"Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats."

Is that a great quote or what? I got it from a Ken Allard Oped in a SanAntonio newspaper. Click on the post title to read. Allard uses this old H.L. Mencken quote to sum up how Allard feels about the MSM and the way it is covering the Iraq War and politics in general I think. Well let me add ...Me frigging too!

So You Think You'd Like To Be A Fly On The Wall ...Or Not?

I killed this fly with a leg kick splattering him on a wall. Damn I felt badder and quicker than Bruce Lee & Chuck Norris. And for me to do that, this fly had to be the dumbest and slowest fly in the world.

We'd Have A Better Chance If We Asked Shaq To Reject It

I read this story and burst out laughing. Apparently, an asteroid may pass near to earth in 2036 and so a group of scientists, etc are recommending the United Nations be given responsibility to plan to (I guess) blast it out of space before it could hit. I think we'd have way way more luck if we asked Shaquille O'Neal to reject it before it hits the rim (earth) and he will be about 65 or 70 years old in 2036.

The Third Way On Immigration Reform

So far the argument is between amnesty leading to cittizenship vs. sending the illegal immigrants back to the country from which they emigrated.

I support a third way. It requires we stop the bleeding and secure the borders now with fences, etc. As to those already here illegally, I recommend we allow those that are not criminals to stay and be classified and tracked as a "legal alien or pemanent resident " only after they pass a language test, etc. BUT they will never be allowed to become a citizen or vote. I do support their kids having that right of citizenship after the kids reach let's say 18 years old or have been here ten years. The strength of my plan is it does not reward people who have come here illegally and, in effect, "jumped the waiting list".

In other words, I am saying "tough luck" to those who have come here illegally- you will never have the right to vote which would essentially dilute the value of the vote of those who became citizens legally and properly.

I suspect most illegal immigrants will accept the terms of my plan- only a very small number if any will decide to leave the great old USA.

Union Of Concerned Scientists or Some Things Don't Change

I just read an obit for a highly regarded physicist. His name was Francis Low and the obit in the Philly Inquirer included this paragraph:

“He was a founding member of the Union of Concerned Scientists in 1969. He was briefly chairman of the union, but stepped down because he disagreed with members who refused to consider studying whether nuclear reactors could be made safe and reliable”.

I find this extremely interesting. The Union Of Concerned Scientists is the same group that is so certain about global warming and is the same group that often gets news coverage by accusing the Bush Admin of censoring guvmint scientists. On the other hand but with far less news coverage, several in the world of science have claimed this group stifles the dissenting opinions of scientists who are less certain about global warming. The obit suggests the Union of Concerned Scientists' history of stifling dissent may go back as far as 1969.

Could We Do This Today?

Pearl Harbor was bombed on December 7th. My father was drafted the next month and inducted into the Army on Feb 12th. That's a space of only 67 days.

Today marks about the 35th day since Congress convened for its current term. And its esteemed members are still yakking away about a non-binding resolution on Iraq. So to answer my own question, I don't think the country could do anything important in 67 days but somehow it did it way back in 1941-1942.

Chaka Fattah - First Winner of My Weekly "CF Award"

Chaka Fattah : Congressman & High School Dropout & Obvious Dope

I am awarding a weekly award for the dumbest idea thrown out by a politician. Because there is a mayoral election this year in Philly and five Dems are running, I think I may get plenty of dumb ideas. I named the award "The CF Award" in honor of the first winner who is also a high school dropout and from the looks of his idea, I guess they don't make those GED diplomas like they used to. CF Award stands for "Crazy F'er" and is appropriate to describe the first winner, Chaka Fattah, who wants to charge people to drive their car into center city. CF's rationale is London does it and it raises lots of money and Fatah says he will use the money to fund public transportation.

You know the Democrat mantra these days is "Septa needs a dedicated funding source" by which they mean Septa needs its own new tax so the polticians don't have to stand up every year and admit that Septa's expenses are out of control and that is why its budget goes up by 10% or more every year while the number of riders goes down. Instead the politicians should ask why the public has to fork over a budget subsidy to Septa of $3 or more EVERYTIME a rider steps onto a Septa vehicle. So, Fattah looks at a city with about 7 million people and a much more comprehensive transit system and determines that Philly could do the same thing. This is another example of why I am no longer a Democrat.

Was She Called Student Body?

Here is a news story about a hooker who was working the mean streets of Cheyney University and trolling for customers among the student body (heh). I thought the cost of college was way too much for most families. Guess we have to re-visit that thinking if the kids at this college can afford hookers (and FYI - this new blogger lets you add the link in the post title above- so just click on the post title if you want to see the Inky news story).

This Is A Great Country

Look at this picture and try to tell me this is not a great country!! I will likely not vote for Senator Obama in 2008 (too inexperienced and I don't vote much for Dimmocrats anymore) but this is a great, great picture of a really nice looking family! I think this picture has the potential to rank right up there with that old photo of John-John Kennedy saluting his dead father (JFK). But of course only if Obama actually became president.

Nelson Jammer

That's what we call him at work cause he got some mail that was addressed to "Nelson Jammer". Of course, his correct name is Jameer Nelson- he had a great game last night. I am rooting for the Magic cause I know Jameer but dang they have been up and down lately. Guess cause they are young. Here is a picture - the former NCAA Player of the Year scored 31 points last night and the Magic beat San Antonio Spurs! A big win!

Do You Feel Lucky Today?

Remember that great line from one of Clint Eastwood's Dirty Harry movies? He was asking the perp if he remembered how many bullets Eastwood had fired.

Well, the recent blast of artic cold reminds me of a time I was driving a truck for the old Evening Bulletin- I worked there for 6-7 years on and off as I meandered to my degree from old Temple University. One of my shifts was early Sunday in the wee A.M. hours. One frigid night in 1977 or 1978, it had been cold for weeks and there was ice everywhere. I drove my truck out of the plant at 32nd & Market and drove around the 30th Street Station and saw a bunch of fire and police vehilces clustered next to the river.

I stopped and asked a bystander what had happened. He told me someone jumped off the bridge and into the river (suicide attempt) but because it was so cold, the river was frozen solid and the jumper did not die but broke both his legs. And every so often I wondered if the jumper felt lucky that day?

Anna Nicole Smith Is Still A Dope

Do you know how many millions of people fight so hard day after day to stay alive? People with no money; people with few or no friends or familty to help; people with horrible, crippling diseases. But still they fight and struggle and are glad and happy to live another day.

Then I hear on the radio that this trailer park idiot has "gone through so much in the last few months" and "perhaps that is why she misued drugs which could have caused her death today at the age of 39".

And I think .. what a dope she was. A selfish dope who did not appreciate how good she had it.

Prince Of Darkness Indicted - Perhaps There is Justice Afterall

Boy it has been a while since a major domo got indicted in Philly. What's it been perhaps six months when the last Philly political bigwig was indicted? I thought maybe the feds ran out of handcuffs. Below is the link to the story. You are welcome. FYI- he is the poster child for the entrenched Philly hack political operative - heck he was on the board of the corrupted Independence Maritime Museum and the flush with our cash (& why does it exist?) Delaware River Port Authority.

http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/16634964.htm

Super Bowl Ref

Another friend of mine makes good as he he is one of the officials chosen to ref in Super Bowl 41. Here he is shaking hands with the NFL commissioner before the game. It was just a few weeks ago another old friend of mine won big at the new casino.

Did We Make FICA "Contributions" In 1933?

Here is how the latest "economic sky is falling" story began from the AP:

".....Savings Hit A Post-Depression Low By Martin Crutsinger Associated Press
WASHINGTON - Americans are saving at the lowest level since the Great Depression, and that could be a problem for the millions of baby boomers getting ready to retire. The Commerce Department reported yesterday that the nation's personal savings rate for all of 2006 was a negative 1 percent, the worst in 73 years. "..

Now open your mind, use your head and consider this. In 1933, there was no social security and so no one had FICA "contributions" deducted from their paycheck. Today, that tax is 6.2% of your paycheck PLUS your boss "contributes" another 6.2% of your paycheck to the guvmint.

Now, I don't know how you do arithmetic, but I figure this means we "contribute" 12.4% in "savings" or "FICA taxes" for every $100 we earn in a paycheck. I am self-employed so I pay the whole 12.4% myself.

It is fair to view this as a type of "enforced savings" except it goes into a big black hole. But if the AP and the Commerce Department had included these "savings or FICA contributions" in their calculation of national savings, there is no way today's savings rate is lower than it was in 1933! I suspect you would agree.

Lastly, for people who have been working for many years and making these contributuions, it is easy to feel like one of those shareholders who invested in Enron stock. I guess that makes the Congress a guvmint version of ENRON's crooked execs?

Here is the link to the story:
http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/business/16602307.htm

Nanny State Coming Soon To The Greatest Country The World Has Ever Seen

Yes Hillary is a socialist and if she is elected president, she will raise our taxes by a boat load but not to worry cause the guvmint will takecare of most of our needs.

If you don't believe me, check out this sound bite from youtube today. Hillary believes the guvmint can actually invent something so she will take boatloads of money for us via a gasoline tax, put it into a "energy trust fund", close her eyes, squeeze her fat hands and legs together and hope a miracle occurs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1PfE9K8j0g

Vote For Hillary

You have to read the sign below the big KFC logo. It's an oldie but goodie.