San Diego Conservative

Dems lose big, but Obama's not to blame

2009-11-03T21:37:00.000-08:00

McDonnell wins in Virginia.

Christie wins in New Jersey.

Redstate describes it best.

But don't forget, NY-23 went to a Democrat, so I am sure all the DimLibs will claim he had something to do with that, and thus the end result is at worst, a wash.

There are a lot of Democrats that will have some restless sleep tonight!

Those pesky Democrats and their racism

2009-07-20T23:01:00.000-07:00

With the recent Sotomayor confirmation hearings (to oppose her means you are a racist) on top of the usual liberal rants about Republicans and conservatives being racist, we do not often see many stories in the liberal media about a Democrat using inappropriate language or exhibiting racist behavior.

To recap:

Which party was the party of slavery?
Which party was opposed to the civil rights movement at its zenith in the 1960's?
Which party had a prominent Senator who was a former Klansman?

Compare to:

Which party had the first AND second African-American Secretary of State (and a female to boot)?
Which party nominated the first Hispanic Attorney General?
Which party had the first African-American Senator?
Which party nominated the only African-American on the Supreme Court bench at this time?

Yet somehow, only Republicans are raaaaaccccciiiiisssssttttt!

The liberal media party with Obama you WON'T hear about

2009-07-10T20:50:00.000-07:00

4th of July. A time for celebration. A time for family. A time for friends. A time for reflection and the honoring of this great nation and the people who make it great.

And, a time for schmoozing with the President. Who, might you ask? The same media that claims to be balanced and that speaks for everyone. The same media who supposedly asks the tough questions and shows no favoritism for the president. Yeah, that media.

Special invitations went out for a huge 4th of July bash to major media players, who were then sworn to secrecy not to say anything about it.

And while I am thinking about it, how much did the food, security, and special musical appearances cost the taxpayers of this nation in a time for need?

MoveOn.org demonstrates it's ineffectiveness

2009-07-10T20:44:00.000-07:00

MoveOn scheduled a health rally at Senator Wicker's office in an attempt to use their massive and powerful influence to push the agenda of Universal Health care. The results of their efforts . . . . . 4 people.

Go ahead, you can laugh. I did.

A successful day of protest (despite a lack of media coverage)

2009-04-15T20:11:00.000-07:00

Happy tax day 2009! 4/15/09, forever to be known as a day of Tea Party protests across the country. I had the good fortune of being able to attend a local rally in Escondido, California, a smaller city in North East San Diego county. Despite an unforeseen family situation, I was able to do some live blogging from the event. San Diego had a total of 6 rallies that I was aware of , with some media coverage of all of the events.

I am usually at work during the day and as such, miss most of the ongoing news that is broadcast on cable and network television. However, I was at home today and caught some of Wolf Blitzer on CNN who actually gave an honest evaluation of the lack of media coverage. His analysis can be summed up as follows: Fox News paid a lot of attention, CNN paid some attention, MSNBC paid no attention, except to mock the protesters. It was also noted that most of the larger print media sources paid little attention.

Yet, here we are. Over 800 protests around the country. Some were small, events, some numbered in the thousands. The Escondido event had a few thousand attendees, despite the location being a bit out of the way, and 5 other protests around the county. And all of this was accomplished by grass roots organizing and without hardly any national media coverage. The only major news sources that reported on the planning and execution were various conservative talk radio personalities, some conservative blog sites, some newspaper publications and of course, the liberal media sources, that mocked the effort.

I have enjoyed seeing some of the responses on the sites I usually visit. I have yet to see a liberal protest that matched today's results in terms of size and number of coordinated events. Even with national media coverage, most protests of the liberal agenda are uncoordinated, result in some violence and poorly executed. I was only aware of one snafu with the protests today when the White House protest was cut short when someone tossed some tea bags onto the White House lawn. The rest of the protests were well executed and very well attended.

However, all we see from the liberal media is mockery and misunderstanding. These protests were not only about taxes. They were about protesting tax increases, overspending, and the waste found in big government. I find it incredibly interesting that the most common argument I see when it comes to the topic of the Tea Party protests, is that when the Bush administration spent and spent, liberals fell over each other to be the first to the microphone to denounce the spending. And here, we are, doubling, tripling, even quadrupling the spending under the Bush administration. The hypocrisy is unbelievable.

To all the conservatives and liberals who participated in today's events, thank you and God bless. To all the liberals out there who chose to mock and insult, be warned. We are organized and revitalized and are starting to bring back conservative principles to America.

Employer required to give extra breaks for religious worship . . .

2009-04-01T21:03:00.000-07:00

. . . to Muslims . . .

When I read stories like this, the easiest way to put it into perspective is to ask this one, simple, question.

What would have happened if Christians had sued over the inability to pray or practice their faith?

We all know the answer.

The GOP budget solution

2009-03-26T22:15:00.000-07:00

During this time of unprecedented spending and promises to pretty much every special interest group by the Democratic party, the one line I hear time and time again from supporters of this crap spending, is "What is the Republican answer?"

Well, here it is.

Let the naysayers begin their ridicule of what appears to be a sound plan, which addresses most of the concerns of the Democratic party: Universal health care, energy independence and clean fuels, jobs and education. With a few extras included.

An interesting take on F.E.M.A., then and now

2009-01-31T23:56:00.000-08:00

Does Obama really hate white people? Read this interesting take on his first FEMA challenge as commander-in-chief.

Meet Tom Daschle, tax cheat

2009-01-30T22:19:00.000-08:00

We have officially entered the era of "b b b b b but Bush . . .". In less than 2 weeks, we have seen two tax cheats, two lobbyists, and a slew of other Obama cabinet and other position nominees with plenty of baggage, be called on to be the new leaders of the era of change.

The latest? Tom Daschle, former Senator and now consultant and chairperson for an evil corporation with un-reported income due to having a car and driver at his service, day and night.

And what happens when these hypocrites are exposed for who they are? The left seems to be ok with them. Why? Because there is always a double standard when it comes to someone on the other side of the isle.

However, it gets worse. As I spent my lunch hour and some time this evening browsing my usual online blogs and news sites, most of the comments I saw from supporters of Obama and his administration of "change" can be boiled down to the following:

1. It's an honest mistake. After all, how can a Senator possibly know when he is supposed to pay taxes for services he uses?
2. Just because he fixed the problem after he received notice he was being considered for a position does not mean he did not intend on fixing the problem in the first place.
3. The mistakes that are made by these candidates are not a true reflection of their character.
4. Bush was worse! Bush's picks were worse! They were all criminals, and murderers. Oh, and they started an illegal war!

How about picking someone who is 1. qualified, 2. an honest person, and 3. not someone who is beholden to all that is wrong with politics? That would be change we can believe in.

It was a great day in American politics

2009-01-28T21:52:00.000-08:00

Anyone who was not living under a rock without access to television, internet, or a newspaper, knows that today, the 2009 Obama "stimulus bill" was voted on and passed. No Republicans supported the bill, which was a wonderful sight to behold.

I thought a lot about this bill over the last few weeks and realized something. Obama is afraid. He did not need Republicans to pass the bill and despite his alleged "bipartisan" efforts, he made no real amendments that Republicans proposed, and made very few concessions. The concessions he did make were largely cuts due to public scrutiny. So, why did he press Republicans to support the measure?

Because when the bill and all of that "pork" money fails to do much for the economy, he could have argued that it was a bipartisan failure, instead of the blame falling on the shoulders of the Democratic party. Instead, that argument cannot be made.

The economy will improve, yet only about 15% of the money to be spent will be done before 2010, and most of that money will go to things not really classified as a "stimulus" to the economy. Instead, we have just seen the House attempt the largest transfer of wealth in this country to citizens who already pay no federal taxes and at best, minimum state taxes. We have also seen the largest pork-stuffed bill in history be passed by the House, despite Obama's pledge to end earmarks. When the economy improves, most of this money will remain unused, yet you can be sure liberals will claim it is due to recession spending, and not due to capitalism, despite clear evidence that recession spending does not end a recession. Should the stimulus bill pass and be implemented, you should the have even less motivation to work hard and succeed, because that simply means you will be paying more for people who lack the same motivation as you.

Also remember that Obama pledged to create or "save" jobs. Which means when State governments receive their portions of the pork pie, they can continue to spend and waste, rather then trim their budgets and drop government jobs. Which means Obama will say he is victorious in his pledge. However, I am willing to bet the efficiency of government services will not improve much, if at all. In a year from now, when you are standing in line at an IRS office, or at the DMV, or any other government locale, you will be hard-pressed to find the line moving quicker than it is right now.

The next time you hear a liberal tout this bill, challenge them. Ask them about the bill and what is great about it. What wasteful spending provision will benefit the country? What motivation is left to work hard? How will it help a recession if the money will not be spent in the actual recession? If the situation is so dire, why is the money not being spent immediately?

January 20, 2009, the start of a new era

2009-01-18T20:58:00.000-08:00

I was watching the 2 hour special of Dateline NBC that was pretty much indicating Barack Obama was the greatest person on the planet. It made me chuckle. All this pomp and circumstance for someone who has yet to become President.

January 20th, 2009 reflects a new change in American politics and I hope that the new President will get the economy back on track without damaging my pocketbook or taking my rights away. If he can, then I will gladly vote for him the next time around. I am skeptical about his ability to do all of this, but I will give him the benefit of the doubt for now.

8 years ago and 4 years ago, I made some predictions about the upcoming 4 years after an election and the friend I was speaking with told me I should have written them down. So, for the sake of reflection, I will write my predictions down here. Because of this election:

1. It's ok to send your kids to a posh, private school, despite liberals getting on conservatives for doing this.
2. Anyone who disagrees with President Obama's policies will be a racist.
3. Going along with #2, it's ok to accuse anyone who disagrees with him, a racist.
4. It's ok to spend billions of dollars and go further into debt, because a liberal is in the White House.
5. It's ok to support bailouts of irresponsible corporations and homeowners, because a liberal proposed it.
6. A President who did not serve in the military is ok.
7. Relying on yourself instead of the government is a sign of weakness.
8. It's ok to shut out Republicans from the government, even though Democrats once said it was wrong to do.
9. "Change we can believe in" will not include bi-partisan solutions, freedom of speech, a hands-off government, self-reliance, lower taxes, or non-violent protests.
10. The "fairness" doctrine will only apply to conservative-dominant areas, such as talk radio.
11. Even though the following were not good indicators of the state of the country, or were inflated, or flat out wrong, when they improve, they will be considered valid indicators for the new administration: the NASDAQ index, unemployment numbers, the number of people who are uninsured, and the deficit level.
12. Hard questions for President Obama will be considered unreasonable.
13. There will not really be any hard questions for most of his administration.

These are just a few predictions for the upcoming 4 years.

And now, for something sad

2008-09-19T22:44:00.000-07:00

You may have seen special products or charity items for the Susan G. Komen foundation recently at a number of locations. Every year, the "race for the cure" comes to California and the San Diego area, and you see the color pink everywhere. In my humble opinion, this is one of the best foundations to donate time, money and energy to, and I encourage everyone to do at least one thing to promote or support this organization.

So, each year, I find myself buying items I normally would not purchase, or would normally not pay the higher price for, because I want to be able to do something. I always support a walker in the local marathon each year, and a few years ago, I participated myself. I plan on doing the same next year.

Last night, I went to the local supermarket to pick up some items for a potluck lunch. There was a donation card pack right next to the credit card swipe machine. For one buck you fill out who your donation is in "memory of". I paid for my purchases and was surprised that the cashier did not make her pitch for a donation. So, I took a dollar out and pointed to the card.

The look on the woman's face was one of shock, then gratitude. She asked me if I really wanted to buy one, then a big smile crossed her face and she said thank you! We then chatted for a minute since there was no line. She has been a cashier for about 17 years and she has noticed that year after year (about the last 6-7 that she recalls), people donate less, and seem much more selfish and self-centered. They are often abrupt with her when they say no to a donation. She said that I was the first person who donated in her shift that day and the first who has offered rather than waited for her to say something in over a week.

Does that strike anyone as sad, yet very telling of the world today? Have we reached the point where a buck is too much to ask for? Where people cease to be charitable? Where the pain of someone else is to be ignored? I am afraid of what we as humans have become.

It's all about race, man!

2008-09-19T22:42:00.000-07:00

I told a co-worker about 3 months ago that it would come down to this.

If you don't vote for Obama, you are a racist.

It's that simple. There is no other explanation.

The liberal media

2008-09-13T01:03:00.001-07:00

vs.

About a year ago, I purchased a magazine subscription from some program. I forget who it was for and what it was for. The choices of magazines were pretty slim and since I am not an avid hunter, fisherman, machinist or carpenter, the best of the remaining choices was "Time" magazine. So, I signed up for I think the two year selection and soon the familiar red bordered magazine cover showed up in my mailbox.

I have been dealing with some personal issues, so I was behind on my magazine reading for the last few weeks. However, I finally had the chance to read The 9/1/08 and 9/8/08 magazines, which dealt with the two major political parties and their candidates.

If you ever wanted to see an example of media bias, you simply need to read these two selections and compare them. The Democratic party issue and discussion of Barack Obama is full of the same tired stories of Obama. His upbringing and unique family unit, his community activism, and his political ascent. His wife and family are also discussed. The various articles deal with typical Democrat issues and they gloss over any real controversy.

Now compare it to the second in the series. The Republican party issue is full of the same, tired, information the liberal media spews out. McCain, the rowdy young man. McCain, the graduate near the bottom of his class. McCain, the womanizer. McCain, the terrible husband who has a failed marriage. McCain ,the maverick in politics who is mean and grumpy and cannot get along with anyone. McCain, who is like George Bush despite the issue actually pointing out all the differences between them. Oh, and let's not forget, McCain, the POW (which does not actually mean anything to anyone). The rest of the articles deal with Republican issues and how screwed up America is right now (strongly hinting at it being ALL the fault of the Republican party).

I will a few issues that I would highlight to show some extreme differences that I found, and to make it easier for you, dear reader.

First and foremost, the article about McCain does mention his accomplishments as a public servant, but in a backhanded way. Despite examples of success in the passage of bills and reaching across the isle to work with the Democrats, the magazine constantly goes back again and again to describe McCain as uncompromising, boorish, even downright mean.

Meanwhile, Obama's experience (or lack thereof) is glossed over, focusing on his time as a community organizer and placing a lot of emphasis from the perspective of his wife. What is most amusing is that the article points to his current campaign as evidence of his "experience", and that he is able to run a pretty good campaign. Somehow, this equates to experience to lead an entire country. This argument has been used a few times in recent memory, so I guess I should not be surprised.

Second, Time discusses in detail McCain's wild youth and his family, going so far as to discuss his father and grandfather's personalities and calling his father and alcoholic. McCain is described as a brawler, a womanizer, and a party animal. His prior transgressions are laid out in detail. Meanwhile the Democratic issue says nothing of Obama's young trusts while in college, the parties he likely went to, and most notably, his admissions of drug use and participation. In fact, his past is barely examined at all, while McCain's was thoroughly explored.

Further, we hear nothing about Obama's family, save for how great his wife and kids are. Nothing about a father who abandoned him. A mother who married multiple men and who also ultimately abandoned him to pursue her career while he lived with loving grandparents. Now, I get that his Mom was a free spirit, and that she decided to pursue a career and dream in largely a man's world. Yet, while we celebrate this idea, I note how current V.P. candidate Sarah Palin is ridiculed for her choice to run for an elected position and how she is obviously "abandoning" her family for her own personal goals. And while I am thinking of this, why has this not been analyzed at all?

These are just a few examples of an obviously slanted viewpoint. And they say there is no media bias!

Barack Obama v. Sarah Palin

2008-08-30T22:03:00.000-07:00

I started to put together something similar to this comparison on Obama and Palin. Excellent review.

The left, and Palin, unhinged, part 1

2008-08-30T16:33:00.000-07:00

This is what it has come down to: An interview with Amy Gwin, who was a beauty pageant contestant against Sarah Palin in 1984. Guess what? She would not vote for Sarah Palin!

Wow! Talk about hard-hitting journalism, brought to you by the fools at DailyKos.

And to think this is only the first day since the announcement she was the VP pick for McCain.

Why Democrats are afraid of Sarah Palin

2008-08-29T22:39:00.000-07:00

The news is out, there is no more secrets. The table has been set and we are finally ready to wine and dine! Sarah Palin is the VP selection for the McCain ticket. And within 5 minutes of the selection, libs on http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ were scrambling with half-baked opinions on the selection. And, as to be expected, nothing positive was found on liberal web sites all over the web. Trust me, I looked everywhere!

This is why I love election season. It's a chance for real review and debate of the identity and ideas of the major parties, with a few of the smaller parties thrown in the mix. The season is meant to represent the best of both parties, and for hope for the future. And like every season since I became interested in politics (that would be 1992, my freshman year in high school), the Democrat party is beat by clever campaigning, and ceaseless attacks on the issues Democrats want to hide. And their response is the same each time: "We won't engage in personal attacks!" (until we are behind). "We will show that we are the party for the little guy" (until the true colors of lear-jet liberals are exposed). "We will show how much better we are for the country" (until the votes are counted, and the result states otherwise).

With the pick of Sarah Palin, the Democratic party finds themselves scrambling for an answer. She is a dark-horse. A relative unknown. And certainly not the candidate the Democrats expected. So what to do now? Attack her with everything she has ever done, no matter if it is right or not, and put some SPIN on that baby!

With all that will be heard in the next few months about this obviously fearsome creature, I will provide you with what I believe are the main points that strike fear into the hearts of liberals across the country. I have ordered them in what I believe is the order of their greatest to least fears.

She is a woman- Gone are the days of the Republican party as the party of "rich, white men". Here stands a woman in position to run the country, in the event McCain is unable to, which some think is a distinct possibility. I found it interesting that on the multiple liberal sites I visit every day, most of the commenting public who supported Hillary Clinton as a candidate are opposed to this selection. This will be discussed below. Palin represents a very important voting bloc- moderate women.

She is a mother- Liberals believe a mother is something to be admired when it represents their view of them- a victim, a helpless human, someone to be pitied, a single mother. This could not be farther from the truth! Women do not embody the sad picture liberals want them to be, so why see them this way? A victim makes for good commercials and lots of expensive government programs, and who better to choose than what liberals view as the weaker sex?

When a woman is strong, independent, but holds conservative values, the fact that she is also a mother takes the words "elitist", "uncaring", and "weak" right out of the picture. Which takes most of their personal attack arguments away as well. Mothers are still revered by most of the country, and that strikes fear into the black heart of the typical liberal.

She embodies the true definition of "feminism"- This will be explained here and elsewhere. To libs, a feminist is a woman who is a working professional, possibly a mother, independent, and a Democrat. A real feminist is a woman who is what she wants to be. Sarah Palin embodies this. She is a leader, a strong person, and a mother at the same time. She embodies what liberals love in themselves and hate in conservatives. Ironically enough, they love and hate for the same reason.

She is a working mother- Multi-tasking can be mighty scary! Especially when a woman can be a mother and politician at the same time. Palin is described as a "hockey-mom", which makes her a "normal" Mother and not the elitist snob title that Cindy McCain is pegged with.

She is the mother of multiple children, including a son diagnosed with Down Syndrome- Not only can she handle a child and a career, she can handle 5 children. And the fact that one of them has a disability is a disaster for the liberal side. She elected to carry the baby to term and not go the easy way out like the abortion-loving crowd would have her do. And now, "motherly" takes on a whole new meaning. I just wonder if Barack Obama considers her baby "punishment".

She has a son in the military- One of the oldest and most tired arguments I hear is when someone is in favor of war or aggression, their children MUST serve. I never understood this argument and I believe I discussed it in a much earlier post on this blog. Children who are eligible to serve are grown adults who can make their own decisions. And when was the last time you knew someone who was a true, independent adult who patterned their life based on their parents orders in EVERY way?

I also have noted before that Chelsea Clinton was eligible to serve during Operation Desert Fox and Operation Allied Force. Why was her service not discussed during this time? Oh, that's right! Because it was the child of a Democrat! It's just more of the do-as-I-say-not-as-I-do Democrat mantra.

Democrats cannot make an issue out of this with McCain's children and now they cannot make an issue out of it with Palin's.

She lacks a lot of experience- To some, this is a big disadvantage and I laugh that Democrats have already made this an issue, saying Palin is too inexperienced to be a "heartbeat away" from the Presidency. But I say its an advantage for two reasons.

First, if they are going to play that game, it opens their candidate (who, by the way is running for PRESIDENT) up to the lack of experience debate that he has been trying to avoid. What qualifies Obama to run? He has some state legislature experience, but most of that was spent campaigning for his Senate seat. Most of his Senate time has been spent campaigning for President. Despite the supposed qualifications he has, I have yet to see concrete evidence. Instead, what I see is a lot of attempts to hide his past experiences (see Bill Ayres and most of his time spent as a Law School Professor).

Second, it gives Democrats little to scrutinize, though they are doing their best. But most of the general public who actually pays attention to elections and votes already knows that no matter what a conservative does or says, it is the wrong thing. No matter what their position, it will be spun into something negative. Which is why men like T. Boone Pickens are scrutinized for taking a position on becoming a "greener" nation, despite the calls from the left. Which is why a pro-choice conservative is considered a sell-out, despite the calls from the left to be pro-choice. The list is endless.

She does not embody the spirit of the typical "politician"- As I have stated above, she is not the typical career politician. She does not look like one, nor does she act like one. For a great reference of the other end of the spectrum, see Joe Biden.

She is attractive- Attractive means the stupid jokes about looks won't work. If you don't think this is really an issue, then ask a liberal what they think of Rush Limbaugh's comments on Chelsea Clinton's looks. Then look at Hillary Clinton and think of the comparison's that would be made if both were in the running. The side by side pictures would be present ALL THE TIME, which would be devastating to Hillary.

As it stands right now, all they will have to deal with is an attractive woman in her 40's. My guess is you will see Michelle Obama's mug plastered everywhere since she is pretty attractive herself.

She is working-class- This is Barack Obama's best card, and like John McCain's military service card, he uses it often. Joe Biden even gets into the game by discussing his blue-collar roots. John McCain comes from a fairly well-to-do family and Cindy McCain has been attacked since day one over her wealth. However, Palin is working class as well, and it makes the Republican ticket more identifiable to everyday folks.

She is pro-life- Need I really say more?

She is a member of the NRA- See the answer for "pro-life". She can handle a gun and has no regrets about it! I also think it kind of weakens the Democrats argument about gun ownership since Alaska is a rugged area and hunting and shooting game are pretty common.

She is "pro-oil"- Big oil is the ultimate enemy for the left. We all know this. But Palin has an advantage on her side. Oil drilling, production, and distribution is a big part of the Alaskan economy and even Blue-dog Democrats from oil rich states acknowledge that if it is an important part of their economy, then it is not as big of an enemy as the environmentalists would like us to believe. The important question to ask is does it really make sense to not utilize a valuable commodity of the state to benefit its citizens?

In the end, these issues will come into play and the left will try to demonize Sarah Palin anyway they can. But do not think for a second that they are not afraid of this woman.

So much for free speech

2008-08-27T22:58:00.000-07:00

I've said it before and I will say it again . . .

Libs love free speech . . . as long as it shows conservatives in a bad light.

Libs love free speech . . . as long as it shows libs in a favorable light.

For all the griping about how the Bush administration has stomped on the constitution over the last 8 years, I have yet to see any outcry about arresting reporters standing on a public street filming Democrat lobbyists and donors.

How a "green" convention is now a little more polluted

2008-08-13T18:56:00.000-07:00

While the planning for the Democratic National convention consists of all things "green", it seems the attendees have forgotten what it means to be green.

Perhaps the easiest way to conserve energy and live a more "green" lifestyle is to simply walk or take public transportation. Al Gore preaches it. Democrats preach it. Conservationists and environmentalists preach it. So why are they not living it?

We have already seen Al Gore's hypocrisy exposed. First, his home, then the air-conditioned, running vehicle story, and finally a huge boat for his small family that runs on efficient bio-fuel. Except, ummmm, that fuel is not found at the dock where the boat it (it would have to be trucked in).

And now, we have this- a devastating shortage of gas-guzzling, energy inefficient limousines for the convention in Denver.

The Democratic Party slogan: DO AS I SAY, NOT AS I DO

When a "change in position" is not actually a change in position

2008-08-01T23:14:00.000-07:00

Well, it had to happen sooner or later. I cannot say that I am surprised, but I can say that I am happy.

Barack Obama may have a change of heart on off-shore drilling.

Now, compromise is great, and I am glad that he is willing to "compromise". Compromise is good and compromise is needed, and the system should work that way. But what makes me really laugh is that on EVERY liberal blog I have checked on tonight (counting 5 as of this writing), the liberal posters who shouted "no drilling, at all!" at one point are now praising this move, indicating it is not a change of position, a flip-flop, whatever you wish to call it.

So, its official. With very few exceptions, any member of the congregation of the church of Obama will accept anything he says, regardless of a prior position. And they call Republicans and conservatives "goose-steppers" . . . . .

Barack Obama- "Do as I say, not as I do"

2008-07-11T23:49:00.002-07:00

According to Barack Obama, we all need to learn foreign languages because its embarrassing that we cannot speak a second language and so many people from other countries can.

Except he can't speak a foreign language either.

Does he even know the real reason why so many people around the world speak English? It's because it is the international language of business and prosperity. I doubt that all the people from Europe, Mexico/South America, the Middle East and the Far East speak English because they like to come here to vacation. Most of them have never even been on American soil. They learn the language because speaking it gives you an advantage. I'd put "vacationing in America" as reason number 8 or 9.

Barack Obama- "Do as I say, not as I do"

2008-07-11T23:49:00.001-07:00

A response to HumeSkeptic at huffingtonpost

2008-07-06T17:23:00.000-07:00

I posted a comment on the following story and was called out by HumeSkeptic- the frequent, but incorrect poster on that site.

www.Huffingtonpost.com claims to believe in free speech, but spends a ton of time censoring people that post. I myself have been censored over 20 times that I am aware of, and not for inappropriate comments or profanity.

I tried to respond to his challenge that I could not find a single person who was in favor of Iran's nuclear pursuits, but against the U.S.'s pursuit of the same. I promised myself I would limit my response to about 15 minutes, but as I state in my 3 part response, there are likely many more people than what I found in just a few minutes. Unfortunately, I do not have the site's server to acccess and comments are limited to review of the most recent entries from posters.

Be that as it may, I did find a few people.

-----------------

Well, I wish I had time and the ability to cross reference everything anyone ever said on this site. Unfortunately, we don’t have that feature and our profiles do not show all that we have commented on. So, I promised myself I would dedicate only 15 minutes to the research you demanded. This will come in 3 parts, I hope they load in order.

Gr8abz, from this article

“I agree totally. Who the hell are we to tell Iran they cannot have a nuke? It's obnoxious and arrogant. I don't get it”

And then compare to . . .

“COMPANIES BEGIN QUEST FOR OIL AND GAS OFF FLORIDA COASTS
Hey, rwe. Where are they gonna dump all that radioactive waste from all those newly constructed nuke plants? NOBODY wants that crap in their farmland. And whose gonna pay for a Nuclear America anyway? Our tax dollars?? Nuclear energy is THE MOST EXPENSIVE to safeguard and maintain. rwe -- you are either uneducated a moron or both. posted 07/05/2008 at 11:41:08”

Sounds to me like he has valid points regarding the radioactive waste, but he seems perfectly ok with Iran producing some.

Part 2
Darthdarcy, from this article

“That's exactly what Bush and Cheney and our war monger Secretary of State want to hear...
There's gonna be War and before the election mark my words...”

I compared that to a comment I found on an article from June. I went through another profile on this article list to cross-reference, since darthdarcy’s profile only shows a certain number of “latest entries”.

Here it is . . .

McCain: Build 45 new Reactors, 6/18/08
“Nuclear plants built with bonds that the Tax Payer pays for..subsidizing the entire industry..Also no one ever mentions the huge dangerous pollution associated with mining the uranium and processing it for use in the Nuclear plants...everybody forgets about that so it's not a clean technology..then there's the waste..Einstein said you can't use Nuclear energy for power due to the waste, but hey what did Einstein know..?”

And . . .

“Google Harvey Wasserman his video, Nuclear Nonsense is great and America should see it...!Harvey Wasserman Nuclear Nonsense Google that...Also here's Harvey Wasserman at Counter Punch http://www.counterpunch.org/wasserman02282007.htmlThen there's the article Wasserman wrote for Huffington post Jan. 5 2008...”

Not a great find, but I see darthdarcy arguing in favor of a policy that the Bush administration is against.

Part 3

JackND probably has it right, it is a NIMBY issue. Be that as it may, I am sure you will now spend your precious time trying to further mince what I have found, so I will debunk your response ahead of time. Nowhere do gr8abz and darthdarcy say they are for nuclear power in the U.S. if the issue of waste is resolved. In fact, they both specifically posted against the use of nuclear power.

If people actually spent time and analyzed the option, nuclear power is safe and the technology regarding waste is getting better. And to further prove my point since you like to throw around “straw man” accusations, I speak from a decent level of knowledge. My father in law worked on the decommission project of Unit 1, and his best friend and the man that married my wife and I is a lead engineer for So. Cal. Edison and still works at the plant. Libs love to talk about the advantages of solar, geothermal and wind power technology, and the improvements that have been made, so why cannot nuclear be considered?

What is right with America

2008-07-04T22:24:00.000-07:00

As I sit in front of my computer this evening, I find myself reflecting on my day and on the state of our nation. Today, we celebrate the 232nd birthday of the greatest nation ever conceived of by man. Many of us had picnics or barbecues, attended flag raising ceremonies, or spent time with our friends and family. Millions of Americans took some time today to be thankful for all that God and the United States of America have provided for them.

After dinner, I visited my usual group of websites and blogs for my daily dose of political news and comment. I noticed a big contrast between “conservative” and “liberal” leaning websites. On conservative sites, I saw positive messages of well-wishes, hope and praise, and lots of positive comments from people all over the country. On the more liberal sites, I also saw some of the same happy and uplifting comments, but most of the comments I read on these sites were negative when it came to talk of the nation and the status of the lives of the people who took the time to leave a message.

Why is that? I believe it reaffirms my opinion that in general, liberals are not positive people. They choose to view the glass as half empty, and view the world around them with skepticism, anger, despair, and just downright negativity. Sadly, many of these poor souls don’t believe (or understand) that it is them, and them alone, that make up their own destiny, and that they awake each day with a choice- to be positive, or to be negative. Don’t believe me? Take a look at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ and then tell me what you think.

Therefore, rather than be pessimistic and miserable this evening, I am going to tell you what I think is right with America. I will give you examples from my day today, as I had the opportunity to explore some of my little corner of this nation.

This morning, I woke up a few hours later than normal. My wife and I did not have our daughter with us this year for the 4th of July, and we wanted to take advantage of extra time to sleep. I woke up in my own bed, safe and comfortable. I felt safe and comfortable because I live in a wonderful country with good people who are my neighbors. We have law and order, and it is this law and order that helps keep my family safe from many of the evils in this world. I sat up in bed and said a little prayer of thanks to my God without fear of persecution or reprisal from my government.

I then walked downstairs and said good morning to my lovely wife. A few years ago, I had the good fortune to marry a wonderful woman with the grace and blessing of my God and family because I live in a nation that allows me to select my mate and allows me to marry her not just in the eyes of the State of California, but also in the eyes of my God. She smiled at me, said good morning right back, and gave me a little kiss.

The first thing I did was to hang a new American flag that I had purchased a few days before. Our old flag was just that, old, and we wanted to get a new one. We have not had a new flag in awhile. I hung the flag holder on a porch post, unfurled a new 3x5 flag (made in the U.S.A.), and proudly displayed it outside of our home. It felt great to display this banner of freedom and opportunity right next to my front door.

My wife and I then went to the store to find some fresh corn and a few other things for our barbecue this evening. The two grocery stores in my area were all sold out of corn last night, and there was to be an early morning shipment of fruits and vegetables. My wife and I were able to browse the isles at our leisure and we purchased some food we knew to be safe to eat and healthy, thanks to a government which monitors food quality and looks out for its citizens. We purchased items grown and made by people in this country who have the ability and right to choose their own profession, and to earn a living my doing whatever they choose to do.

After we got home, we decided to go to a movie. We headed to the nearest indoor mall where it was nice and cool. Despite what the liberals in this country call a “horrible” economy, there were hundreds of shoppers enjoying a day out. All who were at the mall live in a country where capitalism makes it possible for ordinary people to start and operate a business, and to make a living offering a wide variety of products and services. No person or government official tells them they cannot open a reasonable business and operate it within the parameters of the law. The mall we visited had all of its shops open and people were browsing and buying. We saw men, women and children laughing, playing, shopping, and spending time supporting our economy. My wife and I purchased about $100 worth of food, clothes, and entertainment to about 5 different stores and a restaurant. Because of this great nation, we purchased food and clothes made in this country, and ate delicious Chinese food without leaving our small town!

The citizens of our country enjoy a very high level of freedom of speech and expression, which is somewhat rare outside of our borders. As a result, my wife and I sat in the dark and comfort of the movie theatre and watched a good movie that involved the employment and hard work of many people in this country. We were not harassed for going to watch people speak about a particular viewpoint, and we were not harmed for snacking on the candy we wanted to eat, nor were we arrested and disciplined for holding hands and giving each other a kiss in the dark.

After the movie was over, we drove back to our home. Because we live in this great country, my wife and I were able to purchase a comfortable home, in a safe city, in the best county in the State, in the best State in the Union. We were able to afford this home because we are both gainfully employed. We have jobs we enjoy (for the most part!), and because we work hard, we are paid pretty well for what we do. Inside our home, we enjoy all of the basic necessities of life and many luxuries as well.

You see, unknown to the typical liberal mind, anyone who wants to try hard enough can find a job they enjoy and can perform that job to the best of their ability and be rewarded. If they work hard, persevere, and never give up, then they too can live in a home where they can relax and be comfortable. And due to innovation, talent, creativity of the citizens of this country, we have clean running water, sanitation devices, energy to light, heat, and cool the house, and energy to run all the various appliances in our home.

Awhile after we arrived home, I went to work cleaning and prepping the barbecue. My wife started to prepare the corn and boiled the bratwurst in a broth of peppers and onions. I put some charcoal on the barbecue and started them up. We then cooked our delicious corn and bratwurst and served it with some crock-pot brown sugar beans, potato salad and lemonade. After dinner we watched a little TV, thanks again to the freedom of speech. We ended our evening watching some fireworks courtesy of our city.

Overall, it was a great day, and I enjoyed every minute of it. Unfortunately, it seems many of the posters on various websites I visited this evening chose to spend the day whining and complaining about everything under the sun. It is sad, and quite honestly, pathetic! We have gone from a nation of people who work hard and persevere to people who have become lazy, and who believe things need to be handed to them. Experiencing trials and tribulations as a way to make one stronger are a thing of the past. Instead when life does not go their way, there are many people who expect others to make it up to them. They expect the government to cure all which ails them, and they expect it to be done immediately. They insist that “someone else” is to blame for their problems. “Someone else” is the reason why they don’t succeed. “Someone else” needs to take care of them.

And in their quest to pass the blame for their trials and their failures, they seem to forget the concept of inner reflection and the belief that it is the individual which ultimately succeeds because the individual refuses to believe that they are not meant to achieve their dreams and goals.

There are many Americans who truly hate America. They spend a good portion of their life arguing against the traditions and beliefs on which this country was founded. They see religion as evil. They see law and order only as a means of oppression. They view the family unit as an old and tired concept. Freedom is something that is desired, but only as long as it serves their agenda. Otherwise, freedom is a negative idea. Further, their view of what freedom is and what it means is often perverted from what our founding father’s intended it to be. They see any opposition to their viewpoints as “elitist” or “racist”, and often use these and many other derogatory terms in an attempt to label and silence the opposition. They do not believe in the individual- instead all they see is a nanny-state government.

I agree that America is not perfect. America has a history of wrongs to other nations and to individuals. Those that govern America often let their personal beliefs and opinions cloud what should be the best course of action for the country. And this is to be expected. People by nature are weak, lazy, easily impressionable, and often want what is only the best for them. As a result, the policies and procedures that are implemented by our leaders can and do take the country in the wrong direction.

But I also know what is right with America, and today I had the opportunity to witness it first hand. I hope that there were many other people who may read this who took the time to be thankful for the opportunities this great country provides for them, and for their friends and family.

To close, I wanted to post some pictures that reflect what this day is all about. I took them while chaperoning my daughter’s troop at the 2008 Girl Scout Operation Thin Mint sendoff on the U.S.S. Midway. I believe what you are about see is inspiring and reflects the hope and promise of what this country exemplifies. Happy 232 America and God bless you!

Keith Olbermann is an idiot

2008-06-26T23:06:00.000-07:00

When it comes to "heroes" according to the left, Keith Olbermann is right up near the top with his half-baked analysis of politics and his "worst person" (cue scary music) segment. Despite an elitist attitude and odd love for ketchup packets, the left is quick to dismiss any negative story about him as a smear tactic, and they flock to his spoken word like moths to a flame.

But when does his hard hitting analysis of events in our world demonstrate the hack he really is?
Answer- When he bashes the Bush administration for their position on a topic, then supports Obama when he supports the same thing. When I read this story today, it made me laugh at loud. I remember some of the broadcast earlier this year and was surprised at how boldly he called the Bush administration a bunch of fascists. Yet, when the beloved beacon of the left, Barack Obama supports similar legislature, it is a bold move.

Hypocrisy, they name is Olbermann.

The race card is thrown . . . Yet again . . .

2008-06-24T18:44:00.000-07:00

I read this story today on another site and it made me laugh. I did not know that asking people to comply with health code requirements and possibly preventing free barbecue was somehow equated with slavery.

Then, it made me wonder. Have we finally arrived at the point in our society where any attempt to ensure public safety or to enforce laws is considered racist? We cannot enforce health codes, because it is racist against African-Americans. Yet, if someone had gotten sick from the barbecue, who do you think would be sued? the city- for not enforcing the health code! We cannot ask for ID's at valid police stops because it is racist against Hispanics and illegal aliens. Yet everyone knows that the vast majority of illegal aliens are Hispanic or from Central and South America. Like it or not, that is a basic fact. And last time I checked, police asking for ID's were equal opportunistic. The don't care who you are, as long as you have ID! We cannot search people of middle eastern descent at airports or who act suspicious. Yet most terrorists of modern day are of middle eastern descent.

And when things go wrong, what ALWAYS happens? The finger pointing starts and the blames begin. The government should have done more! That illegal should have been deported! This could have been prevented! And then the vicious cycle is complete because while there are calls for more to be done, anything that is attempted is knocked down, by the politically-correct-no-one-is-responsible-for-their-actions-make-cookies-for-those-who-want-to-kill-us crowd. It just does not make sense.

Do you ever wonder why you almost never hear a white person complain when they are called "crackers" or a host of other derogatory slangs, or when they accused of racism? Or how they learn to live with reverse racism, like affirmative action. Do you ever wonder why pretty much anything these days is considered racist? Why is it that rap music or derogatory comments by blacks to other African-Americans is somehow acceptable? Or how about when people like Bill Cosby tell the truth about all of the issues pertaining to the black society he is a sell out, yet when Obama preaches the same on Sunday, he is deemed as correct? Better yet, imagine what would have happened if a white politician gave the exact same speech!

I'll tell you why. Because its not a big deal. My parents raised me to not give a rip about what others thought, did, and said. Instead, I was told to worry about my own damn self. And guess what? I came out ok. I ignored the comments about my race, about my gender, my size, my religious preference, my lifestyle. And I ended up ok. Perhaps there is a lesson to be learned in that. Too bad all of the sheeple out there who allow nonsense prevail will never learn it.

The battle over who is "minority" enough

2008-06-09T23:16:00.000-07:00

I started this post awhile back before my personal life derailed for a few days and I had to get back on track. So here it is now.

A little over a week ago, I was walking to the recycle bin to drop off some documents for shredding. I have to walk across the whole office to do so, and when I do this weekly chore, I enjoy listening to the conversations of the other unit employees. I passed the desk of this rather obnoxious, loud woman. I can always hear her from my section, down a few sections. Anyway, she was just on Cloud 9 that Obama had sealed up the nomination and was telling everyone she was voting for him. Her primary reason, because a minority needed to be in the White House.

I casually asked what part of Obama's platform she liked the most, and as is typical with most Obama supporters, she could not mention anything he stood for or accomplishments he has under his belt. She was stuck on the minority thing. I then asked if it mattered if there was a "minority" as President or as Vice President, to which she replied it did not really matter, but there was only one person of minority status in the running.

I then asked what would she think if Piyush "Bobby" Jindal ran as McCain's VP selection. She did not know who that was and I said he was a minority, specifically, he was an Indian-American. She then said that was a "racist term, they are Native Americans". I heartily laughed at that and said he was Indian, as sometimes called Asian-Indian, or from the country of India.

She then said that she would still vote for Obama. I asked why, since the "minority" issue seemed to be her only requirement. Her response- because Obama is "more of a minority". I wanted to ask her what that meant, but then again, you cannot reason with most fools.

Oh the hypocrisy!

2008-06-09T23:10:00.000-07:00

I don't know how long this link will be up on www.Huffingtonpost.com, but this topic always makes me laugh.

Before the election season kicks off, one of the big whines that comes from the left is a call for "public financing" and to change and make more public financing laws more restrictive. Then Obama gets a lot of small donations from a lot of people, raises a ton of money, completely de-railing all of the arguments, and all of the sudden, McCain is the target because he may use public financing, for whatever the reason.

Next we will hear campaign reform regarding contributions directly to the DNC and the RNC. Why? Because the RNC is still outperforming the DNC by multiples. Until, of course, the DNC gets their act together.

Religion IS allowed in public schools, but no Christianity!

2008-06-02T10:48:00.001-07:00

I read this story today and have a few questions for the school and for the reading populus.

What do you think would have happened had it been a christian person addressing the "christian lifestyle"?

Where is the ACLU?

If information on the religion of Islam is available in any book in the library, do they allow books from a christian perspective, or even a bible?

Sex education gone wild

2008-05-30T12:45:00.000-07:00

I read this story and once again received confirmation that sending my daughter to a good, christian school was the right choice to make, expenses be damned!

Now, granted, this is 8th grade, and my daughter's school currently only goes through the 6th grade, but we will likely be transferring her to a christian private school until high school.

If you are not disturbed by this story and interview, please do me a favor and stay away from me and my family. If you are disturbed by the story, but wonder why we are at this point in the world, then allow me to give you my thoughts.

To me, it is real simple. Since the decline of our education system, which I think started in the early 80's, what has changed? We have taken God out of the classroom. We have taken parental choice out of the classroom and have replaced the choice with teacher discretion and teacher union backing. We have taken wrong vs. right answers out of the classroom. We have adopted a PC approach to teaching, where there are no wrong answers and no accountability. Letter grades and red pens are being replaced with smiley faces and partial credit for "thoughtful" answers. Children are no longer seen as innocent and must be inundated with a never-ending barrage of images and material pertaining to sex, drugs, inappropriate behavior, and anti-American view points. All in the name of a "better education". These things are more important than teaching kids how to read, write, perform math, and understand science. Unless of course, it is to teach evolution only.

And what has happened? Test scores are down. Kids graduate from high school without the ability to read. School violence rates increase and we have kids performing mass murder on school grounds. And the parents of these children often point the finger elsewhere, file lawsuits because the system exposes their kids as not being ready to enter the world, and other such challenges arise. Or even worse, change the way the test is written to get scores higher.

Does that make sense? A child cannot pass a test they should have been able to pass between the 8th and 10th grades, so instead of forcing that kid to study and learn, they want to make it easier? What message does that give our children? If you are dumb enough, you will get by? Is this education really better? How about you teach our kids how to read and write and develop skills necessary to compete in the real world and let the parent's give you input on this process, while they also teach their children about the horrors of the real world.

As if we needed any more reasons to build a fence

2008-05-19T21:11:00.001-07:00

Are we ever going to really get serious about protection for our citizens? I am not talking about someone who crosses into Mexico. As far as I am concerned, your chances of death double if not triple by crossing over into ol' Mexico.

Drugs are a huge problem, and they are only getting worse. And just because most of the death occurs in Mexico, there is no reason to believe it will not get worse here, particularly int he Southwest. Anyone who honestly believes these killings are not drug related needs to get their heads out of the sand.

Won't somebody think about the children!

2008-05-16T23:12:00.000-07:00

I have said it before, and I will say it again. The problem is not with funding, it is how the money is spent on education.

How many times do I have to say it?

$8,610.00 per kid, and still that is not enough. Classroom sizes of 22-25 children are way too large. Chaos! Pandemonium! Outright terror over the education of our children!

And yet . . .

My daughter attends a private school with grades K-6. The teachers make comparable salaries to public school teachers and have decent benefits. Each class averages about 22 students, my daughter has 23 right now in her 1st grade class. WITH daycare provided before and after school, I spend less than $6,000 per year. If I did not require after school care, it would be $4,250.00 per year. Daycare averages to about $2.00 per hour.

And what do we get for this cost? Excellent, kind and caring staff. Decent facilities with good books and learning materials. A functional library. A decent computer lab. An after school study hall program. After school programs which include playground time, an exercise program, a Spanish program, and an occasional science program. Scouting program opportunities. A school musical. At least two field trips per class, per year. And, a christian education.

The school tests better as a whole than over 90% of the other schools in the entire State. My daughter reads at a 4th + grade level and has a 4th grade math comprehension level. The kids are taught cursive in kindergarten, and they do full book reports, including notes, drafts, and an art project in the 1st grade.

Now compare that to the average educational experience of kids in our public school system.

The effects of decreased illegal immigration

2008-05-16T22:52:00.000-07:00

I doubt you would see an article like this on any liberal site. Or in most areas of the media for that matter.

Imagine that! Illegal immigrants leave a state and crime goes down. Budget issues are relieved. Hospital waits and care are decreased. Social service costs drop. Unemployment numbers look better. It makes perfect sense, but then again, sensible discussion is hard to come by when speaking to the pro-illegal crowd.

Why trim the budget, let's just spend more in California!

2008-05-14T12:34:00.000-07:00

I made mention of Governor Schwarzenegger and his "spend more, reduce none" practices and budget proposals a few weeks ago on this blog.

In case you have been living under a rock, our supposed "conservative, Republican" Governor has turned into a spending machine the last 1.5 years or so, and seems content with the liberal-minded, Democrat thought process on raising taxes whenever the budget calls for it. Forget about cutting pork projects out. Forget about making school districts accountable for their teachers performance and for the horrific results on the education status of our children. Let's just take money from other sources and tax more!

Today, the Governor proposed borrowing against FUTURE state lottery revenue to close the budget deficit gap. While I was thinking about the article, I reminded myself of something discussed in the 1980's when the lottery was a hot topic. Wasn't a big benefit of the lottery to provide revenue for education in the first place? How much is being sent to the budget already?The site for the paper Contra Costa Times http://www.contracostatimes.com had a great proposal to cutting the debt down (sorry, but the link is not up for the site right now). The proposed the government sell unneeded and unnecessary lands. I doubt the Governor will take a look at that proposal. Instead, he wants to find money earmarked for other purposes and use it in a general fund capacity.

Schwarzenegger has also recently backed away from the most of the sound school cut proposals, which previously trimmed bloated school district staff positions and made the school districts and teachers unions more accountable for their membership and the results in the classroom. the purpose was to help get the budget under control. Instead, he will be INCREASING funding by $1.8 billion. The article mentions that there is still a $4 billion decrease because of no pay raises.

No pay raises? What about retaining the best teachers for the best education, which usually means a good salary with benefits? Why does the teacher always seem to get the first beating when it comes to budget cuts? Those are the questions which ALWAYS arise when education is discussed. Before you pull out your hanky and shed a tear over the poor teacher, consider how the budget is actually spent. Indeed, the average pay for teachers in this state is the highest in the nation (see page 2 of link).

In case that argument is not good enough, how about pay based on results, as it is in the rest of the real world? The concept is real simple. FOR EXAMPLE: When I go in for my yearly performance review, any salary increase for the following year is based on numbers: how many cases I closed, how my file reviews went, how the employers I work for rate my work product. The math is simple: the better the numbers, the better the raise. The worse the numbers, the lower the raise, to possibly no raise at all.

A lot has been said recently about where California ranks as far as per student funding. I read a relatively even-handed report last month from San Diego's local paper, which commented on different reports and method's for determining the per-student funding. You can read it here. The article makes brief mention of school performance, which bolsters my argument over merit pay. But what the article, does not mention, and what will almost never be mentioned in any article, ANYWHERE, is what amount of the per student money actually makes it to the classroom.

The California education bureaucracy is gigantic, the biggest in the nation. And on average, almost 50 cents of every dollar (1/2 of every dollar for the readers educated in the public education system) never makes it to the classroom. I would be very interested to see the report which compares that figure to the bureaucracy costs of each state in the union. I have yet to find that report, but I can guarantee you we are one of the worst in the nation. I would also be so bold as to assert that the other state education systems which have poor student results would have the same problem.

And while I am on the subject, make one more point, then touch on a taboo subject. I understand larger classrooms = more student problems and lower testing rates, for the most part. However, if you are educating 24 as opposed to 22 students, does the difference really matter at that point? The classroom received the extra $7 grand per student, yet the results are significantly lower? That does not seem to make sense to me.

Now, the taboo subject- illegal immigration and the effect on education. When my daughter needed to enter into the education system, her mother and I discussed public versus private education. During that discussion we both agreed that the school system in the area she was living was terrible, as was the school district area North of her home, and South of her home. My area had a pretty good district. The area to the East of me was not great, as was the area South. The area East to me and North had good testing and education marks. I checked each area with State figures and testing results.

What did all of these areas have in common? The areas with schools that had poor performance and overall district problems all have high illegal populations, high Spanish to English immersion figures and very high minority populations, the majority being Hispanic. The areas with good to great districts has the opposite. You can argue that this is an over-broad opinion and that my comments are racist in nature, or flawed in some manner. And I encourage you respond and comment on how I am incorrect. But like it or not, illegal immigration is a huge problem on the education system, and I challenge any reader to point out different. If you would like, I can give specific cities and specific districts.

Does this mean all minorities are the problem? Absolutely not! Does this mean that this trend is the same all over the state? Absolutely not! There are many minority students who are exceeding and doing well, illegal or not. There are districts doing well which may have a significant number of illegal students. There are districts with large numbers of Caucasian students who are doing poorly. What I am merely pointing out is that there is the 500 lb. gorilla in the room that is illegal immigration and people don't want to address it for fear of being called a racist or a bigot. But like it or not, a good hard look at the problem shows a big issue under the surface.

The solution to our State education and budget woes does not lie with tax increases and robbing the lottery revenue. It lies with cutting unnecessary bureaucracy positions and forcing the government to live within its means. Put in enough money to actually teach kids while limiting the bureaucracy cut, put in enough money to pay infrastructure improvements and maintenance, put in enough money for health and safety services, and then see what extra projects can be completed. And on top, quit pandering to Unions!

Bernie Ward- A story about a liberal you won't see on liberal sites

2008-05-09T21:57:00.000-07:00

When a prominent conservative is accused of a sexual crime, no matter big or small, it appears on every liberal web site, one of the top stories.

When it pertains to a prominent liberal, you really won't see it anywhere.

And people say there is no liberal bias.

When this story first broke and Ward indicated he was only using the images as research material for a book, I went on more than a few prominent liberal sites, which had entry after entry of people who cried out that Ward was being framed, or he really was just doing research, or this was just a smear job. And my favorite, bringing up the likes of Senator Larry Craig and Mark Foley, two other idiots who should have been tossed long ago.

There, I said it- get rid of Foley (done) and Craig (pending). Does that make a lib feel better tonight? Will they sleep better knowing that there is a conservative out there who agrees with you? I hope so, now let's get back to the issue at hand.

Does the fact that there are disgusting Republicans and conservatives out there detract from this animal and his antics? No, it does not!

Now that the truth has come out, we know that Ward was not storing pictures for research. He was too busy sending the images along with some naughty chat to an online dominatrix to finish that book he was writing.

Come one, come all. Who will be the first former liberal defender of this animal to admit they were wrong?

Taxes, taxes, and more taxes for California

2008-05-03T19:31:00.000-07:00

I read this gem of a story, about some areas for proposed new taxes from our "liberal-in-a-conservative-clothing" Governor.

perhaps rather then spending more and wasting millions, Governor Schwarzenegger should actually "cut up the credit card", like he previously stated.

Open letter to El Presidente Calderon

2008-05-01T22:32:00.001-07:00

Could not have said it better myself, so I will let Kender MacGowan say it for me.

Are YOU ready for Illegal immigrant day?

2008-04-30T13:06:00.000-07:00

I have another post I am working on regarding the Katie Couric CBS story on "anchor-babies" born to illegal immigrants, but in the interim, I had to comment on the protests slated for tomorrow. May 1 has been transformed into an "open borders rally", starting with "The day without immigrants" which occurred a few years ago.

But first, some humor. An attempt to bring some humor to ending Cinco De Mayo celebrations.

Michelle Malkin gives a great preview and follow up.

See here for the Chicago May Day "demands" list, courtesy of your open borders advocate and windbag Jesse Jackson.

I still have one question I would like to have any open-borders advocate answer before we debate anymore. Is Mexico going to change it's own deportation and border security policies?

Not all workers are really injured . . .

2008-04-29T17:50:00.000-07:00

Worker's Compensation issues take up the bulk of my work and free time these days. I am always fascinated when I read about injured workers who receive thousands of dollars of treatment and money for living expenses, only to wind up being declared a complete disaster medically. Then, a settlement is proposed and arranged and miracle of miracles, they are able to go right back to work doing the same occupation they were doing before, despite a supposed reputable doctor indicating they could not possibly do the work again, hence the need for a large cash settlement.

I am real big on prosecuting Worker's Compensation fraud. Unfortunately, despite their being rampant fraud in the system, most cases never make it to a prosecutor's desk, because there are so many cases to pick and choose from. Therefore, I will take the next best thing: being caught red-handed and having the perpetrator's case thrown out.

All the troops must go, except, well, maybe for a few

2008-04-04T17:12:00.000-07:00

One of the biggest differences between the Republican nominee and the two Democrat candidates has been over the troop presence in Iraq. Both Clinton and Obama (see also here and here) have rallied their supporters into a furor by stating all the troops will be out of Iraq right after the election.

Except Obama does not really mean that.

Or maybe he does mean it, but not really like he says during his speeches.

But lets give him a break. After all, Clinton cannot guarantee it either.

Now mind you, this is just one person on his campaign staff. After all, there have been no other examples of campaign staffers for the Democrats making comments that the candidate did not endorse? That never happens, right?

But back to the topic at hand. If the polling data is correct and the American public is as opposed to the war as liberals claim they are, then why can one not stick to a troop withdrawal strategy?

My beautiful ctiy bowing to the altar of the ACLU

2008-03-26T13:31:00.000-07:00

I was working on this story last night when I first read about it according to a local news source for San Diego. Then I found this story on Michelle Malkin's website, so I figured I would let you see her version in its complete form with links.

Truly disgusting.

Preaching and politics- are black preachers racist?

2008-03-26T12:48:00.000-07:00

I have been listening with amusement to various talk-radio hosts (on both sides, mind you), discuss the language and comments from Reverend Wright, Barack Obama's personal spiritual advisor. Reverend Jeremiah Wright of the Trinity Church has created an enormous amount of fodder for the Clinton camp and conservatives alike with his rantings on "God-Damn"'ing
America, and for indicating that the country is ruled by rich white people only. See the video here.

James David Manning (see here for his own controversy), has also made recent headlines for calling Obama a pimp for bringing out large-breasted white women at the start of his campaign and for his views and opinions. See the You-Tube posting here. If the story does not load, see the transcript here.

Sean Hannity interviewed him and pretty much chastised him for these comments, as "non-christian" and for the fact that the woman he was referring to was a prior You-Tube video addition for which Obama had not hand in creating or posting.

While I overheard the interview on a co-workers radio, it made me think. Why are supposed Christian leaders and ministers/preachers/pastors at churches with largely to all black congregations resorting to these types of rants during their religious sermons? Has anyone out there ever heard anything similar to these ridiculous sermons at a Church that may be oriented towards largely "white" congregations?

I remember once time at the church I attended when I grew up, during a testimony meeting, one person making a political statement in opposition to the marriage amendment to the California Constitution, defining marriage as between a Man and a Woman only. A second person got up and rebutted and then someone stepped in and reminded everyone why we were there- To worship the Lord, not to make political statements.

I am sure these types of things happen at other churches from time to time, and there is no doubt that political involvement is prevalent with various churches. But I have never heard this type of language and bashing going on at any church other than a "black church".

I am sure by now some of you are thinking that "the San Diego Conservative is or may be a racist", and if you feel that way, I want to know why. I want to know why asking a legitimate question is racist. I want to know why these preachers are not racist, or if you think they are. In my opinion, they are the worst kinds of racists because they are completely open about it, and try to tie it in to a Christian perspective in the process. Even worse, the media dismisses comments like these and instead focus on those who bring them to light.

In the age of political correctness, a racist appears to be defined as "white, almost exclusively male, successful, opinionated, and a person who believes in working hard for what you reap in this world". Whenever someone of this description dares to question anything pertaining to a minority, it is racism, and the race card must be played at that instant.

Am I wrong?

I am back!

2008-03-26T12:47:00.000-07:00

After studying for a few month's for a bar exam, I have completed my studies and will be back to posting shortly.

A challenge with no response from QBear

2007-12-05T22:38:00.000-08:00

Last week, I was addressing a story pertaining to Mitt Romney's upcoming speech on his faith and how it will fit with his political aspirations and decisions, should he become president. For whatever reason, Romney feels the need to place his private beliefs in the public limelight, similar to JFK, when he spoke about being a Catholic and President. I note that the JFK advisory team kept this issue out of the limelight, save for this speech, however Romney appears to be held to a different standard. Anyway, I digress . . .

I answered a few questions posted by user "QBear", who had lots of time to cut and paste articles written about the Mormon faith and portions of quotes from Church officials, in an attempt to cast the Mormon faith in a bad light. He was implying that the church was false and secrative. I challenged him to send me any question he wanted, and that I would not only answer the question and debate it with him, but I would also post our email conversation(s), unedited (save for profanity or personal names/information), for anyone to see.

As of now, he has not sent me a question or email. Will he step up to the challenge, or remain in the shadows, coming out only to take cheap shots at Republican candidates and conservatives in general?

The Jenna Bush controversy

2007-12-05T21:39:00.000-08:00

I actually became aware of this story when reviewing www.huffingtonpost.com. I was performing my daily ritual of perusing some of my more heavily visited sites for the left, for my daily dose of sane topics and insane conversation. I just had to click on the story because I just knew I would find more than a few gems from the "tolerant", liberal left.

Jenna Bush was a guest on the Ellen DeGeneres show and ended up calling her Mom and Dad during the taping. The receptionist seemed a tad bit hesitant to transfer, then did. She briefly spoke with her Mom, then her Dad, who told the audience hi and said that he loved his daughter.

The response from this was hysterical, sad, and revealing all at the same time. First, I noted the typical comments on how her Dad is a murderer and a warmongerer and all of those types of comments I hear on this site, every day. Whether or not this is true is totally irrelevant. People somehow cannot distinguish the Father from the Daughter and I can never understand that. I always enjoy these type of comments because they completely miss the subject of the story: the child. It is possible to distinguish the fact that Jenna Bush is not George Bush.

I noted the comments about how "if Jenna supports the war, she should enlist" and how she is a "coward" for not serving in the military.

I have yet to see many comments or interviews that ask for her position on the war, and even if she is supportive of her father, and not the war effort, somehow this is a bad thing. I took the liberty of pointing out in a comment that if someone was a total ass in life, I would not hold it against their kids because their parent is one. Why cannot people comprehend this?

My favorite comments were the ones that dealt with her not serving in the military. I saw this quite a bit when Mitt Romney's kids spoke out in support of their Dad. The argument is pretty much as follows: If "parent" is in favor of the war, then his kids should go right out and enlist and they are terrible people for not doing so.

I recall the age of majority in this country as 18, meaning you are no longer beholden to a parent and can choose the path in life you want. So, why is it that a child of someone who supports the war MUST enlist, if that is not what they want to do? I am sure my parents wanted me to do many things, but is it a bad thing that I chose my own way in life? A parent cannot force their child to do anything, in fact a GOOD parent is one who lets them make their own decisions and supports them the best way they can. How is this even an argument?

To show you how idiotic this line of thinking is, consider the following: On December 16, 1998, Bill Clinton declared war on Iraq, "Saddam Hussein must not be allowed to threaten his neighbors or the world with nuclear arms, poison gas or biological weapons [Weapons of Mass Destruction or WMDs]". (See link for audio) This became known as Operation Desert Fox. In 1999, Operation Allied Force took effect, with NATO forces (including American soldiers Clinton authorized), commenced bombing on Serbian positions in Yugoslavia. At the time of Operation Desert Fox, Chelsea Clinton was 18 and able to join the military. In 1999, she was 19.

Chelsea Clinton did not serve in the military. According to the argument used against Jenna Bush and the Romney children, this was unacceptable because President Clinton was in favor of war. I have YET to come across a story which calls Chelsea Clinton out on this. Why? Because it is a STUPID argument and has no place in political discussions. But don't tell that to the liberals who argue it.

I reviewed a couple of other videos and found this gem regarding service in the military. This genius believes that serving the country through UNICEF efforts in Latin America is a BAD thing and not a good reason to not serve in the military. I first notice that he says that as she is "so behind the war" when the question never addressed that. I then noticed he makes no mention of his service for the country in any fashion, then resorts to name calling, then he resorts to calling most of the citizens of this country a bunch of idiots.

My next favorite group of comments dealt with the fact that she is still "partying". I remember when it came out that she tried to buy alcohol while she was underage, and that she would go out and drink and have a good time in college. I would be very curious to see how many of the posters on www.huffingtonpost.com did the exact same thing in college. I went to one of the biggest party schools in college and guess what? I would see the College Democrat organization members at some of the biggest parties. I had many of them as my residents when I was a resident advisor. Some of the biggest alcohol offenders were liberal-thinking, yet back then, it was just part of the "college experience". Sure what Jenna did was dumb, but is it really a horrible thing to assert when you find no problem with it for other college students?

I also noted a few comments discussing how this is a P.R. attempt to clean up Bush's name. No facts, no proof, just another baseless accusation which has no real relevance to the story or any shred of truth at this time.

Finally, I noted the comments which said that they will no longer watch the program because of this one guest. Whatever happened to having an open mind and accepting people for their differences? Liberals on these sites claim to love openness and debate. But it appears they love openness and debate as long as it supports their position. One differing opinion, and BAM! It's no longer an option to view or listen to that source of information.

Gee, imagine that!

2007-12-02T22:26:00.000-08:00

During 2005's winter season, I heard nothing but praise for Hugo Chavez and his offer of heating oil to the United States.

He is such a great leader!
He offers a true Democracy!
He is so much better than Bush!

Then he closed down an opposition station, (see hugo chavez and venezuela labels) and the defenses rolled in.

They wanted him dead and said so on the air!
He's not really limiting speech!

And now we have this- a referendum which will allow him to run for re-election indefinitely. Oh, and lets not forget his expanded powers, which include control of the central bank, redistricting at his own whim, and holding citizens without charge during an emergency. Does any of this sound familiar? Hmmmm, yes! I have heard these items are things (actual or very similar) which the "evil" George Bush has already done, or is trying to do.

I did not see any updates or stories on http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ yet, but they will likely post it (late of course). I did not see a report on CNN. I did not find it on http://www.therandirhodesshow.com/ yet. I have not seen anything on the major newspapers, from what I have been able to find (or not to find). Perhaps there are some reports out there. After all, not all journalists are completely biased.

Oh, and the kicker. He threatens to cut off oil to the United States if there is any "interference" on their part. Guess all those Northeastern residents of the U.S. will have to freeze this year, now that the liberal-loved Chavez is no longer looking like such a nice guy.

Wounded soldier told to return enlistment bonus

2007-11-20T20:58:00.000-08:00

I read this story today and became sick to my stomach. This is only one story of a wounded soldier being told to return his bonus enlistment money, because he cannot serve the rest of his active duty commitment. I am willing to bet there are others out there.

Sometimes government/military bureaucracy actions are deplorable, and I would hope that any official who does not vote yes on the proposal of Congressman Jason Altmire would be voted out of office the next time they run.

In celebration of Veteran's Day

2007-11-12T12:18:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone who reads this post took time out of their day to thank a Veteran for their service to our great country. Our nation is so wonderful and prosperous due to our fighting forces and the men and women who serve our country.

In celebration of the day, Kathy and I went with her father and brother out to East County to participate in our second amendment right to own and use firearms. It was a clear, crisp, yet warmer morning, and we wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to do something fun. We made a whole morning of it by going to to breakfast to help the local economy, then headed to the shooting range. I had not been to the chosen range before, but enjoyed the facility and the rules they had as standard operating procedure. The location was the Project 2000 Shooting Range.

People often make fun of those of us who live in East County, San Diego, as many of us camp and do many outdoor activities including rifle and pistol sports, as well as hunting. I often note on liberal blogs a story about the occasional idiot who was misusing a firearm and caused a horrible accident. They are always presented as the typical gun owner, and how more gun control laws are needed (I will elaborate more on this at the end). However, upon first arriving, I confirmed yet again that the people who live out here and participate in firearm sports are some of the greatest Americans.

The facility and our experience:

The first thing I noted was the absence of foreign vehicles. Indeed of the 15 cars parked in the lot, there was one Toyota Prius. EVERY other car was American-made. Upon entering, we were greeted by two friendly female counter workers who immediately handed us a safety manual to review, followed by a test which had to be answered perfectly. Once we completed this task, we were informed of the reasonable prices and options for shooting.

I also noted that the shooting range was set in a location between a construction yard and a dump site for the grinding of concrete and base. It was an excellent use of the space and was away from homes and other businesses.

I noted that behind the counter, a large array of supplies were available for purchase and most were American manufacturers. Of the foreign manufactured items, most were related to the rental weapons, which included American firearms and some foreign options. The shop was clean and well-maintained.

The indoor shooting area was clean and well-maintained. The cease fire rules and other maintenance and rules pertaining to use of firearms were strictly adhered to by all shooters. They had a cease fire every hour for target retrieval on the long range course and also shell clean up and a smaller cease fire, I believe every half hour. I conversed with three other men who were shooting during the breaks, and all were very friendly. I also noted a few father/son pairs, and a few women were there to shoot as well. Everyone properly kept their actions open during the cease fire and their weapons were unloaded. No one crossed the barrier except when allowed to retrieve their targets and there was routine cleaning of the discarded shells.

Our firearms consisted of a .22 Ruger pistol, two black powder replica pistols which shot lead balls and a Mossberg shotgun with 8 gauge rounds. We all had the opportunity to shoot the black powder, which was very fun, and a favorite of Jim's. After we went through a few boxes of ammunition and a few black powder pistol reloads, we packed up and secured a booth for the shotgun. During our wait, we went out and watched three people shoot clay pigeon's. The staff were all adorned in safety vests and helped keep score and to release the pigeon's. It was very professional.

There was a well-maintained restroom, plenty of shade and seating, and safety was priority #1. I did not witness one person mishandling their firearm.

In sum, it was nothing like I usually see gun owners and gun enthusiasts portrayed on many liberal blogs. It was a friendly and good experience, and I fully plan on going back very soon.

After we left:

As we were leaving, I noticed something that I think the others in my vehicle missed. There was a car parked on the road across the street, and a guy was obviously protesting the site and/or gun owners. Two signs were posted: "Support stricter gun laws" (is "stricter" a word?) and "Protect Americans, take away all guns!" What made me laugh was his assumption that taking guns away from responsible owners somehow saves more lives, but what really made me chuckle was the large bumper sticker on his car "Buy American and Americans work". Truly a good idea, except his car was a Nissan and the little canopy and chair set he was using was made in China. I know this because I was looking at the exact same set in a catalog a few weeks ago. I doubt his imitation birkenstock sandals were made in America, as I have a pair just like them, and they are made in Indonesia. I doubt many of his clothes were American made as well.

Gun control:

I have weighed on this in the past, yet I feel it is appropriate to make brief mention of some of the debate here, then perhaps weigh in more someday. Gun control is a good thing, and I believe almost all gun owners practice safety first and adhere to gun regulations. The problem I often see with regards to the need for more strict gun control is that measures to ensure the person purchasing is not a criminal are not more thoroughly implemented, but not necessarily by the location where the firearm is being purchased. The government does not have an adequate database and background check, and that needs to be improved. I am fine with waiting periods and mild limits on the type of weapons purchased, but only a few limits. Americans as consumers have the right to purchase items for their own use.

I also believe that limiting gun ownership only gives criminals an advantage because they will not obey gun laws anyway and will seek out firearms which are stolen or smuggled in from another state or country. I remember a blog I read where someone proudly indicated that they have over 20 weapons, including collectibles, and some semi-automatic rifles. The outrage was obvious. Questions were asked, such as Why so many? Why semi-automatic? And of course comments on his intelligence, education and how stupid he was and how it was so unnecessary.

It may very well seem like excess to someone, and that is their opinion and they have a right to it. But do you see the gun owner telling these people that they cannot own certain vehicles, or they have too many of something?

There is more to this topic and perhaps if interest is noted I will comment on it more. These are just some thoughts I decided to put down.

Does the bumper sticker make the man?

2007-11-04T21:57:00.000-08:00

Now that the fires have died down here in San Diego, it is largely business as usual in our great town and county. I wanted to convey a story about an experience I had with a liberal while driving. I posted this story on KLSD, but I doubt they will play it or mention it over the airwaves.

People who read this blog locally may have heard of AM 1360 KLSD's attempt at right wing bashing with their "sticker wars", which began over an alleged firing of a woman due to her sporting a bumper sticker for the radio station. Assuming the story is true, she has a right to sue her employer and I hope she did. I could not find any updates to the story, but will keep looking.

Anyway, on occasion, I would hear someone call regarding something horrible being done to them, for nothing more than sporting a KLSD bumper sticker on their car. Morning host Stacy Taylor and his band of jovial clowns would eat the story up like it was cake! While I believe some of the stories may have some merit, I have no doubt that many were completely bogus and many were largely over exaggerated. This area has plenty of independent publications which would love to pick up on stories just like this, yet I have not really heard of any others.

About a week ago, around 5pm, I was driving home from a class I am taking. As I merged on the 15 freeway, I began to get ready to cross over the few lanes that are added from the 8 West to 15 North merge about 1/2 a mile after my merge. The first exit is Friars road, and you have to move over to at least one "merge" lane to get off. I have been close to being hit a few times by drivers who merge and do not pay attention to those of us already on the 15, so I am always careful here.

Today was no exception. A van had just moved onto the 15 from the 8 and as he passed me on the right, he began to move into my lane. Now mind you, he saw me as he passed me and when he started to move over, the front of my car was about parallel with the driver side door, so he was not even close to being in front of me. As he rolled into my lane, I had to swerve into the next lane and I honked my horn. He then moved back into his lane and as I pulled next to him, he began shouting inside his card and flipped me the middle finger. I responded by smiling and giving him a hearty wave. Nothing more than a friendly wave.

I then proceeded to pull ahead of him and merged over. Mind you, I did not cut him off, slam on my brakes, nothing of the kind. I then proceeded to exit. So, imagine my surprise, when he exited as well. He was trying to move on to the 15 no more than 30 seconds earlier, so why get off? He followed me as Friars becomes Mission Gorge road and followed me up the hill. When I would switch lanes, he would do so as well, always staying behind me.

I finally elected to pull into a parking lot and confront him if he followed me. Sure enough, he exited and parked near me. I waited a second for the man to get out. I then unfolded my rather "large-6'4"-built-and-overweight" frame from my compact-to-mid-size sedan and walked towards him. The man looked at me and then turned back to the van. He got in and closed the door but before he could roll up the window, I reached the van. I told him that he was lucky because I was letting him go. However, he needs to be careful because the next time he acts like an ass then has the nerve to follow someone to confront them after he made the driving error, he may be messing with the wrong person and could get his ass kicked. He then pulled away.

And wouldn't you know it? The man sported three bumper stickers! An "A.M. 1360 KLSD" sticker, an "Obama 2008" sticker, and a "Republicans Suck" bumper sticker. I was able to find that exact sticker and a whole host of other "anti-Republican" stickers here.

Which makes me wonder . . . . Liberals love to point to idiots like Ted Haggard or other conservatives or Christians who do not practice what they preach and pigeon hole all conservatives. Do I now get to do the same? Are all liberals:

a) Bad drivers
b) Profane speaking idiots who like to use inappropriate symbols
c) Angry jerks who love to pick fights only to,
d) Run away like cowards when they pick on the wrong person
e) Inconsiderate jerks who are non-contributors to society
f) All of the above

I don't believe all liberals are all of these, or even some of the things listed above. However, my experiences on a few sites on the web would cause me to conclude that some are all of these and many more things. Yet, I don't choose to place all people of various political views into one category, or make generalizations. I hope most liberals don't either.

San Diego fire update with comments

2007-10-23T23:33:00.000-07:00

I sent the following email to my family (with certain portions deleted/changed on here for privacy). It's long and descriptive, but has my comments on personal reliance v. government reliance at the bottom. I know, comparing this to Katrina is not a complete fit, but it does say a lot.

I have received a few emails from family asking how we are here in fire country, so I figured I would send a mass email out. They have asked a lot of questions, so here is the information, sorry for the length.

First, some geography. We are located in Santee, which is just South and East of the Miramar Air Base extension on the west side of Interstate 15 freeway. From our front door, you can see the back of the base. The section we live next to is a much narrower swatch of land than the actual base. Poway is the first city North the airbase. Lakeside is the first city East of our city.

The Witch creek fire started near Ramona and has moved West and South. It is currently 196k acres, 1% contained with 500 confirmed homes damaged, 250 destroyed and 150 other structures destroyed. The southern line has spread down the 67 freeway and has finally made it to Lakeside outskirts. This is the fire we are concerned with.

The 2003 cedar fire spread this way, then went onto the airbase and down the 52 freeway (right by our home), almost to the ocean. The fire spreading east jumped the 15 and has devastated Rancho Bernardo and moved on to Solana Beach. It may go all the way to the ocean this time.

The other big fire is the Harris which started near Descanso, right on the border and has moved North to Rancho San Diego and West to Eastlake/Chula Vista. It has 72k acres burned and 10% containment. That fire is slowly moving and they have evacuated almost to where we used to live in Spring Valley. There are also fires in San Marcos (contained) and Fallbrook (Rice fire), to the North. The rice fire may hook up with a fire in Temecula and spread. Finally, there is a fire in Imperial Valley which was contained.

The Witch Creek fire has recently moved North to Riverside county and East to Harbison Canyon. We were packed yesterday morning and have spent two days inside due to the horrible air quality.

(Daughter's) school was closed for the week. I am the acting supervisor for my unit, so I had to go in yesterday and they are open tomorrow, which I think is a terrible idea. Today, I left to go to a doctor's appointment and we took a brief trip to get charcoal in case of a power outage, but that has been it for (my daughter). The main power source in the South was knocked out by the Portrero fire (Harris) by the border and the North line is threatened.

Yesterday, my work was dismissed early, so I was home early. I made sure the weatherstripping on the front door was sound and the back door, which has the dog door, was re-stripped. I asked (X) to go to Lowe's very early to get some as I had run out, and the smoke had not yet reached us. She said the masks were all out and there was a lot of activity there. We have replaced the air filter and the house is pretty much air tight.

We already had plenty of food storage, portable food, first aid kits, high rank emergency air masks, emergency packs and our important documents are in one small file cabinet which is easily moved. We also have battery and crank powered flashlights, candles and battery powered radios. We also have a large supply of water as well, and I know how to tap into our water main if needed. I am so thankful the church stresses emergency preparedness and my parents were good examples.

I went to the store on my way home yesterday, to pick up a few small "non-necessity comfort" items, and the store was in chaos. Many people had no preparation and the water supply and bottled water was stripped to nothing. People were wandering the area near the water complaining about how the store did not stock enough water. They did not seem to figure out it was their fault for not being prepared. The first aid area was pretty well raided as well, and canned food was holding out ok. People were asking about grills and other sources to heat food.

I had started a project of donating clothing, books and other items to the Salvation Army about 9 months ago, in order to clear out clutter in the house and it just so happened that I was working on blankets. I made a run last night to Qualcomm stadium, which is an evacuation center, and handed over blankets, pillows and sleeping bags. In total, we have about 300k evacuees throughout the county and about 6 major rescue centers.

Across the street, there are about 3-4 motor homes in the restaurant parking lot and at the store we saw about 6-7 more, so some people are finding places to stay and getting permission from the stores/restaurants where they are at.

I wanted to make a comment on the evacuation centers and make a political point that there is a big difference between people who depend on the government for everything and those who don't. After Katrina, people complained about being stuck at the Superdome and being trapped in their homes. There were over 3 days to leave.

In San Diego, people had less than one day. We could not go East, South or North, so were confined to San Diego unlike many of the refugees in New Orleans. Within 2 days, the Superdome toilets were overflowing, there was no food, no donations (though it was accessible) and even deaths. Even after rescuing had begun, the community made limited donations and there were limited volunteers. All you heard about was how FEMA was ineffective.

Last night, less than 24 hours away from the fire and in some areas, a matter of minutes, over 250k people in San Diego had moved to a center or elsewhere. When I dropped off my supplies, there was a bedding and blanket section over 7 feet tall and approximately 40 yards long and 10 yards wide. There were volunteers passing out water and food and had over 90 large tables and areas for food donations.

Del Mar fairgrounds had some supply issues, but had housed over 10k of people and over 1500 horses and livestock and could support them! There were almost no stragglers and the move was pretty orderly. Two major hospitals and countless convalescent and hospice homes were evacuated, mainly by citizens volunteering to help. Pomerado hospital was evacuated in less than 2 hours.

The only assistance we have had from the government are some marines from Camp Pendleton helping people cross the base, a unit a Qualcomm and Del Mar to help with traffic and distributing supplies and some National Guardsmen posting at a few of the fire burned areas to minimize some of the looting. There have been no confirmed reports of looting.

There are still more areas of evacuation underway and possible, yet despite the strain on emergency services, the evacuations are still orderly. I think this says a lot about attitude towards reliance on the government and reliance on the community and self reliance.

While there are many differences between the two, there are a lot of similarities between these two incidents when dealing with people's needs.

Pray for the fire evacuees

2007-10-22T09:16:00.000-07:00

In case you were living under a rock, there are multiple fires in San Diego county, and it will only get worse for at least a day or so. I have already been somewhat affected by evacuation orders, and many more will be. Please keep them in your hearts and prayers.

Attacks on me at the Randi Rhodes website

2007-10-12T09:10:00.000-07:00

As I am at work, I cannot fully comment on this yet. But as a few of the posters on that site will inevitably see the "Troll" comments being passed around, as well as a link to this site, I will note here that I will update this site soon, possibly tonight. I will be complete with a few attacks from people who have nothing interesting to add to the conversation and some accusations which are unfounded. Stay tuned.

Congratulations to Al Gore

2007-10-12T09:04:00.001-07:00

In case you are living under a rock and did not know, Al Gore was awarded a joint Nobel Peace prize for his work with the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. I applaud Vice President Gore for his attempts to bring to light issues pertaining to the environment, and wish him well on his future endeavors.

I would also recommend his book The Assault on Reason, which is a pretty good read. I finished it a few weeks ago, and while I disagree with some of the points he discusses, overall it is very well written and pretty insightful.

Soldier who needs help

2007-10-12T08:55:00.000-07:00

I received the following story from one of the posters on Huffington Post, who visits my blog on occasion. He pointed out this story from the AP. Fortunately, I already saw this story and mentioned it on the Roger Hedgecock show and on the Rick Roberts show, here down in San Diego. Unfortunately, I did not get his email to post this until this morning.

Kudos to "getoffmedz" from the Huffington Post. Check out the site for his comments.

*** I have edited a small portion of the discussion from the emailer

TEMECULA, Calif. - He was one of America's first defenders on Sept. 11, 2001, a Marine who pulled burned bodies from the ruins of the Pentagon. He saw more horrors in Kuwait and Iraq.

Today, he can't keep a job, pay his bills, or chase thoughts of suicide from his tortured brain. In a few weeks, he may lose his house, too.

Gamal Awad, the American son of a Sudanese immigrant, exemplifies an emerging group of war veterans: the economic casualties.

By JEFF DONN and KIMBERLY HEFLING, Associated Press writers

AP EDITOR'S NOTE: Jeff Donn reported from Temecula, Calif. Kimberly Hefling reported from Woodlyn, Pa.; Harrington, Del.; and Washington, D.C .

Contact info: Gamal F. Awad, PO Box 893562, Temecula CA 92589(951)551-2132 gmann1906@aol.com

Gamal is on the up and up, he answers his cell and he'll send you a financial statement upon your email to him. PTSD is a terrible thing.

Get this info onto any blog that will post it ESPECIALLY CONSERVATIVE BLOGS! Gamal has until the 15th of October, his immediate needs are $6,700. Employers with patience and compassion around Temecula can help, too.

Huffington Post ran this over the weekend and I have personally checked Gamal out, so has AP.

Lots of things going on

2007-10-12T08:54:00.000-07:00

I have been studying for a bar exam, and as such, have largely neglected this blog. Therefore, I will recommit myself to at least one post per week. Stay tuned!

Billionaires and those who blabber

2007-09-20T22:31:00.000-07:00

I picked up this story off a liberal blog today and found it again under a few other sites. The comments were largely the same on each site. It's "obscene", the money is earned all on the "backs of the poor and middle class", they need to be more heavily taxed, beyond the normal obligations, too little charity, undeserving, and the usual "corporations are bad" talk. It never ceases to amaze me how some people do not live in reality.

With few exceptions, the people on this list had some innovative idea or creation, and they ran with it and made something of value. Through hard work and determination, they built their product into a business and became successful, exactly how capitalism works. They used the principles America was based on, and became a success using their own sweat and blood.

Many of the other names became educated in modern economics, be it in the classroom or trial and error. They played the market correctly, and developed a keen sense and understanding of the economy and business in America and in markets throughout the world.

Yet the sites I visited treats them as villans because of their success. I never understand this position. They harp on the success and say it is because of some travesty on the poor and middle class. This is not always the case, in fact, its probably rarely the case, yet you would never know that by reading some of the hateful things.

There is a lot more I could say, but I will wait for comments, if any.

Been on a brief vacation

2007-09-20T22:29:00.000-07:00

I've been on a break dealing with some medical issues, but I am back and ready to post again. Check back for updates.

Fighter of our freedoms or freaking idiot?

2007-09-05T20:56:00.000-07:00

I decided to take a break from studying for my upcoming major life event to comment on this story I found on another blog. Apparently, this guy was arrested after he left a store without showing his receipt. I will let you read the whole story, and will leave the second portion of this issue, the police arrest, for another day.

Under common law, there exists something called the shopkeepers privilege, which basically allows a shopkeeper to detain someone if he has reasonable suspicion to believe that the person has or will commit theft. The investigation must be done on or near the premesis of the building, there must be reasonable suspicion, the use of force must be reasonable and the detainment period can only be for a reasonable period of time.

This guy's argument appears to be based on a 4th amendment unreasonable search and seizure, and somehow claims that his civil rights are violated. But what he has not learned, is the premise of the amendment itself. First of all, the constitution is designed to protect public policy. While private policy could also be included in limited instances, it is generally reserved for public policy only. Which is why a restaurant could reasonably demand pay first provisions, or why non-disclosure agreements can be enforced between an individual or a business. Most protections deal with what the government is allowed to do to you. The relationship between private citizens is generally not included.

The second point he missed, is that it is not unreasonable to ask a customer to show a receipt upon leaving the premesis. As a customer, he voluntarily entered a store, and purchased merchandise from the company. The store has a right to reasonably protect their property from theft. And the argument that he is a loyal customer is irrelevant. I would be open to suggestions on how to further and more easily protect shoplifting, but he presents no possible alternative. Like it or not, EVERY customer is a potential shoplifter, and simply asking someone to show a receipt is by no means unreasonable. Defining what is "reasonable" is a term that will be debated until the end of time. Simply put, "reasonable" means what a reasonable person would interpret. A reasonable person is defined as an average person of the community with average intelligence and education.

I actually debated this in great detail at the Randi Rhodes blog site, so you can look there for further analysis.

Footbath's and freedom of religion

2007-08-21T12:38:00.000-07:00

This was a story not widely publicized a few months back.

The skinny: Religion is pretty much banned from state-run schools, yet Muslims get to have foot baths added to public restrooms at the Dearborn campus of the University of Michigan, and it will be paid for by taxpayers. Wait, let me rephrase that: student fees will supposedly pay for this. And when student fees are not available for other projects, taxes will likely foot the bill for them.

I am curious as to how the ACLU can distinguish between a State-run school spending money on a footbath for Muslim students to prepare for prayer, versus say, purchasing a Bible, or a cross, or a prayer room for a Christian student to use. One of the commenters makes a great point. How fast would the ACLU jump on a state-run school that wanted to open a non-denominational church on campus for everyone to use?

Well, the article cited did state a possibile answer- a safety issue. Kind of spotty, but if you accept that argument, how about a private prayer room for christian students to pray without fear of persecution or harm from zealots who hate religion?

I then came across this article, (sorry for the cut-off, but the LA Times does have free registration) which also addresses the installation of the foot baths. I like how the foot bath is different than a normal religious request because it solves a safety issue, have no symbolic value, can be used by anyone (including Janitors!), and are not stylized in a religious way.

I finally refer you to a well-written essay from Rabbi Aryeh Spero, which speaks to the heart of this and other examples of religion, particularly Christianity, being attacked.

Religion is part of everyone's life, even if you choose not to participate in a belief structure, study, or particular faith. The fact that separation of church and state is mentioned means very little regarding the barrier that was created as a result of overanalyzing this section of the Constitution. I once wrote a lenghty article on this, so I might try to find it and dust it off for my blog here. I do see an interesting item brought up in this debate. If the students pay for it, does that make an item endorsing religion ok?

Local- Gay pride parade involvement prompts sexual harassment lawsuit

2007-08-08T23:12:00.001-07:00

I had delayed the posting of this story in hopes that there would be further developement in the investigation by the fire department. Unfortunately, bureaucracy- be it government or fire department , moves at a snails pace.

This story deals with harassment of firefighters who participated at the annual San Diego Gay Pride Parade on July 21, 2007. For those who live outside our corner of paradise, San Diego has a large (what I am told, one of the largest) pride parade each year through the University Avenue area of Western San Diego. It gets a lot of coverage and for the most part is a peaceful and fun event for its participants.

I found this story particularly interesting, but not because it deals with the Gay Pride Parade, per se. I am not concerned with the allegations of the fire department pushing a “gay agenda”, as it is the right of the gay community to express themselves, be it a parade or other avenue. I do not know for sure, nor fully believe that the department was pushing any agenda in the first place. This deals with free speech, the appropriate use of government employees and equipment, and sexual harassment of males.

On July 20, four department firefighters (Captain John Ghiotto, engineer Jason Hewett, firefighters Chad Allison and Alex Kane) were told by fire chief Tracy Jarman (via supervisors), that they would be participating in the parade. In previous parade’s, participation was voluntary, but according to John Ghiotto, filling volunteer spots was a tall order. All four indicated they had no desire to participate. They were then faced with a direct order, which they complied with.

The firefighters gave detailed accounts of the vulgar comments and sexual gestures made at them as they drove their engine down the parade route. All felt extremely uncomfortable and did not like the idea of being forced to participate in this event. Since the event, Captain Ghiotto and the other firefighters have filed suit against the city and the department for sexual harassment, putting their careers at risk.

The free speech issue in this case deals with expressive speech, and is quite simple to analyze. A person has a right to express themselves in the manner that they choose, which includes the right not to speak or participate in a voluntary event contrary to their beliefs. What is important to note here is that the men stated that they did not want to participate, yet they were forced to. My issue is not with the event itself, and I do not choose to go so far as their counsel does, by saying this is an attempt to push a “gay agenda” on anyone. What is unacceptable is the forcing of these firefighters to participate against their wishes, by threatening them with discipline, especially since this is a voluntary event.

I heard an interview with fire chief Tracy Jarman on AM 600 KOGO, where she stated that it was normal policy to participate in various parades during the year, but she was silent on the issue of the four men being forced to participate. She did do the right thing by meeting with the firefighters, apologizing to them for what happened and promising an investigation would proceed. She also stated that she intended to change the policy on participation at future events. Only time will tell if this turns out to be the case.

The use of government employees and equipment is bothersome. Why the “normal policy” is to participate in parades is beyond me. There is no need to advertise for the department, and while it is important to show community support, San Diego has serious budget issues that result in shortcomings for the department to begin with. There are no shortages of stories that deal with budget shortcomings, budget issues and various proposals that result in shortages for the department. So why spend money on salary and wear and tear of an engine, just to have a brief presence at a parade? It just does not make sense.

The final issue I find particularly interesting deals with the sexual harassment of men. Not just any men, manly men- firefighters- rough and tough men. Interestingly enough, the talk around town has been mixed. There has been plenty of support for the firefighters, but a lot of people are asking what the big deal is. Why can’t they just let it roll off their shoulders? I wonder a couple of things as I write. What if this was a woman complaining? Second, what if a gay participant in the event complained of harassment? Would the comments and opinions be different? My position is simple: it does not matter who is harassed. Sexual harassment cuts both ways, for men and women. What a man does for a living is irrelevant.

More to come on this story as the case unfolds . . .

A look at myself on a more personal level

2007-08-08T14:23:00.000-07:00

I wanted to take a minute to thank a few of the huffingtonpost.com readers who have happened to comment on my blog's content, while commenting on that site. For some reason, one of them could not leave a comment on here, which I thought was odd. So, I tested, and it allows me to comment, so hopefully that will end the issue and the comments can move forward.

Another commenter indicated I should do more local stories. I have a few in the works, but as I told him, the issue of unions seems to come up in every one since this is a union-run town, so I get tired of them. However, I do have a few that will be done over the next few days. He also said to discuss more of what I sometimes refer to as "liberal talking points" and self-critique. I don't see what's the issue in posing my side and letting the other side speak for itself, but it's food for thought. In any event, thanks again.

Now, for a daily rant. My better half has had some issues with her company's health insurance offerings, so she is joining me on my insurance. It has been a nightmare getting the right paperwork to submit to my company, and I am hoping they don't nail me for her having an "option" of other insurance, since she chose not to keep her coverage. My insurance coverage is fine and I am happy with it, but the paperwork is a nightmare. And the kicker- I work for an insurance company.

HEADLINE: Bush causes mine collapse

2007-08-06T21:19:00.000-07:00

I was reading about the tragic Crandall Canyon mine collapse today in the Manti-La Sal National Forest, Utah. Six coal-miners are trapped below 1,500 feet of earth and rubble. As rescuers make valiant efforts to save these poor coal miners, many of the the liberals of this country are busy blaming Bush for these recent tragedy.

They started in with the "Big Coal" comments on Huffingtonpost.com, then made reference to the Sago mine tragedy, then boldly announced how he has done "nothing". I engaged one of the bloggers, as did another commenter, and asked for proof of this assertion. The comeback was typical- no evidence, just comments that other moonbats would agree to. I then gave them this article to read, which says the exact opposite. The response: an AFL-CIO website which says safety programs allocated in the budget are not enough.

Yes, that's right. Have you ever heard of a labor website that says any money budgeted to their program is sufficient? That was the "great" proof.

Remember- if it's bad, Bush is to blame. If there is no way to blame him, it's the fault of "Big Coal/Oil/Corporation/insert your choice here".

More Bush derangement syndrome, live from Minneapolis!

2007-08-02T22:37:00.000-07:00

In yet another round of the "blame Bush for everything" crowd, the connection is being made again and again and again that Bush is to blame for the bridge collapse in Minnesota, earlier this week. In one day I saw the following posted on Huffingtonpost.com and a few other blogs (I apologize for the spelling errors and grammar issues, but they are exact reprints of original comments):

Why do we need terrorists when we have Republicans destroying our own infastructure?

Why DO republicons HATE America SO much???

The Administration, and other corporists do not care for America.

IMPEACH BUSH!

We spend billions of dollars in Iraq, we could just spend that money here and fix ALL our infastructure in a few months.

Then, I read this article from the Associated Press, which states that this bridge has been getting poor reviews since 1990. Funny, I don't see Clinton mentioned anywhere in cyberspace. Instead the new tactic was to talk about how Republicans drained all the surplus money from when Democrats were in charge.

I also found this fatigue evaluation from March of 2001, a mere three months after Bush took office. The bridge had fatigue cracking back then, and was deemed "structurally deficient". The repairs done in the 1990's did not include an overhaul of the bridge, rather, repair of cracks and corrosion. Yet again, nowhere do we hear about the sins of a prior administration. And think about how much could have been done with all that "Democrat surplus"! Now remember, when Clinton took over from Bush I, the calls for his mistakes in Somalia were due to the prior administrations involvement. Yet, the same cannot be asserted here? Hmmmmm . . .

Hate crimes and hypocrisy

2007-07-30T11:50:00.001-07:00

Kudos to Michelle Malkin for her usual thorough coverage of issues.

At issue: hate crimes and hypocrisy.

A 23 year old man was arrested on hate crime charges for throwing a Quran into a toilet on two separate occasions.

The story reported on Michelle Malkin's site gives reference to the "Piss Christ" phot by no-talent photographer Andres Serrano. It also makes refernce to the "art" piece The Holy Virgin Mary, adorned with elephant dung.

Makes you wonder what all the outrage was about when another form of art, cartoons, resulted in mass protests, riots and plenty of death threats.

Only liberals on the SCOTUS, damnit!

2007-07-29T00:29:00.000-07:00

Good ole' liberal Charles (Chuck) Schumer (D- New York) reports that there aren't enough liberals on the Supreme Court. So, he is determined not to allow the President to pick one. I am curious as to what he means by "extraordinary circumstances". I have no doubt you could call that code for "flaming liberal hippie".

Story (in italics):

New York Sen. Charles E. Schumer, a powerful member of the Democratic leadership, said Friday the Senate should not confirm another U.S. Supreme Court nominee under President Bush “except in extraordinary circumstances.”

“We should reverse the presumption of confirmation,” Schumer told the American Constitution Society convention in Washington. “The Supreme Court is dangerously out of balance. We cannot afford to see Justice Stevens replaced by another Roberts, or Justice Ginsburg by another Alito.”

Let's interpret: Because a conservative President may bring forth a conservative candidate, we should abandon precedent in Senate confirmations. And remember, there is no given that a candidate for a position on the SCOTUS is a given. The Senate gives plenty of harassment to candidates. And here is a tip for all of you readers: Whenever you read a quote from a Democrat or liberal, imagine what would happen if a Republican or conservative said the same thing and then consider the outcry and teeth gnashing that would result. That is an excellent way to look at a statement credibility from liberals.

Also, consider the statement "dangerously out of balance". By dangerously out of balance, he means at worst, one more Justice who is closer to a conservative point of view than a liberal one. Remember, Sandra Day O'Connor was by all accounts, a moderate, who frequently sided with Conservatives. She was replaced by John Roberts. William Rehnquist, perhaps the most conservative judge on the bench, save for maybe Scalia, was replaced by Alito, who while conservative, is in all likelihood not nearly as conservative as Rehnquist.

Schumer’s assertion comes as Democrats and liberal advocacy groups are increasingly complaining that the Supreme Court with Bush’s nominees – Chief Justice John Roberts and Associate Justice Samuel A. Alito – has moved quicker than expected to overturn legal precedents.

Wait, they expected them to overturn legal precedents anyway, so their complaint is they are doing it faster? What a lame argument.

Senators were too quick to accept the nominees’ word that they would respect legal precedents, and “too easily impressed with the charm of Roberts and the erudition of Alito,” Schumer said. “There is no doubt that we were hoodwinked,” said Schumer, who sits on the Senate Judiciary Committee and heads the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

Oooohhh! We are Senate Democrats! We are easily distracted by "charm" and shiny objects! Just like goldfish!

I am curious as to how the Senate was "hoodwinked". A Supreme Court candidate can't exactly hide his prior work in the legal community, and there is NO way for a candidate to know what cases will be set in front of him, so how could he possibly say what answer he will give before the case is presented to the Court. I am also curious as to the implication here. I have yet to hear a charge of perjury.

A White House spokeswoman, Dana Perino, said Schumer’s comments show “a tremendous disrespect for the Constitution” by suggesting that the Senate not confirm nominees.“This is the kind of blind obstruction that people have come to expect from Sen. Schumer,” Perino said. “He has an alarming habit of attacking people whose character and position make them unwilling or unable to respond. That is the sign of a bully. If the past is any indication, I would bet that we would see a Democratic senatorial fundraising appeal in the next few days.” Schumer voted against confirming Roberts and Alito. In Friday’s speech, he said his “greatest regret” in the last Congress was not doing more to scuttle Alito.

Just remember this story when and if a Democrat President sends a candidate to the Senate confirmation hearings. All the sabre-rattling over "delays" and "politics" will be loud and large.

“Alito shouldn’t have been confirmed,” Schumer said. “I should have done a better job. My colleagues said we didn’t have the votes, but I think we should have twisted more arms and done more.”

So, rather than doing your job and making sure the candidate was the best choice, you should have spent your time finding ways to not confirm a conservative candidate. Talk about partisan politics . . .

Water rights and water theft.

2007-07-27T23:40:00.000-07:00

This post took a few days to write, but as it is such an important issue to the Southwest, it needed to be finished. I encourage any reader to take note of this and refer back to any updates, because this will be a decades old argument before there is a resolution.

Just over a week ago, Governor Schwarzenegger held a few press conferences and spoke about the dangers of a drought affecting California, particularly Southern California and the San Joaquin valley, which is the lifeblood of California agriculture. He proposed a plan to build more dams and repair the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, including the San Luis reservoir. He also discussed the All-American Canal, which runs along the U.S.-Mexico border through Imperial Valley, California and parts of Arizona. To give you a brief background, this canal was built in 1940 and replaced a similar canal which ran through the U.S. and Mexico. It is an earthen canal with no lining. It connects with a few other canals and brings Colorado river water through Imperial Valley, the most arid, but 4th most productive agricultural region in the United States.

One of Schwarzenegger’s proposals is to finally line portions of the canal to prevent loss of water through seepage, which is not a new idea. By doing this, Californians would recoup 67,000 acre-feet of water each year, enough for half a million people. Most of the water will go to the San Diego County Water Authority, with 17% reserved to settle water disputes with American Indian tribes in San Diego County. For more information on this project, see here.

In response to the Governor’s call for help, the LA Times responded with a riveting (sarcasm)editorial piece, dated July, 21, 2007, entitled the “All-American deathtrap”. (In case this link goes dead due to membership requirements, you have the date and paper to see for yourself). Their concern? Not water for Americans, but, you guessed it, illegal immigrants. Their concern over putting in a concrete lining: the water will be too swift, and the sides of the canal to steep to scale and more illegals who try to cross will die. They advocate not lining the canal, but if it is lined, they demand the government provide lifelines, buoys, and steps in the concrete.

The editorial piece ignores the reasonable response of the Imperial Irrigation District, saying this will increase liability. The L.A. Times this makes no sense. Well, we have illegal immigrants who sue for being shot at while evading arrest and turning on Border Patrol agents, lawsuits for injuries sustained after crashing their vehicle while speeding away from the Border Patrol, and lawsuits saying they did not get medical care "quick" enough while in Border Patrol custody, even for ailments not related to their border crossing. How long do you honestly think it would take for a Mexican family to sue because a buoy line was not tethered properly, or better yet, it inadequate as a safety measure? The editorial failed to mention that the reservoir is already fenced and has numerous no trespassing signs.

Even more importantly, they add to their flimsy editorial the tired old line that “border security is good, but . . .", completely ignoring that no one is forcing people to cross the border illegally and risk their own lives. Once again, the call for the government of Mexico to improve conditions in their country is nowhere to be heard.

Why would the L.A. Times be opposed to making it easier for Southern California to obtain water? Last time I checked, L.A. was in Southern California. The reason is simple: this is not the main reason why they are opposed to the lining. The story you did not hear involves water seepage and lawsuits going back years before Governor Schwarzenegger even considered running for office. The earliest story I found went back to 1998. You see, the water seepage is used by farmers in Mexico, near the border, and they don’t like the idea of lining the canal, which will cut down the water they are stealing. It’s not like they don’t get water. In fact, there is a 1944 treaty wherein the United States created dams, waterways and reservoirs, and Mexico has access to a good portion of that water. As the linked study states, in addition to the water seepage that is being taken, Mexico has not followed up with payment of their water obligations by diverting water which flows to the Rio Grande and have fallen behind on their commitments time and time again.

Mexican farmers and environmental groups (of course) have sued the United States, seeking (and obtaining) a temporary injunction, preventing the lining. However, in their quest for a permanent injunction, a federal court has unbelievably sided with America for once, saying that it lacked jurisdiction over the Mexican claims. Imagine that!

In addition to not paying for what they owe, Mexican farmers and businessmen are upset that the United States “dares” to protect its own interests and does not want Mexican farmers stealing what they are not entitled to. Fortunately, due to a law signed by the President last December, the lining can be started with no delay. We will just have to weather the flood of additional lawsuits which are sure to come.

One again, I see a continuing mentality and pattern when it comes to United States - Mexico relations. The U.S. creates something, then invites their neighbors to participate, only to have our neighboring country violate the terms of the agreement and demand what they are not entitled to. On top of this, they find every opportunity to undermine the spirit of the law and choose to not respect our laws and rights. Then, when the United States finally does something about it, the liberal medica portrays the United States as harming their poor, defenseless neighbor to the South. Does this sound familiar to the illegal immigration problem we face?

How to personally offend a "gangsta"

2007-07-23T23:01:00.000-07:00

I found this story today on a local news website, and it made me chuckle. Let me say right off the bat that "50 cent" has every right to be upset over the use of his image without consent. Though he is a public figure, I do believe in his right to privacy. What I would like to know, however, is what he was "personally offended" about.

Rapper "50 cent" is suing Traffix, Inc. for damages over use of his image in the pop-up game "Shoot the rapper". In all fairness, it is not 100% certain it is his image, but I will give him the benefit of the doubt. I find this interesting because 50 cent is all about guns and violence. He has been shot himself, and raps about shooting others. I found these lyrics, they took me a whole 35 seconds to find them online. My favorite lines include:

"I put a hole in a n**** for f****** with me"
"I walk around gun on my waist, chip on my shoulder, 'Till I bust a clip in your face p****, this beef ain't over"
"Every night, I talk to god, but he don't say nothing back. I know he protecting me, but I still stay with my gat"

Three references to 50 cent shooting someone, and that is just one song. It makes me wonder if he is outraged because he was not paid for the use of his image, or if he finds the image of shooting someone offensive. Maybe it's just his own image being shot is what's offensive to him.

I guess Al Sharpton's assault on gangsta lyrics continues to fall on deaf ears.

Prove who you are to vote? That's outrageous!

2007-07-19T21:36:00.001-07:00

I read this "controversial" article a few days back on the Randi Rhodes Show blog and commented on it there. The skinny: The Michigan Supreme Court rules that citizens of Michigan may have to show ID to vote. The usual sides take their shots.

Conservatives believe that this measure protects voters from fraud and protects the sacred right to vote. You know, VOTING. The fundamental right this great nation is based on. The ability to select who you want to represent you. An attempt to have your voice heard. Government run by and for the people. Any of you having flashbacks of your High School civics class?

Liberals bring out the tired old "discrimination" and "poll tax" arguments, saying it disenfranchises minorities and the elderly. The Detroit branch of the NAACP throws the ever-present race card, comparing it to a poll tax used to prevent blacks from voting.

Let's think about this a little. How does this disenfranchise anyone, except people who would cast illegal votes? Requirements: You are supposed to show an ID. 95% of voters already have acceptable ID. An ID can be purchased for $10, and the fee can be waived if you cannot afford it. Further, if you have no ID, you can sign an affidavit under penalty of perjury saying you don't possess one. This means, the elderly, the poor, and minorities (those who are targeted by Democrats and the NAACP in this article) are all taken care of. This ALSO means you still don’t have to have an ID to vote. How again does this disenfranchise anyone?

I believe this law is not strong enough, but that's an argument for another day.

This is yet another example of liberal hypocrisy. Every day the liberal media sources scream how your rights are not protected, or being destroyed by the right. Yet when someone tries to protect your rights, it is either A) racist, B) prejudicial, C) has too many religious overtones, or D) favors the wealthy. May I live to be 100, I will never understand this type of mentality.

While I was reading this, I was reflecting on another country and their voting requirements. Mexico has one of the most advanced identification systems in the world, and it is considered an example for democracies around the globe. In addition to the elaborate security of the company who manufactures the ID cards, the cards themselves include a hologram, special fluorescent ink, bar code, and special codes in magnetic strip. Are you telling me that Mexico can develop a brilliant and effective ID program, but the United States cannot?

Your thoughts?

A Darwin candidate

2007-07-17T21:56:00.000-07:00

The skinny:

A man (who was drinking, of course), meets an early demise after jumping from the roof of a house, into a swimming pool.

This reminds me of a joke: What is the last thing a redneck says before he dies? Answer: "Hey everybody! Watch this!"

Give us your poor, your tired, your huddled masses . . . and more Cubans

2007-07-17T21:05:00.000-07:00

Hands down, this was the story of the day, dear reader. Cuba is upset with the United States. How is this a story you might ask? Becuase of what they are mad at. Cuba, that bastion of freedom, land of magnificent health care, and wonderful educational opportunities is upset that the U.S. is not accepting more visa's from citizens who wish to flee Cuba.

Yes, you read that right. Despite all the people who come here in boats, rafts and other floatation devices, we must do what is "right" and step up and give more people immigration benefits and resettlement assistance. While were at it, we should stop the "wet feet/dry feet" policy, or our interdiction policy and just let anyone come over here. Remember, to not let them come would infringe on their rights to "political asylum"! There are enough of our tax dollars to go around! YEE HAW!

Just when you thought you heard it all . . .

2007-06-29T21:36:00.000-07:00

By now the whole world pretty much knows that the infamous "immigration reform bill of 2007" (a.k.a. Bush/Kennedy bill of 2007) is now dead in the water. This was covered so much, that I decided not to really hit on it in the blog world. But I read a small article today that made me chuckle, so here it is in all of its glory.

In an article seen here, L.A. Mayor Villaraigosa was incredibly disappointed, saying that "Our elected leaders -- people who are supposed to stand up on behalf of Americans -- were bullied by a small contingent of hate-mongering anti- immigrants completely unrepresentative of the larger American public, which continues to call for just, humane and effective solutions." He also said that 70% of Americans supported the legislature. This, despite poll after poll after poll (you get the point) stating otherwise.

He was probably reading another brilliantly drafted LA Times poll to distort the real views of the American people.

Military service of Presidential candidates

2007-06-25T22:26:00.000-07:00

I was on HuffPo's blog today and there was an article making a huge ordeal about Mitt Romney's deferment from military service while he was serving as a missionary for the LDS church.. Apparently, getting a deferment and then years later, saying anything supporting the military at war makes you a hypocrite and a criminal in liberals eyes.

Additionally, it's an issue that some of the Republican candidates have not served in the military. They point to Rudy Giuliani since he received multiple educational and work deferrals. Well, I am not a huge fan of Giuliani, so I will go ahead and let that one go. He had an opportunity I am sure most of us would have taken to establish a career, and he did not serve. And this is the big sticking point of democrats and liberals.

So, I have taken the liberty of compiling a list of both parties' candidates and their military service. I would like to point out the following. First, out of the top 3 for Democrats (Clinton, Edwards, Obama), none have served, and only one had a small possibility of being drafted. Of the top 3 for Republicans (Romney, Giuliani, McCain), 1 is a veteran, and the other 2 received draft numbers, but did not get called.

I find a few things interesting about this research. First of all, I remember during the Clinton/Bush election, not serving in the military was really not a major factor in being an effective Commander-in-Chief. Now, it seems to be a big requirement (except if you are a Democrat candidate).

Second, I note that no Democrat who did not go through a period of time with a draft volunteered nonetheless.

Third, I see 4 Republican candidates are veterans. There is 1 Democrat veteran and one reservist (who might be considered a veteran). Add in Chuck Hagel on the Republican side, and you now get 5.

Lastly- I see deferments and medical disqualifications on both sides.

Anyway, the next time you hear this as an argument, or cut on Republicans, feel free to use this list.

DEMOCRATS

Joe Biden: None. Rejected for medical reasons, but would have been eligible in a national emergency.
Hillary Rodham Clinton: None.
Chris Dodd: Army Reserve (1969-75).
John Edwards: None. Draft number was never called.
Dennis Kucinich: None. Was rejected for military service because of a heart murmur.
Barack Obama: None. Too young to have been drafted for the Vietnam War.
Bill Richardson: None. Received student and medical classifications. Draft number was never called.
Mike Gravel: Served in the Army in the 1950s.

REPUBLICANS

Sam Brownback: None. Came of age as draft was ending.
Rudy Giuliani: None. Received student and occupational deferments. Draft number was never called.
Mike Huckabee: None. Came of age as draft was ending.
Duncan Hunter: Served as an Army paratrooper and Ranger in Vietnam (1969-71).
John McCain: Served in the Navy (1958-81); prisoner of war in Vietnam (1967-73).
Mitt Romney: None. Received a deferment as a Mormon missionary in France. Was eligible for the draft upon his return to the states but was never selected.
Tom Tancredo: None. Received student deferments. Was available for military service in 1969. Reclassified in 1970 because of stress-related anxiety and could have been called up only during a pressing national emergency.
Jim Gilmore: Served in the Army in West Germany.
Ron Paul: Served as an Air Force surgeon.

Paris Hilton, back in the clink

2007-06-08T23:19:00.000-07:00

I am sure anyone who reads this will have already had more than their fill of this developing story, but it begs the question, why is everyone treating this story as though it is a life sentence?

I read this article commenting on the minute-by-minute details, including where Paris yelled "it's not fair!" and "Mom", after Judge Sauer (gasp), told her to finish her ORIGINAL jail sentence! Imagine that! The story was complete with her parents holding each other and her Mother crying in her husband's arms.

Read one interpretation here. My favorite line is: Paris Hilton's cool, glamorous image evaporated Friday as she gave the impression of a little girl lost in a merciless legal system.

What amazes me is how people seem to accept Paris as a normal human being. She is completely detached from reality. Here is someone who has never really worked a day in her life, got any "modeling" or "acting" career solely out of who she is and who her Dad is. Don't tell me that any show or shoot she has participated in was back breaking work.

The realy story behind this story is that she does not believe the law applies to her, as do most socialites who do not live in th everyday world. And as a result of this assumption of entitlement and the "I'm special! Look at me!" attitute, she cannot deal with being away from her privileged life for a month and a half. Considering that she will never serve the full 45 days, I highly doubt there is any real "medical" reason why Hilton cannot finish her just imprisonment.

Islam in San Diego public schools

2007-06-01T23:42:00.000-07:00

I was perusing around on a local website and came across an article from April, 2007 regarding a public school (Carver Elementary) in San Diego, offering an Arabic class. A substitute teacher became alarmed when she was provided with a lesson plan that included a segregated class for Muslim girls and an hour for prayer. The article points out that according to the U.S. Department of Education, students may pray in school during recess, the lunch hour, or other non-instruction time, and that teachers may participate only when it is clear they are not endorsing or participating in their official capacities. This substitute teacher saw clear violations. Of course, according to the district, she “obviously” misread the curriculum and that prayer was only during recess.

While you think about that, please now reflect on another article I read recently about a case in Texas. Here is the gist: a school offers an elective course which discusses a generalized version of religion using the King James version of the bible.

According to the ACLU:

"This class is not about educating students. It is about proselytizing one set of religious beliefs to the exclusion of others," said Daniel Mach, Director of Litigation for the ACLU's Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief. "Students who don't share those beliefs should not be treated as outsiders by their own schools."

Hmmmm . . . The Texas class offers a generalized version of religion which does not generally follow a particular religious viewpoint that shared by Jews, Catholics, Orthodox Christians, and many Protestants. In other words, it is so general and not directed at one faith that it is a directed viewpoint. Makes perfect sense. The ACLU views this is controversial and unconstitutional.

Meanwhile, the California class offers a review of a particular faith, including prayer with prayer mats, segregated classes, girls dressed in traditional garb, total secrecy with closed doors and drawn shades and the removal of the American flag. And that is just fine. Not a word from the ACLU.

Another point of contention is that “the public school course unconstitutionally uses the Bible to instill religious life lessons, having students memorize biblical passages and then discuss how they have affected their lives . . .”. I reflect back to another California controversy (from 2002, I might add) where Northern California schools offered a class where kids would memorize verses of the Koran, in addition to other such “educational” gems as dressing in traditional Muslim dress and praying in “the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful”.

Final note: the textbook used in the course presents Islam in a positive light whereas Christianity gets a negative spin.

You have to love the hypocrisy.

The beginning of the end of Venzuelan free speech

2007-05-28T21:18:00.000-07:00

In my endless search for the truth for issues in the world that interest me, I found myself reviewing an article from the AP staff, regarding the closure of Radio Caracas Television's (known as RCTV) VHF Channel 2. If you heard about it from reading Stephen Lendman of globalresearch.org (here), you might think that this all a good thing. After all, the evil "conservative" buzz words are there (hard-right, corporation), as well as the good "liberal" buzz words (public-television, diverse).

So, why do I care? It's simple. Chavez is held in very high regard by the liberal media, for allegedly promiting a political agenda which is good for all Venzuelans, indeed, a model for the entire world. They focus on positive economic advancement in the country, ironically, held together by the oil industry of the country (which is another story altogether). But what you won't hear from Lendman, or the rest of the liberal media, is as follows:

The media circus of Venezuela is controlled by the Law of Social Responsibility in Radio and Television. Introduced in 2003, by Venezuela's legislature, the objective of the proposed LSR is to define and “establish the social responsibility of radio and television service providers, related parties, national independent producers, and users in the process of broadcasting and reception of messages, promoting a democratic equilibrium between their duties, rights, and interests, with the goal of seeking social justice and contributing to citizenship formation, democracy, peace, human rights, education, culture, public health, and the social and economic development of the Nation, in conformity with constitutional norms and principles, legislation for the holistic protection of boys, girls, and adolescents, education, social security, free competition, and the Organic Telecommunications Law.”

What makes this a hypocrisy is the fact that the channel was not shut down for any of the reasons stated above, in fact it goes against one of the basic tenents of democratic nations- free speech and competition. Within hours after the replacement channel (TVES) going online, we have pro-Chavez songs on the airwaves and government advertising. What I also find interesting are the comments from liberal viewers on places like huffingtonpost.com, who always seem to do three things, when it comes to stories like this:

1. They find some way to link Bush to a story, which has nothing to do with him.

2. They create some over-the-top scenario which involves Bush or Republicans.

Examples of HufPo comments on this story today:

May 28, 2007 08:12pm PM EDT
Hmmm ...wonder if this would happen here ..if Gingrich and the republicans shut down PBS like they've been trying to do for years
— Posted by Amunaka Flag as abusive

May 28, 2007 08:15pm PM EDT
Bu$hco probably can't wait to shut down all but Faux News. I'm sure they're mighty jealous.Of course, this network apparently had pundit actively supporting overthrow of the government. I wonder if Faux News will do that should a Dem get elected?
— Posted by lisakaz Flag as abusive

3. They ignore the true meaning of the story and the message it is meant to convey.

Make no mistake, this is only the beginning of more to come. File this story in your own personal archives for reflection later on, as more freedoms are stripped from the Venzuelan people.

wink-wink- Your freedom's are going away!

Welcome all

2007-05-26T02:35:00.001-07:00

I suppose every great blog must start with a welcome note. I mean, how else would you begin a blog, especially if no one knows who you are?

This blog has been a long time in the making. I comment and frequent many other blogs, yet have had no time to complete one of my own. Now that my major life committment of law school is over, I can finally get some real "me" time and write about all the things in life that make me smile, frown and laugh.

If you want to know more about me, see my profile section. If you want to leave a comment, I encourage them. And be sure to come back for more conservative viewpoints.