Mutual Harmony

In my retirement years, I look more closely at commercials, ads, and movies; and the inconsistencies, poor grammar, and occasional misinformation stand out like red flags.  I just don’t think the current crop of writers is up to snuff, especially those in the advertisement industry.

Money Mutual has an advertisement with a picture of Montel Williams: Get a short term cash loan of up to $1,000 by tomorrow.**  Per Montel: ‘Money Mutual’s online network is a cash source you can trust for finding a short term cash loan quickly and easily.’

It states further:  “…a cash advance is a signature loan backed by future sources of income, usually your paycheck…

However, it states in the same ad: ‘** The operator of this website is not a lender, does not broker loans to lenders and does not make short term cash loans or credit decisions.  This website does not constitute an offer or solicitation to lend…the operator of this website is not an agent, representative or broker of any lender and does not endorse or charge you for any service or product.  Not all lenders can provide up to $1,000…Typically lenders will not perform credit checks with the three credit reporting bureaus…Credit checks or consumer reports through alternative providers may be obtained by some lenders.’

Yet the ad goes on to ask: “Why does Montel Williams endorse Money Mutual, a payday loan company?’  How can this be if the small print data is correct?  Not a lender; does not broker loans; does not make short term cash loans; is not an agent or representative of any lender; but the ad also states that Money Mutual is a payday loan company.

The questions remain:  If all these data are true, just what is Money Mutual?  It states it ‘does not constitute an offer or solicitation.’  So if not all lenders can lend up to $1,000, why are they utilized?  Potential lenders ‘typically’ will not use credit bureaus, but they’ll probably use other sources for the same credit information.’  That seems a lot of effort expended for relatively small loans.  Watch the interest grow.

As an alternative, you can use a credit card to get a needed advance without a problem.  Or your own bank could lend some money with your savings account to back it.

If you do get a loan you’ll be paying interest for the money and additional charges or fees for the lender to pay Money Mutual for it’s services—though the latter, as it claims, does not broker loans etc.

There’s no free lunch.

E-Harmony
You have to hand it to those advertising guys at E-Harmony.  First it was ‘active’ to use E-Harmony but ‘passive’ to go to bars and look for a mate yourself.  Then it was a young woman who was a small business owner and didn’t have the time to search for a mate herself, so she had E-Harmony do it.  Now, we hear that E-Harmony isn’t a ‘dating’ site after all.  It’s a ‘matching’ site.  I’m not sure what the difference is.  It isn’t a marriage bureau, is it?  We’re also told now that E-Harmony isn’t ‘…as shallow as some of those other sites…’  He must mean the aforesaid ‘dating’ sites.  How much is some?  One? Two? Three?  More?  And based on the English sentence in the ad, that must mean that E-Harmony is also shallow—otherwise why compare it to ‘some of those other sites in such a way?’  And the details?  If compared to one or two other sites, then E-Harmony must be about the third most shallow site.  It’s hard to say since there advertising has been all over the place with contradictions in recent months.
But wait!  The latest ad says: ‘…We can match you on more levels than other dating sites…’  Whoa there!  I thought E-Harmony wasn’t a dating site?  I’ll tell you a secret.  If their ‘compatibility’ questions are as confused as their ads, then prepare yourself for a real live huggy bear as a mate.

My Wishes for 2010

In welcoming the New Year, I have many wishes.  These are only a few of them.

1. Proper and limited use of the word ‘alleged:’ I wish newspapers would tone down their constant use of the word ‘alleged.’  When a person commits a crime with numerous witnesses, or such person truely confesses after being confronted with overwhelming evidence, I don’t think the term ‘alleged’ is appropriate anymore.  I know you’re not legally guilty until adjudged so by a trial in front of your peers, but there must be exceptions for news reporting of such obvious cases.  Even so, most writers aren’t exactly sure what the word ‘alleged’ means.  You can tell this by trying to read a news story.  The writers are in such a hurry to use the word ‘alleged’ that they fail to write a proper English sentence.  ‘The alleged man [as opposed to a real man?] robbed the clerk at gunpoint.  [The alleged gun didn't go off.]

2. Properly counting a decade or century: You’d think that by now, the media would have learned how to count to ten.  You start with one and you end with 10.  That’s a decade if you’re counting years.  Despite what the ‘fame jumpers’ keep saying, the second millennium started in 2001.  Does the last digit there give you a hint?  So hold off on your ‘decade lists’, will you media?  Next December [2010] is the time for them.

3. Retire Vince ‘…you know we can’t do this all day…’: Vince is among the most annoying people on television.  He sounds insincere, and he talks down to the audience.  If he handles the ad for a product, I’d be less apt to buy it.  In any case, I’d rather listen to repeats of ‘Billy Mays here.’  His energy is more even than the speedy Vince, and he was a more believable salesman.  Another annoying ‘Crazy Eddie’ type is the beanbag who screams his ads for a hotel liquidating company.  He’s enough to give the listener heart palpitations.

4. Al and the Volcano: People are always fearful of an active volcano.  In fact, there’s a near-lame story of ‘Joe and the Volcano’ where Joe [Tom Hanks] was to be sacrificed to the volcano god to save the people of an island, Waponi Woo.  He was to jump inside it while it was spouting—thus appeasing the god [and Abe Vigoda, the Waponi chief] and hopefully calming the volcano and leading it to a dormant state.  Well, I think in real life the calming of volcanoes would lead to a cooling of the atmosphere and fewer deaths due to lava flows and pyroclastic activity—as if we need cooling in a cooling era of our planet’s cycles.  So I wish we should sacrifice Al Gore to the god of the most active and dangerous volcano in the world.  We can choose from Merapi in Indonesia, Popocatepetl in Mexico, Vesuvius in Italy, Unzen in Japan, and a few others.  Maybe the crackling of the burning fat would calm the fires like oil does to boiling water.  And just for good measure, we could also use Michael Moore and George Soros—that would calm two more volcanoes.  And consider Nancy Pelosi.  Does Botox burn?

5.  Excercise?: There’s an ad on TV right now for the ‘Shaker.’  This is a barbell shaped object that you can shake back and forth to tone your arms.  The adwoman asks ‘when you put on a sleeveless dress, what’s the first thing that sticks out?’  I don’t know about you, but I’m probably in the majority who’s answer was not hers.  She said ‘your arms.’  And as anticipated by the advertisers, most of us thought of something else immediately.  Anyway, what is this thing?  You shake it with your arms, it vibrates and springs back and forth and you lose arm flab.  I think they call it ‘dynamic inertia..’ [Forceful inactivity!] Well, this is nothing new.  Check with Nick and Nora Charles and ask how they maintained their lanky and admirable physiques.  The answer is simple.  As Nick puts it to a bartender, ‘a dry martini you always shake to a waltz step.’  Enough of that and you have to wonder why there are any fat bartenders.  Anyway there’s a triple money back guarantee.  Now what does that mean?  Triple your money back? No.  Money back guarantee said three times?  Probably.  You could also get the benefit by shaking malts at home.  But then, the resulting product would negate any shaking benefit.  Right?  I wish for its quick demise.

6. Stop the Polar Bears!: I’m getting tired of watching Noah Wylie spout his requests that we send money to his charity for the poor, declining polar bear population.  First, the money goes into a fund serving other animals.  So much for the Polar Bear.  Second, I wish Noah would just check the real figures before he jumps on the animal rights wagon.  The Polar Bear population is increasing on a regular basis.  Planetary cooling and warming are natural events and should be acknowledged as such because we aren’t going to change them.  Such it is for the polar ice.  It’ll cycle back again.

7.  Baskin & Robbins: Okay, the current B & R ad has the most annoying music and lyrics for ice cream and cake.  Those little figures dancing around over everything singing ‘ice cream and cake’ is enough to send me to Carvel for my desserts.  Send B & R to the Back Room.

Finally, there’s a soup commercial bragging to us that ‘..farmers raise vegetables in Campbell soup…’  Personally, I’d raise them in the dirt of the fields.  But, you can never tell where the next ‘growing medium’ will come from.  Anyway, I wish Campbells would proof-read the ad copy in the New Year.

I wish these all to be eliminated or corrected.  [Fat chance!]  And I wish my readers a happy and prosperous New Year. [Better than even odds.]

The Dog Ate My Homework and Other Vibrant Thoughts

 

-    I’ve been absent lately for good reason.  The dog ate my homework—not really, but I’ve always wanted to say that.  Actually the main database program I use for my blogs, background, notes, and work-in-progress failed.  It deleted all my work for 2009 and part of 2008.  I don’t know what happened.  Since my backups are done daily, the bad database was copied.  There was no sign of the later files anywhere on my disk.  I called the software provider and was told that the program couldn’t do that.  It must be my fault.  I disagree.  The only problem I had was with that particular program.  Nothing else was damaged.  So what am I to think?  Get a different program that’s what.  In any case, all my WIP is gone, as are my notes.  So, I have to start from scratch.

-    Our National debt keeps growing.  We suffered an October deficit of $176 billion—hey!  That’s in just one month!   With the increase in socialist programs, we’re going to be saddling more and more generations with the cost of our mistakes.  The House bill for Obamacare is set for a $1.3 trillion in the future [ten years I think].  But in addition to that, we’ll be paying more in taxes; more in insurance premiums; more for pacemakers, wheelchairs and other medical devices [partially via a tax]; more for goods and services—the list goes on.  And does anyone think the bill for all this will be what’s stated?  Wanna buy a bridge in NYC?  How much are we prepared to pay to socialize everything?  We’re being taxed unconscionably every day, and at some point the whole shebang will collapse.  Is that all the Hope recently voted for?

It reminds me of the old joke based on the “No taxation without representation” call during the revolution.  “If you think taxation without representation was bad, just look at it with representation.”

-    Nancy Pelosi is looking positively skeletal lately.  At certain angles, she shows deeply sunken eyes and more than usual signs of aging and wear and tear.  I guess her botox is wearing off.  At what point will her horns be showing?

-    Obama finally visited Fort Hood to show empathy and console survivors and the families of the dead.  He went because he had to in order to show empathy and shore up his failing Presidency.  He also went for the photo ops.  But don’t for one second believe he went because he wanted to.  He’s a confirmed socialist, and his actions and policies show him to be anti-military in all respects—except maybe to protect his butt and those of his family.

-    Obama has now rejected all four alternatives for additional troops to be sent to Afghanistan.  He wants changes to those alternatives based on the comments of our ambassador to Afghanistan, his own flawed beliefs, and the obvious continued corruption in the Karzai administration.  So, this is what it means: continued troop deaths in Afghanistan; probable re-introduction of the Taliban; downfall of Karzai in favor of the Taliban; continued training of terrorists; and more terror activity in the US and against American interests abroad.  Our forces would be leaving the Country with tails between legs and another Obama scar on our reputation home and abroad.  So, we can expect many more American deaths as Obama—the anti-military socialist with a radical bent—moves to defang the entire American Worldwide experience.

-    So now ACORN is suing the government to get its funding back.  I always thought you couldn’t sue the government.  It seems to me if the Congress can provide funds to a specific entity, it can also cut them off from that same entity.  This is what happened.  Some in Congress are calling for a detailed investigation into ACORN activities.  Personally, I think ACORN should be prosecuted, fined and shuttered under the RICO statutes.

Holy Terror, Batman!

Back in the 1980s, we had a strong President in Ronald Reagan who re-built the Country’s defenses after the debacle of Jimmy Carter.  It cost money, but it was necessary.  His depiction of the USSR as an evil empire was right on the money.  Between his rhetoric and his efforts at defense, the USSR went bankrupt and ultimately dissolved during the George H W Bush administration.  As a Country, we were the sole superpower, and we received respect and relative safety from the rest of the World’s crazies.

Another Democrat Presidency in the Bill Clinton duo reduced our strength and respect around the World.  The situation emboldened our enemies [we have and always will have enemies] to such an extent that an attack was successfully launched against us in the USA itself.  That led to a War on Terror, for that is what it was: we were faced with a declaration of War by an insidious group of terroristic radicals under the guise of religion.

And what a religion!  It’s one which holds that all non-adherents are infidels, and they must be destroyed.  It’s a ‘religion’—no, I believe it’s just a cult.  Strong, fanatical, and widespread, yes.  But just a cult—not of peace, but of control, misogyny, lack of personal freedom and rights, and no desire for compromise.  We can do nothing to appease the radical Islamists.  We’re the Great Satan, and our existence is not to be tolerated.

If these terror bearers can’t do it from without, they’ll try to do it from within.  They demand more accommodations for their practices and training, and stupidly we give it to them.  Christianity is anathema to the ACLU and public schools, but Islam isn’t.  Doesn’t that begin to scare your neurons?

Leading up to this War on Terror, and after an 8 year war between a dictator and a theocracy in the Middle East, we freed Kuwait of an invasion by Saddam Hussein and his minions, beating the latter back to Bagdad.

But, Iraq broke its treaties, harbored terrorists and amassed weapons of mass destruction—yes, it had the latter.  But they were transferred to Syria and beyond before we could inspect the area.  Iraq of the time harbored and trained and cooperated with terrorists, as did Afghanistan.  So, we set out to bring the War to the combined participants.  We destroyed the administration of dictator and murderer Saddam Hussein and allowed Democracy to gain a hold.  But, we need stability in the area, so we remain a presence.

In Afghanistan, we are fighting a terror network which was destroying the Afghan culture, training terrorists, and exporting terror throughout the World.  This network was hiding the mastermind of the terror network which had attacked our New York City.  We remain in battle against this element.  But it isn’t easy because of the culture and terrain and Liberal politics.

In the meantime, there have been no major terror attacks in the United States because of our policy of strength and retaliation.  We have been bringing the battles to the enemies’ strongholds.

But in recent years, we’ve allowed the Liberal faction of our Country to hold sway, thus our Country’s strength and prestige has dwindled.  We have a closet Islamicist as President.  We’ve changed terminology.  The War on Terror is now ‘Overseas Contingency Operation.’

In fact, from an administration official we recent heard something akin to gobbledygook: …”Craig Duehring, assistant secretary of the Air Force for manpower, said in congressional testimony: ‘Key battlefield monetary incentives [have] allowed the Air Force to meet the demands of overseas contingency operations even as requirements continue to grow.’”

We have other changes.  ‘Jihadist’ or ‘mujahideen’ have been replaced by ‘violent extremist.’  Also banned was the term ‘Islamo-fascist’ on the basis that it’s offensive to the enemy.

Since our current President took office:
He has announced the closing of Guantanamo, thus releasing many terrorists to other countries, including island paradises.
Refused to prosecute the mastermind behind the bombing of the USS Cole, an act resulting in the loss of American lives.
Closed all overseas interrogation centers of the CIA.
Appointed a questionable Attorney General with Communist tendencies
His first television interview was with Al Arabia
His first telephone contacts with a foreign leader were with Fatah Party leader and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbass.
With no strings attached, the President has allocated $20 million in ‘post-conflict humanitarian aid’ to Palestine refugees and conflict victims in Gaza.  This brings the total to $60 million in US commitments to Gaza.
Has allowed his appointees to inject racism into the National discourse in areas not having racist overtones or undertones.
Has cosied up to Communist dictator Chavez in Venezuela.
Has opposed the legal and constitutional ousting of a dictator-to-be in Honduras.
Has tepidly criticized the Scots for releasing the only convicted terrorist in the Lockerbie bombing.  Instead of life, this guy was incarcerated for only 8 years, an insult to millions of people.  And of course, when he returned to Libya he received a hero’s welcome.

We have been permitting this Islamic cult to practice in the United States, allowing numerous Mosques throughout the Country.  Nevermind that brainwashing and terrorist training taking place in such environments.  We’re told we have to be tolerant and hospitable.  I wonder what the reaction would have been to allowing Nazis to build training centers and brainwashing facilities throughout the United States during WWII?  Merge with the invaders and be the lesser for it?

We have—and ACLU is noticeably absent from the outrage—a San Diego School which has set aside about 15 minutes of the class day for Muslim students to pray—but God forbid that a Christian wants to do the same thing.  This school’s cafeteria has banned pork and other foods not in the Islamic diet.  Study of Arabic has been added with Taliban appropriate segregation of boys and girls.
And remember, the Pledge of Allegiance is still banned as brainwashing.

The current President has permitted deficits of over a $trillion for the years into the future; spent us into bankruptcy that our descendents will be stuck with; has a healthcare proposal that will ruin the finest health care system in the World.  Some of the funding for this proposal will come from cuts in Medicare and Medicaid, thus on the backs of the poor and elderly.

Illegal aliens won’t be covered, says our President, so he proposes to make all illegal aliens legal so they can participate.  Merge with the invaders again?

And of course, the President and Congress won’t be relegated to this bourgeoisie type of health care.  They’ll get the finest.  And they’ll use their influence to demand it—now!  Does anyone dispute the idea that the races for Congressional seats will be strongly influenced by the desire to get away from Obamacare?

Meanwhile, the Social Security system is headed toward bankruptcy and Congress and the President continue to ignore it.  Remember, the Social Security trust is a file cabinet of IOUs from Congress.  Perhaps Sandy Berger should be examining the files for the President and Congress so a reduction of IOUs can be claimed?

Indeed, Holy Terror, Batman!  Holy Medical Terror, Batman!  Holy Bankruptcy, Batman!

Freedom Cartoon

Friends, I believe this to be an important cartoon.  There is no joining or sending of money to view it on You Tube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WB6p5QPVhPI&feature=player_embedded

Moses Shows Up With More Tablets

Recently in my email I received the below Ten Commandments from the Patriot Update.  Here they are below with my commentary on the sources and other things.

Patriot Update Exclusive:
The Ten Commandments According to Obama
© 2009 The Patriot Update

“After observing Obama on the campaign trail and during his first six months in office, we have concluded that our President lives and governs according to his own set of “Ten Commandments.” They’re certainly NOT the Ten Commandments you learned in Sunday school. In fact, many are the direct opposite! To prove that our conclusions are correct, you will find a link to source documentation for each commandment on the Patriot Update web site.

I Thou shalt have no God in America, except for me. For we are no longer a Christian nation and, after all, I am the chosen One. (And like God, I do not have a birth certificate.) [“Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama tells CBN news that 'America is no longer just a Christian nation' and laid out ways both religious conservatives and liberals can begin to find common ground.'  Senator Obama made that statement by email in response to questions by CBN News' Senior National Correspondent David Brody. He told Brody that liberals need to understand that Government can't fix certain problems. Instead they need to recognize the moral component.”  TNM: This is a case of avoiding a direct answer.  This country began as a Judeo-Christian society with due respect for minority beliefs.  It was built upon the ideas of freedom from government interference and the Bill of Rights.  The country should still be guided by Judeo-Christian principles, and not by hatred, wealth distribution, misogyny, socialism, and power-greed.  Our basic freedoms are granted by God {not Obama} and only guaranteed by the government.  And such a guarantee applies to every citizen.  Though sometimes called Obamessiah and given religious-like veneration from the Liberals and Media, we all know that no politician---especially Obama---has anything like the true aura.  From a recent joke:  God and Obama are similar in having no birth certificate; the difference between them is that God doesn't think he's Obama.]

II Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, unless it is my face carved on Mt. Rushmore. [TNM: With all due respect Patriot Depot, I read its source about Obama's visit to Mt Rushmore, I didn't see anything there to show hubris on his part.  When a reporter asked a question about his being on Mt Rushmore:  "I don't think my ears would fit," Obama said, laughing. "There's only so much rock up there."  No, Obama would more prefer his face on the new, inflation-ated five dollar bill and on numerous memorials around the country.]

III Thou shalt not utter my middle name in vain (or in public). Only I can say Barack Hussein Obama. [TNM: This ban seems to have been started by John McCain [he has a PC streak at times]; the source herein given [Time CNN from February 2008] has no quotes or analysis of Obama saying anything about his middle name—though his supporters and perhaps his campaign staff seem to have followed up on it.  Maybe he did direct it to be done, but there’s no smoking gun that I can see.  Though for sure, Obama has pointedly kept his Muslim middle name in the background.]

IV Remember tax day, April 15th, to keep it holy. [TNM: This source is a speech by Obama on April 15, 2009.  Although he never comes out and says the day is holy, he spends most of his time reading from the teleprompters about all the great things he's doing for American workers:  he's providing tax cuts for 95% of them---though a far less percentage of them actually pay taxes; he claims he's providing tax cuts for small businesses, when in fact small businesses are closing all over the place because of his taxes and other poison pills for the economy.  If he gets his health care plan established: he'll destroy the American health care system; taxes will go up substantially as health care becomes less and less available---except for illegal aliens; taxes and government mandates [health insurance etc.] will destroy many more small business or reduce the everyday workforce.  Remember, most of the jobs in America are created by small business.  And speaking of holy:  the Obamas have taken a lot of time to pick a church to attend in Washington.  I think the difficulty was that Obama was looking for another pastor Wright and couldn’t find him.]
V Honour thy father and thy mother until they are too old and sick to care for. They will cost our public-funded health-care system too much money. [The source is an article in Red State by Todd Huston on June 25: “Obama said during the ABC Special on Wednesday night that a way to save healthcare costs is to abandon the sort of care that “evidence shows is not necessarily going to improve” the patient's health. He went on to say that he had personal familiarity with such a situation when his grandmother broke her hip after she was diagnosed with terminal cancer.  Obama offered a question on the efficacy of further care for his grandmother saying, 'and the question was, does she get hip replacement surgery, even though she was fragile enough they were not sure how long she would last?'  But who is it that will present the “evidence” that will “show” that further care is futile? Are we to believe that Obama expects individual doctors will make that decision in his bold new government controlled healthcare future? If he is trying to make that claim it is a flat out untruth and he knows it.”  TNM: It should be a great concern to we Americans that Obama thinks so little of our older folks.  I think that's a product of his socialism, messiah complex, and immaturity, and probably imbecility.  So this health care mogul is some one to fear.  We can't afford his destructive health-care system.]
VI Thou shalt not kill, unless you have an unwanted, unborn baby. For it would be an abomination to punish your daughter with a baby. [per the Catholic News Agency in April 2008:  “While addressing a campaign rally in Pennsylvania last weekend, Sen. Obama said, 'When it comes specifically to HIV/AIDS, the most important prevention is education, which should include -- which should include abstinence education and teaching the children -- teaching children, you know, that sex is not something casual," he said.  "But it should also include -- it should also include other, you know, information about contraception because, look, I've got two daughters. 9 years old and 6 years old,' he added. 'I am going to teach them first of all about values and morals. But if they make a mistake, I don't want them punished with a baby,' Obama said.”  TNM: Firstly, this is an example of Obama speaking without a teleprompter.  Secondly, it's clear that he considers a baby---from the miracle of birth---to be a punishment.  Would that his family thought the same thing about him back in Kenya.  They could have terminated him in the womb or sold him to the local witch doctor.]

VII Thou shalt not commit adultery if you are conservative or a Republican. Liberals and Democrats are hereby forgiven for all of their infidelity and immorality, but the careers of conservatives will be forever destroyed. [TNM: The source is an article by Chad Groening on the Patriot Update, but much of the same information is available in other media outlets.  Gov Stanford of South Carolina is getting skewered for his activities with the unfairer sex.  The only reason he hasn't been more in the news is the death of Michael Jackson.  Inordinate and disgusting coverages of Jackson have been helpful to Stanford.  However in the past, any indiscretion by a Conservative or Republican has led to a long term repetition and expansion from the media.  But those of Democrats and Liberals have been glossed over.  At this modern date, it's common knowledge about extra-marital sex romps of Ted {the Swimmer} Kennedy [now RIP], Chris Dodd, and other Democrats.  One was caught romping in a Washington fountain with his mistress.  Barney Frank’s companion ran a male prostitution ring in Frank’s basement.  Robert Byrd is a former KKK big shot; then there are the Democrat apologists for Bill Clinton.  Teddy the Swimmer left a woman to drown at Chappaquiddick Bay while he swam home to set up an alibi.  The list goes on.  Conservatives and Republicans get fried in the press; Democrats and Liberals get minor coverage. {I’m sorry Ted Kennedy is dead, but that does nothing to alleviate his culpability for murderous and frightening actions during his term as Senator.}]

VIII Thou shalt not steal, until you’ve been elected to public office. Only then is it acceptable to take money from hard-working, successful citizens and give it to those who do not work, illegal immigrants, or those who do not have the motivation to better their own lives. [TNM: The source here is an article from American Vision by Gary DeMar.  Although written during the campaign, it discusses the ways Obamanomics planned to steal from the rich and corporations {thus ultimately you and me} to pay for his socialist dreams.  Congress in general and Democrat Congresses in particular, have been doing this for decades.  {The American Dream is near extinction thanks to Liberals and Democrats.} No matter what they claim, they do in effect 'steal' from the average taxpayer to pay for their socialist dreams.  We have little or no input into such grandiose plans.  Witness, for one example the travesty of the War on Poverty:  Trillions spent, and we're pretty much right where we were when it started---if not in worse shape from some points of view.  And of course, who can forget all the PAC money, campaign 'contributions', fund raisers, under-the-table payments, influence peddling, pork projects, and other intrigue from the boys and girls in the House.  And don't forget that many of the 45 million uninsured for health purposes are illegal aliens, and they're the ones to receive free health care from the wallets of you and me.]

IX Thou shalt not discriminate against thy neighbor unless they are conservative, Caucasian, or Christian. [TNM: The source is an article in American Conservative Daily by John Lilipop.  While tongue-in-cheek, it presents numerous examples of the left wing view, and it refers to recent pronouncement from Janet Napolitano and Homeland Security about extremism.  It seems that the various tea parties {Peopled mostly by Christians, Jews, and Protestants of all denominations---you know: average Americans against the socialistic government} against the unconscionable taxes and socialist-ing by the Obama administration are considered radical and extremist.  Black race riots are not.  Abortion is not.  But anything two or more Conservatives do together is probably extremist.  Remember the call from Hillary about the 'vast right wing conspiracy.'  Don't disagree with a Liberal---especially Obama; it would make you an extremist and radical to be beaten down.]

X Thou shalt not covet because it is simply unnecessary. I will place such a heavy tax burden on those that have achieved the American Dream that, by the end of my term as President, nobody will have any wealth or material goods left for you to covet. [TNM: From Lee Cary of the American Thinker back in April of 2008, we see in detail some of the calculations based on Obama speeches and claims.  According to his claims, corporate CEOs earn anywhere from $400-$500 million per year!  That's right.  That's what he claims.  You only have to do the math for his claims.  So naturally, Obama wants to confiscate most of that to pay for his socialist plans and wish to 'redistribute the wealth'---though how remains to be seen. {Time for another Congressional pay raise.}  I used to own a small business.  At its acme, I had two full time and two part time employees.  When the end of the year arrived, and I checked my books, the two full time employees were making more than me.  With health care, unemployment insurance, large rent, and state and local taxes, I couldn't make it a go on a longtime basis.  My clients wouldn't pay higher fees.  If I hadn't sold the business, I'd have been driven into bankruptcy.  And that is what will soon be happening to millions of small business under the Obama blanket.  But the welfare recipients will be fine.]
To which I might add XI:  Thou shalt run for high office and hide thy foreign birth certificate.  [TNM: The question of Obama's birth certificate is an important one, and one which demands an answer.  Unfortunately, Obama won't give us one.  Doesn't it seem strange that for the highest political office in the land we don't insist that candidates meet the minimum requirements as set forth in the Constitution?  The refusal of Obama to meet such a reasonable demand casts a shadow over his Presidency and our oversight of the Presidential race.  Carl Andrews in the American Conservative Daily notes:  “On January 21st, 2009, his very first day in office, Barack Obama implemented and signed into law Executive Order 13489.  For those of you who can't take the time to read it. here is the section that applies:  “Sec.2-Notice of Intent to Disclose Presidential Records:  When the Archivist provides notice to the incumbent and former Presidents of his intent to disclose Presidential records pursuant to section 1270.46 of the NARA regulations, the Archivist, using any guidelines provided by the incumbent and former Presidents, shall identify any specific materials, the disclosure of which he believes may raise a substantial question of executive privilege.” Now for all of you who commented on our previous articles that we were no more that right-wing nut jobs, that this thing about Obama's birth certificate was a non-issue, and those of you who tried to shift the focus of the stories, doesn't this strike you as just a little odd?  That the first order of business Obama took care of on day one of his Presidency was to sign off on an Executive Order that states that only the records he chooses to be made public will be released?”  TNM: It's quite easy in Hawaii to get a certificate of live birth {if you're there to apply for it you must be alive!}---but a real birth certificate?  Even an Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine, and Coast guard wannabe has to provide his birth certificate to be accepted.  So do the children wanting to enter first grade.  But for President Messiah?  Heavens no.]

Tell a Prompter and Tell a Doctor

Some more random thoughts from me and various news sources—especially in case you missed them the first time around.  The socialist takeover of our Country seems destined to continue unabated unless we all wake up and do something.

I think if Obama were President during WWII, he’d have declared victory at the first sinking of a Japanese ship, and turned to other pursuits.  Of course, he’d have lost the war and opened up our country to disaster, but why care?  His march to socialism would have been more important to his administration [in its dying days.]

Per WTOP Radio: “An employee of the D.C. Office of the Chief Technology Officer and a private contractor were charged with corruption Thursday after an FBI raid at the former office of one of President Obama’s appointees.”

‘Annette Nazareth, a former senior staffer and commissioner with the Securities and Exchange Commission, made “a personal decision” to withdraw from the process, according to a person familiar with her decision. …The decision followed more than a month of intense scrutiny of her taxes and multiple interviews. No tax problems or other issues arose during Nazareth’s vetting, said the person, who requested anonymity because Geithner’s choice of Nazareth was never announced officially.’

“Charles W Freeman Jr withdrew his Chairman of the National Intelligence Council (NIC) appointment acceptance after a barrage of criticism from Jewish groups and liberal senators.”

‘The U.S. is no longer waging a ‘global war on terror,’ according to an official memo. But it’s not that the terror threat has ended. In a memo e-mailed to Pentagon staff members, the Defense Department’s office of security review stated that ‘this administration prefers to avoid using the term ‘Long War’ or ‘Global War on Terror’ [GWOT]. Please use ‘Overseas Contingency Operation.”

Per Washington Times: “The Obama administration is taking steps quietly to shut down the program that qualifies commercial airline pilots to carry firearms in jetliner cockpits in order to ward off another 9/11-type attack. *The administration recently diverted $2 million from a program to train and certify pilots to carry firearms safely while on duty. Instead, it is using the money to hire additional field inspectors to help discipline pilots who step out of line, according to a report in Tuesday’s Washington Times.

Per Dick Morris: “Since he has taken office, the president has: 1 Announced closure of Guantanamo; 2 Declined to prosecute the mastermind behind the USS Cole bombing; 3 Closed all overseas CIA interrogation centers; 4 Appointed an Attorney General and Justice Department officials on record as opposed to the use of “enhanced” interrogation techniques in terror investigations; 5  Granted Al Arabia television his first news organization interview and called Fatah Party leader and PA President Mahmoud Abbass in his first phone contact with any foreign leader; 6 *Now, with no strings attached, the president has allocated $20.3 million in “post-conflict humanitarian aid” to “Palestinian refugees and conflict victims in Gaza.  The additional funds bring to $60 million U.S. aid commitments in Gaza.” [There's a lot more, but there isn't room on the Internet to write it all.]

Per Jonathan Martin and David S. Cloud:  Just hours after North Korea launched a long-range rocket, President Barack Obama called for “a world without nuclear weapons” and said the United States has a “moral responsibility ” to lead the way, as the only nation ever to use them.”  [I guess in our cultural, the police should be shedding their weapons and try to talk kindly to criminals.]

Per Fox News: “Two House Judiciary subcommittees convened Thursday to examine allegations of unconstitutional immigration enforcement tactics — and took target practice at Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Arizona, whose controversial methods have been called racist by activists and Democratic lawmakers. *But Arpaio didn’t defend himself on Capitol Hill. He did not testify to the committee and he did not attend the joint hearing. That’s because the Maricopa County, Ariz., law enforcement chief wasn’t invited, said House Judiciary Committee sources.”  [By the way, Sheriff Arpaio is simply enforcing existing laws---but when did that matter to members of Congress.]

Per William Welch: “Studies by two conservative think tanks estimate immigrants in the United States illegally could take 300,000 construction jobs—or 15% of the 2 million jobs that new taxpayer-financed projects are predicted to create.” [Most of the others will go to state and federal agencies.]

Per Carol Lee:  “President Barack Obama doesn’t go anywhere without his Teleprompter. *The textbook-sized panes of glass holding the president’s prepared remarks follow him wherever he speaks. … Obama’s reliance on the Teleprompter is unusual – not only because he is famous for his oratory, but because no other president has used one so consistently and at so many events, large and small.”  [I might add that in his news conferences, he has replaced the Teleprompters with a big video screen behind the reporters so the system isn't so obvious.]

Per NewsMax: “The Environmental Protection Agency put hundreds of mountaintop coal-mining permits on hold Tuesday, saying it wants to evaluate the projects’ impact on streams and wetlands.”  [Never mind the effect on jobs or energy.]

Per NewsMax: “The White House [ha]s alloc[ated] tickets for the…Easter Egg Roll to gay and lesbian families as part of the Obama administration’s outreach to diverse communities. *Families say the gesture shows that the new Democratic administration values them as equal to other families. And for many, being included in the annual tradition — dating to 1878 — renews hope that they will have more support in their quest for equal rights in matters such as marriage and adoption than under the previous administration.”  [All Americans already have equal rights.  What the gay activists want are 'special' rights to justify their perverted 'lifestyles.']

Per Janet M. LaRue: “During his 2004 run for the Senate, Obama said ‘I think that the Second Amendment means something. I think that if the government were to confiscate everybody’s guns unilaterally that I think that would be subject to constitutional challenge.’”

Per Lee Ross: “‘At some point, [the Defense of Marriage Act] is going to have to go to the United States Supreme Court,’ the congressman, a Democrat, said. ‘I wouldn’t want it to go to the United States Supreme Court now because that homophobe Antonin Scalia has got too many votes on this current court.’  [So would he be happy now that we have a sexist and racist on the court?]

Per Judson Berger: “Global War on Terror is out — ‘overseas contingency operation’ is in. *Terrorist attack is out — ‘man-caused disaster’ is in.”

Quality of Cabinet Choices:

1   Secy of State Clinton tells the World that a Palestine state is inevitable and sides with the Palestinians against Israel
2  Obama picks 6 former Congress members for cabinet; so much for change
3  Obama picks numerous Clintonista’s such as Hillary, Leon Panetta for cabinet and CIA.
4  Commerce – Bill Richardson withdrew because of federal investigation; Judd Gregg withdrew due to irreconcilable differences
5  HHS – Tom Daschle – didn’t pay $100,000 in taxes
6  Health Czar – Nancy-Ann Parle from Clinton administration
7  Treasury – Tim Geithner – didn’t pay about $34,000 in taxes but Democrats gave him a pass
8  Secretary of State – Hillary Clinton – well known baggage and home of nonsense.
9  CIA – Leon Panetta – Clinton administration – no experience to run anything, let alone the CIA
10 US Trade Rep – Ron Kirk – c$10.000 in back taxes
11 Chief Fed Government Performance – Nancy Killefer – undetermined unemployment taxes re household employee
12 Labor – Hilda Soli – husband owes c$6,000 back taxes

Per Pam Meister, Family Security Matters: “…One would think Obama couldn’t top his cheesy gift of American DVD classics that [British Prime Minister] Brown wasn’t interested in watching, let alone being able to play on his Euro-made DVD player, but never underestimate The Power of The One™. Upon meeting Queen Elizabeth II, the Obamas presented Her Majesty with an iPod, loaded with video of the Queen’s trip to America in 2007. No, it wasn’t loaded with photos of Obama relaxing in the Oval Office with his jacket off. It gets better: In addition to the Queen’s visit video, it was loaded with photos of Obama’s inauguration PLUS audio of the inauguration and audio from his 2004 Democrat Convention speech when he was a mere senator.”

‘The Obama administration’s decision to raise fuel economy standards in cars to an average 35.5 miles per gallon by 2016 is casting a new light on auto safety. As USA TODAY points out in its story today, smaller cars generally fare worse in crash tests — especially against larger vehicles.’  [The cash-for-clunkers policy [heavily flawed as it is for car dealers] is simply creating a better market for foreign compact cars.]

Per Burt Prelutsky, Townhall: “…Take the stimulus package, or, in the words of Joe Biden, “the so-called stimulus package.” Obama goes on TV and tells us that it’s the only thing that will keep us from winding up in Hoovervilles, selling apples on the street and becoming a nation of hobos. Furthermore, this messenger of hope tells us, with a straight face, no less, that there isn’t a single earmark to be found in it. That’s like pointing at an enormous hog and saying there isn’t a single link sausage or slice of bacon in it. There’s no need for earmarks when the whole damn thing is nothing but pork! Obama didn’t even have to stay up late to put the package together. That was done by Pelosi and Reid, Washington’s answer to Hormel and Oscar Meyer. Obama was simply the snake oil salesman who was sent out on the road to sell it to the rubes.”

Per Dennis Prager on Townhall: “…It [Obama Stimulus Package 1] is, as Robert Rector—identified by the Times of London as one of the architects of Clinton’s 1996 reform bill— [said] a welfare spendathon that would amount to the largest one-year increase in government handouts in American history. *It [Obama Stimulus Package 1] is the reason the Obama-supporting Newsweek headlined on its cover page ‘We are all socialists now.’ *It [Obama Stimulus Package 1] is why, in the words of The Times of London, Republicans are not alone in fearing that Obama’s hastily concocted package is the first step towards the creation of a quasi-socialist welfare state.”  We can only guess about and fear a Stimulus 2.

The Obama administration—with the aid of Al Gore, most Liberal tree huggers and band wagon users, and Liberal scientists on a mission—is bent on destroying more than just our culture.  The entire Global Warming hysteria is Liberal made.  They find it easy to take natural occurrences and blame everything on man and culture so they can take control and screw thing up.  Warming and cooling is natural and to be expected.  If the Liberals were in charge millions of years ago, the dinosaurs would have been taxed nearly out of existence for their methane production; and then the comet or asteroid would have destroyed the Liberals and made it all moot?  Besides, recent figures indicate a steady global cooling.

We have the energy sources to be self sufficient, but the Obama and the Democrats won’t let us use them.  They won’t let us build safe nuclear plants and clean coal and oil plants, and they won’t let us search for and recover our own oil.  I’ll bet when the Muslims take over that’ll change.  They’ll drill everywhere and anywhere to find oil to sell to the World.

To steal a phrase from a popular song, “And the beat goes on.”  It does go on and on and on.  The Obama administration is giving us change alright.  It’s systematically destroying our country, our finances, our prestige, our culture, and our freedoms.  Among other things, Obama wants to take the best medical system in the world and bring it down to European standards.

Obama’s government takeover of private businesses is blatant socialism meant to destroy the free marketing system.  He’s taxing everything that moves, running our debt up by the trillions, and claims he’s ’saving’ the Country from the Bush Administration.  Hogwash!  If the Democrats hadn’t been leading the charge in Congressional over-spending, handouts, and socialist leanings for the past 50 or 60 years, we might not be in this mess.

And I resent Obama’s claim of 47 million uninsured for health purposes.  In that made-up figure are about 12 million illegal aliens; about 18 million who can afford it but don’t want it; about 9 million who are between jobs and only temporarily uninsured; about 3 million low income persons who simply haven’t been using current government assistance; about 8 million young adults who still have their childhood ‘I’m indestructible’ attitude towards health insurance; and finally about 8 million children who are covered by their parent’s insurance policies but don’t have their own. [??]

Those figures add up to more than 47 million because of double counts.  Now, do you really want to enact Obama’s Healthcare Deform and ruin the World’s best health care system just to cover illegal aliens?

What Does Obamacare for America?

TNM:
As more and more details of Obamacare come to light, the US Government’s—via the Obama Administration—dangerous, socialist takeover of our economy and culture becomes even more frightening.  Those of us over 65 are in especial danger, for the elderly are going to find reduced care—simply because it’s too expensive.  And don’t try to pay for anything by yourself.  That simple freedom is curtailed.

Yes folks, ‘1984′ is on the horizon.  ‘Logan’s Run’ is on the horizon.  Is ‘Soylent Green’ also on the horizon?

Father John of Fox News:
“But let’s be clear: there is no such thing as a fundamental human right to socialized medicine.”

Ryan J Donmoyer and Kristin Jensen Bloomberg:
“The 1,018-page House Democratic plan builds on a June 19 draft and for the first time includes details on how to pay for the measure. In addition to the levy on millionaire households, the House would place surtaxes of 1.5 percent on couples with incomes of $500,000 to $1 million and 1 percent on those with incomes of more than $350,000.

“The surtax on wealthier Americans would be imposed based on adjusted gross income, meaning it would also apply to capital gains and dividends, which are currently taxed at a 15 percent rate. House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel said lawmakers targeted high earners because it “causes the least amount of pain on the least amount of people.”

Thomas Donohue of the US Chamber of Commerce:
“The intention of this plan is to tax high-income households, but the real victims would be America’s small business owners…Since when does our great free-market country punish success?”

Dr Orrin Devinsky of ABC “…asked the President pointedly if he would be willing to promise that he wouldn’t seek such extraordinary help for his wife or daughters if they became sick and the public plan he’s proposing limited the tests or treatment they can get…The president refused to make such a pledge, though he allowed that if ‘it’s my family member, if it’s my wife, if it’s my children, if it’s my grandmother, I always want them to get the very best care.’..”

David A Patten of Newsmax
“On Friday [7/17/09], Democrats moved one step closer to giving free health insurance to the nation’s estimated 12 million illegal aliens when they successfully defeated a Republican-backed amendment, offered by Rep. Dean Heller, R-Nev., that would have prevented illegal aliens from receiving government-subsidized health care under the proposed plan backed by House Democrats and President Barack Obama…

“The Democratic plan will embrace Obama’s vision of bringing free government medical care to more than 45 million uninsured people in America––a significant portion [about 12 million] of whom are illegal aliens. [Others being about 22 million young and not wanting insurance; about 8 million temporarily between jobs; and about 3 million poorer people not taking the health care that already exists in current programs.]

“Democrats had insisted throughout the health-care reform debate that illegals would be ineligible for the so-called public option plan that is to be subsidized by taxpayers.

Senator Max Baucus D-Montana, Chairman Senate Finance Committee:
“We’re not going to cover undocumented aliens, undocumented workers,” ‘the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, told reporters in May.’
“That’s too politically explosive.”

“A recent Rasmussen Reports poll found that an overwhelming 80 percent of Americans oppose covering illegals in any public health care bill.”

“Anti-immigration [this should be anti-illegal immigration] activists say the availability of low-cost benefits, including health insurance and in-state tuition, will only lure more immigrants to come to the United States.”

Dick Morris Political Analyst:
“…warns that giving illegal free health care will lead to a flood of new illegals who can take advantage of such a benefit not offered in their home countries…”

TNM:
Is any of this a surprise to sane Americans?  Warnings about these socialist plans to be found in an Obama administration were given constantly during the Presidential campaign.  Yet, the amateur Obama was elected.  How?  Some Democrats always vote for the Democrat no matter who he is or what he might do.  Others believed the palpable nonsense of Hope and Change his Teleprompters spouted.  [Well, they got it alright.]  Others didn’t like McCain.  And sadly, others voted for him simply because he was black.  Yes, they are racists.  It’s a fact and should be considered.  So, now we all suffer from a self-bloated and grossly interventionist government.

This tragedy can be traced to the interventionistic Democrats in Congress, especially from 2006 to the present.  Notably among the disaster-meisters are Barney Frank, Chris Dodd, John Murtha, Ted Kennedy, Robert Byrd, Nancy Pelosi, and Harry Reid—and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Are we headed for a revolution?  Possibly.  Who knows?

We have to keep fighting the current Congress and President.  In 2010 we should remove all 435 House members and a third of the Senate.  In 2012, we should put a Conservative in the White House to start cleaning up the mess and replace another third of the Senate.  By 2014, we can vote out the remainder of the Senate and hopefully be on our way to some semblance of order.

Townhall email:
“A National Abortion Bill?

That is what the legislation should be called, because the bill pending in Congress includes the unlimited right of a woman to end the life of her baby, with the government footing the bill. And groups like Planned Parenthood will be the beneficiaries of your tax dollars.”

Fred Thompson radio show:

“ON PAGE 425 OF OBAMA’S HEALTH CARE BILL [sic], the Federal Government will require EVERYONE who is on Social Security to undergo a counseling session every 5 years with the objective being that they will explain to them just how to end their own life earlier. Yes…They are going to push SUICIDE to cut medicare spending!”

TNM
So this is change?  Government funded abortions?  Suicide counseling for the elderly?  Unconscionable taxes?  We’d have done better voting for none of the above.

Our Muslim trained and named President who sat for twenty years listening to the fiery radical pastor Wright condemn America [Obama apologized for America in foreign countries] and had ties to communist, socialist, and radical people and groups [Bill Ayres, Acorn et al] is now showing America his true stripes.  You unthinking Liberals out there voted this guy in.  I hope you’re proud for what you’ve given all of us with your knee-jerk reactions.

Random Thoughts July 2009

Our economy is in the abyss for many reasons, not the least being [the predominantly Democrat] overspending for the past 50 years.  Of course a major reason is the Democrats’ [notably Rep Barney Frank and Sen Chris Dodd] forcing the banks and financial institutions to create dangerous loans.  But who will recognize the truth when they can fall back to the easy blaming of George Bush and his 8 years as President?  He made some mistakes, for sure.  But I think he could do a much better job than recent Democrat candidates for his office, including St Barack Hussein O.

And the history of our economy and free market system would give obvious solutions to our current problems.  Does President Obama and his administration not know history?  It seems so.  They are repeating all the bad decisions from the past, and they expect new results.  The are creating socialist positions that have been proven not to work.  Alfred Einstein once defined insanity as “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”  That’s the exact problem with the Democrats.  They never learn.  Or remember Winston Churchill: “Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.”

I wrote this several months ago.  Sadly, it’s still true in fact.  The President’s administration is leading us down the road to oblivion.
***
Just to update you on what’s been happening:

- President Obama [PO] wants to oversee World financial firms.
- PO appoints ‘czars’ [a gross term] answerable only to him and not Congress.
- US deficit is growing by the $trillions.
- US spending is at multiples of revenue.
- US Government owns most of the Auto Industry.
- US Government owns much of the Banking Business, refusing to let some pay back their loans.
- US Government wants to run Health Care.
- Health Care will cost more for less coverage.
- $$trillions of new taxes here or on the way.
- PO and Democrat Congress show intent on Islamizing the US.
- PO is actively apologizing for all US actions and beliefs.
- PO is weakening the US military in words and action.
- PO wants to close GITMO and release terrorists in US.
- PO wants to give GITMO terrorists US civil rights
- PO is doing nothing to stop illegal immigration except trying to thwart those who are trying to enforce the immigration laws—oh, he is bemoaning it.

***

There are increased efforts to gain access to PO’s birth records.  PO has issued an executive order [day after taking the oath] to prevent any release of records pertaining to PO that he doesn’t approve.  And his school and other records are being secured by the institutions involved.  But think about it.  If he was born in Kenya, a claim that seems increasingly likely to be proven, then he isn’t a citizen!  And that makes him an illegal alien!  And that is evident with his policy over border security.  Imagine that, an illegal alien as President.  Thank you Democrats.

***

President Barack Obama, whose gay and lesbian supporters have grown frustrated with his slow movement on their priorities, is extending benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees, a White House official said recently.
***

http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/publications/id.549,css.print/pub_detail.asp

http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/publications/id.672/pub_detail.asp

http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/publications/id.1248/pub_detail.asp

These are three links to a frank discussion on nuclear energy, including how nuclear energy works.
***
More security?  Hire law breakers.

Per the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, back in October, the following people are on the Atlanta Police Force:  Keovongsa Siharath [charged with punching his stepfather]; Jeffrey Churchill charged with assault in a a mall parking lot];  Calvin Thomas arrested on a concealed weapons charge.]  All three are now officers with the Atlanta Police Department.

“More than one-third of recent Atlanta Police Academy graduates have been arrested or cited for a crime, according to a review of their job applications. The arrests ranged from minor offenses such as shoplifting to violent charges including assault. More than one-third of the officers had been rejected by other law enforcement agencies, and more than half of the recruits admitted using marijuana.”
And we’ve wondered aloud how this Democratic VP’s private meetings with unnamed people on unnamed subjects differs from the private meetings with unnamed people that his evil predecessor had that got so many Democratic senators and representatives worried about nefarious secrets.”
***
Wonder what Joe Biden’s up to?  Per Andrew Malcolm:

“…We’ve especially noted Biden’s innumerable  “private meetings” that are closed to the press because, well, they’re private…”

“…And we’ve wondered aloud how this Democratic VP’s private meetings with unnamed people on unnamed subjects differs from the private meetings with unnamed people that his evil predecessor had that got so many Democratic senators and representatives worried about nefarious secrets.”

‘Do as we say, and not what we do’ is—as usual—the Democrat mantra.  How many times do the electors have to be reminded of such things before the dangerous Congress and President are removed from office at the polls?  The sad thing is, I’d be more comfortable with ‘Pistol’ Joe as President than the messiah.  And in 2010, maybe we can get rid of them all.  435 new representatives is my cherished dream.  That way we won’t have to worry about Nancy or Harry succeeding Joe.

Catwoman Skins a Trencher

I was saddened to hear of the recent death of pitchman Billy Mays.  Apparently, he was a well-liked man—something I didn’t know when I was writing barbs about his loud and rat-a-tat style.  But his sometimes annoying commercials will always remain in my memory.  By default, I think the Oxi-Clean account should now be assigned to ‘Sham Wow’ Vince and his headset because I know he could be appropriately annoying—and do it all day.

I must be getting old because I find advertisements more annoying in tone, and less grammatical in form.  Though the ad writing in the past was often deficient to varying degrees, I consider this modern ad world more and more dumbed down to the lowest common denominator.  [Hey! I remember that term from grammar school: 'least common denominator'---though I'm not quite what it means any longer.]  So, I offer my latest comments below.
***
I keep seeing these ads on tv for beauty creams that guarantee women a young skin and face.  In fact one female user claims to be addicted to it.  I’m sorry, but all I can think of is ‘Catwoman’, and its plot about the addictive, new beauty cream that once you start using it, you have to take it regularly to prevent scars and the melting of your face.  And if you do use it regularly, it turns your skin to a hardness akin to marble.  Scary stuff for you ladies.  You just can’t win there.  Personally, I don’t use any of these new beauty products, even when they’re designed for men.  As Grandma used to say, ‘what is, is’—though a recent President was worried about ‘what is, is’ in a different manner.
***
And now we turn to another type of advertised skin-care product.  Will someone please tell me how the following claim is possible:  ‘It stopped my acne before it started.’  Is that possible?  Was research done with the late Isaac Asimov?  [Thiotimoline?---you have to read that.  Sorry.]  How can this run-of-the-mill- [though very pretty] actress/customer make such a determination?  Is she a dermatologist?  A scientific genius?  A fortune teller?  Don’t the advertisers know that there are many products you can use on your face and permit you to claim the same thing:  Talc, astringent, mud packs, bean dip—almost anything.  If they’d simply state that their products ‘prevent’ acne from forming—well, I could live with that.
***
A pizza delivery company has recently been spieling it’s new innovation: pasta and other entrees served in bowls made of Italian bread.  You can eat the bowl when you finish the entree.  A current ad for Red Lobster shows the hollowed out bread being used for soup and stew.  Wowee!  Ain’t modern thinking wonderful?

Except it’s not particularly innovative.  This system was used at least as far back as the Middle Ages.  I think the bread was known as a ‘trencher.’  Stews and similar foods were served in hollowed-out bread ‘bowls’ or ‘plates.’  [Perhaps to use the discarded interior is why 'bread pudding' was invented?]  Forty years ago when we were served spinach dip in hollowed out, round rye breads at parties.  The contents of the breads were cubed and used in picking up the dip—which was mighty good stuff, I must say.

Is this just another omen about the coming 3-plus years of socialist leadership erasing progress and sending Civilization back to those not so thrilling days of yesteryear?

Will the esnes make a return?  Knights with swords and lances? [is that why fantasy role-playing games are so popular?]  Horse transportation?  [as gasoline and oil are taxed to death.]
***
Coleman Stoves is now advertising that it ‘pretty much invented camping’ and ’social networking’.  Wow!  That’s one great achievement.  But, I think the Geico cavemen might have something to say about it.  They camped and cooked out [and socialized] all the time for thousands of years.  And what about the cowboys and Indians of the American West?  Many modern Africans and Australians still do.
***
My eyes and ears have been swamped with the clashing battles of the local cable vs satellite ad war.  Depending on how you count them—and each combatent counts them differently—each side of the war has more HD channels than the other.  This could go on forever with no one crying uncle or defeating the competition.  Personally, I wish them both warts.  I mean, how many channels can a person watch, anyway?  100? 102? 200?  What difference does it make?  Even if they claim the numbers to provide a choice, it still doesn’t work.  Aren’t there better things to do in your free hours than sit in front of the tube or plasma choosing among 150 channels?  Does the word ‘family’ come to mind?
***
As a final note for today, please be careful of those companies advertising: ‘No interest payments ’til 2010 or 2011.’  Ask questions.  It sounds very much like the contract may prevent the return of the goods [this is a popular system for furniture companies] before that date has arrived; also, not paying interest doesn’t mean it’s forgiven.  The operative word is ‘pay’.  Interest will be accruing during that time and in 2011 you’ll have to pay up all that accrued interest.  It’s easy to forget that there’s no such thing as a free lunch.