com/books/feature/2007/10/03/faludi/view/index11.html?show=all
Now, salon is certainly not on my daily "to read" list... but the artical was worth a browse. A perfect editorial was found at:
http://www.ifeminists.net/introduction/editorials/2005/0615letter.html
THAT one was very well written!
Going back to the Salon articles.... as is sooooooooooo vogue nowadays in "reporting" (quote-unquote), the Salon article above that ends with "faludi" (not the index=ll one) puts a non sequitor at the end of the article. In other words, after paragraphs detainling one subject, something is thrown out at the end that is unsupported by the rest of the story, and is only tangetally connected. The quote was this....
A very fine statement, and intriguing ... but it really didn't have much to do with the rest of the argument...so..... let's consider this quote and give it some air to breathe. According to the Bin Laden tapes and the writings of the hijackers, the fact that the attacks were in fact "retribution against the pagans, abortionists, feminists and gays" is not disputable. Our permissive culture encourages and glorifies EVERYTHING the Muslim belief considers evil and sinful. When they refer to us as "The Great Satan" it is not some lightly chosen insult, it is the true and heartfelt belief that we ARE the personification of Lucifer, Beelzebub... SATAN. We are the advisary to the one true God... in their eyes. It's a hard pill to swallow, but even harder to dispute. Now HERE comes the irony (and you guys KNOW how much LOVE historical ironies!)
The actions of Al Queda and the Iraqi insurgents are doing nothing less than guaranteeing that the party of religion and faith and "prudishness" is being driven out of power, and the party that is ... ahem... hell bent on encouraging peganism, abortions, feminism and gay rights will be put into power.
This must be karmic turnabout for the fact that Jimmy Carter cut-loose the Shah of Iran due to his lacking human rights, only to have him replaced by an even WORSE Califate based upon Shira law. Irony.... I LOVE it!!!
I knew the word for a man who hates women is "misogynist'" but I wasn't aware of any parallel word for the Rosanne Barr's, Rosie O'Donald's, Jeanie Garafalo's of the world who just out-and-out seem to hate men and anything they (we) stand for. I found "misandry" on wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Misogyny) ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Misandry )and then tangented off to a few other websites that came up within the search. including....
http://www.salon.com/books/feature/2007/10/03/faludi/ and
http://letters.salon.com/books/feature/2007/10/03/faludi/view/index11.html?show=all
Now, salon is certainly not on my daily "to read" list... but the artical was worth a browse. A perfect editorial was found at:
http://www.ifeminists.net/introduction/editorials/2005/0615letter.html
THAT one was very well written!
Going back to the Salon articles.... as is sooooooooooo vogue nowadays in "reporting" (quote-unquote), the Salon article above that ends with "faludi" (not the index=ll one) puts a non sequitor at the end of the article. In other words, after paragraphs detainling one subject, something is thrown out at the end that is unsupported by the rest of the story, and is only tangetally connected. The quote was this....
And yet. One can't help thinking that, as in an ugly fight between lovers, some of the things that were said in the heat of the moment -- about the goodness of Rudy Giuliani; about how the attacks were retribution against the pagans, abortionists, feminists and gays; about "the end of irony" -- are better left unpacked, because if we dredged them up again, we might never get past them.
A very fine statement, and intriguing ... but it really didn't have much to do with the rest of the argument...so..... let's consider this quote and give it some air to breathe. According to the Bin Laden tapes and the writings of the hijackers, the fact that the attacks were in fact "retribution against the pagans, abortionists, feminists and gays" is not disputable. Our permissive culture encourages and glorifies EVERYTHING the Muslim belief considers evil and sinful. When they refer to us as "The Great Satan" it is not some lightly chosen insult, it is the true and heartfelt belief that we ARE the personification of Lucifer, Beelzebub... SATAN. We are the advisary to the one true God... in their eyes. It's a hard pill to swallow, but even harder to dispute. Now HERE comes the irony (and you guys KNOW how much LOVE historical ironies!)
The actions of Al Queda and the Iraqi insurgents are doing nothing less than guaranteeing that the party of religion and faith and "prudishness" is being driven out of power, and the party that is ... ahem... hell bent on encouraging peganism, abortions, feminism and gay rights will be put into power.
This must be karmic turnabout for the fact that Jimmy Carter cut-loose the Shah of Iran due to his lacking human rights, only to have him replaced by an even WORSE Califate based upon Shira law. Irony.... I LOVE it!!!
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Friday, October 19, 2007
How did I miss this?!?!?!?!?
Imagine a government that was elected through fraudulent campaign funds.
When the funds are discovered as being illegal, the individuals elected use the MASSIVE power of the government to incarcerate a witness in a dark hole prison in Brazil.
The individuals involved blanket a willing media to silence the story.
Unfortunately for them ... the following video exists!
The court case is still open and ongoing!
http://www.peterfpaul.com/
When the funds are discovered as being illegal, the individuals elected use the MASSIVE power of the government to incarcerate a witness in a dark hole prison in Brazil.
The individuals involved blanket a willing media to silence the story.
Unfortunately for them ... the following video exists!
The court case is still open and ongoing!
http://www.peterfpaul.com/
Thursday, October 18, 2007
NOTE ON COMMENTS
I love hearing and posting alternate points of view, and will gladly post them. However, I also believe we should all have the courage of our convictions.... SOOOOoooooo I tend to delete "Anonymous" posters without reading the post.... Enjoy!
The Beast!
October 17, 2007 - Wednesday
The beast
Current mood: stressed
The night is peaceful
The dark blue comforter of night wrapped around me folding me in its warmth and security
Then it comes, like the lone ominous dreadful wail of a far away - yet rapidly approaching - locomotive.
I wake. My body is limp, eager to slip back into the warm waters of sleep, but I know it can not be. That moment, that split second before the dread sets in... what a majical instant! Every muscle feeling the exuberant surrender akin to post-exercise exhaustion... that wonderful glorious feeling of no tension... well rested and fully relaxed. But the train's howl in my head tells me that in a few minutes the blissful sensation will be nothing but a memory. The Beast is coming!
It's a long dark tunnel, far too long to escape. The Beast is out there... in the tunnel with me... careening towards me... I can not see it, but I feel it. The subtle rumbling of the earth under my bare feet... that haunting sensation under the right temple... I KNOW it's coming and there's nothing to stop it. It will be no different than before... the train will rip away the side of my skull, bathing my face and head in sheer agony. There will be no stopping it... there never is.
When it hits, I will stagger like a drunkard, squinting my one good eye... the other eye lost upon impact... my feet will cross, waver, and I will stop to right myself only to repeat with the next step. I will reach up to my injured head expecting to feel blood and brain matter, shocked that skull, skin, and hair are still fully intact.
Defensive thoughts race through a brain that is the very source of the agony to begin with.
Tug out the hair! Maybe the pain can be withdrawn with the folicles! Punch the head! With this much pain there shouldn't be any skull there, anyway! Grab and pinch the nape of the neck, is it possible to strangle the brain? Breath! The train will pass... it always does! The wail is now filling my mind and echoing off of the walls of my skull. Did I scream, or was it the Beast? God! Get me through this! Just get me to the other side!
Such a wimp! It's only a headache! Why are you kneeling? Rocking back and forth like a little girl with skinned knees. You're disrupting those around you... you're worrying them. Stop making such a fuss! Step away at least... into the next room... it's bad enough you're letting it show.
But the train continues to rip away the side of my head. The cold steel cattle-catcher has just sliced itself through the temple and gray matter and into the back of my eyeball. Its triangle form is splitting bone left from right. Such freezing cold steel! The sensation of aluminum stripped between clenched teeth. Just get it over with would you? The rest of my body is so blissfully disassociative... hands, legs, arms, feet... not an ounce of pain or discomfort - except the uneasy stomach from the tenth Excedrin today... it doesn't appreciate that... quite an annoyance really. But like the tranquil neighbor that doesn't hear the family being slaughtered next door... the body doesn't have a clue what's going on upstairs.
Press the palm of the hand into your bad eye! Maybe you can shove the eyeball back into the train ... push the train out the hole it tore into your head! Caress your fingers through your hair... you know it's the only thing that works. Don't touch the scalp!!!! You idiot! You know that sets off a firestorm on the surface! I don't care if your hand is quivering! Be more careful damn you!
The wail is fading... or is it? Can't get too hopeful, it might give a parting jab or two. Oh! Thank God! The Excedrin is kicking in! Like foam wafting to cover a fire. Oh! The fire won't be gone for an hour or so.... but the train will be gone. It will have passed. It will go somewhere, refuel its tenders and align itself at the entrance of the cave again... ready to pounce at full steam later today. I can deal with the triage... I can mend the wounds... THAT I can handle.
Until next time.
http://www.clusterheadaches.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cluster_headache
The beast
Current mood: stressed
The night is peaceful
The dark blue comforter of night wrapped around me folding me in its warmth and security
Then it comes, like the lone ominous dreadful wail of a far away - yet rapidly approaching - locomotive.
I wake. My body is limp, eager to slip back into the warm waters of sleep, but I know it can not be. That moment, that split second before the dread sets in... what a majical instant! Every muscle feeling the exuberant surrender akin to post-exercise exhaustion... that wonderful glorious feeling of no tension... well rested and fully relaxed. But the train's howl in my head tells me that in a few minutes the blissful sensation will be nothing but a memory. The Beast is coming!
It's a long dark tunnel, far too long to escape. The Beast is out there... in the tunnel with me... careening towards me... I can not see it, but I feel it. The subtle rumbling of the earth under my bare feet... that haunting sensation under the right temple... I KNOW it's coming and there's nothing to stop it. It will be no different than before... the train will rip away the side of my skull, bathing my face and head in sheer agony. There will be no stopping it... there never is.
When it hits, I will stagger like a drunkard, squinting my one good eye... the other eye lost upon impact... my feet will cross, waver, and I will stop to right myself only to repeat with the next step. I will reach up to my injured head expecting to feel blood and brain matter, shocked that skull, skin, and hair are still fully intact.
Defensive thoughts race through a brain that is the very source of the agony to begin with.
Tug out the hair! Maybe the pain can be withdrawn with the folicles! Punch the head! With this much pain there shouldn't be any skull there, anyway! Grab and pinch the nape of the neck, is it possible to strangle the brain? Breath! The train will pass... it always does! The wail is now filling my mind and echoing off of the walls of my skull. Did I scream, or was it the Beast? God! Get me through this! Just get me to the other side!
Such a wimp! It's only a headache! Why are you kneeling? Rocking back and forth like a little girl with skinned knees. You're disrupting those around you... you're worrying them. Stop making such a fuss! Step away at least... into the next room... it's bad enough you're letting it show.
But the train continues to rip away the side of my head. The cold steel cattle-catcher has just sliced itself through the temple and gray matter and into the back of my eyeball. Its triangle form is splitting bone left from right. Such freezing cold steel! The sensation of aluminum stripped between clenched teeth. Just get it over with would you? The rest of my body is so blissfully disassociative... hands, legs, arms, feet... not an ounce of pain or discomfort - except the uneasy stomach from the tenth Excedrin today... it doesn't appreciate that... quite an annoyance really. But like the tranquil neighbor that doesn't hear the family being slaughtered next door... the body doesn't have a clue what's going on upstairs.
Press the palm of the hand into your bad eye! Maybe you can shove the eyeball back into the train ... push the train out the hole it tore into your head! Caress your fingers through your hair... you know it's the only thing that works. Don't touch the scalp!!!! You idiot! You know that sets off a firestorm on the surface! I don't care if your hand is quivering! Be more careful damn you!
The wail is fading... or is it? Can't get too hopeful, it might give a parting jab or two. Oh! Thank God! The Excedrin is kicking in! Like foam wafting to cover a fire. Oh! The fire won't be gone for an hour or so.... but the train will be gone. It will have passed. It will go somewhere, refuel its tenders and align itself at the entrance of the cave again... ready to pounce at full steam later today. I can deal with the triage... I can mend the wounds... THAT I can handle.
Until next time.
http://www.clusterheadaches.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cluster_headache
Always the Bad Guys
October 16, 2007 - Tuesday
Always the bad guys......
Current mood: infuriated
Okay, so when I was over at Tess' tonight, we watched The Core... I know ... released in 2003.... just now getting to see it. Oh! Well!
Anywho.... I am getting SOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooo sick of this Dr. Strangelove/Wargames/Armageddon/Manhattan Project/Deep Imact/Day after Tomorrow...... hollywood portrayal of "The Military Establishment" as a buncha' heartless, mindless demogagues hell bent on inflicting the most damage and death regardless of the circumstances! NObody but NOBODY hates violence and death more than members of the military!!! That goes even more emphatically for those in the higher ranks! Listen to Colin Powell, Tommy Franks, Norman Schwarzkopf, General Pace and even William Tecumseh Sherman! No military man will inflict death and destruction if there is an alternative! And yet, in movie after movie, soldiers, Generals, Admirals and such are always portrayed as overgrown little boys looking for a Barbie Doll to rip it's head off.
Granted, Hollywierd's lack of experience with the military is legendary, and their idea of "fighting for a cause" doesn't extend beyond a poster or two, a tag-team "hunger strike" or making snide remarks on television shows -- they have no clue nor desire to offer so much as a toenail in defense of an ideal (much less putting their lives in harm's way!)
Maybe I'm being a bit oversensitive to the subject, but I was reading about the Milgram Experiment yesterday
( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milgram_experiment )
and was similarly angered by this comment:
This is the foundation of military respect for authority: soldiers will follow, obey, and execute orders and commands from superiors, understanding that responsibility for their actions rests with the commanding superior officers.
Again, Milgram never served in the military, yet he has the unmitigated balls to make a broad and erroneous assumption regarding why those in the military follow orders. Let me clue you in on something... soldiers DON'T follow orders because they can "pass the buck and get away with it"!!!!!!!!!
In the past, it was members of the military who released prisoners from Dachau, Bergen Belsan, the internment camps of Japan/Singapore and drew Vietnamese civilians off of the roof the American Embsassy. The Navy and Coast Guard were the ones who pulled nearly drowning Cubans out of the water as they fled from Castro's totaltarian regeim. It was American soldiers who rescued Berliners who shred their own flesh running through razor wire in order to escape communism. It was 600,000 members of the military who lay down their own lives in order that 7 million black slaves could be freed, and National Guard members risked life and limb to save New Orleaners from the aftermath of Katrina. Today, it is members of the United States military who are building Iraqi schools and hospitals, giving them the first reliable electricity they have ever had, and enforcing the rules and laws of the new Iraqi Government.
THIS IS THE UNITED STATES MILITARY!
When we see a young child who is bald, we rightly assume the child is undergoing chemotherapy, and we wail and bemoan the fact that the youngster must indure the hellish torture of radiation therapy. The military and its role in Operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring freedom, and the Global War On Terrorism is directly analogous to the chemotherapy. Islamo-facism is a cancer upon the earth, and if it is not faced and destroyed, it will bring all of Western Civilization to it's knees either through direct attacks (including nuclear)... or by making us so protective and paranoid that the concept of a "free society" will be a long-forgotten dream. Is chemotherapy brutal, unpleasant, and hellish? YES!!! Most assuredly YES!! But the alternative is even worse! Thak GOD we have advanced technology that can save a child from a slow agonizing death from Cancer, and thank GOD we have military men and women who KNOW that their form of chemotherapy will make the world a better and healthier place to live! We don't follow orders to absolve ourselves from guilt, we follow orders because we are doing what is RIGHT!
Currently listening :
Works of Igor Stravinsky
By Donald Gramm
Release date: 23 July, 2007
Always the bad guys......
Current mood: infuriated
Okay, so when I was over at Tess' tonight, we watched The Core... I know ... released in 2003.... just now getting to see it. Oh! Well!
Anywho.... I am getting SOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooo sick of this Dr. Strangelove/Wargames/Armageddon/Manhattan Project/Deep Imact/Day after Tomorrow...... hollywood portrayal of "The Military Establishment" as a buncha' heartless, mindless demogagues hell bent on inflicting the most damage and death regardless of the circumstances! NObody but NOBODY hates violence and death more than members of the military!!! That goes even more emphatically for those in the higher ranks! Listen to Colin Powell, Tommy Franks, Norman Schwarzkopf, General Pace and even William Tecumseh Sherman! No military man will inflict death and destruction if there is an alternative! And yet, in movie after movie, soldiers, Generals, Admirals and such are always portrayed as overgrown little boys looking for a Barbie Doll to rip it's head off.
Granted, Hollywierd's lack of experience with the military is legendary, and their idea of "fighting for a cause" doesn't extend beyond a poster or two, a tag-team "hunger strike" or making snide remarks on television shows -- they have no clue nor desire to offer so much as a toenail in defense of an ideal (much less putting their lives in harm's way!)
Maybe I'm being a bit oversensitive to the subject, but I was reading about the Milgram Experiment yesterday
( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milgram_experiment )
and was similarly angered by this comment:
This is the foundation of military respect for authority: soldiers will follow, obey, and execute orders and commands from superiors, understanding that responsibility for their actions rests with the commanding superior officers.
Again, Milgram never served in the military, yet he has the unmitigated balls to make a broad and erroneous assumption regarding why those in the military follow orders. Let me clue you in on something... soldiers DON'T follow orders because they can "pass the buck and get away with it"!!!!!!!!!
In the past, it was members of the military who released prisoners from Dachau, Bergen Belsan, the internment camps of Japan/Singapore and drew Vietnamese civilians off of the roof the American Embsassy. The Navy and Coast Guard were the ones who pulled nearly drowning Cubans out of the water as they fled from Castro's totaltarian regeim. It was American soldiers who rescued Berliners who shred their own flesh running through razor wire in order to escape communism. It was 600,000 members of the military who lay down their own lives in order that 7 million black slaves could be freed, and National Guard members risked life and limb to save New Orleaners from the aftermath of Katrina. Today, it is members of the United States military who are building Iraqi schools and hospitals, giving them the first reliable electricity they have ever had, and enforcing the rules and laws of the new Iraqi Government.
THIS IS THE UNITED STATES MILITARY!
When we see a young child who is bald, we rightly assume the child is undergoing chemotherapy, and we wail and bemoan the fact that the youngster must indure the hellish torture of radiation therapy. The military and its role in Operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring freedom, and the Global War On Terrorism is directly analogous to the chemotherapy. Islamo-facism is a cancer upon the earth, and if it is not faced and destroyed, it will bring all of Western Civilization to it's knees either through direct attacks (including nuclear)... or by making us so protective and paranoid that the concept of a "free society" will be a long-forgotten dream. Is chemotherapy brutal, unpleasant, and hellish? YES!!! Most assuredly YES!! But the alternative is even worse! Thak GOD we have advanced technology that can save a child from a slow agonizing death from Cancer, and thank GOD we have military men and women who KNOW that their form of chemotherapy will make the world a better and healthier place to live! We don't follow orders to absolve ourselves from guilt, we follow orders because we are doing what is RIGHT!
Currently listening :
Works of Igor Stravinsky
By Donald Gramm
Release date: 23 July, 2007
Bush Was Right
October 10, 2007 - Wednesday
Check out this video: Bush Was Right Current mood: jubilant
Check out this video: Bush Was Right
Bush Was Right - The Right Brothers
Add to My Profile | More Videos
Bush Was Right by The Right Brothers
Lyrics by Frank Highland
Freedom in Afghanistan, say goodbye Taliban
Free elections in Iraq, Saddam Hussein locked up
Osama's staying underground,
Al Qaida now is finding out
America won't turn and run once the fighting has begun
Libya turns over nukes, Lebanese want freedom, too
Syria is forced to leave, don't you know that all this means
Bush was right!
Bush was right!
Bush was right!
Democracy is on the way, hitting like a tidal wave
All over the middle east, dictators walk with shaky knees
Don't know what they're gonna do, their worst nightmare is coming true
They fear the domino effect, they're all wondering who's next
Bush was right!
Bush was right!
Bush was right!
Ted Kennedy - wrong!
Cindy Sheehan - wrong!
France - WRONG!
Zell Miller - right!
Economy is on the rise kicking into overdrive
Angry liberals can't believe it's cause of W's policies
Unemployment's staying down, Democrats are wondering how
Revenue is going up, can you say "Tax Cuts"
Bush was right!
Bush was right!
Bush was right!
Cheney was right,
Condi was right,
Rummy was right,
Blair was right
You were right,
We were right, "The Right" was right
and Bush was right...Bush was right!Bush was right!
(© 2005 Pool Guy Music (ASCAP), All rights reserved)
http://www.rightmarch.com/bushwasright.htm
http://www.therightbrothers.com/
http://www.myspace.com/therightbrothers
Currently reading : Never Be Lied to Again: How to Get the Truth In 5 Minutes Or Less In Any Conversation Or Situation By David J. Lieberman Release date: 10 September, 1999
Check out this video: Bush Was Right Current mood: jubilant
Check out this video: Bush Was Right
Bush Was Right - The Right Brothers
Add to My Profile | More Videos
Bush Was Right by The Right Brothers
Lyrics by Frank Highland
Freedom in Afghanistan, say goodbye Taliban
Free elections in Iraq, Saddam Hussein locked up
Osama's staying underground,
Al Qaida now is finding out
America won't turn and run once the fighting has begun
Libya turns over nukes, Lebanese want freedom, too
Syria is forced to leave, don't you know that all this means
Bush was right!
Bush was right!
Bush was right!
Democracy is on the way, hitting like a tidal wave
All over the middle east, dictators walk with shaky knees
Don't know what they're gonna do, their worst nightmare is coming true
They fear the domino effect, they're all wondering who's next
Bush was right!
Bush was right!
Bush was right!
Ted Kennedy - wrong!
Cindy Sheehan - wrong!
France - WRONG!
Zell Miller - right!
Economy is on the rise kicking into overdrive
Angry liberals can't believe it's cause of W's policies
Unemployment's staying down, Democrats are wondering how
Revenue is going up, can you say "Tax Cuts"
Bush was right!
Bush was right!
Bush was right!
Cheney was right,
Condi was right,
Rummy was right,
Blair was right
You were right,
We were right, "The Right" was right
and Bush was right...Bush was right!Bush was right!
(© 2005 Pool Guy Music (ASCAP), All rights reserved)
http://www.rightmarch.com/bushwasright.htm
http://www.therightbrothers.com/
http://www.myspace.com/therightbrothers
Currently reading : Never Be Lied to Again: How to Get the Truth In 5 Minutes Or Less In Any Conversation Or Situation By David J. Lieberman Release date: 10 September, 1999
DLAB adventures
September 26, 2007 - Wednesday
Whooo hooo! Psyched today! Current mood: excited
Just got back from Ft. Carson where I took my DLAB (Defense Language Aptitude Battery). It's a test designed to measure how capable one is for learning a foreign language. Obviously interpreters HAVE to take it in order to be accepted into their respective schools, and although interrogators don't need to take a foreign language, we are still required to test.
Here's how Wikipedia explains it:
I SCORED 110 YES!!!
Currently listening : Rio By Duran Duran Release date: 03 July, 2001
Whooo hooo! Psyched today! Current mood: excited
Just got back from Ft. Carson where I took my DLAB (Defense Language Aptitude Battery). It's a test designed to measure how capable one is for learning a foreign language. Obviously interpreters HAVE to take it in order to be accepted into their respective schools, and although interrogators don't need to take a foreign language, we are still required to test.
Here's how Wikipedia explains it:
The Defense Language Aptitude Battery (DLAB) is a test used by the United States Department of Defense to test an individual's potential for learning a foreign language. It is used to determine who may pursue training as a military linguist. It consists of 126 multiple-choice questions, and the test is scored out of a possible 176 points. The first half of the test is audio, and the second half is written. The test does not attempt to gauge a person's ability in a language, but rather to determine their ability to learn a language. To qualify to pursue training in a language, one needs a minimum score of 95. However, to be a linguist in the United States Navy, United States Air Force or Marines a score of 100 or better is required for all languages. The languages are broken into tiers, based on their difficulty level for a native English speaker, as determined by the Defense Language Institute:
Language Categories
Category I language: 95 or better
(Dutch, French, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish)
Category II language: 100 or better
(German)
Category III language: 105 or better
(Belarusian, Czech, Greek, Hebrew, Persian, Polish, Russian, Croatian, Slovak, Tagalog, Thai, Turkic, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese)
Category IV language: 110 or better
(Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean)
The various categories also determine the course length of the basic course as taught at DLI, if taught at all.
The DLAB is typically administered to new and prospective recruits at the United States Military Entrance Processing Command sometime after the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery is taken but before a final job category (frequently called MOS) is determined. An individual may usually take the DLAB if they score high enough on the ASVAB for linguist training and are interested in doing so. The DLAB is also administered to ROTC cadets while they are still attending college.
Military personnel interested in retraining into a linguist field typically also must pass the DLAB.
In some cases, the DLAB requirement may be waived if proficiency in a foreign language is already demonstrated via the DLPT.
I SCORED 110 YES!!!
Currently listening : Rio By Duran Duran Release date: 03 July, 2001
Intense violation of the person
September 25, 2007 - Tuesday
UGH!!!! Can you belive some people?!?!?! Slander! Current mood: amused
I think all of us have encountered liars and drama queens in our lives... but sometimes... ::: shaking head in disgust::::::
Let me tell you a little story. Recently an aquaintaince of mine mentioned that her accountant knew my dad many years ago. The conversation started with her saying "I know where Chaz gets his stubborness and attitude... from your dad." Let's put aside the commentary on Chaz' behavior, which I feel is neither stubborn nor displaying "attitude".....
Now, I have heard MANY words used to describe Dad, but "having an attitude"?! THAT was a new one! During my lifetime, Dad was most like the John Wayne character in "The Quiet Man". He simmered and stewed at times, but never in my presence did he "cop an attitude" or act in any way other than a gentleman. He wouldn't even cuss! Well, this accountant used to work at Denver General Hospital... which when Dad was Denver City Auditor was the single most screwed-up and corrupt asset in Denver!!! Two outside independent audits couldn't make heads or tails of the double and triple books they kept! They (DGH) would give dad an unbelievable run-around, and Dad would get infuriated (quietly steaming) over how they were trying to play him (and the City of Denver) for a fool. The accountant mentioned one meeting where Dad "wasn't getting his way" so he just walked out of the meeting. It was said as to imply that Dad was acting like a spoiled child 'taking his ball and going home' in a pout.
Knowing Dad, what was more likely was this - he was fed up with Denver General not giving him the paperwork he as Auditor had requested time and again, fed up with their trying to "get one around" him, and fully realizing the meeting was going nowhere decided to end it then and there. He wasn't a man to tollerate fools or con artists, and wouldn't sit in a meeting just to be fed a buncha' B__SH__!
The point being..... Dad isn't here any more to give his side of the story or counter the argument. So this sleezy accountant has the freedom to drag Dad's name through the mud without consequence. My aquaintaince feels she "knows" something about Dad from this yahoo's twisted and erroneous description, yet she knows NOTHING about Dad! I guess that's why "Thou Shalt Not Bear False Witness" made that top-ten list of Moses'! The fact is, lying about someone is not just impolite or sleezy, IT VIOLATES a person like few other things can. And yet to some, it is nothing but sport.. how sad, how pathetic, how evil, and how disgusting!
On other news... kind of.... take a gander at my new my space photo album. Chaz and Tess took some great pictures at my Guard unit's Family Day last month.
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=66003231
Perhaps now some of my "family" members can stop their vicious lies about ME... like I said, sad, pathetic, and disgusting, isn't it? I told you some of my (ugh!) blood relatives are seriously twisted.
:::: rolling eyes with pity and disgust at said "family" members::::::::::
Currently reading : Twice as Good: Condoleezza Rice and Her Path to Power By Marcus Mabry Release date: 01 May, 2007
UGH!!!! Can you belive some people?!?!?! Slander! Current mood: amused
I think all of us have encountered liars and drama queens in our lives... but sometimes... ::: shaking head in disgust::::::
Let me tell you a little story. Recently an aquaintaince of mine mentioned that her accountant knew my dad many years ago. The conversation started with her saying "I know where Chaz gets his stubborness and attitude... from your dad." Let's put aside the commentary on Chaz' behavior, which I feel is neither stubborn nor displaying "attitude".....
Now, I have heard MANY words used to describe Dad, but "having an attitude"?! THAT was a new one! During my lifetime, Dad was most like the John Wayne character in "The Quiet Man". He simmered and stewed at times, but never in my presence did he "cop an attitude" or act in any way other than a gentleman. He wouldn't even cuss! Well, this accountant used to work at Denver General Hospital... which when Dad was Denver City Auditor was the single most screwed-up and corrupt asset in Denver!!! Two outside independent audits couldn't make heads or tails of the double and triple books they kept! They (DGH) would give dad an unbelievable run-around, and Dad would get infuriated (quietly steaming) over how they were trying to play him (and the City of Denver) for a fool. The accountant mentioned one meeting where Dad "wasn't getting his way" so he just walked out of the meeting. It was said as to imply that Dad was acting like a spoiled child 'taking his ball and going home' in a pout.
Knowing Dad, what was more likely was this - he was fed up with Denver General not giving him the paperwork he as Auditor had requested time and again, fed up with their trying to "get one around" him, and fully realizing the meeting was going nowhere decided to end it then and there. He wasn't a man to tollerate fools or con artists, and wouldn't sit in a meeting just to be fed a buncha' B__SH__!
The point being..... Dad isn't here any more to give his side of the story or counter the argument. So this sleezy accountant has the freedom to drag Dad's name through the mud without consequence. My aquaintaince feels she "knows" something about Dad from this yahoo's twisted and erroneous description, yet she knows NOTHING about Dad! I guess that's why "Thou Shalt Not Bear False Witness" made that top-ten list of Moses'! The fact is, lying about someone is not just impolite or sleezy, IT VIOLATES a person like few other things can. And yet to some, it is nothing but sport.. how sad, how pathetic, how evil, and how disgusting!
On other news... kind of.... take a gander at my new my space photo album. Chaz and Tess took some great pictures at my Guard unit's Family Day last month.
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=66003231
Perhaps now some of my "family" members can stop their vicious lies about ME... like I said, sad, pathetic, and disgusting, isn't it? I told you some of my (ugh!) blood relatives are seriously twisted.
:::: rolling eyes with pity and disgust at said "family" members::::::::::
Currently reading : Twice as Good: Condoleezza Rice and Her Path to Power By Marcus Mabry Release date: 01 May, 2007
Personal "24"
September 24, 2007 - Monday
Happy Exhaustion Current mood: energetic
What a wild 4 days! Wednesday, my love came over (WOW! you guys don't know about her yet, do you?!?!?! - okay, I'll hafta' write a WHOLE blog just about her!!!) anywho... Tess came over Wednesday not feeling too hot. She had a stomache ache and thought it was just over stress. She's just starting her Master's program at DU and her schedule is insane! Internship, two jobs, school... not to mention some crazy stuff with a couple a' immature individuals in her life. Well, Wednesday night, when she came over she wasn't feeling any better. It seemed pretty consistant for "just a tummy ache" as she kept calling it.
I asked her specifics ... where exactly it hurt... was it localized, general, or dispersed.... that kinda' stuff. I soon had a gut feeling (excuse the pun) it was an appendicitis... but what do I know? I'm no doctor. By the end of Weds. nite, it was getting REALLY sever. She wouldn't take my humble diagnosis, so we called "Ask a nurse"... sure enough, they thought the same thing... told me to get her into the hospital ASAP. That night we drove through the St. Tony's ED driveway twice, but I respected her wishes when she said she didn't want to go in.
Thursday it got even worse, and between classes her Mom and I convinced her to let me take her into Lutheran. 6 hours, an ultrasound and CT scan later, they said it wasn't an appendicitis, but they couldn't figure out what it was exactly... gave her some pain meds and a prescription and told her to visit her doctor the next day (Friday.) Her dad and I take her in Friday morning and her doc says it's an appendicitis. He calls a surgeon friend and sets up an appointment. We meet the surgeon and he sets up an operation for that night. We immediately go back over to Lutheran and she gets YET ANOTHER Cat scan... which again says it ISN'T an appendicitis.
I really am trying to make this short!
She goes in for surgery and PRESTO! Guess what ?!? IT'S AN APPENDICITIS! surprise surprise! So that gets us to Friday night... she comes out of surgery and is good but pretty much outta' it - Diloted is a wonderful thing. Georgous as ever, though... never thought I'd see someone with tubes coming out of them and post-surgery as "beautiful and georgous" but she was! anyway, so I leave the hospital at 1 in the morning or so... and guess where I have to be at 0700 that morning ? You got it! It's DRILLWEEKEND! ohhhhh joy!
Saturday Drill was SO PT (physical training) intensive it was insane! Ya' see, next month, we are "standing up" (being introduced) as a unit up at Camp Hale. Why Camp Hale? Well, we are finally taking up the mantle of the 10th Mountain Division! We are the 86th, which is out of Vermont... but the original 10th Mountain was ALSO part of the 86th, and since we are the only "Mountain Division" in Colorado, we are OFFICIALLY the heirs of the legendary 10th Mountain. Ironically, a few weeks ago, my band and I performed at the massive 10th Mountain reunion.
I got to meet a number of the WWII vetrans, and will be seeing them again next month up at Camp Hale. Since we are mountain qualified, we train to be ready to incur in the mountains of Iraq, Afghanistan, or any other place they may send us (which by the way is tentively scheduled for 2010 or 2011) Oh! one more thing before I get back to the story... we also physically train our @$$3$ off because since we are interrogators, we will regularly be "attached" to ANY group that needs an interrogator - including Rangers, Airborne, Special Forces, Deltas... etc... and we have to be able to "keep up" with THEM! No exaggeration!
So... Saturday, we train until we're puking, and for good measure, from 1700-1800 some of us that still need to work on our PT got to run sprints for an hour. And then, guess what?!?! I've got a 8pm-11pm show with the Rolling Tones (Nacho Men lite) at St. Vincent De Paul School. So, I race outta' Drill after last formation, go home, shower, grab costumes, and high-tail it over to the show. Show goes great and I head over to Lutheran to see Tess for an hour. Get home around one or two.. zonk... and wake up at 3:00 with a KILLER headache... finally get back to sleep at 4 only to wake up at 5:30 to get ready for drill. Sitting up, I fall asleep again, and end up getting to drill 20 minutes late. NOTHING will get me more upset at myself than being late for something... and THIS is DRILL!!!!! UGGGGHHH!! Get to drill, and we are in the middle of a "ruck hike" - load up the ruck sack, haul it on my back and star trekking to catch up with the company! Warrant Officer Candidate Fuhrman picks me up in his truck after about 2 miles and drives me 1 mile to the formation. Overall, I didn't miss much in relation to the full hike. Still, once with the company, I was ALWAYS up with the three guys in the lead of the formation... they even had me carry the guidon for a few miles! :)
After returning to the armory, one of my superiors - Sgt. Prahl - a GREAT guy with an equally great sense of humor tells me "take my ruck and go back to the follow vehicle and ask Sgt Renyolds what two-plus-two is... I'm curious." Well the formation is stretching two miles back down the road, and after that is the following vehicle. So I start trekking back up the road. At about 1.75 miles I meet up with the vehicle and ask the vital question of Sgt. Renyolds. I'm grinning like a crazy man... the hike has been good for me.... I've made great time... I've kept op with the lead of the group... and now I've added more miles, and I'm still feeling suprizingly good. I explain the reason for the question - I was late, and also, my ruck is twenty pounds light because I can't pack what I haven't been issued - namely body armor. He shakes his head and says, "That sucks!" I grin and say, "Not really, I understand it... It's fair and just... not a problem..." He nods and says "Tell him 2 plus 2 is four... you doin okay?" "Doin' GREAT Sergant! Thanks!" And I truck on back. So after getting back, I was still feeling great... that kinda' happy exhaustion that can't quelch the warmth of pride. (I'm horrible at the running... but give me clydesdale work and I LOVE it!) So.... another long day of PT! After drill, I went over to Tess' - she's home !!!!!!! :) Spent a few hours with her... had dinner and a movie. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm gunna' CRASH!!! Good night, all!
Currently listening : Classic Sinatra By Frank Sinatra Release date: 28 March, 2000
Happy Exhaustion Current mood: energetic
What a wild 4 days! Wednesday, my love came over (WOW! you guys don't know about her yet, do you?!?!?! - okay, I'll hafta' write a WHOLE blog just about her!!!) anywho... Tess came over Wednesday not feeling too hot. She had a stomache ache and thought it was just over stress. She's just starting her Master's program at DU and her schedule is insane! Internship, two jobs, school... not to mention some crazy stuff with a couple a' immature individuals in her life. Well, Wednesday night, when she came over she wasn't feeling any better. It seemed pretty consistant for "just a tummy ache" as she kept calling it.
I asked her specifics ... where exactly it hurt... was it localized, general, or dispersed.... that kinda' stuff. I soon had a gut feeling (excuse the pun) it was an appendicitis... but what do I know? I'm no doctor. By the end of Weds. nite, it was getting REALLY sever. She wouldn't take my humble diagnosis, so we called "Ask a nurse"... sure enough, they thought the same thing... told me to get her into the hospital ASAP. That night we drove through the St. Tony's ED driveway twice, but I respected her wishes when she said she didn't want to go in.
Thursday it got even worse, and between classes her Mom and I convinced her to let me take her into Lutheran. 6 hours, an ultrasound and CT scan later, they said it wasn't an appendicitis, but they couldn't figure out what it was exactly... gave her some pain meds and a prescription and told her to visit her doctor the next day (Friday.) Her dad and I take her in Friday morning and her doc says it's an appendicitis. He calls a surgeon friend and sets up an appointment. We meet the surgeon and he sets up an operation for that night. We immediately go back over to Lutheran and she gets YET ANOTHER Cat scan... which again says it ISN'T an appendicitis.
I really am trying to make this short!
She goes in for surgery and PRESTO! Guess what ?!? IT'S AN APPENDICITIS! surprise surprise! So that gets us to Friday night... she comes out of surgery and is good but pretty much outta' it - Diloted is a wonderful thing. Georgous as ever, though... never thought I'd see someone with tubes coming out of them and post-surgery as "beautiful and georgous" but she was! anyway, so I leave the hospital at 1 in the morning or so... and guess where I have to be at 0700 that morning ? You got it! It's DRILLWEEKEND! ohhhhh joy!
Saturday Drill was SO PT (physical training) intensive it was insane! Ya' see, next month, we are "standing up" (being introduced) as a unit up at Camp Hale. Why Camp Hale? Well, we are finally taking up the mantle of the 10th Mountain Division! We are the 86th, which is out of Vermont... but the original 10th Mountain was ALSO part of the 86th, and since we are the only "Mountain Division" in Colorado, we are OFFICIALLY the heirs of the legendary 10th Mountain. Ironically, a few weeks ago, my band and I performed at the massive 10th Mountain reunion.I got to meet a number of the WWII vetrans, and will be seeing them again next month up at Camp Hale. Since we are mountain qualified, we train to be ready to incur in the mountains of Iraq, Afghanistan, or any other place they may send us (which by the way is tentively scheduled for 2010 or 2011) Oh! one more thing before I get back to the story... we also physically train our @$$3$ off because since we are interrogators, we will regularly be "attached" to ANY group that needs an interrogator - including Rangers, Airborne, Special Forces, Deltas... etc... and we have to be able to "keep up" with THEM! No exaggeration!
So... Saturday, we train until we're puking, and for good measure, from 1700-1800 some of us that still need to work on our PT got to run sprints for an hour. And then, guess what?!?! I've got a 8pm-11pm show with the Rolling Tones (Nacho Men lite) at St. Vincent De Paul School. So, I race outta' Drill after last formation, go home, shower, grab costumes, and high-tail it over to the show. Show goes great and I head over to Lutheran to see Tess for an hour. Get home around one or two.. zonk... and wake up at 3:00 with a KILLER headache... finally get back to sleep at 4 only to wake up at 5:30 to get ready for drill. Sitting up, I fall asleep again, and end up getting to drill 20 minutes late. NOTHING will get me more upset at myself than being late for something... and THIS is DRILL!!!!! UGGGGHHH!! Get to drill, and we are in the middle of a "ruck hike" - load up the ruck sack, haul it on my back and star trekking to catch up with the company! Warrant Officer Candidate Fuhrman picks me up in his truck after about 2 miles and drives me 1 mile to the formation. Overall, I didn't miss much in relation to the full hike. Still, once with the company, I was ALWAYS up with the three guys in the lead of the formation... they even had me carry the guidon for a few miles! :)
After returning to the armory, one of my superiors - Sgt. Prahl - a GREAT guy with an equally great sense of humor tells me "take my ruck and go back to the follow vehicle and ask Sgt Renyolds what two-plus-two is... I'm curious." Well the formation is stretching two miles back down the road, and after that is the following vehicle. So I start trekking back up the road. At about 1.75 miles I meet up with the vehicle and ask the vital question of Sgt. Renyolds. I'm grinning like a crazy man... the hike has been good for me.... I've made great time... I've kept op with the lead of the group... and now I've added more miles, and I'm still feeling suprizingly good. I explain the reason for the question - I was late, and also, my ruck is twenty pounds light because I can't pack what I haven't been issued - namely body armor. He shakes his head and says, "That sucks!" I grin and say, "Not really, I understand it... It's fair and just... not a problem..." He nods and says "Tell him 2 plus 2 is four... you doin okay?" "Doin' GREAT Sergant! Thanks!" And I truck on back. So after getting back, I was still feeling great... that kinda' happy exhaustion that can't quelch the warmth of pride. (I'm horrible at the running... but give me clydesdale work and I LOVE it!) So.... another long day of PT! After drill, I went over to Tess' - she's home !!!!!!! :) Spent a few hours with her... had dinner and a movie. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm gunna' CRASH!!! Good night, all!
Currently listening : Classic Sinatra By Frank Sinatra Release date: 28 March, 2000
No Mas Espanol, No Mas Latinos
July 19, 2007 - Thursday
The most caustic words you will ever see on this blog Current mood: aggravated
Fourth of July: Fireworks have been going off for four or five days now. Damn Mexicans don't appreciate or know the slightest thing about this holiday but set off firecrackers at all hours of the day and night with no concern or respect for others. I'd love to ask them, "Who are Roger Sherman, Robert Livingston, Benjamin Franklin, John Adam, and Thomas Jefferson – and why is this THEIR day?" How can they grasp our history when they can't even attempt our language? The Irish never demanded that Gaelic be printed on ballots.
I've tried so hard to eliminate my prejudices, and condemnations in life, but it seems my dislike, distaste, and complete disdain for Latinos grows deeper with every passing day. They chatter in their damn "Mexicanese" and hold those psudeo-superior facial expressions that they are being "exclusive" and "You're not included – and there's nothing you can do about it" I love the change in expression when I roll off "Comprendo Espanol, pero no hablo Espanol – sono Americano" in their direction.
Unlike every single group of immigrants before them, they don't want to become Americans; they wish to milk the American cash cow without the slightest desire to care for it – much less buy it!!!!! Every other group in our history – Irish, Italian, Cuban, Vietnamese, Chinese, Dutch, German, Korean, Russian – have all wanted (and still want) to become a part of the greatest civilization to populate the planet. But the Latinos – they are the first group to abandon their own sinking ship of a country without the intelligence to acquiesce to the standards, traditions, and culture that have kept their chosen lift raft afloat for over two centuries. What they are too dense grasp (besides the English language) is that the attitudes they bring will only create another poor, corrupt version of Mexico north of the border.
Instead of adopting their new land, and rising to the levels – the standards of becoming an American, they are all too willing to drag us down into the mire so prevalent of their homeland. Unfortunately, enough Americans are complacent or blissfully ignorant enough to allow it to happen. The flawed concept of "one culture is equal to any other" is so pervasive in this self-depreciating culture, that true differences and inequalities are dismissed as "nationalism" and "bigotry."
For us Americans, true Americans, our ancestors either immigrated to these shores to become Americans or (for several million unfortunate souls) were brought to this country against their will. But once citizenship was granted, they all did their best to integrate into their new culture. They recognized this as the land of opportunity, of freedom, of liberty and multiculturalism. They embraced the mixing pot and became part of their new home. The Latinos, however, show no desire to mix or blend; they steadfastly and stubbornly adhere to only their language, only their music, as well as their tolerance for illegalities and gang culture. This last part alone should be excused inasmuch as we never held them to account for entering illegally, so why should they show respect for any of our OTHER laws? They don't want to become part of this land of "life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness." They only want to use it, to sap it, and parasitically leach the best we have to offer. Then they take advantage of our kindhearted sympathies to distract us from the true crimes they are committing.
I, and millions with me, have no problem extending a hand to those who wish to join our family, yet when a group wants to invade our home, take our riches and hospitality with no idea of reciprocation – we call it what it is: burglary, breaking & entering, and larceny. These thieves and hooligans are unwanted, unwelcomed, and must be repelled and arrested. They must be sent back to the dirt-poor third world from which they came.
"It's impractical to deport 13 million individuals", many say. We don't need to deport them – take the translators out of the courtrooms, take Spanish off of our ballots (Ferchrissake! Even the Jews didn't insist the Nazi's write everything in Yiddish!), take the Spanish signs out of WalMart, Walgreens, and Target. Send employers who hire illegals to jail for a year. Do you know a single businessman who would risk it? And for good measure, put them on a chain gang that performs those intensive labor task that "Americans don't want to do." And most importantly, tax the living daylights out of money transfers originating from the United States. If for every 50 dollars sent from King Soopers, Safeway, or Western Union, only 25 dollars gets to Mexico, the desire to milk the cow will deteriorate rapidly.
Currently reading : The Enemy At Home: The Cultural Left and Its Responsibility for 9/11 By Dinesh D’Souza Release date: 16 January, 2007
The most caustic words you will ever see on this blog Current mood: aggravated
Fourth of July: Fireworks have been going off for four or five days now. Damn Mexicans don't appreciate or know the slightest thing about this holiday but set off firecrackers at all hours of the day and night with no concern or respect for others. I'd love to ask them, "Who are Roger Sherman, Robert Livingston, Benjamin Franklin, John Adam, and Thomas Jefferson – and why is this THEIR day?" How can they grasp our history when they can't even attempt our language? The Irish never demanded that Gaelic be printed on ballots.
I've tried so hard to eliminate my prejudices, and condemnations in life, but it seems my dislike, distaste, and complete disdain for Latinos grows deeper with every passing day. They chatter in their damn "Mexicanese" and hold those psudeo-superior facial expressions that they are being "exclusive" and "You're not included – and there's nothing you can do about it" I love the change in expression when I roll off "Comprendo Espanol, pero no hablo Espanol – sono Americano" in their direction.
Unlike every single group of immigrants before them, they don't want to become Americans; they wish to milk the American cash cow without the slightest desire to care for it – much less buy it!!!!! Every other group in our history – Irish, Italian, Cuban, Vietnamese, Chinese, Dutch, German, Korean, Russian – have all wanted (and still want) to become a part of the greatest civilization to populate the planet. But the Latinos – they are the first group to abandon their own sinking ship of a country without the intelligence to acquiesce to the standards, traditions, and culture that have kept their chosen lift raft afloat for over two centuries. What they are too dense grasp (besides the English language) is that the attitudes they bring will only create another poor, corrupt version of Mexico north of the border.
Instead of adopting their new land, and rising to the levels – the standards of becoming an American, they are all too willing to drag us down into the mire so prevalent of their homeland. Unfortunately, enough Americans are complacent or blissfully ignorant enough to allow it to happen. The flawed concept of "one culture is equal to any other" is so pervasive in this self-depreciating culture, that true differences and inequalities are dismissed as "nationalism" and "bigotry."
For us Americans, true Americans, our ancestors either immigrated to these shores to become Americans or (for several million unfortunate souls) were brought to this country against their will. But once citizenship was granted, they all did their best to integrate into their new culture. They recognized this as the land of opportunity, of freedom, of liberty and multiculturalism. They embraced the mixing pot and became part of their new home. The Latinos, however, show no desire to mix or blend; they steadfastly and stubbornly adhere to only their language, only their music, as well as their tolerance for illegalities and gang culture. This last part alone should be excused inasmuch as we never held them to account for entering illegally, so why should they show respect for any of our OTHER laws? They don't want to become part of this land of "life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness." They only want to use it, to sap it, and parasitically leach the best we have to offer. Then they take advantage of our kindhearted sympathies to distract us from the true crimes they are committing.
I, and millions with me, have no problem extending a hand to those who wish to join our family, yet when a group wants to invade our home, take our riches and hospitality with no idea of reciprocation – we call it what it is: burglary, breaking & entering, and larceny. These thieves and hooligans are unwanted, unwelcomed, and must be repelled and arrested. They must be sent back to the dirt-poor third world from which they came.
"It's impractical to deport 13 million individuals", many say. We don't need to deport them – take the translators out of the courtrooms, take Spanish off of our ballots (Ferchrissake! Even the Jews didn't insist the Nazi's write everything in Yiddish!), take the Spanish signs out of WalMart, Walgreens, and Target. Send employers who hire illegals to jail for a year. Do you know a single businessman who would risk it? And for good measure, put them on a chain gang that performs those intensive labor task that "Americans don't want to do." And most importantly, tax the living daylights out of money transfers originating from the United States. If for every 50 dollars sent from King Soopers, Safeway, or Western Union, only 25 dollars gets to Mexico, the desire to milk the cow will deteriorate rapidly.
Currently reading : The Enemy At Home: The Cultural Left and Its Responsibility for 9/11 By Dinesh D’Souza Release date: 16 January, 2007
MEPS
June 6, 2007 - Wednesday
Ahhhh the Guard Current mood: optimistic
Well, I went down to MEPS on May 9th thinking I was gunna' FINALLY go off to training. Stayed the night at the hotel on I-25 and Hampden. Spent a great evening (dinner with Chaz, Mom, and Tara) and up at oh-3:30 for the bus ride downtown. The first surprize?Well, I was told back when I swore in that it was a two week refresher course down at Ft. Carson. Great, no prob!
I get down to MEPS and find out it's actually 4-6 weeks, and it's all out of state. Whoops! Got a number of contracted clients that are NOT going to be happy about that! Signed and dated shows that will have to be cancelled? Not a good thing!
MEPS did all the paperwork double-checking etc.... They had me all set to fly down to Fort Sill and onto White Sands.
About 11:30 I head up to the security clearance folks. Well, something didn't check out, and I couldn't ship out with the MOS I was promised (97E - Interrogator). The Sgt. who seems to be in charge of the entire Guard program down there was GREAT! Seriously! He understood my concerns, and was VERY respectful (not something I've gotten alot of at drill weekends - being an old guy and former squid) But it's all good. The Sgt. told me he could fly me out that day to Warrior Transition, but they'd have to change my MOS. Otherwise, it would be February before I could ship out. He gave me as much time as I needed to weigh the pro's and con's. I decided that I had earned and set my hopes on that 97E spot! Not many people ace the ASVAB... that 99.9% was MINE and I wasn't gunna' waste it by being something I didn't want to be. So, February it is! February 27th to be exact. I'll finally be getting to WTC, and only after that can I get out to Ft. Huachucha in Arizona and get some REAL training in!! In the meantime, I'm completely and totally impressed with the structure, and activities at the COANG weekends! Unlike when I was in the Navy Reserve at Buckley (kinda' hard to train up as a Aviation Structural Mechanic when there were no jets at the reserve base ::: shrug ::::), the COANG has classes, training sessions, PT, and every minute of the drill weekends filled with something to do!!!! YES!!!
Currently listening : Italian Love Songs By Dean Martin Release date: 28 August, 2001
Ahhhh the Guard Current mood: optimistic
Well, I went down to MEPS on May 9th thinking I was gunna' FINALLY go off to training. Stayed the night at the hotel on I-25 and Hampden. Spent a great evening (dinner with Chaz, Mom, and Tara) and up at oh-3:30 for the bus ride downtown. The first surprize?Well, I was told back when I swore in that it was a two week refresher course down at Ft. Carson. Great, no prob!
I get down to MEPS and find out it's actually 4-6 weeks, and it's all out of state. Whoops! Got a number of contracted clients that are NOT going to be happy about that! Signed and dated shows that will have to be cancelled? Not a good thing!
MEPS did all the paperwork double-checking etc.... They had me all set to fly down to Fort Sill and onto White Sands.
About 11:30 I head up to the security clearance folks. Well, something didn't check out, and I couldn't ship out with the MOS I was promised (97E - Interrogator). The Sgt. who seems to be in charge of the entire Guard program down there was GREAT! Seriously! He understood my concerns, and was VERY respectful (not something I've gotten alot of at drill weekends - being an old guy and former squid) But it's all good. The Sgt. told me he could fly me out that day to Warrior Transition, but they'd have to change my MOS. Otherwise, it would be February before I could ship out. He gave me as much time as I needed to weigh the pro's and con's. I decided that I had earned and set my hopes on that 97E spot! Not many people ace the ASVAB... that 99.9% was MINE and I wasn't gunna' waste it by being something I didn't want to be. So, February it is! February 27th to be exact. I'll finally be getting to WTC, and only after that can I get out to Ft. Huachucha in Arizona and get some REAL training in!! In the meantime, I'm completely and totally impressed with the structure, and activities at the COANG weekends! Unlike when I was in the Navy Reserve at Buckley (kinda' hard to train up as a Aviation Structural Mechanic when there were no jets at the reserve base ::: shrug ::::), the COANG has classes, training sessions, PT, and every minute of the drill weekends filled with something to do!!!! YES!!!
Currently listening : Italian Love Songs By Dean Martin Release date: 28 August, 2001
If
May 31, 2007 - Thursday
Dad's favorite poem (mine as well) Current mood: optimistic
If by Rudyard Kipling
IF you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,Or being hated, don't give way to hating,And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and DisasterAnd treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spokenTwisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:
If you can make one heap of all your winnings And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,And lose, and start again at your beginningsAnd never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinewTo serve your turn long after they are gone,And so hold on when there is nothing in youExcept the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!'
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,' Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch,if neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minuteWith sixty seconds' worth of distance run,Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!
Currently reading : Copperheads: The Rise and Fall of Lincoln's Opponents in the North By Jennifer L. Weber Release date: 07 September, 2006
Dad's favorite poem (mine as well) Current mood: optimistic
If by Rudyard Kipling
IF you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,Or being hated, don't give way to hating,And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and DisasterAnd treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spokenTwisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:
If you can make one heap of all your winnings And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,And lose, and start again at your beginningsAnd never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinewTo serve your turn long after they are gone,And so hold on when there is nothing in youExcept the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!'
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,' Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch,if neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minuteWith sixty seconds' worth of distance run,Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!
Currently reading : Copperheads: The Rise and Fall of Lincoln's Opponents in the North By Jennifer L. Weber Release date: 07 September, 2006
Impatient society
November 9, 2006 - Thursday
Impatient Society
Well, the election is finished, thank GOD!For someone as politically comfortable as I am, the vitriol and hatred was well past my tolerance level a LONG time ago!I've concluded that this current societ/generation just has absolutly NO clue what it means to sacrifice or wait for ANYthing! Don't feel well? Take a pill! (Don't give your body the nutrition and rest it needs!)Too fat? Get liposuction! (Don't work out, run, or exercise... it takes too much time and effort!)Don't have the money for what you want? Buy it on a credit card! (Don't work hard, and save until you can buy it.. that takes too much time and is a hassle!)Today on the TODAY show, there was a doctor talking about "Anger illness" believe it or not! It's not a lack of self-control, manners, or any personal fault that a mom beats the hell outta' her kids... it's an ILLNESS! So, take a pill... you'll be alright. No need to learn patience, introspection, or work on your lack of self-control ... just get "treated". Give me a FREEKING flying break!!!!No wonder we have no patience for the 35 Million Iraqis that are tying to form a strong, Democratic government FROM SCRATCH! It's not that we are reasonable, or even impatient... we have no clue what patience is!
And so, the Democrats rode in on a ripple of Iraqi dissent. (It can't be called a "wave" when it didn't even match the numbers of most historical 6th-year off-election gains) Well, the Americans are just too impatient. We haven't learned things worth attaining are worth fighting for, and worth finishing... not matter how long it takes.
Currently reading : Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln By Doris Kearns Goodwin Release date: 26 September, 2006
Impatient Society
Well, the election is finished, thank GOD!For someone as politically comfortable as I am, the vitriol and hatred was well past my tolerance level a LONG time ago!I've concluded that this current societ/generation just has absolutly NO clue what it means to sacrifice or wait for ANYthing! Don't feel well? Take a pill! (Don't give your body the nutrition and rest it needs!)Too fat? Get liposuction! (Don't work out, run, or exercise... it takes too much time and effort!)Don't have the money for what you want? Buy it on a credit card! (Don't work hard, and save until you can buy it.. that takes too much time and is a hassle!)Today on the TODAY show, there was a doctor talking about "Anger illness" believe it or not! It's not a lack of self-control, manners, or any personal fault that a mom beats the hell outta' her kids... it's an ILLNESS! So, take a pill... you'll be alright. No need to learn patience, introspection, or work on your lack of self-control ... just get "treated". Give me a FREEKING flying break!!!!No wonder we have no patience for the 35 Million Iraqis that are tying to form a strong, Democratic government FROM SCRATCH! It's not that we are reasonable, or even impatient... we have no clue what patience is!
And so, the Democrats rode in on a ripple of Iraqi dissent. (It can't be called a "wave" when it didn't even match the numbers of most historical 6th-year off-election gains) Well, the Americans are just too impatient. We haven't learned things worth attaining are worth fighting for, and worth finishing... not matter how long it takes.
Currently reading : Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln By Doris Kearns Goodwin Release date: 26 September, 2006
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