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Showing posts from May, 2009

Ahoy Mateys!

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The youngest 2 boys enjoy exploring a pirate ship while big bro finishes his last day at Sunday school. Testing out blogging via mobile phone.

Silence is Required

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Ed Morrisey on Hot Air complains , "Silencing dissent and criticism is “necessary under the unique circumstances of the stimulus program”? Gee, what “unique circumstances” might those be? Perhaps the fact that it costs more than the Moon shot, and has yet to halt the economic skid. Maybe it’s the fact that most of the stimulus package doesn’t actually stimulate anything except doctrinaire liberal dreams and the pens that check off the items from the Democratic wish list. Remember when the Left took to the streets to declare dissent “patriotic” during wartime? I didn’t have a problem with dissent then, but apparently the Left has a curious definition of “patriotism”. Now, suddenly, the federal government can silence their critics at will, not to protect critical national-security programs or keep from undermining a war effort, but to protect a Democratic president intent on seizing control of private industry across a wide swath of the nation. Suddenly, that kind of dissent t

Feeling Disney Today

I was reading through the kids' book-order forms, looking longingly at the Cinderella Princess Collection. Sigh. I have 4 boys at home, so I will not be ordering this book. But that doesn't mean I can't reminisce. My favorite disney book was always Cinderella. I remember getting in trouble as a kid because my mother would find me after bedtime reading on the floor of my bedroom by the light from the hall with the door cracked open. And the movie itself has a really beautiful love song. Great music and lyrics. So welcome to the lovely ladies of Ann's VGNO . Here is my musical tribute for the day: So this is love, Mmmmmm So this is love So this is what makes life divine I'm all aglow, Mmmmmm And now I know The key to all heaven is mine My heart has wings, Mmmmmm And I can fly I'll touch ev'ry star in the sky So this is the miracle that I've been dreaming of Mmmmmm Mmmmmm So this is love

Reading my local paper...

...gave me some insight into the recent CA voting. "More than 80 percent of (my town's) voters opposed all four of the propositions dealing with funding; 58 percent voted in favor of the proposition saying elected officials wouldn’t get raises during budget deficit years," according to ocregister.com . You might guess I live in a conservative zone, and you would be right. Here are web comment printed in the local paper. " grendelsmom wrote: The failure of these propositions now tears off the civilized veneer of our legislators. Without ample flow of our tax dollars, the dogs, in Sacramento, will be tearing at each others throats for scraps of credibility and revenue. topviet wrote: This is a lesson for politicians. ranchhand wrote: Simply stated, It is time for Arnold and his cast to be TERMINATED yourface wrote: All this debt and they still will not touch the unions. Any my personal favorite: alleykat1 wrote: Hmm, I’m as liberal as they come, and I also voted N

Face to Face With My Own Extremism

This was written by Matt on Resist Net : "My name is Matt and I am a right wing extremist. One of King Obama’s Court Jesters, Janet Napolitano, has designated me as such not too long ago. This, of course, is hardly the first time that the Orwellian Left has called patriots who love America “Extremist.” If you listened to these people you’d think a mad scientist cloned a mixture of Hitler, Hoover and Torquemada and got him elected president every time a Republican sat in the White House. Isn’t it sad to be so tightly wrapped? But then, as I looked back over the course of History, I realized that the Left was right (ha!) to label us extremists. We are. People who love Liberty and hate Tyranny are a threat to tyrants, obviously. But also lovers of Liberty are, by definition, extremist. Of the two hundred and some countries on this planet, more than half are governed by Dictators whose main virtue is they aren’t as bad as Idi Amin. Not every country is that lucky, however. Most of E

Sotomayor?

Jeffrey Rosen of The New Republic writes, "But despite the praise from some of her former clerks, and warm words from some of her Second Circuit colleagues, there are also many reservations about Sotomayor. Over the past few weeks, I've been talking to a range of people who have worked with her, nearly all of them former law clerks for other judges on the Second Circuit or former federal prosecutors in New York. Most are Democrats and all of them want President Obama to appoint a judicial star of the highest intellectual caliber who has the potential to change the direction of the court. Nearly all of them acknowledged that Sotomayor is a presumptive front-runner, but nearly none of them raved about her. They expressed questions about her temperament, her judicial craftsmanship, and most of all, her ability to provide an intellectual counterweight to the conservative justices, as well as a clear liberal alternative. The most consistent concern was that Sotomayor, although an a

My favorite pirate

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With all the talk about pirates lately, I find myself somewhat dissatisfied. I think it is because they all fall short of the gold standard. Errol Flynn in Captain Blood. Now THAT was a movie!

Marriage is between a man and a woman in CA

The CA state supreme court ruled to uphold the passage of proposition 8 by the voters of CA. Marriage will be between a man and a woman. Gays can have equal rights, but must call the union something else.

Power Bloggers

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"Netanyahu understands that peace will only come to the Middle East when the Iranian Regime quits funding and supplying weapons to Hamas, Hezbollah, Syria and the radical Islamists in the Middle East. When you solve the Iranian problem, you solve the Israeli problem. Netanyahu met with a group of American bloggers back in 2007: Seated: Former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Scott Johnson from Powerline in the background. Standing (l-r) Andrew Breitbart- Breitbart.com and The Drudge Report, Andrew's good friend Laurence Solov, Jeff Emanuel from RedState and myself ( Gateway Pundit )."--from Gateway Pundit. I hope the Israeli people know that the American people support them, despite what our leaders say. They need to do what they need to do to keep safe.

Memorial Day

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Lovin' These Bloggers

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Cool Conservatives: I have noticed more and more wonderful conservative blogs popping up on the web lately, or maybe they were there and just now I noticed. Some new, some old. Enjoy them! Here are links and profile notes from them. Clifton B : I am a black conservative from a black conservative family. I was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York and finally settled in New Jersey. Throughout my life I knew I did not share many of the common beliefs of other American blacks. For starters, I never took to the term African-American. I have meet too many real Africans who are now Americans, to ever with a straight face say we share something in common other than skin tones. Their history and culture is truly a unique and is a completely different experience from my own. My culture is distinctly American, from the way I speak, think, dress and act and you know what else? I love it! So for me, I will always be an American who just happens to be black. I put myself and my beliefs out here

Open Letter to the President of the US

We must remain steadfast in our principles. Great video, thank you to Conservative Scalawag .

Are We the Laughing Stock of the World?

Here is an opinion article from Pravda.ru about the loss of American Capitalism. Sad. American Capitalism Gone With A Whimper It must be said, that like the breaking of a great dam, the American decent into Marxism is happening with breath taking speed, against the back drop of a passive, hapless sheeple, excuse me dear reader, I meant people. True, the situation has been well prepared on and off for the past century, especially the past twenty years. The initial testing grounds was conducted upon our Holy Russia and a bloody test it was. But we Russians would not just roll over and give up our freedoms and our souls, no matter how much money Wall Street poured into the fists of the Marxists. Those lessons were taken and used to properly prepare the American populace for the surrender of their freedoms and souls, to the whims of their elites and betters. First, the population was dumbed down through a politicized and substandard education system based on pop culture, rather then the

The love of a lifetime

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I know I just posted this pic a day or 2 ago. There was something I forgot to mention. The best part of this photograph is that it pictures true love. My grandfather died when I was 10, so I didn't get to know him all that well. My grandmother lived until I was 24, and I remember how she spoke about him. The longing. The fondness. The sentimentality. I remember Max the Bulldog, a stuffed animal that was given to Grandpa not long before he died. It became sacred. I learned that she slept with his (worn) t-shirt under her pillow. I remember them together, through the eyes of a child. I remember her cooking, and he *always* did the dishes. This was back in the late 60s, early 70s, and that was not all that common. I asked him why he washed the dishes every night. He said that if he didn't, there would be soap left on them, and he didn't want to eat soap. That surprised me at the time, and over the years I have come to believe that there was a deeper reason. He

CA politicians attack the children

CA politicians have decided how to exact revenge against Californians for Tuesday's defeat at the polls. They are closing all the poison control centers. CA will be the only state without one, according to KABC 10.70am. The center receives about 900 calls per day. This will increase cost to the state by about 70 million in emergency room visits. And maybe cost some children's lives. This is part if the nuclear scenario. What a relief to hear that the CA teachers and other unions will not be asked to make any sacrifices. That would be awful.

Britney's summer vacation with new BF at the Caribbeans

Britney Spears took her family (father, brother and two sons) and her new boyfriend, who’s none other than her own agent Jason Trawick for a much needed vacation in the Caribbean before she gets back to flashing fans her tampon strings on stage in other U.S cities. Droopy butt aside, Britney loved showing off her toned body and abs while playing with the water, sand and her new man in a skimpy brown bikini and…a shark door bell on her belly button (ok, we said she’s getting her act together, but that doesn’t mean she’s growing more brain cells as well)…which probably functions like a garage door when you pull it… WATCH THEM AT THE BEACH - CLICK HERE

Britney Feeling Clothes-less

Britney Spears did not hesitate for a second to take her top off during the shot of her music video. The only thing missing from Britney Spears' meltdown and resurrection of recent years has been a bunch of topless photos. That was before never seen outtakes from the set of 'Gimme More' was leaked, in which, we can see an intoxicated looking topless Britney Spears pole-dancing. Britney is covering her breasts with only a star shaped sticker or paint. The outtakes from the set of her 2007 video are not the sexiest things ever but she is topless and we can see some nipples. It is entirely possible a drunken Britney colored all over her exposed breasts with magic marker and demanded they shoot the video "mah way, y'all." Britney Spears who is currently in Europe on tour for her Circus Tour with Hip-Hop R&B music singer and dancer Ciara as a supporting act, finally gave us a topless view of her tits. I just wished she had done this ten years earlier when she w

Mixed Feelings

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I am determined NOT to let my negative feelings for a certain political figure who comes from the Chicago area to taint my memories of my original home town and birthplace. I must admit that I get a grim look, sometimes, as I look over my mug collection, and decide which one to use. But Darn it! There are a LOT of great people who live in that wonderful city. Among those my aunt, uncle, cousins, nieces and nephews. And the memory of my beloved grandmother remains with me always. She was a rock in the stormy seas of my childhood. I love Chicago.

GPS could fail by next year?

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The failure could affect those with GPS on their auto navigation systems, boats and cell phones. "The Global Positioning System faces the possibility of failures and blackouts, a federal watchdog agency has warned the U.S. Congress. Mismanagement by and underinvestment by the U.S. Air Force places the GPS at risk of failure in 2010 and beyond. The problem: Delays in launching replacement satellites, among other things. According to the Government Accountability Office report, "In recent years, the Air Force has struggled to successfully build GPS satellites within cost and schedule goals" as part of a $2 billion modernization program. 'If the Air Force does not meet its schedule goals for development of GPS IIIA satellites, there will be an increased likelihood that in 2010, as old satellites begin to fail, the overall GPS constellation will fall below the number of satellites required to provide the level of GPS service that the U.S. government commits to.'"

It's my cup of tea

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For Veronica Lee , who asked to see my coffee mug collection (mercifully small), here is the first. This scientific mug was purchased at the Discovery Science Center in Santa Ana, on a visit there with my now 18-y-o son. All the boys (and girl) love that place. My favorite part is the "shake shack" where you go into an elevator-like device, press a button, and it starts slamming you back and forth ala-earthquake. The view off of my bedroom balcony is somewhat less than relaxing with the men working hard to install the deck railing, but it is nice to see progress.

How to Catch Wild Pigs

There was a Chemistry professor in a large college that had some exchange students in the class. One day while the class was in the lab the Prof noticed one young man (exchange student) who kept rubbing his back, and stretching as if his back hurt. The professor asked the young man what was the matter. The student told him he had a bullet lodged in his back. He had been shot while fighting communists in his native country who were trying to overthrow his country's government and install a new communist government. In the midst of his story he looked at the professor and asked a strange question. He asked, 'Do you know how to catch wild pigs?' The professor thought it was a joke and asked for the punch line. The young man said this was no joke. 'You catch wild pigs by finding! a suitable place in the woods and putting corn on the ground. The pigs find it and begin to come everyday to eat the free corn. When they are used to coming every day, you put a fence down one side

Truths about Socialized Healthcare

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There is an old Chinese curse: May you get what you wish for. Our healthcare is far from perfect, but it is still better than the alternatives. Here are some statistics for you. Percentage of people who wait more than 4 months for surgery: 23% in Australia 26% in New Zealand 27% in Canada 36% in United Kingdom 5% in US Heart surgery in the UK done 1/4 of the rate as done in the United States Dialysis patients wait 62 days in Canada for blood-vessel access - 16 days in the United States 1.8 Million people are waiting for hospital care or outpatient treatment at any given time in the UK 160 day waiting period for knee replacement surgery in Norway UK has 1/4 of CT scanners per capita of the US UK has 1/3 of MRI scanners per capita of the US UK provides only 1/4 of the rate of the US for coronary-bypass surgery US provides life saving kidney treatments at the rate of 9 times than the UK for people over the age of 85 (Can you say rationing?) Only one in ten adult Canadians have had a colon

This is the evidence...

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...that I attended a bridal shower today. Here I am with the bride-to-be.

Torture--North Korean Style

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I am getting tired of hearing liberal whiners' angst at splashing water in the face of terrorists. North Korean defector Bang Mi-sun shows her torture scars at a press conference in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday. /Yonhap For the rest of America- here's a report on real torture. The Chosun Ilbo reported: There were gasps in the audience at a press conference by female North Korean defectors in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday when Bang Mi-sun rolled up her black skirt and showed the deep ugly scars in her thighs. The event was part of North Korea Freedom Week. As soon as she was asked to recount her life in a North Korean concentration camp, Bang (55) stepped on a chair and roll up her skirt. Various parts of her thighs were sunken as if the flesh had been gouged out. She also walks with a limp. Bang had formerly been an actress with the propaganda squad of the Musan Mine. She fled the North with her children when her husband starved to death in 2002, but soon fell vi

Personal Update

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Yes, Mother's Day went well. Very well. In fact, I hesitate to brag about it. My daughter drove in from college. She and I went out Saturday night for dinner and had some nice girl talk. Sunday brunch with her brought more girl talk. Then we took all 5 older kids to the beach for fun in the sun. She drove back to college from there, and the boys and I went out to a local Japanese Teppan Grill that night. Boys LOVE it when they throw food in the air. There was a nice post on Breastfeeding Moms Unite this past week that described how single moms of very young children sometimes miss out on Mother's Day festivities, because their kids are so young. That is true. I spent 11 years as a single mom. Now that my kids are older, everything has come full circle. Each stage of childhood brings new vistas. When children become adults, the scenery changes again, and still for the better. It is a pleasure reaching the point where you each value the other, forging bonds of frie

American Form of Government

This video describes how America is a Constitutional Republic, not a Democracy. Why was this not taught in my public school? Thank you Oathkeepers for posting this.

The Obama Card

Cute, 30-second video produced by the RNC, hot on Twitter, according to Lisa Graas . There are some things your tax money shouldn't buy, but that's not going to stop him from trying.

Holocaust Cartoon

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Sounds like a contradiction. It's not. This is well done, tasteful and reminds us never to forget. Click the picture to see it larger.

Oathkeepers on the Mall June 13, 2009

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I came across a comment on the Oathkeepers website that explained what they are doing in a nutshell. The comment is anonymous: "Reasons why I will attend the Oathkeepers Muster: 1. To support the courageous Active Duty servicemen and women and Peace Officers who will be there affirming their oath to support and defend the Constitution. 2. To offer confidence to the American citizenry at-large, that we who have taken our oath to support and defend their Constitutional Rights, will in no way - shape - or form betray that sacred trust. 3. To place on notice, a warning to any officer who might give unlawful orders to his or her subordinates that would violate the Constitutional Rights of the American citizenry, that their actions will not be tolerated; that such orders constitute treason and that prosecution under such charges will be relentlessly pursued. 4. To draw a clear line whereby the government understands its limits, and if it were to violate such, will have broken the supr

Boycott GE

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I have been bothered by the GE-MSNBC connection for months now. I ran across this post and I think it is time to speak out against this corrupt company. "GE is the Marxist choice for corporation of the year. They received 160 BILLION in bailout funds but have no conditions imposed upon them by the Obama Administration. With the Banks, GM, Chrysler they all had to agree to let Obama run the companies, Obama installed CEO's limited pay and recently with Chrysler cut the advertising budget in half because Obama thinks he knows how much they should spend. Bonus's are eliminated or taxed to death but none of this happened with GE. GE along with Intel and GE subsidiary PMSNBC are all working on forced Government control of health records and the propaganda that will go along with it by that I mean PMSNBC must create 5000 propaganda messages a year extolling the greatness of Obama, the Democrats, Marxist Health Care, and this records nightmare. Members of the Obama Administra

When Bibi meets Obama

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Make sure to click on the cartoon to see it larger. Obama instructs Israel on how to achieve possible peace. From Dry Bones blog.

Welfare

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In honor of getting American welfare/earned-income-credit rolls over 50%, therefore ensuring a Democrat/Socialist majority forever, I dedicate this fine art poster.

Independence

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During WWII the Japanese decided not to invade America because they knew most Americans were ARMED!

Divorce Agreement

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Dear American liberals, leftists, social progressives, socialists, Marxists and Obama supporters, et al: We have stuck together since the late 1950's, but the whole of this latest election process has made me realize that I want a divorce. I know we tolerated each other for many years for the sake of future generations, but sadly, this relationship has run its course. Our two ideological sides of America cannot and will not ever agree on what is right so let's just end it on friendly terms. We can smile and chalk it up to irreconcilable differences and go our own way. Here is a model separation agreement:Our two groups can equitably divide up the country by landmass each taking a portion. That will be the difficult part, but I am sure our two sides can come to a friendly agreement. After that, it should be relatively easy! Our respective representatives can effortlessly divide other assets since both sides have such distinct and disparate tastes. We don't like redistributiv

Penn and Teller--Patriotism and Ambiguity

Thank you Chicago News Bench for posting this video. This was filmed in 2007. I think it has special meaning today.

Joy in my Life

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It's the kids. I gotta say. They are great. My kids and I are planning a big beach trip on Sunday, Mother's Day. I can't wait. My daughter is driving in from college, my 10-y-o is here this weekend, and the others will be there too. It has been a while since I have spent time at the beach with my daughter. Here is a picture from the last time. She brings so much joy to my life. Can you see why? And a Happy VGNO to all you wonderful mommies!

The Ghost and Mrs. Muir

One of my favorite movies of all time. An exquisite romance. Trailer: First 10 minutes of movie:

Medical Personnel Leaving the U S

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The first wave of emigration has started. Those medical professionals who are spooked by Obama's Healthcare proposals have just received their passports in the mail. And they are leaving. I can't name names. But they are going somewhere in the Southern Hemisphere and they don't plan to come back. But this is so premature , you say. Are they nuts? Perhaps. But I can tell you that there is chaos and fear rampant in American hospitals today. Everybody is angry and scared. Many doctors are at their wits end. They have seen their reimbursements drop 40% in the past decade, with no let-up in astronomical malpractice insurance premiums. Some can take the uncertainty and persevere, hoping for the best. Some people just can't take it. And medical personnel are not generally the "stand and fight" kind of people. They don't even blog. The official term for this is brain drain . According to Wikipedia, "Brain drain or human capital flight is a la

I've been tagged by Jan's Place

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Jan's Place tagged me with the topic: "SIX UNIMPORTANT THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY" in no particular order of unimportance... 1. Personal emails. Not group ones. A letter written from one friend to another. 2. Cool afternoon breezes off the ocean. 80% of the time where I live we get fresh ocean breezes around 4pm. You can open up the windows and the house is filled with clean air in no time. 3. Coffee mugs. Did I mention I collect these? I like to savor the memories of travel and loved ones as I enjoy a cup of tea or decaf coffee. 4. Godiva Chocolates. You can argue about different brands and countries of origin. Argue all you want. Just leave the Godivas for me! 5. Mother's Day craft projects my kids bring home from school. I can't wait to see them! 6. Chatting with my neighbors. Our neighborhood has grown closer since the CA wildfire. We used to be a typical CA neighborhood. Don't get to know your neighbors. They may be an axe murderer, o

I joined the NRA

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Can you believe it? I, myself, a 40-something-year-old American mother-of-6, joined the National Rifle Association . Not only did I join, but I paid in advance for an extra year of membership. Why? Because I feel that our rights as citizens of this country are under attack . And the Second Amendment to the Constitution is one of those VERY important rights that needs to be defended. I sent in my money. Those of you who know me from way back are aware that I have studied Karate , Jujitsu and Judo, along with brief work with ancient types of Japanese weapons. While studying at those dojos, I was invited to trips to the shooting range, and took courses there, most memorably a combat pistol shooting course. It was educational and informative. I believe strongly in gun safety. I also believe in Americans' right to defend themselves against all enemies, foreign and domestic. And, as a woman who has received death threats in the past from an Ex (a firearms expert), I have perso

This Is No Longer Funny

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American Thinker wrote a great piece: "It's no longer funny. This is serious. What was initially a comedy of errors and gaffes is now becoming a serious threat to our security, our economy and our way of life. Initially, I thought that this guy would float his trial balloons aimed at taking us to the left... test the waters, so-to-speak. He did. We watched. When nobody shot these balloons down, or stood up to the radical changes he proposed, he and Rahm became even more brazen. Initially, I thought that regardless of his left-leaning motivations, he surely would not endanger the people of America or cause them undue hardships as a result of his desires? How wrong I was! This man...the administration couldn't give a damn about the people or their suffering, as long as it advances their agenda and creates a future throng of democratic voters who are addicted to the state. It's time for us to recognize that this President, his cabinet, his staff, his Supreme Court

Tea Party Patriots Demand Apology

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President Obama, Speaker Pelosi, and Others Owe 1.2 Million Tea Partiers an Apology - The American People Deserve Better From Their Elected Representatives and Are Beginning to Demand It Among the political class it has apparently become acceptable, and even fashionable, for American politicians from the President on down to mock the citizens they represent. In a development that can only further denigrate the discourse necessary to any effective democracy, politicians and the "serious" news media are now mocking citizens regularly and with impunity. Supported by mainstream journalists on MSNBC and CNN who themselves use sexual slurs on national television to mock and attack the same citizens, the politicians openly demonstrate their feelings of superiority in regard to those they were elected to represent. They now candidly express their disdain for a significant portion of the American population without threat of reprisal by the mainstream media. On the morning of the

Are we all biased?

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Conservatives have a bias in favor of protecting crime/terrorism victims, even if it means sometimes going too far in punishing the criminal..... Liberals have a bias in favor of protecting the criminal/terrorists, even if it means putting innocent people at risk. It is well known that people tend to favor those who they subconsciously identify with. Food for thought.

Where are you going

The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who, in times of great moral crisis, maintain their neutrality. Dante

"White House Directly Threatened my Client"--Chrysler Lender Attorney

Thank you to Rural Red . Is the Obama Administration making threats? "Lauria: Let me tell you it’s no fun standing on this side of the fence opposing the President of the United States. In fact, let me just say, people have asked me who I represent. That’s a moving target. I can tell you for sure that I represent one less investor today than I represented yesterday. One of my clients was directly threatened by the White House and in essence compelled to withdraw its opposition to the deal under the threat that the full force of the White House Press Corps would destroy its reputation if it continued to fight. That’s how hard it is to stand on this side of the fence. Beckman: Was that Perella Weinberg? Lauria: That was Perella Weinberg."

Barber Shop Signs

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His haircut was not done yet, but who can resist this smile? Every time I go to the barber shop with the boys, I read and reread the same signs.

The Bride Keeps up Pretences

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"So if voters differ so fundamentally with the president on the very essence of his program, why do they accord him high ratings? They are like the recently married bride who took her vows 100 days ago. It would be a disaster for her life if she decides that she really doesn’t like her husband. But she keeps noticing things about him that she can’t stand. It will be a while before she walks out the door or even comes to terms with her own doubts, but it is probably inevitable that she will." -- Dick Morris Edited to add: A special welcome to Ann's VGNO! Answer to the question of the day. Yes, I brought something to a potluck that nobody ate. As a child, one of my favorite salads was wilted spinach salad, served warm, with bacon and warm bacon grease was part of the salad dressing. The problem occurred when I took this dish to a New Year's Eve party, and it was a cold night and the salad was cold by the time I got there. The salad looked HORRIBLE, soaked in cold co