This is a true story. I remember a pastor who was having some trouble with a few members of his congregation. Finally, the dissatisfied members left the church. His comment on the situation was:
Every church needs a good bowel movement occasionally.
That sums it up for me. The same applies to the Republican Party. We just need to strain a little harder to get rid of some more useless waste.
Adios. Hasta la vista. Sayonara. Arrivederci. Au revoir. Dasvidanya. Auf wiedersehen. See ya. Don't let the door hit you on the way out.
Another winner from this Zinner. Boatloads of ripe Zin fruit.
Dark, sultry black ruby. Ridiculously fruity nose, with gobs of ripe, spicy, lush berry juice, a squeeze of ripe lemon, and some tangy spice. Broad, expansive mouthfeel, with a richness of flavor at odds with its light mouth weight. Lots of red fruit and gravelly earth flavors. Not very complex, but wonderfully fun to drink. 88. Was $20 at Spec's on Smith.
Good, solid example of the basic, old-fashioned, oaky California Chardonnay.
Deep gold color. On the nose, spicy vanilla, intense ripe pear and apple skin fruit. Soft, viscous texture, with a bit of peppery heat, and featuring flavors of vanilla, caramel, and slightly bitter melon. Good acid balance. 87. Was a gift, but I think it's available for around $15 at Spec's.
Dang it. I expected more from this wine from my Italian ancestral region. It was overextracted and a bit pruney.
Fully saturated blackish blood plasma color. Pungent, sweet earthy scent over pruney fruit. Full and highly extracted, but also showing a bit of oxidation in the mouth. C. About $12 from North Berkeley Imports.
An Italian cruise ship was attacked Saturday by Somali pirates. This time, the pirates got a surprise. The cruise line hired an Israeli security team to protect the ship. Needless to say, one Israeli male has more kahunas than 10 men from any other country. Heck, an Israeli FEMALE has more kahunas than men from other countries.
As the Muslim Somali pirates approached the cruise ship, the Israeli security team returned fire and sprayed them with water hoses. The pirates retreated.
Cira Pinto, captain of the cruise ship said this:
After four or five minutes, they tried to put a ladder on the bow...when they saw we were shooting, they abandoned their effort and went away.
Take note America, Germany, France, Britain - this is how you deal with pirates/terrorists.
The ACLU (Anti-American Center for Leftists and Ultraliberals) has been pushing for release of photographs depicting "torture" of prisoners by American troops. After a very weak attempt to block the release the Obama Administration rolled over. Thanks Barry. You're a true patriot.
This is all based on the leftist beliefs that America is bad, America is arrogant, America is the evil in this world.
Does anyone remember what happened the last time similar photos were released? The real enemy targeted American soldiers and many deaths occurred. When this happens again, can we prosecute the ACLU and Obama?
President Obama showed his hand this week when The New York Times wrote that he is considering converting the stock the government owns in our country’s banks from preferred stock, which it now holds, to common stock.
This seemingly insignificant change is momentous. It means that the federal government will control all of the major banks and financial institutions in the nation. It means socialism.
The Times dutifully dressed up the Obama plan as a way to avoid asking Congress for more money for failing banks. But the implications of the proposal are obvious to anyone who cares to look.
When the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) intervention was first outlined by the Bush administration, it did not call for any transfer of stock, of any sort, to the government. The Democrats demanded, as a price for their support, that the taxpayers “get something back” for the money they were lending to the banks. House Republicans, wise to what was going on, rejected the administration’s proposal and sought, instead, to provide insurance to banks, rather than outright cash. Their plan would, of course, not involve any transfer of stock. But Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) undercut his own party’s conservatives and went along with the Democratic plan, ensuring its passage.
But to avoid the issue of a potential for government control of the banks, everybody agreed that the stock the feds would take back in return for their money would be preferred stock, not common stock. “Preferred” means that these stockholders get the first crack at dividends, but only common stockholders can actually vote on company management or policy. Now, by changing this fundamental element of the TARP plan, Obama will give Washington a voting majority among the common stockholders of these banks and other financial institutions. The almost 500 companies receiving TARP money will be, in effect, run by Washington.
And whoever controls the banks controls the credit and, therefore, the economy. That’s called socialism.
Obama is dressing up the idea of the switch to common stock by noting that the conversion would provide the banks with capital they could use without a further taxpayer appropriation. While this is true, it flies in the face of the fact that an increasing number of big banks and brokerage houses are clamoring to give back the TARP money. Goldman-Sachs, for example, wants to buy back its freedom, as do many banks. Even AIG is selling off assets to dig its way out from under federal control. The reason, of course, is that company executives do not like the restrictions on executive pay and compensation that come with TARP money. It is for this reason that Chrysler Motors refused TARP funds.
With bank profits up and financial institutions trying to give back their money, there is no need for the conversion of the government stock from preferred to common — except to advance the political socialist agenda of this administration.
This post is dedicated to my grandmother who passed away August 17, 2008. Unfortunately for us, there is only one Ann Coulter. Too many people in the media are conciliatory and politically correct. Not Ann. Despite her abrasive personality (abrasive to liberals and moderates), her recent mother's passing has shown us a very different Ann.
Ann, your mother's eulogy was wonderful and very personal for me. I was raised by my grandmother who took me into her care when I was six months old to give me a chance at a better life. While she was working class and always considered herself to be a Democrat, it was the strong moral foundation and sense of personal responsibility she taught me that made me the strong conservative I am today. Also to her credit, by the time Bill Clinton made it to the national scene, she was voting Republican.
It was the excerpt below from the eulogy that got to me. It was very personal for me. You see, I lost my grandmother last August quickly and unexpectedly. She was 91 years old but was in reasonably good health. A doctor's change in hypertension medication precipitated a hemorrhagic stroke within 24 hours. I never got to say 'goodbye'. I never got to say 'thank you'. Opportunities were there but I never took them.
And I'll never see my mother's beautiful face again, at least not for the next several decades here on Earth. I've been looking at her across the room in doctors' offices over the past few years, thinking to myself: There will come a point when you won't see that face again.
Her angelic face always looked like home to me. My whole life, as soon as I'd see my mother's face I'd know I was safe, whether I was a little girl lost in a department store or a big girl with a problem, who needed her mother.
If there is someone who has had a positive impact on your life, let them know now. You may not get another chance.
This is one of the best things I've read in a long time. A liberal college student enrolled undercover to write a book exposing intolerance and hatred at Jerry Falwell's Liberty University. What he found was intolerance and hatred from the left.
Very good but not worth the price. Rosso di Montalcinos usually command a $5 -$10 premium over their cousins just to the north (the Chianti Classicos), but I tend towards the Chiantis. The clone of Sangiovese used in Montalcino, to my taste, tends towards darker, lower-toned flavors (which I occasionally crave); Chianti Classicos tend to have higher-toned, more cherryish fruit and a brighter mouthfeel.
This was very dark-colored with some brickish tinges at the rim. Low-toned nose whose primary component was scorched earth, along with some dark black cherry scents. Broadly-flavored, deep-toned plummy fruit, with the back end comprising mostly scorched earth and mineral notes. Lots of tannin (although it was not harsh tannin, by any stretch). Might be better and softer in a year or 2. 86+ Was pushing $25 at Spec's on Smith. (Vinifera Imports.)
Holding up remarkably well for a 4-year old simple Beaujolais, this wine was crisp and refreshing.
Youthful dark ruby color. Crisp, minerally scents and tart cherry aromas. Lean, light-bodied, with good, focused tart cherry flavors and tangy acidity. 86. I got it on-line from North Berkeley Imports. Lists for $11.50.
Well, two apology tours under his belt and the apologies and scraping continue. At some point he has to go to the Orient - what could await us there? Apologize to the Phillipines for propping up their economy, to Vietnam for attempting to liberate half their country...perhaps to Japan for fighting a needless war with them sometime in the last century because of our arrogance? The mind reels at the possibilities! What BHO fails to realize in his incredible lightness of being is that when the President travels overseas, or speaks to foreign leaders, it's not a popularity contest! He is supposed to speak as the voice of the nation, not as the global messiah. * We are also dealing with a psychological condition that has created a two part theorem that I would call "The Premise of O." If this theory were not being tested on the world stage with real lives and fortunes at stake, it would be funny but, alas, here we are.
The premise is in two parts:
I. By apologizing for anything and everything from Harry Truman dropping the bomb to our cultural "arrogance," we will get a fresh start with everyone.
II. By making ourselves weak, we become strong.
The first part of the premise has a corollary to it which is closely connected to a rather frightening messianic complex that BHO seems to exhibit and it is that ALL was bad before the O. In fact, why don't be change our annual numbering system and allow this to be the first year of O, or AO1. Last year, would be the Bad Before O or BBO1. Our nation was founded not in 1776, but in BBO232. But now, with the sweetness and light of Obama's smooth talk, the rest of the nations swoon! The Iranians put down their bombs, Al Queda turns itself in - comforted that they will not longer be tortured or prosecuted, Kim Jong Il tears down the fences singing Kumbaya with his disarmed soldiers at the border and Hugo Chavez and Fidel now say that the United States is a great nation that should strengthen and prosper instead of being destroyed.
Well, that's the vision anyway...how's it playing so far? Hmm, not like the dream. That's because it is just that - a dream, a fantasy. With his messianic complex going before, this guy really believes he can make the "ice stop melting" and can talk to the animals. The only evil that exists in this tormented world is that of "right wing extremists." The sad reality is that evil does exist - sadder still, is that the folks who keep that evil away from our shores and call it for what it is , are the targets of this administration. What we saw on 9/11 was not caused by regular nice guys who just couldn't take America's arrogance anymore. No, what we saw was evil incarnate. We saw people who believed they could do what they did because we had done nothing to respond to prior aggressions like the U.S.S. Cole and the embassy bombings in Africa. They thought we were finished, kaput, afraid to fight. Thank God we showed them they were wrong. And like or hate George W. Bush, after 9/11, in 8 years we were not attacked again on our soil. Given the direction this administration is taking, I have serious doubts that another 8 will pass without an attack. And this leads me to the falacy of the second part of the "Premise of O."
Christ is the only figure in history who created strength because of his weakness and he paid a gruesome price for it. Of course, that he was also God, as Christians believe, might have had something to do with it too. And his message was compelling and noble. To turn the other cheek when you have been wronged as an individual is a noble thing to do that advances society. To turn the other cheek when you are a nation is a path to destruction and termination as a society. Does BHO really believe he can pull off at a national level in AO1, what Christ could barely do for a ragged population in BBO2009?
Let's take the notion of "torture," as a prime example. As I am sure you already know, BHO has declassified portions of the CIA memoranda on "torture" in the aftermath of 9/11. They are carefully leaving out the parts of the memos that spell out what we gained from these "tortures," and how many lives were saved. When we talk of "torture" though, we really need to ask five questions:
1. Who is being "tortured?"
2. How are we "torturing?"
3. Why are we "torturing?"
4. Did it work?
5. Are we safer moving forward now that we have exposed our methods?
Question number one - umm, yes you in the back...do you have the answer?
"Yeah, we are torturing murderous, suicidal, maniacal Muslim extremists who believe that their God calls on them to kill people who don't subscribe to their religion. These people would gladly impose a tyranical theocracy on the whole world where women would be sent back to a caste lower than farm animals. They have murdered thousands upon thousands of their own people and believe that no one is off limits as a target."
Very good! You obviously are not a memer of the Obama administration! I would only add to that fine answer that these are the same people that like sawing off live people's heads on YouTube for fun. Now this is not to get into a moral equivalency argument, but it should serve to remind people that the prisoners that were "tortured" were not members of the Vienna Boys Choir.
Question number two...yes, you with your hand up on the right there...
"The worst thing we are doing to these folks is submitting them to a treatment that makes them feel they are drowning - scary stuff I am sure - same stuff that anyone who went through the military's SERE (Search Evasion Resistance Escape) school would experience. It's not as bad for those folks though because they know they are not going to be killed...oh wait, the bad guys know that too now...but anyway, some sleep deprivation, maybe a little humiliation in the mix."
Wow, this is a good class! Let's take a break and watch a referesher video:
OK - on to question three - WHY are we torturing? Let's see, you in the red shirt with the beagle logo...
"Torture is used to gather actionable intelligence. Our problem after 9/11 was particularly difficult because we didn't have knowledge of any specific plots, we just knew there was a good chance we would get hit again. There is a particularly useful discussion on this over at Stratfor."
Whoa, how did you get a hyperlink into your verbal answer? Yes, the Stratfor piece is very useful in understanding this issue and you are right. In no way is it indiscriminate, common or rampant...we are still very much the good guys. Shame that the left can't bring themselves to look at us that way, but compared to the enemy, our guys are saints.
Q4 - did it work? Yes, the nice looking gentleman with bald pate and glasses...are you Dick Cheney?
"No, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night. The short answer is 'yes, it worked.' We don't know the details yet because those portions of the memos have not been de-classified. But we had eight years of no attacks on US soil and numerous hints of plots that were foiled. In short, American lives were saved."
Now the biggy - who would like to answer question number 5 - are we safer without them? Yes, the lady with the "Texas Longhorns" t-shirt -
"Hell no. I mean, time will tell, but the odds are not good. Does BHO REALLY believe that by telling the Islamokooks what to expect if they end up in one of our 'hotels,' that they are now not going to join the Jihad? This guy is dumber than soap..."
Ma'am - please, he is the President of the United States...let us not stoop to the hatred that the left vented on Mr. Bush for eight long years.
Well, that wraps up this portion of our class on why being weaker does not make you stronger!
So, to sum up and restate the Premise of O - we have a leader who through naivete or lack of intelligence beleives that he can make the lion lie down with the lamb...or better, he can be the lamb that lies down with the lion? Either way, he has set us on a path that was last attemted by Jimmy Carter. Carter is arguably the reason we are where we are now as it was under his "watch" that the first major blow of the Muslim world was landed on us with no response - the taking of our Embassy in Tehran. We tried talking then too and it didn't get us very far. The world is a much more dangerous place now. Let us pray...
Rumble on!
*Dorothy Rabinowitz has an excellent column on this here.
When I was growing up my family used to watch the Miss America pageant every year. It was viewed as near the equivalent of the crowning of a queen. Now, it is a joke. Viewership has dropped considerably and one only needs to take a closer look to understand why.
I will probably catch some flak for this but it needs to be said. There are two basic types of Miss America contestants. There are the "airheads" who are all beauty and no brains. Then there are the intelligent beauties who offer a complete package.
Miss California Carrie Prejean may not be a candidate for the Mensa Society but at least she gave an honest, coherent answer to a question from a complete and total moron. Did her answer about gay marriage cost her the Miss America crown? It sure looks that way and that is the saddest part of all of this mess.
In response to a question about gay marriage from viciously gay pageant judge and all-around lowlife Perez Hilton, Miss California had this to say:
We live in a land where you can choose same-sex marriage or opposite. And you know what, I think in my country, in my family, I think that I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman. No offense to anybody out there, but that's how I was raised.
What's wrong with that answer? It was honest. Don't we live in America where we have freedom to speak our minds? Isn't this nothing more than political correctness taken to a ridiculous level?
After the pageant was over, Perez Hilton had the unmitigated gall to bash Carrie Prejean and insult her with a profane name that I will not show here. In addition, he unrepentantly admitted that Miss Prejean lost the crown because of her "anti-gay" answer. Here's what he said:
She lost it because of that question. She was definitely the front-runner before that.
Even Co-director of the Miss CA USA pageant weighed in against Miss Prejean:
As co-director of the Miss California USA, I am personally saddened and hurt that Miss California believes marriage rights belong only to a man and a woman...I do not believe our government should be able to discriminate against anyone and religious beliefs have no politics in the Miss California family.
Dork. Then why did you allow the question to be asked?
Miss Prejean may choose the high road but she should consider a discrimination lawsuit. Despite what the pageant organizers allege, Miss Prejean was singled out for that question because she is a Christian. She was to be an example to future Miss America contestants to check her beliefs at the door if they are contrary to liberal ideology.
It did cost me my crown. I wouldn’t have had it any other way. I said what I feel. I stated an opinion that was true to myself and that’s all I can do. It is a very touchy subject and I see where [Hilton] was coming from and I see the audience would’ve wanted me to be more politically correct. But I was raised in a way that you can never compromise your beliefs and your opinions for anything.
Bravo, Miss Prejean. You did the right thing. You were the only one who was honest.
While attending the Summit Racing Equipment Southern Nationals, I got to interview Business Owner and Top Fuel Owner Bill Miller of Bill Miller Engineering!
As soon as I can get it uploaded, I will have the 45 minute interview on a podcast!
President Obama is going to cut $100 Million out of department budgets!!!
OH MY GOD THAT'S SO AMAZING!
And now, he only has the other 99.99% of the $1,300,000,000,000 deficit to get rid of!
Seriously? This administration is going to make a big hooplah about reducing 0.01% of the budget shortfall for this year?
To put it in perspective, If Barack was buying a $1,000 HDTV, he would have bargained the salesman down a DIME.
Now that we know how AWESOME of a negotiator the president is, let's see how well he convinces Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to cut out the Anti-Semitic rhetoric at meetings meant to eliminate racism.
Another excellent, good value Carmenere. This one is $11.99 at Whole Foods on Bellaire.
The color was a nearly saturated, sultry black ruby. Unlike a lot of Carmeneres I've had, this one showed off its nose as soon as I opened it (usually I find that young Carmeneres are closed-nosed until they've been open a while). Lots of rich, tobacco-y, coffee grounds scents with loads of ripe blackberry syrup and gravelly earth. In the mouth it displayed a soft but dense texture, and low-toned flavors of cigar box, blackberry extract, and loamy earth. Good weight and balance, with lots of soft tannin adding some nice structure. Nice now, this will be even better in a year. 88+. (Importer: Winesellers Ltd., Skokie, Ill.)
Over the years, a lot of people have asked me how I choose what to buy from so many producers and yet still get very few clunkers. I think one of the most important factors with non-U.S. wine is the importer. Choosing a wine from a good importer can get you 75% of the way to an enjoyable surprise.
Seriously.
There are some really high-quality importers out there who take great care selecting what they'll bring in. Many even take care to ensure that they align themselves with wineries that share their views on what techniques make the most genuine and flavorful wine, such as yields per acre (high yields make thin, watery wine), chemical treatments (insisting on minimizing these), yeasts for fermenting (use whatever yeasts occur naturally on the grape skins), no or minimal filtering (which can strip flavor and texture), use of oak or not for ageing (it's complementary for some wines, but detracts from others).
So from now on, I'm going to try remember to list the importer in my notes. Not only should it help in choosing other wines one is not familiar with, but it will help if you want a retailer to order a particular wine for you, since he or she will know where to get it.
Here are a few off-the-top-of my head thoughts on some of the importers I think are top-notch:
ERIC SOLOMON -- One of the very best. His wines from the south of France and Spain tend to be loaded to the brim with flavor and usually not burdened with unwarranted oak.
LOUIS/DRESSNER -- Generally chooses wines that are absolutely the textbook exemplars of their appellations (French, mostly), with great balance and minimal oak.
KYSELA -- Lots of good value choices from all over France.
HAND-PICKED SELECTIONS -- Similar to Kysela in my mind. Lots of value-driven French wines with lots of flavor.
ROBERT KACHER -- Kacher's wines are usually very flavorful, unoaked, and extremely youthful tasting. I think he gets growers to bottle extra early, which frequently means that his wines benefit from decanting to get them a little more air time to develop their nose and flavors. I think Richard's stores have an exclusive with this importer (in Houston), so that's where to find them.
NORTH BERKELEY -- Hard, if not impossible to find their wines in stores here, but they now ship direct to individuals! I'm surmising they have similar philosophy to Louis/Dressner, with classic renditions of wines from the appellations in question (French, mostly, also), with great balance and minimal oak. Here's the link for ordering: http://www.northberkeleyimports.com/home/
JORGE ORDONEZ -- One of the premier Spanish wine importers; has a great line-up of flavorful, value-driven wines. Tends to favor a modern Spanish style, emphasizing lots of ripe fruit and soft textures.
PARTICK MATA "OLE" Selections -- Another great Spanish importer, I sense that he favors a crisper, less overtly ripe style than Ordonez. Lots of good values here. (Central Market carries a lot of his wines).
LEONARDO LOCASCIO -- For Italian wine values, this guy's the best. Seeks out wineries that make flavorful, classic examples of their region, at very fair prices.
VINIFERA -- Excellent importer of more high-end Italian offerings. Wines have lots of character, but I'm not sure if I can discern a "house style" here.
VIAS -- Another high-end Italian importer with lots of interesting wines.
KERMIT LYNCH -- A great selector of good value French wines, particularly from southern Burgundy (Maconnais, Beaujolais) and the Rhone Valley ands other parts of the south of France.
NEAL ROSENTHAL -- This is an excellent but idiosyncratic importer of French and Italian wines. My experience has been that he tends to favor wines in a leaner, more minerally style than many other importers at this level, but make no mistake, he's got a very good portfolio.
I'm sure this stream of consciousness post has resulted in me leaving off some good importers. As I think of more, I'll add to the list. In the meantime:
. . . when buying . . . TURN THE BOTTLE AROUND!!!!!
A pretty good, lighter style Chianti that won't break the bank.
Medium-light garnet ruby. High-toned nose of crisp macerated cherries, gravelly earth, and sweet cream. Medium-light bodied, with crisp, relatively high acid flavors of lemons and chokecherries. Pretty typical of the 2005s in Chianti, which tend to have some unusual tension between good ripeness but higher than normal acidity. A refreshing, palate-cleansing style if you're in the mood for that. 85. Was about $17 at Spec's on Holcombe.
Dark black ruby. Creamy caramel and dark fruit scents (blackberry and boysenberry). Full, with straightforward fruit, good balance, and nice texture. Zippo for complexity but direct and forceful. Good value. Was $9.95 at Central Market. 85.
Sorry -- I know I'm behind, but here are the wines we popped open for our Easter dinner (with truncated, from-memory notes).
NV Pierre Sparr CREMANT D'ALSACE Reserve Brut -- To my mind, in general, sparkling wines from Alsace are the best values in the market for bubbly. They're generally $15-$20, and have as much character as non-vintage Champagne costing twice as much or more (although because of the different varietals used in Alsace the flavor profile is a bit different). They tend to be more flavorful than the Spanish cavas as well. This one was decent, but not a great example -- crisp, citrusy fruit, bone dry, but I detected just a note of beginning oxidation. Lucien Albrecht and Rene Mure are other producers to look for in Houston.
2006 Jean-Max Roger SANCERRE "Cuvee Les Caillottes" (Loire Valley, France) -- Lean, very herbal and crisp. A tad underripe for my palate. Bone dry and refreshing, however.
2001 Delectus MERLOT "Stanton Vineyard" (Napa Valley, Cal.) -- Yes, I have often repeated the famous Merlot line from Sideways, but this wine (which our guests the Murphys brought over) floored me. Superb, rich, chocolately dark fruit on the nose. Full, and still sporting some nice tannic structure. Lots of concentration and length, but with good balance. Can even stand a few more years in a cool cellar.
2006 Linne Calodo "NEMESIS" 82% Syrah, 14% Mourvedre, 4% Grenache (Paso Robles, Cal.) -- Big disappointment for such a cult winery. Overripe and massive, but plainly out of balance, with hot, hot alcohol burning from entry to finish, obliterating the flavors.
An amazing video of 47 Year old Susan Boyle's performance on Britain's Got Talent has gone viral with over 15 million hits on YouTube. Never married, unemployed (but still looking) Miss Boyle's life has been instantly transformed by her appearance on the hit British TV show that was taped before a live audience last January.
Susan Boyle appeared on the CBS Early Show which gave the world a glimpse into the life of the onetime kareoke singer turned superstar.
And after her sensational performance on Britain's Got Talent, Susan Boyle now has a Fan Site up on the web. Audio from the only previously known CD featuring the singing talent of Susan Boyle was uncovered by the Daily Record and posted on her Fan Site. The recording was done in 1999 according to the Daily Record and produced as a fund raiser for a local charity. Only 1000 copies of the CD were published according to the Record. Here you can listen to Susan crooning the ballad, Cry Me A River. -- Another flawless performance.
When you first see Miss Boyle in the YouTube video she seems very ordinary and unremarkable but within this woman are the makings of a star. She has such raw talent, that she amazes sardonic hosts Simon Cowell, Piers Morgan and Amanda Holden who initially greet her appearance with a combination of scoffing and patronage, a reaction shared by the in-studio audience. Those initial reactions are soon put to flight as Susan gives a flawless rendition of I Dreamed A Dream from Les Miserables. In one breath Susan Boyle from West Lothian in Scotland transformed a theatre filled with world-weary cynics into a standing, cheering, clapping gathering of true believers.
The amazing video of Miss Boyle's appearance on Britain's got Talent is available here.
The world dismissed her entirely, but God had other plans for Susan Boyle from West Lothian, Scotland. As written over three thousand years ago, the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. (1 Samuel 16:7b)
More hope and change for the masses: In preparation for the President's speech on the economy, the White House requested Georgetown University cover up the monogram IHS, (the name of Jesus Christ) inscribed on a pediment behind the stage of Gaston Hall where Mr. Obama would speak. University Administrators quickly complied with the Presidential request and hurriedly set about work to cover up the troublesome name of Christ at their University.
IHS before BHO. Run by the Jesuit order, Georgetown University is considered one of the most prestigious Catholic centers of higher education in the nation. CNS News quotes Julie Green Bataille, associate vice president for communications at Georgetown, The White House wanted a simple backdrop of flags and pipe and drape for the speech, consistent with what they’ve done for other policy speeches. During his speech Mr. Obama made no mention Jesus Christ, but he did quote one of His parables. The parable of the man who built his house on sand and another who built his house upon a rock. How appropriate.
IHS after BHO.
Of course Georgetown couldn't possibly turn down the request. I mean it IS such a prestigious University. They just couldn't say no to Obama. He might become offended and not show up! How embarassing would that be? Can you imagine the banter and chattering that would go on at the next soiree of the Georgetown cocktail party set? Why if they blew their big chance to have Obama speak at Georgetown over the name of the Savior inscribed in gold behind the stage, how could they ever in a million years live that faux pas down?
How telling it is on the state of the church today that such a request would ever be considered.
There are Catholics who still consider the Name of Jesus Christ to be the Name above all names. Unfortunately, they are not the ones running Georgetown University today.
The Catholic encyclopedia writes, At the Holy Name of Jesus we uncover our heads, and we bend our knees; it is at the head of all our undertakings, as the Emperor Justinian says in his law-book: In the Name of Our Lord Jesus we begin all our consultations.
brings help in bodily needs, according to the promise of Christ: "In my name They shall take up serpents; and if they shall drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them: they shall lay their hands upon the sick, and they shall recover". (Mark 16:17-18) In the Name of Jesus the Apostles gave strength to the lame (Acts 3:6; 9:34) and life to the dead (Acts 9:40).
It gives consolation in spiritual trials. The Name of Jesus reminds the sinner of the prodigal son's father and of the Good Samaritan; it recalls to the just the suffering and death of the innocent Lamb of God.
It protects us against Satan and his wiles, for the Devil fears the Name of Jesus, who has conquered him on the Cross.
In the Name of Jesus we obtain every blessing and grace for time and eternity, for Christ has said: "If you ask the Father anything in my name he will give it you." (John 16:23) Therefore the Church concludes all her prayers by the words: "Through Our Lord Jesus Christ".
So the word of St. Paul is fulfilled: That in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those that are in heaven, on earth, and under the earth. (Philippians 2:10).
Here's a sampling of video from protests across the country.
Gateway Pundit addresses crowd of 10,000 in St. Louis, MO with his "We Got Problems" speech.
Washington, D.C.
Tea Party in Concord, NH.
CNN reporter Susan Roesgen encounters some turbulence in her fly-by of the Tea Party held in Chicago. Says Roesgen of the Tea Party Goers, I think you get the general tenor of this. It's anti-government, anti-CNN since this is highly promoted by the right-wing conservative network Fox.
Sacramento, California. Fox News response to Susan Roesgen with Neil Cavuto.
Meanwhile Obama says he is unaware of Tea Parties.
I attended a local tea party this afternoon along with about 600 of my fellow overtaxed citizen brothers and sisters. This event was very poorly advertised so I was expecting to see about 150-200 people there.
There were quite a few speakers during the three hour event. Most talked about fiscal responsibility and overtaxation. However, as I walked around and spoke with the average Joe Citizens in the crowd, a recurring theme was taking shape. It may sound familiar to you. It should. It is from the Declaration of Independence.
BTW, this town is primarily known for hanging criminals - the home town of "The Hangin' Judge", Isaac C. Parker. The tea party was held on the grounds of the courthouse and gallows. You can see the old courthouse in the background of one of the photos above. I'm not implying anything. Just free, historical information.
Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.
For that statement, I have solidified my place in the files of the Department of Homeland Security. I, though completely harmless, am viewed as a radical, right-wing terrorist.
I apologize for the quality of the photos. I forgot my camera and had to take these with my cell phone.
Just returned from a Tea Party held in Downtown Tulsa. Local media covered the event attended by hundreds of people who filled out the Tulsa Courthouse Plaza to protest the wasteful, out-of-control spending spree going on in Washington. Local talk show host Pat Campbell from radio station KFAQ was one of the featured speakers as well as nationally syndicated commentator John Gibson. The crowd was friendly, cheerful and positive. One thing they all had in common was disgust for the hard left turn the Obama administration is taking in leading the country.
Here are more pictures from the event.
Volunteers from were on hand as was organizer Jai Blevens who was also a featured speaker.
Beware of KosBots posing as journalists today. Leftist trolls drawing insipration from the rantings of DailyKos and other swamp fever sites plan to attend today's events as Tea Party crashers. Michelle Malkin and Tax Day Tea Party notes this comment posted on DK:
Tomorrow, my husband and I will be venturing into the wilds disguised as a news crew to do some in person interviewers with teabaggers here in Rhode Island (if we can find any) … We’re going to ask open ended questions that seem to have a slight conservative bent to (hopefully) get them to open up and just start ranting. Then, we take any examples of racism, hatred, ignorance, and stupidity that we catch on camera and make a little movie out of it. Probably a YouTube special. Here’s the list we have so far (Oh, how clever of you. Uh, huh, huh.)
* What are you celebrating (The Boston Tea Party), and can you explain its historical relevance? [We're hoping to get some hilarious flubs from this one] * Do you approve of Michael Steele’s plan to expand the GOP through a “hip-hop urban-suburban marketing strategy”? [hoping to get some juicy racist stuff from this question] * (as an intentional misunderstanding/follow up, presuming that someone complains about wasteful government spending) “So you disapprove of your tax dollars going to the Iraq War?” [should elicit some confusion] Anyways, it’s a start… but I’d love to have some suggestions for questions that sound fine, but should prompt an outpouring of crazy.”
As my High School speech teacher would say,Never attribute to others the criterion you establish for yourself. To spell it out plainly for 'progressives', crazies and other LeftTards, just because you're an ignorant narrow minded racist, don't assume that others have the same twisted, polluted viewpoints on life as you.
Remember when you run into this sort of kool-aid fueled ignorance displayed by the disciples of Saul Alinsky, be nice, be pleasant, be all of those things that bring out the best in people. Maintaining your cool and managing to be pleasant while someone is acting like a petulant two-year-old will over time get them to re-think the sheer stupidity of their position.
GodSpeed and God Bless you today as you go out and make your voice heard.
Let's see. Liberals are saying that the nationwide tea parties are a "sham" and a "fraud" and were organized and funded by large corporations. Some are saying the events are being funded by Fox News. A vast, right-wing conspiracy. Where have I heard that before?
Well, Stuart Varney, guest hosting for Neil Cavuto, was not having any of that nonsense. Watch this HotAir video of Steven Leser from OpEdNews.com. What a dork. You will be outraged.
The United States Navy has sent a loud and clear message to pirates. "If you kidnap Americans, we will kill you." Now that is MY United States. I am having a very hard time believing Obama had anything to do with this. My guess is that he just stayed out of the way of the Navy and that is the best thing he could do.
One pirate was on the USS Bainbridge negotiating the release of Captain Phillips. Apparently, something went awry and one of the pirate captors stood up in the lifeboat where Captain Phillips was being held and pointed an AK-47 at him. This triggered an order for snipers to take out all three pirates on the lifeboat. All snipers fired simultaneously killing the three pirates. The fourth pirate who was on the USS Bainbridge was taken into custody. Captain Phillips was rescued.
Moral: The United States does not negotiate with terrorists.
Take up the liberal's burden- Send forth the leftist screed Go bind your sons to taxes To serve your programs' need; To wait in heavy harness On Kos-crazed folk and wild- Your new constituent voters Half-devil but full child.
Take up the liberal's burden- Ignore the other side, Go hide the threat of terror And burn American pride; In 'prompted speech and town hall A thousand times made plain, To seek your re-election And smother capitalism's gain.
Take up the liberal's burden- The savage wars of change Fill full the unions' coffers The Founders' goal rearrange; And when the end is nearest The Marxism you have sought, Watch fact and harsh reality Bring all your "hope" to nought.
Take up the liberal's burden- Ignore the rule of law And pass your bloated budgets While claiming to stop the thaw. The rules ye shall have broken The Constitution you shall tread Go blow up the sickly deficits And put the blame on Bush's head.
Take up the liberal's burden- And reap your old reward: The money dumped on ACORN While frightening the bid'ness Boards. The cry of aborted children Who face the certain night, And generations now in bondage Because to tax, you have the right.
Take up the liberal's burden- Ye dare not stoop to less- But bow low to Saudi tyrants And apologize to the rest. But by every vote and order By all ye leave or do The silent American people Shall weigh the truth against you.
Take up the liberal's burden- Get on with changing names No "terror" nor "enemy combatant" Shall grace the newsprint's page; Come now no need of manhood Or all those warring years Why everyone will love us now! While Patriots will shed tears.
It's really too bad that the average conservative or Republican can't unload on these morons in the media, in Congress, on federal court benches, and now in the White House. I could be referring to one of many morons in the White House but in this instance I am referring to the greatest of all administration morons, Joe Biden.
On Tuesday, Biden made the claim that he rebuked President Bush in the Oval Office regarding his leadership skills. Bush aides have denied that any such conversation ever took place. Of course, Biden has been unable or unwilling to provide a date that this alleged conversation took place.
This outrageous statement went completely unchallenged in the media until yesterday when Karl Rove, on Fox News, called Joe Biden a "serial exaggerator" and a "liar." Karl, thank you for saying what should be the overwhelming theme in the mainstream news but is instead, being completely ignored.
Next, MSNBC moron Peter Alexander questioned former Bush White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer about Rove's comments and asked him if it was good for the GOP or the Obama administration for Rove to make such comments. Fleischer had two good responses.
Well, frankly, my question is, where is the press in all of this? If Dick Cheney had said that he had a private meeting with Bill Clinton and he in that meeting told Bill Clinton that Bill Clinton was wrong, I think all the press would have said to Cheney, “When did you do it? Back it up. Where are the dates?” There's no scrutiny here for Joe Biden and that's why I wonder why the issue is what Karl said?
Then Alexander asks Fleischer if calling Biden a "liar" is over the top. This response from Fleischer is priceless.
Well, for heaven's sake, that's just about the only word Democrats wanted to use when they were talking about George W. Bush. If it was good enough for last eight years and people didn't question the tactic I don't know why they question it now...
Karl Rove gets an A for telling it like it is. Ari Fleischer gets an A+ for telling it like it is and rubbing it in the media's face.
Daily Kos founder Markos Moulitsas Zuniga has endorsed the conservative-organized tea parties that protest uncontrolled government spending. Of course, this was said tongue-in-cheek. Or head-in-butt.
I would like to reciprocate the kind gesture and support from Daily Kos.
Dear Liberals,
If your insane ranting, your anti-war protests, and your totally blind love for Barack Obama keep you from burning down houses, vandalizing property, and killing innocent babies, then I heartily endorse it.
The Maersk freighter Alabama was boarded and taken over briefly today by Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden, as it sailed 215 miles off the coast of Somalia according to CNN and other major news agencies. After the mauraders took over the ship, a brief scuffle ensued and the crew was able to regain control of the cargo vessel. At last report, the ship's Captain, Richard Phillips had been taken hostage and was sitting in a life boat aboard the ship. The crew had taken one of the pirates hostage and attempted a hostage exchange for Phillips but the plan soured after the pirates failed to follow through with their end of the bargain.
CNN's Kyra Phillips talks to Ken Quinn, second mate on the Alabama about the ordeal.
Tim Crockett Executive Director of AKE Security talks about the methods modern pirates use to take over a large ship.
Latest update is that the pirates have left the vessel in the lifeboat they commandered during the ordeal. The Destroyer U.S.S. Bainbridge is reportedly on the scene. Commissioned on November 13, 2004 the Bainbridge is an Arleigh Burke Flight IIA-class guided missile destroyer PCU Bainbridge (DDG 96). The Maersk Alabama was carrying a cargo of relief supplies for USAID, WorldVision and Catholic Relief Charities and bound for the Kenyan port of Mombasa when it was intercepted by Somali pirates. The Maersk Alabama's crew has been involved in charitible work before as evidenced by this holiday event held for orphans in Tanzania last Christmas.
Too lean and clean for me, especially at this price point.
Vibrant, dark ruby with purple highlights. Tart-ish nose of plummy-berry fruit with a sweet cream component. Medium-bodied and relatively lean for a Dolcetto (I like them fleshy), but with good focus and decent depth. A bit of tannin in the medium-long finish. 85. Was $22 and change at Spec's on Smith.
A decently-made, but soul-less modern-style Rhone wine.
Dark black ruby color. Direct, mid-toned fruity nose -- plums, berries, and the barest hint of crushed rocks and spice. Round, medium-bodied and fruity in the mouth. Decent, clean finish. 86. Was $14 at Spec's Outlet on Westheimer at Montrose.
Pale, brassy gold. Wonderful, Chablis-like nose of crushed limestone, straw-tinged earthiness, and apple/pear-skin fruit. Intensely minerally in the front end, with deep, earthy pear fruit coming through in the back of the palate. Relatively full body. A fleshy bruiser of a Verdicchio. Very nice. 88. I think -- but I don't remember -- that this was around $16 at Central Market.
Richard's on Westheimer and Kirby got in a few bottles of this and another Turley Zin, so, being the Zinficianado that I am, I had to get one of each.
Yup, it was really really good.
In my experience, Zinfandels from Howell Mountain tend to exhibit a pungent, resiny-minerally cracked black peppercorn component -- I remember first experiencing this with a couple bottles of '79 Cakebread Howell Mtn Zin a long time ago -- and this wine had it too.
Dark black ruby, but not as saturated as I expected. On the nose, the peppercorn thing mixed with brambly berry fruit and crushed rock powder. Rich, minerally, and focused in the mouth, with a substantial smoked meat flavor. Big on tannin, but in a soft way. Long, long finish. 91.
I know. It's one of the dumbest things you've ever heard. But that's what some people are saying. Some geriatric retired public school teacher lib regurgitated this foolishness in my local newspaper so, being a Reaganite, I felt compelled to respond. Here, for your reading pleasure, is my response.
In a recent letter Mr. Kesselring contended that Ronald Reagan is to blame for our current economic situation. Piffle. Poppycock. Balderdash.
Let us remember what this country was like after four years of the Jimmy Carter presidency. When Carter left office, the unemployment rate was 7.5 percent and the prime interest rate was 21.5 percent. After four years under Ronald Reagan, unemployment was 5.3 percent and the prime interest rate was 10.5 percent. Under Carter’s watch, 53 Americans were taken hostage and held for 444 days. The day Ronald Reagan took office those hostages were released.
During Reagan’s presidency, America experienced the greatest peacetime growth in history. You can rewrite history but you cannot change facts. When Reagan cut taxes, revenues rose and our economy began to recover.
Compare Jimmy Carter’s famous “malaise” speech with Ronald Reagan’s “It’s Morning In America Again” theme. Carter told us how much trouble America was in. Reagan told us how we had a bright future.
I am tired of socialists trying to change this country into a socialist state. If you want to live in a socialist country where the government has its controlling hand in everything, why don’t you move to one of the European Union countries? Things must be so much better there based on your assessment.
The current Democrat assault on the free market will crush business and when that happens, we will all be standing in line for the new socialist government to take care of us.
I don’t want the government to take money from someone else and give it to me. All I want is the opportunity to succeed on my own. If you don’t work hard in life to be successful, why is it someone else’s responsibility to make up the difference?
My newspaper limits letters to a 300-word max or I could have really unloaded on the guy. It's in my nature to always win one for the Gipper.
The quaint medieval town of L'Aquila in Central Italy 60 miles northeast of Rome, was leveled in an early morning earthquake that registered 6.3 on the Richter scale. At last count, more than 92 people were killed, 1500 injured and over 50,000 were left homeless, as a result of the devastating tremblor that stuck the area just past 3:30AM local time.
SkyNews reports: Rescuers have been digging bodies out from the collapsed ruins of dozens of houses and emergency services said the death toll was "bound to rise". Gianfranco Fini, speaker of Italy's lower house of parliament, said entire towns have been "virtually destroyed" with 15,000 buildings off limits.
Video from France 24.
Five people were also killed in the village of Castelnuovo but civil protection officials said they feared the figure would rise. Guido Bertolaso, head of the Italian Civil Defence, said: "Many, many buildings have collapsed and there are people trapped inside. "Emergency services are travelling to the scene and we are working on rescuing people who are trapped. The London Telegraph reports that Italian scientist, Giampaolo Giuliani, had earlier warned residents of imminent danger from the quake and called on residents to evacuate their homes. According to the Telegraph Mr. Giuliani issued the warnings, after a build-up of radon gas around the seismically active area suggested a major earthquake was imminent.Several tremors had been felt in the medieval city of L'Aquila, around 60 miles east of Rome, from mid-January onwards, and vans with loudspeakers had driven around the city spreading the warning. But instead of heeding Mr Giuliani's warnings, the local authorities reported him to police for "spreading alarm" and he was told to remove his findings from the internet. Our prayers go out to the people struck by this horrible tragedy at this time. (Images from SkyNews and The Telegraph)
American contributions to the world of literature and journalism include tongue-in-cheek, snarky commentary on the foibles and short-comings of public figures. The British on the other hand as erudite masters of the English language's capacity for precision, have developed the well-honed art of droll, and jocose commentary down to a science. Witness this latest example published in the London Telegraph by Ian Martin who notices, Barack Obama really does go on a bit.
Isn't it time for him to go home yet? It is good, in theory, that the new President of the United States is taking so much time to tour Europe. He arrived in London last Tuesday, has been to Strasbourg, Prague yesterday and now he's off to Turkey. It shows, I suppose, that he cares about the outside world and that is 'A Good Thing'. But his long stay means that we are hearing rather a lot from him, way too much in fact. His speeches have long under-delivered, usually leaving a faintly empty sensation in this listener even though I welcomed, moderately, his victory last year as offering the possibility of a fresh start and a boost to confidence.
Yet, we are told that he is a great orator and in one way he certainly is. He does have a preternatural calm in the spotlight and a mastery of the cadences we associate with the notable speakers in US history - such as JFK and MLK. But beyond that, am I alone in finding him increasingly to be something of a bore? Today, we were treated to another set-piece Obama speech, and my didn't he go on a bit? The crowd in Prague was huge, and initially wildly enthusiastic, but what he served up was not any more impressive than his damp squib in Berlin last year. Is there a computer which churns this stuff out for him? (Yes, that would be his teleprompter)
'For over a thousand years, Prague has set itself apart from any other city in any other place. You have known war and peace. You have seen empires rise and fall........' Empires rising and falling, destinies being defined and a Golden City standing as a monument to unconquerable spirit... goodness, what a ham. When he really gets going he's worse than Tony Blair.
But Obama was only warming up. "When I was born," (Everything usually leads back to him, you'll notice)... "the world was divided, and our nations were faced with very different circumstances. Few people would have predicted that someone like me would one day become an American President." (Him again)... ....few would have imagined that the Czech Republic would become a free nation, a member of NATO, and a leader of a united Europe. Those ideas would have been dismissed as dreams". (Not by Ronald Reagan they wouldn't have been,whenmost of Obama's Democrat friends thought the then US President's robust approach to the Cold War made him a loony on the loose). ....freedom is a right for all people, no matter what side of a wall they live on, and no matter what they look like... (subtly this time, but right at the end the sentence leads back to him again).
The Obamas have handled their trip well and in their public appearances have been a credit to their country. But I'll wager that within a year or so he'll be marked down as a wind-bag.
Claiming that he was a uniter not a divider President Obama's current job approval rates show the widest disparity of any American President in modern history. The Democrat President's job approval ratings among fellow party members are at 88% according to a study conducted by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press. While a majority of Democrats approve of Obama's job performance to date, only 27% of Republicans approve of the President's work as the nation's chief executive.
The Pew Research Center observed:
By comparison, there was a somewhat smaller 51-point partisan gap in views of George W. Bush's job performance in April 2001, a few months into his first term. At that time, Republican enthusiasm for Bush was comparable to how Democrats feel about Obama today, but there was substantially less criticism from members of the opposition party. Among Democrats, 36% approved of Bush's job performance in April 2001; that compares with a 27% job approval rating for Obama among Republicans today.
The partisan gap in Bill Clinton's early days was also substantially smaller than what Obama faces, largely because Democrats were less enthusiastic about Clinton. In early April 1993, 71% of Democrats approved of Clinton's job performance, which is 17 points lower than Obama's current job approval among Democrats. Republican ratings of Clinton at that point (26%) are comparable to their current ratings of Obama today (27%).
Lower approval ratings from members of the opposing party than either Bush or Clinton. That's gotta hurt.
There's story over at HotAir about President Bill Clinton almost bowing to Japanese Emperor Akihito. What's the big deal? The leading hypocrite rag, the New York Times, reprimanded Clinton in an editorial that was condescending.
Where is the NYT on Obama's full bow of submission to the King of Saudi Arabia?
North Korea told world governments where to file their diplomatic protests, with a launch of a Taepodong-2 long range ballistic missile from their Musudan-ri launch facility located in the northeast part of the Communist country. The North Korean government calls the vehicle the Unha-2, but I call it the latest slap in the face by Kim Jong Ill to jittery neighbor states and concerned major powers, wringing their hands over what to do with their unstable neighbor. The launch of the "space vehicle carrying a communications satellite" is widely seen as a ruse to test the range capability of the Taepodong-2 to hit targets in the US.
The BBC reports An unidentified South Korean official told Yonhap news agency that the rocket did appear to be carrying a satellite. It is not clear whether a satellite was successfully put into space.
Not to worry, the UN jumped into action by approving a Japanese government request for an emergency session later in the day in New York. That should scare them. They'll probably Kim's daily shippment of caviar, champagne and cigars for one whole day after this latest stunt.
What can you do with a reclusive, xenophobic, backward little country armed to the teeth and run exclusively by a crazed lunatic whose every whim is law? Kim might be crazy but he's not stupid. He knows 'sanctions' don't apply to him. He knows he has the Chinese and Russians to on speed-dial to block the slighest talk of any talk sanctions imposed upon him.
While in Prague, President Obama issued a written statement regarding the missle launch, With this provocative act, North Korea has ignored its international obligations, rejected unequivocal calls for restraint, and further isolated itself from the community of nations.
Don't expect that anything will change with North Korea. It's just business as usual in this little dance with North Korea. International aggression is never stopped with rhetoric, and finger wagging is all the International community has in available in their arsenal right now. Tsk, Tsk.
This is a true story. I remember a pastor who was having some trouble with a few members of his congregation. Finally, the dissatisfied members left the church. His comment on the situation was:
