Uncle Ernie

Since the NFL decided to hire Pete Townshend for the upcoming Super Bowl event all hell has broken loose. Child AbuseWatch, the international child prevention group, have been trying for some time to bring attention to Townshend’s sex offender status. Most notably was the Kennedy Center Awards event last year when they wrote to the organizers protesting the honoring of someone with sex offender history.

Most recently they have asked the NFL to drop Townshend from the Super Bowl. In a way they are doing the NFL a favor. How? When the family values groups get hold of this they’re going to rip the NFL and their sponsors apart. It could indeed prove to be an incredibly expensive mistake on the NFL’s part to not read more than Townshend publicists take on Pete’s past when they were planning the half time show.

Another national advocacy group, Protect Our Children, headed by Kevin Gillick has taken the NFL protest a step further; two steps actually. They have made a lot of noise with the Immigration and Naturalization Department and ICE begging to ask how a registered sex offender, with criminal record, has been given free reign to enter the US.

U.S. immigration law says authorities will deny entrance to “Aliens convicted of, and those who admit having committed a crime involving moral turpitude (or an attempt or conspiracy to commit such a crime).” Townshend admitted to having broken the law in his search for child pornography. ‘How he has been given access to the U.S. remains a mystery or perhaps it’s another demonstration of celebrity privilege,’ Mr. Gillick said.

The second aspect of Protect Our Children’s campaign has a definitely more local sting in its tail. A letter has been sent to Florida Attorney General McCullom, demanding that Townshend comply with Florida law, specifically Florida Statute 775.21, which applies to anyone with a sex offender background.

They have asked that Townshend be taken into custody upon his reentry into Florida so that the provisions of FS775.21 may be applied – Sexual Offenders and Predators

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/parenting/whos-townshend-may-have-to-register-as-a-sex-offender-in-florida-557944/

Happy Holidaze

Hopin for some change?

Ha ha. Thanks Obama! Now, the insurance companies will have 30 million more
mandated customers! I love me some Obama today!

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Here's a problem I see with the GOP.

http://thehill.com/homenews/house/73141-gop-slams-climate-effort

"The House GOP lawmakers on Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s delegation to Copenhagen pulled no punches in their criticism of plans to curb carbon emissions."

So let me get this straight. It takes SIX republicans to speak out against Pelosi in
Copenhaagen? Why not just send ONE GOP to make the statement? Have a presser and have ONE pol speak out against it, but when you send 6 on the public dime, that is 'wasteful'. The thing to do is send one guy and point out they could have sent 5 more, but they were thinking about the carbon footprint...

But, no, these 6 were 'invited'. Which means a nice little junket to go eat in fancy restaurants, fly on expensive jets, and get foreign hookers and booze. THIS is what is wrong with the 2 parties now.

The GOP is no better.

Save the Planet!

Frosty

Undocumented Guests

I don't understand why the White House is so upset about the two party crashers at Barack Obama's steak dinner last week.....

Is it really appropriate and politically correct to call them party crashers just because they trespassed on Mr. Obama? Does that make them criminals? Isn't that discrimination? Shouldn't they be rewarded for such bold and brave behavior? Maybe they were just trying to feed their family?

I would suggest that it's more appropriate to call them "undocumented guests." Just because they weren't officially invited doesn't mean they should be treated like criminals. Maybe they should get free health care, free
housing, free legal services and free White House green cards so next time they can enter legally. And they should be able to bring all of their relatives and family members, too.

How can Mr. Obama be mad at them just because they crossed over some arbitrary man-made border? They were there only to do the things that regularly invited guests didn't want to do. (Like hang out with Joe Biden.)

How can the White House punish these poor oppressed undocumented visitors?

Why Switzerland does not worry

Thomas is conservative?

Research by the University of Alberta has chillingly revealed that kids' TV show Thomas and Friends may be engendering a "conservative political ideology" in future generations - a repressive mindset which "punishes individual initiative, opposes critique and change, and relegates females to supportive roles".

Shauna Wilton and friends from the uni's Department of Social Sciences analysed 23 episodes of the programme, and noted that while it "conveys a number of positive political values such as tolerance, listening, communicating with others and contributing to the community", there is a dark side to Thomas the Tank Engine.

Wilton claimed that "storylines in several episodes that divided the characters into different social classes and punished those who tried to gain individual power". She said: "Any change is seen as disrupting the natural order of things."

Furthermore, "of 49 main characters listed in the show, only eight were female, reflecting a general trend among children's programming".

Wilton concluded: "We tend to think of children's TV shows as neutral and safe, but they still carry messages. Eventually these children will attain full political citizenship, and the opinions and world outlook they develop now, partially influenced by shows like Thomas and Friends, are part of that process."

Wilton's findings, presented earlier this year to the Canadian Political Science Association, will doubtless add to a growing sense of unease among parents following the news that Disney, among others, punts "strictly heterosexual values" to wide-eyed kiddies.


http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/12/10/thomas_and_friends/

Irena

from 2007: NY Sun newspaper...

A class project by four high-school girls from Kansas has spurred a grassroots movement to nominate for a Nobel Peace Prize a woman who rescued 2,500 Jewish children from the Nazis — a move endorsed last week by the deputy prime minister of Israel, Shimon Peres.

A Polish social worker, Irena Sendler, who turns 97 next month, smuggled children out of the Warsaw ghetto and refused to disclose their whereabouts even after being tortured. Gestapo officers crunched her legs in a vice and smashed her bones with hammers.

Mrs. Sendler stashed the identities of the children she saved in jars and buried the jars under an apple tree. Her plan was to dig up the jars after the war and reunite the children with their families.

Mr. Peres has written a letter to President Kaczynski of Poland saying he agrees with growing Polish sentiment that Mrs. Sendler "should be duly considered for the Nobel Peace Prize."

"This brings me great joy, but on the other hand, it's a shame that my liaison officers are not alive. I would not have been able to do anything without the crew people around me," Mrs. Sendler told the Sun in a telephone interview from the nursing home where she lives in Warsaw.

Mrs. Sendler's story was buried when the Soviet Union imposed communism on Poland. And even though Mrs. Sendler was honored in 1965 by Yad Vashem as one of the righteous who saved Jews, it took four Protestant girls from Pittsburg, Kan., to teach Catholic Poland about the story.

In 1999, three Union High School ninth-graders, Megan Stewart, Elizabeth Cambers, and Jessica Shelton, and an eleventh-grader, Sabrina Coons, entered a history project after their teacher Norm Conard showed them an article about "Schindler's List," which mentioned others who rescued Jews from the Nazis. Surprised that Mrs. Sendler saved twice as many people as Schindler, the girls researched her life and wrote a play called "Life in a Jar."

"Irena Sendler changed my life. As a teacher, she made me more aware of the importance of Holocaust education and showing how one person can change the world. Through her actions, she gave our students the passion to tell her story," Mr. Conard told the Sun.

A social worker in 1939 when the Germans invaded Poland, Mrs. Sendler and her friends set up soup kitchens when the Nazis ordered her agency to cut off support for impoverished Jews. When the Gestapo corralled 450,000 Jews in Warsaw into a cramped ghetto and the prisoners began starving to death, Mrs. Sendler obtained a pass to enter under the guise of preventing an epidemic of infectious diseases. Once inside, Mrs. Sendler told the Jews the Nazis were planning to murder them and convinced them to hide their children.

Mrs. Sendler used an ambulance to smuggle children out of the ghetto in burlap sacks and coffins. A barking dog on the front seat would sometimes drown out the cries of children in the back who had been separated from their parents. She received help from her friends and Zegota, the Polish Council to Aid the Jews. More children were smuggled out in garbage cans, toolboxes, and through a church on the edge of ghetto.

In October 1943, Gestapo officers arrested Mrs. Sendler and tortured her for three months before she was sentenced to be shot by firing squad. But Zegota bribed a Nazi guard who helped her escape.

After the war, Irena dug up the jars and tracked down the 2,500 children to reunite them with their families. While most of the parents had been killed, many of the children found relatives scattered around Europe. The grown children, such as: Teresa Korner in Israel; Renata Zajdman in Montreal; Piotr Zysman Zettinger in Stockholm, Sweden; Irena Wojdowska in Szczecin, Poland, and Katarzyna Meloch, Michal Glowinski, and Elzbieta Ficowska of Warsaw, Poland, are living proof of the horrors of the genocide.

"If someone is drowning, you have to give them your hand. When the war started, all of Poland was drowning in a sea of blood, and those who were drowning the most were the Jews. And among the Jews, the worst off were the children. So I had to give them my hand," Mrs. Sendler told the Sun.

Not all Poles had clean hands during the war, and most were afraid to risk their lives. The Germans made it a crime to shelter Jews, and Christian Poles caught were executed.










who won in 2007?

The IPCC and Al Gore.

That's it Arthur. No Mo $$ from me.

"We want Vick! We want Vick!''

Michael Vick, 45 minutes after one of the most memorable games of his star-crossed NFL career, was still so emotional about it that I could almost feel his goosebumps over the phone. The day started with him being booed by the Georgia Dome crowd, but when Andy Reid called a couple of plays catering to Vick's strengths -- and they worked -- the crowd switched. It was a Vick lovefest.

"We want Vick! We want Vick!'' came the chant from every corner of the Dome.

"Awesome, awesome,'' Vick said over the phone from Atlanta. "I had chills down my spine. I will never, ever forget this day. To have them say they want me to be a part of their team, their city ... I just appreciate it so much. I appreciate everything about today. This will always be my hometown-away-from-home ...''

In the 34-7 win over the Falcons (to be fair, playing without Matt Ryan, who got standing ovations of his own in this same Dome last year as Vick's heir), Vick finally got to throw the ball downfield. People credit Vick for his athleticism, and justifiably, but I say he's got one of the three best arms in football, and two years in federal custody didn't rob him of that.

In the Eagles' first 11 games, Vick had touched the ball 18 times and generated 74 unspectacular yards. But in the third quarter Sunday, on third-and-one from the Falcons' five, he wriggled through the line for a five-yard touchdown. And after the chant got loud early in the fourth quarter, Reid put him back in the game and Vick threw a bomb up the left seam. It was so perfectly thrown, bisecting double-coverage, that Reggie Brown got interfered with and still caught the 43-yard throw.

"We've had that play in the playbook all season, but we haven't called it,'' said Vick. "In practice, I overthrow it every week, but this time, the safety bit on it and he [Brown] went up and got it. Thrilling.''

I told Vick the FOX cameras caught him talking to Arthur Blank before the game, and I wondered what they said. "Family stuff,'' he said. "It was good.


We're going to have dinner in the offseason.''

Here comes the squeeze!

"The Congressional Black Caucus is holding back support for President Obama's legislation over financial regulation reform because it wants the administration to help minority-owned businesses, such as Inner City Broadcasting. The troubled radio company and its financial plight have been specifically identified in meetings with top administration officials, according to the New York Times. Inner City Broadcasting, which owns 17 stations nationwide, faces a possible financial collapse because of pressure by Goldman Sachs and GE Capital to repay nearly $230 million in debt.

Black Caucus members and lobbyists for Inner City have been pressing the administration for special help for black-owned broadcasters, and to help push its cause, Inner City even hired prominent Washington lobbying firm the Podesta Group. Members of the caucus asked the administration to squeeze lenders like GE Capital and Goldman Sachs to renegotiate their loans with Inner City and other black-owned radio stations, arguing that these financial institutions themselves had already received federal assistance. Some caucus members even pushed to include black-owned radio stations in the bailout.

The matter came to a head on Wednesday, when 10 members of the Congressional Black Caucus skipped a House Financial Services Committee meeting, intentionally missing a critical vote on the regulatory reform package. They were trying to send a message to reinforce their demands that the White House take steps to address the financial crisis that has hurt black businesses, the Times reported. The vote allowed the legislation to move to the full House floor, where it is expected to be taken up next week.

"There is a lot of concern about Inner City Broadcasting," said Barney Frank (D-MA), the chairman of the House Financial Services Committee. Frank also told the Times that at the request of Black Caucus members, he had called "private and public companies" on behalf of the radio station owners to urge them to work with Inner City and other media companies.

Meanwhile, White House spokeswoman Jennifer R. Psaki said in a written statement, "We share the concerns raised by C.B.C. members about struggling minority communities, and that’s why we've engaged in a positive way to make progress on these issues." Goldman Sachs spokesman Michael DuVally also confirmed to the Times that the company has been involved in talks with Inner City Broadcasting about its debt."

http://www.fmqb.com/article.asp?id=1612575

Pity the Goreacle

Environmentalism should be regarded on the same level with religion "as the only compelling, value-based narrative available to humanity," according to a paper written two years ago to influence the future strategy of the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP), the world's would-be environmental watchdog.

future scholarship...watch this kid HIT!!

Lisa Borders....shame on you

The Mayoral race was the first week of November,and Lisa Borders, came in third.

She made alot of promises on how she intended to help the city.

However, since she lost, I still see her signs everywhere. If you drive the 'Grady Curve', an enormous banner is still hanging on the side of an empty building. Which is ironic.

Because if this loser can't even pull her own political signs down after coming in 3rd in a 4 person race, then she did not really intend to do anything about this city.

First, hire someone to take your signs down. Then, do not think about another mayoral run, because you have proven not to really care.

PC kills....

Why the hell wasn't this guy picked up before he started his Jihad?

Could it be that PC in the military kept him in place?


From ABC :

Major Nidal Malik Hasan’s military superiors repeatedly ignored or rebuffed his efforts to open criminal prosecutions of soldiers he claimed had confessed to “war crimes” during psychiatric counseling, according to investigative reports circulated among federal law enforcement officials…

…His last effort to get the attention of military investigators came on Nov. 2, three days before his alleged shooting spree, according to the reports.

Colonel Anthony Febbo at Fort Hood reportedly told investigators he was twice contacted by Hasan, on Nov. 2 and a week earlier in October, about the question of whether he could legally provide information on “war crimes” he had learned in the course of psychiatric counseling he provided soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. Col. Febbo told ABC News he could not comment because of the on-going investigation.

His supervisor in the Department of Psychiatry, Captain Naomi Surman, told investigators that Hasan raised similar issues with her in conversations in October, according to documents reviewed by ABC News.

Captain Surman told investigators that Hasan had formally contacted military prosecutors to report patients he was evaluating, according to people briefed on the exchange. She said Hasan signed his e-mails with “Praise Be to Allah.”

…
Captain Surman, who was scheduled to be deployed to Afghanistan with Hasan on Nov. 2 told investigators that Hasan had both social and academic issues in his medical training. She said that on one occasion, Hasan told her she was an infidel who would be “ripped to shreds” and “burn in hell” because she was not Muslim.

What's up, Der Spiegel?

Ahhhh.good times.

Looks like all the ecofreakos over there have thier biodegradable panties in a bunch. Apparently, the bloom is off the rose.

When Der Spiegel is slamming you, that's like all of Germany saying 'were not racists'! we hate your white half too!'

http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,661678,00.html

Samuel Nicholas

Born in 1744, as the son of a well known Quaker blacksmith and the nephew of Attwood Shute, the Mayor of Philadelphia, Samuel Nicholas had many advantages early in life. At age 7, his uncle paid for him to attend the Philadelphia Academy. When what is now known as the University of Pennsylvania was established in 1754, it quickly became affiliated with the prestigious Philadelphia Academy. Nicholas finished his studies at the Academy in 1759 at the age of 15. Nicholas became heavily involved with high society upon graduation.

When he turned 16, he was admitted into the Schuylkill Fishing Company, a very exclusive club in Philadelphia. Not long after, in 1766, he organized the Gloucester Fox Hunting Club, one of the first hunting clubs in America. He was also involved in the Patriotic Association of Philadelphia. Two years after organizing the Gloucester Fox Hunting Club, Nicholas married Mary Jenkins, daughter of a well established businessman. Her family owned the Connestogoe Wagon, a business Nicholas took over after his marriage. The spelling of the establishment was later changed to the now familiar Conestoga, but Connestogoe is documented in The Philadelphia Directory for 1785. Nicholas and his wife had three children, a daughter who was said to be engaged to Washington Irving, and two sons, Samuel, Jr., and Charles Jenkins Nicholas. Not because of any formal military training, but because of his established role in Philadelphia society, when the Second Continental Congress began looking for men to fight in the Navy, they contacted Samuel Nicholas to assist them.

Nicholas was officially commissioned as Captain of the Marines on November 5, 1775. At that time, the Marines were officially started as a branch of the Navy ready to fight for independence on shore and at sea. The Marines were considered more quickly trained as combat fighters rather than strategic fighters. Five days later, on November 10, the Second Continental Congress allowed two battalions of Marines to be enlisted. Later that month, on November 28, Nicholas’ commission was confirmed by Congress and signed by John Hancock. His pay was initially set at $32 per month. When asked to design the uniforms for the Marines, Nicholas used as a template the outfits of the Gloucester Fox Hunting Club whose hunting uniforms used a leather collar. Nicholas carried these collars over to the uniforms of the Marines, which is how Marines came to be known as “leathernecks.”

His initial assignment was to gather the men who would be the first Marines. Because of his business, the Connestogoe Wagon Tavern, it was assumed that he would know the type of tough men willing to fight. He was successful in that endeavor and ended up gathering five companies of Marines.

In March, 1776, Nicholas commanded the Marine detachment aboard the Alfred with Commodore Hopkins in charge. His first mission to Nassau in the Bahamas was a success. The Americans captured two forts, 88 cannons, 15 mortars, and other military weaponry from the British. That raid was regarded as the most successful American Naval operation of the Revolutionary War. He was promoted to major on June 25, 1776.

Soon after, Nicholas reported back to Philadelphia to resume recruiting. He took the men he had enlisted with him to assist in the Trenton-Princeton Campaign, the historic battle in the Revolutionary War beginning on Christmas Day. In it, Nicholas assisted General Washington in defeating the Hessians in Trenton and Princeton, New Jersey. After those victories, Nicholas again returned to Philadelphia in June 1778 after the evacuation of the British from the city to continue recruiting and training efforts.

Five years later, the 39-year-old Nicholas gave up his military life and resumed civilian life. He was a member of the Pennsylvania Society of Cincinnatorium from 1785 until 1788, serving on the standing committee. More commonly known as The State Society of the Cincinnati of Pennsylvania, it was established honor those people who “gave up everything to serve the Republic” during the Revolutionary War. The Society is named for Roman General Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus, who quit his farm to fight for his country, and when finished with military duties, declined any awards he was to receive and returned to his farm. George Washington and Alexander Hamilton are among the prominent Presidents of the Society. Two years after giving up the Society, Nicholas died on August 27, 1790, during a yellow fever epidemic. Because of his Quaker background, he was buried in the Society of Friends Cemetery, though earlier cast out of the Quaker Church because of his involvement in the military. In his memory, the naval destroyer Nicholas was named for him on May 12, 1919.

Nicholas’ life and contributions to the Marine Corps have not been forgotten. Every November 10, the celebrated birthday of the Marine Corps (the day the first battalions were enlisted in 1775), Marines gather at the Quaker meetinghouse cemetery at Fourth and Arch Streets in Philadelphia. Because the exact location of his grave is unknown, Marines from the University of Pennsylvania ROTC program gather at an unmarked marble tomb in the cemetery. The Quakers are against war, the reason Nicholas was “read out of meeting,” or excommunicated. When the Marines asked if they could hold a ceremony in his honor at the meeting house, the Religious Society of Friends was initially against it, but eventually allowed it on the terms that they keep it low-key.

The Marines, therefore, come, lay a wreath, and salute silently before dismissing themselves every year.

Teaching Paul

"Let the government run the schools, and it may end up teaching your children values that offend you. Let the government have new powers to fight terrorism, and it may use those extraordinary powers in the pursuit of ordinary crimes. Let the federal government give the states money for highways, and it may eventually use its money to impose its own rules on the states."

Sesame Street has the neocons pantied in a wad over a parody they did:


This is where guys like Brietbart and their fellow travellers miss the mark. It's quite one thing to be on a foreign stage on the eve of a war and speak poorly of your country and POTUS, and another to get upset about Oscar the Grouch.

That being said, I do see some liberal agenda in my childs preschool class.

For instance, Rainbow Fish.

This is a book peddled to children to instill Socialist or Communist values. The storyline goes: there is a fish with beautiful scales that no other fish likes. In order to make the collective like him, he must give away all his scales until every fish has one glittering scale. Then, and only then, is the fish 'accepted'.

Now, am I going to get upset over this? Why? I'll just tell Paul that the book is wrong. Shel Siverstein wrote a couple good books, but he was a devout socialist.

The only problem I can see is that PBS gets taxpayers $$. Therefore, it should not infuse politics or policy into it's programming.

Fate is MFer

*taken down due to security reasons*

In Remembrace of William Smythe:

http://www.missourah.com/2009/09/15/obama-criticism-flow-chart/

WOW

Holy Crap. The Democratic party of Georgia is basically calling Mary Norwood, the first white woman to make a serious run for mayor, a Republican. Can the message be any more obvious? DONT VOTE FOR WHITEY!

Look at the 'concerned' black woman on the flyer. You've got to be kidding me.

This is what happens in Atlanta municipal politics. The Good ol Bro's will do anything to remain entrenched: including slandering a fellow Democrat just because she is white.

Pretty Fn sad.

Wierd Science

A man in full.....

Interesting report on questions asked by the AJC to the three flunkies currently robo-calling all Atlantan's in their efforst to become Mayor:


"Question No. 1: How many Atlanta foreclosures are on the market right now?

Jesse Spikes: “I don’t have a finite number. 60,000?”

Lisa Borders: “I don’t have a discrete number, either. I would tell you ZIP code with the largest number of foreclosures in the nation is 30318. So that’s where the vast majority of them are in the city of Atlanta.”

Mary Norwood: “It’s the southwest side, and – the number of foreclosures runs along the line from R.M. Clayton plant, south and west of downtown, and south and west of Grant Park, and that includes ZIP codes 15, 11, 10, 18, 31 and 14. So those ZIP codes have been affected the most. And it is thousands and thousands.”

Kasim Reed: “The number of foreclosures in excess of 15,000. We also have 6,000 condominum units that are currently available on the market right now, although they are not in foreclosure.”

Brenda Woods gave the answer as 10,954, according to RealtyTrac.com.

Question No. 2: How many Fortune 500 business does Atlanta have?

Borders: “I think we now have seven. I’m not positive, though.”

Norwood: “I’m saying 10?”

Reed: “Twelve.”

Spikes: “I’d say 10.”

Ted Hall gave the answer as nine, with11 in the metro Atlanta area, according to Fortune magazine.

Question No. 3: When was the last time you rode MARTA? How much did you pay then on a one-way fare, and how much is it now?

Norwood: “I – as a council…. I can’t tell you. Don’t remember.”

Reed: “Last time I rode MARTA was about a week ago going to my mom’s and I think the new fee is $2.25.”

Spikes: “Last time I rode it, it was $1.75. I rode it to the airport, and it was just increased. Did it go up a dollar?”

Borders: “I believe it’s $2, and I rode the MARTA para-transit system with my father, who is in a wheelchair.”

Woods gave the answer as $2."

Boy, that sure gives you a warm fuzzy,huh?

Micheal Moore as animated in 1948

Cock of the walk

John was in the fertilized egg business..

He had several hundred young layers (hens), called 'pullets,'

and ten roosters to fertilize the eggs.



He kept records, and any rooster not performing

went into the soup pot and was replaced.



This took a lot of time, so he bought some tiny bells

and attached them to his roosters.



Each bell had a different tone, so he could tell from a distance,

which rooster was performing.



Now, he could sit on the porch And fill out an efficiency report

by just listening to the bells.



John's favourite rooster, old Butch, was a very fine specimen,

but this morning he noticed old Butch's bell hadn't rung at all!



When he went to investigate, he saw the other roosters were busy chasing pullets,

bells-a-ringing, but the pullets, hearing the roosters coming, could run for cover.



To John's amazement, old Butch had his bell in his beak, so it couldn't ring.



He'd sneak up on a pullet, do his job and walk on to the next one.

John was so proud of old Butch, he entered him in the Renfrew County Fair

and he became an overnight sensation among the judges.



The result was the judges not only awarded old Butch the No Bell Piece Prize

but they also awarded him the Pulletsurprise as well.

Clearly old Butch was a politician in the making.

Who else but a politician could figure out

how to win two of the most highly coveted awards

on our planet by being the best at sneaking up on the populace

and screwing them when they weren't paying attention.

Girls Night Out!

A Magical Night

Just the facts.

Back from the Land of the Mouse

It's great to unplug once in awhile and see a magical world through the eyes of your child....


Just got back and thought this story was a beauty:



http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/6341373/Ho-White-and-the-Seven-Dwarves-beer-advert-angers-Disney.html


Campaign creators The Foundry claimed the idea was to convince Australian drinkers that the fruit-flavoured beer was "anything but sweet".

However, the advertisement has reportedly angered Disney, the entertainment giant which licenses Snow White.

The Foundry said it had had "a little bit of contact" with Disney over the issue, according to Sydney's Daily Telegraph newspaper.

The Foundry's website had featured pictures of "Ho White" but links to the campaign appeared to have been disabled and the campaign's official website, anythingbutsweet.com, could not be accessed.

Australia's Food Week website speculated that this may be due to a copyright infringement.

Disney, which released the famous animated Snow White feature in 1937, was not immediately available for comment.

However, it is unlikely that the company, which runs the family-friendly Disney theme parks and is known for its cartoon feature films aimed at children, would agree to Snow White's image being used to sell beer.

Hey Al? Al?! Where's the 'change'?

Start cursing the weather gods, Chicago.

Snow could be coming to town as early as this weekend. That’s right, snow. Flurries and flakes.

The forecast says that Saturday night rain will turn into the white stuff early Sunday morning.

If the snow sticks, it would be the earliest recorded measurable snowfall in Chicago. The record was set just three years ago when it snowed on Oct. 12.

We dont need no, education....

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2009/10/07/school_kids_sing_for_health_care_reform_on_set_of_cnn.html




That's just terrifying. WTG, CNN and Ron Clark Academy.

It's rather amusing watching all this go down. From the 'Rainbow Fish' in my son's preschool to Shel and his ilk, this is stright up indoctrination.

Now, what they should have done is hired actors, like the kids featured in this spoof:



Those kids are professional actors. They are 'playing a part'. Not issue advocacy in the classroom. the RCA is a private school, so they have the right, but if I was a parent there, my kid would be gone.

The Worst Stand Up in the world

Check out this bust!

Jamaal Anderson.

Protestors...

some pics of the Glenn Beck protest in woolly Seattle.

Bill Mahrer had a good bit about the lardness of the 9-12 protestors.

But this chick is the best thing going up there...


shudder

some differences

If a conservative doesn't like guns, they don't buy one. If a liberal doesn't like guns, then no one should have one.

If a conservative is a vegetarian, they don't eat meat. If a liberal is, they want to ban all meat products for everyone..

If a conservative sees a foreign threat, he thinks about how to defeat his enemy. A liberal wonders how to surrender gracefully and still look good.

If a conservative is homosexual, they quietly enjoy their life. If a liberal is homosexual, they loudly demand legislated respect.

If a black man or Hispanic is conservative, they see themselves as independently successful. Their liberal counterparts see themselves as victims in need of government protection.

If a conservative is down-and-out, he thinks about how to better his situation. A liberal wonders who is going to take care of him.

If a conservative doesn't like a talk show host, he switches channels.
Liberals demand that those they don't like be shut down.

If a conservative is a non-believer, he doesn't go to church. A liberal wants all churches to be silenced.


If a conservative decides he needs health care, he goes about shopping for it, or may choose a job that provides it. A liberal demands that his neighbors pay for his.

Not So Fast, Vance

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- The Atlanta Falcons today signed defensive tackle Jeremy Clark to the practice squad.

Clark, 6-3, 309 pounds, was originally signed by the Philadelphia Eagles as a rookie free agent on May 14, 2007. After spending the 2007 campaign on the Eagles' practice squad, the New York Giants acquired the Alabama graduate prior to the 2008 training camp. Clark spent the majority of the 2008 year on the Giants practice squad before being elevated to the 53-man roster in late November. He competed in four games while totaling three tackles and a half of a sack.

Clark's signing gives the Falcons another developmental interior defensive lineman prospect on the practice squad. Defensive tackle Vance Walker, a Georgia Tech standout and 2009 seventh-round draft choice, was signed from the practice squad to the active roster on Monday in the wake of the season-ending knee injury to rookie Peria Jerry.

We need a smaller tent

Having been a longstanding Libertarian ( read: sent $$$ )it troubles me now to see the influx of conservatives into the Libertarian Party.

When Bill Clinton won his first term, I voted Perot.
When he won his second term, I became a true Libertarian.

Even after 9-11, when my party had it's convention here in the ATL, I argued against guys like former editor Sugg of the now bankrupt Creative Loafing about sending troops into Afghanistan. The fires at ground zero were not even out yet, and half of our party was arguing that we should not use the military to get Osama, instead leave that to the CIA. The CIA?!!! Now the argument is that the CIA tortured people!!!

Well, now isn't it more then a little amazing how many folks just recently 'became' an independant?

Like Boortz, for example. He told his listeners NOT to vote Libertarian in the last 2 POTUS elections. Of course, he is 'independant'...

I did not support the Iraq war. I argued against it on the Atlanta airwaves.

I support decriminalization, and 2nd amendment rights. I used to be pro death penalty, but after witnessing the DNA reversals I now do not. I am prochoice.

I dont care about gay marriage. I dont know anyone that really does!

So, if I do not support the current President, what does that make me now?


It's very convenient that so many GOP rubes are now 'independant'.

Good Grief.




On another topic: How Bout Dem Falcons!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Good For Obama!

No more imaginary 'Star Wars' shield for Europe. Obama made the right choice.

The missile system stood to increase the conflict with Russia, possibly leading to new mini-cold war. It did more harm than good. We don't need to defend Europe, they have the European union with more money and without the 10 trillion dollars in debt. And Iran isn't going to blindly attack Poland, that's completely retarded, and they understand it would be suicide. We don't need to waste money building missile systems in other countries that only cause conflict.



We need a safe, secure global marketplace with a stable US government financial system. By canceling this mythical missile shield that serves only to antagonize Russia without providing any real defense against an Iranian threat, Obama has saved us money and made steps toward a more secure globe.

I cant understand how the same people who demand we stop spending are now complaining we are selling out Poland.

Stop it already!

This is what I cannot stand about conservative talk radio.

I have been listening again to see if anyone would admonish Joe Wilson for crying out 'Liar' during Obama's speech. Some did, but most tried the old 'Hey, they yelled at Bush ! They booed him! 4 years ago! They called him names, too~!'

Look, you can't defend bad behaviour by saying 'they did it too!'. We expect that stuff, but our represenatives are supposed to be above that.

Also, when W was in office, the lefties were crying 'unemployment isn't 9%, it's really 14%! Alot of laid off people stopped looking for work!'

Now, I heard that exact argument from Limbaugh, Hannity, and Beck. They are using the same argument now that Obama is in office.

Knock it off!

Steinbecks

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Patrick Henry, March 23, 1775.

Patrick Henry, March 23, 1775.

No man thinks more highly than I do of the patriotism, as well as abilities, of the very worthy gentlemen who have just addressed the House. But different men often see the same subject in different lights; and, therefore, I hope it will not be thought disrespectful to those gentlemen if, entertaining as I do opinions of a character very opposite to theirs, I shall speak forth my sentiments freely and without reserve. This is no time for ceremony. The questing before the House is one of awful moment to this country. For my own part, I consider it as nothing less than a question of freedom or slavery; and in proportion to the magnitude of the subject ought to be the freedom of the debate. It is only in this way that we can hope to arrive at truth, and fulfill the great responsibility which we hold to God and our country. Should I keep back my opinions at such a time, through fear of giving offense, I should consider myself as guilty of treason towards my country, and of an act of disloyalty toward the Majesty of Heaven, which I revere above all earthly kings.

Mr. President, it is natural to man to indulge in the illusions of hope. We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth, and listen to the song of that siren till she transforms us into beasts. Is this the part of wise men, engaged in a great and arduous struggle for liberty? Are we disposed to be of the number of those who, having eyes, see not, and, having ears, hear not, the things which so nearly concern their temporal salvation? For my part, whatever anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the whole truth; to know the worst, and to provide for it.

I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided, and that is the lamp of experience. I know of no way of judging of the future but by the past. And judging by the past, I wish to know what there has been in the conduct of the British ministry for the last ten years to justify those hopes with which gentlemen have been pleased to solace themselves and the House. Is it that insidious smile with which our petition has been lately received? Trust it not, sir; it will prove a snare to your feet. Suffer not yourselves to be betrayed with a kiss. Ask yourselves how this gracious reception of our petition comports with those warlike preparations which cover our waters and darken our land. Are fleets and armies necessary to a work of love and reconciliation? Have we shown ourselves so unwilling to be reconciled that force must be called in to win back our love? Let us not deceive ourselves, sir. These are the implements of war and subjugation; the last arguments to which kings resort. I ask gentlemen, sir, what means this martial array, if its purpose be not to force us to submission? Can gentlemen assign any other possible motive for it? Has Great Britain any enemy, in this quarter of the world, to call for all this accumulation of navies and armies? No, sir, she has none. They are meant for us: they can be meant for no other. They are sent over to bind and rivet upon us those chains which the British ministry have been so long forging. And what have we to oppose to them? Shall we try argument? Sir, we have been trying that for the last ten years. Have we anything new to offer upon the subject? Nothing. We have held the subject up in every light of which it is capable; but it has been all in vain. Shall we resort to entreaty and humble supplication? What terms shall we find which have not been already exhausted? Let us not, I beseech you, sir, deceive ourselves. Sir, we have done everything that could be done to avert the storm which is now coming on. We have petitioned; we have remonstrated; we have supplicated; we have prostrated ourselves before the throne, and have implored its interposition to arrest the tyrannical hands of the ministry and Parliament. Our petitions have been slighted; our remonstrances have produced additional violence and insult; our supplications have been disregarded; and we have been spurned, with contempt, from the foot of the throne! In vain, after these things, may we indulge the fond hope of peace and reconciliation. There is no longer any room for hope. If we wish to be free– if we mean to preserve inviolate those inestimable privileges for which we have been so long contending–if we mean not basely to abandon the noble struggle in which we have been so long engaged, and which we have pledged ourselves never to abandon until the glorious object of our contest shall be obtained–we must fight! I repeat it, sir, we must fight! An appeal to arms and to the God of hosts is all that is left us!

They tell us, sir, that we are weak; unable to cope with so formidable an adversary. But when shall we be stronger? Will it be the next week, or the next year? Will it be when we are totally disarmed, and when a British guard shall be stationed in every house? Shall we gather strength by irresolution and inaction? Shall we acquire the means of effectual resistance by lying supinely on our backs and hugging the delusive phantom of hope, until our enemies shall have bound us hand and foot? Sir, we are not weak if we make a proper use of those means which the God of nature hath placed in our power. The millions of people, armed in the holy cause of liberty, and in such a country as that which we possess, are invincible by any force which our enemy can send against us. Besides, sir, we shall not fight our battles alone. There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations, and who will raise up friends to fight our battles for us. The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave. Besides, sir, we have no election. If we were base enough to desire it, it is now too late to retire from the contest. There is no retreat but in submission and slavery! Our chains are forged! Their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston! The war is inevitable–and let it come! I repeat it, sir, let it come.

It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace– but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God!


I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!

9 11

Okay, do you SEE now?

see that pic?

That, my friends is none other then Micheal Moore, sitting with Jimmah Carter in the 2004 DNC.

They gave Micheal Moore a freeking VIP box. Next to a former POTUS.

Ummm, hey guys?

http://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUSTRE5850F320090906


Capitalism is evil. That is the conclusion U.S. documentary maker Michael Moore comes to in his latest movie "Capitalism: A Love Story," which premieres at the Venice film festival Sunday.

Blending his trademark humor with tragic individual stories, archive footage and publicity stunts, the 55-year-old launches an all out attack on the capitalist system, arguing that it benefits the rich and condemns millions to poverty.

"Capitalism is an evil, and you cannot regulate evil," the two-hour movie concludes.

"You have to eliminate it and replace it with something that is good for all people and that something is democracy."



So, the hero of the left thinks Capitalism is evil and should be eliminated.

Who's surprised here?

Also: I liken this to the Al Gore Problem.

You see, you can't honestly tell people to leave a smaller carbon footprint while your own home and your own travel itinerary are not compatible. So, the only way for Al to come off looking good in that scenario is to get up in the tree with 'Butterfly' and quit taking hot showers. But when he doesn;t, he looks like a hypocrit.

Micheal Moore hates capitalism? Give all your fortune to Chavez and Castro and beat it. What's that,you say?

Ted Turner: there's a guy that walks the walk. I may not agree with him, but he gave a billion dollars to Unicef.

Until Moore gives all his $$ away to the poor, he has Gore's problem.

And the Dems thought they were using HIM....You guys got used!

One Year Later

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Last September, Mr Beck was openly dissing my party ( Libertarian) NOT giving Ron Paul ANY airtime.

Last September, he was encouraging me to stock up on canned foods, buy 'survival seeds' and firearms. He actually said people were buying safes at record rates to STORE thier guns in.

He predicted a full blown economic meltdown. Well?

Look, I give the guy some credit. He exposed Van Jones and got him to resign.

But~ where is the meltdown? How do I explain to my wife and child that I bought all those cans of chicken and tried to grow a vegetable garden to prepare for the onslaught?

Glenn Beck, if he were an honorable man, would come out and admit he was wrong, and that he was using fear to promote himself.

You see, I have to admit it. I listened to this guy. I did what I thought was best for my family, but now I look foolish. I don't get the security of his walls and guards. I have an ancient beagle, not a trained german shepherd.

Glenn Beck owes me an apology, and he needs to 'fess up that many of his economic predictions did not come true.

Asshat.


Oh yeah, he's not for 'single payer healthcare'. I'm with him on that, but it would help if this wasn't in his past.



Thanks a pantload, Beck. Why dont you drop my wife a line and apologise?

Can I get an AMEN?

Pure, unadulterated propaganda

wow......Just.......wow.

Atlanta's Mayoral Race is National News

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2009/08/31/after_35_years_next_atlanta_mayor_could_be_white/?page=1





The city that became a post-civil rights movement emblem of the political power held by African-Americans could have a white mayor for the first time in a generation -- a possibility that has some in the black community scrambling to hold on to City Hall.

Atlanta Councilwoman Mary Norwood, who is white, is one of the front-runners for the Nov. 3 election, along with City Council President Lisa Borders and state Sen. Kasim Reed, both of whom are black.

All three have bristled at a racially charged e-mail circulated by a black leadership group calling for Norwood's defeat before a possible runoff. If the black candidates split the African-American vote, Norwood may find herself in a runoff.

"I suspect we will see high levels of racial polarization," said University of Georgia political science professor Charles Bullock. "This e-mail may have been used to promote turnout, to get higher levels of participation from the black community. But it could also spark higher levels of participation in the white community. It's a scare tactic."

Atlanta, which has billed itself as "the city too busy to hate," elected Maynard Jackson as its first black mayor in 1973. Blacks who had won the right to vote less than a decade earlier rallied behind Jackson, who forced the city's white business elite to open their doors to minorities and adopted strict affirmative action policies.

His election solidified the voting power of urban blacks, and the city has elected black mayors since. And while blacks have been the majority population and voting bloc in the city for decades, the demographics have changed in recent years.

A large voting bloc -- residents in the city's public housing -- was erased as Atlanta's crumbling projects were demolished over the past decade. And young professionals, black and white, have flocked to opportunity in the city.

In 2000, Atlanta was 33 percent white and 61 percent black. In 2007, the numbers were 38 percent white and 57 percent black, according to the U.S. Census.

In addition, blacks may no longer feel obligated to elect a black mayor, said William Boone, a political science professor at Clark Atlanta University and co-author of the racially-charged e-mail.

"You have a young generation of blacks -- not native to Atlanta -- who don't necessarily see that as something that has to happen," Boone said. "They may be staking their vote on matters more critical than race."

In the memo, Boone and Keith Jennings -- also a political science professor at Clark Atlanta -- urge black voters to rally behind Borders, whose grandfather desegregated the city's police force and who was recently endorsed by the city's black clergy, to prevent a runoff that could hand Norwood a victory.

The incendiary and widely circulated e-mail sent in late August to black Atlantans specifically noted Norwood's race.

"Time is of the essence because in order to defeat a Norwood (white) mayoral candidacy we have to get out now and work in a manner to defeat her without a runoff, and the key is a significant Black turnout in the general election," the message sent by the Black Leadership Forum reads.

"There is an unstated assumption that having a black mayor in Atlanta is equal to having a black social, economic and political agenda or at least someone in office who would be sensitive to that agenda if not a full promoter of that agenda ... A black agenda would better enable us to have our interests respected by and our influence realized in any administration."

Borders is seen as the more formidable challenger to Norwood, but Reed, an Atlanta attorney who ran current Mayor Shirley Franklin's two successful campaigns, was recently endorsed by civil rights icon and former Mayor Andrew Young and enjoys support from the city's young, black professional community.

They and Norwood, a former radio executive who also heads an automated telephone call business, are among 13 mayoral candidates -- at least four of them white. Franklin, who became the city's first female chief executive in 2002, is limited to two consecutive terms and will finish her second with mixed reviews.

Borders, Norwood and Reed have all denounced the Black Leadership Forum's e-mail and attempted to shift the conversation away from race.

Norwood, who so far has not been embraced by any prominent black Atlantans, would be the first white woman to run the city. For eight years, the petite, scrappy 57-year-old has held a citywide post on the 16-member Atlanta council, where she is one of five white members. She said her approach is more on results than race.

"We all come in our packages," she said. "This is the package I got."

Not that Norwood is averse to using racial symbolism. Her campaign headquarters is in the former offices of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, co-founded by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1957. And when she won support from the city's firefighters, she announced the endorsement from a shuttered fire station in the heavily black West End neighborhood, home to some of the nation's best-known historically black colleges.

David Bositis of the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies in Washington said cities with large black populations like Gary, Ind., Philadelphia, Baltimore and St. Louis have all had white mayors in recent years.

"African-Americans are very pragmatic. When they look at politics, they look at what's going to work," Bositis said. "It's perfectly fine if a white mayor gets elected with black support. On the other hand, it's not a good sign if you have ... a white candidate getting elected with white votes. It's an indication of polarization."





So there you have it, and it was brought to us by the most racist segregated city in the USA, Boston!

NOw, my personal opinion is that Norwood can't fix this mess.

I have absolutely NO FAITH in any promises made by a City Council Member, they are not honest.

When 'Shirley-Girl' got the nod from the 'powers that bee~s' that she would ascend the throne she made a promise to fix our sh*tty streets. Take a little gander at the road that is outside my 2nd house:



Now, I made calls, wrote letters, talked to city council members, and was told that this little stretch of road was 'on track to be paved'. Uh-huh. That was 3 years ago.

Everytime it rains, it washes out. Then the city gets around to sending out a truck crew to put more dirt and rocks on it until it rains again. There is no sign that this will get fixed anytime soon. I consider this a 'broken promise' from Franklin, with the City Council as her accomplices.

So does anyone think Kasim Reed is going to right this ship? Or Lisa Borders? Hell, our last mayor was a crook and went to prison!! Even mighty whitey Norwood cannot help. What it would take is a guy like Clark Howard, with his fiscal track record he could get this city right. But~ he is a white Jew, and thusly cannot be considered for the post.

It doesn't really matter what color the Mayor is, if the people holding the REAL power are still behind the scenes.

MLK would be ashamed.

Second Chances

A massive demonstration is planned to support Michael Vick at Lincoln Financial Field on Thursday, when Vick is expected to make his debut with the Eagles.

The Philadelphia chapter of the NAACP, the Black Clergy of Philadelphia and other local civil rights groups had planned a demonstration to support Vick.

However, the Eagles called the NAACP after hearing of the plans for the demonstration at the stadium, and asked them to cancel the rally to stop a potentially "ugly scene," J. Whyatt Mondesire, president of the Philadelphia chapter of the NAACP told ESPN.

Mondesire told The Associated Press later Wednesday evening that his group and the Black Clergy of Philadelphia had decided to proceed with their march on Thursday.

"We believe Michael Vick has served his time, paid his debt to society and deserves a second chance and the animal rights groups want to hold him hostage for the rest of his life," J. Whyatt Mondesire, president of the Philadelphia chapter of the NAACP, said Wednesday. "We think that's patently unfair. It denies Michael Vick's basic civil rights, denies him his ability to make a living."

The Eagles' security operation is planning for individual animal rights protests outside the stadium.



Be-autiful. Let all this crap happen up there. I hope Vick looks good and McNabb looks bad, then they can have a nice coup de etat in the middle of thier season.

Franken beats Limbaugh! Olbermann beats OReilly!

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

God these guys are so funny. I recall my brother in law trumpeting the news that Al Franken beat Rush Limbaugh on Error Amerika waaay back...Of course, he then had to 'splain that Franken beat Rush in a trend, not a book, and he did it with 'the money demo'25-54 Men. *rolls eyes here*

I tried to explain that the money demo in talk radio skews older then in TV. That's why when you travel this grat country and you listen to the commercials in issue oriented talk radio: they aren't for snowboards and tatoo parlors. Or slip and fall lawyers. It usually is for 'buy gold now' here's a great retirement village, golf course, or erectile dysfunction. Now common sense tells you that the 'money demo' is not buying that crap. But, try explaining that to a 'progressive'.

These guys are just hilarious. They cannot stand it that the vast majority simply chooses not to tune in, and instead tunes in by great numbers to thier rivals. This is truly sad stuff.

So, rejoice under 35 men with feckles and a peg leg: MSNBC has your money demo locked in! Dance a jig!

4 years later.

The president, who last visited New Orleans 18 months ago, is not expected to come this week to mark the fourth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, the nation's costliest disaster after the failure of federally built floodwalls.

President George W. Bush, who acknowledged deep flaws in his administration's response to the storm and its aftermath, came to New Orleans for the first three Katrina anniversaries




I was considering going there this weekend, but forget it. I'd rather go to the beach.

These idiots re-elected Nagin, and now after all this $$$ has been spent: guess what the Lower 9th looks like?

If they were smart: the would convert the entire Lower 9th into a new Port for the cruise ships. But, that would take too much.

No Banana's

ATL vs STL PS

thoughts on the preseason game vs the Spams:

* God protect Matt Ryan, because if he goes down, we're in deep doo-doo. Redman hasn't impressed me the past two preseasons, but Shockley clearly isn't capable of winning a game for us if needed. The kid's just not progressing and this is his 4th year.

* Mike Peterson might not be as fast as we'd like, but I love how he hits. He had a rough tackle on a play near the sideline and later he stepped up into a hole to engage the RB like Brooking hadn't done in 10 years. If he keeps that up, we'll get along just fine.

* For that matter, why was Nicholas not used more last year? The kid looked like he's ready to roll.

* Gonzalez caught every ball thrown in his direction. That touchdown was super easy. I'm glad Mularkey and Ryan made a point of getting him that touchdown.

* Grimes could have had a couple interceptions but I'm not too worried about his hands. The more important thing is that he's able to get into position to make those picks. On that low pass on the sideline, he showed that change of direction that the coaches must love about him.

* Romberg was starting in place of McClure. Not sure why, but I assume something injury-related. He looked ok.

* Laurent Robinson got some catches against Grimes and Jackson in the first half. I always liked Reach. I thought Jackson looked a bit uncomfortable playing CB on the outside, rather than his usual nickel role.

* Owens got hit for another TD. Not sure what to make of that. Middleton's sector was a little quieter.

* Kroy Biermann keeps showing up on the screen. He was the first one down in coverage on a punt. Why can't Anderson play special teams?

* I'm annoyed by the number of 3rd down conversions made by the opposition, but just remember that when those 3rd downs happen in the regular season, John Abraham will be on the field. Another good reason to carry 5 DEs, to rest him as much as possible.

* Sidbury would have made the team anyway, but tonight didn't hurt.

* I honestly find very little difference between Anderson and Davis. Davis is an average DE at best, but there's nothing wrong with paying a league-average guy a league-average wage. Davis is not the answer to our pass-rushing issues either, but he's fine when used in a rotation.

* I'll have to check the stats, but it seemed like the run defense was great in the first half. The DL and the LBs and even the safeties were getting after it and not waiting for the offense to come to them.

The Governator...

Stop the stupid Tea Parties! No more Town Hall nuts!

can we puh-leeze knock it off with these tea parties and town hall a**holes?

Honestly, Cons look about as foolish as the Dems when they lost thier last 2 elections.

We do not need 'Joe the Dumber'. And we do not need idiots like this old hag wearing an 'Isreali Defence Force' Tee saying Heil Hitler to a real Jew because he brings up good points about USA's lacking care of Veterans, IMHO:

Old Video's from Thailand.

Back in 2002, I bought the Kodak MC3, a hyrbid mp3/video player. I used the crap out of it, and it stil works, but the quality is crap. I found a bunch of these crappy vids while perusing a box I found in the attic.

Liz and I went to Thailand and it was truly life changing. I've been to every continent save Australia, but this trip was amazing. We of course, saw Bangkok since that was the connecting hub.

From there we went north to the border, in the dreaded 'golden triangle'

We met talented tortured monkeys:



and rode elephants in the jungle, surrounded by armed guards:



it is scary as hell when they get mad. You can hear them growl, but feeling it while perched atop in a basket in frightening:



Then, on to Koh Samui, where my buddy Steve owned a neat little resort. Bungalows right on the beach and awesome Thai food and beer. I played a benefit for a Brit that crashed his scooter and had to be flown out to the mainland. They dont get you out of the local hospital until you settle up. I'm pleased to state I raised alot of funds for this guy, even though I never met him. It was neat having a gig on such a small island. People recognized me from the poster that was up all over the north part of the island, and impressed Liz a little:-)







I can safely say Thailand touched me. It remains my most favorite travel destination. But, I'm afraid with the little one, those 22 hour flight's are over. Plus, I dont think it's cheap anymore...

Oh well. I got there when I could, and dream of a return alot....

Imaginary speech

Transcript of remarks made by Leo Carrington (who doesn't exist) to a mandatory meeting of all employees of Carrington Automotive Enterprises, Inc. (which doesn't exist either) on August 17th, 2009 at the Royal Payne Hotel (a purely imaginary place) in Norfolk, Virginia (which does, in fact, exist).

I would like to start by thanking you for attending this meeting, though it's not like you had much of a choice. After all, attendance was mandatory. I'm also glad many of you accepted my invitation to your family members to be here as well. I have a few remarks to make to all of you, and then we'll retire to the ballroom for a great lunch and some employee awards.

I felt that this meeting was important enough to close all 12 of our tire and automotive shops today so that you could be here. To reassure you, everybody is being paid for the day --- except me. Since our stores are closed we're making no money. That economic loss is mine to sustain. Carrington Automotive has 157 full time employees and around 30 additional part-timers. All of you are here. I thank you for that.

When you walked into this auditorium you were handed a rather thick 78-page document. Many of you have already taken a peek. You were probably surprised to see that it's my personal tax return for 2008. Those of you who are adept at reading these tax returns will see that last year my taxable income was $534,000.00. Now I'm sure this seems rather high to many of you. So ... let's talk about this tax return.

Carrington Automotive Enterprises is what we call a Sub-S - a Subchapter S corporation. The name comes from a particular part of our tax code. Sub-S status means that the income from all 12 of our stores is reported on my personal tax return. Businesses that report their income on the owner's personal tax return are referred to as "small businesses." So, you see now that this $534,000 is really the total taxable income - the total combined profit from all 12 of our stores. That works out to an average of a bit over $44,000 per store.

Why did I feel it important for you to see my actual 2008 tax return? Well, there's a lot of rhetoric being thrown around today about taxes, small businesses and rich people. To the people in charge in Washington right now I'm a wealthy American making over a half-million dollars a year. Most Americans would agree: I'm just another rich guy; after all ... I had over a half-million in income last year, right? In this room we know that the reality is that I'm a small business owner who runs 12 retail establishments and employs 187 people. Now here's something that shouldn't surprise you, but it will: Just under 100 percent ... make that 99.7 percent of all employers in this countries are small businesses, just like ours. Every one of these businesses reports their income on a personal income tax return. You need to understand that small businesses like ours are responsible for about 80 percent of all private sector jobs in this country, and about 70 percent of all jobs that have been created over the past year. You also need to know that when you hear some politician talking about rich people who earn over $200,000 or $500,000 a year, they're talking about the people who create the jobs.

The people who are now running the show in Washington have been talking for months about raising taxes on wealthy Americans. I already know that in two years my federal income taxes are going to go up by about 4.5 percent. That happens when Obama and the Democrats allow the Bush tax cuts to expire. When my taxes climb by 4.5 percent the Democrats will be on television saying that this really isn't a tax increase. They'll explain that the Bush tax cuts have expired .. nothing more. Here at Carrington we'll know that almost 5% has been taken right off of our bottom line. And that means it will be coming off your bottom line.

Numbers are boring, I know ... but let's talk a bit more about that $534,000. That's the money that was left last year from company revenues after I paid all of the salaries and expenses of running this business. Now I could have kept every penny of that for myself, but that would have left us with nothing to grow our business, to attract new customers and to hire new employees. You're aware that we've been talking about opening new stores in Virginia Beach and Newport News. To do that I will have to buy or lease property, construct a building and purchase inventory. I also have to hire additional people to work in those stores. These people wouldn't immediately be earning their pay. So, where do you think the money for all of this comes from? Right out of our profits .. right out of that $534,000. I need to advertise to bring customers in, especially in these tough times. Where do you think that money comes from? Oh sure, I can count it as an expense when I file my next income tax return .. but for right now that comes from either current revenues or last year's profits. Revenues right now aren't all that hot ... so do the math. A good effective advertising campaign might cost us more than $300,000.

Is this all starting to come together for you now?

Right now the Democrats are pushing a nationalized health care plan that, depending on who's doing the talking, will add anywhere from another two percent to an additional 4.6 percent to my taxes. If I add a few more stores, which I would like to do, and if the economy improves, my taxable income ... our business income ... could go over one million dollars! If that happens the Democrats have yet another tax waiting, another five percent plus! I've really lost tract of all of the new government programs the Democrats and President Obama are proposing that they claim they will be able to finance with new taxes on what they call "wealthy Americans."

And while we're talking about health care, let me explain something else to you. I understand that possibly your biggest complaint with our company is that we don't provide you with health insurance. That is because as your employer I believe that it is my responsibility to provide you with a safe workplace and a fair wage and to do all that I can to preserve and grow this company that provides us all with income. I no more have a responsibility to provide you with health insurance than I do with life, auto or homeowner's insurance. As you know, I have periodically invited agents for health insurance companies here to provide you with information on private health insurance plans. The Democrats are proposing to levy yet another tax against Carrington in the amount of 8 percent of my payroll as a penalty for not providing you with health insurance. You should know that if they do this I will be reducing every person's salary or hourly wage by that same 8 percent. This will not be done to put any more money in my pocket. It will be done to make sure that I don't suffer financially from the Democrat's efforts to place our healthcare under the control of the federal government. It is your health, not mine. It is your healthcare, not mine. These are your expenses, not mine. If you think I'm wrong about all this, I would sure love to hear your reasoning.

Try to understand what I'm telling you here. Those people that Obama and the Democrats call "wealthy Americans" are, in very large part, America's small business owners. I'm one of them. You have the evidence, and surely you don't think that the owner of a bunch of tire stores is anything special. That $534,000 figure on my income tax return puts me squarely in Democrat crosshairs when it comes to tax increases.

Let's be clear about this ... crystal clear. Any federal tax increase on me is going to cost you money, not me. Any new taxes on Carrington Automotive will be new taxes that you, or the people I don't hire to staff the new stores I won't be building, will be paying. Do you understand what I'm telling you? You've heard about things rolling downhill, right? Fine .. then you need to know that taxes, like that other stuff, roll downhill. Now you and I may understand that you are not among those that the Democrats call "wealthy Americans," but when this "tax the rich" thing comes down you are going to be standing at the bottom of the mud slide, if you get my drift. That's life in the big city, my friends ... where elections have consequences.

You know our economy is very weak right now. I've pledged to get us through this without layoffs or cuts in your wages and benefits. It's too bad the politicians can't get us through this without attacking our profits. To insure our survival I have to take a substantial portion of that $534,000 and set it aside for unexpected expenses and a worsening economy. Trouble is, the government is eyeing that money too ... and they have the guns. If they want it, they can take it.

I don't want to make this too long. There's a great lunch waiting for us all. But you need to understand what's happening here. I've worked hard for 23 years to create this business. There were many years where I couldn't take a penny in income because every dollar was being dedicated to expanding the business. There were tough times when it took every dollar of revenues to replenish our inventory and cover your paychecks. During those times I earned nothing. If you want to see those tax returns, just let me know.

OK .. I know I'm repeating myself here. I don't hire stupid people, and you are probably getting it now. So let me just ramble for a few more minutes.

Most Americans don't realize that when the Democrats talk about raising taxes on people making more than $250 thousand a year, they're talking about raising taxes on small businesses. The U.S. Treasury Department says that six out of every ten individuals in this country with incomes of more than $280,000 are actually small business owners. About one-half of the income in this country that would be subject to these increased taxes is from small businesses like ours. Depending on how many of these wonderful new taxes the Democrats manage to pass, this company could see its tax burden increase by as much as $60,000. Perhaps more.

I know a lot of you voted for President Obama. A lot of you voted for Democrats across the board. Whether you voted out of support for some specific policies, or because you liked his slogans, you need to learn one very valuable lesson from this election. Elections have consequences. You might have thought it would be cool to have a president who looks like you; or a president who is young, has a buff bod, and speaks eloquently when there's a teleprompter in the neighborhood. Maybe you liked his promises to tax the rich. Maybe you believed his promise not to raise taxes on people earning less than a certain amount. Maybe you actually bought into his promise to cut taxes on millions of Americans who actually don't pay income taxes in the first place. Whatever the reason .. your vote had consequences; and here they are.

Bottom line? I'm not taking this hit alone. As soon as the Democrats manage to get their tax increases on the books, I'm going to take steps to make sure that my family isn't affected. When you own the business, that is what you're allowed to do. I built this business over a period of 23 years, and I'm not going to see my family suffer because we have a president and a congress who think that wealth is distributed rather than earned. Any additional taxes, of whatever description, that President Obama and the Democrats inflict on this business will come straight out of any funds I have set aside for expansion or pay and benefit increases. Any plans I might have had to hire additional employees for new stores will be put aside. Any plans for raises for the people I now have working for me will be shelved. Year-end bonuses might well be eliminated. That may sound rough, but that's the reality.

You're going to continue to hear a lot of anti-wealth rhetoric out there from the media and from the left. You can chose to believe what you wish .. .but when it comes to Carrington Automotive you will know the truth. The books are open to any of you at any time. I have nothing to hide. I would hope that other small business owners out there would hold meetings like this one, but I know it won't happen that often. One of the lessons to be learned here is that taxes ... all taxes ... and all regulatory costs that are placed on businesses anywhere in this country, will eventually be passed right on down to individuals; individuals such as yourself. This hasn't been about admonishing anyone and it hasn't been about issuing threats. This is part of the education you should have received in the government schools, but didn't. Class is now dismissed.

Let's eat.