Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Hazelton Illegal Immigration Relief Act: Get Rid of Activist Judges!

Last Thursday, U.S. District Judge James Munley struck down the Hazelton Illegal Immigration Relief Act. In his 204 page ruling the Judge said that immigration is a federal issue and municipalities have no right in creating immigration statutes, and, that all people - regardless of their citizenship status have the same rights.

Really?

As you may recall, Hazelton enacted this local ordinance last year after 2 Hazelton citizens were murdered by illegal aliens. A broad summary of the ordinance…made it illegal for non-documented aliens to rent apartments in Hazelton, and also made it illegal for local businesses to hire anyone who could not furnish legal documentation of citizenship or legal residency. In signing the statute into law the Mayor of Hazelton stated that he was doing so, to protect the citizens of Hazelton. The ACLU and other activist groups flocked to Hazelton immediately, and the social & legal battle was begun!

An Attorney for the city, Kris Korbach commented after Thursdays decision, that Hazelton knew it was fighting an uphill battle early on in the case. Korbach cited a number of examples to illustrate the Court's activist stance;

  • Claiming that their Hispanic surnames might cause them to be viewed unfairly, Judge Munley allowed all Plaintiffs to take action against Hazelton by using the names "John or Jane Doe." Neither were Plaintiffs required to give their address, as addresses might indicate the area of town they came from, and be prejudicial.
  • Claiming that their appearance in Court might make them targets for anti-Hispanic reprisals, Judge Munley allowed that Plaintiff's needn't appear in Court.

As all of us learned in Junior High Civics class, one of the foundation points of the American legal system is the "right to face one's accusers." It's kind of hard to face an accuser when the Judge rules that A) all accusers can be anonymous and B) Accusers don't have to appear in Court! (Geez, if a person were paranoid they might wonder whether there were any Plaintiffs at all, or simply 'imaginary' ones made up by the ACLU to serve their purposes! Hmmmm????)

Talk about a "hostile court!" Wow! So here's what Judge Munley was saying to the Mayor and Citizens of Hazelton....

I'm going to rule against you even though you haven't had a chance to question those who accuse you of doing something wrong! You don't have that right in my Courtroom. Illegal aliens living in Hazelton who have accused you of doing something wrong have more rights than United States citizens. I will not allow you to question the legality of their statements, or their motives, or to even question their existence as Plaintiffs. I will make the decision based upon what evidence the Plaintiffs' Attorney's have presented me.

Was there ever a better example of why Activist Judges must be removed from the Judicial System? Thank God for the Appeals Court!
Keep fighting Hazelton!!!
Dum Spiro Spero!


Democrat Party Platform 2008

It's already started! The "I've heard it all before" exhale. (Geez, it's only the end of July 2007 and we've gotta listen to this "crap-o-la" for another 16 months!!!!) Last Friday and again this past Sunday you heard 2 of the major "planks" the Libs are going to use during the 2008 Election Cycle.

The first was dropped on us by feckless Harry Reid, who proudly announced - yes, proudly announced - to a gathering of Libs, that one of the greatest accomplishments of the Democrat leadership since taking back Congress, was that Congress has spent 100 days discussing what's wrong with this war, and we'll spend another 100 days if we have to!

Wow, some accomplishment Harry! 200 days discussing how the war was wrong, rather than supporting our efforts! (And all the while our enemies are listening. Wonder what effect that has?)

The second plank was furnished by the "Jheri curled" Senator Charlie Rangel (D-NY) who whined during an appearance on the Sunday news shows; "There were no WMD's in Iraq, we were there for the oil!"

(That's right Senator, we've all been getting such a big financial boost from all the "free" oil we're sending back...why, I bet we'll never have to spend more than a dollar a gallon! Right?) Boy, what a schmuck!!

Just you wait. Mark my words as of today July 31, 2007, here are the other major planks in the "Libocrat" party platform for 2008. You'll be hearing the Liberal candidates and their organizations 'spew' this stuff before too long. Hang this from your refrigerator and check 'em off as you hear them!

Foreign Relations Platform Planks

  • George Bush lied to the American people. He played on our fears. (Taken directly from the Albore rant) Americans need to understand the world better, and be more like Europe - preferably France.
  • Iraq was never an enemy. There were never any WMD's. Iraq was revenge against Saddam trying to kill Bush 41!
  • We were in Iraq for the oil; we should have never left Afghanistan!
  • Cheney wanted Halliburton to get all the no bid contracts.
  • American troops going to Iraq are the only reason the insurgency happened.
  • If Americans weren't in Muslim countries there wouldn't be a problem!
  • There are only a few Muslim extremists, & they have a right to fight against expansionist / imperialist American forces.
  • Global Warming is the most important issue facing the world.

Domestic Relations Platform Planks

  • Republicans want to take away all individual rights.
  • Republicans are spying on all of us.
  • Republicans want to break up families, and take children away from their parents.
  • George Bush took us to war illegally, he knew about 9/11 before it happened.
  • The Executive Branch of government has too much power; we need a system more like the U.K.'s Parliament.
  • We don't need stronger borders we need to enact the Security & Prosperity Project (www.spp.gov)
  • There are no "illegal aliens" only "undocumented Americans!"
  • George Bush has torn us apart and caused "the two Americas!"
  • The rich don't pay enough taxes!
  • Governmental Health Care is the only way to go!
  • Government can answer all your questions, can take care of you, and help you make all your decisions. Big government is good government!
  • Government will only tax you if you have more than somebody else. That's fair isn't it?

For some reason I feel so prescient today!

Clinton / Obama 2008

Oyyyy! I really am starting to feel sick....

Dum Spiro Spero!



Saturday, July 28, 2007

Guaranteed Win for GOP in 2008. Can't loose strategy!

The Republicans are trying too hard to find the "perfect" candidate to run against Hillary Clinton next year. This isn't brain surgery, in fact it's kind'of easy.

Here's what you do if you're the Republican strategist that sits down across the table from Rahm Emanual to settle the rules for the presidential debates. I guarantee - if the GOP does this - they can run Genghis Kahn and they'll win!

You simply insist on 3 rules for both candidates,
  1. Each debate will be a televised public "townhall forum" with audience members submitting questions to the moderator.
  2. There will be no podiums and candidates can bring no notes. A stool will be provided for each candidate, and they are free to move around the stage when answering a question directed to them, otherwise they must sit on the stool.
  3. Both candidate's must wear a knee length skirt. In the case of a male candidate, this skirt may take the form of a "kilt."

I don't know how many of you are aware of it, but Hillary doesn't exactly have a great pair of "gams." Believe me, she ain't no Betty Grable! Her thighs, calves, and ankles, well you just can't tell them apart! That's why she wears pant suits, or floor length gowns ALL - THE - TIME! Seriously, there are Linebackers in the NFL with better pins than "Mrs. C."

Lots of people say Hillary wearing pants is a symbol for a "strong liberated woman" .... uhh-uhh, for Hillary, it's camouflage!!

Just one or two debates where voters have to look at her uncovered legs, you'd have voters switching from Jackass to Elephant in a second! What's more, Hillary's so self-conscious of her thighs, legs and ankles she wouldn't be able to answer any question lucidly! She'll stammer - she'll raise her voice - and as she gets more nervous, she'll get shrill - BINGO!!!

The other candidate - any other candidate - wins by default!


Dum Spiro Spero


Friday, July 27, 2007

UNCOVERED! Finally a use for Hollywood drunks!

Yesterday Aviation Week and Space Technology announced that on at least two occasions astronauts on the space shuttle team, were so drunk that they posed a significant risk to themselves and the mission! (And that's not including the astronaut wack-job that drove 900 miles in diapers from Houston with a hammer, "just to talk to her for a minute!" Hey sweetie, I think your oxygen mix is a little too rich - dial it down huh? That's it!)

[As an aside - You can't throw a "bone" like this in front of Chuckie Shumer! I'm sure there's going to be many Shumer Press Conferences and Committees formed to take a look at our loopy lunar lander's! Another committee headed by John Conyers would certainly need to be formed to investigate just how long President Bush knew about all of this, and why he decided to cover the scandal up! Certainly impeachment is possible!]

But wait - there may be a silver lining in having a drunk Shuttle crew! It means, there really is a use for some of Hollywood's greatest drunken screw-ups! Take four for instance - Lindsey Lohan, Brittany Spears, Mel Gibson, and Paris Hilton can all be named as the newest crew members for NASA's next Shuttle Mission. Think about it..... they'd all get major wardrobe additions. (Yes, Paris there's a pink suit for you!) They'd all get a great deal of publicity, and the photo ops "at launch" are to die for! None of them would really have to "drive" cause the Shuttle is basically a "point and shoot" and all of these nuts are used to that - So no civilians would be put in jeopardy having these ding-bats behind the wheel!

Best of all, our new astronuts would have complete, unfettered, 24/7/365 access to a group of professionals dedicated to listening to every narcissistic word. The NASA scientists don't get out too much...so having 4 Hollywood stars to dote over for the next few years would just be a dream come true for NASA! Can you imagine having CAPCOM in Houston fighting over what song they're going to use to wake these jokers up with each morning? The theme from Braveheart or the Oscar winning, "It's hard out here for a pimp!" (Oh yeah, that'll work!)

You and I, well, we'd get the best of it for once. We'd have the pleasure of living on a planet where we didn't have Lohan, Gibson, Spears or Hilton driving motorized vehicles, or on the news every night of the week. Maybe it's too much to ask for but perhaps someone at NASA could "oops" the return flight instructions! An added bonus would be NASA getting something exciting to do...(you have to admit recent Shuttle Missions have lacked an exciting plot line!) With any luck at all, Paris would be able to 'mistakenly' make another sex video with Mel, Brittany and Lindsay! NASA could market it!

Oooo! That's hot!

"QUEM DEUS VULT PERDERE, PRIUS DEMENTAT"



Tuesday, July 24, 2007

This is an issue about Fred Thompson that I don't like!

Yesterday I read, that Fred Thompson's son, Daniel, got paid $170,000 by his father's political action committee (PAC). Now, before anybody flips out, let me tell you that the Federal Election Commission voted in 2001, that it was perfectly legal to do what Fred's done. Their ruling came in the case of the Revvv-randdddd Jack-son hiring his wife to be his campaign manager. So what Fred Thompson has done is all perfectly legal.......however.

Here's the problem. As skeavey as I think Jesse Jack-son is, at least Mrs. Jackson had experience running campaigns for other candidates. (And I'm sure she is the professional in that relationship - God help her!) Daniel Thompson didn't then and doesn't now have the reputation of let's say.....Mary Matalin or James Carville.

In Fred Thompson's case, he legally rolled over left over Senatorial campaign funds ($378,600) into the Fred D. Thompson PAC.
Starting in April 2003, Daniel Thompson Associates started drawing a $4000.00 monthly retainer for "management consultant services." To date Daniel Thompson's firm has "consulted" to the tune of $170,000.00. You may be saying that $170,000 isn't a whole lot of money to get upset about - and you'd be right - it isn't.

You see, we've gotten to the point here in the United States, where we don't really get excited about "things" anymore unless it gets into the millions of dollars. The problem with Daniel Thompson Associates when someone tries to look into the work they do, is that there are/were no offices, no phones, and no other employees - except for the Senator's son. So, you see it isn't a question of magnitude here, for me it's perception.

"Perceived impropriety" or "the Appearance of Impropriety." A real good couple of phrases to get to know and remember. We all know generally what they mean, and when they apply......it's when you see your neighbors husband or wife laughing and having ice cream with another man or woman......it's when a ballplayer claims not to have known the substance he was placing under his tongue 5x's a day was a steroid - after he's hit 20 homers in a week and his head has swelled twice the size.....it's when a campaign gets a million dollar donation, after a pardon is granted.....it's when an elected official's 3 sons, all get lucrative lobbyist jobs, or another elected official's problems with a labor union at their vineyard and hotel - go away. What it all boils down to is one word - ethics.

My Pop used to say, "Something stinks here." And, more often than not, he was right. We all know when something doesn't pass "the smell test!" It's like the feeling I got when I heard Teddy Kennedy's explanation of Chappaquiddick 38 years ago last week; and Richard Nixon's explanation after Watergate; and Bill Clinton's explanation of "it all depends on what is, is." Ewwww Skeavey!

Well for me, this is one of those times. It may be legal, but it doesn't smell right! In my opinion Fred Thompson blew this one, and it could be a costly mistake! Coupled with statements coming from some of his former senatorial colleagues saying he was "lazy" when he was a Senator, and I'd say Freddy has a pretty big hill to climb, if and when he gets into the race.

Maybe this doesn't come up to the level of impropriety that Kennedy, Nixon and Clinton's explanations did, but still........it's the perception, the feeling I get when I read about crap like this. Just one more example of Congress - politicians - living by a set of rules that are different from the rules you and I live by. And when they've lived free off the public like that for a number of years, they start thinking that there really is something different between them and us.

Oscar Wilde said, "The truth is rarely pure, and seldom (never?) simple." And George Carlin always says, "We get what we deserve!"
Maybe it's time for all of us to start voting for people who don't make us want to take a shower every time we see or hear them make a speech! Maybe what we need to do is leave seats in Congress open until we find candidates who actually make us proud we elected them.

Just a thought.


Dum Spiro Spero!

Friday, July 20, 2007

Absurdities to Ponder

Yesterday, I heard two things that made me shake my head and giggle. Then I had a thought while painting some trim-work.

Many in Congress were complaining that the newly elected Iraqi government under President Malicki, wasn't pumping enough oil out of the Iraqi oil fields. They were also complaining that the Iraqi government wasn't working fast enough and was going to take the summer off. I thought - aren't these the same people who won't let us drop a well in ANWAR or the Gulf of Mexico? Talk about "do as I say, not as I do" or "just not in my backyard!" Then I read that our Congress is shutting down for the month of August or September. Hilarious weasels, aren't they?

Next: The Amnesty Immigration bill was defeated a couple weeks ago. Day before yesterday I read that Sen. Dick Durbin had attached the amnesty portion of the bill to another bill before the Senate, (amnesty portion - known as The Dream Act). He attached it to a military appropriations bill trying to sneak it in that way..........Ooops! Gotcha Dickey!

Last: My "Dream Team" Republican Party ticket for 2008. Neither of these guys is anywhere near the race right now. Both are extremely intelligent, tough, strong conservatives, Reagan Republicans, understand the tax system and hate it almost as much as they hate big government! My dream ticket.......Newt Gingrich for President and Steve Forbes for Vice-President. (Note: I think these two would scare the absolute crap out of the professional do-nothing politicians in both parties!)

I leave you with three quotes and a "final fact" to think about over the weekend ..........

  • A politician thinks of the next election - a statesman of the next generation. - James Freeman Clarke
  • A professional politician is a professionally dishonorable man. In order to get anywhere near high office he has to make so many compromises and submit to so many humiliations that he becomes indistinguishable from a streetwalker. - H.L. Mencken
  • Ninety-eight percent of the adults in this country are decent, hard-working, honest Americans. It's the other two percent that get all the publicity. But then ... we elected them. - Lily Tomlin
  • Mexico extends beyond its borders. - Vicente Fox
Si! Todos verdaderos!



Thursday, July 19, 2007

News "Quickies"

Here’s a couple of “quickies” from around the news world that might give you all a chuckle…..

  • From Reuters: The United States has captured a suspected leader of Mexico's powerful Gulf drug cartel and one of the country's most wanted men, Carlos "El Puma" Landin, while he was shopping in Texas, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) said today.

(Oyy! Does anyone else think it’s funny that he was caught while in the United States SHOPPING - for God sake? Is there any question now about why we’re having trouble with stopping illegal immigration? We allow drug lords in for shopping sprees! More on ’tracking’ visitors later. )

  • Everyone already knows that George Soros supported the Democrat Presidential candidate to the tune of $26 million during the last election. This related Soros item comes from The Heritage Foundation: George Soros said, referring to the Bush Administration, “America needs to follow the policies it has introduced in Germany…We have to go through a certain de-Nazification process.”

(That’s right everyone…we’re supposed to take cultural and political thought lessons from that “Open-Minded” champion of democracy...George Soros! Soros calling Bush a Nazi is like Teddy Kennedy chastising Lindsey Lohan for her drinking problem! )

  • Fox News & CNN reported yesterday: During 2006, 5.8 million visa holders entered the United States utilizing 70 different visa programs. i.e.: H-1B, F-1, 'Touristas', etc. - - For the sake of argument, let’s imagine that during the previous 10 years, a “similar” number of visas were issued each year. Fair enough? So, let’s say somewhere between 2 and 5 million visa holders entered the U.S. annually during 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005. With me so far? Good. For the sake of this ‘quickie’ that means the United States issued entry visas to somewhere between 20 & 50 million folks during the period from ’96 through ’05. – And they say we don’t care! - Add in the 5.8 million for 2006, and you end up with between 25.8 million and 55.8 million visa holders entering this country in the previous 11 years. Everybody agree? Good! Here’s the rest of the report! - - When the State Department and The Department of Homeland Security were asked recently how many of these visa holders remained here after their visa periods expired, both organizations indicated they have no method for tracking visa holders once the visa’s were issued. Neither DHS or the State Department has a method for knowing who left and when, nor who stayed after their visa period expired!

(So let’s see now…it’s 6 years after 9/11. It’s bad enough no one can tell us whether there are 12 or 20 million illegal aliens in our country. We’re worried about the Amnesty plan that Congress just tried to sneak by us – but we defeated that! But now you’re telling me that the 2 Federal Departments most responsible for this country’s security and safety following the terrorist attacks on 9/11, can’t tell George Bush let alone you & I, how many visa holders left the U.S. or stayed after their visa’s ran out????)

……… Having read these “quickies,” maybe they make you as “nuts” as I am. Some days I seriously wonder if it wouldn’t just be a lot easier to “roundup” all the politicians everywhere – collect all their good buddies down on K Street – put them all on a cruise ship named the S. S. Minnow II” and send them off on “a cruise to nowhere!” If we play our cards right it’ll be too late before they realize there’s no steering, no GPS, no ‘comms’, no lifeboats, and not enough fuel to get back! And if we give them enough booze they’ll never hear the rushing water…….

“Just sit right back, and you’ll hear a tale, a tale of a fateful trip, that started from this tropic port, aboard this tiny ship….”

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Re: Hating Congress even more! July 18th. 2007

Ken,

The problem with congress is that someone decided some
time ago that being a Congressperson or a Senator is ,
(pardon this one) a profession.

Some genius delegate figured out that all they have
to do, to keep their job, is to pander to the
electorate, no matter what they want. (Sort of
similar to the business world only there it's called
kissing ass.)

We need term limits now more than ever. Polls have
repeatedly shown that the voting populous wants term
limits but this is the one idea that the professional
Representatives have consistently ignored.

Frank

Hating Congress even more! July 18th. 2007

It really doesn't take much for me to admit to hating Congress - especially now. I think probably that Bernard Goldberg's new book, "Crazies to my Left - Wimps to my Right!" is a more accurate description of Congress than anybody knows! ( I just gotta read that book!)

This is purely bi-partisan.....

When Speaker Pelosi took over the House in 2006, I can remember one of her first speeches where t.v. camera's were in large attendance. She wagged her finger in the air and said words to the effect...."Let's make this Congress a place where the word "earmarks" is not used or heard!" Her not so subtle allusion being that the former Republican-led Congress had "run-up" earmarks to new heights, and the newly elected majority would be different!

Unfortunately, Speaker Pelosi was just a little off the mark. Paraphrasing that other great American congressional stalwart, Sen. Teddy, "Different management, same result!"

Yesterday it was announced that with barely 50% of the FY08 budget reviewed by the Appropriations Committee, formal "earmarks" already have reached the $25 BILLION dollar mark!

$ 25, 0-0-0, 0-0-0, 0-0-0 B - b - b - b - b - BILLION !!!!

Now, I understand that earmarks are sought by both Republicans and Dems. Hey, I told you this was going to be bi-partisan - I need no convincing - I think both parties stink! These "ladies and gentlemen" get to Washington and all of a sudden we don't exist anymore. They've made it to "the land of milk and honey," and we're just a very faint memory. We've become the faint buzzing of an annoying gnat - something to be swatted away.

Tell me if you think I'm wrong! The problem is - it's our milk and our honey - they're bathing in! (OK, I've just been "overcome" by the mental image of Teddy Kennedy bathing!)

Regardless of party this is NOT why we voted them into office! They're there - to work - for you & I. It seems to me that Congress is convinced it's the other way around!

Think about it.....where is this $25 BILLION going to come from? (Got a mirror handy?)

Dum Spiro Spero!


Sunday, July 15, 2007

Shallow Democrats, Shallow Women, Shallow Bloggers & Shallow People!

You know, if the damn Democrat party wasn't so dam hypocritical, maybe they'd be able to accomplish something.
But I seriously doubt it!! DIRTY ROTTEN BASTARDS!!

You don't have to troll too wide on the web to find pictures of Mr. & Mrs. Fred Dalton Thompson. Her name is Jeri Kehn Thompson. They've been married since 2002. More on that later............ In my email of this post I inserted two wonderful shots of the happy couple on their wedding day, (Sorry, blog buddies, I don't know how to insert photo's to my blog posts).

I've just spent a couple of hours this morning amazed at the bloggosphere and the liberal face pages that are ABSOLUTELY tearing Fred Thompson apart because - as they term it - Fred Thompson can't be trusted because he has "A Trophy Wife!" Seriously, they are absolutely killing both him, her and Republicans in general for allowing this to be. Try it, go to Google type in "Thompson's wife." In 0.17 seconds you get back 2,310,000 hits!

Here's a good example....I know Susan Estrich is a loyal Dem - and a very intelligent reporter. (I've even agreed with her on one or two occasions). But in her recently published article entitled "Fred Thompson's Trophy Wife," after a very catty and drawn out epistle, she ends by saying (in effect) that she can't like or trust Fred Thompson because his wife is young and beautiful, and he divorced his first wife. Don't believe me? Here's a link to Susan's article, you read it!
http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2007/7/13/93121.shtml

Other liberal bloggers and pundits smear Thompson saying that he deserves all the derision he gets after what was said about Hillary, Tipper Gore, & Teresa Kerry! They follow up by alluding that having a beautiful women in the White House would be distracting to the Nation. Huh? They make a big deal about Fred Thompson's divorce, that he's been married before. Yeah, that divorce thing is really an unusual characteristic these days!

For those of you keeping score, the truth is Fred Thompson HAS been married before. He was married to Sarah Lindsey for 26 years and they had 3 children together. Sarah & Fred divorced in 1985. Why? That's their business, not mine, not yours, certainly not Susan Estrich's! After 17 years of "single life" Fred then met Jeri Kehn and they were married in 2002. Fred & Jeri now have a daughter together - they are happy - what is wrong with that? Is there something wrong with loving your wife - having sex - and making a baby?

Ohhhh, you see, Estrich and the rest of these SHALLOW BASTARD DEMOCRATS would have you believe that because Fred is 64 and Jeri is much younger, there has to be something dirty...something immoral...something to snigger about....especially between courses at Democrat fundraising dinners. That divorce is something that Republicans do......

The liberal implication is that because of their age difference, because of his divorce, because of her "hotness," Fred Thompson won't ever be able to govern correctly.

Kathleen Willey (sexual Assault) ...........

Wait until the presidential primary season starts....the Democrat media machine will use the same slander against Rudy Guiliani, and any other candidate who has been married more than once.

Paula Jones (sexual assault & battery) .........

It doesn't matter that Senator Thompson had an extremely successful 26 year marriage blessed with three wonderful children and now 5 grandchildren. What the Democrat machine wants you to remember is that Thompson is divorced, has a wife 20 years younger than him, therefore there's something dirty about it!

Juanita Broaddrick (rape) ..........

They'll want you to believe that because of divorce neither Thompson nor Guiliani could ever be considered true Presidential material!! They want you to believe that Thompson "threw over" Sarah Lindsey, just to get to the trophy! How could you possibly trust such a man?

Gennifer FLowers (long-term affair during marriage) ..........

They publish and print their "high-ground" position that Bill & Hillary have been married for so long. That we'd get "two for the price of one" with them.

Monica Lewinsky (oval office intern) ..........

What Estrich and the rest of the liberal bloggosphere are doing to Fred Thompson is criminal! My God folks, the guy hasn't even formally declared himself for the office yet!

Why it's no different than if I was to question .... How we, as a nation, could possibly trust a female candidates' judgment as President after staying with a convicted liar and quite possibly a serial rapist for all those years, just to further her political ambitions ???

Would that be right??


Dum Spiro Spero!

Thursday, July 12, 2007

Thinking frustrates me!

FRUSTRATION!

This past Tuesday I “flamed” NY Mayor Mike Bloomberg, and Police Commissioner Kelly because of what I perceived as a pitiful degree of accomplishment following the September 11th. attacks on New York City. How can these things that are so important to our security – take so long?

I stand by that “flaming.” But it’s not just the Mayor and the Commissioner that have me nuts. It’s a compilation & conglomeration of a lot of things. National Security & anti-terrorism is just the tip of the ice berg/burg for me. Every day around where I live stuff just frustrates the hell out of me! Let me give you a few examples. (and I can never remember whether to use berg or burg – is it Pittsberg or Pittsburg – neither looks correct! Very frustrating!)

Most of the frustration starts with things we all heard as kids – and these are examples endemic to “Jersey” kids in the 50’s. Two examples particularly leap to mind.

The Garden State Parkway - I can remember my parents and other parents talking excitedly about how great it was going to be to have the Garden State Parkway (GSP) completed. How we were going to be able to get “down the shore” faster than taking “the old road”, (Route 9), and that Trenton promised that the tollbooths would be removed in a year or two! (See, that’s how the Government at the time got us to approve it, by telling us the GSP would be a “freeway” and all we’d have to do was pay a quarter at the tolls for a couple a years!) Call it “JJH.” (“JJH” = just Jersey Horseshit!)

NJ State Lottery to fund the best college system in the country! – Back in November 1969, New Jersey became only the 3rd state behind New Hampshire & New York to vote overwhelmingly for a state lottery. Much of the hype & hysteria behind getting it approved by an unbelievable 81% of voters was the promise that much, if not all of the lottery proceeds would go into funding NJ colleges – giving Jersey the best college system/environment in the country! It cost the State $1.5 million to establish the lottery and the estimates were that during the first year sales would probably be around $30 million. In fact, gross sales in 1972 (the inaugural year) exceeded $137 million – more than four times the estimate – and it’s been growing ever since. In 1991, sales were $1.2 BILLION – and 2002 was the first $2 BILLION dollar sales year. So, you’re thinkin’, geez, Jersey’s colleges and schools must be getting a lot of funding from the lottery?

The State Lottery Commission takes a great deal of satisfaction telling us that .36 cents of every dollar in lottery sales goes “to support State-sponsored programs.” Quick math: that’s approximately 36% of $2 billion = $720,000,000 million! Here’s a list of the beneficiaries of the lottery sales; http://www.state.nj.us/lottery/money/3-4_beneficiaries.htm . Pretty good huh?

Well, not so fast bucko … that also means that .64 cents of every dollar is not going to support State sponsored programs! And you don’t have to walk across too many NJ State or community college campuses to see that things are in pretty S-H-I-T condition! Dorms and buildings are dirty, graffiti laden, and gloomy. But that’s not my point… sure $720 million a year is a pretty good chunk a green for our State and Community colleges to look so crappy, but my bigger point is where does the remaining ANNUAL $1.280 BILLION go? Anybody ever tell you? Me thinks it’s just more “JJH.”

Another thing that has always frosted me about New Jersey is that we have absolutely the WORST roads anywhere in the United States, maybe the world. (I know the $1.280 billion ain’t going to the roads in New Jersey. Guaran-dam-teed on that one!) I thought maybe it was just me, but now you can look this one up! New Jersey was just voted as having the worst roads in the entire United States.

YEA NEW JERSEY, National Champs of shit roads!! Woo – woo - woo!

I really can’t see how this is possible! You’d think some part of that one billion, two hundred eighty million dollars left over from the Lottery sales has to go to buying blacktop – right? And I see signs all over saying “YOUR HIGHWAY TAXES AT WORK!” Well, where’s all that highway tax money going? And if that’s the case, shouldn’t all the tolls collected on the GSP translate into the NJ Garden State Parkway being the Autobahn of America? And what about all the revenues that Trenton gets from “Las Vegas on the Atlantic?” No Atlantic City casino money gets into NJ road improvement? Somebody’s gotta be getting the money? Every county, every municipality, every backwater town and borough and township I drive through and visit has their own Road Department! You know, those fast-moving dynamo’s we see along the roadsides holding the SLOW and STOP signs - filling in potholes. (I wonder if there’s ever a brawl between the municipal road crews, the county road crews, and the State road crews, over who’s going to get to fill that stretch of potholed road? Ever wonder about that?)

Just some more Jersey Horseshit! Seriously, I chipped a tooth once in a Jersey pothole! In any other State they call them “stream beds” or “ravine’s.” In New Jersey it’s called “rough road,” or “uneven shoulder.” I swear there should be big signs at every entrance point onto any New Jersey road that says, “Unimproved road surfaces State-wide. Travel at own risk!” ‘Cause honest New Jerseyeans will tell you, our roads SUCK!

The next frustration I gotta tell you about is New Jersey Property Taxes. This is another national election that New Jersey Homeowners win! LUCKY freakin’ us! I can’t think of one NJ homeowner that has anything good to say about how their individual communities tax their property.

The fact of the matter is, if you improve your property in NJ your taxes are going to go up; if you don’t improve your property, in NJ your taxes will go up. If you change the color of your roof shingles they TRY to raise your taxes – No lie, I caught them on this though! If your town puts in sewers and town water but you’re still on well water and septic, your taxes are going up. They raise your taxes to buy new municipal equipment, but it takes them 3 days to plow your street after a snowfall – and then many times the town contracts with a private snow mover! (So, why’d you need 10 more snowplows then Rufus?) You and your wife may be over 60 years old, and may have “paid” into the tax system with 2,3,or 4 children over the years, but in NJ you’ll still get your taxes raised every time some town planning board official wants a new school built! (In my township, my wife and I are getting our taxes raised because a planning board official was walking through a development one night and heard some moaning and heavy breathing – the next day the planning board guru put in for a new elementary school!)

Yup, in our township in northern New Jersey property taxes keep going up. The township is currently building the 103rd & 104th elementary schools on the town! They figure to start the 66th & 67th middle and high schools in about another 5 years or so. Each elementary school has a Principal, a Vice-Principal, 34 schoolteachers K through 6th grade, 25 teachers’ aids, 14 custodians, and 20 yellow buses. Each school has roughly 98 students.

But every school board member and township official has a school or two named after him or her, and they all drive Jaguar’s or Bentleys! Maybe an ‘Escalade’ thrown in here and there.

Finally… both Sue and I read a lot. So, she made me get a library card even though she has one. I don’t go to the Library, too quiet, Sue picks up the books and DVD’s. Anyway, when Sue reserves something the library has an automated notification system that calls and tells us her reserved items are there. So, I called one time and asked what was waiting, because I figured it might be one of my Clive Cussler or Dale Brown novels – maybe I’d run over and pick things up. THEY WOULDN’T TELL ME! The head-Librarian (funny jobtitle), told me, “Oh no, we can’t tell you what it is, that’s confidential information!” Are you serious? Since when has “doctor/patient privilege” applied to the freakin’ Library?

New Jersey’s a great place … you just shouldn’t think about all this stuff … or you go nuts!

“First … kill all the lawyers!” - William Shakespeare ‘Henry VI’

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

In two months it will be 6 years!

I don't know how this is going to work. I'm trying to incorporate a picture into this blog posting ...I don't know if the picture will get onto my blog*site. If it doesn't make it, understand that this was a photo of what the NYPD believes will become an "interlocking web of cameras around lower Manhattan." It appeared this morning on NewsMax so you may be able to catch a picture of the picture there...sorry if it doesn't make the posting! - KAJ


In any event, this picture appeared to lend weight (pictures lend credibility!) to the story indicating that by the end of this year the "Lower Manhattan Security Initiative" will begin to monitor cars moving through the area with more than 100 cameras. Just begin.

The initial 100 cameras are only the first installment of a final 3000 that the New York City Police Department reports will create a "web" of cameras and roadblocks around lower Manhattan designed to detect, track, and deter terrorists. Although not fully funded yet the 3000 cameras, the operations center, the movable roadblocks and the security officers needed to run the web, would cost an estimated $90,000,000! Because as Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly says the area is very critical to the economic lifeblood of the nation. He says the initiative's aim is to make it (lower Manhattan) less vulnerable.

Two big problems with this whole story.....FIRST

Dear Police Commissioner Kelly & Mayor Bloomberg,
* What strikes me right off the bat ...... is that these 100 cameras represent 3.33% of the final number of 3000 cameras in the overall protect lower Manhattan plan. When is your "web" of video going to be complete?
* You have less than a third of the total 90 million dollar cost funded so far, Why? (28% actually)
* This morning I found out that NYC has spent only 47.7% of the hundreds of millions given to the city by Homeland Security in the last few years. The rest is in an account awaiting spending....but Chuckie Shumer is complaining NYC needs more. Why?
* Commissioner, Do you think completing less than 5% of a project in almost 6 years is good enough??? Should we think it's good enough???
* Mayor Bloomberg, with all due respect & great deference to the dead hero's of 9 - 11, in the almost 6 years since 9 - 11, you have overseen "the construction" of a very large hole in the ground known as "Ground Zero." So, in 6 years you've constructed a hole!!!!!

With all due respect gentlemen - WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING FOR 6 YEARS ?? (Ooo, maybe that's too harsh,not fair).

How's this ..... WHAT THE F**K HAVE YOU BEEN DOING FOR 6 YEARS?? Is that better?

In 6 years, you've gotten almost 4% of lower Manhattan covered with cameras - WHAT ABOUT THE REST OF THE CITY? At this rate it will take you until the year 2157 just to hang up the initial 3000 cameras!!

6 YEARS TO GET THIS FAR !!!!!

The Empire State Building took 1 year and 45 days to complete. -- -- The original "World Trade Center Towers" took 6 years and 8 months from ground breaking until the second tower was ready for occupancy. (The first WTC tower had started taking occupants a year earlier). The Pentagon was fully inhabited in 16 months following ground breaking!!!

Mr. Mayor, people who say you're a genius have you running for President! There's still nothing above ground after 6 years! This is genius/Presidential material???

My SECOND big problem .... with the ninety million dollar camera project, is that it becomes valuable only after something is identified by the camera. Therefore, whatever is identified is already in lower Manhattan. Even as I write this, trust me, terrorists the world over are coming up with "fail-safe" detonation systems so that the failed car bombs of London and Scotland don't happen again! You see my point? I guess my big bitch is that cameras might be a wonderful tool in identifying someone or something - but geez guys, being able to see a terrorist running away just before his car or truck or motorcycle explodes, DOESN'T STOP THE EXPLOSION! People are still going to die. Don't we want to get ahead of the event?????

Good God Almighty! I guess I expected that after nearly 6 years, New York City (and maybe even the whole country), would be pretty far along on a perfected system that would detect bomb material, before it arrived at the detonation site! Is that too much to have asked for? You know...I really don't think that the survivors of our next terrorist attack, are going to be too happy that we were able to film the bomb that killed their loved one being delivered to the detonation point. I guess if it were my loved one I'd want someone to answer why they couldn't have been stopped before they made it to Wall Street? But that's just me.


"QUEM DEUS VULT PERDERE, PRIUS DEMENTAT"


Wednesday, July 04, 2007

The ACLU, Jesus, and terrorists!

I've said it before and I'll say it again, the A.C.L.U. stands for.......

Atheists - Communists - Liberals - Unionists

Yesterday, the ACLU sued the city of Slidell, Louisiana because they have had a picture of Jesus hanging in the lobby of their courthouse for over a decade. The picture shows Jesus presenting the New Testament, and carries the message "To know Peace, Obey these Laws." An ACLU spokesman has said that they were bringing the lawsuit "not because the ACLU is anti-religion." But because the Slidell display of the picture is clearly in violation of the law (separation between church and state).

I, for one, can attest that the ACLU is NOT an anti-religious group. As my proof, I'll use logic ..... No group that is anti-religion would elect the National Chairman of CAIR*- Parves Ahmed to the ACLU's Board of Directors in Florida. Ahmed has been an ACLU Director since February 2006. Ahmed was happy to join the ACLU and fight for the civil liberties of Muslims and Islamic Groups throughout the United States. (See? Logic - these groups are religious therefore the ACLU can not be anti-religion.)
* Committee on American-Islamic Relations


What anti-religious organization would elect as one of their Directors, a National Chairman of an Islamic organization? And what anti-religious group would champion the civil liberties of a religious group like Muslims? Instant logical proof!

Unfortunately my little attempt at sarcasm only reinforces the fact that the ACLU is not only anti-religion, they're anti-American. So it stands to reason that any incident that hurts America or Americans - helps the ACLU. The Slidell, LA. lawsuit seeks to hurt one more little city in America, so that suits their purpose. It denigrates the Christian religion, so that suits their purpose. The ACLU knows they have the freedom of speech behind them and there's nothing we can do about it! They win both ways! They tell American cities and governments that it is against the law for them to display Christian icons - but the ACLU can choose to defend the civil rights of Muslim groups.

And Americans sheepishly continue to allow the ACLU to dictate to our cities and hold our legal system in check.

So, who's more at fault here - the ACLU - or us for letting it happen???

Only We The People can change this crap ! !



Dum Spiro Spero