Tuesday, October 31, 2006

IRENE SAVKO MILLER, Beloved Mother
On All Hallows Eve – a Loving Remembrance
(Please note - there IS a photograph but Blogger is being troublesome and won't upload it)

My mother was comparatively young when she died in 1974. Due to the very real risk (specifically threatened by her) of being haunted by her should I betray her actual age, I won’t reveal just HOW young since she was adamant that her age and her weight were her own business! Suffice it to say that I have already outlived her by quite a few years. And I continue to miss her every day of my life.

She was the 12th of 12 children of Hungarian immigrant parents (born at regular 2 year intervals) and was born in West Homestead, Pennsylvania (a part of Pittsburgh). Of the 12 children, 8 survived to adulthood, although my Aunt Rose died quite young as did my Aunt Mary (who was reputed to be the most beautiful young woman in all of Pittsburgh in her youth). Grandfather Savko was an accomplished and highly educated man and had served as a diplomat in my grandparents’ native Hungary. In this country, he worked at the Carnegie Steel Works to support his family. He died when my mother was 7 years old. My grandmother was a child of privilege, but particularly after she was widowed, she worked as a seamstress to support her children (her daughters Irene and Anne inherited her talents). My grandmother died when my mother was 14 years old and a SENIOR in high school.

My mother lived with her eldest brother long enough to graduate from high school and then, still age 14, she moved on her own from Pittsburgh to Cleveland, Ohio where she moved in with an older sister, enrolled in beauty school and also lied about her age and got a job singing in a nightclub in downtown Cleveland! Lack of ambition was never one of my mother’s qualities.

In the following years my mother was fired from her singing job (she was too young and, I think too green, to drink with the customers because “I have to go to Mass in the morning”!), finished beauty school herself, then put 3 of her sisters through beauty school and her one brother through trade school. She trained with the famed Antoine in New York and then moved back to Pittsburgh where she became one of the premiere hairdressers in that city, styling the hair of society women through the region, as well as consulting on home hair color disasters around the country. If someone’s hair turned green in Iowa, my mother was usually on a plane within hours to repair the damage – for which she was well paid, even by depression standards.

In 1941, while visiting her family in Cleveland, she met my father. The story of how they met is hilarious, but will be withheld until I write about my late father. My mother was supposedly unable to have children, so I was QUITE the surprise, born 10 months and 2 days after their wedding.

My father’s next surprise for my mother was to move this relentlessly urban woman to a FARM in Twinsburg, Ohio. She coped – and with style - but many times her method of coping bordered on comedy! Her relationship with our chickens was a prime example. She was absolutely convinced that the chickens didn’t like her and no matter how often my father tried to convince her that chickens could not like or dislike – she was not able to be persuaded. Hence, I began gathering eggs at age 3-½! Those eggs (and eventually the chickens) were an essential component of our diet since it was, after all, during World War II and its immediate aftermath.

Both my father and my mother considered the lack of a sense of humor to be a fatal character flaw in any human. My earliest childhood memories are of laughter in our household, coupled with my parents’ habit of reading aloud to each other – and me – in those pre-television days.

Another of my early, early childhood memories is of my mother – city girl that she was, and true to her origins wearing a dress, hose and often heels – standing at the stove or the sink in our country kitchen, canning the bounty from our 1 acre of garden! And I vividly remember how much I enjoyed helping her in whatever limited capacity a small child is able. What I really enjoyed was just being with her and talking to her. She had that rare capacity to talk to a child without condescending and the even more rare quality of LISTENING.

She also had some rather specific ideas on the subject of child rearing. She would not permit “baby talk” around me. Nor would she allow ANYONE (including her own sisters) to pamper me or cater to me. When it became the craze in the first grade to exchange trading cards (who even remembers what was printed on those cards – certainly not me), my Aunt Marge (who doted on me, bless her heart) was horrified to find that I was making my own trading cards, rather than having them bought for me. My mother opined that it did me no harm to learn creativity and self-reliance, while at the same time keeping busy and out from under her feet. And my mother was correct in every respect.

The greatest pain of my mother’s life was my father’s alcoholism which began to manifest in a serious way during my early college years. By that time we had moved into the more urban Cleveland area, and my mother was again working full time. By the time I was 24, my mother had filed for divorce from my father. Not out of lack of love but rather from weariness and a realization that she couldn’t save him and he wasn’t willing or able to save himself! She did, however, make it a point to teach me to understand and forgive my father's problems. And for that gift of compassion and understanding, I will always be indebted to her.

In the years after the divorce, my mother and I continued to live together and over time I was able to coax and shock her out of the deep depression into which she had fallen over my father’s drinking. Then came the diagnosis that she had a very limited amount of time left to live. During the remaining 3 years of her life, neither one of her surviving sisters knew that she was dying, nor did her one surviving brother. That is the way she wanted it and I felt honor-bound to accede to her request. She said she didn’t want to have a damned wake for whatever time was left to her. So she didn’t.

When she died, she did it on her own terms and on her own schedule without any overt act on her part. Three weeks before she died she told me that she had accomplished everything that she’d ever wanted to accomplish and that she loved me and knew I was strong enough to be without her. When the final crisis arrived, I could see in her eyes that she was ready to leave me and it was with mixed terror, grief and joy that I watched that beautiful and loving light depart with my blessings.

In all the years since, she is never far from my thoughts. I loved her without reservation and yet I was aware of her flaws. They simply didn’t matter, except perhaps as a cautionary note to me.

One of my mother’s greatest legacies to me as the ability to think critically. My mother came from a family of Democrats and married into a family of serious Republicans. She didn’t become a Republican out of solidarity with her new family, but rather out of conviction. Many of her brothers and sisters found her choice of political party incomprehensible. She simply called it common sense. When the time came for me to become politically aware, she encouraged me to really examine the points of view of both political parties and then make up my mind. If I wanted or needed to discuss the matter with her, she was more than willing to do so. But she added that ultimately, this was a decision that I had to make on my own. And I did.

My mother loved mightily, as do I. Even when that love was betrayed or unrequited, she still loved with absolute fidelity. I learned that constancy from her. My mother looked at the world through a slightly skewed lens, and I certainly learned that from her. My mother believed that such a thing as right and wrong do exist, as do I. She was a devout Catholic, as am I. She thought that far too many politicians were ridiculous, an opinion I share. My mother was a compulsively meticulous housekeeper. I wish I could say the same about myself. But one thing I learned from my mother’s untimely death is that life is short and dust is patient. It WILL wait until you get around to it. Or you can hire someone to deal with it which is my choice!

All in all, this gloriously beautiful woman was and continues to be a vibrant influence on my life. And although I miss her greatly, I know that I will see her again one day. In the meantime, I am trying to live my life in such a way as to make her proud. I fail as often as I succeed, but at least I try. Except in the area of housework!

Rest in peace, my beloved mother. A lot of the good in me came from you!
STRAIGHT TALK ON THE STEM CELL DEBATE!

Head on over to Barking Moonbat Early Warning System for some common sense dished out by the exceptional Michael Reagan who is a man of which his father always was and always will be proud!

But of course, hearing some straight talk isn't anything that would interest any Democrat - a member of the "chicken little the sky is falling" party!
SIGNIFICANT ARTICLE OVER AT TOWNHALL.COM!

The extraordinary Harry R. Jackson, Jr. makes a good case on why the Dems are so frantic and shrill in the run-up to next Tuesday's election. The money quote:
If the Democrats do not gain significant traction in this mid-term election, they will be deemed so nationally impotent that no form of political Viagra will help them in 2008.
Go over and read it for yourself!

Monday, October 30, 2006

WHY OHIO’S ISSUE 2 IS A BAD, BAD IDEA!

Minimum wage was NEVER intended to be a so-called living wage. Let’s start with that basic fact. The intent of the minimum wage was ALWAYS to prevent exploitation of the least of our society: teenagers (it is a FACT that most minimum wage earners are between the ages of 16-24, most often full time students working part time jobs and living with their parents), newly arrived [legal] immigrants, seniors seeking to supplement their retirement income or a parent who works part time to supplement family income. In fact, studies have shown that the average family income of minimum wage earners is OVER $60,000.00.

But in their never-ending promulgation of class-warfare in this country the Democratic Party is attempting to paint opposition to this extremely foolish Issue 2 and others like it in other states as some kind of war on poor people.

Let’s get one thing straight. If you are poor, the Democratic Party is not your friend. They may attempt to present themselves as such but the reality is that there are considerably MORE BILLIONAIRES IN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY than in the Republican Party. And unlike the Democrats, Republicans understand that the best government for any working man or woman is the government that keeps its big fat nose out of the employer-employee relationship as much as possible. And a raise in the minimum wage will mean that the people who most often employ the minimum wage earner will be less able to employ as many minimum wage earners as they do now.

Democrats are at it again – smoke and mirrors and trying to convince people who normally have a great deal of common sense (that would be you and me) that what they think and believe isn’t nearly as good for them as the airy fairy pie-in-the-sky nonsense being pumped out in DNC talking points.

VOTE NOVEMBER 7th and VOTE REPUBLICAN! Let’s shock the socks off of them!

Friday, October 27, 2006

NOW THIS IS JUST GETTING SILLY!

I can’t really blame Senator Allen for wanting to hold Webb’s feet to the fire – and I must say that based on the excerpts I read on Drudge, Webb is, at the very least, a really, really smutty writer! But not a very good one!

But now this:
Combs, a 61-year-old Republican who champions abstinence-based sex education and is a darling of Texas conservatives, is being portrayed by her Democratic opponent as a smutmonger and a hypocrite for writing a 1990 bodice-ripper titled "A Perfect Match."
Maybe it’s just a foolish notion on my part, but aren’t these elections about some serious issues and not whether or not somebody said the “N” word (which is turns out they both did – at least 20 years ago)? Should not the candidates be discussing such serious matters as the utterly deceptive ad featuring Michael J. Fox which is running in Missouri? It doesn’t even truthfully represent what the Constitutional Amendment that Michael J. Fox is (apparently) promoting actually says and does! If I lived in Missouri, I’d be seriously pissed at every Democrat who is in any way involved in both the ad and the constitutional amendment because ALL OF THEM are lying to their constituents.

And how is using that same ad in Maryland of any benefit? It’s being used on behalf of Michael Steele’s opponent who happens to be AGAINST embryonic stem cell research! Is there a sanity disconnect floating through the atmosphere somewhere?

I don’t know about the rest of you but this election cycle STARTED in January 2006 at a very low point of respectability and has progressed downhill from there! I’m waiting, not very patiently, for someone (anyone) to discuss an actual ISSUE!

BOTTOM LINE – I’m voting Republican because the Democrats are just too damned dangerous to our entire nation. But that doesn’t mean that I’m going to take even one day off from holding every officeholders’ feet to the fire for the next 2 years.

If we don’t vote, we get the representation we deserve.

If we don’t make sure that those we have elected are doing their jobs, then again, we get the representation we deserve.

Active participation in the decisions that affect our lives is not being political, it’s being responsible.

AND START BEING RESPONSIBLE BY VOTING!
WHY DOESN’T JIMMY CARTER’S FAMILY LOCK HIM UP TO SAVE WHATEVER IS LEFT OF HIS ALREADY TATTERED REPUTATION?

He only had to shut the heck up for TWO MORE weeks – but that nasty, nasty, senile old fart from Georgia just could NOT do it! Against enormous competition, Jimmy Carter’s presidency has emerged as one of the two worst of the 20th century. His foreign policy failures and witlessness is legendary. His fervid sucking up to tyrants, dictators and general all-around bad apples like Fidel Castro and Yasser Arafat is well documentedl And now, even his OWN PARTY is disavowing his nutbar bloviating. In fact, top Democrats are tripping all over themselves to repudiate former President Carter’s controversial new book on the Middle East, in which he accuses the Israeli government of maintaining an apartheid system.

When the shit-throwing howler monkey, Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean, objects to your new book, you have to KNOW it’s one of the truly great pieces of crap out there!
"While I have tremendous respect for former President Carter, I fundamentally disagree and do not support his analysis of Israel and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict," Dean wrote in a statement. "On this issue President Carter speaks for himself, the opinions in his book are his own, they are not the views or position of the Democratic Party. I and other Democrats will continue to stand with Israel in its battle against terrorism and for a lasting peace with its neighbors."
Even the queen of San Francisco, leftwing liberal values, House Minority leader Nancy Pelosi has repudiated the new book:

"It is wrong to suggest that the Jewish people would support a government in Israel or anywhere else that institutionalizes ethnically based oppression, and Democrats reject that allegation vigorously," Pelosi wrote in a statement. "With all due respect to former President Carter, he does not speak for the Democratic Party on Israel."

In Carter’s book, due to be published by Simon & Schuster for release November 14th, the former president asserts that Israel’s current policies in the Palestinian territories constitute "a system of apartheid, with two peoples occupying the same land but completely separated from each other, with Israelis totally dominant and suppressing violence by depriving Palestinians of their basic human rights." He argues that Israel’s settlement policy is principally to blame for the failure of peace initiatives in the Middle East.

Even Rep. John Conyers, Jr., a Michigan Democrat, who last summer was only one of eight House members who did not vote for a resolution backing the Jewish state in the wake of the Hezbollah attacks, disavows your words, so Jimmy you have now officially gone over the EDGE! Conyers said that Carter’s use of the word "apartheid" went too far.
"I cannot agree with the book’s title and its implications about apartheid," the lawmaker wrote in a statement. "I recently called the former president to express my concerns about the title of the book, and to request that the title be changed."
Several Democratic members of New York’s House delegation — Reps. Steve Israel, Charlie Rangel and Jerrold Nadler — also have issued statements criticizing Carter’s book.

NOTE TO THE CARTER FAMILY: Get a court order, reel his ass back to Plains and KEEP HIM THERE! He’s done more than enough damage to this country already!

Thursday, October 26, 2006

REMEMBER THE PURPLE THUMBS?!

Remember back – not that long ago – to the first free and fair elections held in Iraq, perhaps ever in their entire history?

Do you remember the proudly displayed purple thumbs on the men and women who had gone out and voted?

Not only is our freedom NOT free, we have both the responsibility AND privilege of voting.

To not exercise that privilege and responsibility is simply WRONG.

VOTE ON NOVEMBER 7th!
THURSDAY MUST-READ!

The always remarkable Anchoress has what has to have been a painful post to write today. Perhaps the thing that always and forever most impresses me about this particular blog is her inate kindness, spiritual fullness and patience with others, paired as it is with a somewhat whimsical edge and her passion for the music of the extraordinary Bryn Terfel (and if you haven't heard his work, you ARE missing something spectacular).

Please find your way over to The Anchoress and find out what courage and grace is all about!

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

China erects massive fence on N. Korean border after test

Special to World Tribune.com
EAST-ASIA-INTEL.COM
Wednesday, October 25, 2006

"China has put up a massive concrete and barbed wire fence along parts of its border with North Korea to block a possible influx of refugees as strong international sanctions are enacted in response to Pyongyang's program to develop nuclear weapons.

In addition, China's People's Liberation Army recently conducted military exercises and deployed additional troops near the North Korean border."

I don't want to misunderstand this. It is apparently perfectly all right for China to build a fence on their border with North Korea, but, according to the liberal Democrats, it is NOT okay for us to do likewise on our border with Mexico?

Do they ever get whiplash from their double-triple and quadruple standards, these Hezbollahcrats?

WHY BARACK OBAMA IS OVERRATED

"I usually avoid blogging about black “golden boy” Democratic politicians like U.S. Senator Barack Obama because I know I’ll be accused of “player hating,” but I can’t let the hype parade pass without comment.

Barack Obama, the “He speaks so well!” up and coming U.S. senator, no doubt has a bright future ahead of him. But why, I’m trying to figure out, are we reading about his presidential aspirations a mere two years into his first term as senator?"

As usual, La Shawn Barber hits the nail on the head, and it’s worth going to her blog to check it out. I know she is a must-read on a daily basis for me!



Tuesday, October 24, 2006


BOLD PREDICTION FROM DICK MORRIS!

Dick Morris, former advisor to William Jefferson Clinton, has boldly predicted that:

(a) Hillary Rodham Clinton will be nominated for the presidency in 2008; and

(b) She will be the first woman president of the United States.


Whew! I'm sure glad I know about this prediction. Since Dick Morris is almost always (about 95%) wrong in his predictions, the bride of the horndog is an unlikely pox upon our nation's future!

Thanks, Dick!
BEWARE OF LIBERAL WOLVES IN MODERATE SHEEPS' CLOTHING!
"Before we go any further, let me state for the record that this is not a completely non-partisan evaluation of the sitting members of the House and Senate! No comments this time around about how I shouldn't have injected politics into this, please, that's what it is all about! I am a conservative who intends to vote Republican for any and all federal offices in every election in the foreseeable future, and to make damn certain that I actually do vote, because I believe that far too many of the Democrats have lost their feeble little minds and have become a danger to the well-being of this country!"

See the entire evaluation at Right Place! If you ever considered staying home or withholding your votes from Republicans, this will change your mind.

Monday, October 23, 2006


IS KARL ROVE PAYING THEIR AIR FARE?

If he isn't, he should be!

And while he's at it - he can pay for another politician with NO coattails to campaign for the Dems - William Jefferson Clinton!
KARR ON LARRY KING LIVE

Last night Larry King Live devoted an entire HOUR to that degenerate p.o.s. John Mark Karr. It was one thing for psychologist Dr. Keith Ablow to have him on his new show - although I fail to see any justification even for that (other than ratings)! But to devote an entire hour to this creep's evasions and justifications is simply despicable. And you know, don't you, that King asked nary one hard hitting question!

When is Larry King Live going to cease to pollute the airwaves? If he isn't fawning over some tinpot celebrity with delusions of intelligence, he's giving air time to child molesters! What's up with that?

Friday, October 20, 2006

HAVE A NICE WEEKEND – BUT PONDER THIS!

Democrats are outraged and appalled that the Republican head of the House Intelligence Committee has suspended the clearance of a Democratic staffer who is being investigated for possibly leaking classified intelligence to the New York Times.

This, in a way nothing else does, delineates how completely lacking in seriousness the Democrats are about national security. Leaking classified intelligence information is AGAINST FEDERAL LAW. Do they understand that? Apparently not.

By all means, allow this unnamed staffer full and free access to classified intelligence information while he is under investigation. Under that logic, famed bank robber Willie Sutton should have been given KEYS to every bank in America while he was awaiting trial, because, in Willie’s own words: “That’s where the money is!”

DO THESE PEOPLE EVER LISTEN TO THEMSELVES? Seriously. And they expect us to return them to power? I think that would be a deeply bad idea!

PLAN TO VOTE ON NOVEMBER 7th AND VOTE REPUBLICAN. Democrats cannot and should not be trusted with national security – or anything that requires the attention of adults.

Thursday, October 19, 2006

ENOUGH WITH THE NEGATIVITY ALREADY!

Rush Limbaugh is right. And I’m sorry, much as I respect him (generally), Instapundit is WRONG, WRONG, WRONG to be conceding Republican defeat in this election. As is anyone else so mentally deficient as to do so.

There is no reason to concede even ONE SEAT to the Democrats. And ample reason not to do so.

Think about this – SPEAKER Pelosi – and be afraid, be VERY afraid. Something happens to our President and Vice President during the next 2 years – that “San Francisco values” shrill, anti-American harpie would become our PRESIDENT. Think about that and then realize that if you do not vote Republican in November you have not only lost your mind, you are betraying your responsibilities as an American. Is that clear enough for you?

I don’t care how much you may view our President as betraying of conservative values. Get over it!

Folks, the President has had a few things on his mind – like keeping us safe from jihadist scum.

Yes, the deficit went sky high. Had you noticed – it’s coming down at a record pace?

The economy is BOOMING and vibrant and the Dow has soared! Regardless of the gloom and doom coming from the drive-by media and the Democratic Party (who lack any real agenda and so are telling outright lies about the state of our nation), this country is in really good shape, all things considered.

Now quit mucking about with the long faces and negative attitudes! Get off your fundaments and start to encourage all you know to get out and vote Republican in November. It’s crucial for all of us that it isn’t close, so the Dems can’t cheat.

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

STATISTICS TO KEEP IN THE FOREFRONT OF YOUR MIND ON ELECTION DAY

90% of Democrats voted AGAINST the terrorist-surveillance program
¾ of Senate Democrats voted against the terrorist-interrogation act.
80% of House Democrats voted against the terrorist-interrogation act.

And who can forget: “I voted for it before I voted against it!” – John Kerry’s unforgettable statement from the most recent presidential campaign? It is very important for Democrats to SEEM strong on national security. It seems completely unimportant to Dems (most of them) to BE strong on national security. Their anti-Americanism is rampant and pathetic!

It’s up to US to decide the kind of America we want and the kind of national security we want. It is up to US to decide if we want a Nancy Pelosi as speaker of the House. It is up to US to decide if we want a nation that is self-determining or subject to the whims of foreign nations with no stake in our survival.

VOTE in November. And vote Republican. Your life as you know it depends on it.

CIVILITY IN AMERICAN LIFE – AND THE LACK THEREOF

This topic has been on my mind pretty much non-stop since the first of the year, and I know I have blogged about it before, but I was forcibly reminded of it recently when I was nearly pushed into traffic by self-absorbed joggers (three different times) on the Las Vegas Strip whilst walking with my sister at 8:30 a.m. on a Friday morning, trying to find a drugstore.

The lack of civility has been skyrocketing since the early 90s when Bill Clinton began his campaign for the presidency, accompanied by the incredibly vicious and unlovely assistance of James Carville and his henchwoman in crime, the ever despicable Hillary Rodham Clinton. And lest one immediately jump forth and accuse me of defamation of character, I would posit that it is merely “definition” of character – or lack thereof.

There is virtually no civility left in political discourse. How can there be when Dr. Howard Dean, is the chairman of the DNC? As he has famously said, “I hate Republicans!” Having said that, his incivility is easily predicted and he never disappoints.

Most political campaigns seem to be going “negative” rather than emphasizing a positive agenda. Why not? The Democrats’ agenda is: “I hate President George W. Bush and all Republicans.” Do they have a POSITIVE plan to deal with the terrorists’ threats against our country? If they do, I haven’t heard it. Do they have a POSITIVE plan to secure our nation’s borders? Again, thunderous silence from the left. Does the left care about anything other than regaining power, thus enabling them to “stick it” to President George W. Bush and Republicans? I can only characterize this as highly dangerous juvenile behavior – and uncivil in the extreme.

It used to be that office holders or potential office holders in this country spoke TO the electorate – not AT the electorate. What’s the deal? Are we chopped liver? Do they assume that we are too stupid to understand their message and thus, they refuse to tell us what it is – other than hatred of the status quo? These people who have called us MORONS since the 2000 election, now feel perfectly secure in asking us to vote for them? Talk about lack of civility! Talk about lack of common sense. Talk about abject stupidity on their part! And yes, that was uncivil – but justifiably so.

Tuesday, October 17, 2006

THE LIZARDIAN MANIFESTO

"In the face of electoral adversity, I will be courageous, steadfast, loyal, honest, graceful, and optimistic. To wit:

I will not be a craven.

Regardless of media threats, I will not be cowed or silenced; I will not be shamed or frightened. I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed, or numbered. I will not be made to feel guilty for being a partisan Republican. If they don't like it, they can jolly well get stuffed. "

Read the entire, brilliant piece here!
ONCE AGAIN, WE MUST LOOK TO NEWT FOR THE TRUTH OF THINGS!

I have always had mixed feelings about former Speaker Newt Gingrich as a human being, but I respect his political instincts entirely. In his October 18th article at Human Events Online, he analyzes the choices to be made in the upcoming November elections and pinpoints the very real choices we must make.

“America vs. the Pelosi Record Abroad - Consider the following national security votes by a would-be Speaker Nancy Pelosi:

On Sept. 14, 2006, Pelosi voted against building a fence on the border to protect America from terrorists;

Before 9/11, Pelosi repeatedly voted to cut intelligence (in 1993 by $500 million) and after 9/11 she has still voted to cut intelligence (in 2004 she voted to withhold 25 percent of intelligence funds);

When you ask why we were not more prepared for 9/11, remember that six months before Sept. 11, 2001, Pelosi voted to decrease proposed defense spending by $65 billion;

The next time you think about North Korean nuclear tests and North Korean efforts to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile to reach the United States, remember that in 2002, Pelosi voted for an amendment to the FY 2003 Defense authorization that would block FY 2003 funding for space-based missile defense programs;

Pelosi led a faction of 124 House Democrats who voted against final passage of the Patriot Act's reauthorization;

Pelosi voted against the $87-billion Iraq/Afghanistan supplemental that included extra money for body armor for our soldiers;

Pelosi voted against creation of Homeland Security Department;

Pelosi was one of only 33 members to vote against prohibiting U.S. citizens and companies from conducting any financial transaction with countries that have been identified by the State Department as active sponsors of terrorism; and

In 2004, Pelosi voted against House passage of the intelligence overhaul bill, which reorganized 15 intelligence agencies under one Director of National Intelligence.

Pelosi also supports immediate troop withdrawal from Iraq, saying that "[I] myself support the course of action that Mr. Murtha has put forth." And let's be clear about exactly what Mr. Murtha is for: withdrawing from Iraq and leaving it to the terrorists.”

Go to Human Events Online and read the entire article. Within it are all the reasons that we MUST ALL VOTE in this election. Our survival as a nation is at risk, nothing less.

Monday, October 16, 2006

GOOD REASON - IN FACT, THE BEST REASON

We must ALL vote on Election Day this year. While I grant you that there are things about the president's policies and agenda that I might criticize, and certainly I have oft expressed my firm belief that the Republican members of both the Senate and the House are a bunch of gutless cretins entirely too much of the time - the fact remains that as bad as the current clowns may be, they are 1,000% better than what we might get.

Do you really want Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House? It's bad enough listening to that shrill harpy now when she is only occasionally on television. But to have her babbling at us all the time? I can only shudder at the prospect.

Charlie Rangel would be the most ethics-challenged committee chair since Adam Clayton Powell. Harry Reid is a malevolent and dishonest anti-American demagogue and he is easily matched by Murtha in the House.

And lest we forget, if the Dems are in the majority in the Senate, that means we could see Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton in a position of greater power and prominence. Do we really need that?

GO VOTE PEOPLE! They may be s.o.b.s but they are our s.o.b.s!

Thursday, October 12, 2006

TRAGIC REMINDER!

Yesterday’s plane crash into a New York City high rise condo building, which took the life of Yankee’s pitcher Cory Lidle, was a frightening reminder of another day and time.

As it happened, I was home from work yesterday, fighting a heavy cold that was trying (and failing) to turn into bronchitis. On 9/11/01 I was home from work with a bad case of the flu. When the news first flashed on my television screen, it seemed to my half-awake brain that I had traveled 5 years and 1 month (to the day since yesterday was 10/11) backward in time.

Which causes me to wonder: what, if any, effect is yesterday's plane crash going to have on the November elections? I'm thinking the effect will be SUBTLE but still a very powerful reminder to the undecided. As it should be.

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

A TRIP TO ANOTHER PLANET?

I’ve been back and forth numerous times to Las Vegas over the past 30 years. To me it is a given that this is not the real world, although I know that people actually live there and raise their families there. But this past weekend it became evident in the extreme that this city is the licentious wet dream of a secularist society gone mad!

Upon arrival, one decants from the airplane into a lobby area filled to capacity with slot machines. But not the kind of "slots" we’ve all known and loved over the years, oh no! Now you have to make a “commitment” to gambling because these machines only accept BILLS. No more little old ladies with their cups full of nickels playing for hours. Oh no – it’s all COMPUTERIZED now. Over the long weekend, I wandered 3 different (gigantic) casinos in vain looking for a freaking blackjack table. Never did find one. Messed around a bit with video poker. Nowhere near the same!

The entire ethos of Las Vegas is dedicated to separating tourists from their money, however that can be done. The days of 75¢ shrimp cocktails? Gone! Cheap but exceptional food and free drinks? Gone! Pleasant staff? Hard to find. I will, however, extend sincere kudos to the lady at the Business Center in the Imperial Palace Hotel who was both helpful and pleasant very early on a Sunday morning!

The change lady at the airport when I was waiting for my return flight? She was downright rude! And, surprise surprise, English was clearly NOT her 1st or even 2nd language!

On the other hand, some of the tourists were pretty nasty as well, including a bunch of joggers who nearly pushed me off the sidewalk and into a very busy street early on Friday morning while Sis and I were walking down the Strip trying to find a Walgreen Drug Store so she could fill a prescription!

The architecture of Las Vegas is fantastic. Construction beavers on seemingly endlessly. A taxi driver who took us around on Friday confided that as soon as the school year ends, he’s moving his family back to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He has 3 daughters and he wants them to grow up around normal people. I cannot blame him.

We had a couple of great meals in Vegas: Toby Keith’s “I Love This Bar & Grille” in Harrah’s was superb and I loved the unsweetened iced tea served in a gigantic mason jar. We also had extraordinary food at The Range Steakhouse in the same hotel! And I cannot say enough good things about the charm and inventiveness of the bartenders at The Range Steakhouse. Have YOU ever tasted a coffee martini? Wow!

There aren't enough nice things to say about the staff of Southwest Airlines. It's rapidly becoming the ONLY airline I am willing to fly.

My bottom line? This was definitely my LAST trip to Las Vegas. Atlantic City is closer and in the same time zone, thereby avoiding the jet lag I am still suffering. Besides, I really missed Sam and Tim and they seemed ecstatic that I was back, even though Auntie Pam took really, really good care of them for which I thank her very much!
NEW YORK TIMES REVIEWS BARBRA STREISAND’S CONCERT TOUR KICKOFF!

“A Barbra Streisand concert should be about singing. That’s what people really want. The rest they tolerate out of respect for her gigantic talent.”

I am absolutely astonished that this phrase was found in the New York Times review of Bab’s concert! Maybe even the NYT is fed up with self-indulgent, self-appointed cognoscenti running their ignorant mouths!? Naw! This was an accident, I’m sure.

Monday, October 02, 2006

MUSLIM CABBIES REFUSE TO CARRY PASSENGERS CARRYING BOOZE!

According to an article by Geoff Elliott, Washington correspondent, in The Australian News, Muslim taxi drivers in Minnesota have declared jihad on duty-free, refusing to carry passengers who are carrying alcohol.

To say that this ban has created chaos is putting it very mildly, considering that ¾ of the taxi drivers at the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport are Somali and primarily Muslim.

And of course, in yet another jellyfish reaction to the refusal of immigrants to our shores to adapt to OUR way of life, the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport officials are working with the taxi drivers to, if you can believe this, install color coded lights on the cabs so that it’s immediately evident which cabs are “booze friendly”.

Here’s the deal, folks. A taxicab is a LICENSED COMMON CARRIER and, as such, the driver of a taxicab cannot refuse service to ANYONE based on race, creed, or religion! If these Somali taxi drivers were refusing to carry blacks, whites, Hispanics or Democrats, they’d have their licenses yanked in a heartbeat!


The Somali taxicab drivers are claiming this to be a “religious issue”. If it’s against their religion to fulfill the terms of their employment as licensed PUBLIC carriers, perhaps they ought to find another line of work or return to the arid, jobless, starving homeland from whence you came and take your arrogance, racism and bigotry with you!

Trying to force American citizens to conform to the religious beliefs of ANYONE ELSE is un-American in the extreme. In fact, it might be quite possible to stretch the point that the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport officials are in violation of the "establishment" clause!

What’s next? Female flight attendants or passengers being raped because they aren’t wearing the burka and are, therefore, according to Islam, whores? It’s happening in Scandinavia and given this news article, it isn’t far away here!

I don’t know about you, but I have had ENOUGH of this bullshit from these people. I don’t intend to submit my 64-year-old Catholic female self to THEIR religion and their beliefs – now or ever. And no AMERICAN citizen should ever have to or be expected to do so.

If you want to come here, know in advance that you are coming to a country where your religious beliefs will be respected – and we expect you to do likewise for all other religions practiced by other Americans. If you cannot do that, not only do you not belong here, we don’t want you!
BRILLIANT WRITING ON A PREVIOUSLY UNKNOWN SITE

For a firsthand examination of jihadist extremism, go to Rants & Raves and read brilliant writing and impeccable reasoning. I've bookmarked this blog and I hope that you also do so!

Meanwhile, I've got the week from another planet as I prefer to take (a) my one-day business trip to Detroit and (b) my four-day vacation trip to Las Vegas. Ergo, I will probably not blog much, if at all, this week!

Today is Yom Kippur, the Jewish day of atonement. If you've wronged someone close to you, today would be an appropriate day to make it right. Couldn't hurt.