A Scottish Weekend

"Scots, wha hae wi' Wallace bled,
Scots, wham Bruce has aften led,
Welcome tae your gory bed
Or tae victorie!" ~ Rabbie Burns

Last Saturday, I took a little trip up to Sky Meadows State Park outside Delaplane, Virginia for the 35th annual Northern Virginia Scottish games and festival.

The location was chosen for it's extraordinary resemblance to the Scottish Highlands.



As many of you know, my heritage is Scottish. My surname is a sept of clan Gunn, of the northern Highlands of Scotland. I was little disappointed to discover my clan was not represented at the festival, but I did meet another member of clan Gunn, here:He was the only other member of my clan I met there, although he told me there was another one there, one of the members of one of the bagpipe and drum bands. He is wearing a kilt of the Gunn clan tartan plaid. I have a tie just like it.

Here are some pictures I took of some of the Kilted Scots in attendance:



I tried a sample of Haggis, a national dish of Scotland. A Haggis is actually a large spherical sausage made of the liver, heart, and lungs of a sheep, all chopped and mixed with beef or mutton suet and oatmeal and seasoned with onion, cayenne pepper, and other spices. The mixture is packed into a sheep’s stomach and boiled. I got it from this stand here: If you click on the picture you can make out the word, "Haggis" below the counter behind the people standing there. Actually, the sample I tried wasn't in a sausage, so I don't know how authentic it really was, but they had the ingredients posted on a sign at the booth, and most of the ingredients they had in theirs are present in the preceding description.

It is not as horrible as it sounds, but it doesn't taste good.

I watched a little bit of the caber toss, a traditional Scottish sport that involved throwing a large pole. Caber is the Gaelic word for "tree" . Contrary to popular belief, the toss isn't judged on distance but rather, accuracy.



There was entertainment besides the Pipe and Drum bands previously alluded to. Here is a picture of a Scottish folk singer. I think his name was Robert McLeod. I'm not sure. He was very good.

Here is a picture of one of the bands that were entertaining. They had a parade sometime during the festival but I was somewhere else at the time and missed it.

As we were leaving the rain started to fall. You can see this gentleman and his wife were getting wet. So was I.

This picture wasn't at the festival. I saw this rather perplexing sight elsewhere. Both of these signs were in the front yard of the same house! I wonder if there is a disagreement between a husband and wife here:

Before I close, if anyone out there is still wondering what a Scotsman wears under his kilt, this may be the answer to the age old question: Click the picture unless you're squeamish.

Obama Worshipping Media Shows True Colors

"The recipe for perpetual ignorance is: be satisfied with your opinions and content with your knowledge" ~ Elbert Hubbard

In an AOL news article entitled, Palin Spells Out Role as Vice President, the Liberally biased Associated Depressed shows how absolutely biased they really are.

To begin with, the article reads, Campaigning on her own, the Alaska governor also said Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama "wants to raise income taxes and raise payroll taxes and raise investment income taxes and raise business taxes and raise the death tax.

"But John McCain and I know that's not the way you grow the economy," she added."

That's nice, isn't it?

But wait. There's more.

The article goes on to state, as if their findings are indisputable, "[I]ndependent groups such as the Tax Policy Center have concluded that four out of five U.S. households would receive tax cuts under Obama's proposal, which include higher income and payroll taxes only for the wealthiest wage-earners."

Well, we Conservatives all know that the wealthiest wage earners in America are already taxed more than the poorest wage earners. In fact, many of the poorest wage earners don't pay taxes at all. Many of them get tax credits on top of that. But I digress.

A Wikipedia search of the Tax Policy Center shows them to be a joint venture of the Brookings Institution and the Urban Institute, based in Washington, D.C..

OK. So what is the Brookings Institution?

Another Wikipedia search shows the Brookings Institution is a nonprofit public policy organization based in Washington, D.C....Brookings is one of America's oldest think tanks...Their stated mission is to "provide innovative and practical recommendations that advance three broad goals: strengthen American democracy; foster the economic and social welfare, security and opportunity of all Americans; and secure a more open, safe, prosperous and cooperative international system."

Brookings states that its scholars "represent diverse points of view" and describes itself as non-partisan.

What is the Urban Institute? Wikipedia describes it as a Washington, D.C. based nonpartisan think tank that collects data, conducts policy research, evaluates social programs, educates the public on key domestic issues, and provides advice and technical assistance to developing governments abroad.

Now, that would seem to be two organizations beyond reproach, wouldn't it?

But let's read further, shall we?

According to Liberally biased Wikipedia, "Media descriptions of Brookings range from liberal to centrist..."

And this: "The organization's president, Strobe Talbott, was United States Deputy Secretary of State under President Clinton. Brookings employs five research vice presidents: Carlos Pascual (former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine and senior director on the National Security Council staff), Lael Brainard (a former White House Deputy National Economic Adviser and Chair of the Deputy Secretaries Committee on International Economics during the Clinton Administration), William Gale (a former senior staff economist for the Council of Economic Advisers under President Bush), Bruce Katz, and Pietro Nivola."

Carlos Pascual is an ex Ambassador to the Ukraine, appointed by President Bill Clinton. Finding information on Bruce Katz proved to be more difficult, but he worked in the Clinton administration under scandal plagued Henry Cisneros.

Even less can be ascertained about Pietro Nivola. Apparently he is, or was, a professor of Political Science at several different Universities including Harvard and Stanford. What do you want to bet he's a Liberal?

I don't know William Gale's ideological leanings, but I discovered one article wherein he published his case against the fair Tax. I think the idea of a fair tax is a Conservative concept.

So much for "diverse points of view".

If my Liberal readers intend to point to Gale's inclusion at the Brookings Institution as proof the Institution is indeed nonpartisan, let me remind them that just because someone worked in a Republican administration, it doesn't necessarily mean he is a Conservative. The words, "Republican" and Conservative" are not necessarily synonymous.

Think Scott McClelland.

As far as the Urban Institute, well, according to Wikipedia, "The Institute was established as an independent organization in 1968 by the Lyndon B. Johnson administration to study the nation’s urban problems and evaluate the Great Society initiatives embodied in more than 400 laws passed in the prior four years. Gradually, its research and funding base broadened."

Well, at least they are loyal to their first love.

So, the Brookings Institution and The Urban Institute are non-partisan, eh?

About as non-partisan as MSNBC.

Yep, four Liberal Democrats and one token (possibly Liberal) Republican to study policy. That's fair.

Just like MSNBC.

This is not to say the Brookings Institution and The Urban Institute are intentionally biased, but, let's face it. It is impossible to have no opinion. Everyone, no matter how fair one considers himself to be, cannot escape looking at an issue from one's own perspective.

So, is the statement, "that four out of five U.S. households would receive tax cuts under Obama's proposal, which include higher income and payroll taxes only for the wealthiest wage-earners." a factual statement? That would seem to depend on how the study was conducted and who or what they studied. Wealth, as I have pointed out before, is relative. Who is wealthy according to this study?

The rest of the article includes certain words and phrases that indicate the Associated Depressed and AOL are about as non-partisan as the Daily Kos, to wit:

" Yet the governor, with little experience outside her own state, has largely been kept out of public view while aides seek to bring her up to date on a range of issues."

Huh? She answered the questions of Charlie Gibson calmly, with assurance and poise, and the Liberally biased media thinks she needs to be brought up to date?

She beat Gibson like a red-headed step child! Were the media watchdogs chewing bones when that interview was going on? Apparently, they didn't see it.

Again, from the AP article, "she told her audience that she had told Congress "thanks, but no thanks" when it came to the so-called Bridge to Nowhere... She made no mention of the fact that she favored federal funding for the structure before she turned against it."

Considering the numerous times their hero, Barry Hussein, has changed his mind on practically every issue (except his belief that the surge hasn't worked), I think the Liberally biased AP should probably keep their dog out of that hunt.

"I've got another idea that I think Senator McCain likes. In Alaska, we took the state checkbook and put it online, so everyone can see where their money goes. We're going to bring that kind of openness to Washington," she said.

In fact, there already is a searchable database that allows the public to track federal grants and contracts, and Obama was a principle force behind the 2006 law that created it, along with Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla.

Principle force? I doubt it. I'll bet Tom Coburn introduced the act and Obama merely signed his name on it, to prove he actually co-sponsored a bill.

The Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act is one of Obama's few legislative accomplishments in his short Senate tenure.

Ah! Finally! The Obama adoring media admits Obama hasn't really accomplished much.

Too bad it came in the second to last paragraph.

Conclusion?

Do I have to spell it out?

The Liberal Mindset

"A liberal: someone who thinks he knows more about your experience than you do." ~ James Baldwin

Just when you think the Liberals have sunk as low as they can go...

From Rush Limbaugh's radio show, an actual transcript:

CALLER: Excellent. I've got a couple observations here, and I want to throw in a (unintelligible) politics dittos to everybody out there. Anyways (sic), my first of two observations is, number one, I didn't notice Governor Palin wearing lipstick while campaigning with Senator McCain today. I don't know if that was my bad television or just my bad eyes. Number two, excuse me, I didn't really take what Senator Obama said yesterday and take it as a "lipstick-on-a-pig" pointed at Palin. Closer to the truth about the gamy governor, it would have been it would have to be the second comment he said, "You could wrap a fish in paper and it will still smell." That's my observation.

RUSH: What is your observation?

CALLER: That she is a smelly fish. Uh, everything she says and does, it's -- it's just... She can't put two sentences together about what's going to happen in the future of your Republican Party.

RUSH: You think that about Sarah Palin?

CALLER: Yes, I do.

RUSH: You want to say that again to the whole nation?

CALLER: I just did!

RUSH: I want you to say it again. I can't believe, of all the things that you might want to say about Sarah Palin, you would come up with that.

CALLER: You don't think that's true?

RUSH: There's no thinking about it, my man. I don't have to.

CALLER: (snickers)

RUSH: Sarah Palin can't put two words together, two thoughts together?

CALLER: I said two sentences together about what's going to happen with the GOP and why they should elect her and Mc-uh... McCain.

RUSH: What are you so scared about?

CALLER: Oh, I'm not scared, man. I'm enjoying this.

RUSH: What is all this? How come all you touchy-feely sensitive liberals have to come out with all these insults?

CALLER: No, I'm not a liberal. I'm an independent, actually.

RUSH: Well, it's the same thing. An independent is just somebody doesn't have the guts to identify themselves as a liberal. And then you call a radio show like mine trying to sound like a very smart guy, and you prove why you're an independent. You're brainless. To have those observations about Sarah Palin? Of all the observations, she can't put two sentences together? This is a woman who has yet to stutter one time, in any public appearance! (exasperated sigh) I'm ending the phone call, ladies and gentlemen. I run the risk of my own IQ lowering every time I talk to people like this.

There is nothing more needed to add to this except, let's just see if Governor Palin can't put two sentences together, shall we?



Well, I had to work so I missed this interview, but now that I've seen a clip of it, I'd have to say I like Sarah Palin even better than before. She is articulate, clean, and a nice looking woman. Oh, and evidently she can do much more than simply put two sentences together. Very impressive!

When will Liberals learn?

Always Remember

"There is a sacredness in tears. They are not the mark of weakness, but of power. They speak more eloquently than ten thousand tongues. They are messengers of overwhelming grief...and unspeakable love." ~ Washington Irving

Seven years ago today, the world as we know it, was changed forever. There are some who would prefer that we just forget it, and pretend it never happened.

I have a message for those people:

We will never forget. We will never pretend.

And we will always avenge.

God bless America.

The McCain/Palin Rally At Fairfax

"The best political community is formed by citizens of the middle class" ~ Aristotle

Today, I had the pleasure of attending a rally for John McCain and Sarah Palin in Fairfax, Virginia.


Click the pictures for a close up view.Because it was going to be held in a high school gymnasium, I thought I might have not only the opportunity to meet McCain and Palin, but was also hoping they would have a Q & A session, wherein I might be able to ask Sarah about her views on illegal immigration.

It is the one Palin position about which I still have no clue. And, it is an important issue to me.

No such luck.

First, they had to move the site of the rally to a park in Fairfax because the local school board pitched a fit. This had the effect (fortunate for the campaign, unfortunate for me) of making the event even more accessible to more people. They announced, after the rally had started, that it was the largest turnout for a McCain rally since the Republican convention, to which I muttered, under my breath, "Just my luck to end up in the biggest crowd."

I hate crowds.

After traveling a mere 46 miles in nearly two hours up the Capitol Beltway, and getting lucky with a parking space fairly close to the park where they had moved the rally, I positioned myself near the front of the stage and to the speaker's left. I was, I'm guessing, about 30 yards or less from the podium.

I thought this guy (in blue shirt) was Newt Gingrich at first, so I took his picture, but, it wasn't him.

After a brief concert by a Country/Western musician,(He's the guy in the cowboy hat in the middle. Can anyone identify him? ) we were treated to several short speeches from various speakers.

One was the Mayor of Fairfax, Virginia. (I don't remember his name) And there was a guy who was imprisoned in the Hanoi Hilton when John McCain was there. There was a woman who is a small business owner from Richmond who was an Obama supporter until three months ago, when exhaustive research into both Presidential candidates caused her common sense to kick in, and now she proudly supports McCain.


Then there was a Democrat Feminist Hillary supporter, who gave a very effective and impassioned speech about her feelings of betrayal by Obama and the mindless, blind, obsessive, Obama worshippers. She enthusiastically announced her support for McCain because, apparently, he had the good sense to choose a woman as his running mate.

It is a poor reason to vote for McCain, I admit, but it's a vote, and that's all that matters.

Then, after some more speeches and additional fanfare, Fred Thompson approached the podium and made a rousing speech extolling the virtues of both McCain and Palin.

He introduced John and Cindy McCain, and Todd and Sarah Palin, and then Mrs. Palin made a speech that bore a striking resemblance to all the previous speeches she has made since her nomination was announced, although she did add some extra information about her accomplishments as Alaska's Governor, which I appreciated.

Don't get me wrong. I was delighted to hear her. She doesn't appear the least bit affected by stage fright or by the merciless and shameful attacks by her opponents in the Obama campaign.

She has been tried by fire and come out without even smelling of smoke.

I am more of a McCain/Palin fan than before I went.

Finally, John McCain spoke, and while I wasn't as impressed by his speech as I was by Mrs. Palins, he did an effective job of rallying the party faithful, and I dare say, a few doubters.

Some fat head (literally) kept moving over in front of me and blocking my view with his gargantuan cranium ( as you can see). I wasted several pictures because he kept sticking his McCain/Palin sign up just as I snapped the photos.

Oh well. Who can blame him? He was caught up in the infectious enthusiasm just like the rest of us.

After the speeches, the rally drew to a close, and as the candidates left the stage, they were immediately enveloped by a crowd of adoring fans. So many fans, in fact, that I was literally pushed to within ten feet of Governor Palin as she moved along shaking hands, but in spite of my close proximity, due to the press of the crowd, I not only didn't get to shake her hand, I couldn't even see her among the teeming mass of humanity. So I picked my way through the throng and made as hasty a retreat back to my car as the crowd allowed.

I did take one last picture of a news crew from some Asian Television news program. I don't know if they were Japanese, Chinese, or what. There were several attendees being interviewed by various newspaper and television reporters as I left but none seemed interested in my opinion.

That's ok. They can read my blog.

I really wish Sarah had presented her views on illegal immigration but I guess I can be patient until her position becomes public.

I'll have to be.

Overall it was an enjoyable, exciting, yet a leg and knee numbing experience. Next time I wonder if they will let me bring a lawn chair.

Here are a few pictures of some attendees who had some interesting outfits:
A moose hat.
An old fashioned imitation straw hat reminiscent of the old Eisenhower days.
Click the picture and read the t-shirts.

I met a very nice lady who has her own blog. We traded Blog addresses. I didn't get her picture. Poor girl. She is so short I wonder if she even saw anything onstage.

And this is me, with my fedora. I recently read an article that said fedoras are the latest rage in fashion, so I really thought I'd see several of them there. I didn't. Apparently, I was the only one.

I think I'll pass on the next rally, unless it is a small town hall type meeting where I can ask questions.

I Respond To An Obamoron

"The twist-yourself-in-knots-to-oppose-Palin-on-ground-of-inexperience exercise being indulged by those otherwise ecstatic about Barack Obama and indifferent to his lack of experience is truly astounding to behold." – John Podhoretz

I couldn't agree with the preceding quotation more.

In a previous post, I asked Jim, a particularly tenacious Liberal who, for some unknown reason, frequents and comments on my blog site, to give me just three of Barack Obama’s accomplishments in the State or United States legislatures that qualify him to be President. I made the mistake of failing to ask him to be specific, but nonetheless, after a couple of days, he came up with a reasonably intelligent (though somewhat non-specific) answer. This is it:

"Obama gained bipartisan support for legislation reforming ethics and health care laws. He sponsored a law increasing tax credits for low-income workers, negotiated welfare reform, and promoted increased subsidies for childcare.

In the US Senate Obama has sponsored (besides over 600 co-sponsored) 136 bills."

Good effort, Jim. I'll give you that. But, I asked what has he done that qualifies him to be President. You're falling a little short of what I asked. No matter. Here’s my response:

So, he gained bi-partisan support, eh? OK. Who did he gain bi-partisan support from, and for what, specifically? This is a very important question. You see, there are Republicans who are just as Liberal and therefore, wrong, as the Democrats. Whatever bi-partisan legislator it is that supports Obama's proposals may lend credibility to whether Obama is Presidential timber, or it may not, depending on the proposal and/or the legislator.

Get it? Just because some State legislators, who may be Conservative or Liberal Republicans, went along with Obama on some bills, it doesn’t necessarily mean he got them to change their minds and see things his way. They could be just some of those bills that everyone agrees with anyway. That wouldn't qualify Obama to be President.

"[R]eforming ethics and health care laws"? In what way did he propose to reform ethics and health care laws? If he proposed to throw more taxpayer money at the problems, he creates more of a problem than he started with.

That doesn't qualify him to be President. In fact, it more likely disqualifies him.

And speaking of qualifications to be President, I don’t think you really want to go into ethics. For one thing, “Ethics” is a relative term. What Obama believes to be ethical is certainly not what I believe to be ethical. He believes live babies who survive abortions should be discarded in a waste container to be neglected to death.

That’s not ethical by my standards. Is that your ethics?

Next, “He sponsored a law increasing tax credits for low-income workers, negotiated welfare reform, and promoted increased subsidies for childcare“?

If such a bill passed, (which in itself, is another important point to determine qualification) it leads to another important question:

Where do you suppose the money to do these things comes from?

IT COMES FROM YOU!

Doesn't it disturb you in the least that Obama proposes reaching into your pocket and taking your hard earned money out without your permission and handing it over to welfare bums and cheats who refuse to work for their money ? Wouldn’t you prefer to decide for yourself how much money you give out of your own pocket to assist people in need? Wouldn’t you like to know who your money is helping, instead of taking some bureaucrats word?

You know, if the government wasn’t taking a large percentage of each paycheck to pay for government welfare programs and to subsidize abortions and tasteless so-called art, etc, you would have more money to distribute the way you feel is appropriate. We already pay way too much. Why do you want to elect a President that will increase the amount?

What if, by taking your money in the form of taxes, forces you to suck on the Government teat yourself? Would you be grateful to Obama’s Government for the opportunity to experience first hand the Governments generosity or would you get angry that Government generosity put you into that position in the first place? A little of both, perhaps?

Now, if you actually want the Government to take half the money you earned and give it to people and programs with which you might not necessarily want to share, you are more than welcome. Will you please give them a little extra to cover my share? Because I don't want them taking the money I work hard for! I think I can decide how best to use my own money, and even if I can't, they still have no right to my money!

A President who steals from the people over whom he is supposed to be presiding isn't a President that has the American people’s best interest at heart.

Therefore, he isn't qualified to be President.

Finally, "In the US Senate Obama has sponsored (besides over 600 co-sponsored) 136 bills."

What was in those bills, Jim? Were these bills that created more Government intrusion and spending for things the Government has no business butting into? That wouldn’t be the kind of man I want as my President.

My guess is that they were bills that introduced things such as naming post offices after obscure almost-famous people. That is, bills that don't require much in the way of actual hard decision making. After all, Obama voted "present" on over 130 pieces of impending legislation. That's a legal way of saying, "I can't decide how I want to vote on this issue".

He couldn't even decide whether to vote yes or no!

Doesn’t that bother you at all, Jim?

If he can't decide how to vote on inconsequential issues, how can we expect him to make crucial world changing decisions at a moments notice as President of the United States?

As Rudy Guiliani (a Liberal Republican) says, "There's no voting present when you're the President." You have to be able to make final decisions when you're President. Sometimes unpopular decisions. Those are the kinds of decisions Obama has chastised President Bush for making.

It’s easy to make popular decisions. Anyone can make them. But it takes a President to make difficult decisions that directly effect the security of the United States of America and our allies.

I don’t think Obama has what it takes to make those decisions. Even Joe Biden, Obama’s pick for Vice President, says, “The Presidency is not the kind of job which lends itself to ‘on the job training.” Of course, that may not carry much weight with Obamaniacs. After all, he is "the dumbest man in the Senate", according to Mark Levin.

There are still too many unanswered questions about Obama’s record in the state and US legislatures to qualify him for President.

Obama has advisers and campaign managers now. And, if elected President, he will still have advisers. But, running an entire government is more difficult than running a campaign.

He can trust his advisers to make a decision for him when it comes to running a successful campaign, and as President, he may trust his advisers to give him solid advice when a real crisis comes up, but in the end, as President, the final decision rests upon his shoulders alone. His advisers and staff can’t make those decisions, nor should they.

He isn’t allowed to pass the buck when and if he is President.

One cannot run a country based on opinion polls.

Obama hasn’t shown an ability to make difficult decisions in the past. I’d say the 130+ times he chose to vote “present” instead of yes or no, along with the many changes in his positions, bears that observation out. And, based on his position points, or should I say, lack of positions, I’d place hundreds of times more trust in John McCain to make the right decisions than I would Obama.

Not to mention the fact that Obama embraces Marxist policies and ideologies. He says he will bring "change", but what kind of "change"?

I’ll tell you what kind:

He wants to change America from a Democratically representative Republic to a Marxist controlled dictatorship.

And that is a risk America can't afford to take.

Obama's Vision For A Socialist America

"Once you get the right image the details aren't that important." ~ Abbie Hoffman

I've been composing post after post after post trying to point out that Obama is dangerous and anti-American. And still the mindless, blind, Obama worshippers don't see.

Well, when the Obama worshippers see this, will they finally understand the consequences of an Obama Presidency?

"The gall of it: The Obamas want to create a boot camp for radicals who hate the military — and stick American taxpayers with the bill".

Or perhaps the Liberals like paying high taxes.

A Question Of Experience

"I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a 'community organizer,' except that you have actual responsibilities." ~ Sarah Palin

Regarding the above quotation: I think she should have added, "and every decision you make you are held accountable for."

The Liberally biased media keeps insisting that the American people be enlightened as to the qualifications of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin to be Vice President.

Have you noticed they continue to reference her experience as the mayor of a small town, while completely ignoring the fact that she is the Governor of Alaska? That experience alone qualifies her to be Vice President, if not President, in my opinion. After all, the office of Governor is executive branch experience, is it not?

In her acceptance speech Wednesday evening, Ms Palin not only ably answered those questions, she raised questions about the Democrat Presidential nominee's own qualifications.

And why shouldn't she? The Liberally biased media hasn't asked them yet. Nor will they unless Obama says or does something to turn the media against him.

Don't hold your breath waiting for that to happen.

In an attempt to defend himself against the charges levied at him by Governor Sarah Palin, Barack Hussein Obama has gone on record now defending his belief in his qualifications to be President based on his vast experience as a community organizer, then a civil rights attorney, then a law professor.

But since the media won't ask him these questions, I will. Here are the things I want to know about Obama before I pass final judgment as to his qualifications:

First, what exactly does a community organizer do? I suppose they organize communities. (duh) But to do what? And is that necessarily a good thing?

I seem to recall another community organizer in another community not too long ago. His name is Al Sharpton. What did Community organizer Al Sharpton organize his community to do?

Not much. Community organizer Al only spread a false rumor about a fictitious rape, causing race riots, millions of dollars in property damage, and nearly ended a young prosecutor's career in the process. He was judged guilty of complicity in a civil suit, but to this day, has refused to admit he did anything wrong.

After a black child was accidentally killed by a Jewish motorist, Community organizer Sharpton organized hundreds of community citizens to march through the Jewish neighborhood, chanting, "No justice, no peace." A rabbinical student, Yankel Rosenbaum, was surrounded by a mob shouting "Kill the Jews!" and stabbed to death. Again, no apology was offered by community organizer Sharpton.

When the United House of Prayer, a large black landlord in Harlem, raised the rent on Freddy's Fashion Mart, Freddy's white Jewish owner was forced to raise the rent on his subtenant, a black-owned music store. A landlord-tenant dispute ensued and Community organizer Sharpton took advantage of the situation to incite racial hatred. "We will not stand by," he warned, "and allow them to move this brother so that some white interloper can expand his business." Sharpton's National Action Network (a Community organization) set up picket lines. Customers going into Freddy's were spat on and cursed as "traitors" and "Uncle Toms." One citizen of Al Shartptons community burst into Freddy's, shot four employees point-blank, then set the store on fire. Seven employees died in the inferno. Guess what? Sharpton never apologized for his role in the massacre.

Now we know Barry Hussein Obama was a community organizer, but that's all we know. Was he a Community organizer in the mode of Al Sharpton? How about Screwy Louie Farrakhan? Did he improve his community in his capacity as a community organizer, or did he, like Sharpton, Jeremiah Wright, and Farrakhan et al, stir up racial unrest and further separate the races?

We know he helped build affordable housing for poor black families on Chicago's southside by securing taxpayer funded funding. It cost the citizens of Chicago millions of dollars in higher taxes, and eventually, the whole project failed miserably. His partner in the venture, Tony Rezko, the infamous Chicago slumlord, built the units below code guidelines and instead of creating "affordable" housing, created dangerously unsafe slums, full of rats, insects, poor sewage, and deadly levels of lead and asbestos. Not to mention the danger of the community being exposed to murderous street gangs.

I wonder if the citizens of Chicago appreciate how hard Obama worked to waste their hard earned money?

How about his tenure as a civil rights attorney? Did he do anything in this capacity to bring blacks and whites together? Is there no evidence to indicate who's civil rights he defended? And did he ever win? Or was it his role to violate someone's civil rights?

Who knows? I don't. Do you? All we know is he was a civil rights attorney.

Then, he was also a law school professor. What did he teach his students? Did he teach them the actual law? Or did he teach them the law as he sees it? How does he see the law? Does he see it as something that works for him or against him? What or who's law did he teach? Did he teach his students to obey the law or disobey the law? We don't know those details. Will we ever know?

Now, the ultimate question:

In what way does any of the preceding occupations make Mr. Hussein Obama qualified to be President of the United States of America?

Just askin'.

By the way, I think the media's treatment of Governor Palin and her family is below shameful. I don't have the vocabulary to describe how low they are. Suffice it to say they are so low, they could walk upright under an ant. Here is an example of Liberally biased journalism at it's worst.

McCain Picks A Winner

"Now, no one expects us to agree on everything, whether in Juneau or in Washington. But we are expected to govern with integrity, and goodwill, and clear convictions, and a servant's heart.
" ~ Sarah Palin

Senator John McCain, the presumptive Republican candidate for President has chosen Sarah Palin, Governor of Alaska, to be his running mate in the upcoming Presidential election.

I approve, I approve.

Palin, a strong Conservative, is the perfect contrast to McCain, who has often been a disappointment to many Conservatives, myself included, on several important key issues.

The Obama campaign is already attacking McCain's choice, saying "Today, John McCain put the former mayor of a town of 9,000 with zero foreign policy experience a heartbeat away from the presidency," a curious attack indeed coming from one who has even less experience than Palin.

I for one, am happy that Obama's people understand that concept. Since McCain has seventy-two years worth of heartbeats already used up, I'm glad there is someone who is more than capable of running the government should, God forbid, it become necessary.

One cannot say the same for either candidate on the Democratic ticket. One is the most incompetent man in the Senate, and one is the dumbest.

And those adjectives are interchangeable.

Incidentally, Palin is the only one of the four Presidential and vice Presidential candidates with experience at running a government, a fact that seems to be lost on Obama's people. They completely ignored the fact that Palin is a Governor, not a mayor.

I have a lot more confidence about the Republicans chances to win the election than I did previously, thanks to Sarah Palin. I can't say I'm as confident as most Conservative Republicans, but that's because I know how the Liberally biased media will treat her. Already, they have launched an investigation into why she fired some state officer. In all likelihood, it will turn out that he was fired because he didn't do his job, but the media will do their best to spin it to make it appear she had some selfish motive.

That won't be a problem. No doubt McCain's people have anticipated the expected media attack dogs and are ready for them.

This pick will energize the Conservative base, which was until now, rather skeptical of McCain's rather leftist leanings. Moreover, Palin's spot on the ticket should garner votes from the Hillary voters who feel abandoned by the Democratic party.

McCain should get moderate and independent votes, and the addition of Palin to the ticket will help him get Conservative votes. It is an ingenius strategic move by the McCain campaign.

Congratulations, Senator McCain, on an outstanding choice!

Over There

I won a bet, so I have posted a blog post over at Daddio's blog. So, instead of posting it here, it is over there. It will all be explained over there.

The Perfect Ticket

"Lord, what fools these mortals be!" ~ William Shakespeare


Disclaimer: Oh, I'm sorry! I forgot Democrats don't consider their guys mortal! But I do, so the above quote refers to Obama and his "handlers", in this case.

Caption this!

So, the most inexperienced, unqualified man in the Senate has chosen the stupidest, most racist man in the Senate as his running mate.

Yesterday, while on my door-to-door fundraising drive for a local volunteer rescue squad, I happened upon a home that had a car in the carport with an Obama bumper sticker. As usual, I expected I wouldn't get a donation from this house. I have become accustomed to the fact that Democrats are usually not generous with their own money.

They are generous with other people's money, but I digress.

To my surprise, the lady of the house actually gave me the maximum suggested donation amount, and as she wrote the check, we (briefly) discussed politics. She hadn't heard B. Hussein had chosen Biden as his running mate. She speculated he might choose Gov. Tim Kaine, of Virginia. When I told her he had already chosen Biden, she replied, "Oh, that's a great choice. Don't you think he's a good choice?"

I thought about how the choice of Biden for Vice President should make it that much easier to defeat the Democratic ticket in November, and replied,

"I think it's the perfect choice, ma'am".

What Was In My Head When I Awoke

"He'd drink with the devil and spit in his eye, then go to confession on Friday" ~ unknown


Dublin O'Shea

CHORUS: Have another drink, boys. Well, have one with me.
We're home from the sea. Yes, we're back on the shore;
And if you get too drunk, boys, in this company,
You'll roar 'round Cape Horn on the Rory O'Mor.

He lived on the dockside near Liverpool town,
And he always went down to the "Thief and the Vagabond."
Everyone knew him as Dublin O'Shea.
Some say he came from Killarney.

CHORUS

I sing of an Irishman honest and plain,
But what's in a name when you think of the man himself?
He was a sinner and he drank with the same,
And he mastered the fine art of blarney.

CHORUS

He was a lay preacher and a God-fearin' man
With a drink in his hand. What a terrible sinner!
He'd drink with the Devil and spit in his eye,
Then go to confession on Friday.

CHORUS

For ramblin' and rovin' there's none to compare.
If you'd met him you'd swear that the man was a saint;
But if you could just see him in some foreign bar,
You'd swear he was the High King of Ireland.

Potpourri

"Man, I am just flat worn out!" ~ Me

Since my new wife had never been to Kansas or Missouri, I wanted to show her some of my favorite sights and monstrosities located in Kansas City, my adopted hometown, and Wichita, my actual hometown. Most importantly, I wanted to treat her to some of restaurants that I used to eat at but don't exist out here on the east coast.

Unfortunately, our time was limited, and she was tired, so we didn't get to very many places. I managed to show her those ridiculous modern art "sculptures" (and I use the term loosely) mounted on the top of the pylons over Bartle Hall in KC, but only from a distance. I don't know if she got the full impact of them or not.

I wanted to treat her to Gate's Barbeque, too, but didn't have the time. All I could do is point one location out to her as we drove past. Gate's is famous as much, if not more, for the greeting one gets as soon as one enters ("Hi, Can I help you?")as their tasty barbeque.

We left our motel room early Sunday morning and I intended to take her first to Oklahoma Joe's Barbeque, which I think is the best in the world, but we were too early and it wasn't open for business yet, so we drove on southward.

Then, after visiting "The Kansas Sampler" a store that sells souvenirs of Kansas and Kansas City, and buying an armload for friends back home, I wanted to treat her to the absolute best frozen Custard anywhere in the U.S.A. (sorry, this was the biggest picture I could find, and this one is in Chesterfield, Mo. I should have taken a picture of it myself, but I explained why I didn't in my previous post)It's called Sheridans Frozen Custard, and the reason it's the best is because of the secret ingredient. I know the secret ingredient, because I was once a manager for Sheridan's, but I won't divulge it here.

Again, my intent was stymied, because on Sunday mornings, Sheridan's doesn't open until 2:00 P.M. The sign says they are "In church", and at the original location, I'm sure that's true, as I know Jim Sheridan, and he is a church-going man, but the one in Olathe is owned and operated by a Jewish man, and I doubt he is in church on Sunday mornings. Alas, it was closed, too.

So, disappointed, we drove on down to Osawatomie, Kansas, where my daughter and her family live. After a very nice visit, we left for Wichita, but I wanted to make a quick stop in Ottawa, Kansas, to treat my wife to Taco Tico, the closest Taco Tico location to Kansas City. Most are located in and around Wichita. Again, to my consternation, we found Taco Tico no longer in Ottawa, the building now occupied by a fish restaurant. So, we ate at Sonic, and continued on to Wichita.

After we arrived in Wichita, my wife at last got the opportunity to sample Taco Tico, and she agrees it is much, much better than Taco Bell. I was pleasantly surprised as well. It was even better than I remembered. Unfortunately, after eating Mexican food once, she didn't feel up to sampling "Lil Mexico", another of my favorites.

Oh well, at last we had the pleasure of eating at both Oklahoma Joe's (Yes, it is located in a gas station. I even got a T-shirt that reads, "My favorite Restaurant is in a gas station") and Sheridan's on the way back through Kansas City. She agrees they are both as good as I predicted.

Also, in KC, I tried to show her some more sights like the Country Club Plaza,
including the J.C. Nichols Fountain, (above) and other Kansas City tourist attractions, but she was so engaged in a phone conversation with AAA securing a motel room for the night, she totally missed most of what I showed her.

Upon arriving home to Virginia, I checked my e-mail and found this interesting picture sent to me by a friend: The caption said something like, "If you're going to feature the flag in a photo-op, you might consider holding the phone right" or something like that. I can't think of the words to describe what I think.

I'll leave it to my readers to decide what might be a better caption.

How I Spent My Summer Vacation

"Travel only with thy equals or thy betters; if there are none, travel alone". ~ The Dhammapada

Here are some pictures I took on my trip to visit my mother, siblings, kids, and grandkids.



Clouds in the mountains of West Virginia.


My grandchildren Alaina and Aaron, also known as A.J. He turned his head just as snapped the photo, and I didn't take another one, because I didn't know my memory card held over 200 images. I thought I only got about 27, like regular cameras. I thought my exposures were limited. OK. I'm old!

One wall of the Knute Rockne memorial at the Matfield Green, Kansas turnpike rest stop, featuring his famous "Gipper" speech. (You can click for an enlarged picture) Knute Rockne was killed when the airplane he was traveling in crashed on a hill in the nearby Flint Hills. One can see a cross on the top of the hill from the highway.

A shirt in the window of a store in Mission, Kansas, near Kansas City.

The "portal" to Delano, Kansas, which is what west Wichita, Kansas used to be called, in the 1860's. Nineteenth century Wichita, contrary to popular belief, was not the "wild and wooly" town of movie and dime novel fame. It was quite civilized and peaceful. Delano was where all the gunfights, prostitution, gambling, etc took place. You can see the two tallest buildings in Kansas in the background. The one that looks taller is actually the second tallest. it's a matter of perspective. The other is further away.

The "Keeper of the Plains" statue created by Blackbear Bosin, Native American artist from Wichita. It is located at the confluence of the Big Arkansas and Little Arkansas Rivers in Wichita, in front of the Mid-American Indian Center Museum and cultural center.

By the way, in Kansas, these rivers are pronounced "ArkanSAS", not "ArkanSAW" like the rest of the country pronounces them.

The other two of my grandkids, Tristan and Alexia, with my son Anthony, who has no kids but is holding our Pug, Suzie.

Incidentally, both my daughter and my daughter-in-law are pregnant with their third children. I will soon have two more grandkids.

A souvenir shop somewhere in Central Missouri. We got some Wizard of Oz stuff, Betty Boop stuff, and a Barney Fife T-shirt. "Nip it!"


A statue of some guy sniffing his own arm pit in front of the Tamarac Center in West Virginia. And the Tamarac Center. I didn't go in. I had to stay outside and walk the dog.


The Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia.

Whew!

What Was In My Head When I Awoke

"There's a fly in my suit!" ~ Orlando Jones

I found this on Youtube. It's a hilarious scene from a little known film called "Evolution". It stars David Duchovny, Julianne Moore, and Orlando Jones. In this scene, a small alien creature has cut it's way into a HAZMAT suit worn by Harry Block, played by Orlando Jones, and then entered his body.



Hey, I can't be held responsible for things I'm thinking when I wake up! It just happens and no one knows why.

Terrorists For Obama

"We are advertis'd by our loving friends." ~ William Shakespeare

While I was driving back home on my road trip to Kansas City and Wichita, Kansas, and scrolling through the radio stations, I heard a short blurb from American Family News Network about illegal campaign contributions to B. Hussein Obama's campaign.

Naturally, I tried in vain to find anything about this story on any "mainstream" media network, but couldn't find it anywhere. Not even on Fox News.

It seems to me this should be a major story. As it has been reported, According to Federal Election Commission filings, Barack Obama has received illegal donations from Palestinians living in Gaza, a hotbed of Hamas terrorists.

The report goes on to say, Obama received more than $24,000 in campaign contributions over a period of two months last fall from three Palestinian brothers from the "Edwan" family in Rafah, Gaza, which is a Hamas stronghold along the border with Egypt.

And, Attorney and conservative commentator Debbie Schlussel notes foreign nationals are barred from making contributions in connection with any election -- federal, state, or local -- and an individual is allowed to give only $2,300 per election to a federal candidate or the candidate's campaign committee.

"The donations are basically through and through illegal -- that's number one. And number two is how the Obama campaign tried to conceal it," Schlussel chides. "They listed the campaign contributions as coming from Rafah, Georgia. They used the 'GA' from Gaza so it makes it look like it's legal; and then for the zip code it says '972,' which is actually the area code to dial over to Gaza," she contends.

I echo Ms. Schlussel's observation that, if the Obama campaign is willing to "accept thousands of dollars beyond the legal limit and they're also going to flout [Federal Election Commission] restrictions...that's very indicative of what kind of president [Obama] is going to be."

I will go one further that that. I have always said I don't rule out the unlikely possibility B. Hussein Obama is an undercover Muslim who is trying to get elected President so he can destroy America from the inside. I'm not asserting that theory to be true, I'm just not ruling it out.

Even if he isn't a Muslim plant, and if the contribution came from Hamas or terrorist supporters in Gaza, this story would seem to indicate the terrorists want Obama to be elected President. If that's true, it begs the question, "why would terrorists want Obama to be President of the United States?"

It could be they see Obama as the "Paper Tiger" that Usama bin Laden declared the United States to be, (back during another Democratic administration) or it could be they truly have an ally in Obama. In any case, they obviously don't see Obama as any threat.

Whatever the reason, the fact that B. Hussein's campaign is not only accepting illegal campaign contributions from Palestinian nationals, but covering them up as well, should send up a huge red flag to patriotic Americans of all parties.

On The Road

"Travel only with thy equals or thy betters; if there are none, travel alone". ~ The Dhammapada

I'm leaving today for Wichita, Kansas to visit my kids, grandkids, siblings, and mother. We are going by car.

I know many of you will want me to stop by for dinner or coffee, but the way the trip is planned, I probably won't be close to anyone except perhaps Dan Trabue (going through Louisville), but I doubt he wants me to stop and converse. Anyway, we won't have time.

I doubt I'll have any time or place to blog at least until after we arrive in Wichita. My mother has a computer but I don't think she has high speed.