When the Russian newspaper Pravda runs a column that pronounces American capitalism is dead, one should stop and contemplate the course this country is taking. Pravda is the former state run newspaper of communist Russia. It was the mouthpiece of the regime.
"American Capitalism Gone With A Whimper" is the title of the opinion piece. This headline wouldn't stir any controversy if published in any right leaning conservative publication. It would be par for the course, even considered preaching to the choir. Published in Pravda makes it an entirely different animal.
Stand up, speak out. Contact your representatives. Call them out when they drop the ball or can't seem to tell the truth because they are too caught up in their own lies. Don't let them dictate the direction this country is headed as if no one cares. That may be asking too much. There is a multitude of citizens who are actually too busy watching American Idol and following the sleazy exploits of the pointless lives of Hollywood schmucks to care about the little details like freedom and liberty.
June 03, 2009
May 26, 2009
Obama's Supreme Court Nominee
Obama's Supreme Court nominee...discuss amongst yourselves. Does anyone remember the firefighters whose advancement test results were thrown out because the racial minority test takers didn't score high enough? The Appelate Court judge who wrote the opinion is this nominee.
May 24, 2009
Mobile Blogging Test
Testing mobile blogging from my cell phone. I could really use a qwerty keyboard.
May 12, 2009
Failure Of Socialism
From The New York Times - November 13, 1857
Click "View Full Article" under the first paragraph.
Even going back 150 years it was obvious that Socialism is a failed political system. Coming from a commentary in The New York Times makes it all the more poignant.
The sheeple were swindled in this last election cycle. The President ran his campaign as a "hopey changey" moderate. He portrayed his far left agenda as change. He used languge to prod the electorate into voting against George Bush but not particularly for him. Well, he won and now we have our cake and we are being forced to eat it too. The Hopey Changey" Administration now owns most of the financial industry, the auto industry and is making a hard charge for the healthcare industry.
In his first 100 days in office, Obama has spent more than the Dubya Administration did in eight years. Where is the outrage? Obama increased the size and scope of our military commitment in Afghanistan. Where is the outrage? I could go on but I won't because my blood pressure is rising.
Most of the folks I correspond with probably disagree with my politics. Maybe I should stick to trains and photography. Discussing politics and religion is always dangerous territory. I have some wonderful friends who vehemently disagree with me about politics. That's healthy. We are still friends yet political adversaries. Our votes and voices are our weapons agaist the "enemy".
Click "View Full Article" under the first paragraph.
Even going back 150 years it was obvious that Socialism is a failed political system. Coming from a commentary in The New York Times makes it all the more poignant.
The sheeple were swindled in this last election cycle. The President ran his campaign as a "hopey changey" moderate. He portrayed his far left agenda as change. He used languge to prod the electorate into voting against George Bush but not particularly for him. Well, he won and now we have our cake and we are being forced to eat it too. The Hopey Changey" Administration now owns most of the financial industry, the auto industry and is making a hard charge for the healthcare industry.
In his first 100 days in office, Obama has spent more than the Dubya Administration did in eight years. Where is the outrage? Obama increased the size and scope of our military commitment in Afghanistan. Where is the outrage? I could go on but I won't because my blood pressure is rising.
Most of the folks I correspond with probably disagree with my politics. Maybe I should stick to trains and photography. Discussing politics and religion is always dangerous territory. I have some wonderful friends who vehemently disagree with me about politics. That's healthy. We are still friends yet political adversaries. Our votes and voices are our weapons agaist the "enemy".
May 05, 2009
Our Out Of Control Government
Just perusing the recently retracted Department of Homeland Security's Office of Intelligence and Analysis Domestic Extremism Lexicon "Reference Aid". It apparently classifies a large portion of the population as extremists. It's overarching broad descriptions of "extremist" groups opens up a myriad of possibilities for agencies to target individuals for their perceived extremist views. As an example, I fully support 2nd Amendment rights. If I actively pursue forms of support for repealing gun laws or protesting new legislation I may be targeted as a militia member according to the lexicon description. Read through some of these to see which extremist group YOU may be a "member" of according to the DHS.
The bracketed (U) stands for unclassified and (U//FOUO) stands for unclassified, for official use only. The post title is a link to the document.
Apparently media other than "mainstream" is subversive and dangerous. The truth is not important, the source is. The DHS is of the opinion that as long as the sheeple continue to watch the alphabet soup networks (abc, nbc, cbs, etc.) they will be fully propagandized.
Racism of any form is antithetical to everything I believe. God created us in his image and we are all his children (there's a radical notion we should fear!) However, it is troubling that DHS describes "hate groups" mainly as white supremacists. Is not Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam a hate group? La Raza? The lexicon descriptions of the various minority extremist groups do not describe them as racist even though their actions are. If you are a minority is it not possible to be racist as well?
O.K., this is really confusing. The term "patriot" is now being given a negative connotation. Can someone be antigovernment without being violent? Of course. Lets also throw in "Christian" as well. Saying that the movement "primarily" comprises violent antigovernment groups does not specify that if you are NOT violent you are not an extremist because you believe the government to be too big and too powerful. While revolutions can be violent such as the American Revolution, a revolution in general terms can mean many things other than violence. Associating the American Revolution with an extremist group is an subversive way of targeting those who would want more of the freedoms our Founding Fathers intended and less government intrusion. There is a quote that goes something like, 'When people fear their government, that is tyrrany. When government fears the people, that is liberty.'
Just having the term "broadly divided" in the above description should scare everyone. Somehow rejecting federal authority for state and local authority is a bad thing? Can anyone provide me with an example of some statute, program, code or law that can be equally applied and relevant to all fifty sates? Under this definition of rightwing extremism, the Founders are just that. They believed in a weak centralized government and strong state governments.
My head is going to explode. I am an extremist because I think the government takes far too much money from me to give to people, places, causes and events that I do not wish to support. They believe that my hard earned dollars are theirs to use in whatever way they see fit. A good example is sending hundreds of millions of dollars to "community groups" such as ACORN that perpetrate voter fraud. Their mention of the 16th Amendment in the context of "it's in the Constitution" gives the impression that anyone who opposes is a radical. The 16th Amendment which was ratified to fund the Civil War snowballed over the next century into our current confiscatory tax system. What's not to like about that? Raise your hand if you support higher taxes and more debt. Anyone?
Here the problem is a radical group being identified by it's fashion and music among other things. Um, I actually own a pair of Doc Marten shoes. Not boots, but shoes. I also have a pair or two of jeans. I guess I've slipped into the dark realm of the skinheads.
The entirety of this report should be troubling to all of us as Americans. That your political or personal views can be deemed extremist by the government and could possibly put you on some terrorist watch list should frighten everyone. This lexicon broadly describes so many belief systems that nearly everyone in America could find some portion of one of these groups that they would be in agreement with.
The bracketed (U) stands for unclassified and (U//FOUO) stands for unclassified, for official use only. The post title is a link to the document.
(U) alternative media
(U//FOUO) A term used to describe various information
sources that provide a forum for interpretations of events and
issues that differ radically from those presented in mass
media products and outlets.
Apparently media other than "mainstream" is subversive and dangerous. The truth is not important, the source is. The DHS is of the opinion that as long as the sheeple continue to watch the alphabet soup networks (abc, nbc, cbs, etc.) they will be fully propagandized.
(U) hate groups
(U//FOUO)A term most often used to describe white
supremacist groups. It is occasionally used to describe other
racist extremist groups.
Racism of any form is antithetical to everything I believe. God created us in his image and we are all his children (there's a radical notion we should fear!) However, it is troubling that DHS describes "hate groups" mainly as white supremacists. Is not Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam a hate group? La Raza? The lexicon descriptions of the various minority extremist groups do not describe them as racist even though their actions are. If you are a minority is it not possible to be racist as well?
(U) patriot movement
(U//FOUO) A term used by rightwing extremists to link their
beliefs to those commonly associated with the American
Revolution. The patriot movement primarily comprises
violent antigovernment groups such as militias and sovereign
citizens.
(also: Christian patriots, patriot group, Constitutionalists,
Constitutionist)
O.K., this is really confusing. The term "patriot" is now being given a negative connotation. Can someone be antigovernment without being violent? Of course. Lets also throw in "Christian" as well. Saying that the movement "primarily" comprises violent antigovernment groups does not specify that if you are NOT violent you are not an extremist because you believe the government to be too big and too powerful. While revolutions can be violent such as the American Revolution, a revolution in general terms can mean many things other than violence. Associating the American Revolution with an extremist group is an subversive way of targeting those who would want more of the freedoms our Founding Fathers intended and less government intrusion. There is a quote that goes something like, 'When people fear their government, that is tyrrany. When government fears the people, that is liberty.'
(U) rightwing extremism
(U//FOUO) A movement of rightwing groups or individuals
who can be broadly divided into those who are primarily
hate-oriented, and those who are mainly antigovernment and
reject federal authority in favor of state or local authority.
This term also may refer to rightwing extremist movements
that are dedicated to a single issue, such as opposition to
abortion or immigration.
(also known as far right, extreme right)
Just having the term "broadly divided" in the above description should scare everyone. Somehow rejecting federal authority for state and local authority is a bad thing? Can anyone provide me with an example of some statute, program, code or law that can be equally applied and relevant to all fifty sates? Under this definition of rightwing extremism, the Founders are just that. They believed in a weak centralized government and strong state governments.
(U) tax resistance movement
(U//FOUO) Groups or individuals who vehemently believe
taxes violate their constitutional rights. Among their beliefs
are that wages are not income, that paying income taxes is
voluntary, and that the 16th Amendment to the
U.S. Constitution, which allowed Congress to levy taxes on
income, was not properly ratified. Members have been
known to advocate or engage in criminal activity and plot acts
of violence and terrorism in an attempt to advance their
extremist goals. They often target government entities such
as the Internal Revenue Service and the Bureau of Alcohol,
Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
(also: tax protest movement, tax freedom movement, antitax
movement)
My head is going to explode. I am an extremist because I think the government takes far too much money from me to give to people, places, causes and events that I do not wish to support. They believe that my hard earned dollars are theirs to use in whatever way they see fit. A good example is sending hundreds of millions of dollars to "community groups" such as ACORN that perpetrate voter fraud. Their mention of the 16th Amendment in the context of "it's in the Constitution" gives the impression that anyone who opposes is a radical. The 16th Amendment which was ratified to fund the Civil War snowballed over the next century into our current confiscatory tax system. What's not to like about that? Raise your hand if you support higher taxes and more debt. Anyone?
(U) skinheads
(U//FOUO) A subculture composed primarily of
working-class, white youth who embrace shaved heads for
males, substance abuse, and violence. Skinheads can be
categorized as racist, anti-racist or “traditional,” which
emphasizes group unity based on fashion, music, and lifestyle
rather than political ideology. Dress often includes a shaved
head or very short hair, jeans, thin suspenders, combat boots
or Doc Martens, and a bomber jacket.
Here the problem is a radical group being identified by it's fashion and music among other things. Um, I actually own a pair of Doc Marten shoes. Not boots, but shoes. I also have a pair or two of jeans. I guess I've slipped into the dark realm of the skinheads.
The entirety of this report should be troubling to all of us as Americans. That your political or personal views can be deemed extremist by the government and could possibly put you on some terrorist watch list should frighten everyone. This lexicon broadly describes so many belief systems that nearly everyone in America could find some portion of one of these groups that they would be in agreement with.
April 21, 2009
Dianne Feinstein Benefits From The Foreclosure Crisis
Not surprisingly my California Senator who "represents" me is benefitting from the current mortgage foreclosure debacle. Her husband, Richard Blum is Chairman of the Board of CB Richard Ellis (CBRE), a large commercial real estate firm. CBRE won the government contract to sell foreclosed properties that the FDIC had inherited. Feinstein sent a letter to the FDIC offering to help them secure funding to help stem the rise in home foreclosures just days before the FDIC determined that CBRE would be awarded the contract.
Around the same time as the contract award, Blum's private investment firm reported to the SEC that it and it's affiliates had purchased ten million new shares in CBRE. The shares were purchased at the going price of $3.77. Shares closed Monday at $5.14. Gosh, what great coincidental timing for that purchase. That makes a profit of nearly fourteen million dollars!
They're all a bunch of crooks in D.C. They need to be thrown out on their butts! Both sides of the aisle.
Click the post title for the full story at the Washington Times
Around the same time as the contract award, Blum's private investment firm reported to the SEC that it and it's affiliates had purchased ten million new shares in CBRE. The shares were purchased at the going price of $3.77. Shares closed Monday at $5.14. Gosh, what great coincidental timing for that purchase. That makes a profit of nearly fourteen million dollars!
They're all a bunch of crooks in D.C. They need to be thrown out on their butts! Both sides of the aisle.
Click the post title for the full story at the Washington Times
April 10, 2009
Can You Tell I'm Bored?
Two video posts in one day. Not healthy! I've been trying to "come down" after the birth of my Grandson. Today has really been low key.
Just For Fun
Just a video I found quite interesting from "Francis and the Lights". Makes me think of a hybrid of David Byrne (Talking Heads) and Kramer from Seinfeld.
The Top (Music Video) from Francis and the Lights on Vimeo.
The Top (Music Video) from Francis and the Lights on Vimeo.
April 08, 2009
April 04, 2009
Obama Administration Pushing "Net Neutrality"
They just ca't keep their regulatory paws off of free enterprise and the free market, can they? Here's a short article on how the fine print in the socialist porkulus bill that no one was allowed to read before it was voted on is bit by bit killing freedoms in this country.
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