Our Not So Tranquil World, Part II

(Image by Lisa Benson)

Our not-so tranquil world could be not-so tranquil for a long, long time.

David Brooks wrote an op-ed in the NYT a few days ago, postulating how the current shootout between Israel and Hamas, is just one several current, or latent, overlapping conflicts. 

This conflict overlap could then merge into a Perfect Middle East Firestorm, that may take decades--or more--to extinguish.

Opinions among friends range from:

If were all lucky it'll be the...Thirty Years' War Redux...

...to...

...More like 100 Years War, with off and on flare-ups...

...Or even the Crusades in reverse.

No matter how long the flames burn, Team Obama has certainly been less than helpful as the world's "lead from behind" fire brigade...

(Image by Chip Bok)

Our (Not So) Tranquil World

(Image by Branco)

A few days ago "VDH" asked:  Why is the world becoming such a nasty place?

Earlier this month, he stated the obvious that tranquility of the global community is anything but tranquil.

(Image from All the Right Snark)

IRS Smoking Gun Found?

(Image by Eric Allie)

Despite the pandemic of crashed hard drives, a short e-mail exchange has finally surfaced between Lois Lerner and a redacted colleague. 

Apparently, in Ms. Lerner's "professional opinion" conservatives are crazy aholes who will take down America.

True, there are some crazy aholes on the far right; but as the Townhall article mentions, there's also crazy aholes on the far left.

Ms. Lerner's IRS Brute Squad didn't target anyone on the left, now did they? 

(Image by: Rick McKee)

This may be a "small caliber smoking gun."  But hopefully it will be large enough to convince non-conservatives this is more than a phony urban legend scandal cooked up by conservative conspiracy theorists.

(Image found on What Am I Missing Here?)

Ceasing the Cease Fires

(Image by Gary Varvel)

Well Hamas continues to fire rockets into Israel, while at the same time calling for a cease-fire.

The UN, of course is also calling for a cease fire, but since this cunning plan doesn't take Israel's security into account, so Bibi rejected it.

The UN wasn't the only item on Israel's verbal target list.  The non-stop criticism of Kerry's attempts at brokering a cease fire has the White House fuming. 

Team Obama can fume all it wants.  Secretary Windsurfer has shown several times he doesn't take Israel's concerns into account. 

(Image by Gary McCoy)

Meanwhile, Israel is getting on with the job of dismantling Hamas by striking critical targets in Gaza.

So it's time to cease the hue & cry over cease fires and let Israel complete it's demolition job of one of Iran's proxies.

(Image by Gary Varvel)

Anyone Better Off With Obamacare?

(Image by Steve Kelly)

Apparently, there are folks who are actually happy with Obamacare.

A whopping 18% consider themselves better off than before.

During my school days, achieving a 65% score on a test was considered passing--barely--with a grade of D.

A score of 18%--in anything--equals an F.

Unless Team Obama is using some sort of Common Core rating system. 

But no matter what the "score" is--the majority of Americans aren't thrilled with Obamacare.

(Image by Gary Varvel)

Our Secure Northern Border

(Image by Gary Varvel)

As illegal aliens, even drug mules, continue to openly walk across our so-called Southern Border. the longest undefended border has never been more secure...

(Image by Patrick Corrigan)

The US-Canadian border is so secure in fact, that even a boy scout troop will be detained and their luggage searched, apparently for taking a photo of a federal agent. 

Now the US Customs & Border Protection (CBP) folks are denying the boy scouts' version of what happened. 

Whether true or not, Mark Steyn points out there is no written law against taking photographs of federal agents.

This, and similar stories involving TSA agents, illustrates what happens when the rule of law erodes.  What is left is tyrannical arbitrariness at all levels of society.

Drug Mules Move Freely

(Image by Chip Bok)

I'm not sure what border our Congressional Crypt Keeper is talking about.

Or maybe to Harry Reid, "border" is a code word for "trade route" that drug mules can ply to import narcotics into our country.

The Fate of Iraqi Christians and Nigerian Schoolgirls

(Image by: Steve Breen)

Now that ISIS/ISIL/Whatever is a full-blown army, it's now reaching out to Christians in Mosul--and not in a charitable way.

Iraqi Christians have been given a stark choice:  Convert to Islam, or be executed.

To those of us who've read history; this is something Islamic armies have been doing since, oh the 7th Century, or so. 

And it took "oh so 19th Century" military campaigns to thwart such bloody conquests.

More so than any hashtag, now that Nigerians are marking the 100th day their school girls were kidnapped by Boko Haram.

Gaza: Same "Stuff"--Different Offensive

(Image by Steve Breen)

As the Israeli offensive into Gaza continues, the usual suspects are up to their usual modus operandi:  Hamas is using human shields to improve the likelihood of civilian casualties, in order to win sympathy from the "always blame Israel crowd." Which is always easy to accomplish, because the Hamas sympathizers are "...are either ignorant of the facts, or just don't care to know them."

One commentator, among many, who does know the facts is Mark Steyn.  However, he doesn't write regularly about the perpetual road-map to peace.

(Image by:  Gary McCoy)

His reason:  "...is because the central fact of the dispute--the Palestinians' Jew hatred--never changes."

Meanwhile...

(Image by Bob Gorrell)

...President Fundraiser and Secretary of State Windsurfer continue their "lead from behind" posture.

If Obama Were a NASCAR Driver...

(Image by Gary Varvel)

...this is how the race is shaping up as we near the 2016 Finish Line.

Despite the Official Narrative, the White House Pit Crew is "...experiencing technical difficulties..." keeping the Presidential Jalopy in one piece.

Conspiracy Theories Abound in Russia

(Image by Nate Beeler)

Apparently, the Russians are up to their Ushankas in conspiracy theories. 

It's not just about the Malaysian flight. Russians are living in an alternate reality.

Such mass "alternate thinking" could make Russia a potentially dangerous adversary, like our jihadi enemies who already are dangerous adversaries. 

There's no common ground to negotiate from during times of crises--as we see unfold almost daily.

IRS Hard Drives "Only Scratched"

(Image by Lisa Benson)

Yesterday, investigators learned from some witnesses that Lerner's hard drive was only "scratched".

As this "phony scandal" continues to unfold, we're left with more questions than answers.

Connecting the Dots Between Israel and Ukraine

(Image by Bob Gorrell)

What do Israel and Ukraine have in common?

According to Mark Steyn, both countries are part of the same story.

(Image by Lisa Benson)

What is the Obama Administration doing to help our allies?

For the Ukraine:  Nothing much, if anything. 

But the Ukrainians should count themselves "lucky" that Our Dear Leader didn't ban American flights into their major airport.

(Image by Glenn Foden)

How Dystopian Futures Get To Be Dystopian

(Image from an article in:  The Free Republic)

Last week there appeared to be a nation-wide pandemic of child neglect.  Parents have been arrested for the following "heinous crimes" against children:  Having them walk home from school, leaving them to play in a park (armed with a cellphone, no less) and leaving pre-teens alone in a car.

Mark Steyn muses on the effect the nationalization of childhood has on the future.

Most of the comments in articles on such stories open with some variation of:  When I was a kid, I did...

Just how dangerous was life back then?

Let's take a light-hearted look at eight reasons children of the 70s should be dead. 

My favorite is the last line on Reason #6...

(Image from:  Lord of the Flies)

The Benefits of Being an Illegal Alien

(Image by Gary Varvel)

Derek Hunter asks:  Has citizenship jumped the shark?

It certainly seems so. 

I'm certainly irked, to say the least, that illegal aliens can get benefits that citizens cannot, like in-state tuition rates.

Mark Steyn, a legal immigrant, toys with the idea of suing our Coyote-in-Chief. 

Calling Out Our Fundraiser-in-Chief

(Image from:  The Five) 

Last week, I caught an episode of The Five, where the initial debate was on Obama's lackluster response to the Malaysian Airline shoot-down.  Miss Guilfoyle's comment was in response to Bob Beckel's defense of Our Fundraiser-in-Chief.

It does make one wonder--just what would it take for Obama to cancel a fundraiser?

(Image by Dana Summers)

The Many Faces of the Media

Some humor to start off the week.

The Cost of Leading from Behind

(Image by Bob Gorrell)

By the end of last week, three crises coalesced to add more fuel to the fire of our burning world:

1. The "Children's Crusade" against our border continued unabated.

2. The downing of Malaysian Flight MH17. And,

3. Israel launched a ground offensive into Gaza.

What do these issues have in common?

Mark Davis points out they all have roots in a weakened America.

(Image by Robert Ariail)

Especially when the going gets tough our Our Fundraiser-in-Chief goes on yet another fundraiser.

During these years of the Obama Presidency, there's been a debate as to whether Our Dear Leader is an evil genius, Hell-bent on destroying America; or merely incompetent.

Andrew Klavan declares Obama to be a hapless putz.

I'm would like to agree with his assessment.  Anyone who thinks they can ride the Forces of Chaos they unleash can't be all that smart. 

However, I don't share Klavan's optimism that the damage Our Nobel Peace Laureate-in-Chief has done will be so easily undone.

Malaysian Airliner Downed by SAM

(Image by Steve Breen)

A couple days ago, while I was hosting visiting family, Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17 was shot down over Ukraine.

It was quickly determined that the plane was downed by a Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM).

The questions, at the time of this posting, are:  What weapons could have brought down MH17 and why, still have yet to be answered.

The finger-pointing consensus is the missile was fired by Ukrainian separatists.  Separatists backed by Russia.

WA Emergency Management at Full Activation

When I arrived at work last night I recognized several POVs (Privately Owned Vehicles) that are usually gone by 1700 hours (5 PM).

I knew right away we'd be at Phase-III (full activation).

The number of homes destroyed is now at 100.

I pray this number won't get any higher.

Wildfires Raging Across WA State

As of now scores of homes have been destroyed by several fires burning in the central, and/or eastern part of the state.

Leftist and Jihadi Detente

(Image by Dana Summers)

The unholy alliance between liberals and jihadis continue. 

Mark Steyn explains how this rare point of agreement exists between such two disparate groups.

Meanwhile, the US has very little to offer...

(Image by Branco)

Bad Anti-Gun Article Backfires

(Image by Branco)

Last year, Rolling Stone magazine ran an article glamorizing the Boston Marathon Bomber.

(Image by Branco)

Fast forward to two days ago, and Mike Walsh alerted us to the the most stupidest article about guns you will ever read.

Normally, I don't waste my time reading leftist claptrap in it's entirety.  But this all guns are bad article turned out to be too funny to pass up.  Not so much for the article itself, but those commenting heaped scorn upon the piece.

I've read two half-hearted attempts at defending the article, but otherwise, it's near 100% cyber rout of the anti-gun herd.

But backfires aren't limited to the gun grabbers either.  Apparently, the Gun Violence/Voting Pattern Map of 2012 is a hoax.

Like Christine Rousselle said, there's no reason to discredit the pro-Second Amendment cause with fakery.

(Image from the movie Lucky Luke)

Everyone Lives in a Border State Now

(Image by Branco)

Well Our Community Organizer in Chief has finally managed to organize something:  Growing opposition to illegal immigration.

The border crisis has pushed immigration to the top of the list of voter concerns.

Voters should be concerned.  Because sooner or later, they'll wake up and discover the "border" has expanded to their neighborhood.  With Our Dear Leader's minions dispersing illegal aliens all over the map, we're all border states now.

(Image by Dana Summers)

Here in the Pacific Northwest, folks are wondering whether or not portions of Joint Base Lewis-McChord will be converted to an illegal alien camp. 

(Image by Branco)

Many are starting to think Obama's (mis)handling of the situation isn't due to incompetence, it's a deliberate act, resulting in the DNC eating it's old constituents.

On-the-Job Politicking

(Image by Glenn Foden)

Well the HardDriveCrashAteMyE-Mails Virus has now spread to the Federal Elections Commission (FEC).

A FEC employee, one April Sands, plea-bargained her way out of criminal charges, thanks in-part, to a hard drive crash that destroyed her e-mails.

One would assume that someone in Obama's inner circle would be smart enough to edit the scandal script they've been reading from.

Meanwhile, our DOJ is hot on the trail of the creators of the Obama Presidential Library Outhouse Float. 

(Image by Lisa Benson)

Not About Violence Afterall

(mage by Robert Ariail)

A few days ago, The Diplomad called into question the leftist/mainstream media (MSM) narrative that the hordes of illegal aliens were streaming across our border to escape the "escalating violence" in what ever Central/South American country they cam from.

Yesterday, a leaked report from the El Paso Intelligence Center (EPIC), further shredded the Obama-Media Border Crisis Narrative.

Of course, I'm sure Our Dear Leader would love to blame someone else for his current problems...

(Image by Jerry Holbert)

Although in this case, Bush the Younger wasn't all that hard-core about strict immigration policies either.  Dubya's attempt at amnesty, in the form of support for the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007, was defeated. 

And while we're on the subject of shredding narratives, here's the tally, so far, of the costs of "doing the jobs Americans won't do."

Huntresses Need Not Apply

(Image from:  The Daily Mail)

With all the buzz over weapon-wielding female characters in movies like The Hunger Games and The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug--one would think folks would cheer on real gun-tottin' girl power.

Not so.

First, there was the hunting cheerleader, who earned the ire of the Indignant Towards Hunting herd.

Then there was the World Cup Beauty who saw her L'Oreal gig get sheered down to a one-time contract for a tutorial video.  All because she went on a safari.

Apparently, the act of hunting is a dis-qualifier for gainful employment.  Under normal circumstances, there's a word for this:  Discrimination.

It use to be huntresses were admired, even worshiped.

(Image found on:  Ethical Hunters UK blog)

But no longer.

From what little I know about hunting, The Texas Teen is correct:  Licensed hunting does in fact, pay for all sorts of wildlife conservation efforts. But this all falls on deaf ears among the Save Every Critter crowd.

Just how far the anti-hunting lunacy goes, was recently exposed by a jokester on Facebook.  Jay Branscomb posted an old candid shot of Jurassic Park, claiming Steve Spielberg shot a Triceratops.

 A good thing Mr. Spielberg wasn't going after Velociraptors.  They hunt back--in packs...

(Image from:  Villians Wikia)

Ode to a No Photo Op President

(Image from the Telegraph UK)

The other day on FOX's The Five, Greg Gutfeld waxed poetic about our Not Interested In Photo Ops Photo Op President.

As I trolled the internet in search of the best Not Photo Op Picture, I rediscovered the Obama/Cameron/Thorning-Schmidt Threesome Selfie. 

The only person not interested in a photo-op, at least in this case, is four's-a-crowd-girl Michelle.



For someone supposedly not interested in photo ops, Our Dear Leader managed to make the front page of several newspapers shortly after Nelson Mandela was laid to rest.

And not just here in the US, but abroad too...