It's Good to Be Da King

I was thinking today of that old movie line (Mel Brooks, I think) "it's good to be da king!" This must describe Barack Hussein Obama's current role better than anything else. Reflect on the following truisms:

• Fawned-over by the media where he can literally do no wrong.
• Executive Chairman of several banks, insurance companies and automakers, despite having never held a private-sector job in his entire life.
• Enjoying the opulence of the White House.
• Foreign leaders tripping over each other just for a photo-op.
• Married to the most admired woman in the world. (?)
• An emasculated political opposition party that can't even get out of it's own way.
• Loyal minions ready to fall on the sword for any boneheaded move you might make.
• Absolutely no check-and-balance restraint originally intended by our founding fathers in the three branches.
• Opposing voices instantly vilified.
• All the power that comes from the unlimited money which you can print up and spend at your own discretion.

People ask me why I get so damned angry about this guy. It's not only because he's a liberal president. I lived through two terms of Bill Clinton with one-tenth of the angst I feel over this guy! And please....it's not because he's black. It's really the idea of this guy (or anyone) running the country (actually re-making the country) with such a supreme unquestioned and unopposed authority. If that's not being a king, what is?

R.I.P. Pontiac

It's difficult for me to continue to watch the slow, painful death of General Motors. A couple of new developments today almost make it cruel.

First, the announcement that the Pontiac division is going to be the first one sacrificed in a seemingly futile attempt to revive the patient. Pontiac has always had my favorite line-up of vehicles, from the 50's Safari wagon up to the 70's Firebirds that I owned, and every Bonneville, Catalina, GTO and Grand Prix in between. "Wide-Track" was it. "Pontiac builds excitement" was something I always believed in.

Another part of it though, has to do with where I come from. I was born in Pontiac. I spent my formative years in Pontiac. My grandfather and uncle worked for the Pontiac Motor Division for their entire working lives, along with countless dads and neighbors up and down the streets where I grew up. It certainly was a different America then. Our neighborhoods built Pontiacs, and they drove Pontiacs.

GM is also apparently killing off the Saturn brand also, but this means nothing in comparison to Pontiac, which like Oldsmobile a few years ago, seems like the heart is being cut out.

The second item announced today is that Obama's plan for "rescue" under his socialist and labor agenda, is for his government to take control of the company and also help the UAW take some controlling interest in the carcass that is to be funded by taxpayers. I guess that this is the part for me that fuels the anger side. The decision on Pontiac is just one very sad part of it.

"Little GTO, you're really lookin' fine
Three deuces and a four-speed and a 389
Listen to her tachin' up now, listen to her why-ee-eye-ine
C'mon and turn it on, wind it up, blow it out GTO"
- "GTO" by Ronnie and the Daytonas. #4 on the charts, June 1964.

The American dream wrapped in some gorgeous metal. Maybe they haven't been there for a few years, but the memories live on in the nameplate. Now that is going away. R.I.P. Pontiac.

A Language to Nowhere

There can be quite a few eye-opening things that you learn in the middle of a job-search process, as I find myself now. One of those things I'm seeing for the first time is the requirement, or at least preference for, a bi-lingual language ability. Of course, bi-lingual does not mean English-Chinese, or English-German here. It can only mean one thing in this day and age: a requirement for Spanish. I'm seeing this in a surprising number of job ads, especially when you might be dealing with the general public.

I'm not implying that this whole thing doesn't make some sense from a business-marketing standpoint, especially if the job is in sales and your trying to reach as many customers as possible. Companies need to do what it takes to thrive and profit. But the core question is why American society allows this to evolve at all in this way?

If English is your country's language, why not reinforce it's use? If Spanish is your native language, why not adopt and embrace English as a U.S. citizen?

English is the closest thing we have to a universal world language if there is one. It's hard to travel to a place where not even a few people speak it, even rudimentarily. From Iran to Nigeria to Finland or Uraguay. From what I've seen and read, you can almost always function at a basic level in far-flung places like these, speaking only English. Try that with Spanish. And the people in places like these recognize the advantage they have if they can learn English. They welcome the chance and the challenge if they get the opportunity.

I'll never forget my first couple of forays into Mexico on business. I saw several examples of companies, including my own, conducting English classes for very eager employee-students. They understand the advantage it can give them. They want to succeed with American, Canadian and even European companies coming into their towns to do business. They can't get very far without some English-speaking ability.

What a contrast: A Mexican-American living in Chicago, has less impetus to learn English that a Mexican living in his home town outside of Monterrey! Huh?!!

From a Mexican immigrant's point of view, I think that the idea of America "accommodating" his native language is actually a discriminatory practice. By not forcing English on these people, we are doing them a great disservice, especially with children. I don't think that the vast majority view it that way, but that is the case. If I was a Mexican immigrant's rights-activist, or an agency working on immigrant acclimation, I would certainly push English as an absolute necessity. Instead, it appears that all they work for is the opposite. They want Spanish signage and language allowances everywhere. This is another example of government and other aid organizations working to entrap and control people; make them dependant, not independant, in true liberal style!

Time for Mexican-Americans to wake up and realize that they are being marginalized through what is being done to "aid" them. Time for the rest of us to stop trying. It doesn't help anybody in the long run.

Two Peas

All smiles. And why not? This is the start of a wonderful friendship. They are two of a kind in their core beliefs. Venezuela: where most everything is now run by the state. Where dissident voices are no longer heard. Where Russian warships are now welcome in the harbors. And most of all, where the U.S. history is regarded as an evil empire. Yes, face facts, Obama has more in common with this thug than with any American citizen who happens to sit to the right of center.

And as for Chavez? Well, he has been elevated, legitimized and venerated around the world. All of that just because of a photo of a friendly handshake? Better believe it.

They Wish

They wish! Glad Easter tidings from the atheist socialists at Newsweek ragazine. Reporting the "news" of a survey finding that those identifying themselves as Christian has dropped 10% since 1990 (even through the actual number has risen) on a nice, black cover.

Why don't they do a follow up with the actual statistic that they have lost 52% of their readership in the same period of time?!! This rag will be extinct long before they can report the actual "fall" of anything or anybody else. Let every Christian recall his or her duty to spread the real Good News this Eastertide, and leave this crap on the store shelf, and they'll close their doors tomorrow!

Great Satan Strikes Again

"We will seek out the Americans and if we capture them we will slaughter them," said a 25-year-old pirate based in the Somali port of Harardhere who gave only his first name, Ismail.
"We will target their ships because we know their flags. Last night, an American-flagged ship escaped us by a whisker. We have showered them with rocket-propelled grenades," boasted Ismail, who did not take part in the attack.

Just a wonderful quote from another Islamic who obviously feels "victimized" by the great satan United States.
And then this assessment:

"The fact is that the Somali pirates had a code of conduct, although it sounds funny to people outside of Somalia to hear that," says an official with Ecoterra International, a nongovernmental organization that works with the Somali fishing community on sustainable fishing practices. It also made good business sense to keep hostages alive. More than 200 mariners are still being held by Somali pirates. To date, there have been few instances of hostages being seriously harmed by pirates. But if pirates are pushed into a corner by foreign navies, they might become more ready to shoot.
"We fear that this escalation spiral, which we've seen in the past few months, will push the pirates into a readiness to shoot," says the Ecoterra aid official. "I foresee this will push some groups which use violence, and radicalize them. It could also encourage some Somali fundamentalists to take over the modus operandi of the pirates" and take on Western commercial shipping vessels as political targets.

Somehow you had to know that the U.S. would end up at fault by our actions. You just knew it. This will not change. Any rule of law, any decency that we wish to uphold, and suddenly we are the evil empire stomping on the peaceful people of Islam. Doesn't matter what it is; these people are determined to use violence as the only means to get it, and it is the U.S. by far, who stands in their way.

It makes me think that they have not read the profound statements of our glorious president when he tells them that we are not at war with Islam. Or maybe, just maybe, it is Obama who has not read their book?

R.I.P. Mark "The Bird" Fidrych

Sad news yesterday that the remarkable Tiger pitcher Mark Fidrych had died in an accident at his farm.

Beyond the upset of seeing anyone go at his age, and in this manner, are the memories for me of how his antics (and real talent) entertained my grandfather and me during those unbelievable outings he had back in the summer of 1976. Not only was he a lone bright spot during one of the most dismal of Tiger seasons, he was like nothing baseball had ever seen, or ever will see. The bottom line was, he was just having fun in his VERY unique style. And so he made it fun for everyone, including opposing teams and fans. He was special.

It was our bicenntenial, I was graduating from high school, I had my first car and first job and "The Bird" was on the mound, taking to the ball and mowing down the enemy; grandpa cracking up watching it during the last season that he was healthy enough to really enjoy his Tigers. All was right with the world as they say.

R.I.P. Bird....and thank you.

Very Dim Bulbs

The following is an actual headline from that mainstream mess, the Associated Press:

"Analysis: Talking tough doesn't curb North Korea"

Honest to God, are these people beyond idiots, or what?!!

Guilty

From page 3 of Obama's Dept. of Homeland Security report, just issued:

(U//LES) Rightwing extremists are harnessing this historical election as a recruitment tool. Many rightwing extremists are antagonistic toward the new presidential administration and its perceived stance on a range of issues, including immigration and citizenship, the expansion of social programs to minorities, and restrictions on firearms ownership and use. Rightwing extremists are increasingly galvanized by these concerns and leverage them as drivers for recruitment. From the 2008 election timeframe to the present, rightwing extremists have capitalized on related racial and political prejudices in expanded propaganda campaigns, thereby reaching out to a wider audience of potential sympathizers.

Folks, we're talking Homeland security here! That's apparently a serious concern when you vehemently disagree with this president. I don't recall seeing similar reports regarding left-wing wackos and the language and actions they took under President Bush. Ah, but 'twas different then. That was called L-i-b-e-r-t-y. This administration is called S-o-c-i-a-l-i-s-t. It's all about change. Just as he promised.

Guess I Was Wrong

Following up on my blog "Arrrrrg, Bad Idea":

I sarcastically gave those wacky Somalian pirates the benefit of the doubt, as a reaction to the statements of one of their relatives, Hassan Mohammed (what's in a name?) and his pleas that the idiots were "just trying to save themselves". As is my norm, I love to grab these AP soundbites and give them the exposure that only enhances their absurdity. It never takes long.

So in the meantime, individuals with the same game in mind have seized four more ships. Now perhaps the press can forget about playing up the motives of these guys as anything but bloodthirsty criminal intent against the free world. As the saying goes "they want to play hardball". From now on, there are certainly no "innocents" in the mix. They are making bad choices that will not end pretty.

Unless Obama decides that there really is no conflict here, or that it's just a redistribution of wealth plan, the Navy will develop a plan to preempt these guys. Seriously, how much effort does it take to stop four guys in the equivalent of a bass-boat on the open ocean? Against this type of foe, even the French are on the offensive!! Well, blow me down!!

Other nations will begin to take similar action.

There's a reason that piracy had all but vanished for a couple hundred years. They used to meet all kinds of horrible punishments and then were hung in cages at the mouth of the Thames. Civilization will not do that now but they'll be just as dead. Hopefully, they learn just as quickly that the sport of hijacking ships, be way too costly....Arrrrrg!

Arrrrrrrrg, Bad Idea!

Now that the Navy Seals have surgically "dispatched" three Somalian pirates holding a U.S. ship's Captain, a relative of one of the slain had this to say to the press:

"They were trying to save their own lives. The only thing they could bargain with was the captain, but the Americans would not accept.”, said Hassan Mohammed Farah.

Oh, I see. So it's the barbaric Americans again, striking at defenseless innocents who really meant no harm, and probably never intended their little prank to get so out of hand.

Well then, if that's the case, we should expect no more of these stunts, now that these good people realize that their pirate-play can actually cause someone to get hurt! Crazy kids. What were they thinking anyway?

"Gee"-20

Just returning to The Mole Hole today after a week in sunny Florida. With access to any computer being fairly limited, I took the week off from any blogging (although I would put much more blame on just wanting to be outdoors with the family in that instant summer weather!) It was delightful.

I still managed to keep one eye on the events of the week, and so I was aware of the culmination of Barack Hussein Obama's first overseas rock tour. Weren't those adoring crowds fantastic! Leaders from around the world swooning and fainting over our little community activist. The press fawning and drooling through every photo-op and press conference. They truly love him. Perhaps there are still enough Americans though, who are wondering why that is? Why do they have such an appreciation for a man they know virtually nothing about?

Because he tells them exactly what they want to hear. Just like how he won the votes of so many deadheads here. Same strategy for him, with the same result. Adoration.

His ideas bring America down to their level: economically, militarily and philosophically. Reduce freedoms. Raise taxes. Subjugate guns, corporations, fetuses, newspapers, radio, and on and on.

These are the things Euros want to hear: The U.S. conforming to their standards.

These are the things competing powers want to hear: A U.S. who trusts them.

These are the things our enemies want to hear: A U.S. prepared to stand down.

All this G-20 thing did for me is to confirm and clarify what I already knew about Barack Hussein Obama's philosophy: That America is not first in his eyes. That we have no business living our own way of life. That it's time for America to take the place dictated for us in the world, by others, instead of on our own terms.

Was I really only gone for a week?

Conflicted?

Before we lose all hope in the leadership of the Episcopal Church, we can still find these little pockets of truth, where the fading fire of common sense and upright Christian thought still somehow flickers. I'll be surprised if it stands:

http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/04/02/muslim.minister.defrocked/index.html