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Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Back to School Barack


Obama decreed America's students are under-achievers in a world of stiff competition. To remedy this deficiency he wants to extend the school year and/or school hours.

The latest in Obama's attempt to transform our "mean nation" came out a couple of days ago:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090927/ap_on_re_us/us_more_school

What could be the benefit of this?

Maybe they can learn more songs of praise to the Dear Leader, like these kids did:

http://michellemalkin.com/2009/09/23/dear-leader-in-the-classroom/

Michelle Malkin also dug-up further information on who sponsored this event:

http://michellemalkin.com/2009/09/24/mmm-mmm-mmm-new-details-about-the-dear-leader-song-video/

FOX News, conservative websites and my like-minded friends feel this is a creepy attempt at political indoctrination.

Imagine the outcry if these kids were singing about God or Jesus in a public school.

Meanwhile, the Pledge of Allegiance--an oath of loyalty to our nation, not one man--comes under fire each school year:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,550063,00.html

I don't think the kiddies will be enthusiastically signing "Mmm--mmm-mmm" when they're couped-up in school on a hot summer day.

Saturday, September 26, 2009

The UN (Useless Nobodies) and the USA (University States of America)

A few days ago the American public got an earful of speeches at the UN by the wacknut leaders of Libya and Iran.

Meanwhile, our own Dear Leader once again played to the UN crowd with his never-ending America Has Acted Arrogant speech. Or as former Ambassador to the UN, John Bolton, called it: A post-American speech by our first post-American president.



It didn't take long for two of my favorite commentators to roll-in on this weeks events at the UN.

First Mark Steyn points out that there ARE differences among nations and why America taking the lead role in world affairs is a good thing:

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/president-obama-nations-2581600-world-state


Victor Davis Hanson, or as we call him "VDH," discusses Obama's speech template--"I'm great, Bush was bad, now I'm in charge, so all will be well." VDH points out that Obama's been using this template since he's been inaugurated:

http://www.victorhanson.com/articles/hanson092409.html

Just prior to the UN Freak Show, VDH wrote an excellent character profile of Obama. Our current president was weened on the liberal biases at places like Occidental, Columbia, Harvard and the University of Chicago. The "academia shoe" certainly fits because it explains this administrations confusion and dismay over the growing unpopularity of their proposed policies.

Under the soft tyranny of the university campus it is easy to coerce students into the biased multi-cultural/socialist/communist/anti-Israel/anti-capitalist mindset. Threaten impressionable young minds with the charge of racism/sexism, along with failing grades, and they'll fall into line. Imagine what grade a student received in Ward Churchill's class if he wrote a paper challenging his conspiracy theories?

VDH on Dean Obama:

http://www.victorhanson.com/articles/hanson092309.html






(Image obtain via Michelle Malkin's website. Go to: http://www.galtslist.com/classifieds/shop/ and click on the "Images for your Blog" section).

Thursday, September 24, 2009

U.N.--Real

Three men made a splash at the UN today: Muammar Qaddafi, Ahmadinejad and Barack Obama.

Qaddafi was only suppose to speak fro 15 minutes, but ended up hogging the stage for 96 with a rambling diatrabe against the UN Security Council and an "oh-it-would-be-nice-if-Obama-was-president-forever" comment.

http://hotair.com/archives/2009/09/23/qaddafi-at-the-un-great-speech-or-the-greatest-speech/

At least 11 UN delegates had the good sense to walk out on Ahmadinejad's speech:

http://hotair.com/archives/2009/09/23/sweet-eleven-countries-walk-out-of-ahmadinejads-israel-bashing-un-speech/

Here's a 10-minute segment from FOX News' On the Record:

http://www.foxnews.com/video2/video08.html?maven_referralObject=9958498&maven_referralPlaylistId=&sRevUrl=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,319288,00.html


Meanwhile Obama's Apology Tour continues and as usual is laced with a heavy dose of personal pronouns (see the additional links for more commentaries):

http://hotair.com/archives/2009/09/23/quotes-of-the-day-160/


John Bolton, former UN Ambassador rolls-in on some of the highlights of Obama's speech:

http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=ODA2YzJmNTkwYmFmZDk4MTQwNWFkYzJjNzM5Y2MwMmE=

Friday, September 18, 2009

Czechs & Poles Abandoned (Again)?

(Image of Joachim Ribbentrop, Joseph Stalin and Viacheslav Molotov at the signing of the nonaggression pact between Germany and the Soviet Union, August 1939).

Yesterday, on the 70th anniversary of the Soviet invasion of Poland, our Dear Leader cancelled the ballistic missile defense system that was scheduled to be installed in Poland and the Czech Republic. This plays directly into the hands of Russia and it's puppet-master strongman Vladimir Putin.

I didn't comment on this yesterday, because I wanted the day to remain in honor to Medal of Honor (posthumous) hero Sgt 1st Class Jared Monti.

Ralph Peters rolls-in on Obamessiah's latest foreign policy blunder from the NY Post:

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/opedcolumnists/obama_feeds_allies_to_bear_PMpzvTatl7WiRqyYL3ZtvJ

Ralph's article sparked the following discussion:

For once, I agree 100% with Ralph. This missile defense plan was always a waste, bt once we committed to it, it became imperative we follow through if for no other reason than to show solid support for the eastern wing of NATO.

I expect Putin will move up his plans against Ukraine now. The Russians are already issuing Russian passports to people in Ukraine (like they did in Georgia). It is only a matter of time before a crisis (real or manufactured) occurs between Ukraine and Russia. As for smaller countries like Georgia, they are hosed...


Comrade Karla: I suspect the Ukraine will be hosed as well…who will be willing to fight on their behalf? Certainly not the West, not based on what I've been seeing/hearing.

NATO will do what it always does…punt and then look to the US for decisive leadership, which will not be forthcoming.


Here's a comment with an alternative viewpoint and link:

This guy agrees with the decision because he believes it opens up opportunities with Russia and Iran that he also fears the administration will not pursue which it probably won't.

http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=ZDY3ZmZmNDRjOTAyZTVkNmE5ZTExYzdhM2YxM2QwMjg=

On another note - the whole timing of announcing this thing on the anniversary of the Soviets rolling into Poland in 1939. Had GW Bush done something like this we would have heard a chorus of catcalls about how this shows his ignorance, lack of sophistication, and inability to understand that unlike in America which is still a young nation, in most parts of the world what happened 60 years ago might as well as be next. With Obama - nothing but silence...

Comrade Karla: wonder why this guy thinks it would be "a pity" if we developed the RRW?

All depends on how much faith one puts in diplomacy that is not backed up by the implicit threat of force. There are always options…the biggest problem I see with this is politically it was badly bungled and has put the Poles and Czechs in a difficult position if asked to "trust us" again.

As for "moral suasion," I don't give it much chance and neither has the historical record. Both the Russians and Iranians have already said "no dice" to any concessions before we've even sat down with them.

I don't think this guy is talking about moral suasion as much as he is talking about getting serious with Russia about playing ball from here on out. The conventional line by many is that the Russians were so bent out of shape about these interceptors that they wouldn't work with us on other important issues. I've never bought into that but now that we've removed the impediment, it's time for them to put up or shutup. To me that is the real problem, Obama will not pursue that he just assumes that by being the anti-Bush and by rolling back what previous administrations have done it will all just happen for him.

Peters pointed it out as well - Obama seems to think that just doing this is going to cause some sort of wholesale change in Russian behavior and all he needs to do is sit back and watch it happen and take advantage of it. At the end of the day, that has always struck me as Obama's biggest problem whether we are talking foreign or domestic policy. It's not just rhetoric, he really does believe that he is special and that just the sheer force of the goodwill generated by his glowing personality and magnanimous gestures will accomplish great things.



Comrade Karla: At the root of it, he's an 80s undergrad when it comes to foreign policy--based on what I've seen thus far, anyway.

Speaking of foreign policy inexperience, David Frum warns of an impending, multi-facted foreign affairs disaster in The Week:

http://www.theweek.com/bullpen/column/100521/Obama_heads_for_foreign_policy_disaster

Shameless Self-Promotion Bubbles to the Surface


Shameless self-promotion plunged to new depths in Seattle. Or at least back in 1955 they did, when Ivar Haglund, founder of Ivar's restaurants, had several underwater billboards placed in Elliot Bay.

Ivar's is a well-known chain seafood & chowder chain with restaurants ranging from the upscale to fast-food joints.

Seattle's 4th of July fireworks display is usually sponsored by Ivar's, but apparently the founder had other promotional plans for his restaurant:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009889864_ivar18m.html

Ivar's website:

http://www.ivars.net/

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Sgt 1st Class Jared Monti Awarded CMH Today

This morning I watched the deeply moving award ceremony as President Obama awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor (Posthumously) to Sergeant First Class Jared Monti. Jared's parents were in the White House's East Room where the ceremony was held to accept the award on behalf of their fallen son.

This was the most up-to-date link I could find:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,551380,00.html

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Rudeness Rising...


(Image from AP)

I usually don't watch the entertainment industry's awards ceremonies, but I certainly heard about Kanye West's over-the-top rudeness at last night's MTV's Video Music Awards.

WTFO!?

Here's an update strait from MTV's site:

http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1621555/20090915/west_kanye.jhtml


Meanwhile in the arena of sports, Serena Williams had a "dispute" with the judges over her game in the US Open.

(Image from AFP)

http://blogs.wsj.com/juggle/2009/09/14/serena-williams-meltdown-losing-your-composure-on-the-job/

And moving on to the political arena, there was Rep. Joe Wilson's "You lie!" outburst during Obama's healthcare address to Congress last week. (However, the media and Democrats are conveniently forgetting the heckling Former President Bush received in Congress during the State of the Union Address in 05).

WTF is going on? Is civility in society dead?

Maybe.

Victor Davis Hansen ties all these issues together better than I can in his latest Works and Days post:

http://pajamasmedia.com/victordavishanson/the-rise-of-the-uncouth/

It is amazing that the the writings of Thucydides could still be applicable to our "plugged-in" culture. Probably even more so...

"Have Some of This!"

(Image: "The Thin Red Line," the 93rd at Balaclava).

Lieutenant Adamson of the 5th Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland will receive the Military Cross for Gallantry for killing two Taliban fighters single handed--one with a bayonet.

Here's the full story from the UK's Telegraph:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/afghanistan/6178044/British-officer-wins-two-gallantry-awards-for-fending-off-Taliban-attack-with-bayonet.html

"Have some of this!" Was the lieutenant's response as he opened fire on a Taliban fighter in a maize field.

When confronted with a Taliban machine gunner and out of ammo himself, Lt. Adamson recounted that, "...I was just reacting in the way that I was trained..." And plunged his bayonet into Taliban attacker.

Apparently British soldiers have used bayonet charges to good effect in the Middle East. Here's an article by Chris Hughes from the Mirror (6 April 09):

http://blogs.mirror.co.uk/observation-post/2009/04/bayonets---the-future.html

For Lt. Adamson and his men, their training paid off.

But the employment of "cold steel" hasn't been limited to the wilds of Afghanistan. Yesterday a John Hopkins University student killed an intruder with his Samurai sword:

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-city/bal-sword0915,0,4027961.story

Looks like this perpetrator won't be showing up in court for his 30th conviction...

Friday, September 11, 2009

Remembering 9/11


I started blogging last October so I missed commenting about 7th anniversary of the September 11th Terrorist Attack. I'm not about to miss commenting on the 8th.

I was still on active duty in the fall of 2001 and was working out at the McChord Air Force Base (AFB) gym on the morning of the attack. I was on a cardio machine watching the newscasts from one of several TVs arrayed around the cardio room. Unfortunately I forgot my headsets that morning.

Shortly before 6 AM here on the west coast, all the stations interrupted their regular programs with pictures of smoke pouring out of one of the World Trade Center's buildings. I asked the guy next to me what was going on. He told me the news was reporting a plane crashed into the North Tower.

Having been raised in upstate New York and visiting "the city" (New York City as we call it), I thought something was wrong right away. It was a clear day. The last time I knew of a plane crashing into a Manhattan skyscraper was in 1945, when a B-25 ploughed into the Empire State Building under dense fog.

As I was contemplating this I saw an image of a passenger jet slamming into the World Trade Center. I thought it was some computer animation of the initial crash. Then the guy next to me leaned over and said another plane hit the South Tower.

This was my "WTF Moment." Now I knew these were deliberate acts.

By the time my workout was over, both towers had collapsed, the Pentagon was hit and United Airlines Flight 93 crashed in a field in Somerset County, PA.

All of this unfolded before my eyes while at the gym.

Here I was, a member of the US military sworn to protect our nation, and yet I felt completely helpless as 2,996 of our fellow Americans were murdered.

By the time I was leaving, an announcement was made that all active duty personnel were to report to their units.

Things were chaotic to say the least, for some weeks after the attack. Traffic jams were a daily occurrence at the gates to all military installations as the police forces tried coping with the increased security requirements.

The skies were also devoid of aircraft for some time after the attack. I can't remember when aircraft were allowed to fly but the absence of jet noise, especially for living by Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SeaTac), was unsettling. Not only that thousands, perhaps millions of travellers were left stranded--including my future mother-in-law.

My wife & I were dating at the time. We were suppose to fly up to Alaska for her brother's wedding, which I think was to be held on the 15th, then a Saturday. My mother-in-law-to-be was already in Alaska when the attacks occurred, leaving her stranded for several days.

The following month we struck back.

Timeline of the attack according to Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_for_the_day_of_the_September_11_attacks


Mark Steyn reposted his initial comments on the attack here:

http://www.steynonline.com/content/view/2423/30/


Shortly after the dust settled from the collapsed towers we began hearing 9/11 was "an inside job," "America had it coming" and other such tripe. As time's gone by the groups voicing such tripe have become more vocal. Now we're hearing from this administration and his supporters that Former President Bush "overreacted."

What these folks don't realize is their opinion is irrelevant. As long as our enemies believe they are waging holy jihad, then our nation will continue to be under a state of war.

Under such circumstances there can only be one outcome: One side or the other will be defeated.

I pray to God that it won't be us.

I will NEVER FORGET.

Sunday, September 6, 2009

Happy Labor Day!

Mark Steyn rolls-in on "the masses amassing too much."

Success is unsustainable, not to mention bad for the environment y'know...

http://www.steynonline.com/content/view/2368/30/

Mark Steyn's the only commentator I read during my days off. His tongue-in-cheek style adds a humorous twist to otherwise depressing news.

For the past several months I've noticed banner adds on websites stating: Obama wants mothers to go back to school.

I don't remember such a presidential call for re-educating stay-at-home moms. Since Obama started campaigning (and he hasn't stopped yet), I've found the glimpses of the cult-of-personality very disturbing.

So does Mark and other conservative commentators. Last week however, Mark's comments on the Rush Limbaugh Show drew the ire of the Ministry of Propaganda (formerly the Mainstream Media).

Mark fires back:

http://www.investors.com/NewsAndAnalysis/Article.aspx?id=505359

And here's another salvo:

http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=YWFjYjQyYjM3MGU0N2M0MmIxZjI1YjI0ZTcyMjJlY2U=

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Hooray for Stalinwood!


I know very little about Hollywood movie moguls, so sometimes I get lost in Mark Steyn's entertainment history lesson.

What Mark is clear about is how the Hollywood elite is the "respectable face" for an international despotic ideology. The same could probably be said about the media. On last night's Hannity, guest commenator Ann Coulter pointed out that the news media has now morphed from being a watchdog for the people into the guard dog for the Obama Administration.

http://www.steynonline.com/content/view/2398/28/

Discontent continues to rise among the American proletariat not only at the Townhall meetings over Obamacare, but now the Dear Leader wants to address the nation's children at schools.
Why? To what purpose?
We'll find out on 8 September when the speech is scheduled.

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

The Beginning of the Great Crusade

Today marks the 70th Anniversary of the start of World War II.

When Germany launched an unprovoked attack on Poland; Great Britain, France and several Commonwealth nations declared war on Germany two days later.

On 17 September 1939 Soviet forces crossed the eastern border completing Poland's dismemberment.

A synopsis of the invasion on Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invasion_of_Poland_(1939)

Here's some discussion of today's significance on the Consimworld Social Network:

http://social.consimworld.com/profiles/blogs/september-1st-1939-70-years