The gist of it was summed up by the headline: “Americans want fiscal accountability” from politicians.
No, we do not.
If we did, we would elect politicians that would give it to us.
As it is, we elect politicians that promise to give us things that others must pay for.
The Rocky Mountain News laid out the argument on both sides.
Let’s assume that it is “unfair” to charge the person in need of rescue. Is it fairer to charge other people?
Steve Chappell, regional vice chairman of the Mountain Rescue Association, Rocky Mountain Region, is against charging for rescue services.
He says “if we were to take part in charging for our services, there is a strong belief that this may cause people to delay calling for help when they really need it.”
My guess is that emergency room personnel do not share that concern. ER waiting rooms are full of people who, without hesitation, called for help without any consideration for how they are going to pay. Chapell's concern is misplaced.
If somehow that does not work, surely Rosie O’Donnell, Tim Robbins and Barbra Streisand will pick up the tab for the rest of us. After all, they are so kind, compassionate and caring.)
Bicycle propopents rode nude throughout the world to protest the lack of bike use.
This is the type of protest I can support. Not so much as a participant, mind you, but as an objective observer.
Unless, of course, the protesters are fat. Then they should not participate.
After I defend noise, a Harley-Davidson sales manager in Aurora, has to say this about the Denver ordinance aimed at motorcycles:
"We got feedback from tons of customers today, saying, 'they just need to stay out of our business.'"
That is not the right attitude.
Waking people up with loud noises is rude, and it is their business. I don't care how tough a biker is, they would rather avoid dealing with a mother with a crying baby awakened by a loud Harley.
Now, having said that, if you really want to avoid loud noise, do not live downtown.
From the Associated Press:
An Islamic group threatened to behead female TV broadcasters if they don't wear strict Islamic dress, frightening reporters and signaling a further shift toward extremism in the Gaza Strip.
Westerners need to be sympathetic to these concerns. It is arrogant for us to think we can ignore these beliefs. Every thought and every idea deserves our respect. Just because we don't understand this attitude does not make it wrong.
All conflict will vanish if we simply understand and love these people.
-This post brought to you by Pollyana and the Left Wing.
Assertions are easy. Facts are hard.
For example, Frances Beinecke, President of something called the National Resources Defense Council, asserts that "to displace enough emissions worldwide to avoid just four-tenths of a degree of warming, we would need a new nuclear plant every three weeks for the next 40 years."
From whence does this statistic come? I have no idea, since she cites no source, but my guess is that she got it out of her ass.
An assertion, like a bridge, needs support. Without it, each is worthless.
From page 20 of today's Rocky Mountain News:
I think it's a shame my father can't take his own grandson to America's pastime and share the stories about Jackie Robinson breaking into the major leagues.
Sen. Peter Groff, D-Denver, saying the voter approved ethics measure Amendment 41 prevents him and his son from using his father's Rockies season tickets.
Quit selling that load of crap. There is plenty wrong with Amendment 41, but it ain't keeping your dad from telling your son about Jackie Robinson.
All three of you can go to Rockies games as long as YOU buy the tickets.
Quit whining, open your wallet and enjoy the game.
Pittsburgh sports fans are all aflutter with the news that their hockey team will stay in the city. The team has reached a deal that calls for the State of Pennsylvania to contribute tax money from slot machines to the organization.
I wonder what would happen if that money was actually spent in the public interest and not to subsidize a money-losing private enterprise. I know, call me crazy.
What is this, New Orleans?
Fresh off the resignation of the Denver City Attorney for buying a stolen laptop computer from a guy in a parking lot, an Assistant City Attorney has abused her power.
Assistant City Attorney Dani Eliscu was snagged by an animal control officer for letting her two dogs run off leash. Eliscu flashed her city badge and told the officer "I can't believe you are going to go through with this. We are all on the same side. You're sure you can't give me a break?"
What side is that, Ms. Eliscu? The side of arrogant government officials who believe they are above the law?
Part of Eliscu's duties include, you guessed it, enforcing animal control violations.
She has received a written reprimand at work. She should have received a pink slip.
The Fascist Communications Commission (FCC), wants Congress to give it authority to fine television networks for airing "excessive" violence.
FCC Commissioner Michael Copps said that "[t]he pressure to do something on this is building right now. People really feel strongly about this issue all across this land."
Really? Wow, do the people all across the land not have an "off" button? Can they not change the channel?
The FCC has no power to regulate cable. It is no surprise that they want it.
FCC chairman Kevin Martin said, "We can't just deal with the three or four broadcast channels -- we have to be looking at what's on cable as well."
Imagine that. A bureaucrat wants more power.
We must not give it to him. Or anyone else.
Mitt* Romney, the Republican governor of Massachusetts, has officially announced he is running for President. Yes, of the United States.
In all honesty, I had no idea there was such a thing as a Massachusetts Republican until Romney made the national news.
* Originally puplished incorrectly as "Milt." Thanks to Scott for the correction.
According to the Associated Press, Cuba's Minister of Communications does not like the freedoms that the internet provides. He said "The wild colt of new technologies can and must be controlled."
How many good, patriotic Americans agree with this Commie? None.
Because if they do, they are not good, patriotic Americans.
Gail Schoettler, in her Denver Post column, makes her case as to why Hillary Clinton could become President of the United States.
Gail is right. Hillary could become the next President of the United States. She probably will not, but she certainly could.
Gail, however, gets confused. As part of her pro-Hillary argument, she writes "if a woman can't win in modern America, shame on us."
Gail has confused Hillary with every woman in the country. If Hillary loses, it does not follow that "a woman can't win in modern America." If it means Hillary can't win in modern America.
Hillary is not "Every Woman." She is just Hillary.
And, of course, anyone with any sense knows that Chaka Khan is "Every Woman." Not Hillary.
Come to think of it, I would vote for Chaka Khan before I voted for Hillary. Hell, I would vote for Elizabeth Dole and Condi Rice long before I voted for Hillary. I would vote for the next lady that walked into my neighborhood grocery store before I would vote for Hillary.
So would many people.
The sex of the candidate is irrelevant, but if the field were actually limited to females, Hillary is way down my list. If the eligible candidates had to be named Hillary, I would vote for Hilary Swank before I voted for Hillary Clinton. I would even strongly consider voting for Sir Edmund Hillary before Hillary Clinton, and he is a really old guy from New Zealand.
Party photos of drunk white college kids are shocking the PC police. Again. This time, UConn law students are the culprits.
This time, the photos depict said Caucasians mocking, among other things, the “thug life.”
The immediate reaction of the Easily Offended is “OH MY GOD . . . white youngsters dressed like black people…. This is RACIST and must be CONDEMNED!”
The Easily Offended need to take a deep breath and sit down.
They should organize a trip to the local mall and check out the fashions.
Who is wearing ‘do-rags, bling, baggy pants and team jerseys? Lots and lots of teenaged white kids. These kids, however, are not mocking anything. They actually think they are cool.
In fact, they look stupid. In fact, they should not be surprised if they are ridiculed.
No doubt, far too many black kids think the “thug life” is an actual career path. Just look at the discussion in Denver following the drive-by shooting of Darrent Williams.
I have not seen any defense of “thug life.” Responsible people – black, white, yellow, red and striped – are trying to get kids – black, white, yellow, red and striped – OUT of the “thug life” and into a more productive lifestyle.
“Thug life” should be mocked.
It is not sacred.
It should not be blasphemous to point out the stupidity of those that think it is “cool.”
It is the Easily Offended that equate “thug life” with “African-American” that are the racists.
Mocking gold teeth and breast tattoos is fine. Gold teeth and breast tattoos are stupid. They should be mocked.
The Easily Offended who assume only people of color are into gold teeth and breast tattoos need to recalibrate their sense of justice.
Maybe the Easily Offended should call Favor Flav and give him an award for his positive portrayal of a Black Man.
Continue reading "The Easily Offended are Offended Again. Easily." »
John Hoffman, of Carbondale, Colorado, has a letter published in the Rocky Mountain News today.
John says that we should not use the word "terrorist." He suggests we use the phrase "person insane with a desire for justice."
He says that use of this phrase "gives us a handle to better understand the predicament of these folks and thus to practice friendship and compassion."
I nominate John to lead a contingent of Americans to go to Afghanistan with a bouquet of flowers, some chocolates and perhaps a Ticke Me Elmo doll for presentation to Osama bin Laden.
He could share a hug, hold hands and watch the sunset. I'm sure bin Laden knows some good spots with a great view in the Afghan mountains. Perhaps they could share a latte, go to a movie and form a book club.
Surely bin Laden is just misunderstood by the West. He does not really want to kill innocent men, women and children. The whole 9/11 thing was a misunderstanding. Osama just needs some love.
I sincerely wish you the best, John, in your endeavors.
Some people still believe that the Western world can live in peace with the Islamo-fascists. Certainly, we can live with Muslims. We can not live in peace with any group, however, that is intent on destroying us.
This is where pacifism fails. If your enemy's goal is to kill you, pacifism only facilitates the process. If the British Empire had wanted to wipe out the Hindus, no one would have ever heard of Mahatma Ghandi. If the Ku Klux Klan ran the military in the 1960's in the United States, Martin Luther King, Jr., never would have made any speeches on the Washington, D.C. mall.
Pacifism only works when your enemy has a conscience. Islamo-fascists have none. Osama bin-Laden and his followers want us dead. Period. No amount of talk or reason is going to change bin-Laden's objective. The only defense against him and his ilk is either death or incarceration.
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AND ANOTHER THING: Islamo-fascist terrorists hide behind their own women and children. One of their favoirte tactics is to shoot rockets from neighborhoods, then complain to the Western press when, in response, their intended targets fire back in self-defense. The terrorists are great manipulators of the press.
=======
ONE MORE THING: Western feminists, usually among the more liberal and "forgiving" of the differences in culture, have begun to align themselves with the anti-fascist Hawks. It seems differences in culture are no problem until the other culture believes in female genital mutilation or the general subservience of women.
Australia's most senior Muslim cleric, Sheikh Taj el-Din al-Hilali, caused an uproar by comparing women that do not wear traditional head-coverings to "uncovered meat."
According to the BBC, al-Halili explained
"If you take out uncovered meat and place it outside... and the cats come and eat it... whose fault is it, the cats' or the uncovered meat?" he asked.
The uncovered meat is the problem, he went on to say.
"If she was in her room, in her home, in her hijab [head covering], no problem would have occurred," he added.
Sheikh Hilali also condemned women who swayed suggestively and wore make-up, implying they attracted sexual assault.
"Then you get a judge without mercy... and gives you 65 years," he added.
Those damn judges without mercy will get you every time.
The article goes on to say that
Sheikh Hilali's critics have previously accused him of praising suicide bombers and claiming the attacks in the United States on 11 September 2001 were "God's work against oppressors".
That's unacceptable in a civilized world. Yes, that means that if someone tries to kill me or my brother, I will react in self-defense with appropriate force. If that means I kill you, I will not apologize. I apply the same logic to any man that believes he can rape my sister if she fails to wear a head covering.
Live and let live, I believe. But if you don't let me, my brother and sister live in peace, you will reap the whirlwhind. And I will not cry.
So, Donald Rumsfeld resigns the day after the Republicans get pimp-slapped in the midterm elections.
I can imagine the conversation:
RUMSFELD: Hey, W, you know the barn door is open. Somebody should close it.
W: No. We'll stay the course.
SOMETIME LATER
RUMMY: The horse is out of the barn. It was found eaten by coyotes.
W: Well, darn it, somebody has to pay for this. Rummy, I want your resignation. And on your way out, close that barn door.
My prediction and hope is that the Democrats nominate Barack Obama and the Republicans nominate Condoleezza Rice. That, my friend, would make for some interesting politics.
Obama would give the Dems a much better chance of winning than Hillary Clinton. Rice gives the Repubs a much better chance of winning than John McCain.
I think it can happen.
The latest misinformation campaign from the ant-progress, anti-capitalism Global Warming Chicken Littles is that mankind is causing the ice caps on Mt. Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya to melt.
How do they show this connection between mankind and the ice caps?
Kilimanjaro has already lost 82 percent of its ice cover over 80 years, said Fredrick Njau of the Kenyan Green Belt Movement. Mount Kenya, one of the few places near the equator with permanent glaciers, has lost 92 percent over the past 100 years.
So the Kilimanjaro crisis started 80 years ago. Eight years ago was 1926. There were no SUV's in 1926.
The Kenya crisis started 100 years ago, or 1906. The first Model T was three years old at the time. They were not yet making Hummers or Escalades.
Perhaps something else started the ice caps melting. And if mankind is directly responsible, the GWCL are not advancing their cause by citing meaningless numbers.
The Pope, in a scholarly address at a university, quoted a fourteenth century exchange between a Christian Byzantine emperor and an Islamic Persian. The emperor said:
“‘Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached.’”
This quotation has made many Muslims unhappy. A sampling of Islamic response:
"You and the West are doomed as you can see from the defeat in Iraq, Afghanistan, Chechnya and elsewhere.... We will break up the cross, spill the liquor and impose the 'jizya' tax (a tax on non-Muslims) then the only thing acceptable is a conversion (to Islam) or (being killed by) the sword."
---Al-Qaida, as reported by the Associated Press and printed on page 31A of today's Rocky Mountain News.
So, Al-Qaida agrees with the Pope's quotation. What's all the fuss?
An otherwise benign USA TODAY editorial was topped by an unfortunate headline.
It read "Pope's words spark violence." No, they did not.
Perhaps it is all a matter of perspective. If so, the headline writer has the wrong one.
It is as if, in a domestic abuse matter, a headline writer wrote "Wife Provokes Husband With Her Mouth." With, perhaps, a subhead of "She Just Wouldn't Shut Up."
Of course, such a perspective is offensive. It is nonetheless so when dealnig with the Pope's comments and the reaction of some hate-filled thugs looking for an excuse to kill, maim, burn or otherwise act anti-socially.
Here is a new rule: It is not appropriate to react violently to an insult. Ever. No exceptions.
If you do, you forfeit your right to live in a civilized society. You should be in jail. I do not care what your religion is.
The Pope has created a furor in the Muslim world. What did he do? According to the Associated Press:
"The pope made his remarks on Islam in a speech Tuesday at the University of Regensburg. He quoted from a book in which 14th-century Byzantine Christian Emperor Manuel II Paleologos and a Persian have a conversation about truths of Christianity and Islam.
"'The emperor comes to speak about the issue of jihad, holy war,' Benedict said. 'He said, I quote, "Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached."' Indicating the delicate nature of the topic, Benedict said 'I quote' twice before reading passages about Islam, and he described them as 'brusque.' However, he neither explicitly agreed with nor repudiated the passages."
So, the Pope quoted a discussion about Islam without commenting on it. The Muslims are very angry at this.
Salih Kapusuz, a Turkish party leader, said "He is going down in history in the same category as leaders such as (Adolf) Hitler and (Benito) Mussolini."
Wow. And the Pope has not killed anybody. Or started any wars.
And if Kapusuz wants to mention historical mass murderers, how could he leave out Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden?
Just think.... if the Muslim world had reacted so unanimously in condemning the terrorist attacks of September 11, maybe the world would be a better place today.
At least this time, unlike the incident involving the Danish cartoons, no Muslim has resorted to violence to prove how peaceful the religion is. At least not yet.
Spike Lee, in today's edition of USA WEEKEND, pimps his new documentary on the aftermath of hurricane Katrina.
He was asked if New Orleans should be rebuilt. Spike said
Absolutely, even though the city is below sea level. We just have to make sure we do it right. Two-thirds of the Netherlands is [at or] below sea level. How is it that they can build such a strong levee system and we can't?
Well, Spike, the Netherlands rarely have hurricanes. This is why their levees are hurricane proof.
It is akin to asking why the people of Omaha can build earthquake proof buildings or why the buildings in Siberia are immune to wildfires.
I saw this bumper sticker on a car in the Super Target parking lot in Glendale:
I LOVE MY COUNTRY. I just hate the corporations that run her.
"What corporations?" I wondered.
Certainly not the corporation that made the car with the bumper upon which the sticker was placed.
Certainly not the corporation that drilled for the oil that was refined into gasoline that enabled the car with the bumper upon which the sticker was placed to run.
Certainly not the corporation that owned the parking lot in which the car with the bumper upon which the sticker was placed was parked.
Certainly not the corporation in which the owner of the car in the parking lot with with the bumper upon which the sticker was placed was inside buying things made by other corporations.
Maybe the person did not really hate corporations after all. Maybe the person was a pretentious, patchouli smelling white guy with dreadlocks and a trust fund.
If the person really hated corporations, they did not seem to have a problem giving them money or taking advantage of their goods and services when it was convenient for them.
That is a rather convenient form of "hate."
Bruce Jenkins of the San Francisco Chronicle says Mark McGwire should be in the baseball Hall of Fame, despite his use of illegal performance enhancing drugs.
His rationale is
that you'd be a fool to pinpoint McGwire, Bonds or any other individual when hundreds of their contemporaries were committing the same, nebulous crime.
Ignoring the assertion that taking illegal performance enhancing drugs is somehow a "nebulous" offense, Jenkins' rationale is childish.
It is what eight year kids say when they get caught doing something wrong: "My friends are doing it, too!"
The thought process is flawed. Yes, other people do it. Yes, other people get away with it.
Now, remind me, how do those facts change anything? YOU did it. YOU got caught. YOU get punished.
The concept is simple: Just because others get away with something is no reason not to punish those that get caught.
Perry Mason never told a jury "Sure, my client robbed the bank. But other bank robberies remain unsolved. How can you convict my client when others have gotten away with it?"
Perry Mason never made that argument for one reason. It is stupid.
Friedman sums up the Iraq War:
However this war started, however badly it has been managed, however much you wish we were not there, do not kid yourself that this is not what it is about: people who want to hold a free and fair election to determine their own future, opposed by a virulent nihilistic minority that wants to prevent that. That is all that the insurgents stand for.
Those in Iraq murdering their countrymen are not fighting FOR anything. They are fighting AGAINST freedom.
Even the New York Times recognizes that.
(Friedman's column was reprinted in today's Rocky Mountain News. To use the New York Times' link, you must register with The Times. It is free).
