Weekend Rambler

Cspan is showing the rally to save Darfur from genocide and I see many of the same people that were at the anti-war rally in New York. Let me get this straight, they were against removing the genocidal tyrant Saddam Hussein, they don't want us to stop an apocolyptic Iran yet they want us to go into another muslim nation with substantial oil reserves and remove that regime from power. It is obvious the moonbats really don't get it when they try to blame President Bush and this administration, if they support saving Darfur then they should support our mission in Iraq and Afganistan as well as they are against the same enemy as the ones doing the killing in Sudan, radical islamists. They believe we should abandon the innocent Iraqis to the radicals and stop the radicals from killing the innocent in Darfur.
They mentioned the slaughters of Cambodians and blamed the US for not stopping it, that genocide came after the peaceniks forced us to abandon Vietnam, hmmmm. They mentioned the Holocaust and that we did nothing to stop it, I believe it was US troops that liberated the nazi-deathcamps. We now have an Iran that is threatening to finish the job and wipe Israel off the map and is hellbent on acquiring nuclear weapons and giving them to the Sudanese government yet the left opposes us stopping Iran with military force. The utter hypocrisy of this is astounding. They clapped like crazy for the Dem leaders but when they mentioned full nonpartisan support from the President you could cut the silence with a knife. The moonbats only want us to be the worlds police when it is their pet project it seems and the victims are largely black. They seem to forget the Arab muslims are the ones that have raided African villages for centuries to support their slave trade still active in several arab countries in Northern Africa. I am all for stopping genocide and the only ones commited to genocide are radical islamists, convert or die jihadists, I hope this means the moonbats are going to back off and let us destroy them first. It is the same enemy we face in Iraq and Afganistan, will they let us finish the job there? Singing songs, giving speeches, and holding creative signs at rallies won't stop these islamic killers only bullets and bombs will, they need to understand that before Iran gets the Bomb and the situation gets worse under the umbrella of nuclear deterrent. The only thing worse than miltary force against Iran is for them to go nuclear.
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On the subject of Romney care he is explaing it on Cspan today, to the Chamber of Commerce.
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The blogroll has been updated and better organized. I can't ezplain why my formatter grouped some together but oh well, some of the groupings are interesting, as far as content, of the involved sites.
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Don't miss Lores' show tonight at 10:00 pac on KRLA870, she runs the Just a Woman blog , a good friend . The girl needs more airtime, she's good, yeah, I am biased, she's a friend and gets free promotion, tune in.

Novak on Romney's "Problem"

As a political kind of gal, I often read and or peruse your standard writings from your standard conservatives. Ordinarily, the offerings are not exactly stand out quality. But this week, one in particular caught my eye. It is an examination of MA Governor Mitt Romney's "problem" as he continues his quest for the Republican nomination in 2008.

As a country, I have to wake up believing that we are a fundamentally accepting crowd. Perhaps this is true or perhaps I lie to myself to get through a day. Regardless, the theme of Mr Novak's column this week is the acceptance, or lack there of, of any non-Christian or non-Jewish presidential candidate on the part of the now infamous Evangelicals.

Anyone who has been conscious these last seven years or so is aware of the power the Evangelical voting bloc holds. They are not to be taken lightly or dismissed. While Governor Romney is not nearly aloof enough to dismiss this crowd, I do believe he is innately good enough to take them, and the very personal subject of religion, too lightly. You see, Mitt Romney does not ever discuss his Mormonism. To him, it is truly personal and he does not enforce his personal beliefs on the majority that he governs. While it is clearly high on his list of personal priorities, it never leaves his soul to enter public policy decision making. Does this make the Evangelicals happy? Nope.
" Prominent, respectable Evangelical Christians have told me, not for quotation, that millions of their co-religionists cannot and will not vote for Romney for president solely because he is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. If Romney is nominated and their abstention results in the election of Hillary Rodham Clinton, that's just too bad. The evangelicals are adamant, saying there is no way Romney can win them over."<br>WOW. So rather than have a good man of high intelligence and strong morals who happens to be of a different, and may I note, the fastest growing sect of Christianity in America religious belief, the Evangelicals will allow the anti-Christ and her husband, Beelzebub back into the most powerful office in the world out of spite? Call me crazy but that doesn't sound very "Christian" to me.

Good Evenin'

I want to type about polls and other non-news, seems a proportion of are elected officials live by them. I find them a crock, take for example approval ratings, my approval is everywhere from abysmal, to fantastic. For example, I have major problems with the crazy spending on our credit card, both parties. I also support the war on these islamic whack jihadis, and Iran must be dealt with with a very heavy hand and believe it is being handled very well. Spend a few hours exploring and reading the milblogs and independant journalists like Mike Yon, Bill Roggio and Michael Totten, both Mikes having spent a considerable amount of time in Iraq, Yon being currently in Afganistan and Bill headed that way soon. A different picture will unfold if you are willing to look.
Back to polls, the answer depends on the question and how it is asked. A conservative might have a low opinion because of a perceived slide to the left and the mirror for leftists of a slide to the right. I will use oil for an example, the left has always wanted to force people onto bikes or buses and into beer can cars, don't let them fool you, now they want to hamper the flow of oil more. They already block exploration , drilling and refining domestically. Mexico and Cuba can drill in the Gulf, why can't we, the same goes for the pacific coast. Canada's oil sands will come into production next year, estimated in excess of Saudi fields. We have the oil to go independant of the middle east, the moonbats block its exploration at every step. Now they want to further tax and regulate the oil companies, sadly some of the GOP has taken their bait. President Bush pressed the oil companies with the right words to invest their profits to reduce energy costs. The oil companies generally make about a tenth of what the local, state, and feds tax you on a gallon of gas, here, I pay about thirty-five cents on the gallon, that is the real price gouge especially if it is percentage based.In addition to this the oil companies do not set the price of oil, nor can President Bush control it in anyway, congress does as well as Wall Street speculaters. The price of oil will come down dramatically as the Iraqi, Canadien and hopefully our oilfields come online. The islamists and leftists both want to drive up the price of oil so they can gain control . I have to wonder what an islamist would think of a gay pride parade and diversity in San Francisco? They both want our money albeit in different ways, this is where American conservatives stand, slap dab in the middle of these nutcases.
The national 'day of silence' in favor of the gay agenda was yesterday and recieved a rather raucus reception, some good first amendment class actions brewing favorable to conservatives. I will admit I would have been suspended for wearing one of those shirts and challenging them to talk with persuasive , powerful argument, I have the right to free speech as well. A barnyard highfive to students that stood up and voiced their opposition to indoctrination by intimidation and name calling. I remember gay students growing up, they weren't harrassed, just avoided in the locker room. Girls are wierd enough as a teen boy to figure out, let alone with all this multi-sexuality gobbledy-gook being crammed into their hormone fed psyches. Moms and Dads, it is up to you to stand up and say NO. Girls are still wierd as adults to figure out for us men, we just know we love them, its instinctual not just sexual, they form the whole, the complete with the ability to create life. This alone makes marriage a sacred venture as you assume the ability of God, to make or end life!?!

Quote of the Day

The Patriot Post
Founders' Quote Daily
"The steady character of our countrymen is a rock to which we may safely moor; and not withstanding the efforts of the papers to disseminate early discontents, I expect that a just, dispassionate and steady conduct, will at length rally to a proper system the great body of our country. Unequivocal in principle, reasonable in manner, we shall be able I hope to do a great deal of good to the cause of freedom & harmony."-- Thomas Jefferson
(letter to Elbridge Gerry, 29 March 1801)Reference: Jefferson: Writings, Peterson ed., Library of America(1090)
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So true today are many of the words spoken by our Founders that they should be reexamined and explained, note he was referring to people not government.
I should add that a quote frequently contributed to Jefferson is an urban myth according to Monticello. That quote is"Dissent is the greatest form of patriotism", author unknown.
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Update: This is a must read from Mike Yon in his latest dispatch from Afganistan, real on the ground reporting. Bill Roggio is also headed there and technorati search, Michael J. Totten, his photo essays from Iraq and Turkey are awesome and educating.
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Conservative bloggers don't want to supplant the MSM, we just want them to tell the unbiased truth, report all the news, good and bad, without spin.The average Joe can fact check them now. We need an honorable '4th Estate' not a vindictive one.

Weekend Rambler

I have to step back from the machine, I have been going at it hard for over a year now, even before I started blogging I was very active in other political forums. It has come to occupy too large a presence in my life, almost an obsession to be the best informed, well read citizen I can be in a time when history is being made on a grand scale. I have to take a break, my life and body are starting to suffer from the neglect of hours infront of a monitor trying to glean every scrap of information I can find on the GWOT or Long War as it has come to be known. If I have helped just a few people better understand the threats we face then I have been successful. I am not a trained journalist or analyst just an average Joe contractor that pays attention. I will be updating my blogroll to add several new and older sources not yet listed, mainly milbloggers actually in Iraq and Afganistan and other counter-terrorism experts. I simply cannot maintain my level of output and maintain my life satisfactorly at the sametime as the demands of springtime increase my obligations to home and garden. I love blogging and sharing with the many wonderful folks I have encountered in this journey and don't plan to stop just slow down and enjoy the roses more. It is easy to become obsessed with politics and war especially as utterly fascinating as the shaping of history can be and these are very historic times with Iran, Iraq, Palestine and Israel, Afganistan and the whole of Asia in the conflict with extremist militant Islam. I worry about things I can't control and lose site of those things I can and should control like improving my life and living conditions and a need to regain my energy for the upcoming '06 races in our country. We, the GOP must not allow the moonbats that have taken over the DNC to gain any power unless we want to descend into endless investigations of the past instead of moving forward to solve our problems of the future for the future. Spending must be reigned in, the borders must be secured, major tax reform, Social Security reformed and judges moved through the confirmation process. Yes, we as conservatives have been handed the toughest row to hoe, why, because we can handle the dirty work needed to see it through to the end. We must not shirk our responsibilty when the mud gets deep, it just means we need to switch gears and remember the slow patience we had leading to the Reagan/Gingrich revolution. There are no "silver bullet" quick fixes to the problems we face in immigration, national security and fiscal responsibility as much as we may wish there is, it will just be alot of hard work, difficult decisions and votes to be cast.
My Momma-san is coming out for a visit in a couple weeks and I have to make my cave look a little less like a batchelor pad and more like a house, ugh. I hope my coposter can step up to the mound and offer me a little relief pitching over the next couple, three weeks as I regroup, cleanup and enjoy wine country excursions to see what '02 tastes like, a look into the past with enjoyable results.
Update: I was on Lores's show, KRLA870 again tonight discussing illegal immigration with David Hernandez and Dawn Johnson, a full blooded mixed race american and Minutewoman. Lores runs a great show and has beeen pulling great interviews, I am just waiting for more than a minute on the show, LOL.

The truth will set you free, the Lord's truth, not the secular variety.

PS: My mind is consumed with work details, a very good thing, and not with blogging at this time so forgive me for my slackness of late in up to date blog reports.The client comes first, come to think of it I am my government's client. I would not hire them at their current level of idiocy and that goes for both parties.

Almost The Weekend

Is our MSM losing it? An LA Times blogger was caught making up names to post on his blog and others complimentary of himself, they shut the blog down not the columnist, figures, he's a lefty, imagine if a conservative blogger had done this, the outrage would be uncontainable on the left. I have posted as anonymous before to eliminate backtracking but never setting up bogus email accounts and pseudonyms to post good things about me. How tacky can you get?
Katie Couric, is she suited for the vaunted title at CBS as Anchorette? I remember her as the morning news anchor in the local NBC market of Birmingham, Alabama moving from there to the Today Show. A company rep was interviewed by her in the early days of the show.Can an obviously very liberal news anchor stop CBS's bleeding? I doubt it, they will get the demographic they cater to, blueblooded, bleeding heart liberals, they have alot of competition for that market. Is it any wonder FOX is doing so well or conservative talk radio or consevative blogs?

Patriots Day

Some quotes to commemorate that glorious day in 1775, (courtesy of The Federalist Patriot)
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"What a glorious morning this is!"
-- Samuel Adams (to John Hancock at the Battle of Lexington,Massachusetts, 19 April 1775)
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And so apropo today, one of my favorites uncut, these words ring through centuries.
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"Contemplate the mangled bodies of your countrymen, and then say, 'What should be the reward of such sacrifices?' Bid us and our posterity bow the knee, supplicate the friendship, and plough, and sow, and reap, to glut the avarice of the men who have let loose on us the dogs of war to riot in our blood and hunt us from the face of the earth? If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animating contest of freedom, go from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen!"
—Samuel Adams
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"In honor of those brave Patriots who, on April 19th, 1775, at Lexington and Concord, fired the opening volley for American liberty—and those Patriots who continue in that tradition today, shouldering the burden of American liberty, particularly those on the warfront with Jihadistan.
By the Spring of 1775, the Massachusetts Colony was preparing for conflict with the Royal authority over taxation without representation. The colonial authorities had become oppressive, and American Patriots were prepared to cast off their masters.
On the eve of 18 April, 1775, General Thomas Gage, military governor of Massachusetts, dispatched a force from Boston to confiscate weapons stored in the village of Concord, and to capture Patriot rebels Samuel Adams and John Hancock, reported to be in Lexington. But Patriots had anticipated this raid.
Paul Revere had arranged for advance warning, and though he was captured, Patriot allies William Dawes and Samuel Prescott continued their midnight ride for twenty-two miles from Boston's Old North Church to Concord and warned militiamen along the way.
As dawn arrived on 19 April 1775, between 50 and 70 militiamen came to the town green at Lexington to confront the British column. When a few links away from the militia column, the British officer swung his sword, and said, "Lay down your arms, you damned rebels, or you are all dead men. Fire!" Several Patriots were killed and wounded, but none had been ordered to return fire.
However, when the British arrived at Concord's Old North Bridge, American "Minutemen" fired the "shot heard round the world" as Emerson notes above.
That was the beginning of an eight-year struggle for American independence, a beginning we honor as Patriots Day.

Concord Hymn
Ralph Waldo Emerson

By the rude bridge that arched the flood,
Their flag to April's breeze unfurled,
Here once the embattled farmers stood
And fired the shot heard round the world.

The foe long since in silence slept;
Alike the conqueror silent sleeps;
And Time the ruined bridge has swept
Down the dark stream which seaward creeps.

On this green bank, by this soft stream,
We set to-day a votive stone;
That memory may their deed redeem,
When, like our sires, are sons are gone.

Spirit, that made those heroes dare
To die and leave their children free,
Bid Time and Nature gently spare
The shaft we raise to them and thee.
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I couldn't resist giving my pet moonbat, Parklife, a highlite today. To be honest he/she has a lot of very interesting posts on art once you get past the liberal slag, some pretty interesting stuff actually.

Comment 2.0

It started as a comment and grew to a post , oh well, c'est la vie.
This is one issue I can definately look past Mitt Romney's questionable health insurance solution on. He is super strong on defense, and understands the Islamic threat. I happen to like President Bush's Wyatt Earb, Buffalo Bill, Bat Masterson approach to foriegn diplomacy, break it down to its most simplistic form and proceed from there, not everyone one has France's ability at nuance. Looking at the history of France why would anyone buy their nuance, they have had more rulers and governments than anyone else, with a record of defeat, and we expect them to deal with Iran. They do alright with unarmed blacks in Africa but that is another story. The good thing is Islam, Iran and the rest of the wacky world we live in has come under the microscope of a people connected as never before facing foes like we have never faced before. Yes, the Four Hoursemen ride, as a huge fan of Tolkien, Brooks and Lewis, I believe we can win that final battle. I look at the box office success of The Lord of the Rings and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and I gather hope I am not alone.
I might as well add another another one, posted at Pero's,

1000 years of Islamic violence is enough to convince me, seems they
have no problem killing their own children as well and turning women into
submissive slaves. I have studied islam till my stomach could no longer contain
itself. I reject it in my souls name as a horrid evil that would require me to
kill innocents. We stand at stalemate, checkmate, in my view. Islam and shar'ria
donot trump freedom and liberty, Keep poking us in the chest and the response
may be just a little different than your wildest jihadist martyr dreams. The
technolgy you think you know is a decade late, we can pinpoint a gnat on a rat's
eyelash from outerspace and place a nuke in the gnats eyeball. Iran and the
Islamists need to understand this, perhaps they do, the game is afoot , Watson.

The Ascention

Weekend Roundup

Here on this Easter weekend as we celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord Christ, let us remember our troops that are facing down a foe like none ever before. An insidious evil that has no boundaries and seeks only power, subjugation by force, submission or death, this is islam, radical islam at its finest. Even here in the US groups like CAIR are trying to stifle speech by pushing for laws against criticizing them alla sha'ria law. They say we must respect their laws, that those of nations do not matter, like free speech. They say they want to kill us and destroy the West, from Ahchmaddinajad and the mad mullahs of Iran, to Zarquawi, Zarawahiri, Bin Laden and scores of other jihadists around the globe, hiding in their holes and mudhuts coming out to kill indiscriminently. The leaders don't do the suicide bombings, they talk , they can't face us with guns, we wipe them out.
Iran and the Bomb, the analysis I have read says they are a couple months to a couple years, depending on how fast they can bring centrifuges online. We need to take them out, I believe their retoric, they are good at following through on their threats. Oh, we have the ability, to do this easily, the discussion around the milblogs has been very heartening, they agree the mad mullahs of the islamic republic can't have nukes. The scenario discussions demonstrate that our men know what they are doing and want to defend america and our friends, much like the classic creed of many of the martial arts, if you make us fight we will win and train to assure that fact. They plan to destroy our little brother, Israel, and have no qualms about stating that fact . Will Israel have to pull the trigger first?
I hope not, some three thousand years into Judaeisms existence along comes a psychotic arab desert pirate claiming to be a prophet, around 600 AD, and is rebuffed many times by the Jewish and Christian leaders. So he did what desert pirates did in those days, you gathered some believers , and started a terror campaign to gain power, sound familiar. The history of the region is deep and ancient, Islam is a relatively new movement in the pages of history and a very violent history it has been. The basis of western civilization is much older, based in judaic, common and natural law. Words like freedom and liberty are difficult for the people to understand as they had never known it. Most of the region is is rural villages that just want to provide for their families and not be killed by some drugged up fanatic gang running around screaming allahu akbar and blowing up grocery shoppers .
If Iran gets the Bomb or even large amounts enough to make a potent "dirty" bomb, we have waited to long, they will use it, though clandestinely, I hope we have the guts as a nation, we have the ability to stand up once again for freedom. I don't know, is this the "Last Crusade" ? When you are facing apocalyptic nut jobs, you never know?!?
I pray its not, I'll leave once again with my favorite quote from our founding father by Patrick Henry.
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"It is in vain, sir, to extentuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace,
Peace--but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that
sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our
brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that
gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to
be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know
not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me
death!"

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Sources are varied, I will go through and fill in the hyperlinks, I can offer a few books to read if you ask.
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Lores has invited me to call in to her show while Dennis Prager is on tonight discussing islamism and Flight 93, I am stoked, can you tell, KRLA870 !?
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Lores had a great show that synched with my column today and I got to ask Dennis about Iran and Israel and he agreed Iran should be shown the meaning of shock and awe. Israel will defend itself and they have a friend in us scots-irishmen, not for religious purposes, because we have fought for centuries to be free as well.

Illegal Immigrants And Protests

As I said in earlier posts I support a worker program after the borders are secure. A thought struck me tonight about why aren't these organizers doing this in Mexico to demand rights for their citizens in Mexico. That is where the problem is, not our border policy but Mexico's inability to make economic reforms needed to provide for its people. Mexico is a rich country with long fertile coasts, natural resources, arable land and apparently full of hard working people that love their country. They are protesting in the wrong country.
Here is my radical idea that I have not seen in the hundreds of articles I have read and debates I have engaged in. While they are here we do need to educate them. We need to teach them how to reform their own country so they don't have to come here to make some money. We need to then send them back as politicians and activists for reform. Take those massive protest parades to the streets of Mexico City, Puerto Vallarta, Cancun and the capitols from which they came. Teach them why they came here and how to fix their home countries by the same means they wish to change ours.
Believe me our representatives are getting an earfull from their constituents over the Easter break from both sides and in between. The issue is not going to go away and it splits both sides of the aisle as does earmarks but that is another subject. Our politicians are currently caught in poll induced analysis paralysis in an an election year, nothing of significance will be accomplished.
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Our Lord, Jesus Christ submitted to the Cross on this recognized day so that we may live through Him. I plan to post Pope Benedict's Easter Mass sermon, guaranteed to be brilliant and very spiritual. I loved John Paul and Benedict is really after my Christian heart as american churches have moved away from Christ's message. I am Anglican and they left me on the gay issue, so now towards Rome and the Vatican and the ancient Church of St. Peter, I look for guidance in my journey with Him. More to come.

Mitt And More

Here is some more info on Mitt's healthcare deal, written by Mitt, himself, for the OPJ. I know fellow blogger and commenter here, Cabe, was rather distraught over it as a Romney supporter. I have heard Mitt explain it several times as well under tough interviewers and on the stump. Though I disagree with mandated health insurance and especially government single payer socialist healthcare, Mitt's plan just might be the conservative way out of this kerfuffle. Read it he makes sense, alot of it, the man knows money and fiscal operatations, it is his specialty.
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Only weeks after I was elected governor, Tom Stemberg, the founder and former CEO of Staples, stopped by my office. He told me, "If you really want to help people, find a way to get everyone health insurance." I replied that would mean raising taxes and a Clinton-style government takeover of health care. He insisted: "You can find a way."

I believe that we have. Every uninsured citizen in Massachusetts will soon have affordable health insurance and the costs of health care will be reduced. And we will need no new taxes, no employer mandate and no government takeover to make this happen.

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Another interesting piece in the OPJ by Robert McClean on Iraq's surging economy offers the rare brightside look into our endeavour. I have seen some great photo essays of the Kurdish and Marsh Arab regions that would blow you away, parts of the Kurdish areas look more like Phoenix than you would expect right down to the "ranch flat" housing developements. Resorts with golf courses are popping up no wonder the economy is surging. President Bush needs to get this picture out to the public.
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A key to success in Iraq will be the ability of the Iraqi people and coalition members to transform the country's economy from a state of ruin to a model for prosperity in the Middle East. Iraqis with jobs and opportunities are less likely to join or sympathize with terrorist and insurgent efforts, focusing more of their energies on improving their individual situation than on political developments that could be interpreted as a danger to their sect. This outcome parallels one of the Bush administration's original goals of the invasion in establishing a bridgehead for reform in the Middle East, while reducing the potential of a drawn out and costly American presence in Iraq. Thus, while the vast majority of attention has been placed on the political violence plaguing Iraq, the economic development of the country deserves additional scrutiny and provides reason for guarded optimism.

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While you are there you might as well read this one on the Ottomans and the relevance today by Matthew Kamenski. Meanwhile The mad mullahs have managed to enrich uranium, the basic building block for an atomic bomb, similar to what we used over Japan. Granted this is a small step towards placing a nuclear device on a warhead, how far along is their other technology along? Don't let the naysayers fool you, we could crush them like a mere cockroach caught under our shoe and in about that time. My favorite sources for insight into Iran and Iraq for that matter are , Benador Associates, CentCom, Defend America, Steve Schippert's "Threats Watch", Bill Roggio's "Fourth Rail" and The Captains Club. Mike Yon is back in southwest Asia, can't wait for his dispatches.

Monday Meanderings

Much is being written and said about illegal immigration, in light of the mass demonstrations around the country. I understand why they are demonstrating, I would want to live here too and not the corrupt fesspool of Mexico, etc., more on that coming. I have worked with all sorts of people and lived around them and have had few problems with Mexicans, though they can be a bit loud when festive. I reserve the right to be loud when festive as well.
I am of the build a fence and control border security first and separate from a program to deal with those already here and serving viable positions in the workforce, a workforce we need. I would like to see them brought out of the shadows once our borders are secure. I don't think we need draconian felonization laws except for repeat offenders of existing law. We should increase fines on employers and make it easier for them to identify illegals with a verifiable, counterfiet proof social security card or National ID with a PIN so perspective employers can access DMV and police records. The technology is there , use it. It should be required for work or enrollment in any program that receives federal funding.
A worker program should be employer sponsored, much like our old brassero program. There are two root causes for illegal immigration, the employers who hire them, to a lesser degree and the politico/socio/economic circumstances that they are fleeing to a greater degree. How do we approach this in terms of finding an answer? Free trade is a great start, open up the economies and the people feel less oppressed with a little cash in their pockets. Mexico is a perfect example of failed socialist/Marxist ideals laid barren at our southern doorstep and Canada represents a failing socialist order at the northern, both countries rich in resources and unable to harness them. We need to show them how we make it work not become more like them or the failing socialist EU.
The Mexican immigrant for the most part has part of what makes America the Land of the Free, they know the value of that freedom and what hard work can accomplish for them here. It is up to us to give them the rest, our language, our laws, our culture and it is up to them to become part of this great stew. I know I will eat lunch at the mom and pop taqueria before I will McDonalds.
I know I would far rather deal with Catholic Mexicans than Muslim Arabs, yes, I am religio/ethnocentric, not racist so leave that accusation at the door.

Masters Sunday

Indeed it was, as four of the top five were in contention, with eight "Green Jackets" between them on a sparkling rain polished day at Augusta National. Built on the grounds of an old nursery, the foliage is stunning and the course as challenging as it is beautiful. I have never seen a finish with the knot of the worlds best players with a chance of winning on the scoreboard like this one, Tiger, Phil, Vijay, Freddy, etal.
The final pairing was the one made for a day at Augusta, to replace, in a way, Jack and Arnie, Phil Micholson and Freddy Couples, two well loved and outstanding players, and they and their caddies are best of friends. Fred is hitting the ball as well as ever in an unreal performance of fairways and greens hit, he out drove Tiger, and hit all eighteen greens for birdie or better, the putter failed him, as did Tiger's , burning the lips all day.
Enter Phil Micholson, a long time favorite of mine, playing the best golf of his career and coming off a runaway victory lastweek. I have watched alot of golf and played abit, but the length and accuracy these guys are getting off the tee is amazing and I am long, often a long way into trouble and this was a clinic. Phil and Fred put on a show, some of the very best of golf was shown in their round today, competing against and rooting for each other at the sametime. They had a blast and Phil donned his second "Green Jacket" with a nearly flawless round. I have never seen as relaxed and happy a final pairing as today, they went into a bubble with each other and it was just a sunday round of golf. This needs to be our anchor team in the pairs matches at the Ryder Cup, my very favorite golf event.
My love for the game came from my late father, it was our connection that reconciled years of discontent, by many walks in the park chasing that little white ball about. Pops was the golf coach where he tought for many years, needless to say I grew up with the game and take much pleasure in a good round or bad. His club course was brutal target golf to undulating greens carved out of the wooded hills of Alabama and a repository of free balls if you looked, lose one find ten, and a handicap that traveled very well.
Time to start polishing my game back up, I got springfever, FORE!

Weekend Rambler

Well it is Masters weekend in the world of golf, a celebrated time among the azaleas, redbuds and dogwoods of Augusta National and its storied past. The final round will begin with all of the top five in contention for an extended day of golf after the rain delay today with clear skies in the forecast it looks to be a real horserace with the best poised to come out on top. I love this game as much as climbing mountains or tough bouldering routes because it is me and me alone against the forces of nature and my ability to perform, no one helped me hit that golf shot. I may receive advice on yardage and and whatnot but I still have to perform and hit the shot and our reaction is a vision into who we are.
There is a reason alot of business is done on the golf course, a person's true temperment is shown there, a gentleman's game played on the honor system. It will teach you about yourself and others as difficult challenges always do. It is not an easy game, requiring thought and physical ability to play well lending to its intrigue and addictiveness where a smart and not so gifted player can beat a more physically toned individual.
Tiger somewhat changed that formula by being both physically powerful and mentally astute to the nuances of the short game and a new tier of players has come up, like Phil, Retief , Vijay and a whole slough of fresh new faces with a fire in their gut. I am a long hitter and learning to temper my fierce almost reckless competiveness with a thoughtful approach to a golf course was my biggest obstacle, playing smart I won, playing reckless I got mad. It appears golf can be a microcosm of life and how you approach it, perhaps that is why I love the game so much, it makes me a better person by striving to better myself at a game.
After all, a nice walk in a park chasing a little white ball into all reaches of that park is a good way to get some fresh air and bird watch, in one way or another, if you are lucky an eagle may even be seen to be discussed at length at the 19th hole, the pub.

A Comment Or Two

Great posts by our Boston insider, I'd buy her a Long Island Tea if I could. Mitt, took an impending socialist push and made something positive and truelly progressive out of it. That is what I like about Mitt is his grasp on fiscal matters and ability to sell it to the democratic socialists that run Massachusetts.
Do people like me who very rarely need to see a doctor get a major rate reduction if required by law to carry insurance. I have been sick once in twenty years, no doctor needed. I have been sewn up a few times but that is it. The best rate I can get is about $150 a month for something I won't use but about once every ten years as my odds have been so far. It is still a tax hike forced on people with no need. I will start a private health account but I will not pay for something I don't need. If I get cancer I plan to let it kill me, not the chemo treatments. Chemo took my boss down months sooner than the cancer would have, it weakened him to the point he couldn't fight anymore to the tune of many thousands of dollars in someones bank account. Until the government is out of the role of medical payee, costs will continue to skyrocket and insurance companies, doctors and unscrupulous pols will continue to rip us off.
True, Romney took the lemons he was handed to him by his Liberal legislature and made lemonade, it is still an awfully sour drink.
To coin Johnny Cash in Folsom Prison Blues, " I ain't seen the sunshine, since I don't know when", it finally came out of hiding today after record rainfall during March, for a day. Our levee system here in NorCal is being tested and flooding is expected on the San Joaquin system as the next storm moves in and levees are topped. I look at farmland and housing ten to fifteen feet below the water level in the levees and gasp, if the wrong levee was to go Sac'to would be a mess.

Romney's Talents on Full Display

As you may or may not know, I am one of Governor Romney's biggest "fans" and have been touting him as the 2008 Republican nominee for President for at least two and a half years now. His latest achievement is but one reason why I firmly believe him to be exactly what we as a country will need by the time the next election rolls along.

MA has recently been known as being the "first in the nation" for quite a few things. However, I am finally happy to report that for once, the preface "First in the nation" is followed by something we can all be very proud of.

You see, under Romney's astute leadership, the MA state legislature has passed the first in the nation mandatory "universal" healthcare plan. Under the new law which was passed overwhelmingly and will be signed shortly, every MA citizen must obtain and maintain personal health insurance.

While I am not crazy about the government ordering me to do anything, I applaud Governor Romney for his creative problem solving and insistence on personal responsibility and self pride.
While the entire bill is a bit much to explain here, the general idea is to take the one billion a year currently spent in tax dollars paying for the uninsured and put it in a pool of sorts to be dispersed to help the uninsured become insured. You can hear the Governor explain the bill at www.foxnews.com which has his appearance from this mornings "Fox and Friends."

While change is difficult for most, ultimately this bill will be a win-win situation. Those without insurance will now have their choice of options offered by private companies such as Blue Cross, not state offered welfare MA Health . The hospitals will no longer eat costs. Insurance companies acquire more customers and theoretically, the overall price of premiums should decrease.

Time will be the true test of its success but here is but one glowing example of how Governor Romney approaches problems without ever raising taxes, penalizing businesses or overburdening the less fortunate.

GO MITT!

DeLay Steps Aside

While I am not a fan of one Tom DeLay personally, professionally, he is a man worthy of admiration. He worked diligently for many, many years to achieve GOP dominance and did so with great success. He has always put the party above himself and as such, today he formally steps aside, not down. For the reason he is letting himself go is for the long-term betterment of the overall party. DeLay is a shrewd political mind and he knows that if he were to stay and drag this out, he would merely be providing fodder for the media and ultimately, more fuel for the brewing anti-incumbent fire.

"I refuse to allow liberal Democrats an opportunity to steal this seat with
a negative personal campaign," DeLay said. "The voters of the 22nd district of
Texas deserve a campaign about the vital national issues that they care most
about and that affect their lives every day and not a campaign focused solely as
a referendum on me."

We are in sensitive political times with an uncertain electorate tinkering dangerously close to the edge and bringing to life the inanimate, yet ever reliable slogan of "change."

DeLay is doing the right thing.

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Goat Comment: I agree Hatter, Tom is doing the party man team player move as Hugh Hewitt pointed out on today's show. It shows how shrewd a political mind he has, he will still be a major player in the GOP, possibly even stronger as he will be freed from some congressional restraints. The man knows K street inside and out and will be a fantastic fundraiser as a lobbyist and still have a powerful voice on policy. Tom Delay knows the game of politics as well as as his opponents, thats why they hate him so much. He plays hardball, we need more like him. Great post, by the way, beat me to it :)
This is a must see photo essay of a Sioux wake for a warrior, a Marine lost in combat, a high honor and was given the name Lone Eagle, a highly honorable name.

Yosemite falls in full spring passion as Vernal and Nevada falls fill the background with sound from this position. The slot at the top of the falls is narrow, maybe eight feet with alot of water behind it. The roar of water is impossible to escape as every bend in the trail brings a new fall into view. If you are a friend of the site, I can clue you to the best places to camp outside the park, one awesome spot on the Merced river particularly, you have to know where it is, ten minutes outside the park and cheap. I need to know you real well before I clue you on eastside camping, secrets held by explorers are not so easily lent. Anyway if any of my readers wish a California foray or are planning one, let me know, I will offer what I can, having lived in LA, SJ and Sacramento.

Tax Time, Oh Happy Joy

Frankly after wrestling with that monstrosity and getting them sent away, I am exausted.After a few hours of bungling around with my Turbo Tax 2004 edition I realized it does not automatically upgrade even when you hit the upgrade tab. I filled out two perfect 2004 forms before realizing this, I am the dummy here, oh well, they are done and filed on the proper years forms, oh happy joy.
How would you like to handle this on a postcard sized card that takes ten minutes to fill out, not half a day on a fairly simple return. I would like a national consumption(sales) tax and completely do away with tax filings with some qualifying for rebates, food and child care products excluded along with most health care costs are of course excluded. I would like to see at least half my SSI taxes go into a personal account politicians can't touch as well as medicare taxes going to health accounts.
Liberals like to complain about the government response to Katrina and yet they promote the very big government beauracracy that caused the problem in the first place, France. Government is often not the solution but the problem, too many layers of graft and corruption before the money gets where it makes the biggest bang, on the local street.
Mark my words the next two elections pit the liberal and conservative agendas in a head on collision, a battle us conservatives have been winning when we stick to the ideals that got us here in the first place, a majority based in Reaganite values, not some mamby pamby version. What are those ideals? A small government that serves the needs of its citizens, minimal taxes to fuel economic growth, strong security including building the fence, support of Israel in the face of Jihad and a strong belief we can make not only America strong we can help others find the will and way as well. The less the government is in our hair the quieter our brains will rest.
My advice to congress folks, if you have a pet project you would like to fund , front a private organization to gather funds from volunteers, don't require my stretched tax dollar to pay for it. If you can't get Private funding, it ain't worth funding, in the Barnyard mentality, and is not my responsibility to pay for it against my will. A perfect rallying time for fellow conservatives, April, longer days and taxes due. If I had a Marine revelrie bugler, he would be blasting the wake up call !
PS: My fellow blogger sent cues of a great post, one margarita too many, ( Dang a margarita sounds good after tax work),Hey Hatter, we are stumbling along, care to join in.

Weekend Rambler

I wish I could send some of our rain Pero's direction, sheesh, it's starting to feel like Seattle here, everything is nice and green though meaning high fire alerts this fall. Oh well, I will enjoy the prolific wildflowers and green hills while they last till they revert to California sun dried golden brown.
I promised a report on my adopted soldier, though how do you adopt a Marine Gunnery Sargent based in the al Anbar? Easy, support their mission and send he and his men some cigars, coffee, reading material and something to nosh on. The most interesting request was "silly string", the party gimmick in a can, it helps foot patrols locate thin tripwires, cool thinking there. He is located about ten miles from Fallujah on the shores of lake Habbaniyah, just south of the town of the same name. He reports high moral and a positive reflection of the Iraqi people as being very family oriented and just wanting to be able to provide for them and is very impressed with the speed the Iraqi forces are stepping up to the plate in taking over battle space. This is his third deployment and there is not a hint of negativism in our correspondences other than the drab living quarters, so I have sent some pics to help. He hopes they will be allowed to finish their mission with honor and sees it happening on the ground, noting that schools, electric stations, water treatment and irrigation projects just aren't exciting news and thus don't get reported.
They know they are engaged in a noble mission that they can only lose by lack of support here at home and in the propoganda war internationally. That is one of the reasons I started the Barnyard was to engage in that propoganda war and try to help by winning here at home as well.
A good place to start is www.soldiersangels.org , its easy, they will guide you through it even with a mentor. Don't hesitate sign up today , you won't regret it, it feels good. How many that view this page support them already? I know Pero and Karen do any others?