Archive for the ‘Culture’ Category

« Older Entries

The Gay Problem

Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010

Fellow conservatives, are we really having this conversation … Now?

All I can say is: criminy and double criminy. People are off track.

Are gay conservatives a big enough problem to divert attention from our other REALLY SERIOUS problems? I realize this is going to cause some heartburn, but right now I do not care.

To wit: The Obama Administration is talking about confiscating your retirement money and 401k funds

If you haven’t gotten the joke so far, what’s being suggested is that 401K and IRA accounts be converted to fixed-income instruments, and that some portion (or even the entire balance) be allocated to (wait for it) Treasuries.

By all means, read all of that and follow his links.

I don’t know about you. I’ve spent my share of time on public policy debates related to this issue – in the past. But right now is it not evident we have bigger fish to fry and is it not evident we should seek common ground with people who agree with us about clear and present dangers to our lives and futures? Shouldn’t a sense of proportion kick in where we say the debates of 2007 are oh, so three years ago?

Even though I will always oppose special status for self-elevated identity-based interest groups I just can’t stay angry enough about homosexuality to oppose everything gay people do, everywhere, in every instance. So when a “gay” group shows up at a conservative event and the individuals within it are on board with the overarching goals, it just strikes me as insane to be impolite to them.

What the f–k, people? I mean, what the f–k? Is it the case that we are overflowing with sensible folks who will take time to go to a grassroots event and commit to saving our country? Are there really TOO MANY of those comrades in arms? You actually BOO people who show up willing to work?

It makes me sick and it paints the picture of how the road to serfdom becomes a reality for all of us.

Get this: Conservatives can kiss off “Hot Air” blog

Unbelievable. Notions that suggest “cutting nose to spite face” or “selling children to appease resentments”. The issue of the day is not what people do in their bedrooms. The issue is whether we will continue to allow the wealth of our country to be squandered for generations into the future.

YOU ARE GOING TO LOSE YOUR RETIREMENT SAVINGS, DUMBASSES, AND YOU WILL END YOUR LIVES EATING CAT FOOD. There are people willing to stand by you to forestall that future. Do you really want to ensure the former by framing the latter as demons?

Respectfully,

Joe

Tags: ,
Posted in Culture, Economics | 76 Comments »

Some Zappa For A Snowy Evening

Wednesday, February 10th, 2010

This post at TC morphed into a tableau for Zappa references which got me to thinking: “Hey, I can do that.” Maybe I can’t do much else, but I can definitely do that. So without further ado:

Here is Montana – with more to follow below the fold. Some dandy guitar work here …

(more…)

Tags:
Posted in Culture, Entertainment | 82 Comments »

Public Service – A Republican Perspective

Thursday, December 17th, 2009

When Rome was a Republic, selfless public service was considered a a virtue, if not a requirement.  “For the good of the nation!”, men of talent stepped forward and built Rome into a powerful nation from a motley set of villages atop seven hills.   Everyone served in the military, many served in public works, some served in the Senate and its supporting bureaucracy.  Cinncinatus, while human, was an example by which many of the founders of our country lived:

His [Cinncinatus] immediate resignation of his absolute authority with the end of the crisis has often been cited as an example of outstanding leadership, service to the greater good, civic virtue, and modesty.

Washington followed this creed, as did the members of the continental army who followed Washington.  Our country was blessed by Washington’s stepping away from the presidency after two terms.  This was a tradition that was not broken until the progressive FDR — masquerading as a Democrat — selfishly felt the country needed him for four terms.   Unfortunately, selflessness in public service today is not a virtue followed by many, if any at all.  Congress follows Roosevelt’s not Washington’s model.  We are poorer for it.

I believe that the military (Army, Navy, Marines and Air Force) should remain all volunteer. What we could do, as a nation, is enforce a 2 year period of service. This could include firefighting, nursing, BORDER patrol, coast guard, prison guard, EMT, CUSTOMS inspection etc, etc. Unlike the draft earlier in mid-twentieth century, all would serve.  No exceptions.  No waivers for those in college, nor for a medical condition.  No exceptions.  For example, a paraplegic could answer phones in an emergency call center.

The Military would require 4 years of service, two is not enough for a modern force.  Military service would still be voluntary.  A battery of aptitude tests, both academic and athletic,  would put the incoming eighteen year old’s on scale.  Those with the highest scores would get first pick.  The Military could very well itself get an inductee class that is better than ever.

As the choice of assignment is based on merit, the better assignments would go to the more adept.  Military, EMT, nursing, and other choice positions would go to those who scored well.  Guarding the Alaska-Yukon border would go to those at the bottom of the barrel.

Think of the benefits outside the military arena.  Currently we cannot inspect every ship, and every container coming into the country.  With a manpower pool in the 7M range, this issue would to go away.  Considering the repercussions of a nuclear weapon coming into port and detonating, such a force is warranted.  Considering the fallout of finally being able to really stop the flow of drugs coming into the country, such service would also be highly beneficial.

Service to the country is a republican ideal, not a Republican ideal.  This country is a Republic,  we would be well served to remember that.

Posted in Culture, Federalism, History, Philosophy | 8 Comments »

Sign Of The Times Or The Season?

Tuesday, December 8th, 2009

I saw something interesting while traveling thru one of Sterling’s strip malls.  A manager and store employee from the Burlington Coat Factory was forcibly manuvering a “patron” back into the store (there was some serious strongarming going on here) with her ill-gotten goods.  Looks like Light-fingered Lovisa was doing some holiday shopping and thought Obama would foot the tab.  I pondered why she would be stealing at this time of the year?  I came to this conclusion:

1) She was doing her “holiday” shopping but not Christmas.  Christ teaches us to give but she was definitely receiving!

2) She wasn’t hungry because she wasn’t stealing food.

3) This administration and congress have indoctrinated the feable minded into thinking that everything should be free because others will pay for what you want to have (not deserve-just want).

It’s a shame to see this behavior at a sacred time of year that Christians celebrate but when you take GOD out of the season then there is no reason for the holiday.  If this woman really needed clothing (or any other necessity or goods) she has many outlets to “receive” from those that “give”.  I give generous for others to have.  I guess it is just what this country is headed to and when this joyous holiday is past, I’m buying more ammunition.

Merry Christmas (sanctioned/dedicated federal holiday) and Happy New Year (sanctioned/dedicated federal holiday).

Posted in Culture, Economics, Environment | 11 Comments »

Bias And Political Correctness

Saturday, November 14th, 2009

Bias is a bit different from prejudice only because being prejudice is a PRE-conceived (without experience or understanding of a person, place or thing) notion about something where bias is not.  Simple examples of bias for me are things like lima beans, snakes and spiders, needles, lying , dishonesty,  bratty children, bad drivers and so on.  Some will call this prejudism and if that is how you order things in your mind-have at it.  We all have them and there are many things we just don’t like and have a bias againest.

The Clinton administration, the second term of Bush, the last 3 (at least) Congresses and this current administration have really instilled in me many biases that I didn’t have before.  Things like killer little cars, bicycles, foreign language instruction booklets for my purchased goods and  said language signs throughout stores, Hispanics (and this goes back to my youth while temporarily in Californica and Texas).  Most recent have been Muslims.  Yes, I do know Muslims and, yes, there are many good Muslims.  When you have a bias (at least and probably only in my case) it tends to spread and blur the good from the bad.  ACTivist nature, I guess.

These bias in me have occurred by sampleing, brought forth by the issue of the bias itself or thru the unfairness of something called “Political Correctness”.  This is a very powerful term in that it can destroy an understanding, a belief, heck-even a culture and a nation.  How does it become so powerful you ask?  SHEEP! (another of my bias).  Knucklheaded- moronic- head up the ass-go with the flow-sheep.  People that just want to get along and not rock the boat-kinda like the fruits and nuts of Californica.  Having lived there I can say that.  Because of PC and bias I have just offended the GOOD Californicas that don’t belong in this bias and I apologize.  See how easy it is to lump all together.  The power of PC.

Just recently I found that I can get a schlorship thru my work for my daughters education.  There are just so many schlorships given BUT there are 3 catagories now-Hispanic, Negro and all others.  If you are an “other” you can’t apply for slots as Negro or Hispanic but not the converse.  Is this fair to all others?  No, but it IS PC.  The prejudice that is coming from this Congress and administration is stiffling.  The ruination of the Constitution and this country is mind boggling.  The bias it causes in me is unforgivable.

I want to give everyone and everything a fair shake as I did in the past.  It has become difficult in todays climate and with the Muslims laying quiet on terrorism of their brothers, a Muslim president showing true bias towards his kindred-in-religion and the accommodations towards illegals, foreign religious law and the warping of our law and Constitution, I find that this is not only an uphill climb for me but almost a lost cause.  Just as this president has divided the nation and set-back racism to a point 150 years ago as he said he would not do, all the other sheep back him to the hilt.  But, hey.  I’m just a disgruntled, conservatist, nation and constitution loving American Christian citizen.  In other words a radical religious racist caucasian.  What do I know?

Posted in Culture, Environment, Uncategorized | 37 Comments »

Janet Napolitano, “Watch Out For Muslims”

Thursday, November 12th, 2009

Janet is worried about Muslims.  In her bizarre world Muslims are the targets of White, Christian oppression here in our country.  Muslims are also the targets of attack by returning veterans according to dear Janet.

It requires a level of unimaginable blind hate to level such broad, vile accusations at these two groups.  The first is statistically the most peaceful in the country and the least likely to carry out an attack against anyone.  The veterans, are statistically more likely than some other groups to be involved in a legal incident, however, when one considers their service they are worthy of praise, to target them as potential domestic terrorists is a national betrayal.

Christian killings of abortion doctors, a liberal bugaboo, numbers 6 incidents and 9 deaths.  Muslim based violence, killing in the name of Allah, in this country alone the body count is 3000+.  When taken in its totality across the globe, it runs into the tens of thousands.  909 in the month of October, 2009 alone — and counting!  From the attack by a Muslim on a military recruiting station, to the Muslim trying to run students over at a college campus, to 9/11 — every reason is explored, “for why they hate us?“   The better question is what will it take to make them stop, aside from a mass national conversion to Islam.  But dear Janet is worried.  What are returning vets, gun owners, Christians and Republican going to do to the Muslims in America?

Janet Napolitano is part of the problem.  The political correctness of the DHS and the ARMY is ridiculous.  This PC mentality is what allowed Nidal Malik Hasan to remain in the Army even though he espoused violence against non-believers — and the army knew about it.  Hasan was in contact with an Iman with known contacts to Al Quaeda.  Why?  Because the policy since Napolitano has been to announce worries over Christian conservatives with known links to the NRA?  Of a rise in militias?  After the killing of 13 of our soldiers at Ft. Hood, Janet announces her big worry:

Janet Napolitano says her agency is working with groups across the United States to try to deflect any backlash against American Muslims following Thursday’s rampage by Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan

The woman has got it backward.  Following Janet’s lead, MSM is looking for any reason for the shootings other than that  Hasan was a Muslim terrorist.  Only 23% of the initial coverage mentioned that Hasan was Muslim and 93% of the reports failed to call this an act of terrorism, until Obama hinted it might be.  So on top of the press willful blindness, it is still the president’s lap dog.  Until the fourth estate, MSM wing,  stops carrying water for the Democrat party the hyper-PC foolishness will continue and Americans will continue to die.

Posted in Culture, Homeland Security, Philosophy, Uncategorized | 22 Comments »

Redskins’ blacked out all of a sudden?

Sunday, October 18th, 2009

Did CBS just switch off the Redskins game or am I missing something?

Posted in Culture | 47 Comments »

Scenes from DC

Wednesday, October 7th, 2009

In the city for a few days for a conference, here are some snapshots ….

A huge Army convention is taking place, lots of American heroes all around, and lots of interesting suppliers.

In a tent across the street from the hotel is the new Sikorsky X2 “Tactical” Helicopter:

sikorsky x2 promo sign

sikorsky x2

sikorsky x2 right side

sikorsky x2 front

sikorsky x2 left side

At the Historical Society – “Quilts for Obama”.

Quilts for Obama

Quilts for Obama. Heh. So 2008.

I think the current state of the nation would be something less comfy for Obama.

Next, morons on parade:

climate_change_comedy_poster_sm1.jpg

I wanted to get some photos of the actual morons at this event, and maybe get some video answers to questions along the lines of “what about the fact the temperature of the Earth is decreasing?” – but the pity factor kicked in so I backed off. Stupid people.

Posted in Culture, Energy, Obama files, War | 7 Comments »

Football night

Monday, September 28th, 2009

This is turning out to be a hell of a football weekend. I think the Cowboys and the Redskins should be put on a special track, winner gets a chance to take a shot at Boise State in the  Orange Bowl.

Both Dan Snyder and Jerry Jones need to focus on stadiums and theme parks and hire someone to run the teams. Lots of money spent (Washington) and talent acquired (Dallas) and very little to show for it over many years.

Tags: ,
Posted in Culture | 4 Comments »

Football recap thread

Sunday, September 20th, 2009

Not much of true interest, as far as I’m concerned, until this evening. But watching the Washington-St. Louis game, at the start of the 4th quarter, I must say I appreciate the Redskins allowing the game to stay so close, because it is more interesting that way.

UPDATE: 12:00 left in the 4th. After recovering a crucial turnover, the ‘Skins quickly stink up the joint and end up punting from their end zone. It is going to be up to the defense as so often in the past.

UPDATE II: ‘Skins pulled it off, not exactly in impressive fashion especially on the offensive side of the ball – but a win is a win.

UPDATE III:  Anyone see the Dallas-New York opening? Pretty impressive visual extravaganza, akin to an olympics.

UPDATE IV: After seeing President GW Bush and John Madden sitting together at the game, tell me this: Don’t you feel better about Bush now, than you did 6 months ago?

UPDATE V: The Cowboys are looking bad. Really bad. Badly coached. Does this ring a bell? Yes, like the past 15 years of Dallas Cowboys history.

UPDATE VI: At 1:20 left in the 2nd quarter, the overall game seems close, but the Giants are making the big plays off Tony Romo’s mistakes. 20-14 NY

UPDATE VII: But the Boys bring it back to 20-17 at the end of the half. Cool. Now we have to listen to the NBC moron Olbermann.

UPDATE VIII: Dallas takes the lead 24-20 with three minutes left in the 3rd. If they can overcome their many mistakes to pull this game out it will be a huge morale victory going forward. In any case, they have shown they can play with the NFCs best. In September. That’s our challenge.

UPDATE IX: The Gints are looking good – well, not exactly good, but better than us for sure. 27-24 with 12 minutes to play. They make the plays we can’t make.

UPDATE X: 3:40 left, Cowboys ahead 31-30. Up to the defense.

UPDATE XI: Giants win. Well, I’d rather have the Cowboys lose in September, and perhaps build more character for December, because that is when they have had the problems. They have been the kings of September for several years now.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Culture | 6 Comments »

An AK-47 Interlude For Your Enjoyment

Thursday, September 17th, 2009

Ah, jeez.

Y’know, we can get so caught up in this whirlabout world of ours – with the jobs and the blogging and the arguing and yelling at the TV – that it’s easy to lose track of the simple things, the things that really matter, which bring us true joy .. and I regret it so when I wander off the path of what life’s all about. On that note, I offer this little healing interlude, which I hope you will all take a moment to savor. As humans, regardless of our political philosophies, there needs to be between us the common ground, which I, for one, have faith still exists.

To those of you who have not been recently focused on the whole AK-47 zeitgeist, whether for reasons of absentmindeness or ammo shortages or whatever, I say simply: You’re welcome.

If you have headphones, please plug them in and crank the volume.

(Credit to the original).

Tags:
Posted in 2nd Amendment, Culture | 1 Comment »

Protestors Marching In DC on 9/12

Tuesday, September 15th, 2009

This is the astro-turf in DC last Saturday. Note the scripted singing of strange and obscure songs.

Posted in Culture, Economics, Philosophy, Politics | 3 Comments »

What Is Reality?

Tuesday, September 1st, 2009

On a recent post of mine my good friend and blogging buddy Lovisa posed an interesting and provocative reply to my observation of things.  It seems that we have been to the same location, albeit at different times and experienced-or not-different things.  Now I have always wondered what planet Lovisa lives on but I must admit that there is a point to be made by her statement.

You see, we are alike in the ways we view things.  What may be a predjudice towards a lifestyle or a way of saying/doing things for me might not be so for another person.  Because of that prejudice/viewpoint, things will readily show themselves to me even when I am not searching them out.  On the other hand, those sames things will go unnoticed by someone else that it doesn’t bother and vise-versa.  It is considered someones personal reality.  This term is used most frequently by counselors and therapists.  Two people can experience the same thing, hear the same conversation at the same time yet their realities may be totally at opposite ends.  Now how can that be?  If there is no singular truth or reality then where does cohesiveness come from?

For example, was the mother’s reality that her daughter was possessed by the devil allow her to justifiably kill that same child?  How about someone’s reality towards abortion?  Was Hitler right when he said the Jews were inferior?  Is homosexuality just a different genetic make-up?  Does war upon terrorists that kill our innocents really solve anything?  Can I ask anything under the sun that may show difference in reality?  Yes.  Okay.  Now we have just eliminated society and its boundries as well as sense of community.  We cannot survive because realities are as different as people.  Who is right and who has the authority to determine right?

I guess to put it more succinctly is to say that someones personal reality is nothing more than their personal beliefs or perception.  Things become overlooked when you subscribe to those beliefs and not overlooked when you are againest something.  I can say my reality is correct but so can Lovisa.  What is necessary is the facts of the matter.  I would submit to everyone that in order to understand someone who appears to be way of base on a matter is to just step back and take pause.  That person does not subscribe to the same beliefs as you.  That doesn’t make them wrong or you right.  They just don’t see it.  The only thing that changes this mindset is facts-visual or corroberated and even then they can be dismissed if the person will not subscribe to that belief.

Bottom line is this:  don’t let your unwillingness to see the truth keep you ignorant.  There is a truth and a reality to everything.  Your reality may be in another dimension.  Man was made to seek the truth.  I think we all better start subscribing to that reality!

Posted in Bloggers, Culture | 8 Comments »

“Where Have All The Hippies Gone…”

Tuesday, September 1st, 2009

“long time passing.”  Famous Peter, Paul and Mary song.  Well I have stumbled onto that answer.  You see, I went to Washington State-Seattle area- for my boy’s wedding.  Been 40 years since I’ve seen this area and was I ever surprised.  It seems that all the dis-placed Califonica hippies migrated to the upper northwest.  I’m talking shorts, flower shirts, sandles, pasley summer dresses, beads, tattooes and piercings aplenty.  Some people just won’t grow up.  About one out of ten were wearing ty-dyed peace symbol t-shirts.  I kid you not.  These people still scream at those in military uniform as baby-killers (shades of Vietnam) and spit at these G.I.s…although not very often.  It is becoming apparent to the protestors (freedom-of-speech speakers) that the NCO’s and some officers are turning a blind eye to the preverbile knuckle sandwich being doled out to these same spatters.  These are the same mindless idiots that use “stop the hate” in any part of a conversation that assails their ears.  I just want to say the wedding was the highlight of my trip and it was a blast.  Now for my observations of the area it was my displeasure to endure.

I was to be shown an open market area that Seattle is famous for.  Seattle; where many of the buildings are old and without up-keep or care.  For that matter, most of the housing I saw in Seattle and Tacoma area suffered the same fate.  The market had many “artisians” as the center focus.  You had painters, jewelers, beanie-baby makers, bakers and curio shop owners.  They did seem to have a dis-proportionate amount of fish and flower merchants.  Entertainment was supplied from street artisians.  In one block there was a violinist, 3 guitarists, a guy playing drums (plastic paint buckets and bottles-although he was pretty good) and a juggling mime that looked like Bozo the Clown’s homosexual sister.  Did I say homosexual?  In Seattle (and every other place I went) these people are out of the closet….WAY out of the closet.  The only public bathroom in the market I didn’t use because if someone wasn’t checking out the “buffet” at the urinals, others were openly shooting up drugs.  Drug addicts?  They do it on the stoops of houses; in the public square; in the bathrooms.  For all to see including the kids.

Children are allowed to do whatever they like since their parents seem to be oblivious (or they just don’t want to discipline and scar the child for life).  So you have little monsters breaking crap in stores, running into you and stepping on your feet.  Yelling-screaming-whinning.  Hey.  It’s just part of being a kid.  They’ll be bums soon enough.  Did I say bums?  Wherever there is an open space on a step, street corner or sidewalk you will find a bum.  These aren’t homeless people.  These are panderers smoking cigarettes (and other things) collecting money because they are too lazy to get a job.  Prostitutes are aplenty also.

These displaced hippies are usually always smiling and happy-externally.  Why?  Because they are allowed the luxury of living the day, screwing off, no responsibilities (I know what you are thinking but forget about it.  To them things happen cause it’s …….karma) AND they still have the laws which allow them so much for “personal” use.  Just heard that they are going to cut back on that amount here soon.  If reality ever set in with these people and they had no drugs to mask the “real” world, Zolof would be the next in thing.  Hence why we need O’Bummers’ health/prescription plan.

I didn’t see but 3 (and I was looking) O’Bummer stickers but that wasn’t surprising because who would they be trying to convert?  Land of the loonies.  Losers.  Liberals.  I did see the one redeeming feature there in Seattle-the very first Starbucks with the original symbol (these people aren’t scared to show a braless 2 tailed mermaid sign above a storefront).  I ordered one and it was good.  They do something special with the beans at this place but I wasn’t about to ask what they did.

Now that I have gotten this out of my head, maybe the nightmares will stop and I can get a decent night’s sleep for the first time in 5 days.  Did I tell you the wedding was great?

Oh, and for Wolve.  I have a partial answer to your container quandry.  Per dock workers and railroad emplyees, they ship empty containers back after foreign vessels have off-loaded their goods.  Those very same containers return to the good ol’ U S of A with more foreign goods.  This all came about by accident because I was wondering what all the Russian sailors were doing there.  Sorry to ruin your day.  And Russians get kinda ripe-like within 50 feet ripe.  I do think the awnings they use as hats are cute though.  That’s whenever they aren’t dressed in civies wearing frog hats.  Those silly Ruskies!

Posted in Culture | 31 Comments »

Polarization

Monday, August 17th, 2009


Polarization: a sharp division, as of a population or group, into opposing factions.

Right now, the country is in the process of becoming polarized. Liberals have covered the truth about Obama enough that his agenda, now coming out in the policies and people he chooses, are so far left that many of the right are not just unhappy, they are more than angry. The right is enraged.

How is this possible? It is possible because the only people in power are politicians. There are so few politicians that actually care about the issues from a standpoint of doing what is right, that regardless of which side they are working, they do it for the wrong reasons. (Not all … I particularly support KC4AG because he is principled in his decisions … consider that a shameless plug!) Many of the Republicans are there not because they believe how they vote, but do so to “represent” the people. I’m sorry, but I think that is wrong.

Because there are no fundamental universal principles for the country, it is inevitable that it fracture. Why can’t we just get along? Because there are those that call evil good and good evil, we cannot get along. It doesn’t matter which set of good and evil each side holds; it only matters that what is in view is total polarization.

Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;
Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness;
Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!

Because we have no absolutes in common, because so many will call evil what so many others call good, the country cannot stand. The house divided against itself cannot stand.

Do two walk together
unless they have agreed to do so?

There is no agreement among the people of this country. So the people cannot walk together. Without the glue that binds us, the moral/religious views that brought the people here in the first place, this country becomes a house divided against itself. It cannot stand.

Tags:
Posted in Culture, Obamanation, Uncategorized, religion | 156 Comments »

« Older Entries