Any individual who could make this statement is too stupid to hold any position of responsibility in government.

"I've never seen anything like it," Gibbs said. "I think you get a real sense of gravity when you see the faces of those that are grieving loved ones."

He added: "You can see the genuine anguish in their faces. It's hard not to be overwhelmed by what you're seeing."

Imagine that -- families who have lost their loved ones in an instant are feeling genuine anguish! Now there's a news flash from the white house press flak. And that it took that for Gibbs to get a real sense of the gravity of the issues of life and death that come with committing troops to war is appalling.

I'll tell you what. I've often said that Joe Biden was the biggest proof of Obama's unreadiness for the presidency. I was wrong -- the biggest proof of his incompetence is that Robert Gibbs is still on the White House payroll.

Posted by: Greg at 12:32 PM | Comments (5) | Add Comment
Post contains 180 words, total size 1 kb.

Cheney backs Kay Bailey Hutchison.

Former Vice President Dick Cheney, a longtime acquaintance and supporter of U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, will be in Houston on Nov. 17 to formally endorse her in the race for governor against fellow Republican Gov. Rick Perry.

Hutchison spokeswoman Jennifer Baker said details for the events still are being determined. But she said there will be one public campaign event with Cheney and a closed fundraiser.

I was already a Hutchison backer before this endorsement, but having Vice President Cheney make this endorsement confirms for me that I am supporting the right candidate. We need a serious, thoughtful governor – and Kay will be that for us.

Now if we can only get Cheney elected president in 2012.

Posted by: Greg at 12:16 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 136 words, total size 1 kb.

Killed in action in 1944.

Returned to his family in 2009.

For two decades after her son's bomber went down in the Pacific Ocean during World War II, Vella Stinson faithfully wrote the U.S. government twice a month to ask if his body had been found — or if anyone was looking.

The mother of six strapping boys went to her grave without the answer that has finally reached her two surviving sons 65 years later: the remains of Sgt. Robert Stinson are coming home.

Military divers recovered two pieces of leg bone from the wreckage of a B-24J Liberator bomber found at the bottom of the ocean off the coast of the island nation of Palau. DNA testing showed the femur fragments belonged to the 24-year-old flight engineer who died in combat on Sept. 1, 1944.

Stinson's remains arrived under U.S. Air Force escort Wednesday and will be buried Friday at Riverside National Cemetery with full military honors. In between, the body will be kept at a mortuary less than 100 yards from the home where Stinson grew up with his brothers.

May Stinson and his fellow crew members rest in peace. A grateful nation honors your sacrifice.

Posted by: Greg at 12:11 PM | Comments (7) | Add Comment
Post contains 205 words, total size 1 kb.

Yes, I know that most Muslims are good people. IÂ’ve said that a million times around here. But I canÂ’t help but be struck by the constant appearance of stories like this one that indicate that there is a serious problem with religious/political violence against the civilized world coming out of the religion of Islam FROM WITHIN THE UNITED STATES.

After all, in the last 24 hours IÂ’ve seen the following stories.

• Chicago Muslims arrested for planned murder of Muhammad cartoonist
  
• Al-Qaida sleeper agent to be sentenced in Illinois
  
• Detroit imam killed in FBI shoot-out during jihad arrests

It seems like not a week goes by that we donÂ’t have a series of such stories about jihadis among us, ready to do us harm in the name of Islam. And yet some among us still donÂ’t even want to name the source of the problem for fear of hurting feelings or stigmatizing minorities.

But the reality is that that make me wonder – can we afford to allow Islam to continue grow unmolested in our nation? In light of the clear strain of violence and supremacism that has infected too many Muslim communities in America, can we treat Islam like any other religious faith in this country? And in the scariest part of my musings, I fearfully consider at this means for the future of the First Amendment in America and if stopping the jihadis among us in this “sweet land of liberty” will ultimately destroy the very freedoms that they want eradicated.

Posted by: Greg at 12:06 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
Post contains 277 words, total size 3 kb.

After all, they’ve been complaining that conservatives have been fostering a climate of violence with their harsh words about Obama and the Democrats. But it isn’t liberal politicians who are literally under fire – it is a conservative broadcaster and his family who have been the targets of gunfire.

A gunshot was fired at the New Jersey home of CNN's Lou Dobbs after a series of threatening phone calls earlier this month, the host told listeners on his nationally syndicated radio show.

Dobbs, a fervent proponent of U.S. border enforcement, told listeners of "The Lou Dobbs Show" on Monday that the incident is part of an ongoing assault against anyone who opposes amnesty or leniency toward illegal immigrants .

"They've created an atmosphere and they've been unrelenting in their propaganda," Dobbs said in reference to pro-immigration groups like the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), the National Council of La Raza and America's Voice. "Three weeks ago this morning, a shot was fired at my house where I live. My wife was standing out and that followed weeks and weeks of threatening phone calls."

Dobbs continued, "But this shot was fired with my wife not, I don't know, 15 feet away, and we had threatening phone calls that I decided not to report because I get threatening phone calls."

Personally, I blame hatemongers on the Left who have spent years demonizing any American who wants secure borders and a coherent immigration policy. IsnÂ’t it time that we haul in Gerry Riviera/Geraldo Rivera for questioning on this? ShouldnÂ’t we hold that hate-speaking faux-journalist morally culpable for the attempted murder of Mrs. Dobbs? The same with all the other folks and groups who have sought to delegitimize honest policy differences on an important political issue, too.

Posted by: Greg at 11:27 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 309 words, total size 2 kb.

There would be riots, fatwas and murder attempts for everyone involved – assuming the show were even allowed to air.

Comedian Larry David is under attack from critics who say he pushed the mocking of religion and Christian belief in miracles over the edge in the latest episode of his HBO series "Curb Your Enthusiasm," which the cable network defended as "playful."

On the show's most recent installment, which aired Sunday, David urinates on a painting of Jesus Christ, causing a woman to believe the painting depicts Jesus crying.

I suppose there is a bit of humor in the story line, but not much. Indeed, most decent people should be appalled by this attention-grabbing stunt. But let’s be honest about it – there isn’t much chance of David and the rest of those involved facing any consequences for their mocking of Christianity. We don’t riot in response to such things – we might complain, but then we turn the other cheek.

Why not be really edgy, Larry? Wipe your but with a page from the Qu’ran and see what happens. Not only would it be equally edgy and disrespectful of the feelings of religious believers, but it would also present the opportunity for some of us to set up a “Larry David death pool” so we can place wagers on how long it might take offended Muslims to hunt you down and kill you – or whether you might be able to survive for a few years under heavy guard like Salman Rusdie.

Posted by: Greg at 11:16 AM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
Post contains 267 words, total size 2 kb.

Much has been made about Shepard Smith making an ass of himself with his on-air apology for a report he deemed insufficiently balanced. And I certainly agree that the context shows him to be an ass – and think that Fox ought to suspend or fire him for undeniably unprofessional conduct.

Fox News Channel anchor Shepard Smith apologized for a "lack of balance" following a political report where the Republican candidate for New Jersey governor was interviewed and the Democratic incumbent wasn't.

Fox correspondent Shannon Bream had wrapped up a live interview with GOP candidate Chris Christie on Smith's afternoon news show Tuesday when the anchor asked, "When will you be interviewing Jon Corzine?"

Bream replied that despite "multiple requests," Corzine hadn't made himself available for an interview.

"I didn't know that was about to happen," Smith then said. "My apologies for the lack of balance there. If I had control, it wouldn't have happened.

Now wait – Bream had done everything a professional reporter is expected to do in that situation. The problem was that one of the candidates couldn’t be bothered to even respond to requests for interviews. That doesn’t mean that you do not do an interview with the candidate who agrees to an interview – the balanced thing to do is to acknowledge that the opponent is dodging interview requests. The only unprofessional conduct I see here is on the part of Shepard Smith.

But I wonder if this might have something to do with the situation – and the failure of the Corzine campaign to respond to interview requests.

One of President Barack ObamaÂ’s key political advisers has become the central strategist in New Jersey Gov. Jon CorzineÂ’s bruising campaign for re-election, a race the White House desperately wants to win to avert the consequences for its own agenda of a Republican winning in a traditionally Democratic state.

The White House was so concerned about Corzine's chances during the summer that Corzine's aides feared the first-term governor was being pressured to step aside for a stronger candidate. Those fears turned out to be groundless, but were part of the reason Corzine hired Joel Benenson, who has helped impose discipline on a struggling campaign and crystallize CorzineÂ’s aggressive attacks on the character of his Republican opponent, former U.S. Attorney Chris Christie.

HmmmmmmÂ….

LetÂ’s see here.

Corzine hires an Obama insider to run his campaign.

Obama and his handlers declared war on Fox News, refused to appear on its programs, and otherwise attempted to delegitimize AmericaÂ’s biggest cable news channel.

The Obama-controlled Corzine ignored interview requests from Fox.

Am I alone here in thinking that these three things might just be connected?

Posted by: Greg at 11:09 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 455 words, total size 3 kb.

Set aside the fact that the body frequently tries to impose international restrictions on rights protected by the US Constitution – rights like freedom of speech and the right to keep and bear arms.

Set aside the regular anti-Semitism of the organization in its approach to peace in the Middle East and Islamic terrorism.

No, now the UN is investigating housing prices and mortgage foreclosures in the US.

[The UN Human Rights Council] sent its "special rapporteur on adequate housing," Raquel Rolnik, on a whirlwind tour to sniff out these "violations" -- not to say, crimes -- against humanity.

Rolnik launched her US visit last week in the city and is also traveling to places like Chicago, New Orleans and South Dakota's Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.
At issue: whether adequate housing is too hard to come by amid the economic downturn.

Set aside the fact that this issue is entirely an internal matter of the US (something the UN supposedly cannot meddle with, according to its charter), this is a body filled with nations ruled by tin-pot dictatorships and others that are impoverished hell-holes. Where do they get off coming here over this? It would be laughable if it were not so offensive.

But then there is this utterly insane perversion of the laws of war and customary international law that is now being directed at the US.

US drone strikes against suspected terrorists in Afghanistan and Pakistan could be breaking international laws against summary executions, the UN's top investigator of such crimes said.

"The problem with the United States is that it is making an increased use of drones/Predators (which are) particularly prominently used now in relation to Pakistan and Afghanistan," UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial Executions Philip Alston told a press conference.

"My concern is that drones/Predators are being operated in a framework which may well violate international humanitarian law and international human rights law," he said.

It is a long-established part of warfare to target civilian and military leaders. Is this moron really arguing that doing so constitutes an execution, and that the near-surgical precision of American methods constitutes a violation of international law? Perhaps he would prefer, and have his conscience salved by, having the US resort to WWII-style bombing raids like those carried out at Dresden. Or maybe the use of more less precise weapons, perhaps of the variety unleashed against the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. While my moral sense finds our current methods preferable, I won’t lose any sleep if we return to the days of “kill ‘em all and let God sort ‘em out” in order to please the UN weenies – after all, we are finding that way too many folks in certain parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan are in sympathy with al-Qaeda and the Taliban to the point of lending them aid and comfort, so I consider them to be legitimate targets (a principle that also applies to Hollywood as well).

As an American, I’m offended by the UN’s involvement in both of these matters, and I think it is high time to spend the money that pays for 25% of the UN’s annual budget and apply it here at home – and give the organization 72 hours to vacate the country.

Posted by: Greg at 11:05 AM | Comments (5) | Add Comment
Post contains 556 words, total size 4 kb.

I was less than two years old when one man, an actor, gave a speech that galvanized a political movement which was about to go down to electoral defeat. Just two years later, that man would be elected governor of one of our largest states -- a startling outcome that would eventually propel Ronald Reagan into the White House.

On a personal note, Ronald Reagan inspired my early involvement in politics -- and his passing was the direct inspiration for my first blog post. This hero of my youth remains the hero of my mature years.

Remember these words.

This is the issue of this election: Whether we believe in our capacity for self-government or whether we abandon the American revolution and confess that a little intellectual elite in a far-distant capitol can plan our lives for us better than we can plan them ourselves. You and I are told increasingly we have to choose between a left or right. Well I’d like to suggest there is no such thing as a left or right. There’s only an up or down—[up] man’s old—old-aged dream, the ultimate in individual freedom consistent with law and order, or down to the ant heap of totalitarianism…

The whole speech is below the fold. more...

Posted by: Greg at 03:27 PM | Comments (12) | Add Comment
Post contains 4797 words, total size 29 kb.

Word has reached me that funding for the Evelyn Meador Library here in Seabrook has bee approved.

Three weeks after Harris County Precinct 2 Commissioner Sylvia Garcia had to tell a disappointed Seabrook crowd that their new library was on hold due to lack of county funds, she had good news for Seabrook readers.

Harris County commissioners Tuesday approved $4.96 million to go toward construction of the new library.

“This action ensures that the estimated $4.96 million needed for construction of the new structure will be in place once the city of Seabrook-funded design portion of the project is completed and approved by the county’s Public Infrastructure Department,’’ Garcia said in a press release announcing that she had succeeded in securing the funding.

Seabrook Mayor Gary Renola said city officials are “ecstatic” about the news.

“This has been a high priority for myself, city council, and the entire community, especially after the library was closed because of Ike,’’ Renola said.

“We are pleased that our persistence for funding paid off. The commissioner has promised us to keep the project on a fast track and provide a schedule for completion,’’ he said. “We look forward to continue to work with the county staff to bring the project to a successful completion.”

Architectural plans for the new, state-of-the-art 20,000-square foot library are 99 percent complete.

The city has already spent $500,000 on the design for the new 20,000-square-foot building, and has another $800,000 in bond money to contribute to the project.

Compliments, of course, to Commissioner Garcia for her work on this project. In addition, I'd like to extend my deepest thanks to County Judge Ed Emmett, who I know has been taking a personal interest in this matter since I helped bring it to his attention recently, and who has been keeping me up to date as the effort to find the funds to rebuild the library has progressed.

Believe it or not, I'm rather at a loss for words at this moment to express my joy. The Evelyn Meador Library is an institution that has been one of the focal points of our community. Its staff have become friends to many of us in town, and its proximity to the local elementary and middle schools has made it a home-away-from-home to so many of our community's children. I've conducted elections in the old building since I first became election judge, and look forward to doing so in the new facility. Indeed, I don't know anyone in town who will not be gratified to see construction begin and the facility open in the near future -- and something that has been sorely missed will have been restored to us on that day.

Posted by: Greg at 02:22 PM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
Post contains 463 words, total size 3 kb.

While a natural disaster occurred back in January, Barack Obma held a big Super Bowl party at which his guests feasted on the finest Kobe beef.

Now, as the economy continues to tank, Barack Obama decided to treat his pampered pooch to a birthday meal beyond the means of many of the poorest Americans. According to Michelle Obama,

“We had a really sweet celebration – [Bo] got a doghouse cake made out of veal stuff and he had his brother Cappy come over and we had party hats."

At least she didnÂ’t decide to let them eat cake. But then again, maybe cake wasnÂ’t good enough for the First Four-Legged Friend.

Posted by: Greg at 09:53 AM | Comments (6) | Add Comment
Post contains 122 words, total size 1 kb.

“Trying on every front to increase the role of government.”

How long will we stand for it?

How long until the American people stand up and demand a return to the limited government prescribed by the Constitution?

Posted by: Greg at 09:34 AM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
Post contains 47 words, total size 1 kb.

HereÂ’s a statistic for you.

Every 10 minutes, a teenager in Texas is getting pregnant, and with the nation's third-highest teen birth rate, Texas stakeholders have announced a "teen pregnancy crisis."

I guess it is no wonder that I started the school year with three mothers among my 60 ninth grade girls, and one more pregnant to the point of bursting. IÂ’m sure that there will be several more pregnancies before the year ends. And the sad thing is that IÂ’ve reached the point where IÂ’m not even surprised by the extent to which teen pregnancy happens among my students.

Posted by: Greg at 09:31 AM | Comments (8) | Add Comment
Post contains 114 words, total size 1 kb.

Here are the most recent winners selected by the Watcher's Council!

Winning Council Submissions

• First place with 1 2/3 points! – Joshuapundit - When Anti-Semitism IsnÂ’t Â…And When It Is


• Second place with 1 1/3 points – Bookworm Room - Is Barack Obama Anti-American?


• Third place with 2/3 points – (T*) – Right Truth - Like sands through the hour glass, so goes the Middle East


• Thirs place with 2/3 points – (T*) – The Colossus of Rhodey - OÂ’Reilly guest typifies the Left on race


• Fourth place with 1/3 points – (T*) – The Glittering Eye - A Curmudgeonly Comment About Healthcare Reform


• Fourth place with 1/3 points – (T*) – Rhymes With Right - The Conflict Between The GOP & The Tea Party Crowd

Winning Non-Council Submissions

• First place with 1 1/3 points! – Real Clear Politics - Media Wars: White House Crosses the Line


• Second place with 2/3 points – (T*) – Toby Harnden / Telegraph - Barack Obama: ‘Oh, did I mention I won the Nobel prize?Â’


• Second place with 2/3 points – (T*) – The Weekly Standard - Scozzafava Calls the Cops


• Second place with 2/3 points – (T*) – Right Wing Nut House - THE DIFFERENT REALITY INHABITED BY THE CONSERVATIVE BASE
• Third place with 1/3 points – (T*) – Brutally Honest - An Assault on American Culture : Disrupting the Family


• Third place with 1/3 points – (T*) – Chesler Chronicles - Killing Jews in Oregon, Embracing Terrorists Off-Broadway

  Congratulations, one and all!

  Posted by: Greg at 10:28 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
  Post contains 256 words, total size 5 kb.

  1 http://www.wholesalejewelrycorp.com http://www.wholesalesteeljewelry.net

  Posted by: steel jewelry at Thu Oct 29 07:04:16 2009 (GWDFr)

  Hide Comments | Add Comment

I've worked with the annual Soldiers' Angel Project Valour-IT for the last several years, always signing on with Team Navy in honor of my fattehr,a retired Navy officer. This year is no exception, and I'm urging all of you to donate to this worthy cause.

For those of you unfamiliar with the program, let me share some information about this program:

Every cent raised for Project Valour-IT goes directly to the purchase and shipment of laptops and other technology for severely wounded service members. As of October 2009, Valour-IT has distributed over 4100 laptops to severely wounded Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines across the country, and is now expanding its mission to include other technology that supports physical and psychological recovery.

Valour-IT accepts donations in any amount to support our mission, but also offers a sponsorship option for laptops.  An individual or organization may sponsor a wounded soldier by completely funding the cost of a laptop and continuing to provide that soldier with personal support and encouragement throughout recovery. This has proved to be an excellent project for churches, groups of coworkers or friends, and members of community organizations such Boy Scouts.

Originally Valour-IT provided the voice-controlled software that accompanies the laptops, but now works closely with the Department of Defense Computer/electronic Accommodations Program (CAP): CAP supplies the adaptive software and Valour-IT provides the laptop.  In addition, DoD caseworkers serve as Valour-ITÂ’s “eyes and ears” at several medical centers, identifying patients in need of laptops and other technological support for their recovery.  Wounded military personnel can also directly request a laptop through the sign-up form or through the Valour-IT/Soldiers' Angels representatives at the following medical centers, and other veterans health care facilities across the country:

* Balboa Naval Hospital

* Brooke Army Medical Center

* Madigan Regional Medical Center

* National Naval Medical Center (Bethesda Naval Hospital)

* Naval Hospital, Camp Pendleton

* Robert E. Bush Naval Hospital (29 Palms)

* Walter Reed Army Medical Center

For the love of the heroes who have spilled their blood for us, give as best you are able.

Posted by: Greg at 04:58 PM | Comments (14) | Add Comment
Post contains 355 words, total size 5 kb.

Meaning that the average American has to make due with less.

But the average federal bureaucrat sure won't.

Got that, DISCRETIONARY spending is INCREASING by more than twice the rate that your income is falling. And that does not include the required increases in entitlement programs (read that money you've earned that Congress has decided someone other than you is automatically entitled to), which will be going up between 10% and 25%, depending upon the program. Add in "stimulus" funding and the average federal agency saw a 57% increase in funding while your wages dropped. And that doesn't even include the new health care boondoggle that will see the Democrats grabbing for even more of your hard-earned dollars.

Maybe you should HOPE that Obama lets you keep a little bit of spare CHANGE by the time he and his followers are done sacking the economy like the barbarians sacked Rome.

Posted by: Greg at 04:48 PM | Comments (11) | Add Comment
Post contains 174 words, total size 1 kb.

One of the great betrayals of the pro-life cause happened last summer when Scott Roeder killed abortionist George Tiller. Every right-thinking pro-lifer denounced that action, recognizing it to be fundamentally at odds with the nature of the cause we believe in.

IÂ’m therefore sickened to read about this effort to raise money for RoederÂ’s defense.

An Army of God manual. A prison cookbook compiled by a woman doing time for abortion clinic bombings and arsons. An autographed bullhorn.

These are among the items that abortion foes plan to auction on eBay and other Web sites in a fundraiser for Scott Roeder, the Kansas City man charged with killing Wichita abortion doctor George Tiller.

“This is unique,” said Regina Dinwiddie, a Kansas City anti-abortion activist who will sign the bullhorn. “Nobody’s ever done this before. The goal is that everybody makes money for Scott Roeder’s defense.”

Now I disagree with the notion advanced by one pro-abort activist that the auction could lead to more violence, especially given that there is more violence more often against pro-lifers than there is against abortionists and their facilities. But I do hope eBay refuses to support the auction, and that well-meaning pro-lifers avoid giving any support to the Scott Roeders of the world by coming to his defense rhetorically or financially.

And to those on the left who claim to be outraged – I’ve watched for years as Leftists have embraced killers like Mumia and Leonard Peltier, not to mention raising funds on their behalf. And for the last eight years we have sent he Left supporting terrorists and those (like Lynn Stewart) who aid them. Your outrage will have a lot more meaning when you side quits supporting cop killers and enemies of America.

Posted by: Greg at 10:20 AM | Comments (5) | Add Comment
Post contains 300 words, total size 2 kb.

He may not have fulfilled most (or is that any) of his campaign promises, but he sure can hit links.

CBS' Mark Knoller — an unofficial documentarian and statistician of all things White House-related — wrote on his Twitter feed that, "Today - Obama ties Pres. Bush in the number of rounds of golf played in office: 24.

Took Bush 2 yrs & 10 months."

When the going gets tough, the tough get going – and Obama goes golfing.

Ain't it great that there are no wars, economic crises, or other major issues facing the country that might interfere with Barry making his tee time?

Posted by: Greg at 10:15 AM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
Post contains 107 words, total size 1 kb.

It is great to see this wounded vet receive justice – and shocking that it had to come to this for him to get it.

A former Michigan soldier who lost his hand after an explosion while trying to disarm a roadside bomb in Iraq in 2004 won a $4.3 million verdict today against the U.S. Army in a disability discrimination civil case.

“He proved that the Army created a hostile work environment for him because of his disability.” said Royal Oak attorney Kevin Carlson who won the case along with attorney Joseph Golden.

The attorneys represented James McKelvey, 38, of Macomb Township, who said in a discrimination lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Detroit that a boss and coworker derided him as "the cripple, " refused to provide him with computer equipment and door handles to accommodate his disabilities, excluded him from meetings and told him to stay in his office cubicle for months on end.

He said superiors also objected to him parking in a handicapped space at the Warren tank arsenal even though he had a state permit.

Now wait – a medically retired wounded warrior received this treatment while working for the US Army? WTF? Why wasn’t something done to solve this situation?

And at this point, I have an even bigger question – are that supervisor and co-worker still on the government payroll in any capacity? If so, how long until they are terminated for cause and with no government benefits?

Posted by: Greg at 10:11 AM | Comments (9) | Add Comment
Post contains 259 words, total size 2 kb.

Today's Houston Texan's game was something special.

It was Salute to the Military day, and lot's of active duty, reserve and vets were in attendance.

The Golden Eagles parachuted in with the flag and the game ball.

The marine Silent Drill Team showed their great skill at halftime.

And the honorary team captains were a father and son -- one a decorated pilot during WWII and the other a fighter pilot with the Texas Air National Guard during the Vietnam era.

Oh, yeah -- they were also the 41st and 43rd presidents of the United States.

If you live here in Houston, you see the elder George Bush around town a lot, and are likely to find yourself at a game or a theater event with him. But I have to say that I don't recall ever being in the same building with BOTH the father and the son at the same time. It was an honor.

Oh, yeah -- and the Texas beat the 49ers, 24-21, taking them to 4-3 on the season.

Posted by: Greg at 01:28 PM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
Post contains 190 words, total size 1 kb.

Is it a quid pro quo?

General Electric, the world's largest industrial company, has quietly become the biggest beneficiary of one of the government's key rescue programs for banks.

At the same time, GE has avoided many of the restrictions facing other financial giants getting help from the government.

The company did not initially qualify for the program, under which the government sought to unfreeze credit markets by guaranteeing debt sold by banking firms. But regulators soon loosened the eligibility requirements, in part because of behind-the-scenes appeals from GE.

As a result, GE has joined major banks collectively saving billions of dollars by raising money for their operations at lower interest rates. Public records show that GE Capital, the company's massive financing arm, has issued nearly a quarter of the $340 billion in debt backed by the program, which is known as the Temporary Liquidity Guarantee Program, or TLGP. The government's actions have been "powerful and helpful" to the company, GE chief executive Jeffrey Immelt acknowledged in December.

Unlike other major lenders participating in the debt guarantee program, including Bank of America, Citigroup and J.P. Morgan Chase, GE has never been subject to the Fed's stress tests or its rules for limiting risk. Also unlike firms that have received bailout money in the Troubled Assets Relief Program, or TARP, GE is not subject to restrictions such as limits on executive compensation.

So let's look at this. The federal government has ordered pay cuts for the highest paid employees of companies that received bailout funds. Somehow, though, a large recipient of bailout funds has escaped these pay cuts. And interestingly enough, the company in question owns a major cable "news" outlet that has been a source of exceedingly friendly and fawning coverage to the Obama Administration -- and among those top-salaried employees would be some of the journalists and commentators most deferential to the administration and critical of its opponents. Is the failure to restrict the salaries of these employees an attempt to buy continued favorable coverage? Seems to me that the appearance of impropriety is reason enough for an investigation by an independent prosecutor with full subpoena power.

H/T JammieWearingFool

Posted by: Greg at 12:55 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
Post contains 382 words, total size 3 kb.

Leading Democrats have now come out against dissent.

Take Rep. Alan Grayson (D-.

"Fox News and their Republican collaborators are the enemy of America," Grayson told MSNBC's Ed Schultz on Wednesday. "They're the enemy of anybody who cares about health care in this country, the enemy of anybody who cares about educating their children, the enemy of anybody who wants energy independence or anything good for this country. And certainly the enemy of peace, there's no doubt about that. They are the enemy."

We who dissent from the policies of the Obamunists are not engaged in "the highest form of patriotism" like liberals were during the Bush years. No, we are enemies of America. And as we well know, adhering to America's enemies is TREASON, which merits death under the laws of the United States. So let's make it clear -- CONGRESSMAN ALAN GRAYSON HAS CALLED FOR THE EXECUTION OF JOURNALISTS AND POLITICAL DISSIDENTS in making this claim.

Which makes the words of the drug-addled son of the late and unlamented Jabba the Drunk seem almost moderate in comparison.

Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-R.I) told CNSNews.com that the Catholic Church is doing nothing but fanning “the flames of dissent and discord” by taking the position that it will oppose the health-care reform bill under consideration in Congress unless it is amended to explicitly prohibit funding of abortion.

“I can’t understand for the life of me how the Catholic Church could be against the biggest social justice issue of our time, where the very dignity of the human person is being respected by the fact that we’re caring and giving health care to the human person--that right now we have 50 million people who are uninsured,” Kennedy told CNSNews.com when asked about a letter the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) had sent to members of Congress stating the bishops' position on abortion funding in the health-care bill.

“You mean to tell me the Catholic Church is going to be denying those people life saving health care? I thought they were pro-life?” said Kennedy. “If the church is pro-life, then they ought to be for health care reform because it’s going to provide health care that are going to keep people alive. So this is an absolute red herring and I don’t think that it does anything but to fan the flames of dissent and discord and I don’t think it’s productive at all."

So Kennedy is now attacking Catholic bishops for opposing legislation that violates fundamental tenets of the Catholic faith on the grounds that they are stirring up dissent. Funny, but I don't recall him or his father (who ACTUALLY committed treason back in the 1980s) ever complaining about those who "fanned the flames of dissent" during the Bush years. Indeed, they stood proudly among the flame fanners and wrapped themselves in the mantle of patriotism for their dissent.

What changed, Congressmen -- other than the president? Why is our dissent not every bit as patriotic as yours?

Posted by: Greg at 12:30 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
Post contains 520 words, total size 4 kb.

After all, he accused the cable news leader of a federal felony in his blog post.

. . . Fox News spreads seditious lies to its demographic sliver of an audience. . . .

Now according to federal law, here is the definition of and penalty for seditious conspiracy (which is certainly what the "seditious lies" of the network would qualify as being).

If two or more persons in any State or Territory, or in any place subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, conspire to overthrow, put down, or to destroy by force the Government of the United States, or to levy war against them, or to oppose by force the authority thereof, or by force to prevent, hinder, or delay the execution of any law of the United States, or by force to seize, take, or possess any property of the United States contrary to the authority thereof, they shall each be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both.

Identify the acts of sedition and the parties to the conspiracy, Mr. Klein, or retract your statement.

And if Joel Klein will not do so, it is incumbent upon Time magazine to fire him immediately.

Posted by: Greg at 10:50 AM | Comments (5) | Add Comment
Post contains 225 words, total size 1 kb.

Well, so they claim.

But these job numbers after all these months of stimulating seem a bit. . . flaccid.

Let's see -- by my calculations that puts Barry Hussein and his minions some 6.2 million jobs in the hole. Does he really expect to generate those jobs in the next 17 months without pouring more money down the rathole, like so many of his fellow DemocRATS are demanding? And why should we expect the job numbers to go up when all the evidence gives us evidence to the contrary?

There is hope, friends -- VOTE REPUBLICAN.

H/T Weasel Zippers

Posted by: Greg at 12:00 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 102 words, total size 1 kb.

I wrote about this story yesterday -- but now the cops say that there was no emergency when the 911 call was made and tapes of the incident show that the reporter was behaving respectfully and professionally.

Police questioned a reporter from a conservative publication after receiving a call that he harassed a Republican candidate for Congress who refused to answer his questions about her positions on tax and health issues.

Lowville Village Police Chief Eric Fredenburg said officers responded to a call Monday night saying state Assemblywoman Dierdre Scozzafava “felt concern for her safety” during questioning by reporter John McCormack of the Weekly Standard. He wouldn’t say who made the call.

“I don’t believe it ever escalated to anything that would ever be classified as an emergency,” Fredenburg said.

No charges were filed against McCormack.

Â…In the audio recording of the reporterÂ’s questioning played for The Associated Press by McCormack, the reporter didnÂ’t raise his voice, but repeated his unanswered questions several times, including one about abortion.

“I never screamed, I never yelled, I never shouted,” he said. “My voice was only loud enough so she could hear my questions.”

Seems to me that there may be grounds for an investigation of who placed the call -- and criminal charges for abuse of the 911 system. The question is -- was that person Dede Scozzafava -- or acting at her direction?

H/T Malkin

Posted by: Greg at 10:06 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 260 words, total size 2 kb.

Council Submissions

• First place with 2 points! – Bookworm Room - WhatÂ’s not to like about the Blue Angels?
• Second place with 1 points – (T*) – Right Truth - What about the women Obama?
• Second place with 1 points – (T*) – The Glittering Eye - Columbus Day, 2009
• Third place with 2/3 points – (T*) – Joshuapundit - ObamaÂ’s Nobel Prize – A Well deserved Award
• Third place with 2/3 points – (T*) – The Colossus of Rhodey - MSM in full force using lies to thwart LimbaughÂ’s Rams purchase
• Third place with 2/3 points – (T*), (D*) - The Razor - Lyndon Baines Obama and General Biden
• Third place with 2/3 points – (T*) – Mere Rhetoric - SF Jewish Federation Funding Rachel Corrie Screenings, Anti-Israel Hatefests [Videos]
• Fourth place with 1/3 points – (T*) – Rhymes With Right - Wonder Why The First Amendment Is So Important?
• Fourth place with 1/3 points – (T*) – The Provocateur - the Unholy Alliance of Michelle Malkin and Michael Gaynor

Non-Council Submissions

• First place with 2 points! – Benjamin Kerstein/New Ledger - Obama and Israel: Betrayal in the Broken Places
• Second place with 1 2/3 points – Weekly Standard - Decline is a Choice
• Third place with 1 1/3 points – (T*) – Atlas Shrugs - Rifqa Bary to be returned to Ohio Â…no, waitÂ…Â… from Atlas Shrugs
• Third place with 1 1/3 points – (T*) – Reason - The Unknown War
• Fourth place with 2/3 points – (T*) – The League of Ordinary Gentlemen - the genuine shame of Ross DouthatÂ’s New York Times column
• Fifth place with 1/3 points – (T*) – John Ziegler / Big Hollywood - So, Now You Tell Us?!
• Fifth place with 1/3 points – (T*) – Amina Merchant at Washington Post - In Need of Urgent Care Hospitals Are Forced to Pay for SocietyÂ’s Failures
• Fifth place with 1/3 points – (T*) – Keep American Safe - The Mission Statement

Posted by: Greg at 01:12 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 331 words, total size 6 kb.

Talk about showing her unfitness for public office!

When John McCormack of The Weekly Standard showed up at a public event for congressional candidate Dede Scozzafava (R-NY 23) on Monday night, he dared to act like a journalist and asked her questions about her positions on important issues and legislation. In response, ScozzafavaÂ’s campaign did something extraordinary.

I went to my car and fired up my laptop to report the evening's events.
Minutes later a police car drove into the parking lot with its lights flashing. Officer Grolman informed me that she was called because "there was a little bit of an uncomfortable situation" and then took down my name, date of birth, and address.
"Maybe we do things a little differently here, but you know, persistence in that area, you scared the candidate a little bit," Officer Grolman told me.
"[Scozzafava] got startled, that's all," Officer Grolman added. "It's not like you're in any trouble."

Startled? By a reporter asking questions? So startled that she and/or her campaign staff saw fit to call the POLICE to interfere with and harass someone she knew to be a reporter?

I’d already decided that Dede Scozzafava was not a good choice for Congress, and felt that her Conservative Party opponent Doug Hoffman was a better choice. I just hadn’t had the opportunity to write about that race yet. But now I need not go into an analysis of the issues and why she is too liberal to receive Republican support – all I have to do is point to this issue to show how singularly un-serious Scozzafava is as a candidate for office.

And even worse, now the Scozzafava campaign is trying to defame McCormack with claims he was abusive and engaging in stalker-like behavior. We now see what her character is really like, in addition to how liberal she really is. So I’ll say it right now – any conservative must vote for Conservative Doug Hoffman, not the Kos endorsed Republican.

Posted by: Greg at 11:02 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 356 words, total size 3 kb.

Straight from the mouth of Joe Biden.

Vice President Joe Biden originally turned down then presidential candidate Barack Obama's request to be his running mate, Biden said last night.

"I initially said no, that I wasn't interested," Biden said at a Democratic fundraising dinner in Pittsburgh. "He asked me to think about it."

Biden said he eventually accepted the offer "a couple months later."

Let’s be honest – the choice of Joe Biden as VP was perhaps the worst decision made by Obama during the campaign, a real sign of poor judgment. That Obama had the chance to walk away from that error and instead stuck with that bad choice when he had the chance to do better shows utter incompetence.

Unless, of course, Joe Biden was picked as a sort of life insurance – after all, I pray nightly for Obama’s health so that Joe Biden never occupies the Oval Office.

Posted by: Greg at 10:48 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 162 words, total size 1 kb.

A Texas killer lost at the Supreme Court today. But I wonÂ’t comment on that. Instead, I want to comment on this argument that had been used by defense lawyers during the original trial.

Mosley's trial lawyers didn't deny the shooting but argued it was accidental, that as he was trying to surrender the weapon it went off five times.

If I were a defense lawyer, IÂ’d certainly hate to have that as the major plank of my defense. Especially if my client were facing charges of murdering a police officer.

Seems to me weÂ’ve got scum who ought to soon be eliminated from among the breathing.

Posted by: Greg at 09:42 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 113 words, total size 1 kb.

How else are you going to keep them down on the Democrat plantation if you donÂ’t signal how they are supposed to vote?

KINSTON, N.C. | Voters in this small city decided overwhelmingly last year to do away with the party affiliation of candidates in local elections, but the Obama administration recently overruled the electorate and decided that equal rights for black voters cannot be achieved without the Democratic Party.
The Justice Department's ruling, which affects races for City Council and mayor, went so far as to say partisan elections are needed so that black voters can elect their "candidates of choice" - identified by the department as those who are Democrats and almost exclusively black.

The department ruled that white voters in Kinston will vote for blacks only if they are Democrats and that therefore the city cannot get rid of party affiliations for local elections because that would violate black voters' right to elect the candidates they want.

Of course, seven of the nine voting precincts in Kinston are majority black and only two are majority white – and over 60% of the residents are black – so it is hard to see how black voters won’t be able to elect the candidates of their choice without party labels. Indeed, the small town has not elected any Republicans in living memory, so the need for party labels is questionable in any event.

Of course, the more interesting wrinkle is that the official who made this bizarre determination is apparently only interested in the voting rights of blacks. After all, she is the same person who decided to dismiss the charges of voter intimidation against armed thugs from the New Black Panther Party (accredited as “poll watchers” by the local Democrats) who intimidated white voters at a Philadelphia polling place. So it would seem that the official position of the Obamunists running the Department of InJustice is that black voters have the right to elect the candidates of their choice (as long as they are officially endorsed Democrats) and that white voters don’t have the right to be free of threats of violence as they attempt to elect the candidates of their choice.

Posted by: Greg at 09:36 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 402 words, total size 3 kb.

I'm not a fan of Barack Obama. Anyone who spends more than a few minutes on this site knows that.

On the other hand, I am a fan of freedom of speech. Anyone who spends more than a few minutes on this site knows that as well.

So while certain conservatives seem to take a bit of joy in this attack on freedom of speech, I don't -- and I condemn it every bit as much as I have previously condemned such attacks on political speech I agree with.

The mural of President Barack Obama has been on the side of a Midtown building since the Democratic primary, when the president was a U.S. Senator, and the building served as his Houston Campaign headquarters.

Over the weekend someone painted "puppet" on his mural, and the statement "yes we can" now has the statement "loose our freedom" painted next to it.

"This was done in broad daylight, and it just and kind of defaced a pretty good memorial," said Gerry McGee who works in the building where the mural is located.

The building is now the campaign headquarters for a mayoral candidate, and campaign worker Mcgee is pretty disappointed that someone vandalized a picture of the President. "We'll move on. This is not going to stop the movement. This is not going to stop the excitement that Obama has brought to the country," McGee said.

As dangerous as some of Obama's risky schemes and naive policies are to American liberty and international security, I condemn this attack on the liberty of speech contained in the First Amendment. We on the right cannot and should not act like our liberal opponents who are know for their intolerance of dissent from their political views. We are better than that.

Posted by: Greg at 02:04 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 318 words, total size 2 kb.

A couple of weeks ago, I set off quite a little conflict when I sent a rather frank email to the husband/campaign manager of a political novice who announced her plans to challenge our incumbent GOP state rep for the GOP nomination. Now IÂ’m not a fan of the incumbent (I was one of the leaders of an insurgent campaign to unseat him in 200 , but I thought it appropriate to explain why I believed her candidacy was flawed from the get-go, and why another committee chair had rather brutally (and perhaps a bit less than fairly) dissected the announcement email sent out by her husband/campaign manger. Needless to say, it got rather ugly before it got better. ItÂ’s a pity that I didnÂ’t have this observation from Carol Platt Liebau to include in my response.

Given the public disenchantment with voter-ignoring, big-government-loving Democrats in Congress and The White House, next year’s elections could do much to restore some measure of fiscal sanity and common sense to Washington. But that will happen only if Republican leaders and grassroots Tea Party activists work together effectively. How – and whether – the two reconcile their different priorities and views will have profound consequences for any effort to beat back the Democratic vision of an ever-expanding, ever-more-intrusive federal government.

* * *

. . . Tea Partiers need to be realistic, and understand the limitations of political passion and zeal. Plenty of congressional districts wouldn’t support even a second Ronald Reagan, simply because they are irremediably liberal. Rather than allowing the “best” to become the enemy of the “good enough,” activists could best further their cause by supporting the most conservative candidate who can win, rather than the most conservative candidate, period – when it means that candidate will surely lose.

In the case of the novice candidate in my district has no discernable history of political involvement with the GOP, no name recognition, and no money. What she does have is a lot of enthusiasm and a few enthusiastic backers. Somehow she and these supporters expect those who have spent the last couple of decades growing a very successful county party (which did hit a major bump in 200 to hand her the nomination because of her frequent use of the term “grassroots” as both the justification for her candidacy and the excuse for all of the missteps that she and her husband had made in rolling out her campaign.

The sad thing is that I like elements of what she and her supporters have to say. Unfortunately, we lack any indication of how hard these folks are willing to work and how long they are prepared to sustain that effort. What’s more, we have no idea how deep the commitment is to the principles enunciated in the email manifesto that I received – after all, she did vote in the 2008 Democrat primary and seems to be a political cipher before then. The notion that a political novice must earn the support of the long-time activists seemed shocking and scandalous to them.

Of course, the quote above also makes an important point that must not be underemphasized – party leaders cannot reject such insurgencies out of hand. I had several long and fruitful email exchanges with some of the supporters in which I expressed my willingness to hear more about their ideas and to find a viable candidate who we could all support, even as I argued that this particular candidate may not be the best vehicle to see those principles carried into the electoral battles ahead. We must indeed find the most electable conservative candidate to advance our shared conservative principles – but we can neither sacrifice essential principles in the interest of finding the most electable candidate nor sacrifice the essential criteria of electability in the interest of finding the most ideologically pure contender. In short, both sets of activists – the newly aroused and the long-time party regular – must be ready to meet in the middle so that we can accomplish our shared goal of advancing our shared principles. If we can’t, then we cede many of our electoral contests to those who reject our values and our policy principles.

Posted by: Greg at 01:51 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 723 words, total size 5 kb.

Another assault, more silence.

A pro-life person who participated in the 40 Days for Life event in Fresno, California was assaulted on Thursday afternoon by an abortion advocate. Victor Fierro, director of the Hispanic pro-life group Latinos4Life, was the victim of an assault by a woman who first tried to intimidate him.

Yesterday, a pro-abortion woman shouted obscenities at participants in the 40 Days for Life event, which is part of a national campaign.

The woman first attempted to break a security camera pro-life advocates installed to protect themselves and catch any harmful activity on tape. The attacker then cut FierroÂ’s arm with an unknown object, drawing blood, stormed back to her car and fled the scene.

Josh Brahm, the education director of Right to Life of Central California, told LifeNews.com that much of the encounter took place right behind the camera, but the audio was captured by the device. It also registered her face and license plate number.

“We're just trying to hold a peaceful prayer vigil out here. We're law-abiding citizens, standing on a public sidewalk, with the full support of the Fresno Police Department," he told LifeNews.com.

"Yet, several pro-abortion-choice people have been harassing us since day one. Now itÂ’s turned physical," he added.

But the local media preferred not to report on the attack, which thankfully produced only minor injuries. Yet had there been even a shoving match with no injuries provoked by the pro-lifers, it would have been national news – not to mention the basis for even more restrictive laws limiting the free speech of such protesters.

Remember, all animals are equal – but some are more equal than others.

Posted by: Greg at 01:46 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 288 words, total size 3 kb.

I wasn't going to write on this topic. Really, I wasn't. But then, as we were preparing for our trip to the quilt show yesterday, my wife brought the topic up, and even suggested that I blog on the topic -- and when my liberal Democrat wife suggests such a thing, I can't refuse.

It is, of course, a favorite topic around our house -- the disparate treatment of survivors of Hurricanes Katrina and Ike. Katrina was four years ago -- Ike is barely a year past. Yet to this day we continue to see stories about Katrina and the people displaced and effected by the that monster storm. Yet little more than a year ago another monster storm hit the United States, only a few hours away in the Houston/Galveston area, and we have been told, in effect, to bugger off and tend to our own needs. We got a great illustration of this during the week that just ended.

On Thursday, Barack Obama graced the people of New Orleans with his presence and promises of even more help to get their lives back to normal -- in other words, a continuation of the open-ended commitment to throw money at New Orleans and its myriad problems. Then on Friday (after diverting to San Francisco for a high-dollar political fundraiser), Barack Obama came to Texas -- College Station and Texas A&M, to be exact. That put him 80 miles from Houston, and 127 miles from Galveston -- less than an hour by air to Ellington Field on the south side of Houston and its direct path (I-45) into the heart of the devastation. But did he bother with the victims of the more recent storm who are still in recovery mode? No, he did not.

Now I could point out that the folks in New Orleans are reliable Democrat voters while we in this area are not and suggest that partisan politics is the reason -- but I won't. Or I could point out the obvious demographic differences between New Orleans and the area impacted by Hurricane Ike and attribute the disparate treatment to race -- but I won't. Those are not the reasons that Barack Obama is ignoring the Texas Gulf Coast devastated by Hurricane Ike.

No, I'll attribute the neglect of the recently devastated area of Texas to something much more venal -- the fact that the first priority for Barack Obama is Barack Obama. The media drove Katrina into the national psyche in a way that it did not with Ike (overwhelmingly due to the racial and political components), and there is therefore much more in the way of personal political capital for Obama to earn and store up with a visit to New Orleans to commiserate with the victims of a storm that happened four years ago than there is to be gained through a visit with the survivors of any more recent natural disaster. So Barack Obama will visit New Orleans and throw more money at that city while recovery projects here in the Houston/Galveston area will be allowed to go unfunded or underfunded because there just isn't any political gain to be had in providing such presidential attention and federal largesse to this community. So Barack Obama will never forget New Orleans -- and he will never remember the Texas Gulf Coast area.

Posted by: Greg at 06:09 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 565 words, total size 4 kb.

The insurance industry has dared to dissent from the Obamunist line -- they must be punished.

President Obama mounted a frontal assault on the insurance industry on Saturday, accusing it of using “deceptive and dishonest ads” to derail his health care legislation and threatening to strip the industry of its longstanding exemption from federal antitrust laws.

Seems to me that the Obamessiah has become more and more esty in the face of strong opposition to his plan to strip health care freedom from Americans and replace it with a system of government mandates, regulations, penalties, and limited choices. Opponents must therefore be destroyed as a warning to those who would dare to question the policies and plans of the little tin god at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

Dissent just ain't patriotic any more -- and must be punished by law.

Posted by: Greg at 01:39 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 151 words, total size 1 kb.

I just came across CiUMEaPc:UiacyKUnciaec8O7EyUr">this story -- and am both shocked and disgusted by it.

A justice of the peace said he refused to issue a marriage license to an interracial couple last week because of concern for the children who might be born of that relationship.

Keith Bardwell, justice of the peace for Tangipahoa ParishÂ’s 8th Ward, also said it is his experience that most interracial marriages do not last long.

“I’m not a racist,” Bardwell said. “I do ceremonies for black couples right here in my house. My main concern is for the children.”

Beth Humphrey, 30, said she and her boyfriend, Terence McKay, 32, both of Hammond, intend to consult the U.S. Justice Department about filing a discrimination complaint.

They've got my full support on this one. Indeed, I hope that Louisiana's governor can take some temporary action in the mean time to remove this racist piece of filth from any position of authority until a more permanent solution can be implemented.

Ad yes, this guy ran as a Republican -- but he clearly has no concept about what the GOP has been about since its founding over 150 years ago. I disown him, and so has every Republican I've seen comment.

H/T Volokh Conspiracy

Posted by: Greg at 12:34 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
Post contains 212 words, total size 2 kb.

Down here in Seabrook, we passed a referendum to issue bonds for the building of a new library several years ago to replace a facility that was just too small for our community and, to be honest, already showing signs of aging. During Hurricane Ike, the library was seriously damaged, and it has not reopened -- depriving this community of one of its major focal points.

Several months ago, the new plans were unveiled and we were promised a new library by the fall of 2010. Groundbreaking was supposed to be last week. But those who attended the groundbreaking got an unpleasant surprise.

It was supposed to be groundbreaking day for construction of the new Seabrook library, but instead came the disappointing news that the funding isnÂ’t there.

“The project is on hold,’’ Harris County Precinct 2 Commissioner Sylvia Garcia told the crowed gathered Tuesday on what was to be the site of a groundbreaking celebration.

“Please don’t feel like the Lone Ranger. Every (Harris County) construction project except toll road projects has been put on hold,’’ she said, citing the tight economy.

Excuse me!

Where is the bond money?

Where are the disaster recovery funds to replace the damaged building?

And why was this bombshell decision hidden from both the elected officials and the citizens of our community?

I'm putting our Harris County officials on notice now -- you need to find that money and find it now. Local folks are mighty pissed off about this. And to those of you who are planning on running for reelection next year -- I don't care if you have an R or a D after your name, if this project is not under way soon, I will make it a point to work for the defeat of each and every one of you.

And yes, that does mean you, County Judge Ed Emmett. You are a master at finding money for projects that are a priority for you -- make hurricane recovery for this corner of Harris County a priority or be prepared to lose this reliably Republican area.

And since Barack Obama was down in New Orleans today promising ever more federal cash to that city over four years after their hurricane, how about giving some attention to those of us who dealt with a major storm significantly more recently?

UPDATE: I'll give the man credit -- Ed Emmett has been in touch with me today (Sunday, October 1 to let me know he is going to look into the matter of the library here in Seabrook. I'll post more when he gets back to me with some details on what is going on and what the prospects are for getting this project underway.

Posted by: Greg at 11:27 AM | Comments (5) | Add Comment
Post contains 468 words, total size 3 kb.

From our "friends" at the NAACP.

You see, they are worried that the "wrong sort" might get appointed as mayor of Baltimore after the incumbent gets convicted of her felonious behavior.

"Our concern is who would the governor appoint?" (Marvin L. Cheatham, the president of the Baltimore Chapter of the NAACP) said. "Here you have a predominantly African-American city. What if the governor appointed somebody white? ... Would he appoint someone Irish to be the mayor?"

Whatever would Dr. King say? After all, this certainly takes the notion of judging based upon the content of one's character rather than the color of one's skin and blows it all to Hell and back!

Posted by: Greg at 12:58 PM | Comments (5) | Add Comment
Post contains 122 words, total size 1 kb.

It seems youÂ’ve come out against allowing an American patriot, a US citizen who makes a livening by commenting on our nationÂ’s politics, to own a minority stake in an NFL franchise. Why? Because you donÂ’t like what he has said in the course of exercising his constitutional rights. Frankly, this season ticketholder is concerned by the decision to, in effect, impose a blacklist based upon the political utterances of this potential owner, a successful entrepreneur who is truly a self-made man whose daily radio show garners some 20 million listeners.

Now I could argue that there is something unseemly – indeed, un-American – about a McCarthyite political blacklist like that used in the 1950s to prevent those whose politics were deemed unacceptable from earning a living in many occupations, including the entertainment industry. I won’t, because unlike your target, Rush Limbaugh, many of those Americans were not patriots and were treasonously in the thrall of an enemy regime that was out to destroy the US Constitution, American liberties, and our entire way of life. Limbaugh, whether you love him or hate him, is not such an individual – he is an all-American individual with a strong belief in the US Constitution, individual freedom, and the liberty of each American citizen to improve his or her lot in life through hard work and enterprising spirit. That makes your blacklist infinitely worse.

But if a history of controversial political comments is to be the basis for excluding individuals from close association with the NFL on the basis that their words offend a segment of the population (and therefore the potential fan base of the league), why does the NFL allow Keith Olbermann to be a part of the lineup of commentators for NBC? After all, Olbermann is equally as offensive if not more so, especially in light of his nightly rants and insulting language directed towards national leaders and political opponents. Do you mean to tell me that Olbermann’s recent statement that a prominent minority blogger, columnist, and author is a “a big mashed-up bag of meat with lipstick on it” who espouses “total[ly] mindless, morally bankrupt, knee-jerk, fascistic hatred”? If statements attributed (many of them falsely) to Rush Limbaugh are the sort of “divisive comments” that “are not what the NFL is all about”, then is it your position that Olbermann’s statements are what the NFL is all about? Or are you planning to take immediate action to have Keith Olbermann removed from his position as a commentator on NBC’s NFL programming? In short, on what basis do you exclude Limbaugh but include Olbermannn – and is the difference principled or hypocritical?

And if we are going to get into the issue of what is and is not acceptable language and conduct for those associated with the NFL, can we consider the following situations?

• One minority owner of the Miami Dolphins is about to appear nude in a pornographic publication. Is this the sort of thing that the NFL is all about?
  
• This same minority owner has recently faced sanctions from the professional athletic body that governs her sport for cursing an official and threatening that official with physical violence during an athletic competition? Is this the sort of thing the NFL is all about?
  
• This same minority owner recently defended the exclusion of Jews from some competions in her sport based upon their religion. Is this the sort of thing the NFL is all about?
  
• A pop music star known for her sexually explicit lyrics and dancing is about to become a minority owner of the Miami Dolphins. Is this the sort of thing the NFL is all about?
  
• The Checketts group reportedly includes an individual who admittedly collaborated with the Nazis in the deportation of Jews during the Holocaust. Is this the sort of thing the NFL is all about?
  
• A number of players in the NFL are members of the Nation of Islam, an anti-Semitic black supremacist group with a history of violence. Is this the sort of thing the NFL is all about?
  
• You recently reinstated a convicted felon who had engaged in wanton acts of animal cruelty. Is this the sort of thing the NFL is all about?
  
• An NFL player recently killed a man in a drunk driving incident and was quickly reinstated by the league. Is this the sort of thing the NFL is all about?

I guess what I am asking, Commissioner Goodell, is whether or not the NFL has any standards at all – beyond objecting to political and social views held by a large segment of the American people, and seeking to exclude those who hold such views from active involvement in the NFL.

While I certainly do not share all of the views held or articulated by Rush Limbaugh, we have many in common. As a blogger, IÂ’m concerned any time there is an attempt to stifle political speech. And since the suppression of political views similar to my own seems to be what the NFL is all about, IÂ’m left wondering if there is any longer a place in my budget for my season tickets to the Houston Texans if the NFL is to be the No Freedom League. WhatÂ’s more, I suspect IÂ’m not the only person in an NFL city who is asking that question. Is it really your intent to alienate us?

I look forward to your response, Mr. Goodell. It will be a major factor in whether or not my wife and I will be occupying those seats in Section 541 of Reliant Stadium on ten game days next season. I will also forward this letter to Bob Mcnair of the Houston Texans, soliciting his answers to these questions as well as his opinion regarding your continued employment as commissioner of the NFL.

Posted by: Greg at 11:44 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
Post contains 975 words, total size 9 kb.

I think we can argue about whether or not a cross as a war memorial on public land is appropriate or constitutional – an issue which the Supreme Court is wrestling with right now. But I don’t see how anyone except for individuals or groups with an active hatred of Christianity can object to this one that is causing a dispute in a different part of California.

Before Monterey replaces the Portol -Crespi cross on Del Monte Beach, it wants to raise a war chest to defend the city's action against possible lawsuits — a move an American Civil Liberties Union lawyer calls "a very bizarre decision."

After holding a public hearing on the cross issue Tuesday night, the council came out of closed session saying its members were unanimous in wanting the cross replaced. The council said it marks the historic site where explorer Don Gaspar de Portol and Father Juan Crespi raised a wooden cross in December 1769 as a signal to the supply ship San Jose, expected to arrive from Mexico.

The newer cross, erected on the dunes between Roberts Lake and the beach in December 1969, was set there to mark the bicentennial of that event. Sometime during the night of Sept. 18, vandals sawed the cross off at its base and left it lying in the sand.

The council motion seems to hedge the city's bets in restoring it. It states: "The City Council does not condone vandalism. Because of the historical significance of the cross, it is the City Council's desire to restore the cross. To that end, once a legal defense fund is established by the community and $50,000 is raised, we will proceed with the restoration of the cross."

Got that, folks? This cross was placed on the site for one very simple reason – to the early exploration of the area by Spanish explorers who erected a cross on the site. This would seem to be, from a First Amendment perspective, a no-brainer. There is nothing religious about this cross – it is unquestionably the recreation of a historical event, which makes its erection a bona fide secular act.

But that isn’t good enough for the ACLU cretins who want to keep the cross from going back up. Seems to me that they simply wish to expunge the symbol from public land even when it serves a valid secular purpose – and that they probably won’t be happy until they have banned the letter “t” and the plus sign from all public facilities.

Posted by: Greg at 11:04 AM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
Post contains 436 words, total size 3 kb.