I can't believe that I'm taking the time to type this. After all I have never been the type to go goofy over a celebrity. I have never understood people's fascination with actors, athletes and musicians. Now let's not get crazy and call Micheal Jackson a musician. I never saw him play an instrument of any kind. If he did play then he certainly earned the title of musician.
Now the guy was some kind of entertainer I will give you that. I think he was a better singer when he was much younger. But he could surely dance, excite a crowd and had a stage presence. I liked the Jackson 5 when I was a kid listening to them on the radio. It was some good stuff. Once Micheal went out on his own my musical tasted had changed and I didn't care much for commercial top 40 type music anymore. So I never bought a solo album of his nor did the radio stations I listened to play his music.
Now let's recap. Jackson was an entertainer, dancer, singer, songwriter and a certified whacko. Yeah, I said it. Typed it really, but never the less I put it out there. The guy was nut. What in the hell happened to this guy. He had the world by the tail, made a ton.....maybe two tons of money, had fame, respect, the admiration of millions of fans and name recognition matched by no other living person. Then his little world started to come undone.
Was it the fact the he was probably surrounded by people that really didn't care about him, but only about his money and how much they could get? Was it that he couldn't go anywhere without being hounded mercilessly? Or was it that he actually suffered from some other form of mental illness that no one had the guts to say anything about? I would hazard a guess that it was a little of all three.
After all what is there to say about a guy that wanted the remains of the Elephant Man and named a child Blanket? Then there is just the bizarre public behavior of wearing a surgical mask and having to be covered by the umbrella on his way from the car to the courthouse when he was on trial for child molestation. That's another thing, what grown man wants to live in fantasy land and allow children to share his bed. How could people be surprised that nothing good came of that. Let's not forget the plastic surgery either. He looked nothing like the person he did twenty years ago or so. I could go on and on, but there are only so many hours in a day.
Speaking of the opportunists that surround the Jacksons, two days ago I saw the estimable Jesse Jackson on the news at the Jackson compound. Today I was watching the noon news and it was interrupted so the Reverend Al Sharpton could hold a press conference speaking for the Jackson family and revealing the funeral plans. I could only listen for about 30 seconds or so. The man is a horrible public speaker. Collectively though, what a joke these two guys are. If there is something about a black man and a photo op, one or both of these clowns will show up. I guess it gives them the feeling that they're still relevant somehow. They say they speak for the poor and the oppressed, but I think to them it's about exploiting the folks that can't see past the facade. Plus they make a pretty good living, but I don't see them giving up everything so someone else can enjoy some prosperity.
So why not let the Jacksons mourn the loss of Micheal and how about the rest of us getting back to the daily business of running our own lives.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Friday, June 12, 2009
Prisoner Photos
I have to give it to President Obama on this one. He has stood firm on his decision to not release the so called detainee abuse photos. He was right to listen to his military leaders as well as the CIA. Releasing these pictures serve no good purpose. They would only inflame the Arab world and foster more anti American sentiment.
People like Nancy Pelosi and Barney Frank should be ashamed of themselves. Playing politics with the lives of American soldiers is reprehensible. In the case of Mrs. Pelosi it could be nothing more than a slap back at the president since he said nothing when Leon Panetta put her in her place over the CIA lying to Congress remark. And of course Mr. Frank is so far left that anything he thinks might be embarrassing to the former administration he will gladly stand up for. What more do people like these want? There is a Democrat in the White House and they control both the House and the Senate.
Hopefully now this will set them straight and they will support the war spending bill and give our troops what they need to complete their mission. Even if they do not support the current actions in Iraq and Afghanistan they should at least support the troops. After all those fine folks are there fighting for people like Pelosi and Frank as well as the rest of us.
Of course I have selfish reason for my opinion. My nephew is getting ready to deploy for the second time. I want him to have the best equipment, intelligence, medical care, food and the complete support of my government. Is this too much to ask?
So again I tip my hat to you Mr. President for keeping the pictures out of the media. Now how about rethinking the idea about giving Miranda to captured enemy combatants half way around the world.
People like Nancy Pelosi and Barney Frank should be ashamed of themselves. Playing politics with the lives of American soldiers is reprehensible. In the case of Mrs. Pelosi it could be nothing more than a slap back at the president since he said nothing when Leon Panetta put her in her place over the CIA lying to Congress remark. And of course Mr. Frank is so far left that anything he thinks might be embarrassing to the former administration he will gladly stand up for. What more do people like these want? There is a Democrat in the White House and they control both the House and the Senate.
Hopefully now this will set them straight and they will support the war spending bill and give our troops what they need to complete their mission. Even if they do not support the current actions in Iraq and Afghanistan they should at least support the troops. After all those fine folks are there fighting for people like Pelosi and Frank as well as the rest of us.
Of course I have selfish reason for my opinion. My nephew is getting ready to deploy for the second time. I want him to have the best equipment, intelligence, medical care, food and the complete support of my government. Is this too much to ask?
So again I tip my hat to you Mr. President for keeping the pictures out of the media. Now how about rethinking the idea about giving Miranda to captured enemy combatants half way around the world.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
The Military as Police
Today I heard something on the radio that almost made me crash my car. Imagine my surprise when it was reported that the FBI is now giving Miranda warnings to captured enemy combatants in Afghanistan. Once again my response was, what are they thinking! According to an article by Steve Hayes of the Weekly Standard a senior member of the House Intelligence Committee says that the FBI was ordered by the current administration to Mirandize these folks.
Does anyone else see the insanity in this? These wackos are not stealing cars or burglarizing a business or anything along those lines, they are actively engaged in attempting to kill US military personnel and plotting attacks against the US mainland. Since when do POW's get treated like common criminals? They should be kept in POW camps like Guantanamo Bay, gleaned for information and turned loose in their country of origin after the end of hostilities.
I'm sure the rational for this is that someone believes that the information obtained this way can be used in future prosecutions. Now who really believes that our current form of government would ever consider bringing these terrorist to the states and giving them their day in an American court? Again, since when do we try the enemy in our courts? If it is a military action then they should be held, interrogated and released when things are over. This is pure insanity.
Plus, who thinks we are going to get any useful intelligence after they are informed that they really don't have to say anything and they get a free lawyer. What was Kahlid Shiek Muhammad's response when he was first captured? I believe it was something along the lines of waiting to get to New York and speaking to a lawyer. Good thing he was captured before the touchy-feely administration came to power.
This has got to stop. President Obama and Attorney General Holder need to step back, listen to the military and let them do what they do. They are the pros, they are the ones that have trained for this and more importantly they are the ones in the field laying it all on the line.
What could possibly be next? Are we going to send the ACLU over there to represent the enemy? Maybe I shouldn't type that. I wouldn't want to give anyone any ideas.
Does anyone else see the insanity in this? These wackos are not stealing cars or burglarizing a business or anything along those lines, they are actively engaged in attempting to kill US military personnel and plotting attacks against the US mainland. Since when do POW's get treated like common criminals? They should be kept in POW camps like Guantanamo Bay, gleaned for information and turned loose in their country of origin after the end of hostilities.
I'm sure the rational for this is that someone believes that the information obtained this way can be used in future prosecutions. Now who really believes that our current form of government would ever consider bringing these terrorist to the states and giving them their day in an American court? Again, since when do we try the enemy in our courts? If it is a military action then they should be held, interrogated and released when things are over. This is pure insanity.
Plus, who thinks we are going to get any useful intelligence after they are informed that they really don't have to say anything and they get a free lawyer. What was Kahlid Shiek Muhammad's response when he was first captured? I believe it was something along the lines of waiting to get to New York and speaking to a lawyer. Good thing he was captured before the touchy-feely administration came to power.
This has got to stop. President Obama and Attorney General Holder need to step back, listen to the military and let them do what they do. They are the pros, they are the ones that have trained for this and more importantly they are the ones in the field laying it all on the line.
What could possibly be next? Are we going to send the ACLU over there to represent the enemy? Maybe I shouldn't type that. I wouldn't want to give anyone any ideas.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Apology Tour II
Once again we as taxpayers have financed a trip for our president and his entourage to go to another part of the world and apologize for the actions of the United States. Now that's change. I'm not sure I can believe in it though. So I guess what I'm saying is, thanks Mr. President.
I don't think that we as a country have anything to apologize for. During the last administration we were attacked and then responded. Naturally our response is going to be far more severe. I think that's appropriate. Our enemies need to know that if they bring a fight to us then they are going to get badly hurt.
Mr. Obama once again said that we as a country were not at war with Islam. I can agree with that. But we are at war with radical Islam. Anyone that thinks it's justified to kill someone that does not agree with them has to be dealt with. There is no negotiating with ideological zealots. If there was then they wouldn't be classified as zealots. Besides they fired the first shots.
Then our President took his shots at George Bush calling the war in Iraq a war of choice and referring to enhanced interrogations at Guantanamo Bay as torture. Again, thanks a lot. All he continues to do is to try and smear the folks that have stood up for our country. For that he should be ashamed.
Here's an idea for you, sir. Try extolling the virtues of the people that are willing to stand up for us. As I'm sure you are now aware, the office you now hold did not come with a training manual and the decisions that need to be made can have serious consequences. The previous administration did what they thought was best for us a country in order to keep us safe. Since you have taken office Iran is started go off the deep end, N. Korea has set off a nuke, internal terrorist have tried to obtain weapons to shoot down a military airliner and a convert to Islam has killed an Army recruiter who had not been deployed and thinks he's justified as a Muslim. It's time for you to take a hard look around you sir and see what the despots in the world really think of you.
I realize that none of these issues are easily solved, but Iran and North Korea would only push President Bush so far. They knew only so much would be tolerated before they would be put in their place. It doesn't really matter if you are willing to take things that far, but you had better look like it. And if it comes to it, for the sake of our country, you need to be willing.
The president also seems to think that it would be okay to let Iran obtain nuclear power. Does he really think that the Iranians will not try to enhance the uranium and make a weapon. If that happens the entire world needs to worry.
I do have to give the President credit for not backing off of our support for Israel, at least in word. He easily could have stopped off for an afternoon to give a show of solidarity. I realize that PM Netanyahu was at the White House only a week earlier, but I think a visit would have been the appropriate thing to do.
So now that it's clear that Mr. Obama is embarrassed by his country, let's see how long it lasts with him as the president. Of course this is only on the national defense issue, I haven't begun to yell about his economic policies and his unparalleled spending.
I don't think that we as a country have anything to apologize for. During the last administration we were attacked and then responded. Naturally our response is going to be far more severe. I think that's appropriate. Our enemies need to know that if they bring a fight to us then they are going to get badly hurt.
Mr. Obama once again said that we as a country were not at war with Islam. I can agree with that. But we are at war with radical Islam. Anyone that thinks it's justified to kill someone that does not agree with them has to be dealt with. There is no negotiating with ideological zealots. If there was then they wouldn't be classified as zealots. Besides they fired the first shots.
Then our President took his shots at George Bush calling the war in Iraq a war of choice and referring to enhanced interrogations at Guantanamo Bay as torture. Again, thanks a lot. All he continues to do is to try and smear the folks that have stood up for our country. For that he should be ashamed.
Here's an idea for you, sir. Try extolling the virtues of the people that are willing to stand up for us. As I'm sure you are now aware, the office you now hold did not come with a training manual and the decisions that need to be made can have serious consequences. The previous administration did what they thought was best for us a country in order to keep us safe. Since you have taken office Iran is started go off the deep end, N. Korea has set off a nuke, internal terrorist have tried to obtain weapons to shoot down a military airliner and a convert to Islam has killed an Army recruiter who had not been deployed and thinks he's justified as a Muslim. It's time for you to take a hard look around you sir and see what the despots in the world really think of you.
I realize that none of these issues are easily solved, but Iran and North Korea would only push President Bush so far. They knew only so much would be tolerated before they would be put in their place. It doesn't really matter if you are willing to take things that far, but you had better look like it. And if it comes to it, for the sake of our country, you need to be willing.
The president also seems to think that it would be okay to let Iran obtain nuclear power. Does he really think that the Iranians will not try to enhance the uranium and make a weapon. If that happens the entire world needs to worry.
I do have to give the President credit for not backing off of our support for Israel, at least in word. He easily could have stopped off for an afternoon to give a show of solidarity. I realize that PM Netanyahu was at the White House only a week earlier, but I think a visit would have been the appropriate thing to do.
So now that it's clear that Mr. Obama is embarrassed by his country, let's see how long it lasts with him as the president. Of course this is only on the national defense issue, I haven't begun to yell about his economic policies and his unparalleled spending.
Term Limits
I don't know about you, but I am so tired of career politicians. Elected service should be a privilege not a career. What this country needs from the local level to the federal level is strict term limits. Two terms is all that should be allowed. After all it's what the president gets, so why not everyone else? This might be enough to get them to do something a little more substantial than just trying to get re-elected.
I was just looking at the seniority list for the US Senate. The top 39 in seniority have been there for more than two terms (or 12 years) with the top 25 having at least 20 years and the top six have no less than 30 years. What really got me are the top three, Daniel Inouye (D-HI) 46 years, Ted Kennedy (D-MA) 47 years and Robert Bird (D-WV) 50 years! That's three Senators with 143 years between them. All three of these people were elected before I was born! Also of these top 39, nine of them also served in the House of Representatives. To me all these folks need to go.
I realize that this us only 40% of the makeup if the Senate, but 21 of the remaining 60 Senators have also served in the House. Several others were listed as having served as Governors. I'm sure that some of these Senators have also served at the state level in some other capacity as well. Where does it end? It appears to me that the thought of being an elected official is all they think about. I call that megalomania. But then again with these guys making $165,000 a year I can also see why they don't want to give it up.
Since I can recall all the government has done is grown. It didn't matter which political party was in power either. The budget has gotten bigger along with the debt and the deficit. The entitlements, welfare and of course the ever popular earmarks, just to name a few things, have gotten completely out of control. Isn't it the job of the people that we send to Washington to keep a lid on things? Maybe I'm crazy, but I thought the US Senate was supposed to be there for the entire country not just their individual states.
It's time that we remind those we elect who they work for. I think at the next election we vote all incumbents who have served two terms out of office. Do you think that those remaining would get the message? I would hope so. These guys wont support legislation that limits their ability to get elected time and again so it's up to us.
So if you don't think that 12 years is enough, but you want a say in what is happening, I strongly suggest that you write, e-mail or call your local, state and federal representatives and let them know what concerns you. If you don't tell them or you don't vote, then you can't complain about what is happening.
I was just looking at the seniority list for the US Senate. The top 39 in seniority have been there for more than two terms (or 12 years) with the top 25 having at least 20 years and the top six have no less than 30 years. What really got me are the top three, Daniel Inouye (D-HI) 46 years, Ted Kennedy (D-MA) 47 years and Robert Bird (D-WV) 50 years! That's three Senators with 143 years between them. All three of these people were elected before I was born! Also of these top 39, nine of them also served in the House of Representatives. To me all these folks need to go.
I realize that this us only 40% of the makeup if the Senate, but 21 of the remaining 60 Senators have also served in the House. Several others were listed as having served as Governors. I'm sure that some of these Senators have also served at the state level in some other capacity as well. Where does it end? It appears to me that the thought of being an elected official is all they think about. I call that megalomania. But then again with these guys making $165,000 a year I can also see why they don't want to give it up.
Since I can recall all the government has done is grown. It didn't matter which political party was in power either. The budget has gotten bigger along with the debt and the deficit. The entitlements, welfare and of course the ever popular earmarks, just to name a few things, have gotten completely out of control. Isn't it the job of the people that we send to Washington to keep a lid on things? Maybe I'm crazy, but I thought the US Senate was supposed to be there for the entire country not just their individual states.
It's time that we remind those we elect who they work for. I think at the next election we vote all incumbents who have served two terms out of office. Do you think that those remaining would get the message? I would hope so. These guys wont support legislation that limits their ability to get elected time and again so it's up to us.
So if you don't think that 12 years is enough, but you want a say in what is happening, I strongly suggest that you write, e-mail or call your local, state and federal representatives and let them know what concerns you. If you don't tell them or you don't vote, then you can't complain about what is happening.
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