News In Brief (And The Usual Opinionated Commentary)

Back from a tour of the South. Fighting the traffic in Atlanta for several days, a wedding in the mountains of Georgia, and some peaceful coexistence with nature in the North Carolina mountains have made Mr. and Mrs. Sunsett very tired. But here are a couple of things that I have found unfolding at the news desk upon my return:

Brazil's President Facing Mounting Criticism For Handling Of Honduras

He should be criticized, he should be openly castigated.

Lula is allowing a man who wanted to circumvent the Honduran constitution for the specific purpose of making himself dictator for life, to use the Brazilian embassy as headquarters for his subversion. If that's not enough, the Brazilian leader has allowed himself to be goaded into this by another man, who has already performed such a feat in Venezuela.

Remember when the the class agitator would coerce one of the more passive kids into doing something that he (himself) didn't have the guts to do, only to get the normally good kid in trouble?


Whoopi Steps In It...As Well As Rosie Did

First, Rosie finds a way to discredit the entire show, known as The View with her daily quips of stupidity. Now, her replacement seems to have found a knack for saying the stupidest things and getting away with it.

To say that she knows that Polanski didn't really commit rape indicates she was either there and has firsthand knowledge of the act in question, or she is shooting her mouth off about something she knows absolutely nothing about. I'd say it's the latter.

This was a 13-year old girl at the time. He entered a guilty plea to having sex with an underage minor, which meets the definition of Statutory RAPE. So, maybe Whoopi can do us all a service by drawing a distinction between the different kinds of rape, on an upcoming show. But I doubt it, because she obviously does not have the brains that God gave a tick.

Maybe she should consult her friend Oprah on this one.

How The Mighty Oaks Have Fallen

Here is a recent op-ed from Dan Carpenter, resident liberal hack writer for the Indy Star.

ACORN has not made enemies because it is running a prostitution ring.

ACORN did not become a prime-time guerrilla TV target because of vote fraud.

ACORN did not take both barrels from Congress because it's been ripping off taxpayers.

None of those rightwing raps has any substantiation beyond isolated instances, always open to dispute, always politically motivated and always prompting remedial action by the organization itself.

So why has ACORN been cast, by the reactionary media and its allied legislators, prosecutors and election officials, as a juggernaut of evil?

Because of the good it does.

You can read the rest of the piece, if you can stomach it. But if we have the ability to use the smallest amount of critical thinking skills, we can safely conclude that Dan is not able to analyze the fallacy in in his statement.

If his weak and faulty claim could be proven true, then, the Right Wing would have been gunning for groups like the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army, years ago. Carpenter does not want to accept the fact that ACORN is corrupt from the top levels on down.

He fails to persuade me. And I bet he doesn't persuade most of you, either.

Monday AM QB

Since I am writing this well in advance before the games have been played, I do not know who won. But by the time this is seen by all, the results will be in and we will all know. As poignant as this may sound, we'll just let this be an open thread for post-game smack talk, or distressed venting, whichever happens to be the case.

Did the Colts handle the Cardinals, the Pats stop the streaking Falcons? Did the Titans get their first win, did the Skins extend their streak to two?

Declare, if thou hast any understanding at all.

Another Blast From The Past

As I enjoy my time off, I thought I'd put up a tune that reveals my not so secret location:



My second stop will be revealed in this next one:



Enjoy.

Friday Funnies

Once again, sent to me by a friend via e-mail.
(Which means I am not responsible for content.)



Fall Classes for Women at
THE
ADULT LEARNING CENTER

REGISTRATION MUST BE COMPLETED
by September 30, 2009
_______________________



NOTE: DUE TO THE COMPLEXITY AND DIFFICULTY LEVEL
OF THE LESSONS, CLASS SIZES WILL BE LIMITED TO 8 PARTICIPANTS MAXIMUM.


_______________________

Class 1
Up in Winter, Down in Summer - How to Adjust a Thermostat
Step by Step, with Slide Presentation.
Meets 4 wks, Monday and Wednesday for 2 hrs beginning at 7 PM.



_______________________

Class 2
Which Takes More Energy - Putting the Toilet Seat Down, or Bitching About It for 3 Hours?
Round Table Discussion.
Meets 2 weeks, Saturdays at noon for 2 hours.



_______________________

Class 3
Is It Possible To Drive Past a Wal-Mart Without Stopping?--Group Debate.
Meets 4 weeks, Saturday 10 AM for 2 hours.



_______________________

Class 4
Fundamental Differences Between a Purse and a Suitcase--Pictures and Explanatory Graphics.
Meets Saturdays at 2 PM for 3 weeks.



_______________________

Class 5
Curling Irons--Can They Levitate and Fly Into The Bathroom Cabinet?
Examples on Video.
Meets 4 weeks, Tuesday and Thursday for 2 hours beginning
at 7 PM



_______________________

Class 6
How to Ask Questions During Commercials and Be Quiet During the Program.
Help Line Support and Support Groups.
Meets 4 weeks, Fridays and Sundays, 7 PM



_______________________

Class 7
Can a Bath Be Taken Without 14 Different Kinds of Soaps and Shampoos?
Open Forum.
Monday at 8 PM, 2 hours.





_______________________

Class 8
Health Watch--They Make Medicine for PMS - USE IT!
Three nights; Monday, Wednesday, Friday at 7 PM for 2 hours.



_______________________

Class 9
I Was Wrong and He Was Right!--Real Life Testimonials.
Tuesdays at 6 PM, Location to be determined.



_______________________

Class 10
How to Parallel Park In Less Than 20 Minutes Without an Insurance Claim.
Driving Simulations.
4 weeks, Saturdays at noon, 2 hours.



_______________________

Class 11
Learning to Live--How to Apply Brakes Without Throwing Passengers Through the Windshield.
Tuesdays at 7 PM, location to be determined



_______________________

Class 12
How to Shop by Yourself.
Meets 4 wks, Tuesdays and Thursdays for 2 hours beginning at 7 PM.



_______________________

Class 13
How to Fight Cerebral Atrophy--Remembering To Take a List To The Store, Avoiding Separate Trips for Each Item Needed.
Cerebral Shock Therapy Sessions and Full Lobotomies Offered.
Three nights; Monday, Wednesday, Friday at 7 PM for 2 hours.



_______________________

Class 14
The Stove/Oven--What It Is and How It Is Used.
Live Demonstration.
Tuesdays at 6 PM, location to be determined.




_______________________


Upon completion of any of the above courses

diplomas will be issued to the survivors.

What Goes Around...

....surely does come back around, in due time.

Take a look at this story from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

White supremacist groups say they want hate crime charges filed in the Belleville West bus attack case and are encouraging a protest.

Messages flashed across neo-Nazi and white supremacist websites today promoting an 11 a.m. protest on the Belleville courthouse grounds on Saturday.

“People in this town are rightfully angry at the double standard that we know how this would be working if the races were reversed,” wrote an announcement on the website for the National Socialist Movement, a white supremacist group. “We want to not only condemn these acts of violence, but also to try and persuade the state's attorney to file hate crime charges in this case.”

As despicable as I find this group to be, it just goes to show some things that very few people want to consider:

When Black Panthers are allowed to threaten voters at polling places and are allowed to go unprosecuted, when Al Sharpton can organize marches against authorities who hold six black kids that stomped on an innocent white kid in Louisiana, it should come as no surprise when there is pushback from the opposite end of the spectrum.

Once people wake up and realize that eons of slavery, and other forms of atrocities committed towards people of color, cannot be rectified by allowing black people (who commit the same kinds of unthinkable acts) to go without some kind of consequences for their actions. Once people understand that everyone needs to be held to the same standards, then we can have true justice for all.

Until then, we must be forced to endure this kind of response from putrid hate groups like this, or risk a backlash that no one wants to see. Once you allow one side to act out, the other side will respond. If you suppress/oppress one side over the other, there is no rule of law.

Between The Sublime And Overt

If you wonder where all your tax dollars are going in the public school systems, here is one shining example. Take a look at this video:



Folks, if this doesn't stop, it's all downhill. There has to be a point where we decide what we are going to be willing to tolerate.

You cannot mention God in classes, but you can deify a human being. You may think it's just a song, but it's a formal attempt at indoctrination and it's not subliminal.

Notice

Just a quick note to tell everyone that I will be out of town for a few days.

I have scheduled some short posts to automatically publish, so I hope you will check back fairly often and feel free to comment as you always do. I will be checking in and out from time to time. I may even respond to comments if time allows, so don't let my absence stop anyone from speaking their minds.

(And if anyone sees that little puke Cartman, tell him his mother is furious with him and for him to return home immediately or face an uncertain future.)

Thanks be to all, for your unwavering support.

Tuesday AM QB

Colts 27 - Dolphins 23

Miami dominated the time of possession, as is usually the case when the Colts lose. But this time, Manning made it count when he needed to. If you are an opposing team that has played well the entire game, it's critical that you do not leave him enough time to march the team down the field for the winning score.

Indy needed the win to stay on top of the division. Miami needed it worse. The Dolphins have had two heartbreaking losses now to open the season, which they didn't play too badly but not well enough to close out the games.

Next week I will be counting on Miami to beat the highly overrated SD Chargers, with their highly overrated QB Philip Rivers. The Colts will travel to Arizona, where they will have their hands full with Kurt Warner and company.

Monday AM QB

The Colts play Miami tonight. I probably won't watch much of it, because I am old and need my sleep in order to have the best mental acuity possible at work. I may write an addendum on the game, if I am able to catch some of it. Right now the focus is on getting ready to leave town in a couple of days.


Bears 17 - Steelers 14

I did catch most of this game. I think the surprise of the day, yesterday, was the Bears beating the Steelers. The field was sloppy from rain and the Steelers FG kicker wasn't able to connect on two occasions late in the game.

Another surprise is the way Cutler bounced back from a poor performance last week. He showed some real poise down the stretch. He got them into position for the game winning FG by Gould.

I know the Steelers miss Polamalu, but that should have been somewhat negated by the Bears' loss of Urlacher. The Bears didn't seem to miss him as much.


Jets 16 - Pats 9

Another shocker. I didn't see it, but it looks like the Jets defense is for real. The only question I have now is, will Sanchez replace Manning as Greg's whipping boy?


Ravens 31 - Chargers 26

It's always a great day, when SD loses. Once again, the boy-wonder punk Philip Rivers pads his stats (and gets accolades from the sports pundits for doing so). But the team gets a loss, which is why he is the most overrated QB in the league.

I am not a fan of the Ravens. But on this Sunday, I was.


Texans 34 - Titans 31

Tennessee 0-2? This is a shocker.

I saw the end of this one and it looked like a good game, albeit there was a lot of trash talking and some fisticuffs. But the real story here is more points by the Titans and they are 2-0, instead. Two close heartbreakers at the begiinng of the season is a big hole to be in, in this division.

Another Blast From The Past

No real theme this weekend, just a mix of some good tunes I still can groove to on occasions.

We can open with one of the acts that helped define a generation. Here is the Scottish band Simple Minds:



Even Supertramp captured some of the spirit of the 80s. This is a brilliant fusion of modern jazz and early age, techno-dance. See if you remember it:



The 80s also produced a second generation of country artists, like our final performer. This daughter of a legend was probably trying to win approval from Dad, but little did she know she was carving out a distinct sound of her very own, one that would influence later 90s acts (like The Cowboy Junkies). Here is Roseanne Cash and what I think was easily her best:



Enjoy.

Friday Funnies

This list was sent to me by a friend, via e-mail. I thought I'd share it with you in case it hasn't made its way into your inbox, yet.



2009's Shortest Books



AMERICA’S BLACK MUSLIM HEROES

By John Conyers

______________________________________________



AMERICA: WHY I LOVE HER

By Cindy Sheehan. Illustrations by Michael Moore

________________________________________



MY CHRISTIAN VALUES: HOW I HELPED AFTER KATRINA

By Jesse Jackson

_______________________________________

THINGS I LOVE ABOUT BILL

By Hillary Clinton

________________________________



WHITE PEOPLE’S ACCOMPLISHMENTS

By Rev. Al Sharpton

___________________________________



A LITTLE TOLERANCE GOES A LONG WAY

By Osama Bin Laden

___________________________________



THE POWER OF PERSONAL INTEGRITY

By Harry Reid (Introduction by Barack Obama)
____________________________________



HOW WHITE AMERICA INFECTED TEN BILLION

NEGROS WITH THE HIV VIRUS

By Rev. Jeremiah Wright
_________________________________



TRUTH, JUSTICE, AND THE AMERICAN WAY

By John Kerry

_____________________________________


SO HELP ME GOD: THE TRUTH ABOUT GLOBAL WARMING
By Al Gore

(Bonus pictures of private jets and SUVs)
___________________________________



CONTRIBUTIONS OF LABOR UNIONS

By John Sweeney

__________________________________


THE MEN IN MY LIFE

By Ellen de Generes

_____ _______________________________


GUIDE TO DATING ETIQUETTE

By Mike Tyson

__________________________________


MY SUCCESS WITH HOME-BASED BUSINESSES:

MALE ESCORT SERVICES

By Barney Frank

_______________________________________


MY PLAN TO FIND THE REAL KILLERS

By O. J. Simpson
_________________________________________



TAX SHELTERS THAT WORKED FOR ME

By Congressman Charlie Rangel
___________________________________



POLITICAL MORALITY IN THE LAND OF MY FATHER

By Barack Hussein Obama
___________________________________


JUST ADDED:



MY UNDERSTANDING OF MILITARY STRATEGY

By Nancy Pelosi

Jimmy Carter: Former US President, Race Baiter, Apologist

I spent my time and energy during my children's formative years, teaching them the value of all human beings in this world. While it is true that some make better choices in their lives than others and warrant some personal judgments based on that component, I always taught them that race has no bearing on those judgments. I cannot tell you how many arguments I got into with family members who would use a disparaging racial remark in their presence. But rest assured, it was plenty.

As I grew up in my formative years (60s and early 70s), I saw some things that were very wrong and felt the need to educate them about right and wrong so they would not be part of that culture. I saw how whites treated blacks, when whites outnumbered them greatly. I saw how very little was done to avert some of the injustices that I was forced to witness. Being a military brat, I learned to get along with everyone, black, white, Asian, Latino, all of them. But still, there were moments when I was not altogether approving of the things I witnessed.

I remember being the only white person in my second grade classroom in Honolulu. In other words, I was the class "haole" (pronounced howlie). I was picked on, laughed at, called names, and at times was beaten on by bullies who used my skin color as fuel for their meanness. So, I do not want to hear anything from ANY minority how it feels to be black, Hispanic, or anything else for that matter. I know.

This is precisely why I was determined to teach my children better, why I got into many a shouting match with relatives over their choice of terminology. And I am proud to say that it worked. Today, as adults, my children have a diverse group of friends, based solely on the content of their friends' character and not by the color of their skins.

So with this in mind, maybe you can imagine my dismay to hear from one former President, various news commentators, elected government officials, and others (who should have a better understanding of what true racism really is), that because I oppose Barack Obama's policies I am a racist. If they knew me, they would know many black and Latino people who always get a smile on their faces, when they see me. They would know just how many old black ladies have to hug me when they see me.

But they have no idea, yet they continue to run their mouths like they do.

Jimmy Carter has demonstrated time after time that he truly has a peanut for a brain, but his latest absurdity takes the cake. I expect idiots like Keith Olbermann to show their collective ignorance, but I would think that a former Chief Executive would have the class and intelligence to not be sucked into the insane notions of a handful of loudmouth race-baiting political hacks, and apologists. I expect racist demagogues like Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, and 99% of the Democratic Black Caucus to continue to use race as a wedge to justify their own existences. But, it makes no sense for a man who claims Christianity as his true faith to advance lies and distortions in the golden years of his personal and political life.

Over the weekend, we have seen Kanye West insult a young white 17 year old in what should have been her moment of triumph, Serena Williams berate and threaten a tennis judge of Asian descent, and a group of black teenage thugs beat a white student on a school bus in Belleville Illinois, while the bus driver merely yells "sit down". But Jimmy Carter has no words for this? The Democratic Black Caucus remains silent and as you would expect the mainstream media does too.

This is not going to promote healing. This is only going to inflame things further than they already are and will most likely, someday, be looked back on as a catalyst to an even more dangerous world.



Be sure to check out:

AC at Fore Left. He has some things to say on this and even linked me up with this latest VDH essay.

Monday AM QB

That's right, groovy guys and gals. It's that time of years again. It's football season... and that means weekly opinionated commentary on my favorite team the Indianapolis Colts, as well as some others.

My job is to tell you about how I think the Colts should have played perfect.

Greg's job is to tell us how much he loves NE, hates Eli Manning and the Giants, and how the best teams were not in the Super Bowl. (Hi Greg.)

Mustang's job is to tell us how much he hates pro sports in a free society and everyone else can just tell us how we are all wrong.

If I don't cover your team this week, I may next week. I can't always do them all, due to time constraints. But you can always feel free to tell us how great or lousy your team did, in the comments. So here goes nothing:


Colts 14 - Jags 12

It's always difficult to gauge the first games of the season, because of the changes made in the off-season and the lack of playing time by the team starters in the pre-season. But knowing how tough division rivals are, it goes without saying that it is usually a hard fought game due to the familiarity factor.

If you are the Colts, that goes double for Jacksonville.

The Jags have had much success running on a usually pathetic Colts run defense. Last year, the Jaguars pounded it down the Colts throats in the first game in Lucas Oil Stadium and embarrassed my team, badly. So naturally, my apprehension was real and not imagined before yesterday's game.

My thoughts were centered on how well the offense could outscore the Jags' defense, thinking that Jacksonville would play ball control on offense, running and eating up clock. But much to my surprise, the Colts' defense rose to the occasion and held RB Maurice Jones-Drew to just under 100 yards rushing and made key stops at critical points in the game. Even without Bob Sanders, they looked as good in the clutch as they were during their Super Bowl run.

The key for them will be to keep this intensity, so when the offense stinks up the field like they did yesterday, they have a chance to win the game.

As I said, the offense was pathetic. Manning looked like he was overthinking and made some mistakes that are usually relegated to rookies, not veterans. Opening drives into the red zone are not made for interceptions, they are meant to score touchdowns.

The other weakness was coaching decisions. Jim Caldwell acted like he didn't have a damned bit of NFL experience on one critical play. He opted to kick a 50-something yard FG, when a punt would have pinned the Jags deep, just like the preceding series did. It failed, and Jax drove for a TD from there. It made no sense, it was obvious the Colts defense was doing the job at that point.

Another call was Manning's fault. It was late in the game on a 4th and (less than) one yard. The Colts had a 2-point lead and the ball, with just over two minutes left in the game. Instead of a QB sneak, he called a running play to the outside. It didn't work and Jacksonville found itself in a familiar position: Down by two points with just under 2:00 left and Scobee warming up to kick a game-winning FG.

This is where the Colts defense was spectacular, This is where the game was won. And it was not a game-winning drive engineered by Peyton, it was a cohesive group of players that rose to the occasion and forced the Jags to turn the ball over on downs with seconds left. All Manning had to do is take knees.

In my mind, the entire defense gets a game ball. I love defensive games.


Broncos 12 - Bengals 7

Two pathetic teams trying to out-pathetic each other, one has to come out the winner. Luck won this one for Denver, which is probably a little better than Oakland, Detroit, and the team they got lucky against today.

I doubt they break even this year.


Falcons 19 - Dolphins 7

Didn't watch it. But Atlanta appears to be poised to have another winning season and one has to have their doubts about Miami. They certainly have a tougher division than the Falcons.


49ers 20 - Cardinals 16

San Francisco will be the NFL's most improved team and may even make the playoffs. I happened uopn the game after watching the Giants-Skins and they looked very impressive in stopping Warner in the last drive of the game, where Warner is so dangerous. And they did it in Arizona.


Giants 23 - Skins 17

This one has to hurt Rocket, our PYY semi-regular who splits his affinity between them and Miami. This looked like a typical division rivalry. But in the end, NY just had too much for their opposition.

Eli Manning looked good and the team played a good well-rounded football game, despite having a less than stellar running game.




How'd your teams do?

Another Blast From The Past

Today is 9/12/09, one day after our thoughts were with the tragedy that jolted us, eight years earlier. This is the day that the 9/12 Project culminates in a Washington DC rally. The goal is for us to come away with a renewed energetic spirit and realize a more formal assessment of our progress.

Every time there has been a crisis or challenge to the structural and/or institutional integrity of this nation, the people within that generation have risen to the occasion and beat back those forces through honorable but assertive means. To the people of my generation (and those just ahead and below), this is our time. This is our moment. We must act and keep acting. The forces that seek to implement their weak and erroneous policies will punch back, they have the resources. We must stand toe to toe, we must counter their counters. We must maintain our resolve until we can take back this government from the special interests, in 2010.

The nation is at risk for going down the wrong road, further than is safe to do so. We are the only hope and you can safely rest assured it will take many to execute this reversal or direction, to prevent irrevocable damage to subsequent generations. One man cannot save us, one man cannot hurt us. But there is safety and strength in numbers speaking their minds. And when one has actual truth and justice (not merely proclaimed or imagined) on their side, the message resonates more clearly and the works are made manifest for all to see.

They want to bully us, they want us to bow down and kiss their rings. They want us to believe that we cannot make the best decisions for ourselves and our families and should allow them to think for us. We must stand our ground, we must reassert our presence in the decision making process and politicians must listen to us, if they want to keep their jobs.

It's just that simple.

So as we all gather our thoughts about the long weary struggle ahead of us, we must inspire and be inspired. And one of the better ways to seek inspiration is through music. For this reason, this week we have a "stand your ground" musical theme. Holding our own is a policy that must be implemented, using the rights afforded to all of us in the US Constitution. Delivering results should be our primary goal.

Here's a tune in which the opening lyrics are representative of this theme. This song is Stand And Deliver by Mr. Mister:

Some people hate and expect affection
Some people lie and demand the truth
I gotta ask myself if it's soul deception
Is this the natural thing that we all just do

We take such pleasure from pain, I'm
just tired of playing that game
Some things you've got to change

You've got to stand and deliver, with your body and soul
Stand and deliver, just give me something to hold
Stand and deliver, if the truth can be told
We can make it together, if we stand - stand and deliver

The walls are being built right now. These walls are specifically designed by greedy politicians to keep the people out of government business. They know what's best for us (or so they think) and the will of the people be damned. But we have options, and we are exercising them. Tea parties and involvment with town hall meetings are having an impact everywhere, even though the fight is nowhere near won.

We must break down the walls and reassert the will of our founding fathers, who had the presence of mind to know and understand the tyranny that is naturally generated by an oppressive government. To do this we must not hang our heads, but as the next tune exhorts, we must all Stand Tall:

Stand tall it gets a little better
I see the wall that we can break down together
Stand strong it gets a little better now
We can break it down, yes we can break it, we can
Break it down

I can only take so much
The pressure man come to pressure us
They came to watch us fall
Oh yes they came to watch us fall
And we will rise up against them all
So I

Stand tall it gets a little better
I see the wall that we can break down together
Stand strong it gets a little better now
We can break it down, yes we can break it

So what does all of this mean? Listen to this next song, which has a familiar tune and melody to it. The words have been changed to reflect the task that is before us:



It is our only hope, we must be successful. They are on the ropes and they know it, but there is some life left in the opposition's jet packs. We must recharge ours and keep the machines running smooth.

We have one chance, one last chance to stop this bunch from getting this country so deep in debt, out children will forever curse us for stealing their future. Once chance, or it just may end up too late.

Enjoy the music.

Let's get busy. Time to flood the all of the Congress with e-mails and phone calls, especially the Blue Dog Dems. Let them know their careers in public service will come down to this vote, tell them to abandon the progressive measures that are going to head this nation into a wall of destruction and ruin.

Eight Years Ago

I was at work. At first, it was a day not unlike any other. I remember it being a sunny day, with nothing unusual happening on the way in. But by lunchtime, the events of that fateful day forever changed the way I think, the way I look at things.

I remember the shock on the faces of the people I came in contact with, the disbelief and the pain. Then, I remember the jubilant celebrations in Mideastern countries and China. It was at that time, I got mad.

I am still angry....and sad.

I will never forget. Will you?

Primetime Lies

I don't like liars. I have been lied to by some of the best liars in the world and have become well adept at picking up on other people's lies.

When I am lied to, I have two choices. I can either call them on it, like one lawmaker decided he would do. Or, I can act as if I believe it and ignore it altogether, allowing the liar to believe that he convinced me of his falsehoods.

This is why I did not listen to the President's speech last night. I expected nothing more than a bullying tone, full of lies. And from what I have read and heard already this morning, that's what the people who listened to it got for their efforts.

Fred Barnes, a man who I believes delivers honest analysis most of the time, has his take on the speech from last night. I don't think the President sold him.

Healthcare - A Short Reality

I keep hearing people saying that most of the American people are in favor of healthcare reform. And it's true, they are. But not the way it's being done now. They are not overwhelmingly in favor of allowing the government to run it into the ground like other countries have.

I find nothing wrong with eliminating pre-existing conditions and finding ways to keep costs down. I have no problem with getting the people who actually have no access to healthcare, better coverage than they may have now on Medicaid.

My issue is with:

1. Illegal aliens paying no taxes but getting into the plan

2. People who currently have access but are too cheap to buy into the company plan

3. Drunken 50-something early retirees (from six figured income jobs) living in some space-cadet town out west wanting me to buy their healthcare for them.

Because if these people get their wishes and have you and I paying for their bad choices, here is what you and I will be stuck with. Read this article and see if that's what you really want for this country.

Oliver Stone - Brain Of Stone

Reuters has posted a story explaining that Oliver Stone's new film on Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is a bit slanted. Not that we expect much of a balanced presentation from Mr. Stone, but it is what it is and from his perspective, he thinks the U.S. demonizes the South American leader.

Director Oliver Stone says the U.S. media and government have demonised Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and other leftist South American leaders, and argues in a new film that they were right to stand up to Washington.

We can safely assume that Stone is referring to the previous administration, because the present one has appeared to be more receptive, at least in public. But the reality of the situation must escape Mr. Stone, as he clearly demonstrates a total lack of the critical thinking skills necessary to form an intelligent opinion.

For instance, I doubt Ollie has even done an internet news search using the words "Obama criticizes Chavez". If he had, this is what would have popped up. Dropping the word "criticizes" yields a different result. In the latter search, we see that the demonizing isn't coming from Obama. Note some of the the stories that pop up:

Chavez: Obama Ignores Real Issues Facing Blacks

Chavez Likens Obama's Stench To Bush's

Chavez: Obama "A Poor Ignoramus"

So, it's anyone's guess why this Administration doesn't make any effort to defend against the demonizing rhetoric from Chavez. But for whatever reason, it just isn't happening.

Therefore, we must assume that the Stone position is solely based on the opinions of Bush, Cheney, and those "evil" right-wingers who desperately seek to vilify those they do not understand. But if we are astute enough to keep out political senses honed, we can take note of another article, from the same Reuters agency that tells us of Stone's view.

Venezuela will pull the plug on 29 more radio stations, a top official in President Hugo Chavez's government said on Saturday, just weeks after dozens of other outlets were closed in a media clampdown.

Infrastructure Minister Diosdado Cabello closed 34 radio stations in July, saying the government was "democratizing" media ownership. Critics say the move limits freedom of expression and has taken critical voices off the airwaves.

The powerful Chavez ally has threatened to close over 100 stations in total, part of a long-term campaign against private media that the government says are biased against Chavez's government.

I would ask Mr. Stone a question, if I had the opportunity. But I don't have the platform that others have and I doubt he'd really be man enough to answer, anyway. So I will pose it to my loyal readers:

How is it demonizing Hugo Chavez by merely criticizing his government, for shutting down voices of opposition?

One of the things that Stone has never taken into consideration is something that may be beyond his ability to comprehend: Freedom to voice opposition to any government is an essential component of a healthy democratic republic.

If this nation had a leader like Chavez in the White House when Stone made his movie about Bush, it would have never seen the light of day and there is a good chance that he would have been in jail now (or at least under house arrest). Not only that, Obama wouldn't have been elected, because the deck would have been stacked to allow Bush to maneuver into a president-for-life situation by trying to do what Hugo's buddy in Honduras just tried to do, on the sly.

If there was any doubt beforehand, it should now be abundantly clear to even the unlearned mind: Stone is not one of the smartest people working in Hollywood. But then again, it's the same medium that continues to allow Michael Moore to make garbage and call them documentaries.

Another Blast From The Past

This is the annual American Socialist Worker's Day weekend, otherwise known as Labor Day.

All kidding aside, workers are important to any successful organization. I believe any company's labor force is composed of different individuals, who are brought together to be a team and do a job. Some are good at it, others are not. Sometimes, the workers can make or break a company.

For that reason, it behooves all managers, directors, and other forms of bosses to treat them with respect and dignity. In return, I think the workers should always strive to do the best job they can, so as to keep the company sound. It is a two-way street.

This weekend, PYY salutes the good workers and the contributions they make to the economy and the community in which they live.

First up is one that even Mustang will remember and may even like. It's called Working My Way Back To You Babe:



From the 80s comes this classic tune by Loverboy:



This one is from the same era. Here is a live performance of Huey Lewis and his song called Working For A Livin':



We'll finish it up with a little tune I still like to hear once in a while. See if you remember this one, from Lynyrd Skynyrd:



Enjoy the music and stay safe.

Rangeling Out Of A Tight Spot

Charlie Rangel is a crook and he knows it. He is a tax cheat and a briber, and he knows it. How does he worm his way out of another fine mess he finds himself in? Just like every other corrupt black official who gets his/her hand caught in the cookie jar, he plays the race card.

If I could have a conversation with Charlie over this article and his comments in it, this is the course it may take:

"Some Americans have not gotten over the fact that Obama is President of the United States. They go to sleep wondering, 'how did this happen?'"

Sorry, Charlie. Only the best tasting tuna gets to be Starkist and I do not lay awake at night worrying how you got your thieving ass into this mess either. And just so you know, I know how Obama got to be President. He lied his way into it and played the race card every time he got into a tight spot, along the way (just like you are doing).

But it's not enough to try and deflect attention away from your crookedness, you somehow feel the need to

"Why do black people have to bargain for what is theirs? Why do we have to wait for the right to vote? Why can't we get what God has given us? And that is the right to live as human beings and not negotiate with white southerners and not court the votes. Just do the right thing," Rangel said.

There you go again, Chuckie. You just cannot help dragging in the great civil rights battle, of which you had no part in. Can you? Not only that, you have to drag in white southerners into the conversation. How the hell do you know about white southern bigotry living in Harlem? Answer, you don't.

Bottom line Charlie, you are a racist. You are using your position in Congress to commit crimes that would be prosecuted, if you weren't bribing the ethics committee members, who are supposed to be investigating your dealings. As a means of desperation, you are playing the usual sick games, at the very the moment you feel the pressure from your sins being exposed. Deflection and projection are your favorite maladaptive coping mechanisms and you know how to use them well.

Now, it's time to resign. Time to give up not only your committee chairmanship, but your seat as well.

But as we all know, you are not a man that can be counted on, except when you can make money off of the public's trust. You cannot even be counted on to have the decency to be a patriot and pay your taxes, like your Vice-President says you should do. But then again, I have yet to hear anyone accuse you of being a patriot. On the other hand, I hear many who deem you to be a scumbag.

Ask LA

I was looking in the Ask LA mailbag for some new correspondence from poor souls with nowhere else to turn. But much to my surprise, I only found one. I guess people have been experiencing a huge mass of bliss, since Obama's election and the only ones who are suffering now are the ones who are just too stupid to get with the program.

For more on this newly created utopia, go read the letter. And be sure to write me if things change. I'll be waiting at the mailbox.

A Different Kind Of Racism

There are people in this world are are ignorant enough to believe that only white people can be racists. Because the white man historically owned black slaves absolves people of color from any guilt associated with racism towards whites.

It's true. I have been on blogs where people have said it, and they (both white and black) honestly believe it.

In Atlanta, there is a mayoral race taking place and for the first time in 35 years, there stands a chance a white mayor will be elected.

As you may guess, this isn't setting well with some people:

"You have a young generation of blacks — not native to Atlanta — who don't necessarily see that as something that has to happen," said Boone, who is part of a group that circulated the racially-charged e-mail. "They may be staking their vote on matters more critical than race."

However, a group of black community leaders is urging black voters to rally behind Borders, whose grandfather desegregated the city's police force and who was recently endorsed by the city's black clergy, to prevent a runoff that could hand Norwood a victory.

In late August, an incendiary and widely circulated e-mail specifically noting Norwood's race began circulating among black Atlantans, encouraging them to back Borders.

"Time is of the essence because in order to defeat a Norwood (white) mayoral candidacy we have to get out now and work in a manner to defeat her without a runoff, and the key is a significant Black turnout in the general election," the message sent by the Black Leadership Forum reads.

Basically, the message here is simple. We must defeat whitey or risk everything we have ever gained. Never mind that Atlanta is a cesspool in many areas, we cannot return to the days where a white person is over a chic, avant garde city that reeks of positive symbolism.