AWOL and Transitions

Hi everyone...wow...nearly two months since my last post! That's definitely a record. I'm going through lots of transition lately and the one thing that has been put on the back burner obviously is my blog. I'm sure once Oliver arrives (for those who hadn't heard yet, we found out a couple of weeks ago we are having a boy) posts will increase again with a focus on being a dad and keeping the family in LA up to date on life up here.

However I'm not sure what the next couple of months will look like on here. As I mentioned above, I've been transitioning. One of the major transitions is away from politics. Being the huge majority of my posts on here were political that has been the main reason for my lack of posts.

Along with that I'm launching the two projects listed at the top of the blog posts which has taken up a majority of my time outside of my full time job.

And of course spending time with Mimi and preparing to be a dad has taken up all the rest of my time thus again, blog is low on the priority list. I still have some wedding posts to do and hopefully I'll get to them sooner rather than later.

All that to say, for those who come here looking for the latest political hot topic, then you probably will no longer find them here (except maybe an occasional manmade global warming rant). Please check my blogroll for plenty of great sites that will fill that need. If you are just curious about Mimi's growing bundle of joy and then after Oliver arrives, life of a first time dad, then stay tuned.

Praise with Caution

As anyone who reads this blog is full aware, I'm not a fan of Pres. Obama as I think he will take this country in a very wrong direction during a very vital time for our nation. However, I've been challenged by a friend that when he does do something I agree with that I give props when they are due as I've complained for 8 years that Pres. Bush never got praise for anything good he did (for example quadrupling the money giving to foreign countries and international organizations to combat HIV which liberals claim to support very strongly), especially in the MSM.

On that note I'm glad to see that yesterday he kept his campaign promise to continue to allow faith groups to compete with other non-profits for federal funding. However, I do say that with some caution though b/c of how it was announced. During the announcement it was said concerning faith groups that prohibit members that espouse different beliefs than the organization (for example Catholic organizations not supporting giving information on abortions during teenage counseling sessions), the rules would be reviewed on a case by case basis.

So, I do give him credit for maintaining a very vital program, however I will keep an eye on the initiative to see how that plays out and whether or not groups will be forced to submit to standards they don't agree with in order to continue receiving the funds.

Only 16 Days to Break Biggest Campaign Promise

As we heard many times on the campaign trail: "I can make a firm pledge. Under my plan, no family making less than $250,000 a year will see any form of tax increase. Not your income tax, not your payroll tax, not your capital gains taxes, not any of your taxes." - Barack Obama, 9/12/08

Well, he has already broken that promise: "Today, on the sixteenth day of his presidency, Barack Obama broke one of the central promises of his candidacy: No American earning under $250,000 per year would face any form of tax increase under his administration. By signing the S-CHIP legislation today, Obama has now broken his oft-repeated promise. Obama's signature puts into effect a 156 percent increase in the federal excise tax on tobacco, a hike of 61 cents per pack." - Americans for Tax Reform, 2/4/09

So unless no one making under $250,000 a year smokes (and we all not that isn't the case, quite the opposite), he just raised taxes on millions of people as stated above by 156%! And who will this hurt the most? Oh yeah...the poor! However, I'm sure you didn't hear any of that in the MSM...just like you didn't hear about the very successful election in Iraq this past weekend...yep...that's right...they had another election...and this time all parties, Sunnis, Shia, and Kurds participated to the praises of the international community for a fair run campaign.

HapTip: Muth's Truths

The Al Gore Effect Again

It has happened again. Al Gore shows up for a speech on manmade global warming (oh...excuse me...it's no longer global warming it is just climate change being the earth has had record COOLING for the last 2 years so they have to change their rhetoric as opposed to admitting they were wrong) and the weather is the exact opposite. Here in the DC area today we had a major ice storm while AlGore was testifying in Congress that the earth is in "grave danger" if we don't stop destroying the planet now! This is really getting ridiculous.

No Word for Snow

Imagine something so rare in your village that there is not even a name for it in your language. That's what some citizens in the United Arab Emirates are facing today with this white fluffy stuff falling from the sky for only the second time in recorded history. You and I of course know it as snow.

So last winter as you remember I posted pics of snow in Iraq for the first time in 100 years and now this winter a country well to the south and much closer to the equator is seeing it (not just a flurry either...over 3 inches on the ground in some places), yet I'm sure the manmade global warming fanatics are going to find an excuse for it. No way they will admit that they were wrong and we were just in a NATURAL warming CYCLE that nearly all recent studies are concluding ended in 1998.

I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be a Global Warming Fanatic

Despite more and more evidence coming out every day that the recent global warming CYCLE was not manmade and in fact has started reversing to a cooling CYCLE, the manmade global warming fanatics in Congress are still hell bent on ramming down ill-advised cap and trade legislation schemes to stop global warming (oops...they don't call it that anymore...now it is just referred to as climate change due to the last year being the coldest in decades and this one starting off on pace to even beat last year) that will do nothing to effect the climate but will destroy our economy even more!

All The News That's Fit to Smear

Once again the MSM is doing everything in its power to smear our troops. The latest culprit is an old hand at the game, the NYT. Coulter points out in her latest article how they Times is highlighting the fact that 121 troops who have served in Iraq or Afghanistan have committed homicides in order to show the harm the wars are doing to our society when the soldiers return.

However, they once again fail to give any context by comparing the percentage of military male homicides to homicides in the general male population of the same age. Surprise, surprise. General male population aged 18-35 commits over 30 homicides per 100,000 while members of the military it is only 7.6 per 100,000.

To me the conclusion should be that if you serve in the military you are LESS likely to commit a homicide than a male who doesn't, but of course that is not the conclusion of the grey old lady. Sad indeed!

Bush Thankathon

Dee and Mike initiated a week long Bush Thankathon on Monday to highlight all the accomplishments of President Bush over the last 8 years despite his constant barrage of fire from the left and the MSM who don't give him credit for anything.

The biggest success is keeping us safe since 9-11 by stopping multiple attacks that were in the planning stages and who knows how many total besides the several that have been declassified.

One of the main reasons he was able to accomplish this is b/c he took the fight to the terrorists and their enablers. One of the biggest threats and enablers was Saddam. History will be the judge and if Obama doesn't reverse all the progress made over the last year by removing troops to quickly, Bush's decision to invade Iraq and stick with it to the end, especially with the surge, will be a very defining moment in the region that will continue to produce positive results.

Thank you President Bush for staying on course despite the political fallout b/c it was the right thing to do!

Brink of Ice Age

To further prove that the manmade global warming fanatics do not have complete buy in from the scientific community much less a consensus, new evidence is coming out that we may actually be at the beginning of a new ice age.

Arctic Ice Back to 1979 Levels

Another tenet of "faith" for the manmade global warming fanatics has been shattered. As we heard over and over, 2008 was going to be the year we saw all the ice in the Arctic melt. While not only did that not happen, ice has increased faster than ever before and is back to 1979 levels. Can we now remove polar bears from the endangered species list being they were never endangered in the first place?

2008 - The Year Manmade Global Warming Disproved

Here is an excellent article that reports that 2008 may very well be the year that manmade global warming was disproved...here's hoping!!!

Global Warming Causing COOLING TREND???

First when record snow falls started occurring a couple of years ago the manmade global warming fanatics said it was because of global warming and that it wasn't going to continue. Now with 10 straight years of cooling, now even that is man's fault b/c of man causing global warming!

This latest statement, "cooling trend...actually illustrates how fast the world is warming" is so absurd it is laughable. Yet, that is what they are trying to claim now being all evidence continues to point to weather CYCLES and the current cycle appears to be a cooling one.

Adding to more recent trends, Denver breaks 107 year old record with -18 degrees on the 14th and a 57 year old record was shattered by 13 degrees with -19 on the 15th.

Also a city in Montana shattered an 86 year old record by 12 degrees coming in at -29.

New Big Three Car Ad

Snow in Death Valley

For the non-LSU fans out there...no, I'm not saying hell froze over, however if it did, AlGore would have an even tougher sell to continue to push the global warming scam like he continues to do despite tons of mounting evidence to the opposite.

Below are some pics of snow in Baton Rouge yesterday:

It never rains in Death Valley or so the saying goes, but apparently it snows!

Not the first snow for this ancient Indian burial sites...if only bones could talk maybe they would say...WEATHER CYCLES! Considering this is only the 3rd time in my 35 years that snow has accumulated here those are the words that come to my mind at least!

Unless he is a Siberian (he's not) definitely Mike's first snow.


And he looks like he is enjoying it =)

Lost Party

Looks like we have another case of a missing party. News is breaking that Illinois Governor has been taken into federal custody for trying to take bribes to fill the Senate seat being vacated by Obama.

However, if you were curious as to what party he belongs to you are going to have a tough time figuring that out with the first few reports. However, as we have seen over and over, that means only one thing...he is a Dem b/c if he were a Repub, it would be the leading line in every headline.

Looks like Louisiana won't be the only state now with a former governor in federal prison.

Tide is Turning...Dems to Lose Big in 2010

Well, at least that would be the headline on every newspaper in the country if it were the other way around. Since Nov. 4th, 3 elections have gone to the Repubs, and had they gone the other way there is no doubt we would have heard how the trend against Repubs continues.

Thankfully for possibly the first time, Louisiana does the right thing and sends a crook packing by not re-electing William "Mr. Freeze" Jefferson.

The Common Sense Fix

Here is an email Dave Ramsey sent out that makes complete sense on how to fix the economic situation we are in. The one thing I'd add is that whatever amount Congress uses, $50Billion in this proposal, that they offset it by cutting the exact same amount in government spending so we are not adding to the federal debt. Feel free to take this and send it to your Congress critters.

Here is Dave's Common Sense Fix:

Years of bad decisions and stupid mistakes have created an economic nightmare in this country, but $700 billion in new debt is not the answer. As a tax-paying American citizen, I will not support any congressperson who votes to implement such a policy. Instead, I submit the following three steps:

Common Sense Plan.
I. INSURANCE
A. Insure the subprime bonds/mortgages with an underlying FHA-type insurance. Government-insured and backed loans would have an instant market all over the world, creating immediate and needed liquidity.

B. In order for a company to accept the government-backed insurance, they must do two things:

1. Rewrite any mortgage that is more than three months delinquent to a 6% fixed-rate mortgage.

a. Roll all back payments with no late fees or legal costs into the balance. This brings homeowners current and allows them a chance to keep their homes.

b. Cancel all prepayment penalties to encourage refinancing or the sale of the property to pay off the bad loan. In the event of foreclosure or short sale, the borrower will not be held liable for any deficit balance. FHA does this now, and that encourages mortgage companies to go the extra mile while working with the borrower—again limiting foreclosures and ruined lives.

2. Cancel ALL golden parachutes of EXISTING and FUTURE CEOs and executive team members as long as the company holds these government-insured bonds/mortgages. This keeps underperforming executives from being paid when they don’t do their jobs.

C. This backstop will cost less than $50 billion—a small fraction of the current proposal.

II. MARK TO MARKET

A. Remove mark to market accounting rules for two years on only subprime Tier III bonds/mortgages. This keeps companies from being forced to artificially mark down bonds/mortgages below the value of the underlying mortgages and real estate.

B. This move creates patience in the market and has an immediate stabilizing effect on failing and ailing banks—and it costs the taxpayer nothing.

III. CAPITAL GAINS TAX

A. Remove the capital gains tax completely. Investors will flood the real estate and stock market in search of tax-free profits, creating tremendous—and immediate—liquidity in the markets. Again, this costs the taxpayer nothing.

B. This move will be seen as a lightning rod politically because many will say it is helping the rich. The truth is the rich will benefit, but it will be their money that stimulates the economy. This will enable all Americans to have more stable jobs and retirement investments that go up instead of down.

This is not a time for envy, and it’s not a time for politics. It’s time for all of us, as Americans, to stand up, speak out, and fix this mess.

The March Towards Socialism

Wow...it's been nearly a month since my last post...definitely a record for me. I have been busy, but that's not the main reason. I've been in a funk due to all this bailout nonsense, not quite knowing how to express my thoughts due to not fully understanding it, but deep down knowing this isn't what we should be doing. Today's News and Views by Chuch Muth completely captures my thoughts and does a great job of explaining the situation, so I'll repost it here in full. Warning it is long for my normal post length, but I highly recommend reading the whole way through and to especially watch the video at the end.

RUSH TO JUDGMENT
The biggest problem I have with this bailout - other than the fact that it's decidedly socialistic in nature and sets a horrible precedent for taxpayer bailouts of other industries down the road - is the rush to "do something" by President Bush and Congress.

After eight years of "compassionate conservatism" which gave us Homeland Security, the TSA, No Child Left Behind and Medicare prescription drugs, I'm automatically suspect of ANYTHING President Bush says about a "crisis" necessitating government action. In fact, my knee-jerk response is automatic opposition until proved otherwise.

And when you consider that it was Congress and President Clinton who really set us on this path to financial meltdown over a period of more than 20 years, you'll pardon me if I'm skeptical of a "rescue" plan hatched by President Bush and Congress which is only about a week old.

The fact is, most Americans are just now starting to understand the issue itself. And before they fully grasp what went wrong and how, Congress will have approved the "fix." Unfortunately, the cure is likely to end up being worse than the disease.

Here are three items which I think will help you get your arms around this extremely complicated financial mess, including the fact that today's crisis isn't the fault of the free market. The "root cause" (liberals love to talk about "root causes") was Congress and the Clinton administration trying to manipulate the free market on behalf of a voter constituency. It was the push for "affordable housing" that caused this "disturbance in the force."

WALL STREET BAILOUT 101
"The meltdown in the financial markets has caused the finger of blame to spin like a weathervane in a hurricane. The underlying cause of the debacle, however, has been largely ignored. Driven by 'progressive' Democrats and Republicans, the cause is the relentless shift from a free market economy to a socialist economy.

"Until the Roosevelt era, the responsibility and privilege of having a home was left solely to the individual.

"Few people realize that Fannie Mae (Federal National Mortgage Association) was created in 1938 by FDR, to provide a federal guarantee for home loans extended by local banks. Freddie Mac (Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation) was created in 1970, during Nixon's reign.
"Both were designed to buy mortgages from local lenders as a way to insure an adequate supply of money for local lenders. These 'secondary' mortgages were packaged into 'bundles' of securities that were traded among an array of financial institutions.

"During the 1960s, the United Nations produced the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. Article V(e)(iii) proclaimed that all people had a 'right' to housing. Both the Kennedy and Johnson administrations supported the treaty, but it was not ratified until the Clinton administration, Nov. 20, 1994.

"...To meet its obligations under the U.N.'s Racial Discrimination Treaty, the Clinton administration instructed Fannie Mae to expand loans to low-income borrowers, according to Franklin D. Raines, Fannie Mae's chairman.

"Thus, the 'sub-prime' market was born, and government guaranteed-loans were extended to millions of families who could not qualify for a mortgage in a free market economy, but easily qualified under the new socialist scheme.

"In 2005, Republican senators saw the danger and tried to reform these institutions with the Federal Housing Enterprise Regulator Reform Act (S.190), but Democrats blocked the bill.
"...AIG, the international insurance giant, and other Wall Street and international financial institutions bought the bundles of mortgage securities that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac offered. Everybody involved made a ton of money, and housing for low-income families expanded exponentially - just as the Treaty on Racial Discrimination and the proponents of sustainable development had predicted.

"With all the new loans being made, the home building industry flourished, the real estate industry flourished, all industries related to housing flourished - until the market became saturated.

"Home values stopped rising. Housing inventories began to rise. Home values began to decline. Foreclosures began to rise. Homebuilding slowed, housing-related industries began to lay off workers. Energy prices began to rise. Paychecks fell short of family needs. Foreclosures skyrocketed.

"Suddenly, there was little or no value in the bundles of security Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac had packaged. Financial institutions found themselves in possession of massive 'assets' that had no value. Creak, crumble, crash! The financial markets came tumbling down.
"The piper must be paid. The question is whether to do it now - and let the chips fall where they may, or, to kick the can down the road and pay the piper later.

"The answer, of course, is to kick the can into the next generation, with another leap toward socialism. The bailout plan - whatever the particulars - is nothing short of a government takeover of the financial industry. The next president will have to sort it out and build the road toward future recovery or final disaster."
- Columnist Henry Lamb

BLAME CLINTON
The following story from WAY back in 1999, published by the New York Times, predicted that what is happening today would happen.

"In a move that could help increase home ownership rates among minorities and low-income consumers, the Fannie Mae Corporation is easing the credit requirements on loans that it will purchase from banks and other lenders. The action, which will begin as a pilot program involving 24 banks in 15 markets -- including the New York metropolitan region -- will encourage those banks to extend home mortgages to individuals whose credit is generally not good enough to qualify for conventional loans. Fannie Mae officials say they hope to make it a nationwide program by next spring.

"Fannie Mae, the nation's biggest underwriter of home mortgages, has been under increasing pressure from the Clinton Administration to expand mortgage loans among low and moderate income people and felt pressure from stock holders to maintain its phenomenal growth in profits.

"In addition, banks, thrift institutions and mortgage companies have been pressing Fannie Mae to help them make more loans to so-called subprime borrowers. These borrowers whose incomes, credit ratings and savings are not good enough to qualify for conventional loans, can only get loans from finance companies that charge much higher interest rates.

"In moving, even tentatively, into this new area of lending, Fannie Mae is taking on significantly more risk, which may not pose any difficulties during flush economic times. But the government-subsidized corporation may run into trouble in an economic downturn, prompting a government rescue similar to that of the savings and loan industry in the 1980's.

"'From the perspective of many people, including me, this is another thrift industry growing up around us,' said Peter Wallison a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. 'If they fail, the government will have to step up and bail them out the way it stepped up and bailed out the thrift industry.'

"...Fannie Mae officials stress that the new mortgages will be extended to all potential borrowers who can qualify for a mortgage. But they add that the move is intended in part to increase the number of minority and low income home owners who tend to have worse credit ratings than non-Hispanic whites."

FAMOUS LAST WORDS
Actually, today's Famous Last Words is a brief You Tube video chronicling how the liberals, not conservatives, got us into this mess. Even if Congress unwisely rushes in to make matters worse with a bailout bill today, you should watch this video to understand and explain this issue better to those misguided souls who tell you they're voting for Obama.

I'm Paying for WHAT???

Do you believe that the only issue with two guys having oral sex is whether they are using a condom or not? Do you believe that a girl dropping her pants and asking others to look to see if she has an STD or not is appropriate? Do you believe that friends should be supportive and encouraging about masturbation because abstinence is tough? Do you believe that the answer to STDs, teenage pregnancy and the like is that you just need to explore and know yourself "down there" better?

Well if you don't agree with any of those things, guess what? It doesn't matter because you are paying to have those things taught. That's right. Planned Parenthood which receives over $400million annually from Title X "family planning" tax supported funds is spreading those messages online with their new video website, Take Care Down There. Warning: It is even more graphic than the above questions.

Have You Considered Suicide?

The title of this post is an actual question asked to an actual patient by the government run health care system in Oregon where physician assisted suicide is legal. So much for the argument that passing this law wouldn't led to eugenics. Hitler would have been proud.