I Should Be a Liberal...

I should be a Liberal because although I work hard, my job does not offer me Health Care Benefits and I can not afford private Insurance.

I am not a Liberal because I realize that it is a dead end crappy job and it has been my choice to stay with it.

I should be a liberal because when I see people get hurt, I wish it could have been avoided.

I am not a Liberal because I realize that much of the time the people who get hurt could have avoided it themselves.

I should be a Liberal because I am Pro-Choice, I favor sex education in schools and don't care if Gays want to marry.

I am not a Liberal because I believe abortion is the wrong choice, teens should not be having sex and why does anyone want to get locked into a contract that ultimately bites them in the ass...really!

I should be a Liberal because I believe in complete Free Speech, Freedom of the Press and Freedom of (Peaceful) Assembly.

I am not a Liberal because alot of that speech, press and assembly annoys the crap out of me.

I should be a Liberal because I want pot to be legalized.

I am not a Liberal because I realize you can't always get what you want...and if you try sometimes...you get what you need.

I should be a Liberal because I want to Make Love, Not War.

I am not a Liberal because I realize not everyone else feels that way.

I should be a Liberal because I really have no idea what God is, what His interactions with us are and what the meaning of Life is.

I am not a Liberal because He is, He does and there is.

I should be a Liberal because I think I know what is best.

I am not a Liberal because I know you do too.

I should be a Liberal because I could totally see myself reciting this at a pretensious, bohemian coffee haus.

I am not a Liberal because I realize how incredibly lame that truly is.




Linky if you wanna post there where it's plaid and full of smart peeps.

"Ghost of the Future,"... "I fear you more than any Spectre I have seen.

So President Obama has embraced the conversion of Arlen Spectre to the Democrat Party.

If we were to hold Obama to his campaign promises, then this conversion should be condemned, not praised. Spectre's party switch is an act of political expediency on the part of a desperate man to hold onto power.

The point is not whether he really ever was a Republican or not or whether he will help Obama's agenda or not. The really troublesome thing to me is that this is another example of how power is the motivating factor in most if not all of our elected officials. It is our own fault though, of course, because we the people vote for Congressmen and Senators based on what they can do for us. The more powerful they are, the more pork we receive.

Arlen Spectre will gladly chide the GOP in order to gain favor with the majority Left in his state so he can hold on to his power...and the voters will likely gladly vote for him in order to keep the pork coming.

I fear the chains that we as a society are creating for ourselves...link by link...a chain of dependancy...a chain of indentured servitude for generations to come.

Jacob Marley: I wear the chain I forged in life! I made it link by link and yard by yard! I gartered it on of my own free will and by my own free will, I wore it!


Scrooge 1935

Monster in the Mirror.

In the 1993 film "The Nightmare Before Christmas", we are shown that the creepy people and creatures that scare us are actually just misunderstood. We humans like being scared and so (esp. at Halloween) they take on the task of scaring us, since it is what we want.

In the 2001 film "Monsters, Inc", we are shown that monsters are wierd (but cute) looking creatures with the same emotions as us, just doing their jobs...which is to (harmlessly) scare young children.

In the 2009 film "Monsters vs Aliens", we are shown that monsters exist in our world but that they are the victims of terrible and tragic events that led to their disfigurement, transformation and/or attitude towards ther world. These monsters are interned by the government but not so much to protect the public but to protect them from us. The shunned and misunderstood monsters end up being called upon to save our (shared) planet from alien invasion.

Before all these films came Jim Hensen's Muppets on televison (and later movies) where we were shown that monsters lived in our own neighborhoods (just like Sesame Street) and were just like us...well just like kids anyway (the adult monsters seemed to have special needs).

Now, I understand the message these film-makers are trying to get across...We should not judge people based on how they look because even though they may look different, inside we are all the same... and it is a commendable message although a naive one and possibly dangerous.

Obviously we don't want our children to discriminate against another race or disability just because they look different and I get that, but my problem with these films and their message in general is that they teach our children to not be afraid of monsters and get to know them because they are probably really nice...just misunderstood and appear scary because life has treated them so badly. This is dangerous.

Dangerous because there are monsters out there. Human monsters who want to do real harm to them. I don't want my child to get to know the monster that lives next door. I don't even want him/her living there or anywhere in my or your neighborhood.

I don't want my child to feel sorry for the monster because he was mistreated, abused and ostricized from society. I wish these monsters didn't exist and my children could lead gleeful, carefree lives but they need to know that they exist and how to avoid them, not get to know them.

Even if we are invaded by hostile aliens (or terrorists or China), I don't want our monsters released from prison to fight along side us (with apologies to The Dirty Dozen who were cool except for Telly Savalas who was a homicidal maniac, which is kinda my point).

Monsters are real and we do not want them anywhere near our children because thanks to Sesame Street our children will trust them, play with them and be hurt by them.

Zombie Economics... Part 2: "Stocks Hung By The Chimney With Care"

I pay taxes. Admittedly, I don't pay that much because I don't make very much but it is money I could really use. On the other hand, I know myself well enough to know I would still spend it all. I live paycheck to paycheck and honestly can't spare any for savings or investments (or any that would amount to much).

So I am ok with forced payments into Social Security and MediCare because those are programs that (supposedly) I will benefit from eventually. What I am not ok with though, is that with Social Security I am just getting back what I paid in (perhaps a little more if I live beyond my allotment) or I may end up with less than I paid in...perhaps none of it.

What a Lousy investment. Maybe that's what I get for relying on government for my retirement but you'd think that a $100,000 (or more) over 50 years would make a bundle if invested wisely. The problem with Social Security is that our money is not invested in anything (it's mostly just borrowed from constantly).

Arguably, the best thing to invest money in is money...or rather lending it.

Well our banks and lenders seem to have fallen on hard times (mostly due to unwise investments) and need some money to lend some money to make some money. I for one would gladly invest my future Social Security payments (and maybe some of the existing) into a government regulated but privately run lending institution...a Semi-Nationalist Bank.

No, I don't want to Nationalize all banks. but the money invested by We The People would be under strict rules about investments...small business loans, tuition loans, even home loans but only if they can afford the (low) payments. (If they can't then sorry, buy a cheaper house, rent or get a better job.)

The Government (through Social Security) would buy stocks for 50 Cents on the Dollar, basically getting 2-for-one stocks, one of which belongs to the Feds and the other belongs to the individual. The Feds however cannot hold more than 49% stock in the bank and must sell back to private investors anything over that. The Bank would still be run by a private board of directors but with strict regulations.

We the taxpayers can let our stocks sit, buy more and even sell to other private investors but at Retirement age can either cash out completely or take a portion and leave some as investments.
The government must hold it's stocks no matter what the market does but hopefully is making money off of dividends (as our accounts do) to maintain operations and cover losses.

Private Banks and Lenders would still exist and compete with the Federal Bank for loans and private investors but the Federal Bank would mostly offer long term/slow growth investments that are guaranteed.

I know most folks don't like the idea of Nationalism and neither do I for the most part but maybe this could be a compromise that would benefit taxpayers, Social Security and Banking while leaving a smaller Federal Footprint and costing less money to fund (the money is already taken out of our paychecks anyway).

I would love to own some stocks and the banks need help. If I have a genuine stake in the success of a Federal Bank, than I would be willing to pay for it.

Your Country May Have A Virus...Click Here...

We have all seen those intrusive online pop-ups that warn you that your computer may be infected by a virus. Many have fallen victim to the ruse...Click here to scan your computer for any viruses. After you click on the Scan Now button, the program reports that you have one or more severe viruses that need to be taken care of immediately.

Click here to remove the virus from your computer then pops up and if you click on it, you are rediredted to another web page where you must purchase their Anti-Virus software to complete the process.

It is a Scam!

You may or may not indeed have had a real virus (or at least alot of malware/spyware) on your PC prior to this "scan", but the real scam is that the Anti-Virus Program they want you to buy has just infected your PC with a virus in order to get you to buy the "fix". The infection can be so bad that you cannot operate your PC and the only solution seems to be to go ahead and buy the program for a quick "fix".

This is akin to taking your car to a mechanic for a small problem, who then proceeds to do real (and costly) damage to your vehicle in order to charge you for fixing it. There have been many Dateline NBC type undercover investigations to catch these crooks. Often they don't even do anything to your car yet charge you for the repairs anyway.

Our Government (esp the Dems) seem to be using this same tactic with regards to our Economy. They are telling us that our Economy has a "virus" and that we need to "buy" their proposals to "fix" the problem. What they don't tell us though, is that they (the government) were in large part what caused this economic "virus" in the 1st place.

Whether it be from lack of oversight on the financial industry, foolish (often corrupt) government programs pushing risky home loans, stupid trade policies that favor foreign nations while weakening our own economy or just plain old wasteful spending and throwing good money after bad, our Government has been the biggest factor in ruining our Economy.

And now they are telling us that the "fix" for all these problems is to increase government spending, government control and government oversight.

It is a Scam!

The Democratic Agenda has been and especially now is to increase the size of government, the scope of government and the power of government. They are using the excuse of an emergency to ramrod special interest programs, funds, pet projects and flat out political payoffs to those that got (or kept) them in power. I am beginning to think that Obamas plan to reform government and limit the influence of Lobbyists is to create a Centralized Government that is so powerful that it calls the shots and tells "Private Industry" what it can and can not do.

I am not insinuating that there is not an Economic Crisis...There Is! What I am questioning though, is do we really want to buy the "program(s)" that created this virus in the 1st place?

The Politics of Fear, The U.N. and Israel.

George W. Bush's legacy (for better or worse) will be that he chose to fight terrorism and the Islamic Tide. He felt that the only way to stop Jihad was to take the fight to them. Sen John McCain also held this view that the Free World needed to stay on the offensive against Global Terrorism. Most Americans, however lost their stomach for war and backed the candidate that favored appeasment and a more European approach to terrorism, which is to basically learn to live with it and try to understand why the Islamists are so angry.

Obama and the Left kept saying that the Bush Policies played on the fears of Americans in order to maintain support for the war. This is not entirley inaccurate but not entirely true either. You see, Americans have traditionally reacted to fear by meeting it head on, facing it, and conquering it. Fear has always been a strong motivator whether it be fear of starvation, fear of unemployment, fear of personal attack or home invasion, and/or fear of national security and fear for our brothers safety. We don't need fear to do the right thing, but it is a good motivator...when it is real.

We as a people, though frightened by the same terrors that befall other nations, have always acted with courage and resolve. Sadly I cannot say the same for most of the other nations and leaders (Great Britain being an exception, untill recently). HIstorically (and recently) most European and Asiatic nations have reacted to the fears of terrorism by listening to the grievances of radicals and ultimately giving in to their demands.

What is it that they truly fear though? Is it death, beheadings and ultimate annihilation? These may be the obvious surface tensions that create fear, but no one really believes that the Jihadist's have the military might and power to win a traditional war. The Islamists would be the one's annihilated...and they know it.

That is why they have adopted a different tactic. Although car, train and plane bombings continue, that is not the real threat. The real danger is Economic. The most recent spikes in the price of a barrel of oil led to near economic ruin in most smaller countries and also contributed greatly to the troubles in larger economies as well. The fears of high gas and food prices, expensive luxuries and limited vacation destinations evoke a more visceral response from folks than does the bombing of an Embassy.

Most of the nations who rely on imported oil fear economic ruin more so than a Fundamentalist Islamic takeover. This is why they turned against America in the War On Terror. It is safe to say that our war-time consumption helped drive the costs so high along with an Arab Alliance to force world opinion against participating in any war in the Middle East.

This is where it all ties in to Israel. The U.N. has come down harshly on Israel for in effect, doing nothing more than trying to protect their own borders (and citizens) from rocket fire. Most of the "United" Nations fear both terrorist attack and economic ruin from the oil producing nations, including Russia but also fear China who's own dependence on the same oil creates tension in trade markets as well as Stock Markets (since it seems only the Chinese have money to invest and/or lend).

Israel is like America (was). They will react to terrorism, invasion, rocket attacks or even thrown stones with swift defense and meet it with deadly force, if neccessary. They would rather die fighting than give in to terrorism, economic turmoil and/or world opinion. Unfortunately, this puts them on the "wrong side" in Euro-Asian thinking as their philosophy seems to be "Survive at all Cost" rather than "Live Free or Die".

Maybe it is wrong of me to see the rest of the world as France c.1940, just weeping as Nazi Troops marched in to take over, but it sure looks that way to me. I just hope our "New FDR" and all the "Lindburg Isolationists" in power now, don't wait for another major attack on American Soil before joining in Israel's Defense...and Right to Exist.

Media

The media definately leans Left but I do not believe it is a conspiracy to change the moral fabric of America (& The World) but it ends up having that effect anyway. Hollywood & The Media know that the majority of Americans are Judeo-Christians and that even those that are not of a professed religion still live by Judeo-Christian ethics and morales.

What The Media does, though (and quite effectively) is prey upon the fears of our ethics and moralities. They know what scares us, what makes us cry, what makes us laugh, what makes us proud and what gives us hope.
Of course they don’t always hit the bullseye (esp. in the comedy dept.) but the best movies, TV shows, music and art make you think…they make you feel…and they make you doubt yourself.

How would I react? What would I do? Why is life like that sometimes? When will I become like that? Am I like that? Why I am like that? The Entertainment Industry is very adept at tapping into our emotions. That’s actually why we love (and hate) it so much…it knows us so well. It knows how to get under our skin and draw out intense feelings.

That is what sells tickets, CD’s, DVD’s and such to the the masses. Sometimes the “message” of a particular film is specifically geared towards a tartget audience (& mindset) but even then it is done so with one purpose in mind…to make a profit. If they feel the audience for an anti-war film will be large enough to garner a profit…they will make it. Then they will make a film that praises the foot soldier and makes you proud to be an American because it will be a blockbuster and make up for some of the losses on the “other” films that didn’t quite have the audience numbers they hoped for.

The Entertainment Industry should really be called The Industry of Entertainment. It is an Industry 1st and foremost. A business in business to make money. Entertainment is the product they sell, and sell it well they do.

The Media (esp. Television) is also a business. TV makes it’s money from Advertisers who want to sell their products to the masses. Every Television Show on the air is there for the sole purpose of attracting the largest possible audience in order to charge the highest rates for advertisments. A smart Network, Cable Provider, Sattelite Broadcaster does not want to alienate and ignore any possible viewer/consumer so they offer programs that appeal to almost every imaginable demographic. If some demos are left out of “mainstream” programming, a smaller company will usually try to tap that market, albeit for more meager profits but for profits none the less.

The News also is part of this demographic programming. Each and every news channel is geared towards where they see the most profits based on marketshares, demographics and ratings. The majority of news and commentary appears to be left leaning because in reality, we are a much more liberal people than we were. Freedom tends to do that and The Media follows trends.

Conservative values are also still represented however, but only because there is still a large enough market for it to be profitable but it is the minority and the big bucks are in showcasing Liberal Ideals because that’s where most of the money is…because of the Obama phenomenon.

“Obama” sells tickets, magazines and t-shirts along with Hope. The Media wants (needs) the Ad Revenue from those trying to sell us Pepsi, so The Media is selling us Hope.


*This was my response to http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/aklavan/2009/01/14/why-we-fight/ but as is often the case with me, it became a blog-on-a-blog so I figured I may as well put it here too.

**Also, the title is just Media because everytime I hit the Space Bar, it changed the launguage...weird...or is it Wierd?