Frankly Speaking

You want to know what pisses me off about being a conservative? The fact that my political views are often interpreted as hate. I'm against affirmative action because I hate black people. I'm against the current immigration amnesty bill because I hate Hispanics. The list goes on and on.

If you want to see hate, you don't go to Republican rallies. Oh, I've seen lunatics at them, too. But they are the exception. But if you live in the south west, next time MEChA is having a rally, stop by and see how they're acting. The picture above is from a group of peace loving protesters on their way to L.A. on March 27, 2006 when they decided to stop and deface the flag at Montebello High School. Notice it wasn't the students of that school who did this, and the school had to go into lock-down because the protesters turned violent after the students wouldn't join in.

It reminds me of the idiots I saw in D.C. in March, protesting for peace while carrying Cuban flags and wearing Guevara on their shirts. I'm sure most of them couldn't tell you who he was, let alone anything about the thousands of people he slaughtered. But man does he look good on a t-shirt.

Some days I want to just say "fuck it" and stop thinking about politics. I've spent most of my life consumed by it, and it gets tiring at times. But then I look around me, at the people I love, and I wonder what would happen if enough of us just said, "fuck it" and stopped caring. Then the likes of the the social anarchists, or Code Pink, or ANSWER, or one of a million other barking moonbat will be deciding the fate of my children, and I'm not ready to turn our country over to them yet.

So I continue. I teach my children what I believe, and why. I talk to friends and neighbors and coworkers.* I write my congressmen, and I write my President. He may be trying to collectively bend over his base and give us a quick stiff one, but he's still our President, so I let him know what I think about, well, everything.

Is it going to change the world? Probably not, but it lets me sleep better at night.

*And by talking to these people, I really do mean just having conversations, and I usually don't start them. But if someone asks what I think about a subject, they better be prepared to actually hear my opinion, because once you invite me to proselytize, I'm all up in that stuff.

Labels: all about me, la migra, moonbats

I will be in Austin a few days next week. Anyone have any suggestions for the following topics?

Restaurants
Anything you consider a "must see"
Places to be avoided

I have a bit of a plan, but mostly it involved me bellying up to the bar and ordering a Shiner Bock, because I haven't had one since last time I was in Austin, which was 3 years ago.

Labels: all about me

The U.S. government is baffled how a man infected with t.b. was able to get back in to the country after his name was put on the no-fly list.

Worried infection specialists say it shows how vulnerable the United States is, from outdated quarantine laws and the speed of international flight, to killer germs carried by travelers. What if, they ask, the now-quarantined man had carried something very contagious like the next super-flu?

"It's regretful that we weren't able to stop that," Dr. Martin Cetron of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said of how the man fled when U.S. health officials tracked him down in Rome and told him not to get on an airplane.

So, what we have here is someone who is sick, that we know we don't want traveling and spreading his disease, but yet he somehow managed to slip by our crack border patrol. Even though we knew who he was, what he looked like, and had put him on the list that is supposed to stop him from coming in. But hey, it's not like he's the first. I mean, we have anywhere from 10-20 million illegals in this country, so obviously it's not all that difficult to get across the border.

But here's my favorite quote:

"We need to rely on people to do the right thing," Cetron said, saying the CDC hesitates to invoke its quarantine powers.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is exactly why we will never secure our borders, and why unless we change our attitude toward fighting the war in Iraq, we will lose.

I'll say this slowly so that even the kids on the short bus can understand. You can not count on people to do the right thing. Yes, the vast majority of people are good and moral and will do the right thing just because it is the right thing. However, there are some people who will not do the right thing, even with the threat of repercussions. That is why we have a police force, and why countries have military forces. It's also why we have the border patrol and no-fly lists. If only the fine folks at the TSA could learn that being zip-loc nazis is not as important as making sure that the people walking by aren't terrorists. Or typhoid Mary.

Labels: general rants, governmental idiocy, la migra

Warning: Animals die and are eaten in this movie.

This is a voluntary, after school demonstration of snake versus rabbit. I bet you can figure out who won.

Labels: pointless silliness

What? You didn't realize I was gone? Oh yeah, I never mentioned that, did I? Well, I spent the last 4 days out of the state, taking my daughters to visit my brother's family. We went to the pool, we got tan, we watched movies, and generally did anything except think about the news and/or politics.

Well, most of the time, anyway. My sister-in-law is a die-hard liberal feminist. So much so, that right after getting her master's, she promptly quit working to stay home and raise their son. When my daughter asked her if she was ever going to go back to work, she said something along the lines of, "I don't know. Probably not." Not that I can blame her. If someone making as much money as my brother offered to keep me up, I would jump at the chance as well.

Anyway, we did have one discussion about Iraq, the history of war as it pertains to America as well as the history of war in general. Before meeting my brother (who becomes more wussified all the time. He really needs to get out every once in a while) she had never met someone who was an actual conservative. My brother has become more of a George W. conservative, meaning he's gone soft on several issues, but he's also brought her around on some as well. At least she still allows him to own firearms and keep them in the house.

Besides that little discussion, I didn't watch any news, read any blogs, or do anything that would lead me to want to pimp slap anyone all weekend. I have to admit, it felt pretty good.

But I'll be back to the pimp slapping shortly.

Labels: all about me

I promised an entirely different genre this week, and I aim to deliver. This is Itzhak Perlman playing Serenade Melancolique Op 26.

I play several instruments passably; bass guitar, drums, and I played some brass in middle and high school band. Nothing to write home about, but at least I don't make you run from the room screaming with any of them. However, if I could trade my mediocre talent on all the other instruments I play for mastery of one, it would be the violin. I own a violin, and like the other instruments, I can make music with it. But it is nothing like what you hear from someone like Perlman. But, I am also not willing to spend hours every day practicing, so I guess this is as good as I'm ever going to be.



One more for you to enjoy. This is Itzhak Perlman playing the theme from Schindler's List.

Now you have seen a side of me that I rarely show people I know. They know I enjoy classical music, but there are only a handful of people who know of my desire to play the violin. Welcome to my inner circle.

Labels: music

A pair of 16-year-old girls face hate crime charges after they allegedly handed out anti-gay fliers targeting a classmate at their northern Illinois high school.

Earlier today, a judge rejected bond for one of the girls, citing her home environment and already lengthy juvenile record — 13 run-ins with the cops. Instead of home detention, the girl will be held at the Kane County Juvenile Justice Center while the case is pending, according to the Daily Herald.

Let me make this as plain as I can. This girl is in JAIL for exercising her first amendment right to free speech.

Now don't get me wrong, she's an idiot. And she's an idiot with a lengthy record who will probably end up back in jail for something else in a few years. However, in this instance, being arrested, let alone jailed, is ridiculous.

Okay, they handed out fliers depicting a male classmate kissing another boy. If that's all it takes to get arrested, I would never have made it out of elementary school.

This is just one more indication of what is wrong with America. We are too soft, and we are raising a generation of pussies. The boy probably got his feelings hurt. Hell, other kids probably taped copies of the flier to every locker he had, and I'm sure he never hears the end of it in the shower after p.e. Again, so what.

Are kids supposed to believe that no one is ever going to be mean to them in the world? That's what we're teaching them. If someone says something to you that makes you feel bad, why that's hate speech. We'll lock that little bitch up. We can't have anyone out there *gasp* thinking. Especially if they think homosexuality is something to be made fun of, because we just will. not. stand. for. that.

So what's next? We already see that Google is regulating what news sites are allowed to say about terrorists and Islam. Now teenagers aren't allowed to imply that a classmate is a homosexual, at least not with a negative connotation. And don't forget the kids who are in trouble for throwing bag with a ham steak in it onto a table near Somali Muslims. I can't believe they aren't in irons yet.

Let me tell you how we would have settled this when I was in school, which wasn't all that long ago. Okay, this year is my 20th reunion. Get off my lawn. Anyway, we would have found who made the fliers, and if it was a guy, he would have gotten his ass kicked. If it was a girl, I would have found a female friend to do it. Afterwards we would all meet up at some party and have a few beers and laugh and "Hey, remember that time you kicked ____'s ass because he made those fliers?" Instead, this kid will probably be in therapy for the foreseeable future, and will probably end up committing some ridiculous crime himself and blame it on the rage and shame he feels as a result of being picked on.

Fucking kids. Fucking thought police.

Get off my lawn.

Labels: general rants

Just not the way we hoped for. They found the first soldier floating in the Euphrates river, and "He was shot so many times in the head and torso that they can’t identify him yet, but naturally they suspect it’s one of the three missing soldiers." Also, he hadn't started to decompose yet, so he hadn't been dead long. Then they found the other two.

Iraqi police forces in Babel province found on Wednesday two bodies believed to belong to two of the kidnapped U.S. soldiers near al-Furat river in al-Musayab region, 50 km northwest of Hilla, a police source said. “Two bodies in U.S. uniform were found by Babel police forces near al-Furat river. They bore signs of torture,” the source, who asked not to be named, told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI). “The police handed the bodies to the U.S. army and cordoned off the area,” he also said. No comment was available from the U.S. army on the incident.

Showed signs of torture, so I'm going to assume there must have been pictures of them in a naked pyramid, or perhaps of a Bible being flushed down the toilet, because that's how we "torture" our prisoners.

Labels: biting sarcasm, Iraq, war

House Minority Leader John Boehner had something interesting to say about the new immigration bill.

"I promised the president today that I wouldn't say anything bad about ... this piece of s--- bill," Boehner said, according to a report in the National Journal's Hotline blog.

Short, sweet, and to the point. Not a lot of nuance there. I wish more of our congressional leaders spoke this bluntly, instead of the spin they usually use.

Labels: governmental idiocy, la migra

You gotta love the free speech loving liberals who run Google. When they started Google News, they said its mission was to "construct an unbiased news engine free of human intervention using new methods of aggregating news from sources worldwide". Let's see how they're doing so far.

The New Media Journal was recently informed that they will no longer have a relationship with Google News, because of complaints about hate speech. And by hate speech, Google means that they have an open and frank discussion about radical Islam.

The New Media Journal joins The Jawa Report, Little Green Footballs, and Newsbusters as persona non gratis at Google News. Michelle Malkin also had difficulty getting included in their news feeds.

What do all of these sites have in common, you ask? Well, they are all conservative sites, and they all discuss the link between terrorism and radical Islam. That, according to Google, is a big no-no. We don't want to confuse the masses by pointing out that the vast majority of terrorists in the world are Islamofascists, now do we?

Interesting facts about Google's CEO Eric Schmidt. He gave the maximum allowable contribution to John Kerry's campaign for president, and also to Howard Dean's primary bid. He also gave the maximum allowable contribution to Senator Hillary Clinton, while at the same time Google refused to run ads for a book titled, "Their Lives: The Women Targeted by the Clinton Machine".

If you'll remember it wasn't that long ago that Google agreed to censor content for the Chinese government that included any objectionable search terms, including the word "democracy". But don't forget that it's those evil Republicans who want to stifle free speech in America. [/sarcasm]

You want to see what life in America would be like were liberals to have their way, take a look at how Google treats the news, or how Universities treat those with opposing viewpoints. If you espouse conservative ideals, you are told that you are using "hate speech".

Makes you feel all warm and fuzzy, doesn't it?

Labels: mediots

If you haven't read Bill Whittle's post "You Are Not Alone", then you don't know what you are missing. I have no idea how to summarize it here, so you have to go read it all. Seriously. If the only thing I have ever accomplished out of blogging is to send a couple of people over to read his essay, I will consider myself successful.

When I grow up, I want to be able to organize my thoughts and write like him.

I usually don't pass along these "add your name" lists that appear in my email, but this one is too important. This one has been circulating for months.

Please, keep it going!
Thanks.........

To show your support for Hillary and encourage her on her run for President of the United States in 2008, please add your name to the rapidly growing list below and send it on to your entire list.


1.Bill
2.Chelsea
3.

Labels: pointless silliness

According to a story at textually.org,

Swiss clothing manufacturer Isabodywear is launching a special line of men's underwear that claims to protect "men's sperm from harmful cell phone radiation".

I don't know about you, but I can't count the number of times I've thrown the ol' cell phone in my pocket and thought to myself, "I hope this doesn't kill my boys." Oh wait, yes I can. Never.

For those of you scared that the government is reading your mind or attempting to manipulate your sperm count, be sure to head over to their web site and register to receive one of the 500 free pair they are giving away.

Labels: biting sarcasm, pointless silliness

Apache vs. van and building.


There are obviously new rules of engagement, because this video is mosque versus F-18. The mosque put up a brave fight, but didn't really stand much of a chance.



And finally, just so you don't think I'm all about the blood and guts, here are some Brits acting out in the desert. There are some great moments in this one.

Labels: war pr0n

In order to make it easier to identify black bears that tend to be more hostile to humans, the Alaskan Department of Fish and Wildlife is going to start dying the bears bright colors.

Officials with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game plan to color problem bears along the river bright shades of blue, yellow, orange and green, using drug-store dye.

"We'll use specific color codes to tell the bears apart and we may do two areas, such as the head and neck and also the rear, so bears can be identified coming and going," said Jeff Selinger, area wildlife biologist with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game in Soldotna, Ala.

This will also make it easier for the bears to readily identify each other and make fun of the ones who earned the colors yellow, orange and green.

"Hey Charlie, did you dye your ass yellow to make it easier for your boyfriend to find in the dark?"

This program will be followed by an exponential increase in black bears being arrested for giving wedgies, swirlies, and stealing the dyed bear's honey money.

Labels: pointless silliness

Time for yet another installment of the music I love. I know you look forward to this all week.

My earliest music memories involve this song. I was just a wee boy when this song came out, and I can remember standing in the living room with the headphones on listening to my dad's old reel-to-reel play Deep Purple. As such, this song has always held a special place in my heart.


Radar Love is one of my favorite driving songs. I remember cruising around town when I was 16, windows down, playing this song for the benefit of anyone who happened to be within earshot of my car.

On my frequent road trips this song comes up pretty regularly and I can't help but beat on the steering wheel, playing along with the song as I drive. I usually end up speeding up quite a bit during the song as well. Luckily it's never been the cause of a moving violation for me.



Sticking with the 70s theme here. This is an updated version by Christian artists Audio Adrenaline. I've been on stage with this band a couple times, and they. just. rock. This version is another favorite of mine for road trips. I like the up tempo stuff.

Next week you can look forward to a completely different genre of music.

Labels: music

Hillary Clinton wants you to help pick the theme song for her campaign.

Her top 9 songs suck. Luckily for all of us, there is a spot to write in your suggestion.

Please help to stuff the box in favor of "The Bitch Is Back" by Elton John.

I would go listen to her speak just to hear that play as she walks out on stage.

h/t Annika's Journal

Labels: biting sarcasm, inconvenient truth, pointless silliness

A bipartisan group of Senate lawmakers and the White House struck an immigration reform deal Thursday that would grant legal status to the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants already in the United States and increase border and interior enforcement initiatives.

Let me give you a clue about how to spot a bad bill, no matter what it happens to be about. See the picture above? Notice that Ted Kennedy is smiling?

Thus endeth the lesson.

Labels: governmental idiocy, la migra

Labels: pointless silliness

I've not really posted about the candidates thus far because, quite frankly, the whole process is annoying.

However, now that two debates have passed, I'm going to give you my opinion on the field. Well, on the Republican side, anyway. I am paying even less attention to the donks then I am to the GOP right now.

Of the 10 candidates, Huckabee is closest to me politically. In a different time he would be the front runner, but in today's media centric politics he's relegated to "Who was that again?" status.

McCain is a dead candidate walking. He'll be out by the end of the year, if it takes that long.

Giuliani is the front runner right now, but his speaking style doesn't lend itself to the forum of the debate. He did get in a great shot at Rupaul last night, but the pit bull act doesn't fly well the rest of the time.

Romney is polling third, but he definitely comes off looking and sounding the most presidential in every venue, from debate to Leno.

The rest of the field may as well hit the bricks now and save themselves a lot of time and money. They are not going to be president this go 'round or any time in the conceivable future. Any one of them might make a great presidential candidate if a meteor hit the earth, killing every other viable candidate in America.

As it stands right now I'll be voting for Romney in the primaries. The Mormon question gave me pause for about five minutes, and then I got over it. His record as Governor and with the Salt Lake City Olympics show he is capable of leadership. He also would provide something to the GOP that we haven't had in a while; an articulate front man. I mean, I like W. I think he's a good guy trying to do what he thinks is best for the country, but he is not the best spokesman for our cause.

However, as you can tell by the "Blogs for Thompson" linkfest on the right, I've thrown my support behind the stealth candidacy of Fred Thompson. He consistently shows high in the polls, and he isn't even an announced candidate. When the time comes and he actually throws his hat into the ring, I think he's going to bring an entirely new dynamic to the race.

I would be very happy voting for any candidacy that has either Romney or Thompson at the top of the ticket. I'll vote for a Giuliani presidency if he wins the primary, but I'm having a hard time seeing that happen right now.

Update: I almost forgot to include Newt. I like Newt. I liked him as Speaker of the House, and he's a great Sunday morning pundit, but he's been breaking into Al Gore's stash if he thinks he'll ever be President. He has the skills, the plan, he's running a flawless stealth campaign, and he would be great at keeping the GOP in congress in line. But he won't win. Anyone else remember the ads of the 90s? Before they had Bush, the Dem's greatest target was Newt. He had his day and it has passed. He needs to stick to being the GOP's go to guy for making the Sunday Morning rounds.

Labels: presidential politics

I've seen this all over the blogosphere, so I thought I would share it with both of you, too. We've all heard Iraq compared to Vietnam over and over again. Interesting how it really stacks up when you compare the numbers.

Next I would like to see a chart showing number of allied killed in Iraq vs. number of terrorists sent to collect their virgins.

h/t Appeal For Courage.

Labels: Iraq, war

I'm having one of those "Now why didn't I think of that?" moments. Carbon Credit Killers.

Do We Really Kill Trees?
The short answer is "Yes". We run a burgeoning business of clearing trees from grasslands so the Antelope won’t be scared. As silly as that previous sentence sounds it is the truth. So, you can have a clear conscience that you removed a terror inducing tree in an effort to improve the antelope state of mind – which makes them better targets during hunting season. Although we don’t completely follow the logic of the game and fish department on this, we go along with it.

My father's birthday is coming up. I think this would make a great gift.



See pictures of a tree being murdered here.

h/t IMAO.

Labels: biting sarcasm; inconvenient truth

Meet Oscar Pistorius. He is the 20 year old, South African phenom. Three years ago he had never set foot on a track. Now he's got his sites set on the Olympics. He holds records in the 100m, 200m, and 400m sprints. As you can see from the picture, Oscar is a double amputee.

He was born missing bones in his lower legs, as well as having deformed feet. He had both legs amputated below the knee when he was 11 months old. He took up running to rehabilitate from a rugby injury. I don't know about you, but this guy sounds like a bad ass to me.

He wants to compete in the Olympics. No, not the Special Olympics, The Olympics. However, some are complaining that the carbon fiber blades he runs on are akin to him running on giant springs. They claim that they give him added bounce and that they lengthen his stride.

I think they're scared shitless of losing a race to a legless man.

Hopefully the Olympic governing body will give him the chance to earn a spot in the Olympics. Which, after all, is what it's all about, right?

I originally planned to use this to segue into a discussion about affirmative action, the equal rights amendment, and a few other topics, but I've changed my mind. Today, it's about sport, and the love of it. If Oscar can cram the stumps of his legs into these prosthetics and move them fast enough to get around the track, not just finishing the race, but winning; well, I say good for him.

And if he makes the Olympics, there will be at least one American cheering for a South African during the track and field competition. Well, cheering him on to a strong second place finish, anyway. After all, I still want to see America kick butt.

Labels: general rants

Lt. General Douglas Lute has been tapped to fill the newly created position of War Czar.

I just took a quick glance over the constitution, and didn't the founding fathers already take care of that? I think they referred to him as "The President".

Labels: biting sarcasm, governmental idiocy

A teenage boy walked into the local police station in Aizuwakamatsu, Fukushima prefecture Saturday carrying his mother's head. He then led the officer's to his home, where he pointed out his mother's decapitated corpse laying on a futon, and said, "There it is."

He told police he beheaded his mother on the eve of her 47th birthday while she slept, and added, "It didn't matter who I killed," Kyodo reported. Police confirmed the arrest.

Japan, who you will remember has some of the strictest gun control laws in the world, is experiencing a rise in dismemberments.

While dismemberment crimes are not unique to Japan, experts say such cases are on the rise as Japan grapples with the fallout of a decade of economic malaise. Alienation and a trend toward objectifying fellow humans is also fueling the violence.

So let me get this straight, in an effort to protect its citizens, Japan all but outlawed firearms. But now instead of shooting each other, the Japanese are increasingly dismembering each other.

Read the full article for several other recent incidents of dismemberment. It's really quite disturbing and is yet one more little piece of anecdotal evidence to prove my point; people will kill each other, with or without guns. However, people with guns are much better able to protect themselves.

So, if we are going to react to these killings the same was we respond to shootings in America, here are the steps that should be taken.

1. There should be an immediate call to outlaw any and all "assault knives". I mean, sure, we all need butter knives, but who really needs a sword at home? Come on, what can you hunt with one of these? These types of weapons should be reserved for the military and local police, who are trained in their proper use. Allowing civilians to own swords is just asking for trouble.


2. Do not overlook the lethality of small knives and daggars. These "hand-swords" or "Saturday Night Specials" can be easily concealed in your sleeve, or in an ankle sheath. And don't even get us started on throwing knives. How can you feel safe knowing there are people all around you who may be carrying these small, high capacity sheathes? It takes very little practice to become lethal with these, and think of all the children who will see how "cool" it is to throw knives and may inadvertently harm themselves, their siblings or friends. How many innocent lives can be saved by outlawing throwing knives or by requiring locking sheathes for existing throwing knife owners?


3. There should be background checks for all new knife purchases along with a 30 day waiting period before being allowed to take home one of these heinous weapons. We don't want someone rushing out in a fit of rage to buy a sword which will just end up hacking off the head of someone's mother or wife. Given the proper time to cool off, along with adequate time for law enforcement to ensure that only law abiding citizens have access to these weapons, the dismemberment rate should decrease dramatically over the next few years.


4. Several schools should hold "mock dismemberments" to teach the children what to do should they ever be attacked by one of these knife wielding maniacs. But don't let the parents know it's coming, because they may be those whacko religious types who don't understand the value of education by terror. Make sure you have someone burst into the classroom waving around one of these swords while claiming to be Christians who are upset at the amount of Buddhism being displayed in the school.


5. There should be an outright ban on chain saws, circular saws, reciprocating saws, electric knifes, or other such "automatic" knives. None of these perform a function that cannot be done with a properly licensed hand saw or hack saw.

Labels: biting sarcasm, gun control

A 22-year old man punched a 91-year old WWII veteran in the head 21 times while people stood by and watched. And no one lifted a finger to help.

The victim, Leonard Sims, is bruised but says he's doing better every day. He was punched in the head 21 times, and was caught between his car door and the car next to his during the attack so he could not escape.

Sims told a local news report that the incident began when his assailant asked for a light.

"He kind of caught me off guard because when he came up and asked for a light, he punched me," Sims said.

A local police chief said the crime is "one of the most heinous" she's seen in years and is upset the bystanders did nothing.

This is what is becoming of our society. Some low-life attacks an old man in front of an audience, and instead of helping they stand around and watch. I'll be willing to bet that at least one of them captured it on their cell phone and it will show up on youtube, as well.

I would be willing to bet that at least one of the bystanders was scared to act out of fear of being sued afterwards. After all, look at what is happening to the people who blew the whistle on the flying Imams. They reported suspicious activity and now run the risk of having to spend who knows how much money to defend themselves from the very people who were acting suspiciously.

Or how about this case, in New Hampshire. A man drove his vehicle between and attacker and the police officer who had just been wounded. He picks up the officers sidearm and orders the attacker to disarm. When the assailant refuses to comply and moves to reload, this brave men then ventilates him. Instead of the city giving the man a parade, they had to debate about whether or not he would be charged with a crime. Inconceivable. (h/t Crotchety Old Bastard)

I don't care what your political affiliation is, some things are just common sense. If you see a 22-year old man beating a 91-year old man, you should act. You pull the attacker off of the old man, and if he continues to attack, you throw him a beating. If there are several of you, someone should call the cops while the rest of you beat his sorry ass for being stupid in public without a license.

What has happened to "Let's Roll"? Where is the rugged individualism that founded this country? What happened to "Don't tread on me"?

We've turned into a nation of spineless pussies. On 9/11 we were attacked, and now that we are taking the fight to our enemies, people want to bring the troops home and pretend everything will be okay. A 22-year old beats an old man, and people stand by and watch as if they are helpless to stop it.

Let me be clear, I don't think violence is the answer to everything, but sometimes violence is the only answer.

When you were in school and the class bully tried to take your lunch money, how did you respond? If you gave him your lunch money, he then took it every day for the rest of the year. If you stood up for yourself, and showed him that you were willing to fight him for the right to keep what was yours, most likely he backed down and left you alone. The same principle applies here.

Do you think this guy would have stopped if some feel-good, tree hugging peacenick had walked over and asked him to discuss his feelings? Or pointed out that he is only acting out because of his troubled past, and that if he would just reexamine his life, he would find a better outlet for his rage?

No, he wouldn't have stopped. I know this is not a popular view in the world today, but some people are just bad. They are evil, and they want to hurt others. It may be because they want to take what you have, or maybe they hate you because you don't belong to the same ethnic group, religion, or gender that they belong to. The reasons don't matter. What matters is that they will hurt you unless you show them that you will not be pushed around.

The next time this young punk is loose in Detroit and needs a few bucks, do you think he'll think twice about smacking around someone to get it? Why should he when no one was willing to stand up for what was right this time? Sure, he's in custody now, but how long before he's out? Some defense attorney is going to argue that his mother didn't breast feed him, and his dad abused him, and he was probably picked on in school, and he'll probably get less than a year in jail, if that. Then he'll be back on the street, looking for his next victim.

Apparently being a man who is willing to stand up for what is right has gone out of style in this country.

Labels: feminization of America

Some of the staff of a Murfreesboro, TN elementary school staged a mock gun attack during a week long school trip last week.

Many of the children cried and hid under tables.

The assistant principal of Scales Elementary School said the incident lasted five minutes during a week long trip to a state park.

He said students and staff got together and discussed what they would have done in a real situation.

What kind of morons are we allowing to teach our children? I have a child in the 6th grade, and if she came home with a story like this there would be several steps to my reaction.

1. She would never set foot in that school again unless that administrator was removed.

2. I would visit this assistant principal's office and have a polite chat with him about the error of his ways. And by polite chat, I mean perhaps I would show up and shove the barrel of my .357 magnum down his throat until he wet himself. Then I would show him that it was unloaded and this was a "mock" attack. Then we would all have a good laugh and discuss ways that he could have reacted had it been a real attack.

Un-fucking-believable.

Labels: education, gun control

Curse you, Addicting Games. A pox on your head for inventing games like Pinch Hitter. I have lost many a productive hour to your siren song.

BTW, my high score thus far is 31,186. And yes, I have the screen shot to prove it. I know, I am such a nerd.

Labels: pointless silliness

Happy Mother's Day to us all. Yet another murdering slimebag has been sent on his way to meet Allah.

Labels: jihadistan, war

I know that today is Mother's Day, but since I'm a dad, you get to hear my story before I wax poetic about how wonderful my mother is.

I was on the phone with my 12 year old Friday night, and she was telling me about finding out that she has an ear infection.

Me: "So you stayed home from school yesterday and today?"

Her: "Yeah. I didn't feel good, so I stayed home."

Me: "Okay, did mom take you to the doctor?"

Her: "Yeah, we went and he did some tests. Then later, momma called the doctor and you know what he said?"

Me: (thinking to myself.. "no more monkeys jumping on the bed?") "No, what did he say?"

Her: "No more monkeys jumping on the bed" followed by hysterical laughter.

Me: having a pretty good laugh at myself, because I've created a clone. I shall call her not-so-mini-me

Her: "He said I have an ear infection, but that was pretty funny, huh?"

And that is how our conversations typically go. The poor kid has no chance of ever being popular in school because she's too much like her old man.

Labels: the daddy chronicles

I just finished writing to all of my representatives in Washington, as well as to President Bush. I doubt he'll read it, but I hope my congressmen get the message. Feel free to send it along to your representatives as well.

Senator Numb Nuts, <-- You'll want to change that to reflect your particular Senator or Representative.

I write today to express my extreme displeasure with the current funding bill for the war in Iraq. Sitting by and watching as the Democrats in the House put our troops at greater risk by holding their funding hostage is a complete outrage.

I am writing you today to make clear my feelings about the war in Iraq as well as the global war on terror.

Despite what the main stream media and/or any polls tell you, I am firmly in favor of taking the fight to our enemies. Liberating Iraq was the right thing to do. There have been problems along the way, but President Bush has put the right people in place to correct whatever problems may have existed. However, ever since receiving their "mandate" in November, the Democrats have done nothing but obstruct the President's attempts to win this war.

Make no mistake about it, voting for premature withdrawal from Iraq would be a disastrous move for Iraq, our troops, for America, and for any hopes of ever obtaining my vote in another election.

No matter their position on any other issue, I will never again vote for any politician who casts a vote to defund the war or to withdraw our troops before their mission is complete.

The war in Iraq is the single most important issue facing America today. We will either continue the fight in Iraq, or we will withdraw and fight the war on our own streets in the future. The choice is ours, and it is time to stand up to those who refuse to believe that there is never an appropriate time to use force.

The fact that Republicans met with President Bush just this week to express their concern that the war in Iraq may hurt the GOP shows just how little our representatives really understand their constituency. It is not the war with which we have the problem, it is with LOSING the war. No American wants to feel that our soldiers are being sacrificed in vain, and voting to cut funding or to prematurely withdraw our troops is just that, a declaration that all that they have accomplished to this point is for naught.

Please do all that is in your power to do to ensure our troops immediately receive the funding they need to stay safe and to continue to take the fight to our enemy.

Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to read this.

Respectfully,

Frank

Labels: Iraq, war

The U.S. and Germany fear attacks on military personnel and tourists

German Interior Minister Wolfgang Schauble told reporters, "The danger level is high. We are part of the global threat by Islamist terrorism."

Of particular concern, according to U.S. and German law enforcement officials, is Patch Barracks, the headquarters for U.S. European Command, near Stuttgart.

Emphasis mine. This caught my attention for two reasons.

1., It's serious enough that we have diverted U.S. Air Marshals to flights to and from Germany.

2. When I was in middle school, we lived in Ludwigsburg, Germany and my father worked at Patch Barracks. I know the area all too well. The last time I was on Patch Barracks was the fall of '90, but thanks to Google Earth, I've visited a few times recently.

Any mention of Germany and terrorists always captures my attention because I lived there so long. I know a lot of people who are still living there. It's a beautiful country and I would hate to see any more of it destroyed.

Labels: jihadistan, military

Heather Morijah thought she would be cute and order personalized plates for her silver Prius that say "MPEACHW". Someone saw her out driving and complained to the DMV, which then recalled her plates.

The agency “is in receipt of a written complaint about your personalized plates,” the letter says. “With this complaint I am sorry to inform you that the set of plates MPEACHW are being recalled. . . . You will have 10 days from the date of receiving this letter to surrender the plates.”

Long story short, she called the ACLU, had a press conference, and the DMV backed down.

Personally, I agree that she should be able have the plates, no problem. She has every right to drive around looking like a moron. If I passed her car on the interstate, I would do the same thing I do when I pass other morons with "Impeach W" bumper stickers.. shake my head at the lack of education in this country and keep going.

Now we get to the part where I take issue with Ms. Morijah. In explaining why she wants Bush impeached, she had this to say.

“We both feel very strongly about this administration for a large number of reasons. The big number one would be leading us into an imperialistic occupation in Iraq to get their oil, and lying to the American people at the expense of many American lives and many Iraqi lives. And number two, the horrifying damage they’re inflicting on the environment in this country and in the world.”

Imperialistic occupation to get their oil? Really? That's the best you can come up with?

Here's a question for all you nut-jobs who think we invaded Iraq for the sole purpose of taking their oil. How much do you pay per gallon right now? Because a week ago I was paying $3.09. Today it dropped to $2.88, but that is still ridiculous. If we've been stealing their oil for the last four years, why haven't oil prices dropped?

Oh, wait. I know. It's because the evil oil companies are stealing all that oil, but still jacking up the prices to inflate their profits. Silly me, I nearly forgot.

I wonder how these people find their way to work and back each day, because they are, to put it mildly, idiots.

Labels: biting sarcasm, bush haters, governmental idiocy, Iraq, moonbats

Friday Flashback is me celebrating the music I have loved throughout my life. Last week we had Black Velvet by Allanah Miles. This week is Aerosmith ft. Run DMC performing Walk This Way.

I've always loved this version because it is, in a word, fun. It was one of the first instances of what is now common on MTV's Mash Up or CMT's Crossroads. Two artists from completely different genres teaming up to make music that is fun for them and for the listener.

Update
Okay, it's been a slow day at work and I've spent the last 30 minutes watching videos on Youtube, and I had to include one more here. Allow me to introduce you to the Orange County Supertones. This is from their fifth and final album, and it was the first single off that album. They are Christian artists, and, imho, one of the greatest ska-punk bands of all time. Also, if you are wondering about the "Bleach" sticker on the bell of the trombone, Bleach is a lesser known Christian rock band. I may link to them in the future.

I have a great story to share with you that involves me and a mosh pit at their concert, but I'll save that for next week. How's that for a teaser?

In the mean time, crank up your sound and enjoy. I dare you to not enjoy this. Especially around the 2:20 mark when the janitor starts dancing.

Labels: music

A group of House Republican moderates spineless pussies met with Bush yesterday to let him know that the war is harming the GOP. This quote, from Reps. Thomas M. Davis III (Va.), pretty much sums up their position.

"The key for everybody is to try to find a way to declare victory and get out of there," he said.

So, surprise, surprise, we have a bunch of RINOs who are scared to death that they may not get reelected urging the President to give in to the Democrats and get the hell out of Iraq.

I'll say it again. Spineless pussies.

There's a little quote I learned as a kid that is very applicable here. What is popular is not always right, and what is right is not always popular.

Liberating Iraq and ensuring it's stability is right. The mission has to be completed, no matter what the consequence is for the jobs of these spineless pussies.

I can guarantee this, though. I will never in my life vote for anyone who casts a vote to prematurely withdraw from Iraq.

Now I have to go write my representatives yet again to remind them what a bunch of spineless pussies they are.

h/t Functional Ambivalent

Labels: Iraq

According to Fox News, "Man Dies in Parking Lot Dance Competition".

A man died while trying to outdo a rival with an acrobatic move while "battle dancing," police said.

Robert Stitt, 48, and his rival were competing in a parking lot Monday night when he tried a forward flip and landed on his head.

What the hell was a 48 year old man doing in a dance battle in a parking lot? I mean, were they both going after the same parking spot and the only way to decide who got it was a dance off?

I can see them now, car radio cranked, the sounds of "Sex Machine" reverberating throughout the structure as they stretch out in anticipation of the impending showdown.

Then, as if stepping straight out of the trailer for "Breakin' 2, Electric Boogaloo", they begin strutting around, taking turns to step onto the sheet of cardboard which they conveniently found lying nearby.

All was going well until Sitt decided he was going to drive this battle home, finishing his set with the forward flip, most likely intending to land in the splits. I mean, how can anyone top that?

It's too bad this life was brought to a tragic end over his inability to execute the front flip.

A man's got to know his limitations.

Labels: pointless silliness

A restaurant owner in Louisville refused to serve O.J. Simpson the night before the derby.

Ruby — who owns restaurants in Cincinnati, Louisville and Belterra, Ind. — said Simpson, who was in town for the Derby on Saturday, came in with a group of about 12 Friday night and was seated at a table in the back. A customer came up to Ruby and was "giddy" about seeing Simpson, Ruby said.

"I didn't want that experience in my restaurant," Ruby said, later adding that seeing Simpson get so much attention "makes me sick to my stomach."

He said he went to Simpson's table and said, "I'm not serving you." Ruby said when Simpson didn't respond, he repeated himself and left the room.

Ruby said Simpson soon came up to him and said he understood and would gather the rest of his party to leave.

I have a couple of thoughts on this.

#1. Ruby has balls. Big, brass balls. I'm sure that he knew that he would end up with some kind of lawsuit on his hands as a result of this, but he did it anyway. That takes some brass ones. But he has convictions and stood up for them.

#2. I wonder who the people were who were traveling with O.J.? Family? Friends?

#3. O.J. at least showed enough class to not cause a scene by taking his entourage and leaving. That was a classy move on his part.

#4. O.J.'s attorney, being an attorney, is going to turn this into a circus. He's already claiming that his client was refused service because of his race. Is this guy a complete moron? I mean, there's not a business in this country that would deny O.J. anything because of his race. Maybe, and I'm just throwing this out there, just maybe it has to do with the fact that he allegedly murdered a couple of people. Or that he tried to profit from those murders with his "If I Did It" book a few months ago.

Look, O.J. was acquitted, so he has the right to be out doing whatever it is he wants to do. The restaurant owner also has the right to refuse service to pretty much anyone he wants.

Personally, I used to really like O.J. After the whole murder thing, I doubt I would hang out with him. I feel the same way about Michael Jackson. He's not been convicted of anything, but that doesn't mean I would allow my kids to spend the night with him, either.

Labels: general rants, race relations

I remember when this song was released. Big hair and tight jeans were the order of the day, and she fulfilled both of those requirements. Plus, her voice was truly captivating. This is a song that, no matter how many times it comes up in rotation on my mp3 player, always makes me smile.

*Update*I know this didn't get posted until Monday, but I was busy last week and I've been traveling all weekend. Regular posting will resume Wednesday. I know you're all relieved.

Labels: music, the good old days

I have to admit, my favorite part of the debate was right after Matthews asked Romney what he hates about America. Huckabee and Ron Paul jumped off the stage, grabbing Matthews and dragging him to the ground. The rest of the group them proceeded to beat him severely about the head and shoulders for asking such an idiotic question.

What, that didn't happen? Well, it should have.

Labels: biting sarcasm, mediots

Yesterday drive 0.1 in my server died. Last night I rebuilt it, brought the server up, and everything was honky-dory. This morning there were errors in the system files, and the server crashed. I went to fetch the original media from our off-site storage (you know, where they're supposed to be kept safe for just such an emergency) and you know what's coming next.

Apparently when they cleaned out the off-site storage a couple months ago, they found a box full of CDs and didn't know what they were for. So instead of calling me to make sure they weren't important, they shredded them.

They shredded my original disks for Server 2003, SQL, and about a dozen other software packages we use. They also shredded my backup of my CALs.

So today I'm rebuilding a server using my 180-day evaluation copy of Windows Server 2003. In a few hours, I'll be on the phone ordering new media for everything, and probably having to spend close to $4k to replace the CALs.

Freakin' morons.

Labels: general rants

Today is May Day. Has it been a year already?

Sticking with tradition, promoters of lawlessness, hmm.. proponents of immigration reform, proponents of illegal immigration took to the streets across this land of ours to demand that they be treated fairly given special treatment.

If you turn on any of the big four networks tonight, I'm sure you are going to be shown the standard 2 1/2 minutes of footage of mostly Mexican demonstrators, waving American flags, saying that all they want is to be treated fairly.

Much like the Gathering of Eagles in DC in March, the coverage will be very selective. You aren't going to see that the Mexican flags far outnumber the American flags. You won't see numerous Che Guevara shirts. I'm quite sure you won't see the "F**k La Migra" sign.

Go here to see pictures and video of one protest.

Now, before you get all riled up, allow me to point out that I think immigration is a good thing. My family immigrated here just like most of yours. I also know that illegals do contribute to their communities. I also know that they collect from the government as well.

I can't find the study, I'll link to it when I do, but just a couple of months ago a study was released that said that people in the lowest tax brackets (that would include most illegals) receive $3 in federal assistance for every $1 in taxes paid. So let's not make this an argument about whether or not they pay taxes, as I'm sure most of them do. When you balance it out, contributions vs. benefits paid, they receive more than they contribute.

But that's not even get into that part. Here's the main point. This is not about immigration. It's not about whether they are good for the country or not. It's not about whether they have families back home, wherever that is, that they want to be reunited with. This is about ILLEGAL immigration.

One of the protesters was carrying a sign that asked "When did your family immigrate? 1800? 1920? 1930? Lucky them!" What this ass clown doesn't point out, is that my family immigrated here in the early 1800s, and they did so LEGALLY. They got on a boat, sailed to Ellis Island, came through immigration, became citizens, assimilated into the culture, and became productive members of society.

What my family did not do was sneak in to this country, demand that ballots then be given to them in German and Polish, and then complain that they weren't being treated fairly when they weren't accommodated. They looked at the culture around them and they changed to fit in. They did not ask the culture to change to suit them. If that was the case, they could have stayed in Germany and Poland. (Yes, I'm a 1/4 Polish. I know, it explains a lot.)

Let me ask you something else. Ever been overseas? When you are taking a cab through Paris or Moscow or Frankfurt, have you ever heard the cab driver say, "And over there is little America"? or "Go down this street to little Canada"? Why is it, then, that in America we have little ______s in every major city?

Now, again, let me be clear. I love that these places do exist. I loved living on Army bases growing up, because there was always a good Korean restaurant just outside the gates. I love Chinese food and Italian food and Korean food and Mexican food and German food. The list goes on and on. And I love learning and experiencing other cultures. However, if you want to be able to succeed in this country, you need to learn a few skills, and first and foremost among them is the ability to speak and read English.

This country, like it or not, was founded mostly by English speaking white guys. English is the language of the land. Since then we have grown and diversified, but if we want to be able to stay the great land we have always been, we need to be able to communicate with each other. To do that, all new people should assimilate into the existing culture, including learning the language.

My great-grandfather was a Polish immigrant who spoke Polish, German, Ukrainian, Russian, Lithuanian, and English. (Actually there was one more, but I can't remember what it was). He had four children, and the only language he taught them to speak was English. My grandfather said he begged to learn others, but his father told him, "You are in American now, you need to talk like an American". He understood how to succeed in his new country, and it didn't involve protesting against the country that allowed him to escape communism.

Personally, I wish he had passed on a couple more, because being a native speaker would have been a big help when I lived there. I do, however, speak enough German and Spanish to get by when I travel there, as well as a few words in French, a little Japanese and a couple words in Arabic. But that's a story for another day.

What pisses me off when I'm watching these protests is that most of these people have come from countries where it is illegal to do what they are doing here. They couldn't have protested against the government where they came from. They couldn't demand special treatment as a reward for breaking the law. And if they had been arrested, especially in Mexico, they wouldn't receive anything even close to the treatment they would receive here. Hell, Mexico won't even let legal immigrants vote, and this group wants everything handed to them on a silver platter.

Personally, I wish these protesters would get as fired up about improving things in Mexico as they are about trying to attack America. Or divide us.

Do these groups actually believe that if the Southwest has stayed under Mexican rule that Los Angeles would be the city it is today? Do they really believe that the only thing that kept Mexico from experiencing the economic prosperity is the fact that Santa Anna got his ass handed to him?

The whole thing leaves me shaking my head.

This could have all been avoided after the immigration deal in 1986. Back then everyone pledged to police the borders, enforce immigration laws, and generally clean up the whole system. If that had taken care of then, there wouldn't be 12 million illegals in this country right now. Hindsight is 20/20, so they say.

What to do to solve this? I'm not entirely sure. It's impossible to round up 12 million illegals and deport them, but at the same time they shouldn't be rewarded for breaking the law.

I can't say that I hate Bush's plan over 3 year work permits, so long as they return home and apply for the permit, as well as paying the fine. You know, because they broke the law to begin with.

Furthermore, if I were writing legislation, all official documents in this country, including ballots, would be in English, and English only. Why is that, you ask? Because to vote in this country, you have to be a citizen. If you are a natural born citizen, you damn well better learn English, as you've grown up in the American school system, so that may be in jeopardy. If you are a naturalized citizen, you had to pass a test which certifies that you can read and speak English, so you should have no problem understanding the ballot.

I also have no problem with a wall on the border, as well as armed guards. A country which cannot control its border will soon cease to be a country. If/when someone is caught trying to sneak in, they are detained, identified, and, and this is the important part, shipped back to their country of origin. You don't make them promise to show up to a court date and then let them go. You get caught, you get shipped out. Sorry about your luck.

Finally, I would up the amount of legal immigrants allowed in the country, as well as the number of H-1Bs.

So, to sum all this up: legal immigration=good, illegal immigration=bad.

Labels: la migra, mediots

I was just reading this week's SANS NewsBites, when I read this article.

--Internet Spying in Germany Halted Pending Legal Decision
(April 27, 2007)
German intelligence agencies have been using the Internet to monitor suspects for two years. German Interior Minister Wolfgang Schuble is in favor of the practice, but has placed a moratorium on it pending a legal ruling on its legality, which has been challenged across party lines. Some maintain it violates Article 13 of the German Constiutution. [sic] Schuble wants to amend Article 13 to permit the practice because he feels it is a valuable tool. Observers note that the practice catches only individuals who do not know how to protect their computers from Trojan horse programs and other spyware.
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,2459853,00.html
[Editor's Note (Schultz): I predict that news items such as this one will becoming increasingly common over the next few years. Privacy protections that in many countries have been squashed in the name of fighting terrorism will become reinstated as governments realize that they have not achieved a reasonable balance between the need for privacy and the need to counter terrorism.
(Liston): "...the practice catches only those individuals who do not know how to protect their computers from Trojan horse programs and other spyware." Or, as we like to call them, the AOL Call Center. (emphasis mine)

Being the consummate nerd, I found this hilarious.

*channeling Nick Burns, your company's computer guy * "If you people knew anything about computers, you would be laughing about that too."

Labels: pointless silliness

Last night I found out just what a piss-poor education my children are receiving. My 12 year old daughter's class is learning about the middle east peace process. Part of their project is to negotiate for peace. The class was divided into 3 sections; the first group are the Israelis, the second is the PLO, and the third is Hamas. My daughter, being so lucky, is part of the PLO.

I asked her what she knew about the PLO, and she said, "I know they don't have a country, so they've been trying to get Israel to let them have their own land."

That sound you heard last night was my jaw hitting the floor. We then had a 20 minute or so conversation about the history of the middle east, Israel and the PLO.

"But Daddy, my teacher said that Hamas are terrorists, but the PLO isn't," she informed me.

"Your teacher is a flippin retard," is what I wanted to say, but I put it much more politely. "Your teacher is uninformed."

I then told her about the 1972 Olympics and the Achille Lauro (although that wasn't specifically the PLO, I know). We also discussed the fact that other Arab countries won't give citizenship to Palestinians because they want to keep them fighting against Israel.

Needless to say, her class is going to be much more interesting the rest of the week.

Labels: education, Israel, jihadistan