It still won't work!

I am amazed at how Obama thinks the way to get out of our financial difficulties is with the same things that got us there in the first place. It's kind of like if your kitchen sink is leaking, you say let's punch a hole in the bathroom sink, too! That only gets you in deeper water.

Obama said in October that the banks who got the bailout funds should start lending more money to small businesses that can't get credit. And why did the banks need bailout funds? Because they made too many bad loans! Obama says that these are the very taxpayers who stood by America's banks in a crisis. No, they're not! They're the very people who defaulted on loans and had a big hand in causing the crisis!

Obama said his administration will "take every appropriate step to encourage them to meet those responsibilities." That's code for "We're gonna make you do it." And when it all comes crashing down again, it will be George Bush's fault.

"Obama tells banks to help small businesses." The Dallas Morning News; October 29, 2009; p. 2D.

Priceless?

Learning to spell so you don't make a fool of yourself in the national media -- PRICELESS!

P.S. I do hope his tattoo artist spells better than he does.

I guess I'm a racist.

I know the left will call me a racist, but California Congresswoman Maxine Waters is a hypocrite and possibly a big crook. After you read this, you may be a racist, too.

Last year, she set up a meeting in which OneUnited, one of the nation's largest black-owned banks, asked for $50 million in bailout funds. Waters' husband, Sidney Williams, is a former board memeber of the bank and has owned, and may still own, at least $250,000 of its stock. Waters says he paid for the stock himself, but she won't say how much he paid. She also won't say whether or not he still has it. She also neglected to tell the Treasury Department about her personal financial interest in the meeting she set up. She says, "I had no influence on what Bush administration officials in the Treasury Department or other departments did." Of course she did -- not revealing your ties in a situation like this is tantamount to lying.

The bank received $12 million out of your pocket. Why was it in trouble in the first place? Could be because Kevin Cohee, the chief executive, got a $6.4 million beachfront compound in Santa Monica, California, provided by the bank. He also is provided with a Porsche SUV. And that's just the perks we know about.

"Congresswoman's ties take regulators aback." The Dallas Morning News; March 13, 2009; p. 2A.

Do you see what I see?

In September, the Tea Party Express rolled into Washington, D.C. These ordinary citizens who are fed up with government waste and control have been branded by Pelosi, Obama, Carter, and other leftists as Nazis, terrorists, hicks, and racists among other things.

An article in the newspaper quoted Trent Bowman, a hairdresser who has a shop near one of the Dallas stops. He said the rally reflected a "hostile spirit." "Everybody's being ugly about it."

I saw at least two photographs taken at the Dallas stops. I've posted links to them here. In one of them, the camera captured maybe 50 people. The vast majority of them had smiles on their faces and looked like they were enjoying themselves. Seven faces are clearly visible in the other photograph. Every one of them is smiling. I just don't see "hostile" and "ugly" here. And you know what they say -- a picture is worth a thousand words. It's a lot more honest, too.

http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/politics/Traveling-Tea-Party-Draws-Thousands-57409497.html

http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/tv/stories/DN-teaparty_05met.ART.State.Edition1.4c28113.html

"Tea Party tour stop brings in focused crowd." The Dallas Morning News; September 5, 2009; p. 4B.

What a sacrifice!

Former Dallas City Councilman Don Hill and his wife were found guilty of extorting hundreds of thousands of dollars from contractors to insure they got the zonings they wanted in his district. But according to poor Mr. Hill, "I know the things that we did, my wife and I . . . all we wanted to do is the very best for the citizens of Dallas, and we were doing it at great sacrifice." If you believe that, I'll check with my relative and see if she still has that fountain downtown for sale.

"Hill, cohorts guilty on most counts in bribery, extortion." The Dallas Morning News; October 6, 2009; p. 1A.

Don't bring up the facts -- they don't fit with my agenda!

I've written in a previous post about how the earth has not experienced global warming in over a decade. Yet Obama's science advisor, John Holdren, says that global warming is happening so rapidly that the White House is discussing taking steps to change the climate as an emergency option. More evidence that Obama thinks he's God.

"Climate alterations an emergency option." The Dallas Morning News; April 9, 2009; p. 5A.

It's so hard to find creative heteros!

Essie has written before about how the home and garden features in the newspaper seem to always gravitate toward the gay couples. It happened again recently in The Dallas Morning News with the home of Greg Armstrong and Alan Rister. It's just so hard to find a creative straight couple!

"It's all in the details." The Dallas Morning News; October 1, 2009; p. 1E.

Should I, or shouldn't I?

Obama is in a dilemma. He really wants to get rid of the "Don't ask, don't tell" policy, but he just doesn't want to take a stand. His spokesman said, "I don't think it's going to be -- it's not years, but I think it will be teed up appropriately." Just as soon as he can figure out how to get all the credit and none of the blame.

"'Don't ask,don't tell" changes are on hold." The Dallas Morning News; October 5, 2009; p. 5A.

If you don't believe in Jesus, why do you care?

We may soon be told what we may and may not pray. Mikey Weinstein of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation has filed suit to keep Gordon Klingenschmitt from "asking Jesus to plunder my fields . . . seize my assets, kill me and my family then wipe away our descendants for 10 generations."

From what I have read, Klingenschmitt is, indeed, a bit of a nutcase. However, his prayer is actually scripture from the book of Psalms. Furthermore, Weinstein does not believe that Jesus is God. That being the case, why does he care what Klingenschmitt asks Jesus for? Weinstein says the issue is that Klingenschmitt is stirring up his followers to do the deeds. That being the case, why did he not sue him for inciting to violence or riot? Why bring the prayer into it?

Klingenschmitt is contemplating filing a countersuit. Weinstein said he "would like to beat the [expletive] out of him in a boxing ring or in an alley." Sounds like Weinstein might be a bit prone to violence himself. There is a real danger in this -- the courts may rule that we cannot pray as our hearts lead. Christians are losing rights every day. We must be vigilant of even the most trivial cases.

"Lawyer sues to end 'threat' prayer." The Dallas Morning News; October 5, 2009; p. 1A.

Our Legislators' IQ's

Our legislators never cease to amaze me. As my Grandma used to say, "I don't think they have the sense God gave a goose!"

This time it's the Texas Tomorrow Fund, or as it's now known, the Texas Guaranteed Tuition Plan. Starting in 1996, parents could start college funds for their children. They signed a contract to put in so much, and their child was guaranteed sufficient tuition (typically for 128 hours) when they reached college age. So a parent who put in $11,000 13 years ago now has a contract worth about $30,000 due to the steep increase in tuition costs.Of course, investments haven't kept up with rising costs, so the fund faces a massive $2.1 billion deficit. My question? Why did these idiots think they could invest this money better than the parents could on their own?

And here's the kicker. Under the original rules, if the parent cancels the tuition contract, he gets the adjusted amount refunded. Of course, that's changed, but they all have the opportunity to cash in their contracts before the change takes place. The 158,000 who enrolled in this program were brilliant. The legislators who came up with this plan are a little lower than the geese on the IQ scale. And the rest of us are the suckers who get stuck with the tab.

"Tuition plan to limit refunds." The Dallas Morning News; September 3, 2009; p. 2A

Can I have your gall when you die?

Supposedly legitimate charitable organizations are actively moving squatters into foreclosed properties to which they have no claim whatsoever. And they think they're doing a good thing. A group called Take Back the Land recently moved Queen Omega (I seriously doubt any royal lines here) into a $400,000 foreclosed property. Take Back the Land doesn't have any claim to the property, and neither does Queen. But they feel she has a right to live there. Why? Beats me. But I'd sure like to have their gall.

"Groups aiming to fill officially vacant houses." The Dallas Morning News; April 11, 2009; p. 7A.

How many Hosam Smadi's are there out there?

The case of Hosam Smadi should scare us to death. He's the illegal Jordanian who tried to blow up Fountain Place in Dallas. He came in on a visitor visa that expired long ago. Immigration officials say that expired visas mean little -- it's almost certain authorities won't take notice. Representative Lamar Smith says, "Unfortunately, a lot of people are coming in for the wrong reasons -- to harm Americans or kill Americans, rather than as an innocent tourist. Once you come into the country on a tourist visa, you've passed 'Go.' People know they're home free and there's no effort made to keep track of them."

Our country's liberal tendencies will kill us one day. After Sept. 11, the government required males ages 16 to 70 from a number of predominantly Muslim countries to report their whereabouts. All the bleeding hearts kicked up a fuss, and the program was abandoned. We caught Hosam, but how many Hosam's have we not caught?

We also need to go after Hosam's American "wife." Her grandfather says Hosam offered her $5,000 to marry him so he could stay here, but she held out for $10,000. Last time I noticed, that was against the law. We need to prosecute these offenders who place their countrymen at risk.

"Suspect's visa had expired." The Dallas Morning News; September 30, 2009; p. 1B.

Articulate?

Stephen Matthews of Bedford thinks Barack Obama is the "most articulate advocate of his policies." I think Barack Obama is the most articulate advocate of Barack Obama.

"Obama's hardly overexposed." The Dallas Morning News; September 30, 2009; p. 16A.

Too Much Government

Did you know that if you live in Michigan, and you have a very good friendship with your neighbor and her children, and you tell your neighbor you will be happy for the children to come to your house after school to stay until she gets home from work, you're breaking the law after four weeks? This state has an ordinance that you cannot care for children unrelated to you more than four weeks out of the year unless you are a licensed daycare provider.

What does that do to the teenage babysitter? And to people like Lisa Snyder. Lisa graciously offered to help out three of her neighbors. They had to leave for work before the school bus arrived for their children. Lisa told them she'd let the children come to her house to wait for the bus. Days later, she received a letter from the Michigan Department of Human Services warning her she was violating the law. One of my questions is how the DHS knew Lisa was caring for these children.

Another question I have concerns who lobbied for this law. Think it might have been the day care owners of the state? Michigan DHS needs to mind its own business.

"State slaps mother's helping hand." The Dallas Morning News; September 30, 2009; p. 5A.

It's gonna' cost you!

More government regulation that's going to take a bite out of your pocketbook -- a law passed by Congress last summer requires new labels and product testing for lead in children's products. Even products with little or no lead in them must be tested and labelled.

Jolie Fay is a mother who makes children's jackets and fleece ponchos out of her basement in Portland, Oregon. Even though her products are fabric and pose no lead risk whatsoever, they must be tested and tagged at a cost of about $2000 per product. Mrs. Fay won't be able to absorb all that cost, so she'll have to go up on her prices. Another Obama "Gotcha!"

"New lead limits worry small-business owners." The Dallas Morning News; September 3, 2009; p. 2D.

Wonder what they've been smoking.

I'm about as anti-smoking as you can get. I advocate restricting cigarette smoking to the privacy of one's home. However, there was an article last month in the newspaper that takes things entirely too far.

A mother and daughter are suing their neighbor and landlord for damage they say was caused by cigarette smoke wafting through adjoining walls of their townhome. There was an accompanying photo of the women in gas masks. I kid you not!

The townhome has solid, two-hour fire walls from the foundation to the roof between each of the homes. That, alone, probably precludes smoke getting in. The managers replaced air filters repeatedly, installed sealant-type electrical plates and used an industrial-grade roofing sealant to caulk pipes under their kitchen cabinet. Then they tried to negotiate a move for both tenants. When none of that worked, these ladies still renewed their lease. If they are that sensitive, why didn't they opt to live in a townhome that is smoke-free? Such properties are available in the Dallas area.

The poor smoker who found herself in this situation finally moved to another unit after a judge told her she couldn't smoke in her own home. And the complainant? She's filed suit for disability under the Texas Fair Housing Act.

The mother and daughter also finally moved from the townhome -- their movers wore surgical masks as they worked. The ladies want all their furniture reupholstered, all their artwork restored, and all their clothing professionally cleaned. They say they don't buy cheap stuff -- everything was custom-made. Just look into their eyes -- they may not be red from cigarette smoke, but I'll bet they're green with $$$$$$$$$$.

"Woman fuming over smoking neighbor." The Dallas Morning News; September 30, 2009; p. 1A.

Here we are in November.

Back in April, Marie Scruggs of Dallas made some delusional statements about Obama. She said she was so proud of him for restoring world respect for the U.S. Here we are in November, and we see the world has so much respect for us and Obama, that they snatched away the Olympics from Chicago when it was supposed to be a sure thing.

Marie says that Obama has tackled a mind-boggling economic crisis. Here we are in November, and we've spent billions of dollars with nothing to show for it. Unemployment and foreclosures continue to rise.

Marie says Obama has reversed many of the previous administration's disastrous environmental policies. Here we are in November, and cap and trade is in trouble(thank goodness!), and power rates are still high. Have you noticed anything different environmentally?

Marie says Obama has taken command of the insurgency raging anew in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Here we are in November, and we are seeing record numbers of troops killed in Afghanistan and a General who says he's rarely had the opportunity to even discuss strategy with the President, who's still waiting to see what "kind of government" he'll have to deal with over there when that issue was settled a couple of weeks ago.

Marie says Obama is set to tackle health care, education and energy. Here we are in November, I won't even talk about the debacle health care has been -- everyone is all too familiar with that. As far as education, here we are in November, and about all I've heard he's done is a controversial live-feed telling kids to stay in school and make a recommendation we keep them there longer. Energy? Have you heard anything I haven't on that front?

Marie says all the while Obama is reaching out to Republicans in Congress and interacting directly with the American public. Here we are in November, and the Republicans in Congress can't even get him to look at their ideas. He has said he'll push through health care any way he can. Interacting directly with the public? Only for handpicked crowds with pre-determined questions. And where was he when Ft. Hood was hurting? Certainly not in Texas. I heard one analyst on the news say that if that shooting had been at a Mosque in Detroit, you can be sure Obama would have been front and center, sobbing and commiserating with all the Muslims. I think he's exactly right.

Marie suspects the American majority agree with her. Here we are in November, and I suspect Marie needs some mental help.

"My pride in Obama." The Dallas Morning News; April 7, 2009; p. 12A.

More Obama control coming your way

Obama wants people to save. So he's proposing that companies be required to set up 401(k) plans in which all workers are automatically enrolled unless they tell the employer not to enroll them. I don't know about you, but I'm perfectly capable of deciding what to do with my money without his help.

"Automatic ways to save coming." The Dallas Morning News; September 6, 2009; p. 6A.

That's not in my job description.

I fear for our country. Janet Napolitano, Obama's head of the Department of Homeland Security, was asked what surprised her most about her job. She said, "One is the international aspects of it. It's called Homeland Security, but the plain fact of the matter is, if you start doing your job at the geographic border, you've started in a lot of cases too late."

Well, duh! Those weren't American citizens who hijacked those planes on September 11! They didn't attack us because they were upset with our domestic policies! What surprises me most is that someone that naive and clueless is charged with protecting us from foreign terrorists who will stop at nothing!

"American security guard." The Dallas Morning News; September 6, 2009; p. 5P.

Texas is in trouble, folks!

Why should we care what other states do with gay marriage? I've been warning about it, and now it's here. State District Judge Tena Callahan has ruled that we must grant a divorce to two men married in a state which recognizes gay marriage. She says that we deny them their 14th amendment rights if we don't.

Dallas attorney Peter Schulte represents the two queers. He says, "If a divorce is granted in the case, the court is NOT creating, recognizing or validating a marriage between persons of the same sex; rather the effect of a divorce immediately ends a marriage which furthers the 'public policy' of this state as written in the Family Code." He further stated, "This is not about gay marriage; this is about gay divorce." What a bunch of hooey! Of course granting a divorce acknowledges that a marriage existed. You don't see unmarried people in divorce court! How do you "end" something that doesn't exist in the first place? As soon as we grant a divorce, they'll be filing suit claiming that we have to let them marry, because we've acknowledged the validity by granting a divorce.

Our Attorney General, bless his heart, is appealing her ruling. What our legislature needs to do is pass an amendment to the gay marriage law that also outlaws gay divorce. That will settle that issue, and if the homos want a divorce, they can go back to where they like perverts. We need to get busy and campaign against this rogue judge. Then they can take her with them.

"Texas judge rejects gay-marriage ban." The Dallas Morning News; October 2, 2009; p. 1A.

It's not the same thing at all.

One of the arguments from those who support requiring everyone to have health insurance is that it's the same thing as requiring car insurance. No, it's not.

Car insurance is required if you want to drive your vehicle on public streets and highways. If you don't, you don't have to buy it. The requirement is conditional -- if you don't drive, you don't have to buy it. Health insurance would not be predicated upon a specific circumstance. Everybody would have to buy it (see clarification below).

The car insurance you are required to have is not for your protection -- it is for the protection of others. No one is required by law to buy collision insurance. What is required is liability. That's to protect the other driver. Health insurance is like a requirement to buy collision insurance.

Ah but -- clarification is needed on the "everyone has to have it" rule. If you can't afford it, you don't have to buy it. That means all the rest of us will be paying for insurance for somebody else. Maybe somebody who can afford a big-screen TV, a nice car, the latest cell-phone, etc. It's all about priorities. And how will we be paying for their insurance? With "a variety of new taxes and fees on businesses and some families" according to the Senate Finance Committee. Senator Max Baucus says the fees and taxes are "an essential element of his bill to expand coverage."

"Panel eases insurance penalties." The Dallas Morning News; October 2, 2009; p. 5A.

Is this woman nuts?

I don't know Barbara Welch, but I'm pretty sure she had no friends or relatives at/in the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, United Flight 93, Pan Am Flight 103, or any of the other terrorist targets of recent years. I say this because she's faulting the FBI for arresting Hosam Smadi, the terrorist who thought he was blowing up Fountain Place in Dallas.

She says they enticed him to blow up that building. Not so, Barbara. Hosam was on the internet looking for someone to provide him the "tools" he needed, and they followed up. This is a kid, she says. Not so, Barbara. He is a 19-year-old terrorist who willingly parked a bomb-laden vehicle in a high traffic area then took the steps to detonate it.

He was highly susceptible to suggestion, she says. Maybe so, but that makes him all the more dangerous. What if it really had been Al-Quaida he was making his plan with? She says she is free to imagine what the FBI did. She can imagine all she wants, but I'm pretty sure the FBI documented their movements, and no imagination will be required in court.

Since he was working alone, she wonders why the FBI even bothered. Well, Barbara, one man detonating a bomb kills as many people as twenty men planning and carrying out the same plan. Didn't they try to help this kid, she asks. Why would we want to help a terrorist?

She thinks the FBI owes him for ruining his life. I think we owe the FBI for the unnumbered lives they saved that day!

"A kid who needed help." The Dallas Morning News; October 2, 2009; p. 20A.

Big Oops!

How would you like it put on the front page of the local newspaper that you had breast cancer? What if it appeared on the front page and you didn't have breast cancer? This correction appeared in our award-winning Paris News: "Chisum Elementary School fourth grade teacher Cheryl Roddy is not suffering from breast cancer as stated in a cutline in the Friday, Oct. 30, edition of The Paris News . . . The Paris News regrets the error." Besides proofreaders, the newspaper could use a few reporters.

Another Paris News funny: In an article about the Challenge Day held in PISD schools, Mary Madewell said, "Students freely shared intermost feelings during afternoon sessions." Wonder if there were any innernational students there?

Torn up your AARP card yet?

The AARP is NOT an advocate for seniors. It is a very liberal organization. Hundreds, maybe even thousands, of people are tearing up their AARP cards because of the group's support of Obama Care. Obama Care means nothing but cuts in services and increases in out of pocket expenses for seniors.

Feel like you need AARP? There is an alternative. The American Seniors Association more accurately reflects the conservative views held by many American Seniors. They're currently offering you a two-year for the price of one year subscription ($15.00) if you send in your cut up AARP card.

Incidentally, one of their four pillars is keeping benefits out of the hands of illegals. That, in itself, is enough to get me and Mr. Essie May to join.

The Paris News funny for the day: Connie Beard says that it's up to the city to say "yay or nay" to a certificate of occupancy for the La Quinta Inn. Yea, it appears Connie didn't use her dictionary.

http://www.americanseniors.org/

Father of the Year

I nominate Shaheed Wright of East Orange, New Jersey for father of the year. With the police after him, Shaheed hid several baggies of cocaine in his son's jacket pocket and told him it was candy. The 4-year-old shared his candy with several of his day care friends. Luckily, none of the children was seriously injured.

"Police: Boy, 4, shared drugs his father said were candy." The Dallas Morning News; September 20, 2009; p. 8A.

Democrats -- the party of compassion

Democrats paint Republicans with the "unfeeling," "hard-hearted," "greedy," brush all the time just because Republicans believe in personal responsibility. They paint themselves as compassionate, caring, and generous. (I must admit they are generous -- with other people's money!).

John Edwards is a Democrat. He promised his mistress that as soon as his cancer-stricken wife died, they'd get married in a New York rooftop ceremony with the Dave Matthews Band. To protect his political aspirations, he tried to find a doctor who would falsify a DNA test to lend credence to his denials of paternity of his own daughter. Yes! He is the epitome of compassion!

"Edwards may soon declare paternity." The Dallas Morning News; September 20, 2009; p. 4A.

Is it really free choice?

There is a bill pending in Congress called the Employee Free Choice Act. As with "Change we can believe in," "Universal health care," and other nice sounding things touted by the Obama administration, the Employee Free Choice Act is not what it seems.

Take this one provision: Under the EFCA, workers will lose their right to a private ballot, which means they could be required to vote in the presence of a paid union representative. They also face the risk of threat or coercion if they're opposed to or undecided about union participation.

Doesn't sound much like free choice to me. But Obama has said, "We will pass the Employee Free Choice Act."

"Employee Free Choice Act a union power grab." The Dallas Morning News; March 19, 2009; p. 17A.

How do they really know?

Scientists say that Tyrannosaurus rex had a "pint-sized precursor, remarkably similar in appearance but no heavier than a human being." This is based on "a single fossil" smuggled out of China.

There is no detail on exactly how large that "single fossil" is. It could be a tooth. "Scientists" have been known to build an entire animal from a single jawbone. How do they know what the animal looked like from such scant remains? They don't. So until they show me what they actually found, I'm quite skeptical. The same goes for the recently discovered "Ardi," the purported next step to the missing link.

"T. rex had a puny predecessor." The Dallas Morning News; September 18, 2009; p. 18a.

What happens when the government runs health care.

Michelle Lyons, spokeswoman for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, said more than 45,000 convicts will receive the swine flu vaccine before it is made available to the general public. The prison system has asked for 158,000 doses. Prison officials say the policy is set by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And who do you think they are taking orders from? Lyons said the prisons were like a nursing home or a college dorm. NO THEY'RE NOT! They're full of blights on society! They say if the flu starts there, it could spread quickly. Well, excuse me, but aren't these people, in effect, quarantined? I have no problem with prison personnel being innoculated -- in fact, I think that is highly advisable. But the prisoners aren't going anywhere -- at least they shouldn't be. But that's a whole 'nother blog.

"Inmates may get flu shots first." The Dallas Morning News; October 28, 2009; p. 2B.

Mandate that, Mark Clark!

Mark A. Clark of Weatherford, Texas, is amazed that people are upset with AIG bonuses only because they received a taxpayer bailout. Why else should I care what AIG spends its money on? I'm not an investor, I'm not a customer. If I don't like the way AIG spends its money, I take my business elsewhere. That's what the free market is all about.

But Mark thinks he should have the right to tell AIG how to run its business. I'll grant you, since we've bailed them out, we do have that right, but that's not what he's talking about. He's talking about telling businesses how to structure their payrolls when they're not taking taxpayer dollars. He says executives must have their pay limited to a factor relative to the lowest-paid person at the company. Well, Mark, what's good for the goose is good for the gander. Let's mandate that you draw a salary limited to a factor relative to your IQ. That should put you a little less than minimum wage!

Paris News funny for the day: Mary Madewell wrote a column about breast cancer awareness month. She told us about her "lastest" mammogram. She also said that women are "proned" to check their breasts after an injury. I guess the lastest thing The Paris News will ever be proned to do is hire some good proofreaders.

"Salary excess never appropriate." The Dallas Morning News; March 12, 2009; p. 14A.