I Read This Crap So You Don't Have To!

Some days I struggle with what to right about, and some days I have too much to write about. Given that we are quickly heading into the Iowa Caucus (finally), things seem to be coming fast a furious, although not all news is political. That said, it looks like two-a-days for the next couple of days. And here we go ……

U Cindy Adams, gossip columnist for the New York Post wrote on Wednesday a column titled “ Caucus, Schmaucus, It’s Only A Corn State.” Below are a few excerpts from that article:

“WHO the hell cares about Iowa? Barring a caucus every few years, who even thinks of Iowa. All it's ever brought us is corn, Herbert Hoover, the Wright Brothers, Ashton Kutcher and "The Music Man." Its main attraction is an airport in Des Moines that gets you out.

And this state with less people than I have in my kitchen is determining the future of our most powerful nation on Earth?

Here is where the phrase "home-cooking" takes a big leap from the Food Network. Here it means you grease my hand, I grease yours. Voting is public. Open meetings. Observers are allowed, provided they don't cheerlead or their horses don't whinny at a favorite's name. If you're from Sioux City, you can't say "aye" or "nay" in Davenport. Thus it means sitting with your neighborhood. Your employer, union leader, pitchfork seller, across from someone you're hustling for business. It's where you cut deals, collect or pay off on favors.

"Your sister wants that job in my law office? . . . You got troubles in River City you want me to fix? . . . You still looking to join our car pool? . . . Then come over to my side." It's no exchange of ideas or visions. Zero to do with lofty ideals. It's: Who's going to support you for the deputy county commissioner's job?

Cedar Rapids considers the process Middle America. In The Bronx, it's called a shakedown. But in The Bronx, you can pull a lever in private. Our beloved Bronx allows citizens the God-given right of New York City's basic inalienable tradition - the treasured double-cross. At least we here understand the system. We know anyone running for anything knows he can't trust someone he can't trust.

Well folks, if you are in a red state, this is what the blue states think of you. If you want to read the entire story (and why would you) follow this link: http://www.nypost.com/seven/12122007/gossip/cindy/caucus_schmaucus__its_only_a_corn_state_46857.htm?page=0

U Speaking of Red State/Blue State, look at the two maps on the right. Very similar, aren’t they? Well, the map on the bottom is the map showing the 2004 Election results (Blue states for Kerry, Red States for Bush). The map on the top ranks the fifty states on their relative generosity comparing each state's average itemized charitable deductions with its average adjusted gross income (based on 2003 IRS data).

Ranked by the group Catalogue for Philanthropy, The 50-state ranking has a decided Red State-Blue State flavor: 28 of the 29 "most generous" states are Red States that voted for President Bush (including all 25 of the "most generous" states), while 17 of the 21 "least generous" states are Blue States that voted for Senator Kerry (including all 7 of the "least generous" states).

This explains why the left is so adamant about raising taxes to support their social programs – because they are unwilling to fund them themselves.

U Some of you who have read me since the beginning know that I subscribe to the Air America e-mail update – Hey, I need a good laugh from time-to-time. Well, I got my most recent update, promoting two of their shows this weekend. Here is the text of that update:

1) At holiday gatherings, let's have a moment of remembrance and respect for the beings for whom these are "Horror Days" – 65 million innocent turkeys murdered for "thanks" and then the birth of one called "Prince of Peace"; countless intelligent pigs, killed for ritual consumption that Jesus, a vegan Jewish rabbi, would never eat or approve under his biblical dietary mandate - Genesis 1:29 ("Then God said, 'Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree which has fruit yielding seed; it shall be food for you.' ")... GO VEGAN WITH BOB LINDEN wishes …PEACE ON EARTH, GOOD WILL -TO ALL LIVING BEINGS!!!Take violence off your plate, your clothes hanger (fur, leather, wool, silk), and your shopping list -GO VEGAN & Buy CRUELTY-FREE (no animal testing)!

PERFECT HOLIDAY GIFT: buy bumper sticker “Eat Republicans NOT Animals”

2) Freethought Radio new hour-long show on the Air America weekend line-up, offers "slightly irreverent" views, news, music and interviews, catering to the secular point of view. Feature segments by lively hosts Dan Barker and Annie Laurie Gaylor include "Theocracy Alert" and "Pagan Pulpit." Weekly guests include newsmakers, as well as prominent nonbelievers, ranging from Ron Reagan, Janeane Garafalo and Julia Sweeney, to bestselling authors Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens. Last week's show featured an exclusive interview with Philip Pullman, the British children's author whose book, "The Golden Compass," was released last weekend as a movie and led the box office despite a boycott by the Catholic League. Upcoming guests will include Dr. Oliver Sacks and The Nation's Katha Pollitt.

Freethough Radio is “radio for the rest of us,” for the nonreligious--the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. population (up to 20%), who have been shut out of mass media, until now. Demographic surveys show that freethinkers are highly-educated, progressive citizens, and valuable listeners, consumers and voters.

I find it interesting that they promote their first show using a quote from the Bible, and then promote an atheist show right after. Look, I have no problem if you want to be a vegetarian, But personally I believe that there is a place in this world for all of God’s creatures… and it’s right next to the mashed potato’s.

And I have no problem with non-believers either. I feel that religious freedom also includes the freedom to not believe. But lets look a little closer at some claims: “prominent nonbelievers, ranging from Ron Reagan, Janeane Garafalo and Julia Sweeney.” No one on that list has been either prominent or relevant since 1987. And as far as describing nonbelievers as a group “who have been shut out of mass media”. Are they kidding? Have they read a newspaper or watched the mainstream media EVER? If it were the religious in our country complaining about being shut out by the mass media, then maybe. Typical Left Wing Propaganda. Sheeeesh….

Report from the exciting DMR Debates…. Oh wait, those were snoozers too!

Tuesday afternoon The Des Moines Register sponsored the last Republican Debate before the Iowa Caucus’. On Wednesday, it was the Democrats turn. Before I go any further, in the spirit of full disclosure, I was once employed by The Des Moines Register. I delivered papers. I was eleven. And yet I promise not to let that association cloud my judgment.

First of all, let me say that these were two of the most mind-numbing debates, and the moderator, DMR Editor Carolyn Washburn, proved why she chose a career in print. Additionally, given the 1:00 Central Time timing of the debate (11:00 A.M. my time), it was difficult to justify the consumption of alcohol normally necessary to get through a debate. I am, of course, just kidding. I needed no justification.

One of the interesting things about these debates was the “Voters Voice” second-by-second graphing of the candidates comments. For those of you who did not see the debates, what you had was a graph on the right side of the TV screen. At the beginning of each candidates comments there were two lines in the middle of the graph: A blue line and a yellow line. For both debates, the blue line represented the views of moderates, and the yellow line represented the views of conservatives for the Republican debate, and liberals for the Democratic debate. In a room were a number of individuals watching the debate that were either undecided Democrats or Republicans, depending on the debate. Those who identified themselves as moderate had a box with a dial, and when they turned it up (approve) or down (disapprove) when the candidate spoke, the line on the graph moved. Same for the liberals or conservatives. Those of us watching at home could see what message was hitting home (or not) with which group. And to give you an idea of how exciting the debates were, that description of "Voters Voice" was more exciting than anything in either debate.

Now before I go further, let me say that we are talking about a group of 30 people here (15 moderate, the other 15 conservative on Tuesday and Liberal on Wednesday), so this is about as far from scientific that you can get.

Some of the lines causing the line to go up:
"We are not going to make some of these changes unless we change how business is done in Washington” – Obama

Any line by a Democratic candidate indicating tax increases

Any line by a Republican candidate indicating cost cutting

When Fred Thompson refused to “raise his hand” when asked about global warming, but he would not be allowed to actually state his position. What a moron (the moderator, not Thompson)

Bill Richardson: “I think fuel efficiency standards in this country should be 50 mpg, not 35 – I think that’s pathetic.” Side note: Why do the dems think that simply by setting a higher standard it will happen? Sure, the government could require we all drive a Prius, but does that make sense? What about the construction worker who needs a truck that can haul two tons? What about a family with five kids? And what about the huge number of Americans that can’t afford a Prius?

Senator Dodd’s comparison of Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib to Nuremberg (I kid you not).

Dodd’s suggestion of a corporate carbon tax.

Some of the lines causing the line to go down:
Joe Biden stated “There’s a hymn in my church that says “may he raise you up on Eagles wings, Bear you on the breath of dawn, and let the light shine on you.” As Biden quoted this hymn (and surprisingly didn’t take credit for writing it), the line by moderates and liberals plummeted.

Most lines by democrats (and there were very few) suggesting the need for personal responsibility.

Some other interesting (at least to me) moments in the debates:

} The Democrats still seem to think that they are running against Bush

} I find it interesting that when discussing how to handle the raising costs associated with entitlement programs, Bill Richardson stated that “one-third of all of our healthcare budget – 2.2 trillion dollars – one third of that goes to administration and bureaucracy.” and yet these same people want the same government to take over ALL health care.

} John Edwards hair looked really nice, but Hillary continues to look like she shops at the Lane Bryant Outlet store.

} Alan Keyes was included in the Republican Debate, and that was a mistake. Dennis Kucinich was excluded from the Democratic debate, and that was a mistake. Mike Gravel was…. Well, Mike Gravel is a pretty much a mistake on all levels.

} It was humorous the way I’ll the Democratic candidates stated that “I’ll end the war”, as if the efforts to do so would require as much effort as picking out a new china pattern. Unbelievable arrogance.

} John Edwards, in his best “I feel your pain” trial lawyer speak, vowed (when asked what his New Years resolution is) said “Somewhere in America tonight a family will have to go to an emergency room and beg for health care for a sick child”. Beg? Come on John, I’m the first one to say we have serious health care issues, but by law every emergency room is required to take in the sick - no begging required.

} I think the line of the day went to Obama. When the moderator asked him how he’s really going change things with several former Clinton advisers on his team. The (good) question prompted Clinton and others to chuckle, to which Obama deadpanned ”Hillary, I’m looking forward to you advising me as well.” Quick.

} I think one of the things that really showed the difference between these two groups of candidates were their views on education. Now let me say right up front that I think both parties value education, and I think both parties realize it is a top priority. The differences are in the details, and how each party approaches this problem. The democrats all talked about the need to raise teacher salaries, but never touched on accountability or the needs for teachers to be held responsible. Look, I agree that teachers deserve to make more money, but the assumption that merely by paying teachers more their performance will increase is asinine.

The left also all chimed in on the need for earlier – and sometimes mandatory – education (preschool), but not once did they state that by addressing the tax burden on Americans today, perhaps more two-income families could become one income families, and those kids could be cared for by their parents, not by strangers. I have no issue whatsoever with preschools, but given the choice between preschool or a stay-at-home mom (or dad), I’ll vote for mom and dad 9 times out of 10.

As for the Republicans, their emphasis is on choice, their emphasis is on expanding salaries for teachers BUT at the same time expanding the responsibilities of and the accountability of said teachers. I was proud of their tackling the dysfunctional National Education Association and putting a spotlight on how this union is killing education in America. Again, the emphasis was on personal responsibility and giving the students the tools to achieve, and more importantly, removing the obstacles that are the NEA and the Department of Education.

But my favorite moment in BOTH campaigns came at the following moment: "And that was the last question of the debate, thank you for coming."

How Does ANYONE Take This Woman Seriously?

Okay, it’s been a couple of days since I tackled politics, so let’s get back to the big game.

Bill Shaheen, high-ranking advisor to Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign said Wednesday that rival Barack Obama’s public admission that he has used cocaine and marijuana could seriously hinder the Illinois senator’s chances of winning a general election matchup. "The Republicans are not going to give up without a fight … and one of the things they're certainly going to jump on is his drug use," Shaheen said. "It'll be, 'When was the last time? Did you ever give drugs to anyone? Did you sell them to anyone? There are so many openings for Republican dirty tricks. It's hard to overcome," he added

So what was this, a public service announcement? We don’t even need to wait for the Republican dirty tricks, because we’ve got the Clinton dirty tricks.

Okay, we have the campaign advice “helping” Obama defend his drug use - but Hillary didn’t know. We have the “We have something really big against Obama, but we’re not going to use it" – but Hillary didn’t know. We have the planted questions – but Hillary didn’t know. On the same day of the Obama/Drug debacle, The Clinton campaign fired one of its volunteer county coordinators in Iowa after that person forwarded an e-mail falsely stating that Barack Obama is a Muslim – but Hillary didn’t know.

And this, from a Washington Post story ”(Michael) Moore charged that Bush had "spent at least four years planning the attacks of September 11, working alongside Bin Ladin in Afghanistan." Moore attributed this detail to background information the Clinton campaign had been collecting.” But Hillary didn’t know. They even attacked Obama’s Kindergarten aspirations, and when that backfired they claimed it was a joke. There in a fight-for-their-life campaign, and they have time for a joke? – But Hillary didn’t know.

So Hillary didn’t know. Interesting, considering this quote from Monday’s International Herald Tribune: “Clinton has begun displaying a level of personal interest in the details of the campaign here (Iowa) that is unusual for even a presidential candidate named Clinton” Well for someone paying attention to the details, she sure ain’t catching on.

Look, one of two things is going on here. Either Hillary knows exactly what’s going on (the most likely scenario), and she has no issue with throwing people under the bus, people who have devoted a great deal of time and effort to get her elected. Or, she really doesn’t know any of these things are happening, which means that she has no control over her political campaign, and her staff is easily manipulating her. Either way I don’t think these are the actions we seek in a Commander in Chief.

But Hillary keeps telling us that “Experience Counts” Hmmmm, “Experience Counts” Where have I heard that before? Oh that’s right, that was Richard Nixon’s slogan when he ran against JFK in 1960. Appropriate, don’t you think, given that Obama is reminding many on the left of JFK, while Hillary is reminding more and more of us of Richard Nixon!

Remember When.....

This morning as I was waiting to take my daughter to school, I was finishing up the dishes from last night and listening to some tunes from my IPod when the song Ariel by Dean Friedman came on. Now if you are much younger than me (47) you probably won’t remember the tune, and if you are around my age you still probably won’t remember the tune, as it wasn’t a huge hit (although it was big enough to make it on one of the editions of Rhino Records “Have A Nice Day – Super Hits Of The Seventies” series.)

Ariel is one of those great “story” songs that they did so well in the seventies, like Bo Donaldson and the Heywood’s Billy, Don’t Be A Hero, Paper Lace’s The Night Chicago Died, or the ever classic The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia by Vicki Lawrence. In the song our hero and the young girl he just met – Ariel – return to his apartment after their first date, and one of the lines goes “We sat and we talked into the night, while Channel 2 was signing of the air, I found the softness of her mouth, we made love with bombs bursting in air…..” Aw, isn’t that sweet.

Well the thing that stuck with me about that line was “while Channel 2 was signing of the air”, which of course is a lost concept anymore. I remember in my pre-cable college days (which was most of them) coming home from the bars was the channels were signing off, with absolutely nothing to watch – remember we didn’t have VCR’s or DVD’s in those days. And it struck me that this is an experience that my children will never, ever have – totally foreign concept.

So I started to think “What other experiences do I have from childhood and young adulthood that my children will never have". They include:

… The “Fade-out – CLICK – Fade-in” of your favorite song that started on track three and ended on track four of your eight-track player.

… Researching a school report using the Encyclopedia Britannica (no Wikipedia) and then TYPING the report on the IBM Selectric at the library (10 cents for 10 minutes). At this time I can still remember the musty smell of those encyclopedias (my Mom called it “the smell of learning”), and praying that I never was assigned a report on India, because for some reason the “I” volume was missing.

… Drive-In Theatres: Oh, we still have them, but they are few and far between. Growing up in Iowa there were three Drive-in Theatres in my hometown and the town next door. Today there are three Drive-Ins in the entire state of Iowa.

I’m fortunate that we have a Drive-In about 25 miles from my town, and my children have had the occasion to attend a drive-in movie, but at the same time that is nothing like having that experience being a regular part of your childhood. Remember fireworks at the drive-in on July 4th? Remember “Theme” nights, like all of the Beatle’s movies, or all of the Planet of the Apes movies? Remember sneaking into the drive-in in the trunk of the car in high school? Heck, remember when car trunks were big enough to sneak people in?

… While we’re on the subject of Drive-ins, what about drive-in restaurants. Again, these still exist, but they are hard to find. A family meal at A&W, Dog & Suds, or Rolingers on Airport Road was always special. Today Americans spend plenty of time eating in their cars, but always on the go. Nothing beat sitting in the Oldsmobile as the car hop placed that tray on the window. Our cars in those days didn’t have cup holders, BUT the glove compartment door had indents for those heavy frosty mugs.

… Remember when you got your windshield cleaned, oil checked, and gas pumped, without asking, for free, every time. And, you didn't pay for air. And, you got trading stamps to boot! And what about “Gas Wars”? I remember, at a time when Gas was normally 35 cents a gallon, watching the Sinclair Station and the Standard station across the street FIGHTING for the right to sell us gas, with gas getting down to 19 cents. When was the last time your corner gas station fought for you? When was the last time you got glasses and tumblers from Shell with each fill up?

… And gas stations weren’t the only ones giving away drinking glasses. I remember getting drinking glasses in boxes of detergent. And towels too!

… The Milkman. Yes, we actually had our milk (and butter, and cottage cheese) DELIVERED to our house twice a week by Daisy Dairy. I remember putting the glass milk bottles in the box on the porch, with the list of what we needed stuck in it, in the metal box on our back porch. And as a bonus, during the summer we could see a kids matinee at the Regent Theatre on Friday afternoons, and the price of admission was three milk bottle caps from the Daisy Dairy.

And I remember so much more. I remember when:

… We knew it was time to go home when the street lights came on … Saturday morning cartoons were something worth waking up early on the weekend … When Sunday morning television was a wasteland for kids … Dr. Max & Mombo’s cartoon program after school (and Captain Kangaroo before school … Sipping a “Green River” on the big marble counter downtown at the drug store … Selecting a great stack from the butcher display at Bob’s Rainbow Groceryland … Wax Lips … Laughing at the jokes on The Dean Martin Roasts, even though I didn’t understand most of them … Waiting 5 minutes for the T.V. to warm up … A Sting-ray bike transformed into a motorcycle with only a baseball card and a clothespin … P.F. Flyers … When your friends Mom’s were Mrs. Talbot, Mrs. Curtis, and Mrs. Wilcox, not Debbie, Jenny and Tracy … “Race Issues” meant disputing who was fastest … Lawn Darts … We took drugs, and they were shaped like either Betty or Wilma

If you remember most of these, well, you’re probably getting old – and you’re a lucky person.

And what, dear friends, do YOU remember

Evolution and the Christmas Letter

U I was perusing some of the news websites this afternoon seeking something to talk about here, when I came across the following headline: Human Evolution Seems to Be Accelerating

Then right below that headline, was this one: Man Spends Four Days Trapped in a Bathroom

I have to question the validity of the first headline …..

U I was over at Jody's site today – http://www.iowageekonline.com/ – and she had a post about Christmas Letters. GOD how I hate Christmas letters. It’s amazing how wonderful some people's lives are, and yet the DUI arrest rarely makes the letter. Speaking of Christmas letters, I received the following one from my mom today:

Dear Darling Son and That Person You Married:

Merry Christmas to you and please don't worry. I'm just fine considering that I can't breathe or eat. The important thing is that you have a nice holiday, thousands of miles away from your ailing mother. I've sent along my last ten dollars in this card, which I hope you'll spend on my grandchildren. God knows their mother never buys them anything nice. They look so thin in their pictures, poor babies.

Thank you so much for the Christmas flowers, dear boy. I put them in the freezer so they'll stay fresh for my grave. Which reminds me -- we buried Grandma last week. I know she died years ago, but I got to yearning for a good funeral so Aunt Viola and I dug her up and had the services all over again. I would have invited you but I know that woman you live with would have never let you come. I bet she's never even watched that videotape of my hemorrhoid surgery, has she?

Well son, it's time for me to crawl off to bed now. I lost my cane beating off muggers last week, but don't you worry about me. I'm also getting used to the cold since they turned my heat off and am grateful because the frost on my bed numbs the constant pain. Now don't you even think about sending any more money because I know you need it for those expensive family vacations you take every year. Give my love to my darling grandbabies and my regards to whatever-her-name-is -- the one with the black roots who stole you screaming from my bosom.

Merry Christmas.

Love, Mom

Should I be worried?

Democrats prove they are irrelevant once again….

Okay Chris, before you jump down my throat I’m not saying ALL Democrats are irrelevant, just the ones in Congress.

It seems that all the “fuss” about torture and waterboarding coming from the left has had a new light shown on it. According to a Washington Post article on Sunday, in September of 2002 a delegation of four lawmakers got a close look at CIA overseas detention sites and interrogation techniques. Those four lawmakers were Rep. Jane Harmon (D-CA), Sen. Bob Graham (R-FL), Sen. John D. Rockefeller IV (D-W.VA), and my personal favorite, Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).

Those lawmakers offered no challenge to the legitimacy of the interrogation tactics (including waterboarding), and on the contrary at least two of the lawmakers involved in the briefing that day questioned whether the CIA was pushing hard enough.

“Among those being briefed, there was a pretty full understanding of what the CIA was doing," Porter Goss, a former CIA director and congressman who chaired the House intelligence panel at the time of the briefings, told The Post. "And the reaction in the room was not just approval, but encouragement."

Now, lets talk about a true hero. This past Sunday, Matthew Murray entered the 10,000+ member New Life Church in Colorado Springs carrying three weapons and over 1,000 rounds of ammunition (and no, Murray is not our hero). Murray diverted people from the exit doors with smoke cannisters as he entered the only clear doorway, and Murray began shooting.

Given the fact that Michael Murray entered with three weapons and 1,000 rounds of ammo, it’s easy to assume that his goal was to build a huge body count. As it is, Murray took the life of two teenage sisters, Stacy and Rachel works. The reason that Murray was unsuccessful in adding to the body count was because of Jeanne Assam.

Jeanne is our hero. Jeanne, who was attending service as the time, was scheduled to work a security detail later at the church. A former policewomen, Jeanne was carrying a weapon at the time, and once the shooting started Jeanne’s thoughts turned not to her own safety, but rather for the safety of the fellow parishioners.

As the gunman entered the church in body armor and wielding an assault rifle, she prayed to God and shot him dead. She said at a news conference on Monday, “God guided me and protected me. I give credit to God. God was with me. I didn’t think for a minute to run away.”

“I saw him coming through the doors” and initially took cover. I came out of cover and identified myself and engaged him and took him down.”

It’s hard to say how many lives Jeanne saved that day, but given the size of the crowd and the firepower, it’s not inconceivable to say that without Jeanne, we may be looking at the largest mass murder in U.S. History.

Why Murray did this is still being pieced together. Police are also looking at him as the likely suspect for two murders earlier that day at a missionary training center 70 miles away. One of the comments that I read at one website said something that I thought very interesting “It is perhaps worth noting that the toll in Sunday’s shootings exceeded the combined total in all “hate crimes” against Muslims in the six years since September 11.” Okay, that’s not really the direction I was going with my report, but I did find it interesting.

The obvious discussion that arises from this horrific situation has to do with the arguments that we see anytime there is a mass shooting, be it Columbine, Virginia Tech, or last weeks shooting in the Omaha Mall, the pro-2nd amendment crowd always arises with the argument: “If only the citizenry were armed, they could have stopped something like this.” Hmm, apparently they were right?

Look, I’m not an “NRA Gun Nut”, I don’t even own a gun (unless you are considering breaking into my house, in which case I own a lot of guns), and I know this isn’t a “Black and White” situation. I do know however that the next time there is a mass shooting when there is not an armed presence around, those on the other side stating “Arming the Principal/Pilot/Whatever would not have made a difference” are going to have a real difficult time making that argument stick.

Or they could just pull a Pelosi and agree with the situation at one point, and be disgusted by it when it is no longer acceptable.

Just Ramblin' Tonight Folks.....

Okay, before I get started today, I have a favor to ask you: Leave a comment. According to my counter I am getting 10 to 15 hits a day, but generally only one or two comments (usually Chris and Jody – thanks guys). I know I have a few additional readers, but I don’t know who you are, so please, from time to time (today would be a good one) leave a comment, even if it’s just to say “Hi”.

U I was on eBay last night, one of my favorite online activities, and on the homepage they had a ad promoting eBay as finding the perfect Christmas gift. Under the banner “For Him” They showed a cherry 1969 Rally Sport Camaro (which you can buy your husband for only $69,000), and for the banner “For Kids” they showed a Nintendo Wi. Then, under the “For Her” banner they showed… wait for it… a VACUUM CLEANER. Look, I’m the last person to get PC on someone, but come on. Even I was offended by that one.

U I was listening to a Fresno radio station this afternoon while I was out shopping for a new bed for my son (and the price of those things is fast approaching the cost of those Camaro’s), when I heard them claim that “temperatures are going to continue to continue to be coooldd (said the way you say “buuurr” while your teeth are chatting), with the high only reaching 55 degrees today." I had to laugh as I thought of my friends back in Iowa, where the just got five additional inches of snow dumped on them, and the temperature was 3 degrees this morning.

U Last night I took in the new Coen brothers movie, No Country For Old Men. Now I love the Coen Brothers (Fargo, Raising Arizona, O’ Brother Where Art Thou), and this one ranks right up there with their best. Not that this is a film everyone will enjoy, the Coen’s are definitely an acquired taste. If you do see the film, pay close attention to the scene when Josh Brolin’s character, recently shot, is walking bleeding into Mexico. Three drunken frat boys are making their way across the same bridge into the U.S. when they encounter Brolin. “I’ll give you $500 for that jacket” Brolin says to one of the kids, and the transaction takes place. Pretty riveting, eh? Okay, that’s not the cool part. As Brolin reaches the Mexican side, he collapses, and the back of his new jacket says “Templeton Eagles”

Okay, that may not excite you, but it resulted in a round of applause in my theatre. Why? Templeton is the small town that I live in, and the same town where Brolin went to grade school. He and his wife Diane Ladd recently sold their Templeton ranch and are currently looking for a new home in town. And while I admit that still probably doesn’t trip your trigger, I thought it was pretty cool.

U As I kid I was always fascinated with The Guinness Book of World Records, and I always wanted to be in there, but I bet Matthew McKnight hopes nobody manages to top his feat in the Guinness Book of World Records. That's because McKnight holds the record for "Greatest Distance Thrown in a Car Accident"

McKnight wasn’t even thrown from a car, but rather was helping victims of another accident when he was struck by a car doing 70 mph. McKnight was thrown 118 feet and suffered two dislocated shoulders plus a broken shoulder, pelvis, leg and tailbone. I’ve since rethought my desire to be in the book.

T-Shirts & Tolerance

Today I dedicate this column to the memory of John Lennon, who was murdered 27 years ago today. Wow, really? 27 years? I remember where I was when man walked on the moon, when the Challenger exploded, when Kennedy was assasinated, and of course, when John Lennon was murdered. It was a horrible day for the music industry, and humanity in general. We miss you John!

Item One: I was watching The Glenn Beck Show on CNN a couple of nights ago, and they were re-airing a program entitled “Exposed: The Extremist Agenda”. But it’s not the program I want to discuss, but rather the disclaimer that came at the beginning. These were Mr. Becks words:

“Before we show you the video tonight I want to reiterate a couple of things I said a year ago (when this program first aired). First, you’ve heard me say this a million times, I am not a journalist – more importantly I don’t even pretend to be one, I wear it as a badge of honor that I am not – but I am always honest with you. And that’s what this hour is really all about, Honesty, not political correctness.

Second, I’m a conservative so when you hear me talk about anything from politics to immigration to, yes, Islamic extremism, you have to understand that, like it or not, I express my opinions through that prism. Third, this next hour is not a balanced perspective on Islam or the Middle East. It wasn’t meant to be. It is an important part of the story. “

So why are we discussing this today? Because quite frankly, these are words that you will never hear from a liberal. Think about it, would you ever turn on Keith Olbermann and hear him say “I am a liberal, and the comments I make tonight will be filtered through the prism of liberalism”? Of course not, because liberals don’t think that their comments are left-leaning, they think they are middle of the road, and anyone who doesn’t agree with their point of view is the extremist.

Look, my views are conservative, and in my mind they are the right views. HOWEVER, I realize that A) not everyone shares my opinions, and B) other opinions are also valid. There is rarely one answer that works for everyone, and we need to be open to other thinking.

I’m not saying that all Liberals are closed minded, nor am I saying that there aren’t plenty of closed minded conservatives out there. But the thing that I find interesting – I’d say that I find it funny, but after awhile it stops being humorous – That thing is that liberals constantly are touting themselves as tolerant, although apparently that tolerance doesn’t extend to conservatives.

Next item: From time to time I start at one persons blog, and then go to another persons blog via a link on the first site, and then another, and another, and pretty soon I’m ten links deep. Well, that happened the other day, and my eye caught a banner ad for a company called “carryabigstick.com”. They make bumper stickers and T-shirts. Well, this ad claimed that this about their “Bush Lied, They Died” T-shirt: “These shirts are illegal in five states and could soon be illegal nationwide. As seen on CNN, NPR, USA Today, and of course, FOX-News.”

Okay, so the impression I got was that these folks were having their first Amendment rights being taken away from them, and of course that’s the impression they want you to have. Better hurry up and but that shirt now you rebel, before “The Man” shuts us down.

So what gives? Well, I did a little digging, and found out that “In early 2006, at the urging of certain family members who lost loved ones in Iraq, legislators in Oklahoma and Louisiana introduced legislation intended to stop the sale of the shirts. Federal legislation was introduced during the summer of 2006 to outlaw such products nationwide.”

Is this censorship? Of course not, it is simply illegal to sell a shirt – or any product for that matter – with the names of individuals without the permission of those persons, or, in the case of a deceased person, that persons family.

And that’s the way it should be. If you disagree, then let me put your name on a T-shirt supporting…. well, it really doesn’t matter what the shirt is supporting, since you seem to think I don’t need your permission.

Man, those guys at Carry A Big Stick sure are rebels, sticking it to the man like that. Who knows, they may even sell enough of these shirts to eventually move out of their Mom’s basement. Sheesh……

Hitchhiking to Pearl Harbor

Item One: Today is December 7th, and while the date of 9/11 has been emblazoned in the minds of our young generation as a day of infamy, those of us of an older generation will remember today’s date as the original “Day of Infamy.”

It’s hard to believe that it has been 66 years since Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, pulling the U.S. into WWII. While neither were at Pearl Harbor, both my father and my mother served during World War II, my dad in the Army and my Mom in the Coast Guard. Not too many Iowans served in the Coast Guard, but we have my Mom and her fellow comrades to thank for making sure the Nazi’s never stormed Dubuque.

We don’t have too many of our World War II vets with us anymore. I lost my own father in 2002, although my mother is still with us, as well as her sister Harriet who served in the WAVE’s as a nurse. Today’s column is dedicated to them, as well as the rest of the fine men and women who served this country over 60 years ago.

Item Two: If you want to travel up and down California, you basically have two options: Highway 5 which travels up the center of the state from L.A. to Sacramento, or Highway 101, which winds up the coast from San Diego through San Francisco and above. I live about 5 blocks from the 101.

Anyhow, I was traveling North on the 101 the other day from San Luis Obispo to my home town of Templeton, when I passed a hitchhiker sitting on a backpack on the side of the road, holding up a sign that read “San Francisco”. I didn’t give it much thought, hitchhikers are common on the 101. About 5 miles later I passed a second hitchhiker, also holding a sign that read “San Francisco”, although this guy was doing the classic backwards walk, with his thumb sticking out. Again, I didn’t give him much thought (I don’t pick up hitchhikers), but for some reason on the remainder of the drive the image of these two men stuck in my brain. Why? It’s not like seeing a hitchhiker on the 101 is a rarity.

A little while after I got home, it hit me. What I was seeing was not two hitchhikers, but rather two individuals that represent the two political spectrums I write about so much in this blog: conservatives and liberals.

Both of these men had a huge journey ahead of them. San Francisco is about 220 miles North of San Luis Obispo. And it occurred to me that if no one stopped and picked up either of these guys, the first gentleman could conceivably be sitting in that same spot next time I return to San Luis. However, the second hiker, the one that was actually walking towards San Francisco, would eventually arrive in San Francisco, even if he had to walk all the way.

I once heard Bob Dole state that “Liberalism is defined by how many people it helps, while conservatism is defined by how many people no longer need help.” I imagine the individual sitting on the side of the road as someone who does not have health insurance, and he’s sitting there waiting for the automobile that is government to stop and give him insurance. And then we have the second gentleman, who is actually working towards his goal, rather than waiting for someone to stop and hand him a solution. If somewhere along the way something happens that moves him closer to his goal more quickly, then great. BUT if that doesn’t happen he will still ultimately reach that goal. His “but I’m entitled” friend may not be so lucky.

Look, I’m lucky, because my employer offers me health insurance. But if they dropped that as an option tomorrow and I decided that health insurance was important to me (and considering I have a family, it’s very important to me), then there is nothing stopping me from finding a different job that does offer insurance.

My friend Jody has a banner at the top of her blog that reads “The State Is Not A Substitute For Personal Responsibility”, and I believe there is nothing truer than that statement. Jesus himself said “Give a man a fish and he eats for a day, but teach a man to fish and he eats for a lifetime.” Huh, I guess Jesus was a conservative after all.

Hillary's Choice For Secretary of State..... SPICOLLI!

Breaking News: You probably haven’t even heard this yet, but it seems that President Bush is actively seeking to overturn the 22nd Amendment, the amendment that limits the terms of the president. It seems that Bush not only has found a way to legally overturn that amendment, but has also found a loophole that will allow him to enact martial law and effectively remain our president forever. And do you know what, I think this is a great plan, and one that all Americans should get behind.

Alright, calm down, the above is not really happening, at least not in America, however it did almost happen in Venezuela, where Hugo Chavez sought to amend the constitution to allow him to seek re-election indefinitely? Fortunately this proposal was defeated, although I doubt that means Chavez will go away quietly.

The interesting thing about these two scenarios is that if this was Bush we were talking about, Americans would be up in arms and would storm the White House – and rightfully so. I think the outrage on the right would be incredible, but imagine the outrage on the left – it would be eleven on the Richter Scale.

And yet the same people on the left that would never allow this to happen here actually support the actions of Chavez. Well, lets be clear here: I don’t think we’re talking about everyone on the left, I don’t even think we’re talking about most on the left, but we are talking about the real brain trust of the left: celebrities.

Like dictator-groupie Sean Penn who told Australia’s The Age that Venezuelan autocrat Hugo Chavez is “much more positive for Venezuela than he is negative” and the Chavez-crafted constitution is “a very beautiful document.”

Apparently Spicolli has no issue with Chavez closing down the TV station that criticized him, or the fact that he continues to deny the Holocaust. And yes, we all got that message about Bush. I know, America is the dictatorship. That's why after the premiere of “Lions for Lambs,” Tom Cruise, Meryl Streep and Robert Redford were hooded and shipped to Gitmo.

One question, Sean. How easy do you think it would be for the average Venezuelan to criticize Chavez the way you criticize Bush?

And of course it’s just not Sean Penn that supports Chavez, but Danny Glover, Kevin Spacey, and supermodel Naomi Campbell. And with all these great minds using their time to promote Chavez, whose working on a cure for cancer and bringing peace to the Middle East. No wonder the U.K. Times calls these people the “Useful idiot A-List.”

And have you ever asked yourself WHY all these people support Chavez? Simple: He hates Bush, and they hate Bush. Look, I’m not real fond of Al Sharpton, but that doesn’t mean I want the KKK supporting me.

I’m going to let you in on a little-known secret: Celebrities are idiots. If you need any proof, all you need to do is watch “Celebrity Week” on Jeopardy. Then, after you’ve done that watch “Junior High School Week” on Jeopardy, and then compare the two. That should give you a good clue.

In 1988 Noted scientist and oceanographer Ted Danson – Yes, Ted Danson from Cheers – stated that in 10 years (by 1998) our oceans would be dead from pollution, and that we too would be dead. Well 1998 came and went, and the oceans were doing pretty good. Then five more years went by without a single ocean dying, and in honor of Ted’s obvious misinformation, The group OCEANA – which acts as a “watchdog” for the oceans – denounced Danson’s rantings as those of an uneducated dolt. Oh wait, that’s not what happened. In honor of Ted Danson - the ultimate Ocean Hero - the Ted Danson Ocean Hero Award was established in 2003 to “honor recipients who embody Ted's vision as bold and staunch defenders of our oceans.”

I’d like to talk further about this issue, but I have to cut it short. I’m late for a conference on the impact of globalization on subterranean farming and irrigation systems in lower African nations. The keynote speaker is the guy who played “Skippy” on Family Ties. I’m so excited…..

This Is Too Important To Ignore

I read a very disturbing story in USA Today today titled “Democratic candidates Duck Tough “Boomsday” Choices.” The disturbing part of this story states that currently, 62% of the Federal Budget is taken up by entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare, and by 2025 – just a scant 13 years from now – that number will be 93%, assuming that these programs are left as they currently are.

Now add to that a universal healthcare plan that so many candidates on both sides are touting, and it is conceivable that we could see the ENTIRE Federal budget eaten up by these programs inside of a decade.

The article goes on to say that no candidate on the Democratic side is addressing this issue, and in fact few on the right, with the exception of Thompson and McCain, are addressing this issue either. The article further states that, while the “old line” has been that Democrats are “tax and spend” and Republicans are for smaller government, that hasn’t been the case for the last 15 years. Bill Clinton did bring down the deficit, and George Bush has spent like Paris Hilton with a new credit card. True, Bush had a war to pay for that Clinton didn’t, but even if you take that out of the mix, it’s still not even close.

This is a terrific opportunity for the Dem’s. The opportunity to say that government spending is out of control, and in recent history they are the ones that have the ability to do something about it. So why the silence?

None of the major candidates — Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards — has a credible plan to balance the budget and keep it balanced. On their websites, Clinton lists 11 important issues, Obama 16 and Edwards 34. Not one of them is devoted to solving the nation's troubling fiscal problems.

The three candidates assert they will make health coverage affordable and available to all, to be funded by some combination of higher taxes on the wealthy, mandates on companies and requirements that people buy insurance. But they make few tough choices on containing Medicare's exploding costs, such as higher co-payments or more means testing.

On Social Security, at least Obama and Edwards have plans to shore up the retirement program by raising the income ceiling on individuals and employers paying into the system. This isn't ideal, but at least it's a viable approach. Clinton ducks the issue altogether, saying merely that she would appoint a commission.

The message from the left is that all of these fiscal difficulties of America are Bush’s fault. All that they need to do is roll back his tax cuts (even though those tax cuts have led to record revenue), end the war, and make a few modest and painless policy changes. And while Bush’s financial policies haven’t exactly been successful, the truth of the matter is that Bush did not invent the baby boomers that are retiring now. It is not Bush’s fault that people are living longer, and while health insurance is rising at nearly 10% a year, it actually rose faster during the Clinton years.

The real reason we are in this mess is a simple one: A political culture that refuses to act responsibly. And the fact of the matter is, the next president, of whichever party, is going to have to prepare the nation for some difficult choices, and s/he is going to have to be able to work with both parties to get things done.

The good news is, there is a TON of waste in our current government, but the bad news is that our elected officials are the ones who are protecting that waste. Did you know that last year the government paid subsidies of almost $200 million to make sure sheep and goat ranchers made a profit. Why? Because in 1954, nine years after World War II, congressmen argued it was crucial to “national security” that America have enough wool to make soldiers’ uniforms. Never mind that today military uniforms aren’t even made out of wool, the Agriculture Department still gives the farmers the handouts.

Did you know that no insurance company will give you flood insurance if you build a house on the edge of the ocean. Actually, they will, but it will cost you more than your house payments. So, the government sells these people insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program, putting the taxpayers on the hook for over $640 billion in property. But someone has to help these people out, because we know that those who build beach front houses can’t really afford to……. Oh wait...

The bottom line is that we don’t need candidates that are offering to fix all of our ills, but rather a candidate that can lead a nation to take responsibility for our own actions. 46 years ago, JFK, in his inaugural address said “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” Pretty good advice. Maybe we need to keep that in mind as we prepare to elect a new president next year. Too bad that none of them are laying out a plan to address this crisis to we could intelligently choose between them.