Our New Toy - HDTV!

Well, it took me 18 months of constant begging, hounding and rationalizing, but in the end my wife finally caved! We got a new 50" plasma TV! It didn't happen without giving something up, however.

The original plan was to travel to Tonga for a reunion of sorts with my Dad and family, but after comparing the cost of airfare for 2 to the South Pacific and back against the TV, the TV came out the big winner (it wasn't even close... Tonga was like 3 times more expensive). Now the TV sits majestically in my living room. Although, I have to admit that it wasn't so much my lobbying-acquired powers of persuasion that finally convinced my wife as it was the change of the return policy at Costco. We wanted to buy the TV before Costco limited their return period on TVs from "unlimited" to 90 days.

So now that all is said and done, I must say that I am thoroughly impressed with my purchase, the Panasonic TH-50PX60U (read outside review here). For starters, I spent a solid 48 hours researching the pros and cons of plasmas vs. LCDs before buying. And despite my intensive homework, I still went back and forth on my "final" decision before eventually deciding to go with plasma. I am an extremely critical technophile, and I did not want to end up with a piece of junk that I would want to trash after a few weeks. It had to be just right for the shows I watch, money I wanted to spend and size I wanted to have. And so far (it's been about 3 weeks), I am loving my decision.

The Panasonic TH-50PX60U is a high definition 720p/1080i plasma television. The picture on this model is phenomenal - and I've compared a lot of high definition TVs. We are feeding it with DirecTV's high definition service and DVR, and the HD reception looks exactly like what I was receiving over-the-air (OTA) in the weeks before the dish was installed (you can pull pure HD broadcasts for free, OTA, using a pair of $5 rabbit ears). The rumors of DirecTV degrading their signal (sometimes referred to as HDTV Lite) are unfounded (at least visually). The reception and detail of this TV is stunning.

I prefer CBS and NBC programming because they broadcast in 1080i, which is visually clearer than FOX's and ESPN's 720p resolution. But, all of the channels look fantastic! I have been glued to the TV for the past week (much to my wife's dismay) because I have been captivated by the difference in high definition. Besides the crystal clear network programming, I have been enjoying Discovery Channel's HD Theater channel, which shows some of the most jaw-dropping HD shows I've ever seen. The free HBO and Showtime have been a nice bonus, too.

If any of you would like more information on this TV, feel free to shoot me a comment or email. I have nothing but praise. Well, that's not entirely true... I do have one complaint - 50" is too small! I wish I could have justified spending more on the 60" model!!!

I Never Get Tired of This

McCain Making Sense for a Change

I'm not fan of John McCain, who I have barely considered to be republican, but it's good to see him raise awareness to an issue that should be of great concern to everyone - the rise of socialism. Kudos to Johnboy for bringing this to the election debate.

How the Left Communicates

When there is no rational argument for their position, those on the left often resort to what you see here: Vandalism, and the destruction of personal, private and public property. And it's not a rare occurrence. It would appear that most of these anti-American protesters have a way of disrespecting the institutions they claim to represent.

Parallels Between the Left and Jihadis

Islamists have been doing it since 9/11, but only recently have their efforts risen to such levels as to influence American discourse and politics - especially on the left. Below are some of the marching orders which instruct the Mujahadin (jihadi warriors) in their efforts to persuade Americans to withdraw from Iraq. Ironically, the American left have been using these same tactics as well. Don't believe me? Check out these pictures (again, below) from a Portland, Oregon "anti war" rally.

What the Islamists say (courtesy Memri.org):

Invent Stories About American Soldiers You Have [Allegedly] Personally Known

“Obviously, you should post your contribution... as an American... You should correspond with visitors to this forum, [bringing to their attention] the frustrating situation of their troops in Iraq... You should invent stories about American soldiers you have [allegedly] personally known (as classmates... or members in a club who played baseball and tennis with you) who were drafted to Iraq and then committed suicide while in service by hanging or shooting themselves...”

“Also, write using a sad tone, and tell them that you feel sorry for your [female] neighbor or co-worker who became addicted to alcohol or drugs... because her poor fiancé, a former soldier in Iraq, was paralyzed or [because] his legs were amputated... [Use any story] which will break their spirits, oh brave fighter for the sake of God...”

How to Make Americans Feel Frustrated With Their Government

“You should enter into debate or respond only if it is extremely necessary... Your concern should [only] be introducing topics which... will cause [them to feel] frustration and anger towards their government..., which will... render them hostile to Bush... and his Republican Party and make them feel they must vote to bring the troops back from Iraq as soon as possible.”

What the American Left says (courtesy LGF):

(I obviously edited a certain word for this blog)

Blatant Media Bias

You know, the next time Media Matters and the left wants to cry about Fox News being biased, they ought to stop by CNN's webpage and see what mainstream America has had to put up with for the past 15 years in the way of blatant liberal bias.

This is a screenshot of CNN's top stories taken a few minutes ago. Absolutely ridiculous.

Let's break it down a bit...

A trumped-up hit piece on Rudy Giuliani, a republican, followed by a story about Hillary Clinton, a democrat, showing her to be fairly balanced when it comes to the war (aimed at making people feel she's not so bad, after all).

Then, an apologetic article about one of the worst terrorists in human history, Khaled Sheikh Mohammed. CNN/Time asks, is he "believable?" I'll tell you what's unbelievable - the fact that CNN is even asking that question.

Then the list goes on to describe Nancy Pelosi as one of the sexiest seniors around. Yeah, that's top story material. More like pandering to the leader of the left.

But CNN's icing on the cake, however, is a story about how Fox News' number one rated Bill O'Reilly is being sued by Zsa Zsa Gabor's weird husband. With reporting like this, it is no wonder CNN consistently gets trampled by Fox News in the ratings.

So, let me ask you, does it get any more biased than this? Can it be any more obvious? I mean, they're talking about how sexy Pelosi is for her age when real stories, like the fact US soldiers are making real headway in Iraq with the increased troop levels are being ignored. Or what about how the Democrat majority's plan to withdraw from Iraq failed in the Senate?

If the people in this country continue to rely on the slanted news of the left, this country and its cherished freedom of the press is doomed. If we cannot trust major world news outlets like CNN to be balanced, how can we expect any more from the citizens of our nation?

Girl Finds Her Lost Dog's Severed Head on Porch

I'm not usually one to get tied in knots over cases of animal cruelty (after all, thousands of babies are murdered every day). But my philosophy notwithstanding, and as a dog lover myself, I couldn't pass over this heinous and gruesome story.

The people who commit acts like this are scum indeed, but someone who intentionally messes with a young girl who is grieving over her lost pet by delivering its bloody, severed head wrapped up in a gift box deserves to have his genitalia removed.

UPDATE: They caught the guy.

Killer Frogs from Outer Space (San Franscisco)

How do PETA-loving, everything-tolerating, San Francisco environmentalists handle this one? Man, I love slow news days. At least it's 75 degrees outside.

"Meat-eating killer frogs have invaded a pond in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, leaving environmentalists wondering how to stop their deadly march before they move on to bigger waters."

80% Less Insurgent Attacks in Iraq, and the Liberal Press Doesn't Bat an Eye

In keeping with the leftist agenda of destroying President Bush at all costs (including one-sided reporting, shameless progressive propaganda and lying), the mainstream media is failing to report that insurgent attacks in Iraq are down 80%. This is significant news. This is news the country should hear about, but they won't... at least, not from CNN and other liberal news outlets. They'll continue to report every misstep, and provide refuge to our enemies. Heaven forbid they actually report news that will weaken the enemy's resolve.

The World Tribune reports:

The U.S. Army has reported a sharp decrease in insurgency attacks in Baghdad.

In the week of Feb. 24 to March 2, officials said, insurgency strikes and suicide bombings dropped for the fourth consecutive week in Baghdad. They linked this to the steady increase of security patrols in the city.

The army said violence has decreased by 80 percent in the most insurgency-ridden areas of Baghdad. Officials said Shi'ite and Sunni insurgents have been overwhelmed by the current joint Iraqi-U.S. operation in the Iraqi capital.

The Whiners at Media Matters

The confused folks at Media Matters have accused The Politico (a new political newspaper in Washington, DC) of being too right wing. Give me a break. You can read about the controversy here.

Based on research from many sources over the past several years, it's generally well known that the American mainstream media shows a significant liberal bias. Therefore, it stands to reason that media outlets advocating neutrality and fairness will be perceived by liberal groups such as Media Matters as having a "republican tilt." This essentially means that outfits like The Politico, Fox News, and other media that don't tow the standard liberal line promulgated by the mainstream press will irk the left into the senseless accusations in which The Politico has found itself embroiled.

Maybe sending Media Matters a copy of the UCLA report on liberal media bias will remind them that despite anything The Politico might print that happens to find its way into the hands of conservatives, it would still be still a far cry from the amount of press the liberal agenda gets from the rest of the mainstream press.

Star Trek Bachelor Pad

Now, aside from the fact that if I ever attempted something like this, my wife would leave me and never look back (and indeed, that is made clear in this article when the apartment owner begins, "After my wife left me..."), I can't help but admit that this is pretty cool.

I don't know any guy who wouldn't have given a leg for this kind of setup (be it Trek, A-Team or Miami Vice) when he was younger (granted, this guy is older which is kind of frightening). But as a Star Trek fan myself, I am impressed with the realism this guy pulled off (again, I know Star Trek and "realism" present an oxymoron of sorts).

So, as nerdy as it sounds... I think this is pretty dang cool. You won't catch me doing it, though. Talking my wife into letting me buy a plasma television was hard enough!

So We're Causing Global Warming on Mars, Too, Eh?

This just goes to show how absolutely silly the global warming arguments have been getting that stipulate that humans are the cause. We have been told by climatologist after climatologist that global warming is a normal, cyclical pattern that occurs naturally over thousands of years on the Earth (especially since we are technically coming out of an ice age). The Goracle and his biologists have been claiming otherwise (as if biologists know better than climatologists). The Goracle's aim is to have you change your lifestyle (first through his lies, then through government intervention and compulsion) to one that is in conflict with free market society.

Now, according to the National Geographic - a nationally recognized scientific magazine, mind you - the same thing is happening on Mars where there is absolutely zero human presence (except for a few electric rovers that roam the planet). I quote:

In 2005 data from NASA's Mars Global Surveyor and Odyssey missions revealed that the carbon dioxide "ice caps" near Mars's south pole had been diminishing for three summers in a row.

Habibullo Abdussamatov, head of the St. Petersburg's Pulkovo Astronomical Observatory in Russia, says the Mars data is evidence that the current global warming on Earth is being caused by changes in the sun.

"The long-term increase in solar irradiance is heating both Earth and Mars," he said.

How long do you think it will take the secular progressive movement to utterly bury this article, the scientist who published it, and the editor at National Geographic who approved it?

Remember, according to The Goracle, there is no way to think except his way. If you think I'm wrong, just try to tell a secular progressive that humans aren't the cause of global warming. Just try it, and see what happens....

Middle Class New Orleans

Damage is overlooked here.

Still Abandoned

New Orleans

New Orleans 18 Months Later

Back in New Orleans

Eating grilled oysters on the half shell at Drago's.

The Goracle Makes "Teh Funnay"

The Goracle, in all of his might and powerful glory, made a funny on Oscar night. But, always unable to be interesting on his own, The Goracle's funny moment relied on a script. So, it really wasn't him being funny at all. It took a village. But that didn't stop the Prophet of Gaia, Holder of the Keys of Global Salvation from being fawned over by every Hollywood icon in attendance. I think a world record was achieved for mass orgasm when The Goracle walked on stage to collect his Oscar. What was it for, best work of fiction?

Snow Emergency in DC

This Was Unexpected!

My Latest New Blog

That's right, as if the Star Trek posts hidden in this blog didn't tip you off, I like to get down and nerdy in my spare time. I seem to have a talent for fixing computers and solving problems only a geek would love. So, I have decided to dedicate a whole new blog to my exploits in dealing with Microsoft's new operating system, Vista.

"The Daily Nerd" Kicks off today!

I figure, I've taken enough from blogs over the years... it's now time to give back! I'm hoping this new blog will eventually turn into a forum of sorts. I'll probably get as much out of it as I put into it... at least, I hope!

Democratic Leadership Raises White Flag

Dear Democratic Leadership:

Do you really think, in a climate of warfare, that anything less than full public support for our President will be seen as anything but beneficial to our enemies? Look, the terrorists want us to lose. They don't want us out of Iraq, they want us out of existence. Iraq keeps those who hate America engaged overseas, instead of coming here to martyr themselves.

No one wants this war to go on forever, but it's not done yet. The President said, in 2002, that the War on Terror would require patience, and would encounter many losses on both sides. We all agreed. That's what happens in a war, and wars are fought when our own lives at home are threatened. If you think that this war in Iraq is about anything other than protecting America from unstable middle eastern influence, you're wrong.

Please, stop with the soundbytes and posturing for the short term, and start thinking about the long term survival of our way of life. I don't want to be cowering in fear when the attacks start here at home. And they will. They will if you continue to weaken our nation in the eyes of the enemy.

Sincerely,

The Conservative Futurist

Will Work for Blood

I thought I had seen it all. Kinkiness I can understand, but blood drinking? Man, what did this guy expect having relations with a transient? "Yes, I'll have the rest of that donut, a couple bucks, a brown paper bag... oh, and a pint of your blood." Bums.

The victim, 45, and Sutton, 23, were lying in bed naked at early Wednesday when Sutton asked if he wanted to be tied up and he consented, police said.

But that's when Sutton reportedly pulled out a knife and cut the victim's leg, police said.

Sutton reportedly told him that she "likes to drink blood" and made several cuts to his upper body, police said.

He also said Sutton drank a "little bit" of his blood, police said.

He was able to break free, run out of his home, but Sutton reportedly followed with a pickaxe, police said.

The victim passed out before his friend found him covered in blood called the police, police said.

Read Arizona Republic article HERE.

Stuck at Home

It may not look like much, but there is a layer of ice under this snow that makes driving without 4-wheel drive impossible. My wife attempted to get to work and got stuck after moving 3 feet! We had to push the car back. What in the world are we paying a $300 HOA for? This parking lot should be plowed!

Flying Under Pressure

So here I sit at DFW, miserable, because my ears are still plugged from my first flight. NEVER FLY WHEN YOU'RE SICK! I can't begin to describe the exquisite pain I felt as the plane descended. But then, in fulfillment of a priesthood blessing given to me by my dad before I left St. George, my ears popped and I was spared a ruptured eardrum. Now I get to repeat the process all over again as I make this final leg of my journey back to DC.

One Year Later... Back in the Hospital

Exactly one year later (you may verify by looking up my past blogs) I am back in the hospital with excruciatingly painful plugged up ears! And what's worse, is that I'm still in Utah and can't fly until I get this de-congested. This always seems to happen on a weekend or at midnight, requiring trips to these urgent care centers. I hate it. I'm still waiting in the room here at the doctor while I tap this out on my phone. So fun.

CARDASSIANS

The Star Trek Experience in Vegas

More Vegas

Las Vegas, City of Lights

Beautiful St. George, UT

My Celebrity Match

I'm going to go kill myself now.

http://www.myheritage.com

Unclean! Unclean!

Well, for the second time in as many months, I'm fighting yet another cold. This one isn't the full blown virus-fest that I experienced in December, but it's still annoying. What makes it worse is that it seems to be affecting my voice, and I'm traveling to Utah tomorrow to address a group of first responders and engineers. Should make for an interesting presentation as I sound like a 12 year old going through puberty.

Expect pictures from Las Vegas this weekend. That is, if I'm not sick.

Manifest Homo Aquaticus

It was ideas like this that made the 20th century a great one for Americans. I mean, who wouldn't want to live under the sea and breath water through a set of genetically engineered lungs? Or travel to the moon for spring break? I know I would. But while my dreams of becoming a hybrid-Poseidon freakshow may not come to fruition, living under the sea - at least temporarily (in a hotel) will soon be within my reach.

Dubai, these days the capital of everything that seems bigger than life, is set to launch an underwater dreamworld luxury hotel - complete with missiles to fight off evil terrorists! Tell me who wouldn't want to fork over a G or two to spend the night in a place like this?

Billed as the world's first underwater hotel, the Hydropolis will be located, if all goes according to plan, 60 feet below sea level and cost $1,500 a night. Among other amenities, the Hydropolis will also feature a missile defense system to guard against terrorists, a shopping mall, and three bars.

The real question, however, is this: why doesn't America dare to be great anymore? Is it because we're too afraid of lawsuits, white-man's guilt or offending those who might disagree with our grand vision of the future? When did we stop becoming a nation of dreamers? It seems that we're too busy creating a nanny-state like the old nations of Europe, where the government controls everything and the citizens worry about their pensions more than they worry about making the world a better place for their children (and in the process, suck those same children dry through the high taxes necessary to support their increasing pensions) for us to have any time for imagination.

When did we outsource national pride to third world nations because we became too embarrassed by our own successes? Is the nation where anything was possible - even a "homo aquaticus" - instead building a future for homo ignoramus? Or, homo entitleus? Only time will tell. But from the looks of things, we're being sold out bit by bit. With comments like this, we shouldn't be surprised to see others take the dreams from us... and run with them.

I guess I'll just go hide myself 20,000 leagues under the sea and hope it all gets better. After all, the new American spirit seems to be: "Someone else will do it for me."

I'm Lost

Since I am completely without creativity today, I'll just post a sampling of some of the random news stories that can be found around the web. Stories like how Obama is a "clean black," according to democratic presidential hopeful Senator Biden. Or, I could show you all a funny picture that affirmed to my wife that I am not the only man with holes in his socks. Let's see, did I miss anything? Oh yeah, California - apparently lacking any good ideas and thus, lightbulbs - has decided to ban the conventional lightbulb. Now there's democracy in action. Take that Thomas Edison!

Maybe I'll have the energy to comment on world affairs in more detail tomorrow. Yeah, tomorrow.

The Line Must Be Drawn Here!

Spray painting the United States Capitol? This is intolerable. Anti-American (passing themselves off as anti-war) protesters spray-painted the U.S. Capitol building. If anything shows these people for who and what they are, then this is it. There is no question in my mind that these people hate America, hate its institutions (the Capitol building, for example) and hate anyone who disagrees with their obtuse world view.

No Guys, You Can't Take Them for a Test Drive!

My wife and I went to the Washington Auto Show expecting to see lots of concept cars (future designs) and to pick up bags of free schwag. Instead, all I got was this lousy photo of a bimbo and the frustrated men lined up to stare at her... um... rack & pinion steering.

Excuse Me, Ben Stiller, You're Needed in Muslim Paradise...

Apparently one of the failed London bombers just couldn't leave this life without taking some of the essentials with him: a bottle of aftershave and a copy of Meet the Fockers on DVD. Forget for a moment the irony that Ben Stiller is Jewish. Do you laugh or cry at these kinds of revelations? I have to admit, I think it is pretty dang funny.

Hey, They're Just Like Us!

This would be hysterical if I could get past the contempt I have for the manipulative, lying folks of Hollywood.

Self-righteous movie stars like George Clooney and Brad Pitt do what they can to save the planet - or at least act like they do - so that you and I can forgo necessary conveniences like flexible and affordable travel options. They show us pictures of themselves smiling smugly next to their Toyota Priuses so that we think, "Hey, if Julia Roberts can save the Earth, I can too!"

What you don't see are the 9000 mile private jet trips, the HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of gallons of quickly-burned jet fuel to take people like Brad Pitt to exotic locales so that they can adopt a baby unconnected to our wasteful, pathetic genepool here in America.

Thanks TMZ for exposing this hypocrisy. Here are some samples:

Julia Roberts

On the ground: Roberts drives a Prius, which gets (at best) 60 miles to the gallon, shaving 30 miles off a normal car's mpg.

In the air: Chicago/LA, 1,749 miles in a private jet, the route she took with Rupert Everett while shooting "My Best Friend's Wedding."

Gas guzzled: 2,100 gallons of jet fuel.

Prius Penance: Julia would have to drive 30,000 miles, or roughly once around the earth and then some to even out her consumption in the air.

So Julia says: No word yet from Julia's rep.

Hanging for Dummies, Courtesy of CNN

Did you know there is a right and wrong way to hang a man? Well, you probably do now thanks to this head-popping story. But a day too late for the people losing their heads in Iraq, CNN has posted "How Hanging is Supposed to Work" for their viewers. Apparently, the head isn't supposed to come off.

Here's the facts:

• Hanging is the suspension of a person by a cord wrapped around the neck, causing death. Throughout history it has been used as a form of capital punishment in various forms. The method used in Iraq is modeled on the 19th-century method of execution used in Britain, which formed the Iraqi state after World War I.
• Four types of drop have been used in hanging: the short drop, suspension, standard and long drop. In all but the last, subjects can remain conscious for minutes and eventually die of strangulation and/or loss of blood to the brain.
• The 19th-century long drop through a trap door is intended to be more humane, generating enough force from the tightening of the rope and the twisting of the noose knot under the jaw to break the neck. A calculation is made based on the convict's weight, height and build of the drop needed to break the neck. The distance is typically 1.5-2.5 metres (5-9 feet).
• When the neck breaks and severs the spine, the subject immediately loses consciousness. Brain death follows in minutes. But if the drop is too short, the subject can be strangled. If it is too long, the subject can be decapitated.

Katie Couric's Days Are Numbered

...and this blogger couldn't be happier! She's a horrible journalist, plain and simple. Her ratings show it, too. Here's the latest Couric ratings as reported by Drudge:

S.O.S. COURIC: CBS 'EVENING NEWS' CONTINUES FADE IN BIG CITIES VS ABC... LOSES NEARLY 2 TO 1 IN NYC MONDAY NITE... LOSES 2 TO 1 IN LOS ANGELES; NEARLY 3 TO 1 IN CHICAGO AND PHILLY... IN 52 METERED-MARTS ABC 7.4 RATING/12 SHARE, NBC 7.2/12, CBS 6.0/10...

Look, CBS ain't doin' so hot. They lost respect with Dan Rather, and continue to lose it (or at least, fail to regain it) with Katie "I Gotta Go Potty" Couric. It's time to do a serious overhaul at Columbia Broadcasting System. My suggestion: Rip Torn. Why? Because of his bad-ss name, that's why.

Pelosi bin Laden

If these two can agree, it must be the the right thing to do! "Cut funding to US troops in Iraq!" The great powers have spoken! Oh, and they say Bush is an infidel, too.

A Relevant Quotation

This seems appropriate for our times.

There is a rank due the United States among the nations that will be totally lost by the reputation of weakness. If we would avoid insult we must be able to repel it, if we would secure the peace it must be known that we are at all times ready for war.

- George Washington

Lance Armstrong, Der Fuhrer

Holding impatience up to be some kind of gold standard that gets things done is a horrible and irresponsible precedent to set. It's is because of impatience that we have laws protecting against illegal medical experimentation. Impatience has led to unsafe drugs being rushed to the market and lives being risked out of the drive to get to the finish line first. Yes, people are dying from cancer. It's affected my family. It's affected everyone. But to set aside an essential societal attribute like patience is an open invitation for disaster, and will likely set cancer research further behind as a result.

Here is a short excerpt from his "speech," courtesy of CNN:

I'm not known for my patience. Patience is a polite quality and often appropriate, but it rarely gets things done. Impatience, however, is the hunger for results and intolerance for excuses and delays. Impatience got me over countless mountain passes, across the finish line in New York City and through four rounds of ruthless chemotherapy 10 years ago.

Yet this election season I patiently waited to hear a candidate for office explain to constituents what he or she planned to do about one of the leading threats to the health and well-being of all Americans -- cancer. My patience was greeted with silence.

Washington is not a bike race, Mr. Armstrong. Trust me, the last place you want extra impatience running rampant is here in the nation's capital.

Just Heard from Mark Steyn

We need more writers willing to speak like this.

The Phuture of Phones

It's apparent now that the release of the iPhone will radically change the way phones are designed from here on out. I was on Phonescoop today looking at the new Samsung and Motorola phones that were announced at CES, and while the new phones were pretty cool (the Motorola Z6 and V3xx in particular), they just don't hold a candle to the iPhone as far as aesthetic beauty is concerned.

This is a big capitulation for me. I have avoided the iPod because I can't stand iTunes and the general attitude surrounding their so-called superiority. But I have to give credit where its due, and the iPhone is a serious contender for my undying loyalty.

But its good looks aside, the iPhone is packed with awesome features like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and a 2 megapixel camera... I just wish it used Cingular's new, ultra high speed HSDPA network (it will run on the much slower GPRS/EDGE network instead). I can't believe that a phone coming out in June wouldn't have that standard...

All said and done, I might be turning in my Creative Zen and Samsung Sync for this new Apple beauty... only if Apple decides to give it HSDPA. Don't buy a phone for over $50 without it.

Nancy Pelosi: Hypocrite & Liar

My wife, who wants to be a stay-at-home mom and generally shares the same ideology as I do, sent me this article about Nancy Pelosi. She was impressed by Nancy, version 1.0 the "role model" while simultaneously being repelled by version 2.0 and her current politics. I was taken aback by the fact that my wife was so easily wooed by a biased, liberal media. The real Nancy Pelosi is a much different woman than the mainstream media has been making her out to be lately. Despite what she did in her "early years," Nancy Pelosi is now an enormous threat to the traditional family values she is currently capitalizing on to win support.

The email to my wife went something like this:

Yes, she may have been a great role model once... but we can’t forget that she now espouses ideals that encourage the breakup of the family. This is what is ticking me off about this whole thing. She is a die-hard liberal… an activist at heart. She is a San Francisco democrat (generally the most liberal of all) and for the past 20 years has been a champion of causes that would make traditional, conservative women throw-up. The press has been focusing on her past as a stay-at-home mom like it should be heralded as the greatest thing since plastic, while the same press continues to look down upon modern women who choose to stay-at-home. All the while, Pelosi supports gay marriage, the promotion of “independent women’s rights” – which is a euphemism for women who want to have kids without a father – and other agendas such as abortion (even late-term abortion) and the legalization of drugs.

She’s a hypocrite who uses traditional American values when it suits her, but who in reality loathes those values she currently claims to represent. Yeah, great woman.

But bless my poor wife for having to put up with my crap on a daily basis. If there's truly a role model in the world, then I nominate my wonderful wife who wants to pursue the ultimate role - raising a family at home! She is truly an amazing woman!

Thanks Democrats! You Just Made Politics Even More Corrupt!

Democrats have done a very bad thing. They, in their zeal to be the “protectors” of American politics, have completely eradicated a form of political expression and representation by adopting new rules that effectively kill the tools used by advocacy groups, associations and other lobbying entities. I’m not talking about the millions of dollars that were used by bad apples like Abramoff, but the simple, “get to know you” types of actions that are a mainstay of human interaction – informal lunches.

On the surface, we’ve been made to think that lobbying is a bad thing. Most Americans associate lobbyists with bribery, cheating and backroom deals. While the cases of people such as Abramoff and Murtha may have seemingly proven this perception, the reality is that most lobbyists are ordinary folks. We’re not trying to buy votes – we’re just trying to represent our members and clients – who are, after all, voters themselves.

I work at an association that represents nearly 30,000 people from across the county. Our members are primarily first responders, people who are generally considered heroes. I think someone would be hard pressed to call us a “special interest group” because that phrase usually has a negative connotation (thanks to the media), even though that’s exactly what we are. We represent the special interests of our members, because their interests are different – more specialized – than those of the general population.

Our association does not have a PAC (political action committee) that raises, and then donates, money to Congressional campaigns. As a result, we communicate with Congress the old fashioned way – by going to Capitol Hill and discussing our issues with Congressional staff in person, at lunch briefings, etc. We do not “buy votes” as some might say. We use our collective influence to let Members of Congress know that what they do might hamper (or help) the ability of our members to do their jobs.

Thanks to the characteristic misperception of problems by democrats, lobbyists (remember, suspend your negative association with that word) are now barred from communicating effectively on behalf of their members and constituencies. All of these knee-jerk “let’s reform government” talking points ends up being self-defeating in the end. The democratic Congress has now traded away the rights of their constituents to lobby by barring almost every form of normal human interaction between Members of Congress, their staff, and the general public.

While limiting things like lunches and trips may sound reasonable on the surface (because we are so accustomed now of thinking of our elected leaders as cheats), these types of moves don’t do anything but force corruption deeper underground. Limiting our ability to educate lawmakers by inviting them to lunch so that we can explain our positions without interruption will not stop corruption. It will kill the smaller voices who need to be heard, and increase the power of the elites who actually do have inside access to politicians.

Here’s the conspiratorial irony behind the new democratic rules. Those with the most power, money and influence will not be affected by this change. If anything, it will encourage more organizations to start playing the campaign contribution game, since that will become the only way for a group (or individual) to be heard. And now that the other perks are gone, Congress will eschew any further attempt to curb campaign abuse because that will be their only source of gaining influence and power. And campaign money is where the real corruption exists.

The democrats have created an environment where the problems of corruption will go deeper underground, and thus have a more insidious effect on politics. Power is addictive, and money is the fuel that drives the race to gain more power. Curbing lobbyist lunches will not fix this.

By paying lip service to the concerns of the left-wing and the media, the democrats have just created a more powerful class of elites. Those few who have so much money as to have direct access to whomever they please are now the only people who will have access. The rest of us can either start playing this dangerous game, or let the voices of those we represent fade into darkness. We can thank Ms. Pelosi and her party for this wonderful choice.

Calm Down Everyone, It's NOT Global Warming

Yes, I realize it's 60 degrees today and will be 70 this weekend. But that doesn't mean all of the predictions by liberal soothsayers and zealots will surely come to pass! It's a mild fluctuation, nothing more. Besides, remember how last year was the coldest winter on record? Probably not.

AP Reports:

"Meteorologists say the warm spell is due to a combination of factors: El Nino, a cyclical warming trend now under way in the Pacific Ocean, can lead to milder weather, particularly in the Northeast; and the jet stream, the high-altitude air current that works like a barricade to hold back warm Southern air, is running much farther north than usual over the East Coast.

The weather is prone to short-term fluctuations, and forecasters said the mild winter does not necessarily mean global warming is upon us. In fact, the Plains have been hit by back-to-back blizzards in the past two weeks."