18 September 2008

American History - The Basics

Here's a funny I got from Tamera via AD, just because that's how I get to her place.

The sad thing is, it makes perfect sense.

NSFW due to language.

Also, this one is for James since I couldn't remember what exactly Joe Biden said, cause I'm too stupid to remember. Thank goodness we have Rachel looking out for us. Same source, Tamera via AD.

Eh, you want original, go see Tam. You can find the link at AD's place.

17 September 2008

Fun With Politics

I had a short discussion with a co-worker who was surprised that I would vote for Sarah Palin.

He was under the mistaken (and stupid) impression that Governor Palin's popularity was entirely due to the estrogen vote, and was amazed that I, a male, would consider voting for her.

I pointed out to him that voting for Palin because she was a woman would not be any worse than voting for Obama because he's black. He grudgingly agreed, and then tried the "experience" angle.

"Don't even try it, junior" I advised him. I then pointed out that her ten years of executive experience was far more than the other three candidates combined.

"But as a small town mayor?" he questioned. "No, as the mayor of one of the largest towns in the nation's largest state, with the fifth largest economy for eight years, and then two years more experience as the governor of that very same largest state with the fifth largest economy, one who's borders are all international. And just how long has Obama been a Senator? And how much of that time has been spent running for President? You still want to talk about experience?" "Oh, but he was a state senator before that for eight years!" "Yeah, that's about the same amount of time that Sarah Palin was the mayor, of one of the biggest towns in the biggest state with the fifth largest economy. And what, exactly did Obama do as a state senator?" "I assume he passed laws." "Oh, boy, just what we need. More laws. Anything concrete?" Sadly, no, but at least he did catch all the talking points.

Besides, I pointed out, one of the things about Governor Palin that is so appealing is the fact that she's not one of the ivy-league self-selected nobility. She gets my vote for that fact alone, that she doesn't think she was born to rule us, and therefore deserves our vote - so don't question me, you bitter gun and God clinging sister swapping trailer trash toothless rubes.

I thought it was interesting that his next avenue of attack was the interview she had where she wanted to know what exactly a vice president did. I thought it was a pretty weak arguement against her and told him so. Besides, I thought it was a valid question, and she was just making the point that she wouldn't be the type to sit around waiting for the President to die so that she would have something to do.

I pointed out one other VP that only had two years of experience as a Governor. He was elevated to the position of President when the President was assasinated, and by all measures did a fine job. This, I pointed out, is why Americans like to elect Governers to the Presidency, because they are both executive positions.

His name was Theodore Roosevelt.

Listen kiddies, I don't mind talking politics, but at least have a passing aquaintence with history, mkay? And if you don't know what the connection between history and politics is, please stay home on election day.

11 September 2008

10 September 2008

Lipstick

Just for the record, I thought that what Barack Obama said about putting the lipstick on a pig was a pretty good comeback.

Some people got offended, poor babies. But when Sarah Palin threw out the difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull being lipstick, she should have seen it coming.

If you saw the speech, you know she's deadly with the one-liners. I think she can handle a zinger coming back at her.

OK, so one for Barry O. Which means she owes him one.

Watch out Barry!

More Sarah Palin Rumors

You remember the joke about the Texan who went to Alaska and was told to be a "real man" he had to drink a keg of beer, make love to an Alaska woman and wrestle the polar bear?

If you haven't, he drank two kegs of beer and took a couple of more with him when he went looking for the polar bear. When he got back after being gone for a loooong time, he asked "Where's that Alaska woman you want me to wrestle?"

Well, here's the rest of the joke.

What I heard is that when he was told "Sarah Palin" he gave up.

Don't blame me. BoBo started it.

06 September 2008

Riding The Storm Out

All is well at the Refuge where we are in the path of Tropical Storm Hannah. It will pass well to the east of us if it stays on it's currently predicted path, but we will get some wind and rain.

We are getting some wind at present, we are due to be in the 40mph band until 4PM. We are also getting rain in earnest.

The power blinked twice, but came right back on both times.

I'm also happy to report that our roof, which had leaked for the backside of Gustav, seems to be holding up well with the repairs my son and I made on it yesterday afternoon. The insurance company won't cover the roof because it's "routine maintenance" but they will pay over 5K for the damages to the interior.

Silly, really. I could ignore the roof and have the insurance pay every time the ceiling caves in, but they won't fix the roof. That's the very definition of cost effectiveness.

Kind of reminds me of dealing with government.

03 September 2008

Attack Pilots Make History

This is an A-4 Skyhawk.

The Skyhawk is a single-seat single-engined carrier based light attack aircraft. The US Navy flew the Skyhawk from the decks of it's aircraft carriers from 1956 to 1975.

Two of the many squadrons that flew the A-4 Skyhawk were the Sunliners (WHO said Sunliners!) of VA-81 and the Saints of VA-163.

The Sunliners flew the aircraft from the decks of USS Forrestal (CVA-59) from 1964 to 1967.

The Saints flew the aircraft from the decks of USS Oriskany (CV-34) from 1962 to 1968.

John McCain flew the aircraft with VA-81 until the Forrestal fire in 1967 sent that ship home. At that time he requested, and received, a transfer to VA-163 onboard Oriskany.

On October 26, 1967 A-4E Skyhawk BuNo. 149959 AH 300 was shot down by a surface-to-air missile (SAM) during a combat mission over North Vietnam. The pilot, Lieutenant Commander John S. McCain III, successfully ejected and was made Prisoner of War.*

John McCain was NOT ... repeat NOT!!!! a FIGHTER PILOT!

He was an ATTACK PILOT!!!!!!!!

No slack in Light Attack.

*Citation from the VA-163 command history found at skyhawk.org

01 September 2008

Rumors

If you throw enough rumors around, sooner or later one will get some substantiation.

So it went with Sarah Palin, the presumptive Vice Presidential nominee for the Republican party.

Good Lord, have the nuts gone on the rampage over this lady! From the moment John McCain announced that she would be his running mate on Friday to today the rumors have sprung up, been soundly debunked, and just as quickly replaced with another rumor.

I won't stoop to the level of repeating the more slanderous ones, but finally one has found a mark. It seems that 17 year old Bristol is pregnant.

The Palin family announces that she will be keeping the baby and marrying the father. The McCain campaign announces that they knew, but thought Sarah was a good choice anyway. The Nutroots announces that they are, indeed, crazy insane and would like any reason to gnaw at the bones of their opponents.

This, if nothing else, proves that the Palins are just like the rest of us, much more so than the Ivy league self-selected nobility. They have their ups and downs, and they make mistakes. Then, rather than blame others, they deal with their mistakes in a rational manner, and they move on.

Here's a huge difference. In the Obama worldview, babies are seen as punishments and abortions are viewed as a reasonable escape from irresponsible behavior. In the Palin worldview, you screw up and you pay the price. No escape from acting irresponsibly.

I like the Palin worldview. It matches my own.

Bristol has just complicated her life, but it does not have to be a show stopper. I believe her Mom and Dad will be as supportive and loving as they always have been, and although they may be disappointed with her irresponsibility they can be proud that she is facing up to it. (Never mind that shotgun son, it's gonna be a beautiful wedding. Right?) She can still go on to do great things, she will just have to work harder at it because she has more things to deal with. But, that is a result of choices that she and her future husband made, and rather than duck the responsibility they are going to deal with it.

Barack Obama, after three days of scathing and, to put it bluntly, over the top attacks on the Palin family has finally declared the kids and families of politicians to be off limits. This of course doesn't mean the attacks will stop, it just means that BarryO can distance himself from them.

The right-leaning blogosphere, on the other hand, put itself on just such a restriction without any urgings from anyone else from the very beginning, thank you very much. You never heard slanderous and vile rumors about the Clinton kid or the Kerry girls from the Rightosphere because there was a gentleman's agreement in place that the kids were not running for office and were therefore off-limits. But remember, it's the leftists that are the caring ones.

This is the difference between the caring and compassionate Progressives and the evil Nazi Rethuglican Riech-wingers, I guess.

(Note to Barry, if you put your wife and kids on the campaign trail to make speeches for you, they become targets. Bristol has at no time made speeches for her mom.)

Update: BREAKING NEWS! Todd Palin had a DUI when he was 22!!!!!!!!ONE!!!!!!!!
Just think, if he would have driven off a bridge and let his secretary drown in his car he could be a US Senator by now.