Susan Sarandon preaches to you & me.

You're not going to believe this one. Here's a short article from James Hirsen's, "Left Coast Report: A Political look at Hollywood." (You can catch it everyday at NewsMax for those of you who are interested in the raging hypocrisy from La-La land).

Susan Sarandon's 'Activist' Christ

There's nothing like the holiday season to bring out the celebrity preachers. Susan Sarandon provided a glimpse into the theological mindset of the Left in a recent interview with Beliefnet. The interviewer noted that Sarandon and longtime partner Tim Robbins are known for being peace activists.

Sarandon was asked, "What are some ways that regular people can help bring peace into the world?" Sarandon spoke of starting with "your everyday life and living as Christ did, in a loving way and a respectful way." She then went on to characterize Jesus in an unusual sort of manner. "I think that Christ was an activist," Sarandon said. "Christ wasn't afraid. His life is an example of activism."

She followed with this statement: "I think that the gap between the rich and the poor contributes to the pain of the world." "Anything you can do that helps to alleviate this huge gaping gap between the rich and the poor will eventually make the world a more peaceful place," she added.

No doubt Jesus wants us to take care of the poor. He reminded us over and over. But in his "activist" manner, he made it personal, directing each and every individual to do so.

Huh? (Someone get me a gun.) Those of you who have read my stuff before know my feelings toward Mz. Sarandon and her wife, Tim Sarandon. I'm continually amazed that this right "git" can take oxygen from the rest of mankind - it seems so disrespectful to other sentient organisms that she be allowed to breathe!

Right you are Suzie...Jesus Christ was an "activist!" (Let's stay away from the "Son of God" or "Prophet" angle and put him on par with you and Sean Penn shall we! Geez, can you get any more sleazy?) That's right, Jesus Christ came after those other activist's Abraham & Moses, but before later activists like Buddha & Muhammad...and way before Mohandas Gandhi. ("Tune in next week boys and girls when Mz. Sarandon will teach us about those other activists...like the Zoroastrians, Thomas Aquinas, and Rosie O'Donnell.")

As far as your preaching to all of us to alleviate "the gap between rich and poor that contributes to the pain of the world"..... Here's a flash for you, Hollywood isn't real life sweetheart! While you're making a cool couple of million per "film fiasco," us real life Bozo's are out here trying to scrape together the mortgage, the groceries and the car payment!

I love it! I love how all you Hollywood bleeding-hearts are so "HOT" to save the world, but how do you do it? Easy, you have a telethon or concert and collect the money from your gullible fans, or you tell us that we have to contribute to save the poor people all over the world! Yo, Suzie ...trundle off down to your bank and withdraw as much as you want to and send it to the United Nations. I'm sure those enlightened gentlemen can find a wonderful charity to send your money to! (Of course it may never actually get to the poor people you want to help...but that's OK you'll feel better).

God, how I hate these people in Hollywood! Talk about loosing one's grip on reality - the whole dam city of Hollywood is an alternate reality realm. Do they have any idea what it's like to actually work for a living?

"I love acting. It is so much more real than life!" - Oscar Wilde

[ PS: The politicians are no better! I've gotten a couple of dozen requests for contributions from Republicans. Yesterday I got one from Karl Rove, telling me the Republicans needed my donation immediately! HaHaHaHa..... ]

"People in Hell want Ice Water and they ain't gonna get that either!"

The opening "line" of this piece used to be one of my Pop's favorite sayings. I remember as I was growing up, probably more toward the age of 10 rather than later, that he'd say it to me whenever I said, "I just gotta have that Dad!" He'd say. "Yeah sonny boy....well, People in Hell want ice water and they ain't gonna get that either!"

Usually "it" had something to do with baseball, either a mitt or a bat. Quickly I learned that just because your mitt laid outside in the rain over-night, it didn't mean that you'd get a new one. And believe it or not, I can even remember gluing and screwing together a bat that I had split "on the label" rather than buying a new one. Yup, money was pretty important back in West Orange, New Jersey during the 1950's! Dad spelled it out to me "in spades" by using some wonderful expressions. I know I've used them too with Kara and Kris as they were growing up!

The title line is particularly appropriate this year, or any time you're around a politician running for office! Just because YOU want something - doesn't mean you're going to get it! I hate to be the one to break the news to all those Congressmen and Senators running for President but, people in hell want ice water and they ain't gonna get that either! More importantly, my Dad and Mom taught me that when you're thinking that you just have to have something, ask yourself a question first... Ask yourself if you really DESERVE it?

During this last week, there's been a lot of discussions and candidate speech making focusing on whether candidates "have the experience" to be President? My initial response was...Geez, shouldn't this have been asked a year ago before all these millions of bucks have been collected & spent? I mean, shouldn't there be at least a check off list of minimum qualifications for a position as important as President of the United States? Something more than getting a lot of signatures and the requisite, "beyond 35 years old, and a natural borne citizen of the United States" would seem prudent - no?

Let me put it this way....currently I'm interviewing for a job as a truck driver, and I'm finding it isn't too easy getting that job. Why? Well, because I haven't gotten paid to be a truck driver since before I was 21 years old. That's a long time ago! And just because I want to be a driver again doesn't mean I qualify! "People in Hell want Ice Water, and they ain't gonna get that either!" The same thing goes for this years raft of candidates from both parties.

Seems to me that all of the candidates (and their staffs) have confused "experience" with what we really need to know. Back in the "old west" they'd ask a stranger to, "show me your bona fides." Meaning, show me your credentials, why should I trust you? I'm sure all of our candidates are well meaning and really believe they've received "the Call" as my Mom used to say. I give each of them credit for even considering taking on the presidency and for wanting to serve our country that way. But just because they want to be The President...doesn't mean that they deserve to be President. Nor does it mean they qualify for the job beyond the basic requirements.

Think about each candidate for a second. You know, I really think there are a group of candidates running in both parties, who are running..."not as George Bush." Their sole qualifications are that they're not the current President (who they believe has screwed up the country). In fact, when you examine the candidates many are running because they are "NOT" something....

• they are NOT... old
• they are NOT... white
• they are NOT... male
• they are NOT... Republican
• they are NOT... a Democrat
• they are NOT... a Washington insider
• they are NOT... for the war
• they are NOT... against abortion
• they are NOT... for gay marriage
• they are NOT... just an actor
• they are NOT... just a big city Mayor or a former Governor

Most of us are still waiting to hear what they ARE! Not what they're NOT!

Because, I am certain that our enemies around the world are waiting for this next election, I've thought of a number of questions which are important to me. These are things I need answered before I "bestow" my vote on someone. They have to earn it! Some of the questions I ask about a candidate are.....

• Can I trust them?
• Do they "wear the flag?" Do they respect Duty, Honor, Country!
• Have they been tested & proven during "crunch time?"
• Can they carry the "weight" of the Presidency as well as wear the "dignity" of the office?
• Will "critical players" on the world stage give them respect?
• Can this person influence world opinion?
• Will our enemies tremble - or be emboldened?
• Will they strengthen & preserve "the Republic" and the Constitution?

So far folks......I'm not having too much fun with the 15 or so candidate's out there on the "stump!" Seriously, run down the list of questions reviewing what you've learned about each candidate - it's not pretty! Critical accomplishments and "gravitas" are both sorely lacking in this bunch! When do we all raise our hands and begin asking,"Excuse me - is that all you have...don't you have any more? We really need better candidates here!?"

At which time the clouds will part, the sun will shine and a booming voice will be heard saying, "People in Hell want ice water, and they ain't gonna get that either!"

Dum Spiro Spero!

The Voyeur Media that excites us.

Sometimes irony seeps onto the canvas of life like a misplaced brush stroke. More often however, I've found it appears like on one of those modern paintings where "the artist" simply throws the whole bucket of paint up there - huge bright splashes of ironic yellow, blue or red! This is one of those canvases.

It's been a couple of months anyway since this "non-case" was finally adjudicated down in DC. Most of you have probably already forgotten it. It burned as brightly as a magnesium flare for a few weeks and then "ppfffttt!" Like so many things in our media induced culture these days it flared out, "here today - gone tomorrow."

A quick "detour" if you'd allow me..... During this holiday of "thankfulness" think about the major stories of 2007. Those that stick in your mind most prominently. Personally, I think the media deserves our distain for sensationalizing some horrible tragedies during the year which they shouldn't have. Here's just one example that every channel should be particularly ashamed of....how many nights, during how many weeks, over how many months, were we continually subjected to the Anna Nicole Smith story? Prior to her own death we were mourners during the burial of her son - then it was her death from a drug overdose - then it was the custody battle over her infant daughter - now the media is saying the two men who fought over the little girl...were sexually involved! Eewwww!!

One of my biggest bitches these days is that the national news media - in all its many forms and outlets - is falling all over itself in their bid to turn us all into voyeurs. The "Old French" definition of the word meant,"one who lies in wait to see" and while that definition correctly described many of the writers, photographers, and photo-journalists in the news industry - in the past it didn't define us. Unfortunately because we began to relish the "inside story" so much sometime during the early 70's, the media has now invaded parts of society that previously were "off limits" & "out of bounds" to them. Because of our "need" for the prurient - the media has re-defined the word voyeur to mean, "an obsessive observer of sordid or sensational subjects." Don't take my word for it, Look it up! Here's one link; http://www.thefreedictionary.com/voyeur Well, that's us in spades! So I guess between Anna Nicole, Nicole Ritchie, Brittany, Barry Bonds, or Valerie Plame we only get what we deserve.

Sorry for that detour.....where was I, oh yeah, "irony."

• How ironic is it that Scooter Libby was convicted of "obstruction of justice" in the Valerie Plame case, while the person who actually "leaked" this publicity-hound's name to the PRESS, former Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage, is walking around without a care in the world!
  
• How ironic is it that Scooter Libby was indicted AFTER Armitage admitted that he might have been the inadvertent name leaker?
  
• How can you be "under-cover" when you "over-expose" yourself in the public eye?
  
• Hmmmm, ironic that Scooter Libby sits convicted for outing a "covert CIA operative," while the same undercover operative and her camera-hungry husband lead anything but a covert lifestyle! The couple is photographed frequently "tooling" around Virginia and DC to posh restaurants, lavish social parties & political gatherings where everyone knows who she is, what she does, and who she works for! This is covert?
  
• [IMHO, former diplomat Joseph Charles Wilson IV has never done - nor wanted to do - anything clandestine or covert in his life! The words, clandestine and covert do not enter into the vocabulary of anyone affiliated with the Diplomatic Corp! These folks are about as adverse to the public spotlight as Senator Chuck Schumer is! In addition, anyone walking around life with a Roman numeral four after their name, is pretentious enough to want pictures of himself and his "arm candy" taken at every opportunity.]
  
• Meanwhile after all this has transpired..........Valerie Plame and Joe Wilson continue to whine that the White House outed her - Valerie Plame continues to whine that her career and "her security" have been taken away from her. Joe Wilson is currently "salving" his wounds as the Vice Chairman of Jarch Capital, LLC, a firm focused on gaining African natural resources. And Valerie has signed a multi-million dollar book deal to comfort her and clear her name!? Whine - whine - whine!!
  
• Scooter Libby has been disbarred and has already paid a $250,000 fine for obstructing justice. (President Bush commuted his 30 month prison sentence - thankfully).
  

Ironic huh? SPLASH!!!!!!

Dum Spiro Spero!

MY CHRISTMAS "WISH LIST" TO YANKEE OWNERSHIP!!!!

Dear Hank and Hal Steinbrenner, Brain Cashman and Manager Joe Girardi,

First, welcome home Joe! You've got big shoes to fill, but all Yankee fans are pulling for you. You'll do great!
Now, down to business - since you four are the closest thing to "Santa" around the Yankees, would you please give ALL YANKEE FANS the following gifts for Christmas.

3 NEW STARTING PITCHERS - all under the age of 30 to replace the geriatric triumvirate of Musina, Clemens and Pettitte. (We love 'em - but we need strong young pitchers that don't need Geritol injections between innings!) And by the way, don't listen to anyone saying you need more hitting, for years the hitting's been fine, it's the pitching that gives Manager's gray hair & ulcers. Trust me, fans get ulcers too! Every time we see Torre take the slow walk to the mound...it's TUMS time! Or, where's the Pepto!

1 TOP QUALITY CLOSER - don't get me wrong, but even Mariano gets a bit tired by the end of the year. And his "long teeth" are getting in the way of his follow through! 'Nuf said?

Obviously, as you've shown over the last 20 years, what your oldest fans think or want isn't something the Yankee's normally dwell on....otherwise you wouldn't have taken the games off regular television or raised ticket prices to a point where I can no longer afford to take my family to a game. But please consider my "2007 Wish List" anyway. (I was debating whether I should include a $10.00 bill just so you'd take my requests seriously - But I don't have it!) Don't worry, you'll soon be making "ga-zillions of dollars" after building that new monstrosity nearby, and with all the new (rich) young (rich) corporate (RICH!) fans you'll be putting into the sky-boxes, you'll be back rolling in the money in no time!!! So, this may be the last time one of your "older" (c.1950) fans will ever have a chance to ask for a favor. Please consider what I ask. Thanks!

Oh yeah, here's one more memory trick" that's always worked for me. Every night when you lie down to go to sleep repeat these words..... PITCHING - PITCHING - PITCHING - PITCHING!!!

Thanks for your time Santa! GO YANKEES!!!!!!!

Ken Johnson

Clinton Says Economy Needs Experience

Wow! The title above was taken directly from the AP news story yesterday. In the spirit of excellent communications and reporting, I submit that the article's headline should have been, "Clinton says The Presidency Needs Experience!" If that's what had been printed I would have agreed whole-heartedly.

Yesterday in a campaign stop in Iowa, Hillary Clinton told a group of Iowan's (is that the right name for 'em?) that Barack Obama and other candidates lack the experience necessary to address the nation's fiscal challenges. Here's a short quote from her speech.....(I underlined the first line since it's so striking!)

"There is one job we can't afford on-the-job training for - our next president. That could be the costliest job training in history," Clinton said. "Every day spent learning the ropes is another day of rising costs, mounting deficits and growing anxiety for our families. And they cannot afford to keep waiting."

Well...I've heard it all now...that's quite a remarkable statement by Hillary, isn't it? "Excuse me Senator, your one full term in the Senate is that much more important HOW???"

Hillary telling a group of Iowans her experience better prepares her to be President, is like the dishwasher at a major restaurant telling all the customers and the restaurant owners that he should be the Head Chef because he's been a dishwasher for a whole week and a half! It's ridiculous and it doesn't make sense, does it? Wait a minute.....you mean.....you Liberals are BUYING that?

Ok, ok....let me make sure I have this right. We should believe that Hillary Clinton has the experience necessary to lead this country......

• Because she lived at the White House with a disgraced public figure after buying all his lies and ruining the lives and reputations of 6 women
• because she failed at creating a national health care program the first time she was living in the White House
• because most of the people we would check with regarding her references, are now available because they have completed their prison sentences.
• Or they're NOT available because they have fled the country, or they're dead.
• because she instilled such loyalty and allegiance among the military commanders during her first stay in the White House
• because she's instilled so much loyalty and allegiance among the current military commanders and the fighting men and women in our armed services
• because as Senator from New York she has done so much for the people of that state, that their lives are considerably better because Hillary has been their Senator.
• because she's governed so well and for so long in the service of this country
• because she would have the "counsel" of a former President to draw on during difficult presidential periods
• because we and the World are at PEACE and we don't need a President with strong foreign relations experience
• because a vast majority of the American people agree that she will unite us

Geez....if we apply the same logic to ALL the candidates....what does this say about our current available choices and their applicable experience? Hillary, Fred, Barack, Ron Paul, Mitt, Dennis, the John's - Edwards or McCain, Mike, Chris and even Rudy for that matter...Does this mean then that there are no good candidates for Presidency? Does this mean we are forced to choose between candidates who simply anger us the least, or between candidates we think of as the-best-of-the-worst!? Are Americans currently being forced to "settle" for their party's candidate?

Should we be looking for other candidates? Hillary's right about one thing, the upcoming Presidency it too important to elect someone who's a novice, a babe in the woods. "There is one job we can't afford on-the-job training for - our next president," she says. Unfortunately she's speaking about herself whether she knows it or not!!

Think about it folks, both the Democrats and the Republicans have been at this campaign for almost a full year now!! Can you believe it? Each has run out a panel of candidates for you to listen to, and get to know. Have any of you REALLY found your Teddy or Franklin Roosevelt, your Jack Kennedy, your Ronald Reagan, your Bill Clinton.......or are we simply considering a bunch of ambitious dishwashers?

"To tell deliberate lies while genuinely believing in them, to forget any fact that has become inconvenient, and then when it becomes necessary again, to draw it back from oblivion for just so long as it is needed . . ."
- George Orwell, 1984

Dum Spiro Spero!

Republicans show just how dumb they can be!

Every week I get at least one letter from some Republican imploring me to send money!

NewsMax is my default "homepage" when I fire up the internet each morning. (It used to be Reuters, but they're just so anti-American I couldn't stand it!) I'm also a subscriber to the monthly NewsMax magazine, which I thoroughly enjoy. Most of the time I have no problem with NewsMax either online or in print, but ever since we Republicans got-our-asses-handed-to-us-but-good-in-2006, I even have problems with conservative sites like NewsMax at times.

One of the things NewsMax does is send out a frequent email to subscribers "summarizing" what they think are the most important articles of the day or week. After every summary (believe me - every summary) comes an ad pitch to renew my subscription for another 12, 24, or 36 months! I guess it's smart business...it just makes me foam at the mouth!

Anyway, here's a title from one of their summarized news stories from the November 18th email. Basically it's describing how the Republicans in Congress are way behind the Democrats in constituent donations, and that it might affect the 2008 Congressional elections.

3. GOP Facing Money Woes in '08 (If any of you want the story I can send you the link)

When I read this story title - want to know what my reaction was?

(I bet most of you are thinking, "Uh-oh Ken's going to say,'NO SHIT SHERLOCK'!" Wrong! Ken's going to say, "So what did you expect - you stupid, lazy, congressional Republicans?!)

You see, above everything I hope I'm a realist. A Genghis Khan-type conservative realist most of the time - but a realist none-the-less! So the realist in me is thinking, why am I going to contribute to a group of "lay-abouts" who won't even fight for the things we elected them to fight for? Think about it, here we are way back when "W" got elected the first time, November 2000. We hold a majority in the House, a majority in the Senate, AND we have a Republican President. To my way of thinking if you can't accomplish EVERYTHING you want to with odds like that....well then, by-and-large you're either incredibly lazy....incredibly stupid....or, you just SUCK! (I'm sort of thinking all three!)

Then we fast forward to November 2004. BINGO! "W" wins again! Same cast of characters. The GOOD NEWS is: WE own the Senate - WE run the House - George is back for another four years! The BAD NEWS is: WE own the Senate - WE run the House - George is back for another four years!

So, by doing NOTHING with the majority of both houses of Congress for 6 years - now we're facing not only a pissed-off Democratic party, bound and determined to get back what they lost a few years earlier...BUT ALSO, you Republican "dullards" in Congress have screwed things up so much that we're also facing a pissed-off Republican constituency that can't believe you are all so STUPID!

Then Midterm elections 2006 roll around. The bloated Republicans in Congress are lying around looking for all the world like the foul, stinky sea lions that have taken over San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf! Did you really, actually, expect to hold onto the majorities you had in both houses without - doing - anything? Seriously - no joking around - did you actually think the American people were going to let you get away with "sleeping on the job" for another 4 years???? (How Painfully Moronic!)

To be honest, I split my ticket in 2006. If I could have voted against Dennie Hastert and Bill Frist I joyfully would have! (What a waste of male chromosomes!) Much as I hate to admit it with Liberals listening in, Republicans deserved to loose in 2006. Hells bells boys! Even since then it's been a struggle just to get you to realize you have to fight to stay in the seats you still hold! If it wouldn't have been for a concerted grass-roots campaign run by NumbersUSA you all would have slept through the "Dream Act" vote this Fall!

2008 is looking more and more like we're going to take another "shee-lacking" by our opponents!

So when the GOP worries about not getting donations....think of it this way....even the ugliest "hooker" has to perform before getting paid. You haven't... so why should we give you any more of our hard earned money? At least with the Liberals we know they're called the "opposition party" for a reason. We just want to avoid getting "rolled" by our own party members again!

Blunt enough for ya, GOP leadership?

Dum Spiro Spero!

Fw: Monday Giggle! "Outsourcing"

Monday Giggle!
When my good friend Don sent me this, I laughed for 5 minutes!
I wonder, would it qualify as snide defamation, sarcasm, irony, plain old humor, or quasi-truthfulness?
(And before anyone writes me...the answer to the above question is "yes!")
Ken

---

Outsourcing

I was feeling depressed last week, so I called the mental health help line.
Like all other call centers, it has been outsourced to a third world location.

When I told the operator in Pakistan that I was feeling suicidal, he got very excited
and wanted to know if I could drive a truck or fly a plane...

I found it! THE GREATEST 25 SECOND MOVIE SCENE - EVER !!!!

This is a wonderful example of how the "best that we are" endures.

Almost two years ago, my wonderful friend Ellen, sent me this film-clip but I could never find it. ("Strategically filing" stuff so you can't remember where you put it, is symptomatic of what illness??) This morning I was cleaning out some dormant files and EUREKA!!!!

If we ever needed proof that our "friends across the aisle" never change - this is it!

If we ever needed proof that past generation's fought the same political battles as we do - this is it!

If we ever needed something to "SAVE" to our desktops....to refer to every time we need a "chuckle"....to prove that even after 67 years Bob Hope is STILL knocking-it-out-of-the-ballpark - THIS IS IT!

By the way - that's Paulette Goddard and Richard Carlson in the scene with Mr. Hope! The movie is entitled, "The Ghost Breakers" (1940), from Paramount Pictures.

(Permit me a historical comment please! Think about this while you look at the film-clip. First, today in Hollywood you never see a scene like this in a movie - unless it's bashing Republicans or President Bush! Remember, at the time America had a Democrat as President. Franklin D. Roosevelt was in his second of four Presidential terms, and is considered to be one of the greatest 3 or 4 President's our nation has ever had. Even with his greatness, this was not a very good time in America. In 1940, the country was still "recovering" from the Great Depression (1929 - 1938/39). To help reinvigorate the country and the economy, FDR had more than tripled our governments spending. His "New Deal" and numerous social relief programs helped to stimulate not only the economy, but also lifted the spirit of all Americans. The "great engine" of industry that was America was coming "back on line" - but there was a long way to go! More than anything, Americans wanted & needed to laugh again!! But remember, there was no television yet. Entertainment came in the most part from the radio! That's why is was so important that the country had Hollywood, and stars like Bob Hope. Who all helped take their minds off their problems for 90 minutes and 10 cents, and gave the people back some of their humor and their dreams. Little did anyone know that a year later we'd be at war with Japan, Germany, and Italy.)

Dum Spiro Spero! (and a good laugh every now and then doesn't hurt either!)

"Is Hillary Honest?" Not a fair question - on so many levels!

Daryl Cagle is a professional cartoonist who created and maintains the Professional Cartoonists Index at the following address, http://cagle.com:80/ . Trust me - if you need a good chuckle and have some time to spend - this site is entertaining, informative...and only VERY addicting!! Do yourself a favor and check it out.

Those of us who subscribe to his email, awoke this morning to the following "Subject" line - Cagle: Is Hillary Honest? Now there's a fairly provocative question to think about over morning coffee! Hillary and Honesty .... when I think of "honesty" does a picture of "Hillary Clinton" float across the television of my mind??? Sorry, the "picture" is a bit "snowy" this morning, let's approach the question from a different direction.

Let's try this....In the 8th Chapter of the Gospel of John, Jesus said, "Let Him Who is Without Sin, Cast the First Stone!" Believe me folks, I'm not the one who should be answering this question - and I really don't want to chance wrath-dom any more than I already have! (It's gonna be hard enough for me to gain acceptance to "you-know-where" after my meter expires!)

So let's look at it this way....is it fair to ask.....Is ANY politician honest? My answer to that is, "Yes" that question is fair, and "No," no politician is honest! Just as no person is completely honest, it's a matter of degrees, how much more "not honest" one politician is from the other. (Whoa - I think I've muddled that just enough!)

With the Senator from New York, I have always thought of her as highly ambitious and exceedingly disingenuous. In addition, and admittedly without meeting her - but gauging everything I know from what I have heard about her, read about her, and observed about her - my opinion is that I also consider her extremely deceptive and exceedingly dishonorable.

(In as much as she has admitted to and has shown an open disregard and disgust for the military during her lifetime...is it not at the very least "dishonorable" for her to sing the praises of "our brave fighting men & women" simply because she now wants to realize her ultimate ambition? And, at the most basic level of logic, doesn't her dishonor and deception preclude her from ever being Commander In Chief?)

While I breathe, I hope!!! Dum Spiro Spero!!!

"Bush Derangement Syndrome - continues."

Yesterday, like every other Sunday, Susan handed me the New York Times "Week in Review" section that includes the editorial and opinions pages...and smiled a little. From time-to-time she'll point out a Maureen Dowd piece as being especially good - or warn me that this week's Frank Rich position is liable to make me "throw an embolism!" Yesterday she just said, "at least their Editor's being honest!" So I was forewarned about what I'd find when I finally picked up the section after finishing the Comics in the Newark Star Ledger.

[ I guess it was during 9th Grade sometime when we were all taught about the various sections of a newspaper. During that lesson we learned that on the Editorial pages, a "newspaper"- meaning specifically its' editor, publisher, and owner - tell the public when they really think. They state their beliefs, they voice their opinions on important issues, they promote their objectives both local and national, and they "state" their politics. I guess that's what's called "editorial license." Think "Citizen Kane" and William Randolph Hearst and you pretty much get the picture! ]

In short, while in every other section of the paper the publisher is suppose to assure a candid, non-opinionated report of the news....in the Editorial/Op Ed section, they can be just as "biased" as they want to be - or feel they need to be. How blatant can their bias get? Well, of course no newspaper wants to blatantly come right out and tell you this, but here's an analogy for the way I see it - if some night you find yourself talking to a guy wearing a sheet and a pointy white hat, among a group of similarly garbed folks, all standing around a big burning cross - well, let's just say I wouldn't be the one to start singing, "We Shall Overcome!" Oh yeah, that's how obvious their bias can be!

On Thursday last week, I wrote that journalists and reporters might not know they're doing it. On the other hand....Publishers and Editors absolutely, 100%, do!

That's why I called this post, "Bush Derangement Syndrome - continues." I could have easily added "at the New York Times." It also explains my wife's comment. Yesterday, right below the paper's "Masthead," ran an editorial entitled "Abdicate and Capitulate." Immediately I knew this was going to be another Times editorial bashing President Bush for hijacking the government for his personal gain. I was right. The editorial dealt with George Bush ramming the Mukasey Attorney General confirmation through Congress with assistance from blood thirsty Republicans and "cozy" Democrats like Chuck Schumer and Dianne Feinstein! ("Cozy," I like that!) Like every other Liberal talking point in print or on the tube last week, the Times stressed that it was the Bush/Cheney/White House "coven" that wouldn't allow AG Mukasey to answer the question concerning "water boarding - torture or interrogation technique?" You want to know how bad Bush Derangement Syndrome (BDS) has become at the NY Times? Long about the 3/4 point through the editorial, there appeared the following paragraph/sentence....(my text enhancement added!)

"The real reason the White House would not permit Mr. Mukasey to answer was the risk to federal officials who carried out Mr. Bush's orders to abuse and torture prisoners after the 9/11 attacks: the right answer could have exposed them to criminal sanctions."

So there's the major headline regarding what the New York Times believes and hammers home to its readership daily and weekly..... MR. Bush, (never granting him the honor of the title he earned), personally ordered the abuse and torture of prisoners! Unequivocal - seemingly dispassionate - stated as fact. And like I told you last week - most of the people who read this stuff, just assume it's true because it's printed in the Editorial Section of the New York Times!

What if they didn't have the same 9th Grade class describing newspapers that I had? What if they don't have someone to remind them that this - is - just - an - opinion? Well, this is how BDS spreads. Tell someone a lie long enough and they start to believe it!

One wonders....if an individual only gets their news from the NY Times, Washington Post, "60 Minutes," CBS, NBC, MSNBC or some similar liberal outlet, how will they ever be able to understand what is truthful in the world? Maybe the Times should change their motto to, "All the News that's fit to Slant."

Here's a fitting way to summarize how Americans should "weigh the truthfulness" of what they read in newspapers - especially the NY Times. It's a quote from Thomas Jefferson...he said, "Nothing can now be believed that is seen in a newspaper. Truth itself becomes suspicious by being put into that polluted vehicle." I have to say that I agree.

Dum Spiro Spero!

Less than one year before the election...Learning from polls.

There appeared a report in the Chattanooga Times Free Press on Wednesday of this week, that exposes just how differently "we" see things here in this country.

Seems a company named "Public Opinion Strategies" in Alexandria Virginia took a poll of 800 likely voters earlier this year. (For those of you looking for a reason to discount the polling data, be advised that the company is listed as a Republican public affairs research firm). These 800 people were asked to rate 12 critical issues facing our country today on a scale of 1 through 10; with 10 representing an "extremely important" issue, and 1 being "not important at all."

Of those 800 people, 61% overall said "winning the war on terror" was extremely important - a "10." Followed closely by 58% saying that "ending the war in Iraq" was nearly as important - call it a "9+."

What's remarkable - even stunning to me - is how differently many issues were rated based upon the respondents self-stated political affiliation. Republican - Independent - Democrat. In all honesty gang, it is as different as red - white - and blue! I'm just going to hit the major points, but just look at the differences!

For Democrats and Independents - #1 was ending the war in Iraq! Winning the war on terror was near the bottom of the list for Democrats and Independents.

For Republicans - #1 was winning the war on terror (77%), followed immediately by #2 -winning the war in Iraq (60%). Ending the war in Iraq came in near the bottom on the Republican list!

At the bottom of the list for Democrats and Independents were 9) illegal immigration, 10) winning the Iraq war, 11) lowering taxes, and 12) oil exploration. (Interestingly, both groups rated these last 4 issues in the same order. Does this mean that those who consider themselves independent are really Democrats?)

Republicans ranked winning the Iraqi war - second; illegal immigration - third; the need for oil exploration - sixth; and lowering taxes - tenth!

I've written to the reporter to see if I can get a copy of the report. If that doesn't work I'll get hold of the research firm that did the survey. It would appear that there is some really interesting information contained there. I'll let you know if I'm successful.

Something to think about in the meantime. I was reading through some of my favorite political speeches the other day, and I gotta tell you All-of-us have forgotten too much of what Jack Kennedy "taught" us.

"For, in the final analysis, our most basic common link is that we all inhabit this small planet. We all breathe the same air. We all cherish our children's future. And we are all mortal." - JFK Commencement Address, American University, June 1963

Dum Spiro Spero!

An observation regarding the Press, and Obama vs. Hillary

Over the weekend I read a fascinating article in the New York Times Magazine section. It's an article about Barack Obama and it was written by James Traub - it's entitled "Is His Biography - Our Destiny?" I found the article as interesting as the title was compelling. And I did learn some things about Barack Obama, so if you can grab a copy of the Magazine before it gets recycled, it makes for interesting reading.....HOWEVER.....

The article brings me to my first observation. I've said before in postings that I don't believe journalists even recognize their prejudices against the right, and especially against President Bush. (I think it's as second nature to them as breathing). Truly, I believe press writers, magazine writers - perhaps media writers in general - unless they consciously write from a conservative point of view, writers just think everyone in the world dislikes Republicans and thinks Republicans are evil, uncaring, unintelligent boobs. When they speak about our President - and I never miss a chance to point out that he is O-U-R President - their rancor gets even worse!

The article I mentioned above, begins with the author interviewing Obama on his campaign jet. Obama is describing how his heritage and his multiculturalism will resonate better with a broad spectrum of Americans. In the second paragraph, Traub wants to lend credibility & weight to what Barack has said, indicating that Obama supporters echo the candidates belief! Here's the second sentence of the 2nd paragraph in Traub's article about Obama.

"Obama supporters believe that his life story and the angle of vision it affords him hold out the possibility of curing the harm they would say we have done ourselves through our indifference to the view of others and through the insularity of a president who seems so incurious about the world."

(Regardless that it's one of the most poorly punctuated run-on sentences I've ever seen)...that's how long it took the author to get his first "slash" in at George Bush. That didn't take long, did it? And in the very next sentence he acclaims his own statement as factual by adding, "There is thus an emblematic force to Obama's candidacy."

See? They don't even recognize they're doing it!

The article continues to describe the major differences in how Hillary perceives and evaluates situations and issues, and how Barack does. The author claims that it's a fundamental difference in mental "orientation" and problem solving between Hillary and Barack, and examines the differences. The entire article is a discussion, and a dissection, of how a Barack Obama Presidency would be as fundamentally different from a Hillary Presidency, as it would be from a Republican one. Very interesting stuff!


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Second observation. I was taught to watch a person as much as hear what they said. To watch how they "carry" themselves in motion and while standing still, in conversation and when thoughtful. How they position themselves when they know a camera is on them, how they engage with others, and how they disengage. Watching how the candidates' faces change just as the camera leaves them, or when they think they're off camera is fascinating! Here's just a few examples ....

I get the feeling that Hillary is getting more and more frustrated. I think she thought this long 2 year campaign was her time to gather all "her subjects" to her - her stroll toward "coronation" in a matter of speaking. That's changed a little, she's still playing the leader, but she's also starting to hear "footsteps!" I saw that she was absolutely incensed during the debate when Tim Russert actually had the gall to question an answer she had given. There was the briefest of "How dare he!" look in her eyes! As the other candidates recognize her discomfort, it will be interesting to see how good she is at "thrust & parry!"

Referring again to the article in the Times Magazine section, there's a full page picture of Barack Obama on page 51 with him sitting in a chair, backlit by sunlight, pondering .....with the exception of the fact that this picture is in color and not black & white, and the chair isn't a "rocker," how reminiscent of a similar photo of John Kennedy is that picture? Eerie!

I watched Fred Thompson yesterday at one of his campaign stops. He was addressing some group and I don't know what he was doing, but it appeared that he wanted to be anywhere but there. I'm starting to see Fred as someone who's starting to recognize he might have gotten into something he wasn't anticipating. He fidgets, he stammers, he looks down a lot - or worse while he's talking he looks like he's searching. Sorry Fred, you can't have a "second or third take" on these questions! What you say - is what you said!

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Lastly and hopefully most importantly. The biggest difference I see between Bill and Hillary is a comfortable self-assured confidence. Someone once said that to be really good, you had to be, "unconsciously competent." There's none of that with Hillary - she knows what she doesn't know! She's fighting to be competent - but she wants this so badly she may kill herself doing it! What's more, with Hillary there's no glibness, no smoothness. Every comment and answer (to my ear) "sounds" overwritten - as though each word is calculated - right down to the laugh! Hillary might be "hitting" 98% of the notes, but there's no feel, no "aria." President Clinton was so confident about his personality carrying the day, he could be almost "casually comfortable" in any situation. Think about how comfortable he looked during a speech, how he could "will" a tear when "feeling our pain." And I think Bill Clinton was more than just smart, he's a very clever person, for all the good and bad that word contains. I think Hillary is smart, but not nearly as smart as Bill, nor do I think Hillary will ever be as comfortable, or as unflappable as he is/was.

Barack Obama a few weeks ago said that Hillary (because of her leaning toward the middle on certain issues) might turn out to be a "Bush-lite" president! (Chuckle chuckle, snigger,snigger). I think there's an even better chance that Hillary will turn out to be a "Bill-lite" president. And then we can all begin to wonder about just how much of her time in office will be a "shared Presidency?" Ee-gads! How much of her time in office will NEED TO BE a shared presidency? Oyyyy!

Dum Spiro Spero!

A dark 28th Anniversary!

For my daughter, (who was born in 1978) and for everyone below the age of 35, many of you won't even remember what has become one of the worst periods in the history of our country. You have no frame of reference. Tomorrow, November 4th., marks the 28th anniversary of what I consider the "birthday" of Islamic terrorism against the United States. It also marks the beginning of one of the single most dark & disgraceful periods in American history. But given what they're teaching you these days in school, you may never have even heard about it!

There are some who will tell you that I am wrong. There are some who will tell you that on that day, America began to get "paid back" for all of our militant excesses against Muslims & Arabs over the years. If you believe those people - if you buy into what high school history teachers, and almost 100% of college and university professors are teaching these days - that America is now reaping the sorrow it sowed during the last century - well, you don't have to read any further. You just keep listening to those "great American Historians" like Bill Maher, Sean Penn, Jane Fonda, Michael Moore, Susan & Mr. Sarandon, and Johnny Depp.

Remarkably, even though there are times when I can't remember my keys or glasses, there are still certain "numbers" that continually fly around inside my brain. I guess that's the way things are because that was how my generation was taught to remember things...memorize important dates and numbers! The Spanish Armada, August 8th, 1588; Vesuvius erupts and buries Herculanium and Pompeii, August 24th,79 AD; ".426" the highest single season batting average since 1900 ( Nap Lajoie, Phila. Athletics-1901); "61 in '61" Roger Maris breaks the Babe's single season home run record-but in a longer season*; Gettysburg, July 1-3rd, 1863; Lincoln's Gettysburg address, November 19th., 1863; "5280 & 1760" - the number of feet and yards in a mile; "3-4-5" the unit measurements needed to "lay out" a 90 degree angle; "58,328" the number of soldiers I was taught died in Vietnam; and finally...

• "66 for 444" the number of US citizens taken hostages in Tehran on November 4, 1979, and the number of days they were held and tortured by Iranian muslim radicals led by Ayatollah Khomeini.

Since many of you are too young to remember, the derogatory name for America, "the Great Satan" was given to us during that time by Ayatollah Khomeini and the Iranian students torturing our citizens in Tehran. When you see older Americans "flinch" whenever they hear those words spoken by Islamo Fascists today, or by Venezuelan Presidents addressing the United Nations, now you'll know why this is such a sensitive phrase!

To hear Iranians tell it, 3000 Iranian students (justifiably) stormed the sovereign soil of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran simply because the United States allowed the Iranian Shah to come to America for cancer treatments. By leaving (flee is a much better word!) his country the Shah (who in actuality was a military dictator) was abdicating his power to the Islamic revolutionary mob that wanted to (and did) establish a sharia government with the Ayatollah and other radical Mula's at the head, once he was gone. Anyway, the militant students didn't like it that the Shah was getting away! Let's face it, they were Islamic fascists who wanted to overthrow the Shah and kill him in the streets of Tehran. The Ayatollah Khomeini was a radical islamic mula (priest) who had recently returned from exile in France (imposed on him by the Shah), who also wanted to murder the Shah - and preferably his entire family. In any event, these radical fundamentalists were angry that they didn't get their chance to (literally) carve the Shah to pieces, and they were equally as angry that America had "caused" this to happen. Every morning, the Ayatollah simply whipped these already frenzied revolutionaries "into a fervent Iranian lather" - preaching about how Allah expected them to stand up for their religion, and Oh by-the-way how "the Great Satan" America was the cause for every single problem ever befallen any Muslim anywhere at any time in history! We were not like Satan - we were Satan (by-the-way we still ARE Satan); we were the infidel invaders; we were unclean believers in "the book." So, fired up by the Ayatollah, on November 4th., 1978 the students overran the US Embassy and took everyone there hostage.

November 4, 1979 also marks the day that I started becoming a Republican rather than a Democrat. From that day forward, until the day the hostages were released 444 days later, I watched as my President & my government did virtually nothing to get our hostages released.

(Before I go much further into this story, I should explain - in deference to and with every honor and respect - that there was a single secret rescue mission 5 months into the hostage taking - attempted during April 24th & 25th 1980. This mission was carried out by American military warriors of the highest caliber and bravery. Unfortunately, because of an unanticipated sand storm that enveloped them and caused an in-air accident while at an interim staging point, the mission was aborted. 8 American hero's died of their wounds and 4 others were seriously wounded. The remaining mission force left behind enough wreaked military hardware, that the Iranian terrorists had a field day publicizing what they claimed, was the defeat of our military. No further rescue attempts were undertaken.)

I remember how proud I felt when on election night November 2nd., 1976, the electoral vote of New York state, (my wife and I were living in Flushing Queens at the time), put Gov. Jimmy Carter of Georgia over the top, and made him the 39th President of the United States! Wow! How much had changed since his election day 3 years previously! Now, here he was on November 5th 1979, smiling at the TV camera's and basically asking the Iranian terrorists "how can we come together and settle our differences?" Geeezzz!!!!

President Carter's solution for everything it seemed to me, was "let's talk." In other words, diplomacy - known as "the art and practice of conducting negotiations between representatives of groups" - was the way President Jimmy Carter approached every problem and issue. Truthfully, former Governor Carter did have that quaint, down-home southern manner about him. We thought him a gentleman. It was one of the things I think, drew so many northeastern voters to back him in 1976! He wasn't a gruff, hard-talking Texan like old Lyndon Johnson! He wasn't sweaty and suspect like Dick Nixon. And he wasn't laughable like good ole Gerry Ford, who'd had his head stepped on once too often on the football field at Michigan! Simply put, Jimmy Carter was a down-home peanut farmer who solved his problems by talking them out with his neighbor and reaching an accommodation. He figured that was good enough in Plains Georgia, and it was good enough aboard a United States Navy nuclear submarine, well ...there wasn't an issue in the country or the world that President Carter couldn't form a committee to talk about! Gross inflation, a gasoline shortage and crisis at the pumps, a decline in our country's productivity for the first time since the end of WWII, labor strikes for more pay, Arab/Israeli conflicts (again!), South Korea wanting us to reduce the number of troops we had there, all these issues President Carter grabbed hold of and figured he'd just smile - and talk 'em through! Little did he know.......

So when the Iranian students committed an act of war against the United States by invading our sovereign Embassy territory and taking 66 U.S. citizens hostage in Tehran, President Carter denied our military's initial and immediate request to go into Iran and get them out. He was going to press negotiations with the Iranian students and the Ayatollah. (To his credit, later in his life he admitted that at the time, he was afraid that any military action against Iran would cause the deaths of the hostages.) Unfortunately, to most Americans and certainly to the families of the hostages, his inaction just made us nuts! And when we found out about a "botched" rescue mission, we were just beside ourselves! What happened to our military was the question everyone was asking?

President Carter told Secretary of State Vance to beef up diplomatic pressure - nothing happened. He cut off oil imports to Iran - nothing happened. He expelled Iranians from the United States and froze $8 billion of Iranian assets in US banks - still nothing! Since the U.S. and Israel basically never negotiate with terrorists, we couldn't go to the table with these militants - it would undercut all future discussions with everyone! And none of the "behind the scenes diplomacy" had done a damn thing, so President Carter was FROZEN. It was horrible to live through as an American!

You felt so helpless as a citizen! More than once when my Swedish cousins asked me why we weren't doing something - I felt ashamed! Every American service man I knew was just tearing their hair out being forced to the sidelines by "diplomacy" - when we all knew that American citizens, including the U.S. soldiers on the Embassy Protective Detail were being tortured daily. So because we didn't act, because we showed the Islamic fascists that we didn't have the "will" to come after our own citizens, they became much more assured that we would ultimately do nothing.

The students loved to disgrace our blindfolded citizens, parading them in front of television cameras, pushing them with their rifle butts and interrogating them like common criminals. One of the worst atrocities for me was seeing these Islamic cowards, wearing clothes around their heads carrying out the daily garbage using the American Embassy flag and dumping it. (Later we learned) the hostages were routinely beaten, humiliated, and threatened with death. They were denied any contact with their families or with qualified medical personnel, for more than a year - and every night here on the evening news Americans and the rest of the world heard....."This is Day 50 of America held hostage," "This is Day 176 of America held hostage," "This is Day 225 of America held hostage," "This is Day 280 of America held hostage," "This is Day 300 of America held hostage," "This is Day 315 of America held hostage," "This is Day 365 of America held hostage," "This is Day 400 of America held hostage," "This is Day 425 of America held hostage," "This is Day 440 of America held hostage," "This is Day 443 of America held hostage."

Imagine how psychologically devastating this must have been for the hostages wondering why their country never came to rescue them - who every day had to endure the torture of being told they had been deserted by their country. Imagine how psychologically devastating this was for all the active military personnel who wondered every day why we weren't using them - who laid awake at nights thinking,"that could be me or my buddies sitting, rotting in that hole!" And imagine how psychologically devastating this entire ordeal was for every American citizen who reached for the newspaper every day hoping to see that the hostages had finally been rescued. Imagine what we felt as we all heard the Ayatollah and student leader Ahmadinejad, telling us that it was our fault because America invaded Iran and supported the Shah; and then, we supported Israel; and then, we were infidels who only wanted Arab oil; and then, we were getting repaid because we were unbelievers and for all the horrible things we had done to Muslims in the past.

You weren't old enough to understand this. Generation X'ers and Generation Y'ers you didn't feel this national disgrace & embarrassment! This is all "video" to you - it's not real to you - your frame of reference doesn't get this.Believe me all this was very very real! 28 years ago tomorrow started one of the single most disgraceful and shameful periods in the history of our country!

It was when WE defined for the Islamic fanatics that WE didn't have a SPINE. That WE didn't have the national WILL to fight a fight to the FINISH. WE confirmed for them that if they could get us on the ground, we had neither the WILL nor the FORTITUDE to allow our military to fight an unrestrained battle with the overwhelming technological advantages we possess.

Within the next 444 days, was when Islamic radicals initially found out that what happened here during the anti-war movement of the 60's, was still festering right below the surface. They found out even if they did something HORRIFIC our collective mindset was so messed up, we'd be frozen in place and couldn't do anything. And that's exactly what happened! Jimmy Carter did nothing. We became a pitiful helpless bear of a country, being pushed around by students with sharp sticks!

Then when things were seemingly at their darkest, I heard a strange sound coming from an American politician on the campaign trail. He said, "that if the Iranians holding our people could understand my rhetoric, they had better not be waiting for me to take office!" And you didn't have to be a genius to understand exactly what he meant by that!
Well you should have heard Democrats and many Republicans, laughing at this one-time movie actor and western "cowboy" campaigning for President! Who was this guy from California? Initially at least, everyone thought Reagan was a kook! President Carter at the time - even though he hadn't made any head-way diplomatically getting the hostages released - I seem to remember his campaign ran ads saying that Ronald Reagan would be a dangerously militaristic President if elected!

Reagan spoke like a kook all right - he spoke about a stronger prouder America. An America with a strong proud military tradition. About a smaller government and less taxes for everyone. A country unafraid to declare itself a leader in the world in all ways - and unafraid to defend and protect itself in any way. Reagan made it clear that while he wasn't "keen" on using our military strength, he didn't see any reason to have all this stuff laying around if someone forces us to use it! He made it awfully clear to Tehran, that things were going to change pretty dam quick when the new "cowboy" came to town! He made us all remember that America was something we should all be proud of, that as a country we hadn't come close to seeing how great our country could be. And that Americans should all look at their country /their democracy as that "shining city on a hill."

Well, to cut this long story short - the cowards in Iran heard him to, just like millions of Americans did! On election day Reagan defeated Carter fairly easily, and on January 20, 1981 within the time it took President Ronald Wilson Reagan to make his first inaugural address, all the hostages were released.

There's no negotiating with religious fanatics - they don't have anything to loose.

(Sorry this is so long, but it's a lesson that needs to be retold!)

"Idiot culture!"

This was pretty interesting, yesterday, author and reporter Carl Bernstein "rapped" US news organizations. While addressing a group of college bound high school students, the famous Watergate reporter said that fewer resources are being given to cover world and political news items, in favor of "celebrity news" about the lives of people like Donald Trump and Paris Hilton. Bernstein says the never ending litany of celebrity stories has created an "idiot culture" that has less and less to do with reality and context.

Here, here! I agree with that. In the past I've called what our culture is becoming a "celebritocracy" where celebrities - stars - actors & actresses - recording artists - and sports figures, make the news - decide what is news - slant the news for their own benefit - and for the most part, anyone in America under the age of 50 believes them! (I've got proof! I saw it on the television or on Youtube!)

When I was growing up it was called "entertainment!" Everybody knew it was just entertainment and understood the definition. It wasn't reality - it was going to the movies - it was the Ed Sullivan Show for God sake! But today, if you ask anyone from 17 to 40 who the "movers & shakers" of our society are, you're liable to get asked what kind of music they play...or if you're really lucky you'll hear..."Justin Timberlake, Sean Penn, Alex Rodriguez, or Venus Williams!" Last week I actually heard the senior editor of "The Daily Tarheel" straight-faced mind you, refer to "the poet Jay-Z." Hahahahaha...the poet? Gangsta rapper-cum-legit poet, you've got to be kidding me! Robert Frost and Henry David Thoreau time to start spinning gentlemen!

In our country's past, "celebrity news" was covered via a column in a newspaper, someone like Hedda Hopper, Rex Reed or Walter Winchell would tell us about who was seen, doing what, with or to whom. It got a column a day tops! And sports was...well it was sports! Games jocks played and got paid for playing (well)! Sports writers & professional athletes were a-typical of society, as were entertainers. They certainly didn't live a lifestyle like "us." How did the 18 to 49 year olds of today come to believe that these entertainers are reality? Today these avocations are covered by "news reporters" like they're really news! Hours of nightly "On Air" time is taken up by what, (when you get right down to it) is really superfluous at best! In the past it was titillating today but became tomorrow's cage liner. Today the stories go on for days! They "have legs" as the saying goes. In the past this stuff was at best "gossip" or a "dirty little secret," at worst it was fodder for "The National Enquirer." Today, "If it bleeds, it leads" is the mantra for every news agency in the country! In many ways our culture has become The National Enquirer!

Need convincing? Think about how much press has been given just in the last few months to the following items....night after night...day after day.

• A-Rod thinks he's worth more than the $72 million dollars he's guaranteed for the next 3 years by the Yankees. He's opting out of his contract. (Yeah, $25 mil a year to play baseball, that's not hardly enough!)
• Nicole Smith - tragic end - just how many drugs actually were in her system and oh yeah, who gets the baby?
• Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan & Nicole Ritchie, driving while celebrity. Laws are different for you and me!
• Brittany Spears her new album release goes immediately to #1, and BTW she lost custody of her kids!
• Isaiah Washington being sued for sexual harassment and using the "b" word - but he's "very innocent!"
• Barry Bonds home run record - asterisk or no asterisk - steroids, or just a really big head?
• Michael Vick - are dogfighting charges justified or is this a "fame induced addiction?"
• should Imus come back?
• Are sports hero's really taking steroids? And is the stuff really bad if it can create so many "hotties?"
• Senator Craig says he isn't gay, but JK Rowling says Albus Dumbledore is! (and did I really need to know this?)

By comparison, how many of you learned about the following via the nightly news?

• according to the U.S. Treasury department report: the top 10% of wage earners in the United States pays 70.3% of all taxes; while the bottom 50% of wage earners pays 3% of all taxes. (09/07)
• During 2006, former President Clinton made 352 speeches and earned approximately $9 million dollars. But only 20% went into his pocket - the rest went to his charitable causes - Good for you President Clinton! (06/07)
• More than 70% of the people interviewed around the world believe marriage is for life, but here in America more than 50% of people are divorced. (05/07)
• Candidate John Edwards has $16,000,000.00 invested with the mortgage company that's now foreclosing on thousands of homes in New Orleans, and living in a $6,000,000.00 North Carolina estate. Way to go John! (06/07) (He's the poverty candidate right?)
• Oklahoma is repealing a bill that grants public benefits for undocumented aliens. Undocumented aliens will no longer be eligible for drivers licenses, state identity cards, or state supported scholarships and in-state tuition breaks. Way to go Oklahoma! (7/07) (Note: Someone should tell Gov. Spitzer!)
• Earmarks are a big deal in Washington - they're also a big secret! In fact when CNN asked them, only 3 of 435 House members said they'd reveal what their earmark requests were for 2008! (08/07)
• Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill.) has requested an $230,000 "earmark" for the Abraham Lincoln National Airport Commission. Unfortunately the airport does not exist! (09/07)
• Sen. Ted Kennedy opposes a wind farm off the Massachusetts coast that 84% of his constituents favor! (11/07)

(Excuse me, who's taking care of the country after I go home today? Really... is someone scheduled to come in and look after these people? They're not going to make it you know! I'm worried about them! These young people are not mentally capable in so many dangerous ways. They're happy as long as they have the latest gadget! They don't understand history at all. Columbus may as well have discovered America in 1965 for all they know or care. Watch, I'll show you, shout out "Estes Kefauver"...they'll all look around for the star of that "24" show! See! What'd I tell you? What's that white jacket for? I'm not putting that on! Why are there so many buckles & why are the sleeves so long?)

"The fact that a man is a newspaper reporter is evidence of some flaw of character." - Lyndon B. Johnson