I have been out of the loop for a few days and apparently, the world has been able to revolve without me paying attention. Shocking, I know, right? What has been going on?
1. The Supreme Court issued a decision that a city council meeting in a predominantly Christian towns with predominantly Christian inhabitants were free to have predominantly Christian prayers before each meeting if they choose. This was all came about because in Greece, New York, someone got in a snit about the predominately Christian prayers being said at this predominantly Christian town's public meeting...you guessed it...where they were having predominantly Christian prayers before each city council meeting. This someone actually kept count. Interestingly, when this was brought up to the Greece city council before 2008, the Greece city council said "Hey, you know, we never thought of that. You are right. So from now on, if anyone not Christian wants to provide a prayer or whatever that is non-Christian, let us know. We will be happy to oblige!" Apparently not enough non-Christians took them up on this offer, so the snit continued all the way to the Supreme Court who ruled that it was okay since no one was forced to participate. The usual suspects on the Supreme Court disagreed stating that if it makes someone uncomfortable, it shouldn't be allowed. And anyway, because they are the minority, they are just and right ones, but the majority are all Catholic, so they win. Why is it that no one complains when a predominantly non-Christian town does predominantly non-Christian stuff? Oh, wait they do. Predominantly Orthodox Jewish businesses in predominantly Orthodox Jewish neighborhoods in New York City have been cited with local "human rights" violations for posting signs in predominantly Orthodox Jewish businesses admonishing their potential patrons to wear modest clothes when doing business with them. Not that they have ever been accused of refusing service to anyone at anytime, but only that they posts sign that pretty much say "No shirts, no shoes, no service"...
2. The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform voted on Wednesday to recommend that Lois Lerner be charged with "Contempt of Congress" and refer her to the Department of Justice for refusing to answer questions about what the IRS was doing when it singled out conservative groups for "extra scrutiny". And by "extra scrutiny" I mean, audits and requesting additional intrusive information from conservative groups applying for 501(c)4 status not required by any liberal groups applying for the same status. Oh, and emailing applications and other private information to a certain Democratic Congressperson's offices right before said Democratic Congressperson publicly accuse one conservative group of being conservative causing the business of the leader of one group to be investigated by OSHA, the IRS and other government agencies. I know...I know holding up applications for up to 2 years [some are still waiting] or siccing every known government agency on a private business just because the owners aren't of your political persuasion doesn't seem like much, but when the IRS all but admitted that it was doing it, questions must be answered in full view of the American people.
3. BENGHAZI, BENGHAZI, BENGHAZI!!! Really, what difference does it make now? [Where have I heard that before??] With the newest emails revealed, it appears that the Obama administration et al. probably knowingly deceive the public into believing that the obvious 9/11/2012 terrorist attack (clearly a terrorist attack to most normal sentient beings] that killed Ambassador Chris Stevens and three others was not a planned attack at all, but “rooted in [an] Internet video” and not “a broader failure or policy”. Like say a policy failure that wanted everyone to believe that because Obama had taken Osama bin Laden out that Al Qaeda was on the run and no longer a global threat. When will politicians learn that the truth is always the better and easier road to take. Okay, I have to say this "Obama lied, people died"...there, I said it.
Okay, you know that drill. Discuss, don't discuss, change the subject...
1. The Supreme Court issued a decision that a city council meeting in a predominantly Christian towns with predominantly Christian inhabitants were free to have predominantly Christian prayers before each meeting if they choose. This was all came about because in Greece, New York, someone got in a snit about the predominately Christian prayers being said at this predominantly Christian town's public meeting...you guessed it...where they were having predominantly Christian prayers before each city council meeting. This someone actually kept count. Interestingly, when this was brought up to the Greece city council before 2008, the Greece city council said "Hey, you know, we never thought of that. You are right. So from now on, if anyone not Christian wants to provide a prayer or whatever that is non-Christian, let us know. We will be happy to oblige!" Apparently not enough non-Christians took them up on this offer, so the snit continued all the way to the Supreme Court who ruled that it was okay since no one was forced to participate. The usual suspects on the Supreme Court disagreed stating that if it makes someone uncomfortable, it shouldn't be allowed. And anyway, because they are the minority, they are just and right ones, but the majority are all Catholic, so they win. Why is it that no one complains when a predominantly non-Christian town does predominantly non-Christian stuff? Oh, wait they do. Predominantly Orthodox Jewish businesses in predominantly Orthodox Jewish neighborhoods in New York City have been cited with local "human rights" violations for posting signs in predominantly Orthodox Jewish businesses admonishing their potential patrons to wear modest clothes when doing business with them. Not that they have ever been accused of refusing service to anyone at anytime, but only that they posts sign that pretty much say "No shirts, no shoes, no service"...
2. The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform voted on Wednesday to recommend that Lois Lerner be charged with "Contempt of Congress" and refer her to the Department of Justice for refusing to answer questions about what the IRS was doing when it singled out conservative groups for "extra scrutiny". And by "extra scrutiny" I mean, audits and requesting additional intrusive information from conservative groups applying for 501(c)4 status not required by any liberal groups applying for the same status. Oh, and emailing applications and other private information to a certain Democratic Congressperson's offices right before said Democratic Congressperson publicly accuse one conservative group of being conservative causing the business of the leader of one group to be investigated by OSHA, the IRS and other government agencies. I know...I know holding up applications for up to 2 years [some are still waiting] or siccing every known government agency on a private business just because the owners aren't of your political persuasion doesn't seem like much, but when the IRS all but admitted that it was doing it, questions must be answered in full view of the American people.
3. BENGHAZI, BENGHAZI, BENGHAZI!!! Really, what difference does it make now? [Where have I heard that before??] With the newest emails revealed, it appears that the Obama administration et al. probably knowingly deceive the public into believing that the obvious 9/11/2012 terrorist attack (clearly a terrorist attack to most normal sentient beings] that killed Ambassador Chris Stevens and three others was not a planned attack at all, but “rooted in [an] Internet video” and not “a broader failure or policy”. Like say a policy failure that wanted everyone to believe that because Obama had taken Osama bin Laden out that Al Qaeda was on the run and no longer a global threat. When will politicians learn that the truth is always the better and easier road to take. Okay, I have to say this "Obama lied, people died"...there, I said it.
Okay, you know that drill. Discuss, don't discuss, change the subject...
the current administration, their scandals, and the failure of most media to cover them makes me very, very angry, but I try to not dwell on. Still, I am not now "ready for Hillary" nor will I ever be. The former executive in charge of "bimbo eruption" management has a lot to answer for, particularly regarding Benghazi. The one thing she has been successful at during her career is escaping getting caught on her wrongdoing. On the positive side, I stayed up late streaming a live Richard Thompson concert from Grass Valley, Oregon.
ReplyDeleteBev, It's crazy that Christians should be allowed to pray. LOL! Actually, that's kind of where the law is these days -- as long as everyone who wants a shot gets a shot, you can do most anything that doesn't cost money.
ReplyDeleteJed, My late night viewings are never that cool. They usually involve movies with titles like "Escape From the Moon VII".
As an aside, after my article about the 92 million, Drudge changed the claim. Now he says that 58 million "working age Americans" are not working. The implication remains that they are lazy bastards. But here's the breakdown:
ReplyDelete20.3 million are college students
6 million are stay-at-home moms
2.3 million are in prison
1 million are 16-17 year olds and shouldn't have been included as most are still in high school
18 million are unemployed
That comes to 47.6 million.
The other "missing" 11 million are illegals, who do work but don't get counted as working. So once again, the real issue is the 18 million. And trust me, that's a bad enough figure that is more than enough to be driving policy and debate. That's more than the population of 46 states. That is a crisis.
I love the word "oversight" because it's a contranym, a word that can be its own opposite. In this case, oversight can mean either to supervise or a failure to notice something. I think of that every time I hear "House Oversight Committee."
ReplyDeleteThe Benghazi incident is so shameful. Even if the military had not been able to help, this administration should have at least tried..as that general put it, "Go to the gunfire." But not these clowns...speaking of clowns, I haven't heard a lot from Biden lately..The media is trying to put Hillary in the WH by acclamation,,,
ReplyDeleteCritch - Ah yes, don't you feel more acclimated to Hillary with each moment Monica Lewinsky bears her soul?
ReplyDeleteTryanmax - Good observation about "oversight". It does take on a real Orwellian tinge when played by the government. And the problem and the solution all wrapped in one word.
ReplyDeleteTennJ - I think the reason that nothing ever touches Hillary just like nothing ever touched Bill is their machine is flawless. They know just what to feed to the masses to cause a war between the fringes and get the heat off of themselves. It has worked every time. Even the "birther" issue that was originally raised by the Hillary camp in 2007 has worked beautifully as Clinton plot device. The Clintons can always count on the fringes to make people forget.
ReplyDeleteBev, You mean like this...
ReplyDeleteSane Republican: "Huh, the Clinton's may have lied about something here. We should look into this and see what this is about. It could be seriou---"
Fringe: "OGM!! IMPEACH THE CLINTON'S IT'S END TIMES!!! WHY WON'T YOU RINOS IMPEACH!!!"
Sane Republican: "Uh. For what?"
Fringe: "IMPEACH NOW!! IT'S END TIMES!!"
//public snickers and walks away.
YES!!! ANDREW THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT I MEAN!!!!! AAAAAHHHHH
ReplyDeleteAnd this -
Sane person (Generic): Hmmm, the IRS admitted that it was targeting conservative groups. Perhaps we should ask questions of Lois Lerne.......
Fringe (Liberal): RACISTS!!!! THERE IS NOTHING TO SEE HERE...LOOK OVER THERE....IT'S GEORGE BUSH'S FAULT!!!!
Bev, Yep. That's the other side of the same fringy coin. Although, the way you've said it kind of implies some level of strategy. In most cases, it really goes like this:
ReplyDeleteSane person: //exists... says nothing.
Feminists: YOU EVIL PATRIARCHS ARE ALL RAPISTS!! WE NEED TO ELIMINATE ALL MEN!!
Race Fringe: HOW RACIST!! HOW DARE YOU EXIST!! WE NEED TO ELIMINATE ALL WHITES!!
Enviro Fringe: YOU'RE DESTROYING THE EARTH!! WE NEED TO ELIMINATE ALL PEOPLE!!
Gay Fringe: ACCEPT ME!! ACCEPT ME NOW!! EVERYONE IS GAY!! ADMIT IT!!
Sane person: "WTF?"
Feminists: HATE CRIME HATE CRIME!! YOU'RE WORSE THAN HITLER!
Race Fringe: HATE CRIME HATE CRIME!! YOU'RE WORSE THAN HITLER!
Enviro Fringe: HATE CRIME HATE CRIME!! YOU'RE WORSE THAN HITLER!
Since the primaries in the last proved promising a shift back to sane, seasoned politicians it appears that both fringes are losing their audience and reasonable people are tuning them out (as you predicted!). Maybe the fringes will begin to wear out or get hoarse or tongue whip-lash or protest-itis...
ReplyDeleteI DON'T THINK SO!!!!! BUT A GIRL CAN DREAM, CAN'T SHE???
Bev, The fringes will always be there, but if their influence vanishes, then they become irrelevant again. What will interest me next is that the fringe left seems to be building to an anybody but Hillary stance. So they may yet erupt... which will be fun to watch. :)
ReplyDeleteAs an aside, has anyone ever been bitten by a Vermicious Knid? Do those bites need antibiotics or is icing it enough? I'm thinking chocolate might help. Sounds like a good excuse to eat chocolate, doesn't it?
ReplyDeleteOH, NO!!!! Not a Vermicious Knid! You must, must, must eat as much chocolate as you possibly can without throwing up. That is the only cure...or if the bites are itchy, try heat packs...heat packs filled with chocolate sauce.
ReplyDeleteAs for the fringes, you are right they will always be with us. They have just been amplified by the internet access. Everyone with a grievance can go viral in minutes, but with that comes unwanted scrutiny. Fortunately, I think most people are wising up and tuning the noise out.
ReplyDeleteHmm... a chocolate sauce compress! :D
ReplyDeleteBev, That's kind of the way of the web. It starts with promise. In come the crazies who ruin it for everyone. People start to realize the game the crazies play and they tune them out. Then the net becomes useful again.
I still remember how flamers killed all the early boards, how trolls wiped out tons of things when people weren't prepared to deal with them, and how frausters infected legitimate sites. People have learned to move past those and the net is a much stronger place for it.
But didn't you hear? Tea Party Incumbent Walter Jones successfully defended his seat against the GOP Establishment's candidate. That proves that the Tea Party is still strong! They're just all holed-up in Greenville, is all.
ReplyDeleteAnd Clay Aiken (of American Idol fame) is leading by 400 votes in the Dem congressional primary in North Carolina...so that's one for us and one for them. That might balance it out.
ReplyDeleteSeriously, there are a few...a very, very, very few Tea Party supported candidates who are actually good seasoned politicians and not entirely wackadoodles. We actually had one running against Kristan Gillibrand (Sen/NY) in 2012 - Wendy Long. But she got trounce because she just couldn't get $ support.
The left fringe has as many wackadoodlish candidates as the right does. The DNC just has a better stranglehold on their fringe.
Bev, you're not alone. I haven't been paying too much attention to events this week. Been too invested in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. (I'll refrain from mentioning a "certain series;" instead, I'll just scold the Canadiens for not beating accursed Boston in OT tonight- "Bad Habs! Bad!") And what news I've have seen has been 'meh.'
ReplyDeleteAndrew, two things: first, I don't think the fringe left are the only Dems in the 'anybody but Hillary' crowd. I think most rational Dems would love to see the Clintons- all of them- squeezed into an uncomfortable Russian rocket and shot across the solar system and into the hellish core of Planet Jupiter. I think they're reluctant to embrace Hillary, and- like in 2008- will happily support anyone else who comes along.
And second, don't feel ashamed about watching "Escape From the Moon VII." I, for one, like the scene where the hero obviously misses a punch, but still throws the beastly bad guy onto an obvious shock mat that the editor forgot to remove before the model pit was re-superimposed on the scene. We don't have enough good late night TV like that. I say, get your Joel on and enjoy the experience.
And you know, since this is Bev's post, let me elaborate on my first point this way...
The rank and file of the Democratic Party/Gambino Crime Family, after years of getting by/stability, find themselves getting an unpopular leader in Hillary Clinton/Paul Castellano forced upon them. The stated reasons from the Entrenched DNC/Carlo Gambino are that the country/crime family needs a female president/someone whose expertise is white collar crimes so that growth can continue.
ReplyDeleteFor a while, the rank and file put up with this. This is made possible as the media/Anthony Dellacroce play peacemaker, keeping potential dissent at bay. However, the arrogance and entitlement of the "chosen one" becomes too much to bear. And, of course, Hillary/Paul gets angry at the rank and file for questioning her legitimacy/dealing drugs against Cosa Nostra rules (mainly to make back the extra cash the don was forcing the crews to pay). Then tragedy strikes when the media/Anthony Dellacroce can't decide who to throw under the bus, play cards with, or support without it all looking like a farce/dies of cancer.
This, inevitably, leads to open rebellion during the primary/Mafia Commission Trial. Hillary/Paul, believing themselves to be untouchable (an ironic use of the word in this context, I know), actually set themselves up for disaster. Powerful, rising stars/capos decide to take the nomination/leadership for themselves. Hillary/Paul is then torpedoed by their people. Andrew Cuomo(?)/John Gotti take the initiative, following Obama's example of portraying Hillary as incompetent and unfit for office, leading to (another) upset in primary season/gunning down Paul in front of Sparks Steak House.
In the end, Cuomo(?)/John satisfy the rank and file for a time, but their sudden power lust and need for attention dooms them. Cuomo(?)/John blurts out things he shouldn't that damage his image in the eyes of voters who aren't New York lefties/gets caught on FBI surveillance tapes and finally goes to trial with his own underboss testifying against him.
The entire saga finishes with an unprepared-for-national office Cuomo(?)/John unable to field public problems as well as Hillary/Paul did and end up losing the election/getting convicted and dying of cancer in prison.
The GOP nominee/public and law enforcement win the day.
Or is that too optimistic? Ah, fuggetaboutit...
Need a place to vent a frustration. This will work. I just came across an article that I probably won't read past the lead, which stated "For decades, guns have been stuck in a technological backwater." A cursory glance reveals the article is about smart-guns--you know, the sci-fi-cum-reality of guns that will only fire for the owner. Neat stuff, but "technological backwater" stuff irks me because it simply isn't true.
ReplyDeleteWe see this every time some product that liberals think is evil makes an advancement that liberals think will mitigate the evil. All advancements leading up to that are ignored; product X has been stuck in the dark ages until now! You see this especially with cars. We live in a virtual renaissance of vehicular safety and efficiency, yet every time some minor innovation is introduced, we've been clunking around in smoke-belching steel death-traps until yesterday.
It all comes back to this inexplicable desire to view the world as worse than it is. And it drives me nuts!
If the Smart Guns are so reliable I want to see Bloomberg's bodyguards, the Secret Service and Christie's bodyguards carrying them. Those pistols are lucky to get through a magazine (it's not a clip) without a malfunction.
ReplyDeleteCritch - I will take that one step further. If Bloomberg feels that guns are bad and they should be banned, then he should lead by example and dump his armed body guards altogether. During his reign as Mayor of NYC, he had armed police outside his door standing watch 24/7/365. When he had his photo ops on the subway...armed guards. When he flew on his private jet to his private home in Bermuda every weekend, he had/has special permission by the Bermudian Gov't for his guards to be armed. Private citizens in Bermuda are not allowed to be armed.
ReplyDelete