HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

h/t Miss Doxie and Bo!

Brits certainly have a way with the English language . . .

"You have to pinch yourself - a Marxist radical who all his life has been mentored by, sat at the feet of, worshiped with, befriended, endorsed the philosophy of, funded and been in turn funded, politically promoted and supported by a nexus comprised of black power anti-white racists, Jew-haters, revolutionary Marxists, unrepentant former terrorists and Chicago mobsters, is on the verge of becoming President of the United States. And apparently it's considered impolite to say so."

Melanie Philips, The Spectator ( UK ) 10/14/08.

h/t Cousin Ernie! Gorgeous AND smart!

Catching Wild Pigs

A chemistry professor in a large college had some exchange students in the class. One day while the class was in the lab the Professor noticed one young man (exchange student) who kept rubbing his back, and stretching as if his back hurt.

The professor asked the young man what was the matter. The student told him he had a bullet lodged in his back. He had been shot while fighting Communists in his native country who were trying to overthrow his country's government and install a new Communist government.

In the midst of his story he looked at the professor and asked a strange question. He asked, 'Do you know how to catch wild pigs?'

The professor thought it was a joke and asked for the punch line. The young man said this was no joke. 'You catch wild pigs by finding a suitable place in the woods and putting corn on the ground. The pigs find it and begin to come everyday to eat the free corn. When they are used to coming every day, you put a fence down one side of the place where they are used to coming. When they get used to the fence, they begin to eat the corn again and you put up another side of the fence. They get used to that and start to eat again. You continue until you have all four sides of the fence up with a gate in The last side. The pigs, who are used to the free corn, start to come through the gate to eat, you slam the gate on them and catch the whole herd.

Suddenly the wild pigs have lost their freedom. They run around and around inside the fence, but they are caught. Soon they go back to eating the free corn. They are so used to it that they have forgotten how to forage in the woods for themselves, so they accept their captivity.

The young man then told the professor that is exactly what he sees happening to America . The government keeps pushing us toward socialism and keeps spreading the free corn out in the form of programs such as supplemental income, tax credit for unearned income, tobacco subsidies, dairy subsidies, payments not to plant crops (CRP), welfare, medicine, drugs, etc.. While we continually lose our freedoms -- just a little at a time.

One should always remember: There is no such thing as a free lunch! Also, a politician will never provide a service for you cheaper than you can do it yourself.

If you see that all of this wonderful government 'help' is a problem confronting the future of democracy in America , then spread the word.

If you think the free ride is essential to your way of life then you will probably ignore this post, but God help you when the gate slams shut!

In this 'very important' election year, listen closely to what the candidates are promising you !! Just maybe you will be able to tell who is about to slam the gate on America.


'A government big enough to give you everything you want, is big enough to take away everything you have.' - Thomas Jefferson

H/T Piano Girl!

PRAYERS FOR OUR NATION

I received an email from my cousin over the weekend. He is joining with his own church (in Ohio) to participate in a nationwide weekend of modified fasting (except those with health concerns) combined with prayer on behalf of the safety and future well being of our nation, asking God to protect us from those who would wish us ill. I think it’s one heck of an idea and intend to participate. At the very least it will give me incentive to keep my hot little hands out of the leftover Halloween candy!

There is another Internet push to rally as many as are willing, asking us to pray for our nation at 9 p.m. ET each day. This is another worthwhile effort and one in which I hope you will participate. The more people besieging heaven on our nation’s behalf between now and the election is a very good thing.

In further news:

“This Sunday, all the parishes in the Catholic Diocese of Wilmington will pray the Litany of St. Thomas More, martyr and patron saint of statesmen, politicians and lawyers. We will ask St. Thomas More to intercede so all statesmen and politicians may be courageous and effective in their defense and promotion of the sanctity of human life. We hope Sen. Biden will carefully listen to the Church’s 2,000 years of testimony on abortion and that he will join in the defense and promotion of the sanctity of life.”

Most Rev. W. Francis Malooly, bishop, Catholic Diocese of Wilmington

Bishop Malooly is Senator “Rosary Joe” Biden’s own Bishop! I think of myself as a "constantly striving and frequently failing" Catholic and I think any Catholic who is making a sincere effort feels the same way. I don't think I know everything about my faith and so I am pretty much always moving forward with explorations of it. I find it somewhat perplexing that both Rep. Pelosi and Senator Biden seem to interpret their faith to suit themselves and tend to give the impression than they know more than the Church heirarchy about Church doctrine. Trust me guys, being a second rate politician doesn't impute or imply any kind of deep doctrinal wisdom. It is true that if I were to tell either of you (or Senator Kerry) to "stick with what you know", you'd have little to talk about - but wouldn't that be somewhat peaceful too? I'm just saying.

Our nation needs our prayers more than it usually does! And it needs you to vote next Tuesday.

UPDATE: Note to diabetics - I'd prefer that you not fast. And those of you, like me, who are will-power-deficient, give up something you really really love. I've decided that from Saturday at noon through Tuesday midnight, no coffee or chocolate will pass my lips. That, for me, is an enormous sacrifice!

A NEVER-TO-BE-FORGOTTEN MEMORY

In December 1958, as a result of my father's exceptional sales efforts during the preceding year, the three of us flew via Miami to Cuba for the Christmas holidays on a vacation paid for by my father's company.

To my teenage eyes, it was an awful place. Women rented babies from other women with extras so that they could beg on the steps of the cathedral. The Havana Hilton was extraordinarily lavish with live flamingos strolling around a reflecting pool in the lobby. We were staying at the Havana Riviera Hotel which had table lamps that would serve as floor lamps in my American living room and carpeting that actually was ankle deep. And yet, in the same neighborhood, there were tenement buildings so appalling that I wanted to cry when I looked at them.

The then-dictator Batista had two separate police forces. One policed only the Cubans and the other was there to protect the tourists, who were a source of revenue to the dictatorship. Traffic was, to put it mildly, terrifying and at one point I handed my newly minted driver's license back to my mother saying, "Maybe this isn't such a good idea!". She laughed but I wasn't kidding.

One morning my mother and I were awake early and decided to go for a walk. We got about 10 steps outside the hotel when one of the policemen who were charged with the duty of protecting tourists told us we must go back to our hotel and not come out on the street unless accompanied by our driver or my father, because we would be considered to be "loose women" if we were out there alone. In my very, very young and idealistic mind, this was absurd and offensive.

And over all of the other things that I found unlovely about Havana in those days around Christmas 1958, there was the constant uneasy feeling that something very very bad was about to happen.

I understood that the Cuban people wanted change - and I couldn't much blame them. But when they got CHANGE - what they got was the 48 years of misery (so far) exemplified by the reign of terror of Fidel Castro and his even crazier brother Raul. They took control of the Cuban government on the very day that we left to return to Ohio.

So I guess what I'm saying is - be careful what you ask for America. And whatever you do, be sure to vote.

THE INMATES REALLY ARE IN CHARGE!

The child’s view of the world is almost entirely black and white. To most children, an event is either good or bad, fair or unfair and their perception is simplistic for the most part. And despite the oft repeated canard that children are so “pure” or so “honest” it is my view that children are the ultimate in utterly self-involved thinking and behavior.

So too are liberals. The fact is that there are virtually no filters, nor is there any common sense or judgment involved in many (most) of their foolish and heedless utterances. They feel perfectly free to make the most inappropriate, insulting and outlandish statements (almost always completely unsupported by any form of reality) because they ARE the center of the universe and must be heard!

As an example, today on The View that paragon of useful idiot perception, Joy Behar, proclaimed that none other than Rush Limbaugh is a terrorist! This shows me two things pretty clearly. First of all, Joy Behar is a demented dunderhead who hasn’t got the foggiest notion of what a terrorist really is (Doesn't this dithering twit live in NEW YORK?) – else there is no way she could label Rush Limbaugh as such with a straight face. Secondly, like a child, Ms. Behar sees anyone who doesn’t think the way she does as somehow evil and corrupt. Not different. Not entitled to their own thought processes and opinions. No – if you don’t think precisely the way Joy Behar thinks (heaven forbid), then you are wrong and evil and must be labeled as such, preferably in shrill and emphatic tones. Ah, those tolerant liberals!

This infantile worldview of so many on the Left is both dangerous and obscene. And it occurs to me that the reason that many nations around the world look at us with some degree of contempt is not George W. Bush, but rather the fact that we tolerate and – in some cases – even respect these prattling nimcompoops!

Just a thought.

Heaven help us!

URGENT PRAYER REQUEST

The Anchoress has posted an urgent prayer request for a military family facing the unthinkable and indescribably painful:

I cannot tell you his name - but if you could storm heaven for “Beloved and his family” at this time - for miracles if God wills them, for peace and consolation if not. The need is great. Please keep these people “in your pockets,” so to speak. Perhaps offer something up for their behalf, keeping this in mind: Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ on behalf of his body, which is the church…(Colossians 1:24)

Certainly prayer for Beloved and his family, as well as all our active duty service men and women (including my family's beloved Navy Guy) should be (or should become) a routine and important part of every day. It isn't so-called journalists, politicians or "neighborhood organizers" who keep us free, but rather the military men and women who daily risk their lives in service of their nation's honor and safety. God bless them, every one.

WHAT BARACK OBAMA SAYS

And what Senator Obama’s campaign does are two entirely separate matters. That’s the only conclusion I can draw from the horrendous hit job on Cindy McCain in this Sunday’s New York Times – a rag with which I would not even line my birdcage – out of respect for the bird dung!

Senator Obama’s thunderous silence on the subject has been quite revealing, particularly coming from the man who prattled about “my wife is off the table” when even the mildest criticism was expressed about his eternally rancorous spouse Michelle.

When the Times goes so far as to contact 16-year old high school classmates of the McCain children to dig up information on Cindy McCain, using Facebook, they really are going way too far. In fact, my personal opinion is that when Jodi Kantor contacted these under-16-year olds he crossed the line into downright creepy behavior. There is a difference between true journalism and yellow journalism. The Times apparently no longer knows the difference and its reporters have the morals of the worst alley cat in the most fetid and festering alleyway of the most seedy neighborhood in a Calcutta slum!

Finally – can we talk about the sheer weight of the moneys being spent to achieve this office. One needs to wonder – very seriously – who it is that is willing AND ABLE to spend $600 million to achieve a job that pays $400,000 per annum plus some juicy perks? There’s something seriously rotten in this campaign and it doesn’t have thing one to do with anyone named McCain or Palin. Chicago politics has run amok and we’re all going to suffer for it. I suspect the rat shelling out all the cheese is named Soros, but that's only my opinion. I could be wrong - but I doubt it.

Finally, I continue to wonder - very seriously - if Senator Barack Hussein Obama could, on his own and without the presidency in his back pocket, acquire a decent security clearance!

THERE’S A REASON IT’S CALLED “PRAVDA ON THE POTOMAC”

I consider the Washington Post to be a completely dishonest newspaper, but some parts of it are more dishonest than others.

And I have no doubt that this “yellow” rag is “in the tank” for Barack Hussein Obama. How else to explain the most recent, utterly fallacious column written by James V. Grimaldi, who tries to insinuate that Cindy McCain is guilty of some sort of ethical violations because Verizon Wireless and AT&T installed portable cell phone towers to provide coverage at McCain's home in Hidden Valley near Sedona, Arizona. Mind you, Michelle Obama, the rabidly peevish spouse of Senator Obama is, according to him, “off the table” – but Cindy McCain apparently is not. Talk about your double standard!

What Mr. Grimaldi could have learned quite easily, had he been a serious journalist instead of a partisan hack, is that the tower work was performed at the request of the Secret Service, something which has been confirmed by spokesmen for the Secret Service who confirm Verizon's statement that the company only put in a temporary cell service facility near the McCain ranch in Arizona at the request of the agency.

According to the Secret Service: "We made a request of Verizon in I believe May that was covered under our contract and they did address our immediate needs," said Secret Service spokesman Eric Zahren.

Mr. Grimaldi, not only are you inexcusably biased, you’re lazy as well! A few moments of actual research would have shown that you were having a hissy fit for no reason. Was it worth it to take a "shot" at the Republican presidential candidate when now that you’ve been CAUGHT, it's clear you’ve made an ass of yourself? I suspect it is not the first or last time! I further suspect that you are suffering from that new disease known as MPDS (McCain/Palin Derangement Syndrome).

Bonehead of the week? James V. Grimaldi of Pravda on the Potomac!

CAN WE SAY "UNHINGED"?

While the above tee-shirt is apparently okay with Senator Obama’s supporters (even the femininazi types who would become unglued if this was applied to any Democratic female by any Independent or Republican male's campaign staff), the fabricated charges below may accurately reflect the Obama Campaign's most deeply concealed fears since, clearly, they don’t reflect reality!

Senator Obama's overt and explicit charge that McCain-Palin rally supporters have shouted "Kill him" when Obama's name had been mentioned is pure Pulp Fiction, a story concocted by a Scranton newspaper journalist.

The agent in charge of the Secret Service field office in Scranton said allegations that someone yelled "kill him" when presidential hopeful Barack Obama's name was mentioned during Tuesday's Sarah Palin rally are unfounded.

The Scranton Times-Tribune first reported the alleged incident on its Web site Tuesday and then again in its print edition Wednesday. [Ed.: Making 'Pulp Fiction' a literal description.] The first story, written by reporter David Singleton, appeared with allegations that while congressional candidate Chris Hackett was addressing the crowd and mentioned Obama's name a man in the audience shouted "kill him."

In the very best traditions of the Marxist/socialist meme, why tell the truth when a good lie will suffice? Why display common sense, realisim and adult reasoning when one can behave with rude disdain for anyone who dares not think precisely as they do! It's so screwed up I cannot even deal with it some days - this being one of them.

This has become all pervasive. Granted I work in the nation's capitol where intense partisanship abounds, but there seems to be a kind of all-too-common mindset that whoever belongs to the opposite political party is evil and unable to be trusted. It's as though Democrats have been having a ginormous, infantile tantrum since the 2000 election and cannot let it go, cannot deal with any kind of rational boundaries and cannot understand that two people may look at the same things from two different perspectives and, while perhaps they disagree, that doesn't make one or the other inherently evil! For God's sake (and that of our nation) will you people please just grow up!?

WELL HELL – WHY SHOULD JOHN S. McCAIN EVEN BOTHER TO SHOW UP?

OBAMA CAMPAIGN ISSUES TALKING POINTS TO MEDIA AHEAD
OF DEBATE

Wed Oct 15 2008 11:13:03 ET

The Obama campaign issued a set of debate 'talking points' to media on Wednesday morning, the DRUDGE REPORT can reveal. Press
Secretary Sean Smith issued the directive in an email from Pennsylvania, 12 hours before the debate.The memo oddly mirrors much of the main press analysis and theme of the current campaign:

-------- Original Message --------

Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2008 09:37:27 -0500
From: Sean Smith
[s***mith@barackobama.com]

To: Sean Smith [s***mith@barackobama.com]

* This is John McCain's last chance to turn this race around and somehow convince the American people that his erratic response to this economic crisis doesn't disqualify him from being President.

* Just this weekend the weekend, John McCain vowed to "whip Obama's you-know-what" at the debate, and he's indicated that he'll be bringing up Bill Ayers to try to distract voters.

* So we know that Senator McCain will come ready to attack Barack Obama and bring his dishonorable campaign tactics to the debate stage. Obama continues to lead on the economic crisis with a rescue plan for Main Street.

* Over the course of the campaign, Barack Obama has laid out a set of policies that will grow our middle class and strengthen our economy.

* But he knows we face an immediate economic emergency that requires urgent action - on top of the plans he's already laid out - to help workers and families and communities struggling right now.

* That's why Barack Obama is introducing a comprehensive four-part Rescue Plan for the Middle Class - to immediately to stabilize our financial system, provide relief to families and communities, and help struggling homeowners.

* This is a plan that can and should be implemented immediately.

* Obama has shown steady leadership during this crisis and offered concrete solutions to move the country forward - and his Rescue Plan for the Middle Class builds on the plans to strengthen the economy and rebuild the middle class that he's laid out over the course of this campaign.

* Already in this campaign, he's unveiled plans to give 95 percent of workers and their families a tax cut, eliminate income taxes for seniors making under $50,000, bring down the cost of health care for families and businesses; and create millions of new jobs by investing in the renewable energy sources.

* John McCain has been erratic and unsteady since this crisis began - staggering from position to position and trying to change the subject away from the economy by launching false character attacks.

The unbridled arrogance is absolutely STUNNING! And since 95% of what is being said in this appalling email stretches the truth almost to the breaking point at best, and is outright LIES at worst - it's another dishonest blathering from the most dishonest political campaign I have ever seen. And a transparent attempt to deflect the very justifiable questioning of Barack Obama's relationship with the domestic terrorists Bill Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn, among Obama's plethora of questionable associations.

Barack Hussein Obama may or may not be legally able under the U.S. Constitution to even RUN for president. However, even if he is qualified in the eyes of the U.S. Constitution, by reason of worldview, political philosophy and sheer cowardice and intellectual bankruptcy, he is unqualified, inept and would be a complete disaster as President.

CAN I JUST ASK ONE THING OF BOTH CANDIDATES?

Before we “hire” our next president, can we please ask both of them to comprehensively fill out this form?

IT'S TIME FOR BILL AND HILLARY TO DO THEIR THING!

Like anyone with functional brain cells, I am beginning to be terrified about the possibility of Barack Hussein Obama as our next president.

It's time for 2 things to happen: Bill and Hill need to spring their October surprise (you know they have one up their sleeves) and we need to PRAY LIKE WE'VE NEVER PRAYED BEFORE!

OKAY EVERYONE – JUST CALM DOWN!

Yes indeed, listening to the gloom and doom and outright hysteria being put forth on our radio and television news outlets coupled with the manic proclamations of imminent collapse are sufficient to make an unwary audience revert to absolute panic.

Let’s look at this realistically. First, anyone reading this is sufficiently savvy to know that at least 50-60% of this kerfuffle is artificially created – and probably by such anti-American forces as those represented by the ever-despicable George Soros. The rest is the result of people either (a) surrendering to panic or (b) those people who blindly trot along with the vast ignorant horde. So what should we do?

First, quit paying attention to the hysteria mongers amongst us. Absolutely nothing worthwhile has ever been accomplished while in a state of panic. Lots of stupidities certainly have been accomplished, but nothing good! Second, live your life for heaven’s sakes! Read books, listen to good music, go to work daily. The absolute antithesis of panic is normality and we can definitely bolster the atmosphere of normality all by ourselves without government assistance. Besides all the practical and logical reasons for eschewing panic – panic-stricken people just look stupid!

Yes, the value of your 401k has dropped. Guess what? It’ll come back up if you don’t panic. The more calm and reasonability we display in the face of this current and very temporary problem, the better off we will be. And the more frustrated will be anyone who is trying to turn us into a bunch of unreasoning lemmings trotting blindly toward a sea of financial silliness!

Meanwhile, as soon as I decide WHAT, I’m going to trot right out and invest some money in some stocks. Bet if a lot of us did that, the markets would rebound even more quickly!

UPDATE: DIDN'T I TELL YOU THINGS WOULD CALM DOWN?

AN INTERESTING POINT OF VIEW

Our beloved friend The Anchoress has some words of wisdom for us that might get us through the next few days. Meanwhile, I continue to have this overwhelming feeling that our favorite mischief makers, the Clintons, have something or other up their sleeves and that Barack Hussein Obama may not like it very much!

WILLIAM AYERS – WHY HIS FRIENDSHIP WITH BARACK OBAMA IS A BIG DEAL

Despite Barack Hussein Obama’s description of William Ayers as “just a guy in the neighborhood”, it has been proven beyond doubt that their friendship stretches back over a substantial period of time. And that friendship, regardless of its length, calls into question Senator Obama’s judgment and patriotism – both qualities that should be absolutely unimpeachable in a potential president.

It is bad enough that Senator Obama feels that it is somehow beneath him to wear a pin replicating the flag of the nation he seeks to serve. It is worse that he does not, as is required by law, place his hand over his heart when the national anthem is played, claiming that he doesn’t want to appear to take sides. What? You want to be the president of the United States of America and you don’t want to take America’s side? What kind of moron are you?

William Ayers and his cohorts, among their many foul and despicable deeds, plotted to blow up a dance at Fort Dix, New Jersey that was to be attended by servicemen and their wives/girlfriends. Beneficent fate and their own ineptitude led to the bombers killing themselves.

Now as Jim Geraghty rightly states:

The American people would never pretend that it is normal to be an employee, friend, and associate of Timothy McVeigh or Eric Rudolph. It's time to ask the hard questions of why Obama had no problem working for and with this man for so long.

Allow me to throw out a potential line: "There's reason to doubt that oft-repeated pledge of 'supporting the troops' when you've worked for a man who
tried to kill the troops."

I have a suggestion for Senator John McCain. You are a man of proven courage. It’s time to use it and confront your despicable slime bag of an opponent with his poor judgment in associations over his entire lifetime and confront him with the fact that his life history is shrouded in mystery (see my post below) to an extent completely unacceptable in a man who is seeking the highest office in our land. Bill Clinton won a second term, God help us, because Bob Dole was too much of a gentleman to really go after him. Please, sir, do not make that same mistake. Barack Hussein Obama is virtually daring you to go after those associations and I say you give him his wish!

JOB SEEKERS AND THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES

When I was contemplating the move to Virginia, I made sure that I had copies of all documentation relating to my previous employment and residences back through the past 25 years readily available to provide to prospective employers. Having worked as a headhunter in another career path, I am aware of the requirements for seeking new employment. I was fully prepared to document every aspect of my life back to Day One if necessary (which thankfully it was not).

My question to you is, why isn’t Barack Hussein Obama aware of his obligations in this area? And if he IS aware of his obligations in this area, why is he so leery of providing us with this necessary information? In other words, what does he have to hide? I think it’s a fair question.

The job Senator Obama seeks is arguably the most powerful in the world. The people who will be employing Senator Obama or Senator McCain (that would be you and me) have every right, in fact every obligation, to be certain that the qualifications claimed by both candidates are in every respect verifiably accurate, for not the least of which reasons the fact that whoever wins the November 4th election will have the nuclear codes for the next 4 years and will be privy to all manner of top secret information that we would certainly not want fed (a la Bill Clinton) to those who wish to destroy our nation. If, as some claim, Senator Obama is far from being who he says he is, we need to know that sooner rather than later. If he is precisely who he says he is, we need to know that. If Senator Obama is (as I suspect) completely owned by foreign interests (such as George Soros or others), we have every right to know that and Senator Obama has every responsibility of providing the intelligence to us.

Senator John McCain’s life – warts and all – is an open book, as is (despite the leftwing's feverish pawing through her life in search of scandal) that of Sarah Palin, his Vice Presidential running mate. Every single contribution, down to the smallest, is accounted for on Senator McCain’s campaign website. Senator Barack Obama is refusing to permit examination of contributions in the $200 each range that total over $200 million and which are, to say the least, problematical in nature – many of them coming from foreign interests which is completely illegal.

Throughout Senator Obama’s life, I see evidence that there was a great deal more money available to this man than he has ever been willing to admit. His grandparents sent him to a very exclusive prep school in Hawaii. His first two years of college were spent at Occidental College in the Los Angeles area that is far from cheap. After his first two years of college, this supposedly poor young man traveled to India and Pakistan for the summer. My parents were middle class and I guarantee you that they could not have afforded a trip from Columbus, Ohio to Grand Rapids, Michigan for me – never mind India and Pakistan. Upon his return, Senator Obama attended Columbia University. How? Where did the money come from? After graduating from Columbia, Senator Obama moved to Chicago. Why Chicago? And while we’re on the subject, why are Senator Obama’s college transcripts unavailable? Every prospective employer I have ever dealt with had the right to request that information from me – why not the man running for president?

After 2 years in Chicago, Barack Hussein Obama headed off to Harvard Law School. How did he get admitted? What were his grades in college? Again, as a prospective employer, I have the right to that information. I also have the right to know where he got the money to pay for his tuition, books and living while at Harvard.

Finally, where has the money come from to finance that $1.6 million house in Chicago? Most 46 year old who have mostly been in public service jobs couldn’t even come close to a house costing 30% of that enormously expensive real estate.

For the sake of our safety and security as a nation, I am both worried and angry that nobody is asking the necessary questions and demanding full and complete answers.

Hello?! Is anybody awake out there?

GRATUITOUS PLEASURE!

Now this is hot!

Okay - so I'm a little stoked because figure skating season is nearly upon us. These days we enjoy the simple pleasures when we can, do we not?

GOOD POINT!

This pretty much puts things in their proper perspective!

Barack Obama recently put out an ad that John McCain cannot use a computer.

Well guess what....

Barack cannot land a jet plane on an aircraft carrier at night.


h/t John B.

JUST WONDERING . . .

What are Bill and Hillary up to these days?

When they're too quiet, I get nervous. Or maybe it's the DNC's nominee who should be a tad anxious.

McCAIN'S "RESURGENCE PLAN"

I don't know how I feel about this plan, but here are some more details on John McCain's Homeownership Resurgence Plan, as provided by the McCain/Palin campaign:

John McCain will direct his Treasury Secretary to implement an American Homeownership Resurgence Plan (McCain Resurgence Plan) to keep families in their homes, avoid foreclosures, save failing neighborhoods, stabilize the housing market and attack the roots of our financial crisis. America’s families are bearing a heavy burden from falling housing prices, mortgage delinquencies, foreclosures, and a weak economy. It is important that those families who have worked hard enough to finance homeownership not have that dream crushed under the weight of the wrong mortgage. The existing debts are too large compared to the value of housing. For those that cannot make payments, mortgages must be re-structured to put losses on the books and put homeowners in manageable mortgages. Lenders in these cases must recognize the loss that they’ve already suffered.The McCain Resurgence Plan would purchase mortgages directly from homeowners and mortgage servicers, and replace them with manageable, fixed-rate mortgages that will keep families in their homes. By purchasing the existing, failing mortgages the McCain resurgence plan will eliminate uncertainty over defaults, support the value of mortgage-backed derivatives and alleviate risks that are freezing financial markets. The McCain resurgence plan would be available to mortgage holders that:

· Live in the home (primary residence only)

· Can prove their creditworthiness at the time of the original loan (no
falsifications and provided a down payment)

.The new mortgage would be an FHA-guaranteed fixed-rate mortgage at terms manageable for the homeowner

The direct cost of this plan would be roughly $300 billion because the purchase of mortgages would relieve homeowners of “negative equity” in some homes. Funds provided by Congress in recent financial market stabilization bill can be used for this purpose; indeed by stabilizing mortgages it will likely be possible to avoid some purposes previously assumed needed in that bill.

The plan could be implemented quickly as a result of the authorities
provided in the stabilization bill, the recent housing bill, and the U.S. government's conservatorship of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. It may be necessary for Congress to raise the overall borrowing limit.

THE WORLD ACCORDING TO BARACK OBAMA

Over a period of some 20 years, Barack Hussein Obama and his wife Michelle Obama have been planting their asses in the church pastored by the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, a man who hates America and has no problem saying so quite publicly. But we’re not supposed to talk about that.

Since at least 1995 (and probably before that), Barack Hussein Obama and his wife Michelle Obama have been more than slightly acquainted with a couple named William Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn Ayers, a pair of domestic terrorists who have not only talked about bombing the Pentagon, they have actually done it. Their current freedom results from technicalities and not from any findings of innocence. But we’re not supposed to talk about that.

Another friend of Senator Obama, one Tony Rezko, was just convicted of fraud. But we’re not supposed to talk about that.

The amounts and origins of many of Senator Obama’s campaign contributors (totaling in the neighborhood of $200 million) are shrouded in some mystery. But we’re not supposed to talk about that.

And then there is Senator Obama’s documentation of his past – or what can be found of it. The following records have not been released: Occidental College records, Columbia College, Columbia thesis, Harvard College records, Selective Service Registration, medical records, original birth certificate (either certified copy of embossed signed paper certification). Similarly, none of Senator Obama’s records from the Illinois State Senate are available, despite the fact that he was a public employee and thus all records relating to his employment should be available to those who paid his salary. Finally, there is no record of Senator Obama’s baptism.

Considering that a plethora of lawyers and private investigators are combing Alaska attempting to ascertain how often Todd Palin breaks wind, I find the reticence of the Obama campaign to be both fascinating and ominous.

I have said it before and I’m repeating myself: Barack Hussein Obama is interviewing for the most powerful job in the world and I, as his potential employer, have every right and every responsibility to make sure that he is qualified and competent to perform that job. There is no corner of his life that can or should be concealed from me and should he choose to hold his associations, his history and his documentation as confidential, then he has by his own actions disqualified himself from consideration in perpetuity.

CONSERVATIVES WHO REFUSED TO VOTE IN 2006 HOW HAS THAT WORKED OUT FOR YOU?

During the campaign leading up to the 2006 election, a lot of conservatives noisily made a point of “sitting on their hands” by refusing to vote at all because they wanted to “send a message” to President George W. Bush and the Republican Party that they didn’t like the direction in which the Party was leading the country. As a result, we have been saddled with the execrable Madame Speaker, the vicious harpy Nancy Pelosi! Are you happy folks? Do you think the President got the message? Are you pleased with the financial chaos that has been exacerbated by the rampant cronyism and dishonesty of the Dems in control of the Congress? Barney Frank and Little Chuckie Schumer sure do make us proud of our country, don't they?

Less obvious consequences became very clear last week when Ohio’s Secretary of State, Democrat Jennifer Brunner, elected to office as a result of the same Conservative rebellion, made it a point to allow anyone who wanted to register to vote in Ohio and cast their vote that same day – early – without proof of citizenship or residence in Ohio and with no assurances that these selfsame people (some of whom admitted being bused in from Chicago) weren’t voting somewhere else on 11/4 as well. And of course, the whole thing of having votes cast more than 30 days out from the actual election day is a new wrinkle in the Democrats’ never-ending quest to find new ways to steal elections. So Ohio – how’s it working out for you? Feel like you’re being disenfranchised because the value of your vote is being diluted by all the fraudulent voting going on? And who, pray tell, do you think is responsible? Have you looked in the mirror lately?

In Virginia, Governor Tim Kaine (another Democrat, need I even bother to tell you) announced he was restoring civil rights to 2,500 felons who have been released from prison. Unless he’s cherry-picked his felons, Governor Kaine could end up restoring voting rights to a bunch of skinheads who wouldn’t vote for Barack Obama if their genitals were on fire, but that’s too much good luck to expect, isn’t it?

Here’s the deal – voting is a civil right. It is also a civil responsibility. And I don’t give a flying flip if you’re angry at George W. Bush or even John McCain. Yes, the lesser of two evils is sometimes our only choice and you damned well better make it or this country is doomed to its first ever socialist government, run from behind the scenes by the likes of George Soros or, if that’s possible, someone even worse. It’s that urgent and it’s that important and enough nonsense has spewed from enough mouths and now it’s time for the rubber to meet the road folks. Our nation as our Founding Fathers envisioned it and as our parents delivered it to us is in grave danger of destruction entirely. You can either get off your high horse and go vote for John McCain or you can sit around and piss and moan when you’re wearing a burka! Or worse.

WTF #2?

What the hell?

BIDEN: When we kicked -- along with France, we kicked Hezbollah out of Lebanon, I said and Barack said, "Move NATO forces in there. Fill the vacuum, because if you don't know -- if you don't, Hezbollah will control it." Now what's happened? Hezbollah is a legitimate part of the government in the country immediately to the north of Israel.

No, seriously: what the hell? I have no idea what he's talking about. And even if I did: Obama thinks Syria is the solution to Hezbollah. Which means that Obama has been listening to his anti-Israel advisers a wee bit too much.

On the basis of THIS ANSWER alone, Joseph Biden, D-De should be removed from the Democratic ticket AND the United States Senate. The display of ignorance is stunning!

GREAT QUOTE FROM PEGGY NOONAN

"In a president, character is everything. A president doesn't have to be brilliant... He doesn't have to be clever; you can hire clever... You can hire pragmatic, and you can buy and bring in policy wonks. But you can't buy courage and decency, you can't rent a strong moral sense. A president must bring those things with him... He needs to have, in that much maligned word, but a good one nonetheless, a "vision" of the future he wishes to create.. But a vision is worth little if a president doesn't have the character-- the courage and heart-- to see it through."

This was said by Ms. Noonan several years ago, before she became what seems to me to be unhinged. It applies to Sarah Palin and to John McCain as well. Senators Obama and Biden? Not so much.

FRANK GETS SPANKED - AND NOT IN A GOOD WAY!

Babalu blog has the video and if there was anyone who deserved to have the frequently odious O'Reilly yell at him and call him a liar, it would be Barney Frank.

HINT: Don't be drinking your Postum while you watch this one.

THWACK! SARAH HITS A MASSIVE HOMER!

Last night's debate was a total win for Gov. Sarah Palin on a number of levels. First of all, she revealed herself to be an authentic human being in every respect. And any minor fluffs ought to be put down to her being pretty doggone new to this whole national stage - a stage Sen. Joseph Biden has occupied for over 30 years, so what's HIS excuse?

Second, it was apparent that this woman learns FAST and thoroughly. There was no grasping for information - she knew what she knew and wasn't afraid to say it. Nor was she afraid to call Sen. Biden on his misstatements, although I do wish she had addressed his outright lie about Sen. McCain vis-a-vis the subprime mortgage disaster. It was, as we all well know, John McCain who was expressing grave concerns in 2005 about Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Since when has Barack Obama made the "mistake" of saying what he really thinks at any time, anywhere? Please!

Finally, Sarah Palin is just such a full on pleasure to listen to and watch in action. And I don't know who did Joe Biden's makeup, but he was so white he could glow in the dark! Between the capped teeth, the Chia Pet hairdo and that white, white, white skin - he was very unpleasant to even watch! And his condescending smirk had me ready to throw a shoe at the TV a couple of times. The only thing that stopped me is that I just bought it a couple months ago!

All in all, if John McCain doesn't go on the attack in regard to his record and Barack Obama's lack thereof and let Sarah Palin loose to be the genuine gemstone she can be, then clearly he has lost the fire in his belly altogether and I honestly do not think that's the case.

MAYBE JOHN McCAIN IS READY TO FIGHT AFTER ALL!

New Joe Biden ad here! Hilarious - and frightening!

THIS IS A "MUST SEE" VIDEO

Please click this link to go to the video about how and why our financial markets are so shaky at this moment.

Pelosi, Reid and their cast of cynical liars are blaming the entire foreclosure and housing crisis, which has lead to the current crisis, on the Republicans. And to a certain extent, I also blame the Republicans. Not because they did anything wrong but rather because they allowed the Democrats to pass legislation that has gotten us into this current situation.

Apparently there is a concerted effort afoot to take this video off the Internet. So grab yourself a gander at it now while it's still available.

Once you've seen this video, you will never believe the word of any Democrat ever again!

UPDATE: If you need further proof of the delirium afflicting the Dems, "Cynthia McKinney, erstwhile Democrat and current Green Party presidential candidate, blows the whistle. The Bush Administration used Katrina as cover to execute 5000 Black men, each with a single bullet to the back of the head. That's what she's telling folks on the campaign trail." And she's allowed out in public without a keeper?

JOE BIDEN MAY HAVE REASON TO FEAR THIS WOMAN!

According to Messrs. Halcro and Knowles, Palin’s defeated Alaskan competition from the Governor’s race: “When you try to prove she doesn’t know anything, you lose, because audiences are enraptured by her,” Halcro said. “And her biting comments give you a sense of how competitive she is. Anybody who doesn’t take her seriously does so at their peril.”

Even though the demonstrably biased Gwen Ifil is the moderator (and whose bonehead call was THAT one), I have a strong hunch that Governor Palin will be mopping the floor with the smarmy Chia Pet!