Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Christmas Shopping


There are many duties we all face in our lives that in one degree or another we find distasteful. A trip to the Dentist, for most normal people, is not something looked forward too with happy anticipation. Unless of course you are a masochist, and enjoy having sharp metal picks piercing your gums, most do not like going, but go they must. For without the Dentist, painful as it is, we would all look like Austin Powers and his British Peers. So we endure the waiting, poking and form filling, to obtain the benefits of oral health and hygiene.

We suffer for gain, not for the sake of it. When the perceived benefit of a duty is not equal to, or greater than, the suffering and pain we face then most abstain from engaging in the duty or task.

Most people would rather enjoy a good book or movie than clean their house, but the advantage of a clean home i.e. the pleasure and pride derived from clean surroundings, outweighs the time and energy used to complete the chores. If one receives no satisfaction from said clean living space then the motivation to use ones time and energy to take care of the home is negated, and more than likely the task will not be done. This is applied to everything in life we do.

Now, I personally find the task of shopping very aggravating and distasteful. Going to the Grocery store is not only something I loathe and despise, but something I avoid at all costs until I have no choice but to go. I am forced every couple of weeks, by my empty cupboards, to push a rickety cart up and down aisles of products while listening to the most horrible canned music. I get jostled by other shoppers who are wandering about oblivious to their surroundings and my head aches from the screaming of children. I get assaulted at least once every trip by a rather strange odor, that wafts up, as I pass some unfortunate soul who is looking with longing and despair at the empty Ho-Ho rack.

Yet I push on, for I know that if I do not, then I will not eat; the scientific outcome of not eating is well known. So in this too, though hated, the benefit out weighs the discomfort.

However, the idea that advantage outweighs suffering, in the decisions we make is negated somewhat by the task I hate most of all, that being the act of Christmas shopping.

At Christmas each year the exchange of gifts becomes a very important aspect of the holiday. The exchange has become so important and commercialized that it dwarfs all other parts of Christmas itself. You know; those pesky and foolish notions like “Peace on earth” and “good will to all men”. Who needs good will when you can express your heartfelt adoration and gratitude towards a loved one with a Chia-Pet for $15.95? Or your undying thanks to the creator, as you purchase a Vegi-Matic for your dear aged aunt, who you haven’t seen all year?

As the Holiday has been hijacked by gift giving, so in turn has it become one of overspending, stress, and yes the ever feared, Christmas shopping task. For we all feel the need to purchase that special gift for our loved ones, and so we rush about searching store after store for the “One”. That “Uber gift” which will bring a moment of appreciation and joy to the recipient. We all want to believe; that by making the effort to obtain the proper material good or future possession for our target we are in turn rewarded with their happiness.

I, for one, say that the joy of the recipient is rarely, if ever, just compensation for the misery endured by the giver. A simple trip to any Shopping Mall in America during the Christmas season will give evidence to my argument. From start to end even the most wary and prepared of souls, are subjected to any number of cruelties, most of which can be attributed to their fellow man.

Let me elaborate a bit; after driving around the massive parking lot adjacent to the mall for 30 minutes looking for a space, you spy a car backing out. You pull up, wait and breathe a sigh of relief that your search is at its end. Just as the former resident pulls away and you begin to pull forward, a small Volkswagen Jetta whips around the corner and parks in what you thought was your spot. With nary a glance in your direction the driver of the offending vehicle gets out whilst chatting on a cell phone and walks towards the building as if you were not even there. The Driver in fact did see you, and they chose to ignore your existence. Primal rage bubbles up and you begin to swear curses at them as you pound the steering wheel, passers by shy away from your car whilst you rave. Short of chasing the spot thief down and beating their head against the curb, you are left with little recourse but to continue your search again.

Three more passes around the lot and two more stolen parking spaces you finally find yourself a half mile out in the back lot wedged between two vehicles that look as if they were used in a demolition derby. Braving the icy wind you set forth on your trek to the entrance wondering if you will freeze to death before the distance is covered.

Upon walking through the doors the welcome warmth of the structure hits you in the face. With a quick shiver as the cold begins to dissipate, you start to take in your surroundings. To the left are tall displays of women’s clothing, much of which you could never imagine seeing a living being wear. There is a knot of rotund “Weebles” pawing over the ugly dresses and sweaters chatting about the beauty of the items and you wonder from what planet the “weebles” are originally from? As one of the aliens holds up a rather hideous red polyester pantsuit with a distorted Santa print on the chest she screams in delight and you realize that you were staring. Quickly you avert your eyes so as not to catch their attention. A matter of safety really, as the Weeble’s girth belies their love of consumption and you wish not to become their possible next meal.

The warmth that embraced you upon arrival now becomes oppressive burning heat and you try to remove layers of clothing. Small beads of sweat form on your recently frozen brow and you curse the designers of the heating system along with the throngs of other shoppers who through their collective body heat have raised the temperature to roasting. The mass of humanity packed into the confines of the mall is staggering to behold. Persons from all walks of life intermingle as they make their ways down the corridors searching, searching for that prefabricated item that will win the heart of their loved ones.

The senses start to be overwhelmed as you join the sea of humanity for the bright lights, noise and yes smells assault your being from all directions. As you follow along behind a family of 10 who are in no particular hurry, you realize that not everyone in the 21st century washes every day. Quickly you try to skirt around the pack but each attempt is thwarted as every time you try there is another pack of aromatic wanderers coming in the other direction. You are stuck, moving at a snails pace as the wall before you is solid and unmovable. It is then that one of the most cruel tortures known to mankind is brought to your attention and you cringe visibly.

The sometimes subtle but usually not so subtle background noise of Christmas music is everywhere. The mind numbing tunes “Holly Jolly Christmas” and “Rudolph the red nosed reindeer” are repeated over and over until you are brain washed into memorizing the lyrics. A searing pain begins to form behind your right eye as you hear for the hundredth time “Winter Wonderland” belt out across the building. The pain magnifies quickly to cover your entire skull. Using your one good eye you espy a haze coming off the unwashed wall off humanity before you and you realize they are fumes of some sort which is magnifying the pain from the inane terrible music.

Why are you here again? Oh yeah that’s right, Christmas is the time of happiness and joy…..

After what seems like a lifetime part of the wall before you begins to break up, two of the soap deprived family are distracted and they start to wander off to the right. Here is your chance! You push through the slight opening with speed and brass, you will undoubtedly brush against one of your blockers, but it cannot be avoided, you must escape at all costs. Holding your breath you graze the greasy coat of what you believe to be the father as you burst through, and you make a mental note that your coat will now probably need to be burned. Free at last!!!! It’s a Christmas miracle.

The store you have been seeking finally comes to view and with a sigh you enter. Now unlike most persons, you know exactly what you are there for. No need to look at every item on every shelf in the hopes that some grand idea will strike you. No indeed, you are prepared and thankfully so, for if you had to look at everything and then wait in the 20 person line to cash out your short time on this planet would be at an end. You grab the gift you desire and queue up and hope the line moves in a swift manner. The pain in your head has become a dull ache as your body adjusts to the environment, and you regain the sight in your right eye. Without the fumes from the blockers burning a hole in your retina you begin to feel somewhat normal again, though your coat most definitely needs to be burned as your nose detects a sickly sweet smell from the exact spot where you brushed against one of them.

With nothing to do but wait you peruse the shop and its patrons. You have chosen wisely and the shop you are in is neat clean, and orderly. The infernal song “ Rockin around the Christmas tree” is playing and though it creates images of murder and mayhem in your overtaxed mind you resign yourself to the wait and refrain from lashing out. Another person behind you ques up and they bump you with all of their previously bought packages. You turn to look at them and they mumble “excuse me.”

The line, like everything else this day moves ever so slowly, and what little patience you had left begins to wax and wane. The moron behind you continues bump into you whilst muttering halfhearted apologies and the cashiers’ process each transaction like it was a corporate takeover being done through their registers. You clench and unclench your fist and catch a scowling reflection of yourself from a near by mirror. “Bump”.

The cashiers are both young but any youthful excitement and exuberance for the Holiday has long been ripped out of them. Mechanically they process the purchases with as few looks at the customers as possible. They never smile and the only sign that they are human at all is when they sigh with impatience or scowl at the customer before them. “Bump”.


The tormentor behind you is now talking on her cell phone about nothing so she no longer feels the need to apologize for invading your personal space and being rude.


Giving up you focus on the semi android clerks ahead and hope that you can leave this hell on earth soon. Of the two you hope that the young lady is the one who will have the pleasure of taking your money, for the young man looks as if his future holds a nice long prison sentence. Mentally naming him Butch, you note the dark eyeliner around his eyes and the steel post through his nose. The store must have been very desperate to hire people to offer this soon to be homicidal maniac a job.

You get Butch.

He takes your money like with all the others and growls “Happy Holidays”, as you walk away you somehow feel used but your relief at being free of Bumpy and Butch out weighs any misgivings and you leave the place promptly.

The screaming of distressed children scratches across your skull as you shoulder your way out of the building. With a dry mouth, pounding head and aching feet you push on as quickly as the mass of humanity before you will allow and as you depart the icy cold you feared earlier is welcome. The sweat on your face and neck freezes but you no longer care, as you march towards your car and freedom.

Lastly as you speed up the highway headed for the sanctum of your home and coherent thought begins to return…… you realize that you forgot that Chia-pet and half a dozen other gifts you were going to buy.

No my friends, the benefit most definitely does not justify the cost when it comes to Christmas, nor do I think it ever will. With that I will wish you a Merry Christmas and be on my way.

Nollaig Shona!

Blighter

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Carpet Bombing



Carpet Bombing.

When I was a boy I watched on the CBS evening news, with Walter Cronkite, the carpet bombing campaigns in Cambodia. The color footage from the bomber’s aerial perspective was not just amazing but frightening. Huge swaths of jungle were torn asunder with trees being thrown high from the blast. Blooming fireballs appeared with each explosion as the aircraft made its way over the landscape, leaving only craters and death in its wake. I was mesmerized by the sheer power of this act and as the bombs walked along through the jungle in perfect two step form, the subdued “Thud” sound from impact beat their way into my mind along with the images of havoc. To this day I see it still, and though I have become more callous and cold with age, the thought of those images still brings me a mixture of both fascination and dread like fear.

For even as a young lad, I understood that far below the plane, on the earth’s surface, life was being destroyed. In an effort to reach as many targets as possible, the military decided to blanket areas with bombs in the hopes of weakening and destroying the enemy. This indiscriminate strategy, though terrible in its execution does have its merits, as proved by the bombing campaigns of the Allies of WWII.

So, why the History lesson and recollections of a young boy?
Well, the term Carpet Bombing came up today while I was researching what someone called “Political Marketing”.

As I am sure all of you are aware the Big Three automakers are asking for a financial bailout from the federal government. It seems that through mismanagement, poor planning and lack of ingenuity, the automobile makers are in a bit of a fix. Not that this situation is new or novel. They have been losing millions of dollars in revenue for months, but I suppose now that the precedent has been set by our government through the bailout packages for Wall Street, the time was right to ask. The entire bailout affair is, in the most simple of terms, an “act of villainy of the greatest of proportions”. However, be that as it may, what really caught my attention was not the audacity of this attempt to foist the bill upon the American taxpayer for the automakers failures; no it is the Carpet Bombing campaign of ads and news.

As the decision rests with Congress whether or not to approve thirty four billion dollars in taxpayer funds to help the automobile companies, the matter of public opinion is important. For, though our Representatives like to forget the fact, the Congressmen and women in Washington are hired and fired by the public. The constituents, of their respective states, have been quite vocal in their negative opinion of a bail out plan for Detroit. Thousands of calls and e-mails have flooded the offices of Representatives from across the nation and all those messages cannot be ignored. So to combat the shortsightedness of the foolish uneducated plebeians who dare to stand up and say no, the Political Carpet Bombing campaign is begun.

Using radio, television and the news media, the Big Three have started to inundate us with their message, a message not of inspiration or logic, but one of fear. We are told that millions of people will become unemployed and that the burden on unemployment insurance will destroy the nation. “Thud”, we are informed that one in ten of America’s work force depends on the auto industry (i.e. your neighbor). “Thud”, and we are now fully aware that the next great depression will be upon us by Christmas if the Government doesn’t come through, “Thud”. So, please call your Senators and give us your money.

The fascinating fact about political marketing Carpet Bombing is that in no way does the information need to reflect fact, truth, or reality. Its purpose is to reach as many targets as possible in as short a time as possible, and much like their actual military predecessors, they are quite effective. We as a society have become accustomed to getting what we want very quickly. We demand faster service from already fast food, we microwave hot dogs, use E-Zpass on the highway and download movies from the net.

This proclivity for fast everything, has a definite bearing on the effectiveness of marketing campaigns whether political or not. For, if we are attuned to quick, easy solutions or explanations of every problem, then he who proposes the easiest will garner the most popular support. Regardless as to whether the solution or explanation is correct or factual. A fine example of how this is rings true can be found in the TABOR (Tax Payer Bill of Rights) proposition a couple of years back here in Maine.

When TABOR was on the ballot, the bombs were falling thick and heavy from the opponents of the measure. There were signs up all over the State that read “Save our Schools” and “People will die.” Television ads blasted the populace with horror stories of houses burning down because the fire departments would have no funding, and people wouldn’t be safe in their homes because the police had no money to patrol. Schools would shut down, and bridges would collapse. You would think Armageddon was going to come about if the measure passed. All this came from asking for the State Legislature to be fiscally responsible. When faced with the logical argument that no sane city or town council would sacrifice the three most important needs of the community i.e. schools, safety, and infrastructure, the Bombers had no response and no defense, yet they continued their campaign and were successful. Inundated with messages of fear, many voters made decisions based upon the inflammatory ads placed before them for months. I am sure some really believed that the horrible events portrayed on television would be in their future if they had not voted against the measure. The problem is, the voters who cast their ballots against the measure because of that fear opted for a quick and easy answer, rather than try to work out the logic. I am not saying all did thus, for many folks actually do try to research the facts and merits of the issues they are voting on, this is but a good example of how Carpet Bomb Marketing can be successful.

I believe that, if we as citizens are so easily manipulated by marketing strategies and media campaigns that are designed to influence our opinions, ideas and yes our COUNTRY, then we are soon to fall.

The Bombs of the Big Three campaign will have a much greater impact upon our society than those of TABOR. The message they send is one of fear, of destruction, and chaos. It is a false message designed not for the benefit of you the taxpayer, or the millions of “Workers” who will be affected by the inept handling of the companies; nay it is for their own.

I am asking you as a citizen to “Think” then act, not the other way around.

Slainte’
Blighter

Friday, November 7, 2008

I have not yet begun to fight!



On September 23, 1779, John Paul Jones fought one of the bloodiest engagements in naval history. Jones struggled with the 44-gun Royal Navy frigate Serapis, and although his own vessel was burning and sinking, Jones would not accept the British demand for surrender, replying, “I have not yet begun to fight.” More than three hours later, Serapis surrendered and Jones took command.

This most famous phrase “I have not yet begun to fight” has been coursing through my mind since the election of our newest President Barack Obama, and the complete takeover of the House and Senate.

The general consensus is that the Republican Party dropped the ball and so suffered a devil of a whipping Tuesday night. I agree with this simplistic assessment wholeheartedly and make not a single excuse for the failure of the Republicans, of which I am one, to gain/retain seats in Congress and lose the Presidency. They were out campaigned, out played, and out spent across the board.

As the Republicans wander amidships trying to put out the fires and asses the true damage, let them not despair overmuch for the fight for this country and the traditional values that made her great is by no means over. Even from the jaws of defeat can victory be snatched, it will take time, energy, and the same steadfast determination that Captain Jones displayed 229 years ago.

The question on everyone’s mind is “How?”

The Republican Party needs to remember and adhere to its basic principles of less government, the free market, and the Idea that the Constitution is inviolate and not to be toyed with. The concept that moderation is the way to victory and that the prostitution of one’s beliefs and values is what the electorate wants has been disproved. I for one respect no one who does not stand up for that which they proclaim to believe. This is basic to most Americans, we don’t trust those who backslide, we perceive it as weak, and dishonest. The Democrats played on that weakness with great skill.

The Party Leadership will have to either be replaced by those of more fortitude, or begin fighting for a complete restructure and overhaul. Status quo will work no more than the quid pro quo arguments of Bi-partisan moderation that created this mess to begin with. By returning to the basics the party will then begin to rebuild the confidence of the people and those people will reward the party by contributing time, money and effort on the Republicans behalf. The party needs to become accessible to the general population by which I mean, one should not have to call the Party Chairman for information on subjects because the Town, and County committees are not available. Lastly Republicans need a solid plan of action, a vision, and a strong voice advocating Fiscal conservative values. It does no good to organize large blocks of voters for rallies and meetings if there is no follow through for, once the voters leave the fold out chairs in the hall, they need to know what to do next. They need to feel that they can make a contribution to the cause no matter how small not just that they are “Informed” on the issues.

I suggest that each and every one of the battered and smoke smeared sailors on the Bonhomme Richard (Jones’ ship) felt a bit of despair as the British guns pounded away at them, killing and maiming their shipmates. I am sure that some felt that all was lost and that surrender was imminent. However, with great conviction, determination and strong leadership, the tide of battle turned and those same weary patriots were rewarded for their efforts. Each and every man on that ship had to redouble and then treble his efforts, they had to improvise, adapt and overcome all obstacles in order to subdue the enemy and claim victory.

A lesson of the ages lies within this naval engagement.

But will the Republican Party leadership learn from this Historical event, or will they squander the opportunity, and continue on with their non confrontational and moderate path and ignore it? I hope the former and not the latter to be sure, however only time will tell. What I can say is that the moment has come for all of us, to get involved and start redefining the Party from the ground up. I will be contacting my town Chair this week to see what if any plan is available going forward. If he has nothing then I will continue to climb the mysterious dark ladder all the way to the top screaming bloody murder the whole way. We need to begin banding together and formulating strategies for local and State elections now! And to make a stand for the values and principles the leadership should have been expounding. Seek out others of like mind, and find candidates of solid fiscal conservative thinking then try to get them into any office available. Don’t wait for the Party to do it for you; don’t rely on the good nature and common sense of others, or on the wisdom of the party leadership. On all counts they have failed, and need to know this!

I just started to fight! what about you?

Slainte’
Blighter

Monday, November 3, 2008

Snippets for November 4th 2008


Now the big day is upon us, and we all have the chance to chose who will represent us through our votes. I thought I would lay bare my soul and write out my thoughts on the various tickets and issues that we will be asked to decide tomorrow. I care not that one’s vote should be kept private, I have naught to hide and even if I did, I feel the stakes are way too high not to speak up. As there are so many tickets to look over I’ll try to keep it brief.

US First District Race (House of Representatives)
Charlie Summers (R)
Chellie Pingree (D)

Neither of these two candidates excites me in the least. Charlie is very moderate and soft spoken to the point of appearing weak at times; I wanted Dean Scontras to be the Republican pick in the Primary. However when I compare Mr. Summers to Ms Pedigree I have no choice but to chose him. Chellie’s record from when she served in the Maine State Legislature is one of Tax and Spend politics. She advocates for the redistribution of wealth, (which is a very bad idea) and she says she wants to bring Change to Washington, just like everyone else. This sounds like the mantra of campaign and not truth and or vision. Charlie I believe will at least deliberate before deciding to raise our taxes and with his experience from Iraq fresh in his mind he will look out for the best interests of our Servicemen and women. Charlie also has the benefit of knowing and working closely with Senator Olympia Snowe, which could prove beneficial when trying to get legislation passed. There is so much more but for this piece I’ll leave it at that.


US Second District Race (House of Representatives)
John Frary (R)
Mike Michaud (D)

This race is the most exciting I have seen in years. A true struggle between David and Goliath. John Frary is trying to unseat incumbent Mike Michaud in the upset battle of this century. I’ve made no attempt to hide my dislike for Mike Michaud these past years, so my excitement was great when I heard about Professor Frary’s bid. Unlike the incumbent Frary has funded his entire campaign with his own money. He has no large PAC’s or Unions to place ads for him, and even the RNC decided against funding him. This means he owes no one and can be his own man when he gets to Washington. John Frary believes in the Constitution of these United States and will defend that belief to the end. Mike on the other hand will need to take his que from whoever is running the Unions this year and vote accordingly. Hands down John Frary is the better candidate of the two.


US Senate Race
Susan Collins (R)
Tom Allen (D)

Tom Allen wants to be in the Senate to “Change the leadership in Washington.” Or so he says. I have to ask myself; has he not been a member of the House of Representatives since 1996? What change is he all of a sudden going to bring about? I mean after 12 years as a lawmaker in Washington has he not already been afforded the opportunity to reform and change the system? Perhaps Tom feels that if he is elected to a Senate seat as a junior Senator he will be powerful enough to vote against his party for once. Maybe, with the House being held by a Democrat majority these two years past, Tom Allen has felt that he was unable to put forth any ideas or thoughts that might afford a real change in the government. Subdued by his party’s majority, he silently sat and waited for just the right time to reveal his true nature, that of a reformer and a man of the people. Somehow, and I am a bit of a skeptic, I just don’t buy Tom Allen’s new stance on change, reform, or whatever you want to call it. Tom’s own words are what are causing me to vote against him. Susan Collins has my vote, as she at least has done what she says she is going to do, and that is fight for Maine and its people.



US Presidential Race
John McCain (R)
Barack Obama (D)

This is the easiest of the lot, though for some it looks difficult.

John McCain has served our nation his whole life. His love of this country and its institutions is unshakable and undeniable. He is tough, straight forward, and not afraid to take risks as we have seen with his controversial votes on Bills such as McCain/ Feingold. Though I don’t always agree with senator McCain’s decisions or ideas, I do know that his motivations are crystal clear. He believes in this nation and its people, all of them and will do anything it takes to make our country stronger.

Barack Obama is something of an enigma; he has some shady friends and associates. He has not done anything of significance in his time as Senator from Illinois, yet he feels qualified to lead our nation during this turbulent time. I am sorry for those who are supporters of this candidate, for obviously they are under such a cloud of despair they’ll cling to any thought of hope. They cannot see that what Barack is selling is nothing but a lottery ticket. They feel all full of dreams of a society in which they will be the primary beneficiaries, but soon it will all come crashing down upon their heads the harsh reality of capitalism and base economics. The senator from Illinois is neither ready or able to lead this nation, nor do I fully believe he has the love of this country’s institutions in his heart enough to try to preserve and protect those institutions rather than undermine them. I shall not cast a ballot for a catch phrase and a dream, therefore I’ll not vote for Obama, but for McCain.

As I close I must urge each and every one of you to go forth and honor our forebears and their sacrifices that guarantee us this right to vote for our leaders. It is not only our right, but our duty to vote and to do so wisely. Try and think not just of personal interests, but of the nation as a whole, of what has made and still makes us the greatest experiment in freedom throughout history.

Slainte’
Blighter

Last call for the US Second District


Last call for the US second district.

Right, as the final day of the election season looms large and we all prepare to find our way to the polls, I thought I would appeal one last time, to the voters of the Second District to cast their ballots for John Frary and impeach ignorance. In these final hours, I’ll not bore you with a long monologue as to the fine characteristics of Professor Frary, for as you are all aware he is unique and refreshing in his own right. Neither will I weigh too heavily into a “Mike Michaud needs to go” speech. What I am going to do is take the gloves off and say what’s on me mind once and for all.

Me father told me when I was young; never beat up on a person who is lacking in intellect. Though he used not that particular phrase you all know what I mean. There is no honor in it and if you do find yourself confronting someone disabled in such a way you should just let it go and move on. I have lived by this ethos my whole life, never raising my hand to the mentally handicapped or their caretakers no matter if they had done wrong or no. Neither have I openly humiliated through verbal discussion, any person I thought suffered from some form of mental deficiency.

Until now……

Throughout this arduous campaign I have seen naught but a total lack of brains from Mike’s camp. I watched in stunned silence the debate between John and Mike in which Mike proclaimed he didn’t have a stance on Roe vs. Wade. No matter your personal feelings on the subject either Mike is lying to the People of Maine or he is a complete Dolt. After all this time in Congress one would imagine some sort of opinion would have been formed either for or against this most controversial decision. Unless of course, you have not the brains to figure out how you feel about such a subject. That is where Mike Michaud fits in.

I don’t want to attack this person of lesser mental facilities, but he is a member of the House of Representatives and that I feel far out weighs my moral obligation to leave off.

How could anyone in their right mind vote for someone as obtuse as Mike Michaud? What has he done that has made the voters of the second district feel such great confidence in him? Has he brought Jobs? No. Has he written any lasting important Legislation that would benefit not only Maine but the nation as a whole? NO. He does stutter real well, and he smiles nice, but so does the bag boy at the local Wal-Mart. I cannot believe that this man, who has done absolutely nothing for eight years in Washington except collect a paycheck and vote party lines 93% of the time, is really representative of the voters of the Second District.

But here is some good news, with all this talk about “Change”; the second district voters actually have the chance to implement it. If you cast your vote for John Frary, a greater change could not be made for the people of Maine and our capitol. John will definitely shake things up with his brutal Honesty and common sense approach to issues such as Energy, the Economy and National defense. John is beholden to none but the voters of the Second district. He has received little to no support from the Republican Party nor are any Unions or Special Interests in his corner. If you want Change then you can get it, vote for Professor John Frary he’s going to shake things up nicely.


It's last call folks......time to make a move.
Slainte'
Blighter

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

The Pennell Institute: Part Duh!

The Pennell Institute: Part Duh!


Initially I was going to formulate this piece around the concept of “Majority” and how it applies to the current Pennell question. I will touch briefly on that subject but, a recent incident or two has caught my attention that I feel I must address.

Friday last, October 17th a group encouraging a no vote on the Pennell question put out signs in various locations throughout the town. The locations of choice were both legal and public. The ones I noticed were along side the road by a very old Graveyard just past the center of town. You have to wait at a traffic light on most nights so the area is ideal for many political campaigns. There are signs everywhere, promoting Tom Allen, Susan Collins, Sue Austin, as well as a few from Fed Up with Taxes, asking people to vote “Yes on One”.

By Saturday morning the 18th fifteen plus of the signs had been removed in an attempt to silence the Save Pennell group’s voice. No other signs, except the Pennell ones were touched. Regardless as to how one feels about this particular proposal, the act of removing and destroying the signs is contrary to our fundamental belief in freedom of speech. That is why there are laws prohibiting the molestation, disfigurement and or destruction of political placards and signs during the election season. I am deeply disturbed by not only the audacity of this criminal act, but also by the idea that someone finds that such behavior is acceptable or justified. I very much would like to tear down every Obama /Biden sign, burn them publicly and roast marsh mellows over the flames. I care not for their message or what that ticket represents. Alas, I restrain myself, for in this country people can express their views even when in opposition to my own. So I do not destroy the opposition’s property in some form of angry protest, nor do I attempt to silence them by denying them any medium in which they chose to convey their message.

This act of vandalism is unacceptable in the extreme and needs to be pursued vigorously by the authorities. I expect that this will be low on the list of items the town council and Sheriffs Department have on their agenda, but it should not be thus. By allowing or ignoring such an infringement on the one freedom we all hold so dear, a precedent will and can be set.

October 2nd in the Gray Independent Tracey Scheckel was quoted as saying:

“There is a vocal minority in this town who can’t deal with the prospect of
change.”



I was a little annoyed by this statement for a couple of reasons, not the least of which is it’s dismissive tone. As I wrote before in {The Pennell Institute: Part Uh!} People have some very strong views when it comes to this old building, and those views ensure that debate is heated. However, emotion should not supersede civility for if it does then we might as well start bashing each other over the head with clubs to make our respective points. I will try to be civil whilst I break down this faulty statement of the Gray Town Council’s Vice chairperson.

The very vocal minority, of which Vice Chair Scheckel speaks, are the Citizens, Taxpayers, and community minded people of Gray. They are her Constituents, who upon being elected to office, she is supposed to represent along with the majority. This “Minority” has not only the right, but the duty, to call into question any action that their government might propose, and to dissent if necessary. This is basic to our political system and should be understood by any who hold office, high or low. To dismiss these people and their concerns in such a fashion is unbecoming of an elected official.

The status of Minority as it compares to a Majority in this debate has yet to be determined. We will need to wait for the results of the ballot on Nov. 4th before we can say definitively whether or not who is actually the larger group. To say that those who oppose this move are in the minority now is misleading for all the data is not in yet.

The second half of Tracy’s sentence accuses the people who wish to save Pennell of being resistant to any kind of change. This is hogwash pure and simple!

I contend that the opposite holds true for the supporters of the Save Pennell group. By trying to stop the Town Council from borrowing $2.4 million dollars that we as citizens cannot afford, they are saying ENOUGH! They are trying to CHANGE how their local government spends tax dollars and are asking for their representatives to be more fiscally responsible. The time has come for the town council to Change how they do business, they need to be more prudent in their spending and conservative in their borrowing. The people of Gray have the opportunity and duty, to convey that message to the council with a no vote on November 4th.

No, Miss Scheckel the Save Pennell folks and the citizens of Gray are not resistant to change, they are promoting it.

In the end it will fall to each of us to decide what is to be done with the Pennell Institute, I personally will be voting No on the question as I could not live with myself if I did otherwise. I cannot in good conscience align myself with any group that allows the suppression of speech or who believes that dissent is of little import. Nor can I allow things to continue on as they have fiscally in our town budgets and our community borrowing habits. As it is last night’s performance by the council and the rubberstamp they tried to put on it, the fight for Change will be a tough one.

Slainte’
Blighter

Acorn




This about sums up the Acorn situation.

The sad fact that this organization is even allowed to exist frightens me quite a bit. Voter Fraud was a crime the last time I looked and any organization that fosters or promotes said criminal act should be prosecuted in full as well as be disbanded. I for one feel that if Acorn needs to register dead people, illegal immigrants, and toddlers, in the hopes of getting Senator Obama elected, then that fact alone is testament to not only their view of this country, but of their candidate of choice as well.

Here is a news flash for all you bleeding hearts:

If you are not 18 years old.....You do not have the right to vote
If you are in this country illegally....You do not have the right to
vote
If you are in this country on a Visa.....You do not get to vote
If you are DEAD and in the afterlife...You definitely do not get the right
to vote.
And lastly, If you are a citizen of this country...You do have the right to
vote, but only ONCE!


Acorn and their supporters are guilty of not only the base criminal act of voter fraud, they are also actively undermining one of the most fundamental freedoms we enjoy. Take a close look everybody, for what Acorn and Barack are doing to the people of this nation is but the beginning. Rest assured if elected not only will the power of our vote be destroyed, but so too will our other fundamental beliefs and freedoms suffer assault.

Slainte'
Blighter

Thursday, October 9, 2008

The Pennell Institute: Part Uh?


The Pennell Institute is an old, dark, and somewhat forbidding red brick building in the town of Gray, Maine, which has been the cause of one controversy or another for years. For the past six years I have seen article upon article discussing this building written in local papers. I have listened to different people express some very strong views as to this building and its fate, helping to ensure emotions run high on any issue surrounding it.

I personally, have never been inside this historic structure. Even if I had wanted to go and look it over to appease my inquisitive nature, I doubt I would have done of my own accord. For, as I stated before, the look and feel of it is not really inviting. This could probably be attributed to the fact that it is in something of disrepair. The grounds are a little unkempt and the windows remain dark even on bright days. Even if I was able to overcome my childish fears associated with monolithic old buildings and ventured to the doors, I do not think I would gain entrance. People do go in and out of the Pennell Building. I have seen pictures to prove that fact, but to date; I have yet to witness the act of a living being going through the doors. Funding for upkeep, most definitely, is the root cause of this state.

Regardless of my personal fears and ideas as to the structure, I have been silent on all the issues and debates surrounding Pennell until now.

Now many may feel that I, of all people, am not qualified to voice an opinion on the recent controversy surrounding the Pennell Institute. They might say that six years is not long enough to garner all of the facts and gather the information needed to cover the long standing controversy surrounding this historic site. Although I may admit to the validity of that argument, as I am going to address the most recent issue, and in that this issue will directly affect me, I need to put forth my take on the situation.

On September 2nd 2008 a report was put on the Gray Town website which goes by the title: Town Office Village Concepts Report. According to this document, the Council is advocating that the Town borrow 2.4 Million Dollars (bond) to renovate the Pennell Institute and to move the Town Office into the renovated building.

On the surface, this idea looks sound in that it utilizes an existing structure, to meet the needs of the community. However, the more I find myself looking at this proposal, the more I am completely and utterly unconvinced that this is the best plan. For starters let’s look at whether or not the community really “needs” to move the town offices at this time.

To advocate for a move of such costly proportions, the Town should establish a well-defined need. For example: the current town office is a hazard to its employees, or that it poses a danger to the community in some way i.e. a fire hazard. To date, I have heard no such arguments put forth to establish a reason for such a move that proves to me that this is necessary. Town business can continue to function, meetings can still be held at Stimpson Hall or Newbegin Gym and as far as I can tell no one is going to die if this bond does not pass. Yet the proposal is on the table all the same. I wonder if the members of the Town Council have been privy to any type of newscast as of late? I am sure that in their eagerness to help the Gray taxpayer they have been unable to get to a television set and see that the nation’s economy is under serious duress. I fault them not, for they are “working hard” after all.

Sarcasm aside, I have no choice but to assume that the council members are feeling the same pressures we all are in our personal finances due to the current economic crisis. That being the case, we can conclude that each and every one of them is taking the same actions in their personal lives to cut costs and unnecessary spending. I am sure that they prioritize their spending and are worried about their own financial future just like you and me.

So I ask: “If the council members can prioritize their personal finances and limit their spending at home, why then can they not apply the same principles to their duties as members of the council?” For, as I have established this proposal has not been justified as needed. This very contradiction in behavior is one of the greatest problems we face not only on the local level but in the state and federal areas of government as well.

Right, I must also point out that some of the logic being used for the financing of this project is not only poorly thought out, but in my opinion, completely inane. Though I am sure some very “hard work” was done to piece it all together, I just can’t get my head around it.

In the Village Concepts Report they propose to “offset” some of the cost with projected sales of unused town property. I read projected sales as property not yet sold but a value has been placed upon it all the same. Sort of like the Blue Book trade in value of a car. If the property is not sold yet, then how do we know such proposed valuations are accurate? With the serious decline of property values these past eight months can we be sure the numbers applied will actually be the same when and if said property is sold? If these properties sell for less than the value applied then the Bond (loan) principle will be all that much larger, so too the interest. Notwithstanding the fact that the fluctuations in the real estate market are trending downward and that the value placed upon these properties may be false, we also must remember that these same properties are not even sold yet. This looks like padding the butcher’s bill to make it more appealing to the voter.

I feel that if the same properties that are deemed “Projected sales” are actually worth what the council says then they should sell said properties first. Thereby accomplishing two things:



1. Gaining actual proceeds from the sale which will cut maintenance costs
permanently ( not to mention tax revenue from the new purchaser)
2. Applying
said sales proceeds to the project as cash, which, if all the other math pans
out, would reduce the bond (loan) principle and consequently the interest.

By using projected sales the council in essence, is “counting their chickens before they hatch”. Which we all learned in our youth, is something one should not do.

Basically, what I am saying is that the Citizens of Gray should reject the Proposed Pennell bond issue as the Council has failed to meet even the most basic of criteria in their proposal. They have not taken into account the current economic climate in which the taxpayers are forced to make do with the resources at hand. They have not established a definitive need for the borrowing package ( need being those things one must have to continue on) and they have failed to properly deal with current town assets in that they are using projected sales as an actual dollar figure.

There is so much more……

My next piece will deal with what it means to have a majority and how it applies to the Pennell Institute aptly titled The Pennell Institute: part Duh!

Slainte’
Blighter

Friday, September 26, 2008

John Frary, H.L. Mencken, and the RNCC.



“The men the public admire the most are the most daring liars; the ones they detest the most are the ones who try to tell them the truth.” H.L Mencken

This adage must have been running through the minds of the National Republican Congressional Committee when they heard of Professor John Frary’s bid for Congress in the US second district and they decided to not send funds to support him. Though Frary is a Republican, the party elite obviously saw that he was far too supportive of the simple principle of Honesty, and thus unelectable by Mencken’s theory. Note: I say theory and not law…….

Some months ago I began to follow this unique candidate’s campaign against the Democrat incumbent Mike Michaud. I found myself instantly enamored with his style and wit, not to mention his grasp of the issues. I read all of the long and finely written articles, on his website, and I gleaned the local rags, I mean newspapers, for any bits of information I could get about his progress in the race. My friends even would go so far as to bring me articles from papers which I would never dare open myself, such as the Portland Press Herald and the Sunday Telegram.

Well about two weeks ago I read an article linked from the Maine GOP newsletter in which Professor Frary stated:


“He’s the star of his show and also the chief financial backer. The state and national Republican machines have provided no support whatever”. source


As I have but two emotions, those being anger and drinking, I was immediately immersed in the familiar red glow of the former. Obviously I could not have embraced the latter in good conscience, as I received the article while I was at work.

I began to ask around how is it that the republican candidate for the second district had received no support financially whatsoever from the Party? Was it not the party’s duty to promote candidates in the hopes of gaining more seats in the US House of Representatives? Is that not the sole purpose of the RNCC? I began to ask myself “has not the Party been complaining about, and blaming the Democrat majority in Congress for all of its woes? So here was an opportunity to do something about it and in their infinite wisdom the Party decided to step aside.


Now, I am sure that someone, somewhere with an advanced degree in political science and strategy could explain this decision of not funding a Congressional candidate. There would more than likely be some charts and graphs involved, some obscure technical jargon thrown in for good measure, perhaps even a harried volunteer scurrying about carrying coffee and phone messages to the wise one who in careful, condescending tones, attempted to convey the reasoning behind inaction to a Plebeian such as myself. Fortunately, both for me and the Wise one, no such explanation need be given, for though I am of more simple stock than the party elite, I do grasp the basics of the decision.

Using Mencken’s theory as a ruler and quoting the history of the Maine voters electing House Representatives from the Democrat party, the RNCC saw this as a losing race.

Am I still angry about this? Not in the least, for it is my firm belief, that it is through the inaction and dismissive nature of the RNCC that John Frary’s Campaign has not floundered but succeeded. Where ever he goes people want to talk with him about the issues, his website is bubbling with activity, his e-mail and phones are almost unmanageable from all the traffic. There is a buzz about John, which extends further than what the Party Elite with all their theories, charts and graphs could have ever dreamed of being possible.

By not putting money and effort towards the campaign, the RNCC has said that Mencken’s theory applies to the people of Maine. This simply shows how oh so very much those Party hacks are out of touch with our citizens. It is John’s straight forward, honest and open way of speaking about subjects that draws so many to his camp. In stark contrast to his opponent, who when he can complete a sentence does so by repeating what he is told from his Party Chair, John tells it like it is no matter who might be offended . He is not tied financially to some strategist in Washington who wants to promote a certain bill or agenda. That, I believe, is of great significance to the Voters of the second district, and consequently of the Nation as a whole.

The people are wearied of the same old Cardboard cut out political hacks that seem to find their way to the tickets. They are tired of hearing the politically correct doublespeak dribble from the mouths of both Limousine Liberals and Aristocratic Blue bloods. And lastly they are sick of being dealt with as if they have no brains or common sense. If the Party strategists from either side of the aisle could manage to harness this collective disenfranchisement they could sweep elections across the board.

John Frary was asked: How do you want this campaign to be remembered?

Response: “Indomitable crusty old professor takes on Goliath of Hackery in courageous Last Hurrah, written off as also ran, spurts past 40% in the polls and closing fast at the finale. Film at 10.”

This campaign has the chance to be the upset of the new millennia, but they still need help from normal people like you. Contact your local Representatives and ask them to lend a hand. Get the word out, speak to your friends and neighbors, go to John’s website and listen to his speeches, and help debunk the Myth that we need big party backing to elect a person of Character.

The opportunity exists for the voters of the second district to prove not only Mencken wrong, but also those Power brokers of the Party Elite. They have the chance to tell the nation, that they will not fall prey to the “most daring Liars” by rejecting Mencken’s theory and embracing a man who is not only speaking the truth, but also who is trying to bring a modicum of common sense back into the political arena.

Slainte’
Blighter

the Photo is of a young John Frary contemplating the Federal Budget.

Friday, September 19, 2008

Our Unpatriotic members of society.


Joe Biden really put his foot in it yesterday on Good Morning America when he said, and I quote:


“it’s time to be patriotic...time to jump in, time to be part of the deal, time to help get America out of the rut” by forcing Americans who make over 250 thousand a year to pay higher taxes.”


The implication of this statement is that those persons who make in excess of $250,000 per year are not being patriotic to their country and it is now high time they Pony up. I for one feel that “Uncle Joe Biden” is a bit off the mark here and that not only is his statement completely inappropriate but is not based in any kind of reality. So for my own sanity and for the betterment of my fellow Americans, I feel the need to point out how oh so very wrong Uncle Joe is and the policy he is promoting as well.

First off, let’s look at what the persons of the $250,000 per anum income bracket currently contribute to this nation. I need not go into how much in Tax revenue they throw into the government coffers for that is a given. No what I’m talking about are the intangibles, contributions immeasurable as they bring far greater wealth to this nation than mere dollars.

The persons Uncle Joe feels are unpatriotic are the investors in the Stock markets which have been beaten all to hell as of late through the SEC not doing its job. They are the business owners both large and small; they are mangers, brokers, bankers, and entrepreneurs. These are the unpatriotic souls of our country. These are the very people who have ruined America, or so Uncle Joe wants us to believe.

Really now? Let me ask this: If the investors of the stock markets, which allow business’ to grow and expand, the entrepreneurs, that use creativity and ingenuity to develop new markets and technology, and the business owners who create jobs are unpatriotic, then might I ask what Uncle Joe’s definition of the word is?.

Without these people, jobs would not exist, commerce would wither and die, and we all would be living in a barter economy much like pre-Revolutionary Colonial America. In which we would be dependant on the markets of foreign nations the consequence of which is that they would dictate our economic success or failure. Today, as evidenced by the world markets reaction to the recent crisis, we control not only our markets but also affect directly those of the EU, Asia, and Russia.
The contributions of the targeted part of our society, through the acts of commerce (which generates billions in tax revenue), help keep each and everyone of us safe and secure. The day after 9/11 a man of limited education but great common sense made comment to a small crowd of us stunned citizens. Many were asking what can we do? Some were going to enlist, some volunteer to go help the victims of the attack but many could not make such sacrifices for a variety of reasons such as age and personal resources. It was then that I heard these words;

“The best thing you can do to help your country right now is to work at your jobs. It is the strength of our commerce that will help us defeat our attackers. If we give up in shock then they win for that is just the reaction the Terrorists want.”

He is right, for every foot soldier, sailor, or Airman in the field; there are 30 more in support of that front line combatant. The ammunition, food, clothing, equipment is made by American hands and ingenuity. And the trail need not stop there, for I contend that though the bookseller and the insurance corporation may not have directly distributed hard goods to the military effort, they did so indirectly. That being the taxes generated by the profits of the corporation or business and the personal income taxes of its employees. The monies obtained thereby, can then be used to fuel the tanks, and planes of our brave men and women over seas.

And who runs those businesses’ that have so helped each and every one of us enjoy a standard of living only dreamed of elsewhere? Well according to “Uncle Joe” it’s the most unpatriotic portion of our populace, and they just don’t care about our nation at all.
Perhaps Senator Biden should read a book or two about the economics of WW II and the importance the U.S. economy played in that time period. He just might be surprised at the level of Patriotism exhibited by this most unpatriotic group of evil businessmen.

So what we can conclude is that though Uncle Joe and Commissar Obama want you to believe that patriotism is based upon ones revenue and tax we can see quite easily that this assertion is not only false but completely inane. However I am not surprised at all by this little attack by the “Red Star Duo” for I have seen this type of political ploy before. I read it in the Joseph Stalin Handbook “how to destroy an economy and have the masses thank you.”

By attacking those who’s income seems out of reach for many and by saying that “we are going to tax them and give you a break”, Uncle Joe is creating a class differential one that can be used and exploited not for benefit the millions of Middle Class Americans but for the sole purpose of getting elected.

Add the Capital gains tax plan of these two geniuses, to the mix, and you get quite a mess indeed.

Slainte’
Blighter
the Photo is Uncle Joe Biden's Harvard Graduation Portrait.

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Sarah Palin Action figure?


September 10, 2008

WASHINGTON: Online action figure purveyor Herobuilders, which has a line of popular dolls modelled on politicians of note, has unveiled its latest creation - a 30cm plastic doll of Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin. Source

My darling wife called me today during my lunch break to tell me about this crazy story and I just had to go look for myself. It seems that for $29.95 one can not only buy a Sarah Palin doll, dressed up in one of three outfits, ( my favorite is the photo above) but also of Barack Obama at the beach and John McCain wearing a Tee shirt. Herobuilder's is currently trying to get the Joe Biden doll up and working but they are having trouble with his hair line.

The Action figure in no way does justice to Govenor Palin, who is, by any one's standards, attractive, Though the outfits are amusing.

I find it interesting that anyone would actually pony up $30.00 for such an item, and once purchased what then? What do you do with a 30 cm doll as an adult? To each his own I guess, I'll not pass judgment on anyone who so chooses to part with their money for such an item.

Why I'll even link you the site to buy your very own Sarah Palin Doll, if you are so inclined.


As I've said many a time, "people are nuts" and this goes to prove my point.

Slainte'
Blighter

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Appropriate




I found this an appropriate cartoon based on my recent rant themes concerning media bias and the contrary stances in the other party.

Slainte'
Blighter

Thursday, September 4, 2008

It's the Money Stupid....


For some time now I have been contemplating the issues surrounding the Main Stream Media's coverage of not only the Presidential election but also of the latest Primaries. It has been evident throughout these past 18 months that the large news organizations prefer Senator Barack Obama above all others. Through their very powerful forums, ABC, NBC, and CBS along with their newspaper affiliates have committed about every act of journalistic bias that could possibly be conceived. If you do not know this already my friends, I suggest you turn on the news a few nights this week and take a look at the coverage afforded to the Democrat candidate and compare it to that of the Republican.


What you will find is a disproportionate amount of time is spent on Barack Obama, sometimes as much as twenty minutes in a half hour broadcast, and about 2-3 minutes on Senator John McCain. Along with this slant, you may also notice that the video, still photo's, and sound is in stark contrast and again that it favors the Democrat over the Republican. I will not go into great detail over the unethical nature of this type of reporting, or of the frightening revelation that our news agencies have become mere Propaganda machines, as that is for another time. I wish simply to address two one word questions.

Why? and How?
Now some people believe that the current media bias is a product of liberal colleges and institutions and that those who now are in charge of the networks are of the mindset fostered while they attended those schools and colleges. This has some fact to it, however it is not the whole truth for it takes not into consideration a few factors that must be looked at, such as personal growth, Individual beliefs, values etc. All of us, no matter the school we attended, continue to grow and learn as we age. This growth is fostered through a myriad of ways not the least of which is honest discourse and debate. People discuss topics they find of interest, read up on them and form their own opinions accordingly. With the advent of the Internet the search for information and ideas is but a keystroke away. As each of us gathers more information about a subject we then form our individual beliefs based upon that data. This is important in that it leads to the heart of media bias as a crime. For, if denied varying points of view and ideas, the information by which beliefs are formed is tainted thus lessening the integrity of the decision based upon the slanted view. I digress.

To believe that the network moguls of the "Big Three"(ABC,NBC,CBS) are somehow all of the same mindset, that they have not grown since college and that they wish to further the liberal agendas of the sixties radicals, is hard to swallow. These executives must have great power indeed if they are able to control their tens of thousands of employees with such an iron fist that no dissent ever is heard. They must be men and women of outstanding charisma to convince all of their employees to follow the path of liberalism regardless of that employee's personal beliefs. Look around your workplace and ask yourself this; Do I agree with the politics of everyone in my building? Of course you don't, I bet there are four out of ten people right off the bat that you can think of who vex you with their political outlook. So how is it that the news media organizations with their vast amount of employees have managed to gather up all liberals and radicals? Was there a test? Simply put, the scenario that Americans would work for such places is out of touch with reality. Yes there is a predominance of liberals in journalism today, but the idea that somehow the conspiracy of the current bias stems from a political philosophy is rather weak. I realize that most Journalists are mere cardboard cuts outs sent hither and yon with no thoughts in their head but let's be honest, many are not, and those reporters have ideas, thoughts and beliefs of their own.
So, a core belief in Liberalism, may play a small part in what we are experiencing in the news coverage today, but it cannot be realistically labelled as the main factor.

Here is the "why" of it.
It's the Money stupid.
Lest we forget, the media outlets in this country are business'. They make decisions based upon revenue like every other business in the world and it is their responsibility to make a profit for their stockholders. Simply put.... Barack Obama is good for their business.

How so? well lets look at how the media generates revenue. Newspapers collect a little from readership i.e. those who actually buy a newspaper, but the bulk comes from advertising. The readership is measuring stick by which advertisers decide to spend their budgets with certain papers. The higher the subscription and sales of a newspaper the greater the audience an advertiser has in which to try to sell his/her goods and services. The same goes for television only they base their advertising fees on what is commonly called "Ratings". These ratings are the life's blood of the television and news agencies. High ratings mean they can charge more for advertising time on air, high readership causes rates to go up in newspapers.

So, ultimately the goal of the business side of the media outlets is to either get you to read or watch their shows so that you can help them sell the goods and services of their advertising customers. Up until recently, newspapers have been a great source for advertising dollars, but the Internet, cable news broadcasting and a loss of interest in the printed word overall has caused the decline in readership and so too revenue. The evening news broadcasts are feeling the same pinch in that more and more people are tuning them out and searching the net for their news.
How does Barack change this backward slide? Well, he brings readers and ratings, but not for the reasons that he should.
Barack Obama if elected President would be the first African American (Black) man elected to that high office. Every action he took, be it walking in the rose garden, or speaking with other heads of state, would be historical firsts. People will want to view history in the making and so they will turn on their television sets or buy such rags as the NY Times, or Boston Globe, to get a glimpse of events unfolded never yet to be seen. This means what to the media? Readership, Ratings, and ultimately money. It is in the media's best financial interest to see this man become president so they can ride the commercial wave that will come their way. But at what cost?

The media has chosen the Democrat candidate for the 2008 election through gross propaganda tactics and misinformation. All in the hopes that by electing this man to the Presidency they will fill their coffers and line their pockets. Would that it was Liberal political bias that motivates their prostitution of the journalists trade. For if it was a political philosophy that caused them to deceive America, then at least it would be not so a shameless crime. A crime it is though, for it says to us that no more does merit, integrity or love of country matter, nay, Elections are now about ratings and revenue, and henceforth the media shall decide our fate.

Slainte'
Blighter

Friday, August 29, 2008

panem et circenses. ...


After painfully enduring the coverage of the Democrat National Convention this past week, I hoped greatly for some peace of mind this morning after it was all over.

No such luck.

As I watched the slavish, sycophantic Main Stream Media propagandize as to the greatness of their nominee Senator Barack Obama, I could not help but be struck by the overwhelming urge to weep. Not tears of adoration, or relief as many of the delegates shed unashamedly on national broadcast television. Nay, mine were tears of sorrow and grief for my countrymen and fellow citizens. As many of you know, I am not one to let loose with such emotion, but last night I could not help myself as I watched the Senator from Illinois give his acceptance speech. For all that I could keep thinking was….. Bread and circuses, and the thought has been Plaguing me since.


... Already long ago, from when we sold our vote to no man,
the People have abdicated our duties; for the People who once upon a time
handed out military command, high civil office, legions — everything, now
restrains itself and anxiously hopes for just two things:
bread and circuses


... iam pridem, ex quo suffragia nulli
uendimus, effudit curas; nam qui dabat olim
imperium, fasces, legiones, omnia, nunc se
continet atque duas tantum res anxius optat,
panem et circenses. ...
(Juvenal, Satire 10.77–81)


Have we come to this my fellow citizens?

Listening to the promises of free health care dribble from the mouths of our Senators, and the sweeping Tax reform plan that will lower taxes for 95% of working families, i.e. Plebeians. I think to myself “this is but Bread to appease the desires of the people.” No matter from whence this bread shall come, nor from what valley the grain to produce it?

“Give Us Bread” and we’ll hand over the sacred rights bestowed upon us by our forefathers much like the Romans who went before us and the Greeks before them.
Dazzle us with spectacles and entertainment, and we shall sell to you our vote, we shall give to you the keys of the city Caesar so long as you appease our lust. We care not that the show is false, give our bored eyes something to remember.

The key to this is that both those empires fell through such folly.

I wept as I saw Dr. Martin Luther King’s great “I have a Dream Speech” being used as a segway to further Barack Obama’s popularity. I shivered as ABC, NBC, and CBS bombarded the American people with images of the Great Dr. King, and Obama in turn, while commentating that the Nominee is truly the culmination of that dream.

However, the burden and sorrow I endure today, derives mostly from that which we sacrifice. Those persons, who so plan to cast their ballots upon the idea that the catchword “Change”, backed up by a promise of entitlements, are cheating not only themselves but all of society. Voting is not only a right but a grave and serious responsibility, one that which must not be prostituted for some fireworks and a snapshot. For by doing so, disgrace you bring upon the millions who shed blood, marched, and protested for not only the right, but the responsibility that goes along with it.

We are charged with electing a person to become not only the President of the United States, but the most powerful figure in the free world. Do you not think that deserves a bit more scrutiny on everyone’s part as concerns those running for said office?

Or are we to continue selling our souls along with our votes to those who put on the best entertainment and promise us the most bread? Mayhap we should all step back a little and heed the words that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke 40 years ago.

“ I have a dream, that my children and grandchildren will be judged by the content of their character, and not the color of their skin”

Let’s start there then.

Slainte’
Blighter

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

How Nice...Pagans at the DNC


My, my, my, whatever have they gone and done now?

There is to be a Pagan Circle at the Democrat Convention Today at 2:00pm Central time, to channel energy to stop pollution. It seems that the Pagan movement has been making something of a comeback while we were not looking and is now considered one of the sixth most popular non Christian denominations in the US.

Source As Maine Goes Topic

Ahhh, I so love this Country, where else in the world would such a gathering of Moon bats be allowed to exist? The fundamental freedom of worship and religion is alive and strong. I may disagree with the loonies and their prancing and dancing, but I whole heartedly support their right to do so, and encourage them to continue to exercise that right to the fullest.

There is a wee bit of problem with this Pagan Circle though, and of course I must address it for not to do so would go against my Character and core beliefs. To establish my point I will need to give evidence of another recent incident that made the news which proved to be quite controversial. That being the Saddleback Civil Forum moderated by Pastor Rick Warren.

Pastor Warren held a forum for both Senators John McCain and Barack Obama on August 16th in which he asked each one, individually, a series of questions. This was not a debate as both the Senators requested that Pastor Warren and only Pastor Warren was to pose the questions to each candidate in turn. The questions surrounded family, foreign policy, the economy, the courts, and of course abortion. The outcome of this event was enlightening as we as a populace got to see each candidate express his views on subjects that most of us feel are of great importance, issues that most believe are important for a President to understand and have views of his own on. No need to go too far into detail on the answers and the outlooks of the candidates, as I only need to establish that the event took place.

The reaction to that Forum however, was immediate and vicious.

In many a heated discussion, in which I held not my composure, people were expressing that the forum in question was improper in that it violated the First Amendment of the US Constitution. This of course is ridiculous in the extreme, but no matter, the people I fought with could not see the falsity of their assertion. It was not just locally either, there were people from all parts of the country calling into radio talk show programs screaming about the Separation of Church and State. It seems that those who were doing the screaming were not doing the reading and they do not grasp the phrase:

“Congress shall make no LAW respecting an Establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof ……”

And who pray were these vociferous combatants?

You guessed it, Democrats to the last.

So now we have the sixth largest non Christian denomination in the country holding a service before the doors of the Democrat Convention. Does this not seem somewhat contradictory? For if the Civil Forum was a violation of the First Amendment then so too should not this be as well? Perhaps the Democrats came to realize that their rhetoric concerning the former was incorrect and that the same standards need not apply to the latter. I doubt it though.

Let us ask ourselves; if it was the Catholic Church holding a thanksgiving mass in the same place would it be allowed?

Of course not, for the moon bats and their party feel that the Christian church is evil but the old pagan religions, (which had such nice rituals as human and animal sacrifice) do not embody that evil. No need to cry “Foul”, no need to look at the contradiction in their stances and policies.

Our little Birkenstock friends will have their moment in the sun today. Dressed in hemp, tie dye, and smelling of Hummus they will pray before their various gods to clean our air and to fix our woes. With much good fortune perhaps one of their gods will bless them with a sign or appearance. It is a great showing of faith to believe that a circle of such people will be able to implement any “Change”. For there is no evidence that "Change" can be brought about simply by voicing it and praying for it.


I cannot be too harsh though, for those delegates inside the Pepsi Center are pretty much doing the same.

Slainte’
Blighter
The photo is Ed Lachowicz, Vice Chair of the Kennebec County Democratic Committee, and a Maine Democratic State Committeeman. Leader and promoter of the pagan circle.

Monday, August 11, 2008

Speaker Pelosi where are you?


This morning, Republicans will return to the dimmed floor of the House of Representatives to continue to fight on behalf of American families hurting from high gas prices. It has now been ten days since House Democrats turned off the lights and breezed out of Washington for a paid vacation without any meaningful action to bring down energy costs.

For months, the American people have demanded more energy production, yet this Democrat majority found the pleas of their constituents just a petty annoyance. But as Speaker Pelosi - off on her self-promoting book tour - has found, when House Republicans rose to speak in a darkened chamber, the American people stood with us.

Normally, I do not just point to another's work, but as this piece reinforces the ideas and opinions I put forth on the subject last week I feel it is appropriate. So please read Congress man Tom Price's piece. I guess I'm not such a mad man after all.
Slainte'
Blighter

Thursday, August 7, 2008

Nancy Pelosi...America's sweetheart



I accept this gavel in the spirit of partnership, not in partisanship, and I look forward to working with you Mr. Boehner and the Republicans in the Congress on the behalf of the American people.
Nacy Pelosi - 1/4/2007 Speaker of the house acceptance speech

What a wonderful sentiment the put forth by the Democrat from California upon becoming the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Reading her opening statement one cannot but think;

" Here at last we have someone that will transcend the Partisan politics of Washington and who cares for the American people."

If that was all we had to go by, I'd say Speaker Nancy would be well on her way to becoming the first woman President in 2012. Unfortunately for her, and for the rest of us, actions speak louder than words, and her actions of late tell of a different philosophy than the one quoted above.

I wonder if Mrs Pelosi could hear herself saying : In this House, we may belong to different parties, but we serve one country while she asked for a vote for early recess last Friday 8/1/2008, in order to crush a call for a vote on off shore drilling.

Did she recall this phrase from her most eloquent speech while the order was given to dim the lights and cut the cameras?



~ Openness requires respect for every voice in the Congress. As Thomas Jefferson said, 'Every difference of opinion is not a difference of principle'. My collegues elected me to be Speaker of the House--the entire House. Respectful of the vision of our Founders, the expectations of our people, and the great challenges we face, we have an obligation to reach beyond partisanship to work for all Americans.




Her actions are in stark Contrast to her pretty, pretty words. Nancy Pelosi refused to allow the vote on the Republican bill to lift the drilling ban and literally left the other members of the house in the dark. She said to you my fellow citizens, that above all she reigns supreme, and that no dissenting voice or opinion shall foul her righteous ears. And if some may so chose to attempt it they will be silenced!!!!

She turned out the lights and not unlike the famous "Soup Nazi" of Jerry Seinfeld fame she said; "No Oil for you!!!!!".

So that leaves me with a question or two, or three, about the Speaker of the House and the Party she is affiliated with.

Obviously, Nancy Pelosi cannot be held to her pledge to represent all Americans as 70% of the populace wants to open up off shore drilling. By refusing to allow the most fundamental Parliamentary proceedures of the House, i.e. debate and vote, she says to the members of the House in her famous non partisanship way, that those Founders, whose vision we must respect really do not need all that much respect. And that those other members of Congress should not look to the tried and true institutions laid forth in our Constitution to pass Legislation. No, if the Speaker agrees not then I suppose that's the end of it, or so Sayeth she who rules supreme.

Now, as we speak members of Congress wander the darkened halls of the House, refusing to leave as a protest to the undemocratic actions of the speaker and her Minions. The Congressmen and women have been addressing the fundamental issues concerning the current energy crisis, and have been speaking with tourists and sightseers. Left with no other recourse but to cut such a tragic pose, the proponents of lifting the ban, are forced into something of subdued silence, whispering in the cold halls of the capitol when their voices should be booming in Debate.


So here we must ask, why would the Speaker and the Democrats, including our most distinguished representatives, Mike Michaud and Tom Allen, vote to recess and not fulfill their duty to the American people?

The answer is simple. Partisan politics.

Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats do not want to vote on an energy bill that contains Off Shore Drilling or any Drilling for that matter, for two reasons that are both faulty.

1.) It does not meet with their agenda of a Clean/Green world, that has no room for what they Call Big Oil. The Speaker went so far as to say; " I'm trying to save the Planet." That is indeed a lofty goal but I am sure her arrogance is not without it's merit. She is quite obviously a force to be reckoned with when she can hold up the people of America, disrupt their commerce and way of life, and refuse to acknowledge any alternatives to her viewpoint, and GET AWAY WITH IT, without too much negative news coverage. No wonder she envisions herself the savior of the planet. This agenda however, is not realistic at this time, and those self same " Warmongering Handmaidens of Big oil" dancing on the floor of the house ( as she described the Republicans) know this to be true.

2.) A vote on any programme that proposed Off Shore Drilling would most certainly draw a Nay from many a Representative on the Democrat side, as it meets not with their agenda. If a vote was held on 8/1 then the negative votes by Nancy's Minions would most certainly be used against them in the upcoming November elections. Seats might be lost and the Republicans might take the majority. So being shrewd, as well as Omnipotent, Nancy squashed the vote, so that Democrats running for re-election this fall did not sway and vote Yeah in the hopes of currying favor with their slack jawed constituents. A nice tactic to be sure but it seems to be backfiring. For though, we lowly constituents may or may not understand the inner workings of the great intellect that is Nancy Pelosi we do know a farce when we see one.

The Democrats are playing Partisan Politics with your pocketbook, and as long as we allow these self proclaimed saviors of the planet to further their little agendas of self aggrandisement, we as a nation will suffer. There is no single answer or policy that will solve the Energy crisis. We will need to Drill, we will need to develop Solar, wind and Hydroelectric power. We will need to continue conserving energy and yes even build Nuclear power plants. All of these things and more must we do to become energy independent.

In Nancy's inaugural address she said:

Now it is our responsibility to carry forth that vision of a new America into the 21st Century. A new America that seizes the future and forges 21st Century solutions through discovery, creativity, and innovation, sustaining our economic leadership and ensuring our national security.

Nice job there Mrs Speaker, it looks like you have fallen short on that account as well as your pledge of non partisan leadership of the House. What a sweetheart.

Slainte'

Blighter

Sunday, August 3, 2008

Apology of Great importance?


(AP) The House on Tuesday issued an unprecedented apology to black Americans for the wrongs committed against them and their ancestors who suffered under slavery and Jim Crow segregation laws.

"Today represents a milestone in our nation's efforts to remedy the ills of our past," said Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, D-Mich., chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus.


Source

I realize that the issue of Slavery is of great importance to many citizens of this Nation, and that this gesture somehow placates their feelings of Guilt, or even possibly self loathing as concerns our past. Those who are actual descendants of slaves must now feel better about their plight such as it is......

I personally, know not of a single person with whom I have dealt with the worldwide that condones or finds slavery pleasing or acceptable. It is one of the greatest of wrongs, to place another human being into bondage, against their will, or even with their assent. This is self evident and needs no further elaboration.

But, what I believe is just as distasteful, if not as hideous as slavery itself, is the fact that many today, 140 years later actually claim to feel the effects and pains of that most troubling of times in American History.

According to the CBS article above the resolution says; that Africans forced into slavery "were brutalized, humiliated, dehumanized and subjected to the indignity of being stripped of their names and heritage" and that black Americans today continue to suffer from the consequences of slavery and Jim Crow laws that fostered discrimination and segregation.

How so? By what stretch of imagining does a person living in the 21st Century claim to suffer from the effects of the Slave trade? I daresay that any who claim such are either delusional or attempting to establish themselves as Victims. Victim hood has it's benefits as we can see evidenced by " Political Correctness" and its empowerment of those who claim victim status through censorship.

Read my Article Thomas Paine Speaks Still for a more thorough explanation on Political correctness.

So to what end does this latest of House Resolutions serve? The dismissal of some misguided guilt perhaps? The implication in the Apology is that I must somehow feel remorse for the actions of my forebears generations long past. So to whom should I focus such apologies and regretful remonstrances on? May hap there is a list somewhere that can show me those persons who are the actual descendants of the Slave one " Negro Bob" that my family once owned in the 1790's. Perhaps, I should apologize to the people of Virginia, and Georgia for my Great Great Great Grandfather's role in the Civil war that brought ruin and deprivation to those states, through his service in the Union armies. Maybe the Government should apologize to my father's side of the family for the mistreatment received on these shores by Irish Immigrants fleeing the famine in the 1840's. The list can go on and on.

My point is that none of us can be held accountable for the actions of others hundreds of years in the past, nor can we claim some sort of special status, i.e. " Victim hood" either. We can learn and evolve socially, through time, and through the reading and understanding of history. This I believe has been done, and continues to happen each and every day.

Ask your self this question: Is this Apology going to make one bit of difference in our society?

For those of you lacking wit I'll answer for you, NO.

What this latest PC resolution did accomplish, was that it took up valuable time in the Legislature that could have been used to address, what I feel, a more pressing issue, ohhhh...

like Off shore Drilling perhaps? The economy?

I'd like an apology now too.

Slainte'
Blighter
The photo is of Tennesee Democrat Steve Cohen who sponsored the Apology