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Back Off, 'Bubba': Why Bill Clinton Needs to Stop Talking about the Oklahoma City Bombing

2010-04-18T15:52:00Z

Things must be slow on the Southeast Asia hooker circuit these days.

Why else would former President Bill Clinton be wading in where he shouldn’t regarding the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing?

Over the past few days, Clinton has been running his mouth faster than the engines on Ted Waitt's G5 (aka "Clinton Air"). He couldn't resist comparing the “dangerous” protestors such as the Tea Party movement to those pesky Terrorists who lit the fuse and blew up the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City 15 years ago tomorrow.

Not only has Bubba treaded on me by suggesting that citizens demonstrating their Constitutional rights to peacefully assemble is now on par with Terrorism; ‘Ol Bubba has treaded onto my territory. Literally.

You see, while I now live in California, I was born and raised in Oklahoma City. Therefore, it holds an incredibly special place in my heart. It is where I took my first steps in this world; it is where I went to my High School prom; it is the home of this year's #1 NFL Draft pick (who also went to my high school). It is where I learned how to drive a stick-shift on a back country road; was co-captain of the pom-pon squad; had my first kiss; and became involved in student council (planting the seed of my passion for politics). It is where I experienced my first College Football game (awesome, by the way) and became eternally close to the loyal people I still call my best friends 20 years later. It is – hands down – the greatest place I believe a girl could have been raised. Where values are still at an all-time high and the people are as sweet as the tea.

It was also in Oklahoma City that I happened to be at 9:02 a.m. on the morning of April 19, 1995 when our innocence was lost.

The Terrorist attack on my hometown soil was several years before 9/11, and at the time was called "the worst Terrorist attack on American soil." We had never witnessed anything quite like it - save for the somewhat unsuccessful (in the minds of the Terrorists, at least) first attack on the World Trade Center in 1994. That day, I will never forget being unable to get a phone call through to my family, the chilling sound of sirens screaming throughout the city non-stop for hours upon hours, CNN cameras converging on our city years before the 24/7 cable news cycle existed, the hum of generators and enormous spotlights guiding the intricate search-and-rescue operations ‘round the clock, word of victims still trapped (alive) under the building a full week later, and fellow Oklahomans literally giving their fellow man the shirts off their backs. Just as I’m sure New Yorkers will never forget the sights, smells and sounds of New York on 9/11, I will never forget.

And I won’t soon forget Bill Clinton’s careless comments, either.

For Clinton to suggest that today’s Tea Party participants are equivalent to the evil men who killed 168 of my fellow hometown heroes - and injured about 800 more - is beyond inappropriate. This is a serious matter. One that I am (almost) uncomfortable writing about, mostly because it dredges up an old, ugly history in our nation. However, I think it’s important not to allow these outrageous statements by President Clinton go unanswered.

Clinton’s comments suggest that he forgets his own history:

•   It was, in fact, the Clinton Administration’s public relations disaster after Ruby Ridge that incensed anti-government extremists like Terry Nichols and Timothy McVeigh. It was the Clinton Administration’s Justice Department that issued a reportedly whitewashed report on the revised shoot-to-kill order against the wife of Randy Weaver and their 13-year old son, Sammy; shootings that were later looked upon by the United States Senate and others as being outside of the normal protocols of standard FBI sniper Codes of Conduct - even though, to be fair, the 13-year old boy did shoot at the Agents. Regardless, killing women and children under most any circumstances is generally outside the norm of our women-and-children-first culture. Warranted or not, those killings - and the glossy report that accompanied them - incensed a fringe element that were already gunning for the Feds.

•   Adding fuel to the fire (literally), the Clinton Administration’s Justice Department once again stumbled in their handling of the raid on David Koresh’s Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Texas. Under direct order from Attorney General Janet Reno, Federal Law enforcement officers found themselves in a confusing standoff and square in the middle of further deaths of women and children – another public relations nightmare that took months for Clinton to fully explain.

•   Let me be clear, I do not pretend to even begin to understand the likes of people like Randy Weaver at Ruby Ridge, nor David Koresh in Waco; those lifestyles and the segregation from society which those lifestyles represent are entirely foreign to me and all that I was raised to be. Nevertheless, the Clinton Administration allowed themselves to get drawn into a standoff - not once but twice. The events that happened on Clinton's watch fanned the flames of the hatred that anti-government extremists already had for the Federal government.

•    Bill Clinton's actions and the actions of his Attorney General are linked directly to Oklahoma City. Allow me to point out that the attack on Oklahoma City came on April 19 – the “anniversary” date of the deaths at Waco. Coincidence? Hardly.

•   Lastly, the anti-government Terrorists involved in the Oklahoma City bombing hated - with fervor - anyone who was a member of federal law enforcement. In fact, in the five months following the Ruby Ridge standoff, Timothy McVeigh worked booths at gun shows and openly handed out literature calling for the death of the FBI sniper involved in the case. An absolute disgust and disgrace.

•   Contrast all of this to the Tea Party members who support our troops passionately and have nothing but love for the patriots who also serve at the highest levels of law enforcement. At every event I’ve been to, the Tea Party-goers have in fact gone out of their way to walk over, shake hands, and thank law enforcement for all they do.

•   Further contrast still is that the anti-government extremists of the Clinton-era wanted nothing more than to slip into the woods and get away from their government. Contrast that with the Tea Party movement today: these are folks who walk instead toward the Public square (not away from it). They're folks who actually want to hear from their elected officials, and want to be active, engaged, participating members of their government. One only needs to look at the number of "Tea Party" candidates springing up across the country, or look at the number of Tea Party chapters in California who actively encourage their members to apply as panelists for the California Redistricting Commission. Believe me, these folks are knocking on the door of the Capitol; they want “in”... not out.

Perhaps Bubba should bone up on recent history so he can refresh his memory of the events of the mid-1990s; especially the litany of tragic events that happened on his watch.

Mr. President, leave Oklahomans to mourn our fellow statesmen and to commemorate their lives honorably, and in peace – without their deaths being dragged into present-day Election Year political battles.

Why I Became Catholic

2010-04-11T16:26:00Z

Over the Easter weekend, I took a leap of faith in my lifelong journey through religion: I became Catholic.

The conversion process has piqued the interest of many people who have asked why, as a lifelong Christian, I decided to convert to Catholicism now.

While I don’t profess to be a Theologian, I’m happy to shed some Light on what led me to this personal decision.

When Pope Benedict the XVI first came to his position in 2005, I sat up and took notice of what he proclaimed was his mission as Pope. He said he felt he was placed here to “restore Order on this earth.” It had been widely known that his predecessor Pope John Paul II had been the Leader who grew the Church by leaps and bounds, invited the masses into the house, and expanded the garden, so to speak. Those of us who garden know if you don't weed the garden occasionally, nothing else can grow. Thus, Benedict said, he was put here to “weed the garden.” I liked this. A lot. And it got me thinking.

At a time when so much of the Britney Spears, post-9/11 World seemed out of control, I respected a man who sought to “restore Order.” It was an unpopular position, to be sure – and all the more reason for this rebel to like it.

And so I began to watch with particular interest to see what the Church would do on matters of faith, politics, and world affairs. My own "Pope Watch" of sorts.

As it so happened, events in my personal and professional life also began intersecting with this faith. I happened to be serving at the epicenter of the most controversial Ballot Measure in California history – perhaps even the Nation’s history. As the Chief Spokesperson who was hired to protect Traditional Marriage via California’s controversial Prop. 8, I found myself taking much abuse at the hands of the opponents – the very opponents who, by the way, claimed they were about “love” and “tolerance.” I received death threats, vulgar calls, incessant phone calls at 3a.m., you name it, harassment 24 hours a day, 'round the clock, seven days a week. And while I won’t go into detail, I will say the calls being released these days by Congressmen regarding the healthcare threats are mild in comparison. But I digress.

The irony is, I came to the Prop. 8 campaign not because I dislike gay individuals (I firmly believe in Big & Rich's motto of "Love everybody.") In fact, I was quite Libertarian about it at the time. The reason I initially came to the campaign was my concern that the voters of California, who had voted fair and square, kept having their vote on marriage tossed out by a Judge – an action which I found to be wholly unconstitutional. As one of several individuals who had served as an Assistant Secretary of State in California, I had once helped to uphold the vote of the people and took that job very seriously. I therefore looked upon the events of the time as an injustice to the millions of voters in California who had, plainly and simply, exercised their Constitutional right to vote.

Nevertheless, the reason I came aboard didn’t matter: I quickly became public enemy #1. All because in my own small way, I too was taking a stand to help restore some semblance of order on this earth. And, as time wore on, I felt myself identifying more and more with the principles that the Catholic church was standing on. I began to fully appreciate the uphill battle and the hatred that Pope Benedict was facing in this world.

Through that personal experience, I began to feel a kindred spirit, a common mission with the Church. Unlike the smaller, one-off community churches I had been a part of most of my life, this one was different. I felt a real sense of strength in numbers. And so I enrolled in an exploratory course at the Church. If I liked it, I would become a member of the Catholic church. And like it I did.

In fact, I fell in love.

For the first time in my life, the “Signs, Symbols, and Sacraments” of Christianity all became crystal clear to me during my conversion to the Catholic church. Sure, I previously understood the basic tenets of faith, the words of the Bible, and how to pray. And have had a close relationship with God (save for a few years here and there). But I never truly understood the big picture as I did once I began this journey.

For starters, there is the Apostolic succession of Bishops in the Catholic church, which in plain English means that every Bishop that currently holds their position in the Church has been tapped, handed down in perfect succession from the original 12 Apostles in the Bible. They can be traced back, one by one, as “one unbroken chain” of successors from the original Apostles. I don’t know about you, but in today’s disposable, don’t-keep-anything, just-buy-a-new-one, who’s-keeping-track-anyway society, I find that to be truly remarkable.

Then there are the 12 Stations of the Cross – each one symbolizing the 12 stops Jesus made on his way to die on the cross. Posted around the church, those 12 scenes (whether painted in the stained glass windows or represented by placards) serve as an ever-present reminder of the sacrifices he made for us along his own journey.

Next is the Candle that always burns during Mass in a Catholic church, representing the light of Jesus Christ – an eternal light which, as Easter shows us, cannot be snuffed out even in the face of the harshest adversity.

Even the use of Incense in the church even bears significance. In the Bible, it says that prayers are to rise just as the smoke of the incense. Just as ceremonial incense rises to the rafters of the Church, so it is that our Prayers rise to Heaven.

Even the exploratory class which introduces you into the Church holds a special symbolism. The class itself is a 9-month long process – the exact length of time it takes to birth a new life.

Even the name “Catholic” has more clarity. Growing up in the “Bible belt” known as Oklahoma, I somehow had the sense that “Catholics” were different than we “regular” Christians; I know I can't be the only one who thought this for years. I’ve even heard it called “a cult” by those who don’t quite understand the hierarchical traditions of the church. But the fact is, the word “Catholic” simply comes from the Greek word (as well as the Latin and French word) “universal.” It simply means that the Catholic church is “the” universal church for Christians across the world. In fact, Anglican churches and other denominations refer broadly to the Catholic church as the Christian Church which most represents all believers in Jesus Christ across the world, regardless of age, denomination, language, or ethnicity. Christians all across the world are receiving the same message of God in their native language. That’s pretty powerful.

Mass, then, represents the entire “Mass” which attends church every week. It also means “mass” in the sense that we are the “body” of the church (as in, ‘body mass’). Each week, the mass comes to their respective church, and receives the same word that someone halfway across the World is receiving. I appreciate that kind of consistency in a world where charismatic pastors are so often “interpreting the Bible” to their own readings. The Mass readings are ordained, prayed over, and are prepared far in advance under the guiding hand of the Vatican conference who is charged with protecting the original meaning of the Bible.

Location, Location Location: I especially appreciate, as someone who travels often, that I don’t have to hunt down a particular community church to receive my weekly message; I can simply walk into any Catholic church, anywhere in the World, and hear the message of the week. I like that the same word that is being read in mass in Los Angeles, is the same word being read at mass in Barcelona.

Contrary to what you hear in the Media, I found there to be no Secrecy in the Catholic church. During the 18 month timeframe attending my two programs, I was free to ask any questions I saw fit. We discussed the sex abuse scandal currently facing the church, and I even (respectfully) questioned them about Nancy Pelosi’s ability to freely take Communion in the church, while she serves as an aggressive advocate for abortions. All of my questions were answered to my satisfaction, and I was never – ever – frowned upon for expressing the reservations I had about the church.

Then, there’s “The Book.” Ever since I attended Vacation Bible School at six years old, I have read in the Bible that when you become a Christian and a member of the church, your name is to be “written in the book” of the ages. I never knew if this was simply a figure of speech, but since I’m a fairly literal person I kept my eye out for this book over the years. (Okay, I can hear you laughing now.) Naturally, whenever I joined a new Church, I would always ask, almost child-like, “Do I need to register my name in a book somewhere?” It was a question that was usually met with giggles. Fast forward to my Catholic church Initiation, where my name was written in, you guessed it, “the Book.” Once each book gets filled, they are sent to The Vatican for safekeeping and preserved for generations as a record of your declaration of faith. (No wonder they still have records dating back to the original 12 Apostles.) Another chapter closed on this mystery for me. It’s official, I’m in the book. Which reminds me: Jesus, don’t forget to look me up next time you come down.

Lastly, there are the 7 Gifts of the Catholic Faith. Seven honorary “gifts” which are bestowed upon you during your commitment to the Catholic church. Without saying too much, I was stunned to discover they match up squarely with the “7 Gifts” I once pledged – i.e., the promise to live a faithful life, to give my best effort toward a life that is beyond reproach, and to abide by the highest standards of conduct, even in the company of men – words of my bond that I once pledged to my esteemed Pi Beta Phi sorority when I was initiated nearly 20 years ago. It’s as if the gifts I gave as an offering of my life somehow found their way back to me in full stead, 20 years later. Another full circle moment for me.

In closing, and speaking of full circle, this brings me back to where I began: Pope Benedict. A man of conviction and purpose, he has recently been battered over the horrid child sex scandals that continue to plague the Catholic church. Despite what the Media would have you believe, Pope Benedict actually IS the right person for the right job at the right time. And I’ll tell you why. Under Pope John Paul, it was actually Benedict who became so shocked over the number of complaints coming through the door, that it was in fact Benedict who took it upon himself to read the 1,000 personal letters of the victims who had been abused. And it was Benedict who personally met with each and every victim who wished to have a personal meeting with the Church, in order to give voice to their claims. Is that not the right person to address this crisis? Alas, as with so many other scandals in the world (politics, etc.), I firmly believe opponents will continue to attempt to remove him from the leadership of the Catholic church; not because he was involved in the scandal in any way, but because they happen to know he’s a hardliner who disagrees with them on 99% of their other issues. To that end, Pope Benedict has already addressed his critics head-on. And his words once again fill my heart with satisfaction: “I will not back down, I will not be intimidated.”

With everything we’re facing in the World today, that sounds like a good Catholic creed to me.

Peace be with you.

Do You Google?

2010-03-12T03:55:00Z

Normally, I’d serve up some snarky political fare on today’s events in California or opine on the latest shenanigans to come from our esteemed politicians.

But not today.

Today, I’m all about business. If you’re like me, it probably seems that you’ve spent more time lately racing to airports, hopping on (or off) the latest Southwest Airlines flight, hailing cabs to meetings, and figuring out how to “sell more/be more/do more” with what seem to be incredibly shrinking daylight hours this political season. As a business owner, it can be especially difficult to accomplish the everyday administrative work that keeps your business running – especially when you’re on the go.

Recently, I discovered some killer tips you will not be able to live without, because they provide everything a busy businessperson needs –right at your fingertips. I would be a bad colleague if I failed to pass them along.

Thought you knew everything about Google? A few things I bet you didn't know you can do directly from Google’s search box:

Track your Flight. Find out if your Flight is on time by going to the Google search field and simply entering your Airline and Flight number in the search field (example: “JetBlue 3104”). Hit enter. Voila. Instantly see if you’re on time, delayed, or can grab a few extra minutes of shuteye.

Track your Packages. No need to call FedEx, spend your time on hold, or even fire up your laptop on the road. Track your shipping needs by simply entering the word “Track” plus your Tracking number and Google will send you directly to the status page for your package. (FedEx, UPS, and USPS packages all have unique shipping codes, so simply plugging the code into the Google search box will automatically produce the status of your package.)

Be Calculating. Need to know how much the tax is on that Print job you just requested? Need to calculate your Agency’s fee on a Statewide Media buy? Simply enter the “Percentage x the Amount” to get the total. For example, if you need to calculate what 15% of $100,000 is, simply enter “.15 x 100,000” and hit enter. The answer will appear at the top of the results. You don’t even need to click another link. A-mazing.

Going Global? Get currency conversions by entering what you’d like to covert, i.e., “100 dollars in Euros” and it will serve up the answer without so much as a s’il vous plait from you.

Find an Address quickly. We’ve all heard of this one, but it bears repeating. Type in the phone number of an individual, organization, or business, and it will serve up their Address in a reverse lookup format.

Become a Lady of Leisure. For those who can actually carve out a bit of time for themselves on the weekend, you can find Movie times by simply entering the word “Movies” plus your City name or Zip code. The nearest Theatres and Showtimes for the next week will appear. Hmm. Save me a seat?

*Source: Tips paraphrased from RealSimple.com

Pack up the Clampetts... We're Heading Back Home

2010-03-10T03:56:00Z

Saw this cartoon posted today. It really speaks to me, as someone who came to California seeking prosperity...

"No Texting while...Legislating?

2010-03-09T08:25:00Z

For those of you who follow the "View from the Street," take heart. We're still blogging away during this busy Election Year. In addition to the posts in this space, we've been invited to appear on Fox & Hounds Daily - the online site for Politics and Business in California. We'll be posting there - along with our one-of-a-kind posts here - daily during Election Season.

In the meantime, check out the latest piece about California's ridiculous new rule that members of the State Assembly can no longer text while in the Legislature. Let us know what you think, does a rule like this make a bit of difference to the Special Interest influence-peddling in State Capitols across the Nation?

http://www.foxandhoundsdaily.com/blog/jennifer-kerns/6563-no-texting-while…-legislating

Tomorrow, we'll be back to our snarky, regular programming. See you then!

Now that We Know Who 'Dat... Now What?

2010-02-08T21:53:00Z

Now that the SuperBowl is over, the inevitable hangover of life without Football is setting in for football fanatics everywhere... especially we fabulous ladies who enjoy the sport nearly as much as our male counterparts. Having suffered myself from an early end to the College Football playoff season in January, I myself have been coping for the past month with how to keep myself occupied for the next 9 months...

For those of you whose NFL season has now ended, you're welcome to join me in my misery, which is already in progress, and perhaps together we can make constructive use of our remaining time until the Season begins again. Here, a few Off-Season Bucket List items that are totally fabulous, completely do-able, and will help pass the time in no time at all!

Carry a Baby to full term

Win a Primary Election

Train for a Marathon

Become a Wine Sommelier

Get your cute Football Jersey wardrobe for next Season in order: Now that Football season is over, they will be on sale, ladies!

Attend cooking school (go to SurLaTable.com for fun lessons near you!) and brush up on some deelish Tailgating recipes for next season

Write a Novel

Travel around the World in a Hot Air Balloon 3 times
(source: Around the World in 80 Days)

Recover from an ACL tear to the Knee

Complete a 12-Step Program

Get your Teaching Certificate in California

Lose 72 pounds
(based upon WeightWatchers.com recommended monthly weight loss guidelines of no more than 2 pounds per week/8 pounds per month; don’t try this without first consulting your Physician)

Get your Pilot's license

Learn how to Skydive

Become a licensed Feng Shui consultant

Complete a 6-month deployment to Afghanistan

Buy the 9-month-long "Dessert-of-the-Month" club membership on Amazon.com (although, that probably defeats the above weight-loss goal)

Complete a course to become a licensed Astroturf dealer

Become a licensed “Green/Sustainable Building Advisor” in California

Take your money out of a rotten Federal bank, and deposit it into a 9-month CD

Become a Paralegal

Get a new Job

Celebrate running 110 miles… (if you simply run 5 miles per week, every week, ‘til then)

Film a major Motion picture and get it “in the can” for Hollywood

Become a Licensed Nutritionist/Dietician

Spring forward on daylight savings time (this cannot come soon enough, IMHO...)

Adopt a Pet from a local Shelter – and have them fully trained in Obedience school

Go SHOPPING, shopping, shopping... for a new Spring, Summer, and Fall wardrobe

and last, but definitely not least...

Attend Beermaster classes and learn how to brew your own beer for the Season Kickoff!

Have other ideas? Submit YOUR suggestions to keep your forlorn Football friends happy in the comment space below…

You Can Be Rude, Crude, and Racist... as long as you're a Democrat

2010-02-04T12:00:00Z

Forget the Swine Flu. The Democrats in Washington these days have a rampant case of Foot-in-Mouth Disease.

Whether you're an African-American or an innocent developmentally-disabled child, the Democrats have some choice words for you.

How do they hate thee? Let us count the ways...

- During a private Caucus meeting with the Democratic members of Congress, Obama's Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel called a group of Congressmen "F*cking Retards." When asked by parents of special needs children to apologize, Rahm refused. Former Presidential candidate Sarah Palin (and mother of a Down Syndrome son) asked him to apologize. He refused. Yesterday, he finally accepted a meeting with the CEO of the Special Olympics. But he still refuses to apologize publicly. If he were a Republican, he would have been run out of town.

- Last year, on the nationally-televised Jay Leno Show, then-candidate Barack Obama described what he felt like when he went bowling: "It looked like the Special Olympics." The implication, of course, was that he looked "retarded" while bowling. He later apologized, but only after pressure from the Shriver family - including many of whom had endorsed him.

- This week, Obama's Education Secretary Arne Duncan made a gaffe of Hurricane proportions when he said that "Hurricane Katrina was the best thing that ever happened to the Education system in New Orleans." Two days later, after outrage from educators in New Orleans, Arne Duncan apologized and quickly suggested that he had used a poor choice of words. If he were a Republican, he would have been run out of town.

- The "poor choice of words" excuse seems to be making the rounds these days. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) was outed in the new book "Game Change" for his opinion that Barack Obama would be more electable because he did not have the typical "negro dialect." He finally apologized, saying it was a "poor choice of words." Not a poor choice of thought, mind you, but a poor choice of words. If he were a Republican, he would have been run out of town.

- In the book "Game Change," the authors reported that Bill Clinton suggested last year to then-Senator Ted Kennedy that "A few years ago, [Obama] would have been serving us coffee." It was a statement so offensive, that Ted Kennedy ultimately endorsed Obama over Clinton's wife, Hillary. In the month since this report came out, Bill Clinton has neither denied the statement nor offered an explanation of it. If he were a Republican, he would have been run out of town.

What's even worse than these statements is the Media's soft condoning of such statements. Had ANY of these things been said by a Republican, they would have had a clock in the corner of the TV screen, counting down the hours since the apology, and the hours left until that official resigned.

You see, kids, it doesn't matter if you're rude, crude, politically incorrect, or racist... As long as you're a Democrat, you're like that tree that falls in the forest that nobody hears. Or, maybe nobody wants to hear.

Pelosi Parties Like It's 2009

2010-02-03T12:00:00Z

It reads like a wish list for a "wild Frat Party."

Documents obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request show that Nancy Pelosi spent $101,000 on booze during a flight last year while hosting a congressional delegation. Nope, you didn't read that wrong, I didn't put too many zeros in. That's $101,000.

An article published in World Net Daily provides details of boozy trips taken on U.S. Military-provided jets at a total cost of $2.1 Million. Which means the $101,000 receipt was just one - one! - of the tabs Pelosi ran up as she jetted the world at Taxpayers' expense. Documents obtained from the Pentagon indicate that Pelosi seems to use the Air Force as "her own personal airline."

So, while you and your families were tightening your belts at home and wondering how to make ends meet during 2009, these Fat Cats were brunching, lunching, and boozing at your expense.

What a bunch of entitled, elitist pigs.

To see a copy of the in-flight receipt, read the full story here:
http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=123472

Texting while Flying: Dead Wrong

2010-02-03T06:32:00Z

We've all been there, fastened securely in our seats, trying to send off one last text message before the flight attendants close those doors... and finally succumbing once we hear that trademark sound of the doors clamping shut. Cell phones in the "off" position. It's all part of the deal of flying, right?

If you think for one minute that Pilots are doing the same, you're dead wrong.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB ) released their final report today on the Continental Airlines commuter flight that crashed over Buffalo, New York last February.

And the report is shocking.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/christine-negroni/pilot-texting-on-fatal-co_b_443794.html

The report shows that co-pilot Rebecca Shaw - a young female co-pilot who was heard on the black box fretting about the rocky flight and suggesting she didn't fly well in icy conditions - actually sent Text messages from the cockpit.

Minutes later, that flight went down in flames in the suburbs of Buffalo, NY - killing ALL of the passengers on board.

To be fair, there were many other things that went wrong in the cockpit that night. According to the NTSB, the pilots had both taken lengthy commutes prior to beginning their shift in the cockpit, they were not sufficiently trained for the icy conditions, and they were discussing personal matters below 10,000 feet - a practice which breaks the FAA's rules of maintaining a "sterile environment" in the cockpit during landing.

But the fact remains that amid the other calamaties on the flight deck that night, the co-pilot was "Texting while Flying." I'm willing to stake my life that other Pilots are doing it as well. My only question is, are they willing to stake the lives of others on a simple Text message? I hope not. It's bad enough people are Texting in their cars. But in a live Airplane is absolutely, utterly Dead Wrong.

If you'd like to contact the FAA to request that stronger guidelines be issued to Pilots, please call: 1-866-TELL-FAA and tell them to put an end to "Texting while Flying."

A Pollster's Behind-the-Scenes View: "Scott Brown's 12 Keys to Victory"

2010-01-20T19:11:00Z

I thought our readers would be interested in the inside scoop from Scott Brown's own Pollster, who published this piece this morning outlining "Scott Brown's 12 Keys to Victory:"
http://blog.pos.org/2010/01/scott-brown’s-twelve-keys-to-victory/

Scott Brown’s Twelve Keys To Victory
By Neil Newhouse
Editor's Note: Neil Newhouse served as the pollster for the Brown for Senate campaign and the National Republican Senatorial Committee in this race.

The Scott Brown victory was indeed the perfect storm – a terrific and engaging candidate, a tremendous campaign team, an issue environment that was strongly tilted away from the national Democrats, an abbreviated campaign timetable, and a somewhat disengaged opponent.

In addition to the #1 factor, which is Scott himself and his ability to connect with voters, following are the ten OTHER keys to Scott Brown’s victory:

1. Scott Brown.
This was his victory. Simply put, a terrific candidate. Never underestimate the impact of an articulate candidate with a compelling message.

2. The truck.
Scott’s pick-up truck and the ad showing him driving it around the state helped give depth to the image of him as a “regular guy” as well as reinforced the fact that he was actually out there campaigning, asking people for their support.

3. Coakley’s ill-timed vacation.
Nailing into voters’ minds the thought that Coakley believed she had the race wrapped up, she went on vacation in December. Voters noticed and later told us they believed she intended “to back into the seat.”

4. Not “Kennedy’s seat.”
This “Nashua moment,” courtesy of David Gergen at the January 11 debate, became a rallying cry for Scott and his supporters and helped frame the election as between the political insiders and the people, which was only exacerbated over the final days as Martha Coakley brought in name Democrats to provide her a lifeline.

5. Coakley’s negative advertising/Scott Brown’s response.
Anticipating a negative onslaught from the Coakley campaign, Scott’s internal ad team (hats off to Eric Fehrnstrom) cut a perfect Brown response ad aimed at Coakley for turning to a negative campaign. So, whose image changed after the negative ad and rebuttal went on the air? Coakley’s. It took just three days for her image to fall from +24 to “one-to-one.”

6. Brown’s Intensity Advantage.
Over the last ten days of this race Massachusetts voters fell hard for Scott Brown. His “very favorable” image increased ten points over the last week or so of the campaign, while Coakley’s image intensity was flat-lining.

7. Independent women.
These voters were a tough sell for Scott Brown, supporting Coakley by ten points just ten days ago. But all that changed after the January 11th debate and subsequent negative Coakley advertising onslaught, as these voters went into the final days giving Scott a two-to-one advantage.

8. DC Fundraiser?
Seriously, Martha Coakley’s image was already imploding after the January 11th debate and the launch of the negative advertising, and yet the decision is made to send her to DC on January 13th for a PAC fundraiser? With health care lobbyists? Where she watches as an aide pushes down a reporter trying to ask a question?

9. “Bloody sock.”
Curt Schilling a Yankee fan? Good joke. This, coupled with her tone-deaf shot at Scott for his grassroots campaigning at the New Year’s Day Bruins game at Fenway Park reinforced her elitist image.

10. Ayla and Arianna.
The two Brown daughters were stars in the campaign in helping get Scott’s message across and in deflating the over the top negative attacks against Scott. Ayla’s recorded phone calls were mentioned by voters as helping convince them to support Scott.

11. Fund-raising.
This is one for the record books. The daily totals were staggering. And, the campaign clearly understood the nexus between Scott’s visibility on conservative-tilted national news programs and the ability to raise money on-line.
With Republicans completely out of power, Scott’s on-line success suggests that the huge Democratic advantage on-line can be overcome by an energized national conservative base.

12. The Brown Team.
There was an amazing combination of political expertise brought together for this abbreviated race. For a state so bereft of GOP officeholders, it’s a gold mine of political talent. It was a seamless and self-less effort made possible by the NRSC and Mitt Romney’s on-the-ground team that made the difference here.

The Morning After

2010-01-20T18:50:00Z

Last night’s Republican win in Massachusetts is, in a word, phenomenal. The New York Times is showing a “before & after” map this morning, illustrating just how Blue the state’s map was just one short year ago, and just how Red that map is today.

Given this sea change in such a short period, politicos will no doubt be sifting through the voter data over the next day or two to tell us what all of this means. In the meantime, here are a few observations from the Street:

•    During last year’s Election, Obama won by a whopping 45% in Massachusetts. In 364 days, the state has taken a direct 180 degree turn. What a difference a year makes.

•    While this Election was certainly an absolute referendum on the Obama Administration, the Election wasn’t just about Healthcare. Political insiders have told MSNBC’s Norah O’Donnell that the strongest issue in Scott Brown’s internal Campaign polling, was (wait for it…) TERRORISM. Yep, Terrorism. Not Healthcare. Voters were extremely concerned about the Administration’s bungling of the Khalid Sheik Mohammed trial being moved to civilian courts and the Administration’s rush to provide top-notch attorneys to Terrorists who should actually be tried as enemy combatants. Perhaps this can be explained by the fact that TWO of the airplanes used in the 9/11 Terror attacks departed from Boston that day. Whatever the case, the fact that Terror became an issue in this Election is truly significant.

•    You’d probably never guess what else this liberal-State Electorate supported in overwhelming numbers: Waterboarding. Yes, you heard correctly. Brown’s own internal polling showed that voters in the Liberal state of Massachusetts overwhelmingly support Waterboarding to gain intelligence from Terrorists. This Electorate included MANY Independents, so we’re not just talking about a bunch of Dick Cheney Republicans here. This is a clear backlash to the Obama Administration’s handling of Terror suspects, and in my view is perhaps the biggest story to come out of the campaign. As a National Security chick, I hope it gets discussed more over the next couple of days.

•    Obviously Scott Brown’s victory was a statement against the establishment. But Republicans need to be careful. This means Republicans, in some cases. During his Victory speech, Scott Brown never mentioned – not once – the word “Republican.” By no means should Republicans be dancing in the endzone – yet.

•    In fact, Brown mentioned the word “Independent” at least a dozen times, signaling that although he may caucus with the Republican Party, give the Republican response to the State of the State Address next week, and so forth… he may seek to at least project the appearance of a more “independent” candidate.

•    In fact, Brown had no strong Party structure behind him. His Victory Party was not organized by the Massachusetts GOP - heck, there is hardly even a Massachusetts GOP! By no means in Brown a “Party guy” in the old sense of the word.

•    The same goes for the Tea Party Patriots. According to all reports, there was no real grassroots boots-on-the-ground Tea Party movement for Scott Brown during the campaign, either. Most of the groundwork was performed by Mitt Romney's team, having served there in the Governor's office. There is one exception, and that is the Tea Party Express/Move America Forward PACs, which came in with significant TV buys for Brown in the final few weeks. But as for the true “grassroots” movement that the Tea Party Patriots so proudly boast about, I’m not sure you can call this a “Tea Party victory,” either.

•    There’s another interesting theme at work among the three Republicans who have won recently: Scott Brown in Massachusetts; McDonnell in Virginia; and Chris Christie in New Jersey. They ALL ran during Special Elections. This means the Candidates campaigned for shorter periods of time (this means fewer opportunities for mistakes), and that there is an advantage to Republicans running during these pressure-cooker moments (i.e., when the 60th vote on Healthcare hangs in the balance; when Virginia held a Special Election to backfill the Governor’s post; and when Governor Chris Christie was elected in a Special Election in New Jersey). Which all the more proves my favorite Skull & Bones theory: that there is” opportunity in Chaos.” That seems to ring all the more true when it comes to Republicans this Election season. Now, if we can just keep that chaos going…

•    All in all, this is a HUGE victory for Republicans. The simple fact that a great many independent and super-Liberal , old-guard Massachusetts voters actually walked into a polling place, crossed over, and checked the box that had an “R” next to it… well, that trumps all. In fact, it is Wicked Awesome if you ask me.

Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

2010-01-18T12:38:00Z

Today, on this Martin Luther King holiday, take a moment to watch Dr. King's historic address in Washington, D.C.:
http://www.mlkonline.net/video-i-have-a-dream-speech.html

I Have a Dream
Martin Luther King, Jr’s Address at the March on Washington
August 28, 1963, Washington, D.C.

I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation. [Applause]

Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of captivity.

But one hundred years later, we must face the tragic fact that the Negro is still not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languishing in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. So we have come here today to dramatize an appalling condition.

In a sense we have come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men would be guaranteed the inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check which has come back marked "insufficient funds." But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. So we have come to cash this check -- a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice. We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to open the doors of opportunity to all of God's children. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood.

It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment and to underestimate the determination of the Negro. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning. Those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. There will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.

But there is something that I must say to my people who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice. In the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.

We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force. The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny and their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom. We cannot walk alone.

And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall march ahead. We cannot turn back. There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, "When will you be satisfied?" We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as the Negro's basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.

I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow cells. Some of you have come from areas where your quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive.

Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed. Let us not wallow in the valley of despair.

I say to you today, my friends, that in spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day the state of Alabama, whose governor's lips are presently dripping with the words of interposition and nullification, will be transformed into a situation where little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls and walk together as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.

This is our hope. This is the faith with which I return to the South. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

This will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with a new meaning, "My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim's pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring."

And if America is to be a great nation this must become true. So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania!

Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of Colorado!

Let freedom ring from the curvaceous peaks of California!

But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia!

Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee!

Let freedom ring from every hill and every molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring.

When we let freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, "Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"

Sunday Best

2010-01-17T12:42:00Z

This week’s “Sunday Best” award goes to… Will Smith.

No, not that Will Smith.

This weekend, the Capitol community laid to rest one of its finest : Chief of Staff Will Smith.

Will was the kind of guy who would give you the shirt off his back – even though you probably should have been lending him yours. As Chief of Staff for one of the leading Legislators in California, Will always took time out of his busy schedule to help people with whatever they asked for – in my case, the State Capitol Permits for the historic Tea Parties of 2009 and urgent Press Conferences on California’s State Budget.

My favorite memory of Will’s gracious spirit occurred when I was holding a Press Conference on the Capitol steps to protest Tax increases. The group I was with wanted to use a special prop for the Press Conference and, as Mother Nature would have it, we found ourselves caught in gale force winds that day. In the hour leading up to the Press Conference, the prop kept blowing over. And over. And over. No matter how many times we set it upright, it would blow over again. Worried, I searched everywhere for something that would hold down the prop. Sandbags. Weights. Something. But I was out of time. We would have to take our chances.

Just as the Press Conference began, the wind began to pick up again. But somehow, the prop wasn’t falling over as it had before. How could this be? Wondering if someone had heard my cry for heavy sandbags, I quietly walked behind the staging area so I could get a glimpse. And there stood Will and his staff, grinning, and holding onto the prop for dear life so it wouldn’t blow away. That was Will's way.

But Will wasn’t just a “nice guy.” He was respected in the Capitol. And he used his power artfully. I once got into a debate with him about something in the Capitol. As it happens with many debates in the Capitol, I can’t even remember the topic now. But at the end of our heated discussion, Will said two words that diffused the debate and brought the discussion to a diplomatic halt. He said, “Fair enough.” Fair enough? Wow. There was something about it that was so… so... Will. In just two words, he was able to completely disagree, yet communicate that he wasn’t about to ruin a working relationship (even with little 'ole me) over the subject matter. Fair enough. It is a phrase I found so powerful, that I have begun to use it over the past year to diffuse tense political situations.

I fully realize my memories of Will pale in comparison to the depth and length of the memories that his close friends and family share. Nevertheless, this week I found myself wallowing in worldly pity that "one of the good guys" was taken too soon. But, listening to the events of the night of his death, the calm that now surrounds his family, and the indelible impression he made on so many in the State Capitol, it is clear now that Will’s life played out precisely how God intended. Maybe God needed Will to resolve a political dispute in Heaven. Maybe God needed another angel in Haiti this week. Maybe He just needed another player on that big Basketball team in the sky. True, it is sad for us who have been left behind, but God apparently needed Will more than we did.

Fair enough.

Coffee Clash

2010-01-11T04:51:00Z

Andrew Breitbart's BigJournalism.com reports that U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid isn't the only one in the Democrat Party spewing Racism.

According to the new book, Game Change by Time magazine reporter Mark Halperin and John Heilemann, Bill Clinton has got some 'splaining to do, too.

Last year while stumping for his wife, then-Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton reportedly went to Senator Ted Kennedy to gain his endorsement. During the meeting, the two men discussed Barack Obama about whom Bill Clinton reportedly said, "A few years ago, this guy would have been getting us coffee."

Kennedy rightfully rebuffed the Clintons and then endorsed Obama, no doubt thinking about the Civil Rights fights his brothers had endured - and died for.

As for Bill Clinton, well... me thinks his Arkansas roots are showing.

This is a man known for his "Global" cache' and, oh yeah, his nickname as "America's First Black President." But deep down, 'ole Billy Boy has shown his true colors.

For those of you keeping score at home, it's now TWO major leaders of America's Democrat Party who have made lewd, unacceptable remarks about our President. It's one thing to critique President Obama on policy or politics (as I have often done). It's quite another to comment on the color of his skin.

News reports show that Harry Reid spent the majority (no pun intended) of his Saturday dialing various Civil Rights leaders and the White House to apologize for his Racist remarks. Perhaps Bill Clinton is doing the same today.

Who knows, with friends like these, the White House might just need to set up a Hotline.

The KKK Called... They Want their Sheet Back

2010-01-10T00:47:00Z

Hey, Harry Reid... The KKK called, and they want their white sheet back.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has now apologized for a Racist remark he made about President Barack Obama. Politics Daily reports that the Leader of the Senate said, "[Obama is a] light-skinned African American with no Negro dialect unless he wanted to have one."

The Racist remark has surfaced in a new book, Game Change by Mark Halperin and John Heilemann, that provides a behind-the-scenes look at the 2008 Presidential Election. Reid apologized today, saying it was "a poor choice of words." I'll say.

Why this story was held until the weekend to break is beyond me. And why no one is calling for Reid's resignation as Senate Leader is also disappointing. Didn't we force Trent Lott to resign - not just from his leadership post, but from his entire seat - for a similar remark? The double standard is astonishing.

I suppose the saying goes, "If a Tree Falls in a Forest...". The same applies to Racism...so long as a Liberal Democrat says it, no one hears it.

Either way, I suppose the bad karma is enough. A new Poll this week shows that Reid is now viewed unfavorably by his own constituents, and would lose to ANY of his GOP opponents if the 2010 Election were held today.

Full story here: www.politicsdaily.com/2010/01/09/reid-apologizes-for-racial-remark-about-obama-and-also-sinks-in/?icid=main|htmlws-main-n|dl1|link4|http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/01/09/reid-apologizes-for-racial-remark-about-obama-and-also-sinks-in/

Potatoe, Potato...

2010-01-08T13:22:00Z

Remember when the Press poked endless fun at Vice President Dan Quayle for misspelling the word “Potato” in front of a classroom full of kids?

Well, if you thought Dan Quayle was bad...

Yesterday, Hilllary Clinton’s State Department announced that they “could have” captured the suspicious Northwest Flt. 253 bomber before he boarded an airliner on Christmas Day, had it not been for one minor detail. They misspelled his name.

Yep. They misspelled his name.

It turns out that the underwear bomber’s problematic Visa status was actually listed in the security database, unlike the State Department previously reported. That's the good news. The bad news, of course, is that his name was misspelled by just one letter.

I mean, who can blame them? Abdulmutallab is a difficult name to spell. But then again, so is Mohamed Atta, Moussaoui, and oh yeah, OSAMA BIN LADEN. I mean, doesn’t THAT guy spell his name with a “U” sometimes? …Usama bin Laden? These people couldn’t find my cat if it was sitting in a paper bag on their desk.

Heads should have rolled over this senseless Security breach. As it stands today, all of the Department heads in the Obama Administration maintain their cushy government posts. And certainly none of these appointees in the disastrous chain of command appear to have the honor to fall on their sword and step aside so that someone more competent can step in to protect the American public.

Ladies and not-so-gentle people, the Obama Administration needs to wake up and smell the slightly weak, 30,000-ft. drip-brewed coffee. These are the folks in charge of our personal security. Our National security. I don’t know about you, but it’s enough to make me want to clutch the airline sickness bag and flee for the emergency exit.

I have flown for years for my job, sometimes flying two, three, four times per week without batting a pretty eyelash. But I, for one, haven’t flown since the holidays, and I plan to avoid it like the swine flu. I’m under no disillusionment. I realize I am one in a million faces to the TSA’s rented $8-an-hour wand-waving clowns, but I am a human life, after all, … One that deserves not to be snuffed out by a man hiding a bomb in his pants, simply because some overweight pencil pusher at State didn’t have the time to proof read their work. I am at a loss. All I can say is, may God bless the 2 million souls flying in the U.S. today. They'll need it.

Save Me a Seat?

2010-01-06T13:35:00Z

During the holidays, I had a few days off to see the latest releases in the movie theatres – a treat which I find hard to afford myself during the regular work year (I mean, who has time to be in a dark theatre, away from the Blackberry for 2 hours?). But over the holidays, I entered into this world filled with fresh-popped popcorn, limitless sodas, even my daily vocabulary took on a whole new vernacular: "Save me a Seat?”

Just six days into the New Year, this phrase is now taking on a whole new meaning as Democrat incumbent politicians are fleeing their seats in order to save it for someone else less tarnished by the Party.

Democrats who are running for the fire exits? Colorado Governor Bill Ritter has announced he will step down; Michigan Lt. Governor Cherry announced he will not run for re-election; and North Dakota Senator Byron Dorgan also announced yesterday he will not run for re-election.

And late last night, the news broke that Senator Chris Dodd (D – Connecticut) will not seek re-election this year. This is big news. Dodd has been a mainstay of the Democrat establishment for five terms and a favorite of the mainstream media as a guest any given Sunday on the weekly political chat shows.

The chairman of the Senate Banking Committee and the godfather of the massive housing meltdown, Dodd received special interest percentage rates on his own home loan as he was negotiating for the rest of America’s loans. In my view, it’s fitting that as millions of Americans are now losing their homes, that Chris Dodd will lose his job.

But it’s not all good news for Republicans. Most insiders suspect that Dodd is stepping down from his seat in order to “save his seat.” According to the latest poll numbers, Dodd faces a snowball’s chance in Connecticut for re-election, however, another Democrat with less baggage just might have a chance. Dodd is taking one for the team.

Even if another Democrat takes Dodd’s seat, one thing is certain: his career ender means the writing is on the wall for Dems - especially ones that had a role in the destruction of the financial institutions in America.

Either way, this all but guarantees the Fall 2010 Elections will be quite a Show. Mmmm... Pass the popcorn?

There's Copper in Them There Hills!

2010-01-06T04:33:00Z

So much for the Gold Rush.

Did you know that the U.S. Military is providing security for the Chinese government, as the Chinese are taking Copper from Afghanistan?

$88 Billion in Copper, to be exact.

The Chinese apparently won the rights from the Afghan government (who was set free courtesy of the U.S.), to mine valuable Copper from the valley Southwest of Kabul, Afghanistan. There are an estimated 240 million tons of Copper ore which will help China sustain its insatiable appetite for growth, since Copper is used in everything from to batteries to electrical wires to computers. (Copper has become an in-demand commodity even in the U.S., as telephone utilities seek to more vigorously protect their Copper wiring from poachers.)

According to McClatchy Newspapers, "...the U.S. Army is providing the security that will enable China to exploit one of the world's largest unexploited deposits of copper, earn tens of billions of dollars and feed its voracious appetite for raw materials."

So, why is the U.S. Military providing security for the Chinese?

U.S. Military experts say the original intent wasn’t to provide security for the Chinese, but that the road leading into the Copper mine was becoming rife with warfare, so the U.S. set up camp just outside of it. Second, the Copper endeavor will reportedly provide thousands of jobs over the next 7 years, and let’s face it, “jobs” equal “stability” in that country. That makes sense.

What doesn’t make sense is the U.S. Military putting forth its men so that another nation can profit. Especially a nation who rarely has our best interest in mind.

After all, China provides significantly fewer resources to the War on Terror in Afghanistan than the U.S. does. But the Chinese are doing what the Chinese do best – taking full advantage of a crisis.

My question is, shouldn’t the U.S. Government require that a certain amount of the Copper proceeds go to the U.S. to pay for the protective services we provide? Or at the very least, some of the funds go toward paying for the War in Afghanistan?

The blood of our American soldiers has been shed for freedom for the Afghan people. Shedding blood so that the Chinese can become rich? Well, that’s just beyond the call of duty.

2010: The Year in Preview

2010-01-03T12:26:00Z

This time of year, I’m always interested to read various sources that forecast what lies ahead for the New Year.

While I personally take my strength from God, I do often look to other sources for amusement, education, and additional information. Sources I read include the Liturgical Calendar of the Catholic Church; predictions from Political pundits who’ve proven to be accurate in previous years; Astrology; and even Chinese Astrology.

According to Chinese Astrology, 2010 is going to be “The Year of the Tiger.”

With references to Tiger Woods and all giggles aside, there are some interesting predictions for 2010 that I believe will ring true. And while the Chinese New Year does not officially arrive until February, here is a sneak peek at what these ancient forecasters predict.

2010 “The Year of the Tiger” can best be described as the following:

•   The year of the Tiger “symbolizes Toughness, Generosity and Wealth earned with Hard Work”;

•   In 2010, “Decisive and Fresh Politicians will come to Power” (I must say, I like that!);

•   Love will “Reign” this year, solely because the Chinese Lunar New Year begins on February 14th this year – St. Valentine’s Day – ushering in a year of expressions of love for all those around you. Prepare to wear your Heart on your Sleeve! xo

•   2010 will be an outstanding year for you, like none in recent history, if you were born in the Chinese years of the signs of the: Horse (1942, 1954,1966, 1978, 1990, 2002), Dog (1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994), Tiger (1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998), Dragon (1952, 1964, 1976, 1988), Sheep, or Ox (as I was, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997). For those especially, this is the year to “start something new” and experience great success.   *to see which Chinese sign you were born under, visit: www.gotohoroscope.com/chinese-astrology.html.

•   This year will be "A Year of Serious Change in every sphere of Life”;

• While 2010 will be “relatively Unstable” especially in the financial arena, “Spiritually, the year 2010 will be so Fruitful and Positive” that everything else “will just seem trifles.”

•    Prepare to bunker down with the family. Because of the exterior turmoil in the World outside of the home, the Year of the Tiger is a “Dutiful, Generous, and Family-oriented year.” Dust off those board games!

•   The year is predicted to be one of “Great Social Upheaval” and therefore, people who thrive on Change and Unpredictability in their professional lives will succeed in 2010.

Top 10 Reasons Obama Took So Long to Respond to Terror Attack

2010-01-02T07:01:00Z

While the Prez is still sunning his buns in Hawaii, a few things still puzzle me about the attempted Terrorist attack on Christmas Day.

For instance, why did it take 3 full hours for his Staff to wake the President when the news broke of an attempted Terror attack aboard NWA Flt. 253 - especially when initial calls from Reporters suggested there was not one, but two, attacks in progress. And why did it take the President 3 days to respond to the American people about the threat?

William Tate over at The American Thinker blog has come up with what took Obama so long...

Top Ten reasons Obama would claim for taking so long to respond to attempted Terror attack:

10. My teleprompter was on vacation last week.

9. Polishing a Nobel Prize takes longer than you think.

8. It was Bush's fault. (Hey, it worked last year.)

7. The waves here in Hawaii are bitchin', dude.

6. Janet Napolitano said the system worked great, even if I couldn't get email on my Blackberry for a while there.

5. This sort of thing just ain't supposed to happen on my watch.

4. It was Bush's fault.

3. Axelrod never told me I'd have to work holidays.

2. I was busy celebrating Festivus.

And the Number One excuse Obama can give for taking so long to respond to the attempted attack on Northwest Flight 253:

1. I was busy looking for my birth certificate.