Wednesday, December 24, 2008

A thought before Christmas...

Watching the news is gearing me up for next year, Obama has a BIG whole to fill, while I fully acknowledge Bush put us in this hole, the great O doesn't seem to have a clue. Let's hope I'm wrong and O brings change... slim chance I know. But that's for next year.

As most of you know I recently moved (see a few post ago). It's taken a bit but I have finally settled in and feel like I'm home. I've had longs talks with my housemate and things are falling into place perfectly. Not to say I don't feel a little stir crazy now and than but I've never been to the point where I didn't really want to be here. The boys can be wild, but I feel like God has put me in their lives to help guide them down the right path and I'm not one to argue with the creator of the universe. I can help steer them down the right path and do my best to fill in the gaps left by a certain irresponsible parent. While their mom is more than capable and my position is little more than glorified babysitter the right male influence is important and I'm gonna do my best to help these kids the same way my stepfather did for me. In return I get more than a roof over my head, I get a accountability partner which I haven't had up here in the desert, something painfully clear by my decisions over the last 3 years. This alone is worth my time.

So it's Christmas eve and it's looking to snow again. A sign of renewal as everything is covered in clean pure white. On the night we celebrate the birth of Jesus I think snow is fitting more than just for x-mas but as a sign that the last 3 years are covered, with a clean slate I can move into the new year happy and thankful for what God has done for me.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Lost in the middle?

Do you ever feel like you are lost in the middle of your friends. Call me paranoid but sometimes I think I'm not respected by my peers. Some of whom I am older than mind you. I try to be part of things but it seems the conversations always hush when I am around than it's awkward and silent till I leave. Others just don't bother calling me EVER. I make great efforts to leave comments and stay in touch for no reaction whatsoever. For the longest time I only had a few friends my age (being a youth leader and all), and I wasn't surprised when I was left out of certain parties and or conversations. Now I have a pretty good core group of friends (at least I think we're friends) around my age and things haven't changed all that much. I just don't know where my place is right now; I'm older but I'm not looked to by those younger, and the older seem to look way down on me. Now I know in some ways like school and work my experience is lacking but damn it I have been through a lot of crap and I don't know what it all means. Sure I've never had a 9 to 5 but I've had a plenty of 40 + hour weeks. My degree might not be finished but I have enough college credits to fill a small book. I may not have gone to seminary but I have been working and or volunteering at churches for upwards of 15 years, yet with as many Bible studies I've written and sermons I've given, sometimes in my small group at church I feel like a dumb kid in the back of the room who people stare at.

Maybe this is all in my head. Maybe I'm looking for things to pick at. I know I do that sometimes and I hope I'm not ruining my own chances at having real friends. I pray about this a lot and I know God's got my back but I wish there was a person I felt comfortable talking to about this. But too many times I catch myself trying to fill those awkward silences with my own stories and issues thinking the other people in the room must just want me to shut up. Again I sit alone in my room wondering where I am supposed to be. I think God has placed me where I am and I trying listen to his direction but I just don't know what to do. I'm gonna take a walk maybe to cold air will clear my mind.

Friday, December 12, 2008

Sucks to be Sick

So the week before I moved to this place I had a cold. It took my voice and had me coughing like a fiend. That lasted two weeks. Right as it was fading I caught another bug a virus which had me coughing again and my nose icthing. Two weeks later as that fades I get this crazy infection that is too gross to go into detail but it sucks. And of course as that fades I pick up a bout of tonsillitis.

All I want for X-mas is to be healthy. Speaking of X-mas I have no idea what my plans are. I figure some home time and some family time but I don't know what order those will fall in.

I've been keeping up with the news mainly through Rush, I have also peeked at foxnews on more than a few occasions (which I know I had all but given up on) but my Internet time is limited by my job and the fact that I can't get either my laptop or my wireless router to work. I'm not gonna get into politics, while there is a lot happening and plenty to talk about if you have been following my post I am keeping the politics to a minimum. At least to finish off the year. Next year brings a new president that I prolly won't be able to not talk about (yes I am aware of my double negative).

So if you're the prayin type pray for my health and if you need some of my prayer time just shoot me a comment or myspace message or even an e-mail. theexpertsmail@gmail.com

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Stress and Christmas

I am too stressed to talk politics so here's a cross-section of my brain right now.

So here we are just a few weeks till x-mas and I am feeling the holiday stress in full force. My Grandmother came out from New York to visit before Thanksgiving and that was the beginning of stress central. Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to have a normal family, but where is the fun in that? Not having a job still eats at me on a regular basis, while what I am doing now has me out of the house and is quite fulfilling it is not a paying job and can only fill my basic needs.

I find myself in a weird rut, I am pretty happy in my current situation but there is still that nagging feeling that I am 30 and still haven't found a real direction or purpose for my existence I am doing my best to put it in God's hands and wait for his signal but oh is it hard. I just hope I didn't miss the train...

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

New Diggs

OK, so I moved, not out of Victorville unfortunately but it is a change in scenery. I am just getting settled so posting may be slim for a week or two but I promise I will be back before the year ends. I know there is plenty to write about. Obama being a given...

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

We have a winner!

And it's not who I wanted. But it's over and I'm not gonna piss and moan about it. I am however going to watch closely and hope President Elect Obama makes good choices. Now I know that's not likely to happen but we have to keep moving forward. Part of being American is having a hope for the future, I know that's one of Obama's buzz words but the idea of hope in America is much older than Obama. We are still a light on a hill. It may dim a little over the next 4 years but I believe America will live on and we will still be an example for the world. So take a deep breath and lets keep truckin.

Saturday, November 1, 2008

Black Out

So I have been on a news black out for almost a week and I have to say... IT'S GREAT. I know it won't last but not hearing Obama whine or McCain say "my friends" has really given me time to sleep, read, catch up with old friends and spend time with new ones. Not to mention I am just happier. So come Wednesday morning when I pop on Rush I am gonna limit my politics time. Too much makes you crazy and as you can see in my last post I have enough stress in my life as is. Plus (lemme say sorry ahead of time) I prefer spending time with real people (no offence). I'm still gonna post here often as I can, but you are gonna see less politics and more real life.

If you've never done a politics black out you should try it. It will make you appreciate things more and give you clear in-site on how to deal with them. I'm still voting McCain but I won't need to drink before I do it now. Not that I am any more comfortable with the idea of voting for a RINO but he's better than the alternative and that's the best we can hope for right now!

Sunday, October 26, 2008

my.life.net

So things have been crazy in my neck of the dirt, to say the least. I've been following politics (of course) and this election is getting real old, real fast. I'm at the point where I am not gonna think about it anymore till the big day. Than I will have a couple drinks and go pull the lever for McCain. Now if you go back in this blog I am sure you will find some post where I was very un-kind to McCain. I have not changed my mind I just can't risk an Obama presidency. Not like my vote matters since I'm in CA and the state will undoubtedly go to BO.

My sister has been diagnosed with a very serious disease and we are going to get a second and probably third opinion. I'm not gonna get into any more detail than that right now but I would appreciate any prayers you could send her way.

My Bible study is homeless right now and might fall apart completely thanks to an A-hole who happened to be the x-husband of the woman's house where we met. When I showed up last Tuesday for Bible study his car was there and their kids were down stairs looking upset while watching cartoons. Probably lucky for me another guy showed up at the same time and we sat down and were surprised by x-hubby and a crying friend coming down the stairs. He told us her friend had died and that's why she was upset, but it was plain as day he was lying through his jerk teeth. Long story short he was arrested later that night for domestic abuse and I might end up in court testifying against him. Oh, and my Bible study is homeless because he made bail and my poor friend has gone into hiding.

Lastly I still can't find a job. I have applied all over the high desert, everywhere from drugstores to Churches. Hundreds of places, literally! Most if the time I don't even get an interview and when I do I always think I nailed it and am a shoe in. Than nothing... I call them and I get the excuse of the day. Bottom line I gotta get out of this desert. The catch 22 of all catch 22's is I can't do it without money and I can't get a job up here, so I am for lack of a better term SCREWED!

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Red Edge of a Blue State

So I live in a red county in California, this must be how it feels to be on the base in Guantanamo smack on the edge of Cuba. So when I go down to Havana I mean Los Angeles and see the left in all its glory, there is almost a sick feeling that comes with it. Maybe it's the air, as I come over the mountains and down towards LA I can see the air as it gets thicker and browner. So if LA is a bastion of environmental leftist why is the air so dirty? The dirt seems to follow the left. Take New Orleans for example, or New York City. For a party who claims to care so much about the planet the filth is amazing. Sure I see a good amount of hybrid cars but I still see tons of SUV's, big one with big stupid wheels. The public transportation is downright scary, if you risk getting on a bus or train you are subject to the foulest smells and the most frightening people. Maybe it's the bum sleeping next to you or the punk kid eyeballing your bag, but hey your helping save the planet right?

So I hear you saying "that's just the bad stuff but other places are nicer". That's what you think... Lets take a trip to a bar or nightclub. First you pay an insane amount of money at the door so you can partake in "live music" spun by a DJ. Once you are inside there are a lot of angry people scowling at you. The bartender will let you stand for 15 minutes while he helps all the people at the other side of the bar than overcharges you for watered down booze. SO you take your drink and snake your way to a corner and sip your drink but don't make eye contact with any one because the guys will threaten you and the women give you a dirty look and turn away. Oh and I hope you like hip-hop because that's all they play. But lets go to a restaurant; you walk in and give your name and than wait for 10-20 minutes while you watch empty tables sit empty. Than once you are seated more often than not you sit another 15-20 minutes before some comes to offer you a drink which takes another 10 mins to get to you. Than you sit with your menus piled on the edge of the table for another 15-20 minutes. When the waiter finally comes back he gives you attitude for nothing takes your order and stomps away. Elapse a good 30-40 mins and you get your food, usually cold or not the way you ordered it, but you keep it cause you've been sitting hungry for a good hour and a half and don't want to wait any longer. Now as you are taking your first bites the waiter comes with the check and sets it on the table than disappears never to be seen again.

Now as I head back up the hill back into the desert, I catch a breath of clean air, wave to my neighbor and thank God I live in the Red Edge.

Sunday, October 5, 2008

Obamania

In my time I have never seen such fanatical devotion to a presidential candidate. Maybe I just don't like John McCain as much as they like Obama. But I think even if McCain was my ideal candidate I would not go to this kind of extreme. People are so enamored by this mild socialist, people who I know, devoted Christians, who have changed their view on abortion just so they can back Obama. Suddenly, it's "merciful" to "send the baby straight to God (that's what they told me, direct quote) rather than punish it in this horrible world". The whole thing is creepy and odd.

First there's this:

http://proteinwisdom.com/?p=13352#comment-550084

"Here in NYC I just saw a new bumpersticker:

Obama
One Nation
One People

Kinda creeped me out; I wondered why it seemed so familiar…

Poster from 1930’s — from you know where…

Deutschland

Ein Volk
Ein Reich
Ein Fuhrer

I told you all that Axelrod was taking pages from Goebbles playbook…"

And there's the Obama Youth;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUEQz5dltmI

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


Like i said CREEPY!

Monday, September 29, 2008

TV Sucks

In my house a nice chunk of change is spent on cable TV, along with the locals that I have to pay for because I live in the middle of no-where. Now that the fall season is in full swing I feel safe in saying TV SUCKS. With the exception of the Simpsons not one show has really made me feel like it's worth the good size chunk of cash that goes into it. Here's what I tried watching so far;

The Mentalist- Yawn
House- Losing it's edge
King of the Hill- Writing has gone way downhill
Dexter- Slow start
Entourage- Losing me fast
Criminal Minds- Boring
CSI: NY- ZZZzzzz...
Chuck- Barely holding on
Bones- Off my TIVO
Terminator: SCC- One step from delete button
Supernatural- I watch to kill time
Family Guy- Crap
Big Bang Theory- Just funny enough to keep watching
How I met your Mother- Lucky it's on after Big Bang Theory
Knight Rider- WTH? F-150 mode?
Eureka- Just Ok
Sanctuary- Blows
Californication- Insulting to all
True Blood- Horrible
Penn & Teller BS- 50/50


I have a few more shows to try out many of these you can watch on HULU (click the title). I will update this post when I get through the rest.

--Update--
I added a few more and I will keep adding as I see them.

Asking Why...Part 1

Do you ever wonder why certain things happen or are pushed on you with no explanation? There are a few things that I always think about, and this whole bailout thing is another on the list. Over the next few weeks I am going to pose some questions that have been bugging me for a while now. Now, I am not going to list any of my answers, I want you to want an answer for yourself:

1. Why did we have almost 20 years of successful space shuttle launches and never once had a problem with the insulation coming off the booster damaging the shuttle? Out of the blue we lose a shuttle to a problem we've never heard of and now we watch on pins and needles hoping it doesn't happen again. What changed and why can't we go back to whatever worked?

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

The NEW Untouchables

So I've been following the news only by the Internet for some time now, TV news was just such garbage I couldn't stand it. If you visit roughly the same sites I do this financial "crisis" is not a huge surprise. Bush has been getting worse and worse over the last couple years, I think he's checked out mentally. He just gave up and sits in the chair just to keep it warm for the next ass. The stock market has been soaring for so long this was inevitable. The top dogs in the financial companies have been lining their pockets and parachutes, with gold! And the one guy who stood up to them was bumped out of office for something I'd bet a third of congress is doing. I was never a fan of Elliot Spitzer as a governor but he was calling these white collar crooks on their dirty deals and paid for it. If you know me, you know I am not a super conspiracy kinda guy but in Spitzer's case I'm calling shenanigans.Here's an article by Spitzer from the WaPo http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/13/AR2008021302783.html
He was hot on wall streets tail when out of the blue someone popped up with his banking info, HMMM...
http://phillyimc.org/en/node/66189
Spitzer pushed too many buttons and "they" wanted him gone and did what they had to do, to make that happen.

Now word is spreading on putting someone like Warren Buffet on a team of rich guys who will help fix our problems. Excuse ME? Warren Buffet has made it very clear he wants America to fail, and has put significant amounts of money towards just that. You want a team of guys to help fix wall st. start with Spitzer. The New Untouchables if I may... Elliot "Ness" Spitzer leading a team of crack wall st. hunters with tommy guns. YES TOMMY GUNS! These wall st. nuts have put America on the verge of failure, I call that treason. No "bailouts". I know we are gonna have to pay for this one way or another but socializing America is NOT the answer! There are better ways to spend a $1,000,000,000,00.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Never Mentioned

I realized I never mentioned anything about me on this blog. So I figured I'd give you the rundown of my school and work life.

I am a Graphic Design Major and have been for more years than I care to mention. I am dedicated though to finish school ASAP. I will probably double major in computer science so I can try to make up for lost time. The graphic arts stuff started in high screwl. Pasadena High to be exact though I was in the Graphic Arts Academy, which was supposed to be a way for advanced students to expand their learning. It turned out to be where idiots could get enough experience to pick up the trade right out of high school. But I followed up at Pasadena City College continuing the GA push. I messed around and took longer than I should have and when I started looking into transfer I had missed my window and the individual classed would no longer cross over. So I started an i.g.e.t.s.i. program to get a AA for transfer. Which I am currently 2 classes away from. Both math (my worst subject) and giving me a really hard time. But I am determined to get it done!

Simultaneously I was attending church at Bethany Church in Sierra Madre CA. I had gotten involved with student leadership and was thrilled when my Mother told me her church Agape Christian (formerly Greek Evangelical Church of LA, I don't know why she was going there) needed help in their youth group. I spent the next three years there as a youth leader. After high school I stuck around Agape but was not happy with the new youth director so I followed my old youth leader to First Presbyterian Church of Monrovia. I volunteered there for 7 years and worked in cooperation with First Pres Oxnard before I felt the call to run my own group. I was youth director at Trinity Lutheran Church in San Pedro within 3 months of leaving First Pres. Though my time there was short (10 months) I made some great friends and grew exponentially in my Faith. After bouncing around for a while I took a small job with New Hope Family Church in Adelanto. It was a six month handshake deal but it gave me a chance to work on my calling.

So there's a condensed version of my last 15 years, I dunno if any of you actually care but too bad I already posted it :p

Saturday, September 13, 2008

9-11

I know I didn't post on 9-11, mostly because I get too angry on that day. It just burns me up that there is still a pit in the middle of New York City. I don't understand why we don't just rebuild the Twin Towers. After hurricane katrina we rebuilt New Orleans, a whole city! I also get angry that our Military is being bound by lawyers and politicians so they can't do a proper job in Iraq or Afghanistan. I mean for God's sake we've fought longer and harder wars with a positive outcome, this should be a cakewalk.



I carry a picture of the WTC I took in my Bible with a verse on the back Romans 12:19 (no I am not gonna say it, go dust off your Word and look it up). This keeps me cool and calm whenever I think about 9-11. But I remember, I remember the death and destruction. I remember the people jumping out of the windows to their demise. I remember seeing the muslims dancing in the street celebrating their great victory. And I remember for a fleeting moment we were united as Americans. Than people started forgetting, they fell back into the normal routine of living, pretending it was 9-10. But closing your eyes and humming isn't going to make throat slashing islamist go away. We need to remember and keep hold of those memories till the job is done. It's them or us, so decide now. Do we die into the dark and let them rule the world with a bloody rusty knife or do we kill them and continue to be a beacon of light to the word. There is no other option. CHOOSE!

Monday, August 25, 2008

Anchor Babies No More!

Amendment XIV
Section 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside. No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.
Section 2. Representatives shall be apportioned among the several states according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each state, excluding Indians not taxed. But when the right to vote at any election for the choice of electors for President and Vice President of the United States, Representatives in Congress, the executive and judicial officers of a state, or the members of the legislature thereof, is denied to any of the male
inhabitants of such state, being 21 years of age, and citizens of the United States, or in any way abridged, except for participation in rebellion, or other crime, the basis of representation therein shall be reduced in the proportion which the number of such male citizens shall bear to the whole number of male citizens twenty-one years of age in such state.
Section 3. No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any state, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any state legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any state, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.
Section 4. The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned. But neither the United States nor any state shall assume or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or any claim for the loss or emancipation of any slave; but all such debts, obligations and claims shall be held illegal and void.
Section 5. The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.


I am looking at the first section, and I see the word jurisdiction. Lets take a look at that. The definition of jurisdiction;
1. the right, power, or authority to administer justice by hearing and determining controversies.
2. power; authority; control: He has jurisdiction over all American soldiers in the area.
3. the extent or range of judicial, law enforcement, or other authority: This case comes under the jurisdiction of the local police.
4. the territory over which authority is exercised: All islands to the northwest are his jurisdiction.


In the context of the 14th Amendment, we the United States do not have jurisdiction over the babies born to illegals. Therefore they are NOT citizens. Ask them, they are proud Mexican citizens, I have no problem with that, but that puts them under the jurisdiction of the Mexican government. The Mexican President still considers them his people, he still tells us how we can treat them, so why don't we?
The word was put in there specifically so babies born here would not be made automatic citizens, Indians at the time were being born within our borders but were not citizens. Most didn't want to be and if they did they had to apply like every other foreigner.
I am convinced this needs to go to the Supreme Court, of course I'd like one more judge like Roberts or Thomas, but by the time it gets there I might have my wish...

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Learned a Lesson

I don't know if any of you know, but I used to be a fan of Howard Stern (waits for hisses and boos to stop). My step-dad turned me onto him when I was 13. Don't blame him he was only fiscally conservative. I know Stern can be very gross and mildly offencive, but back when I was in high screwl he was funny and I wanted to relax in the morning and Rush would stress me out talking about Bill Clinton. So I turned to what made me laugh. I stuck it out with Stern for many years, but when he started getting political (left wing even) I bailed and came back to Rush figuring if I was gonna hear politics I'd rather hear someone I agree with.

I could have told you this moment would come, because anyone with half a brain will be turned off by democrats eventually. In a time when B. Hussein Obama poses a true threat to our country having Stern sway some votes will be a plus, unless he backs Barr. My next post will cover anchor babies and how they are NOT citizens. The 14th Amendment deserves a second look. But for now enjoy this.

Stern on XM/Sirius Merger: 'I Will Never Vote For a Democrat Again' Satellite radio talk show star cites 'gangsterism,' 'communism' for holding up deal. By Jeff Poor Business & Media Institute7/24/2008 3:27:46 PM

Sirius Satellite Radio host Howard Stern supports the merger of his network with XM Satelitte Radio and is fuming at Democratic opposition on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) panel.

After FCC commissioners announced they have reached a deal to approve the merger of Sirius (NASDAQ:
SIRI) and XM (NASDAQ:XMSR), Stern ranted about Democrats’ ‘gangsterism’ and ‘communism’ and the obstacles to the merger.

Stern described a phone conversation he had with his agent, who he described as a “liberal Democrat kind of guy.”

“I go, ‘That’s it!’” Stern said. “[I] go, ‘You know what Don, I’ve voted Republican and I’ve voted Democrat. I have vowed I will never vote for a Democrat again. I don’t give a [expletive] – no matter who they are. I don’t care if God becomes a Democrat.’ I said, ‘I backed Hillary Clinton, I backed Al Gore, I backed John Kerry. I am done with them.’”

Stern took it a step even further and called Democrats on the FCC “communists” and referred to their tactics as “gangsterism.”

“The fact that these Democrats on the FCC are communists,” Stern said. “They’re for communism. They don’t want to see companies – this is gangsterism. I said, ‘This is crazy.’”

The
FCC commission is a five-member panel made up of three Republicans and two Democrats. The Democrats include Jonathan Adelstein and Michael Copps. The Republicans include FCC Chairman Kevin Martin, Robert McDowell and Deborah Taylor Tate. Tate had been the swing vote on the proposed merger and on July 24 The Wall Street Journal reported she would vote in favor of the merger.

Monday, July 21, 2008

I give you what the NY Times Won't

So I know I haven't posted in a while and I can't promise I'll keep up from here but I will try. Lots of things have been happening in the news I know, but lots has been happening in my life as well. But I think I am ready to jump back in to this.

Yes McCain is the nominee and I know I railed against him, but I can't risk an Obama in the White House so I gotta back the guy. I just have to close my eyes on half his views. It is TOO IMPORTANT that we win the war in Iraq. I know his border policies could lose us the war here at home, but the President does not dictate our border policy thank God. That's why I am using the http://getdrunkandvote4mccain.com way. No amount of booze would make me pull for B. Hussein Obama but it could work for McCain.

The New (Old) York Times last week ran an editorial by Obama on his plans for Iraq. This wee was supposed to be McCain's plan but the NYT rejected his editorial. I am not surprised by this but I do think it should be read. SO here is john McCains plan which th NYT won't run:

"In January 2007, when General David Petraeus took command in Iraq, he called the situation “hard” but not “hopeless.” Today, 18 months later, violence has fallen by up to 80% to the lowest levels in four years, and Sunni and Shiite terrorists are reeling from a string of defeats. The situation now is full of hope, but considerable hard work remains to consolidate our fragile gains.Progress has been due primarily to an increase in the number of troops and a change in their strategy. I was an early advocate of the surge at a time when it had few supporters in Washington. Senator Barack Obama was an equally vocal opponent. "I am not persuaded that 20,000 additional troops in Iraq is going to solve the sectarian violence there,” he said on January 10, 2007. “In fact, I think it will do the reverse." Now Senator Obama has been forced to acknowledge that “our troops have performed brilliantly in lowering the level of violence.” But he still denies that any political progress has resulted.Perhaps he is unaware that the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad has recently certified that, as one news article put it, “Iraq has met all but three of 18 original benchmarks set by Congress last year to measure security, political and economic progress.” Even more heartening has been progress that’s not measured by the benchmarks. More than 90,000 Iraqis, many of them Sunnis who once fought against the government, have signed up as Sons of Iraq to fight against the terrorists. Nor do they measure Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki’s new-found willingness to crack down on Shiite extremists in Basra and Sadr City—actions that have done much to dispel suspicions of sectarianism.The success of the surge has not changed Senator Obama’s determination to pull out all of our combat troops. All that has changed is his rationale. In a New York Times op-ed and a speech this week, he offered his “plan for Iraq” in advance of his first “fact finding” trip to that country in more than three years. It consisted of the same old proposal to pull all of our troops out within 16 months. In 2007 he wanted to withdraw because he thought the war was lost. If we had taken his advice, it would have been. Now he wants to withdraw because he thinks Iraqis no longer need our assistance.To make this point, he mangles the evidence. He makes it sound as if Prime Minister Maliki has endorsed the Obama timetable, when all he has said is that he would like a plan for the eventual withdrawal of U.S. troops at some unspecified point in the future. Senator Obama is also misleading on the Iraqi military's readiness. The Iraqi Army will be equipped and trained by the middle of next year, but this does not, as Senator Obama suggests, mean that they will then be ready to secure their country without a good deal of help. The Iraqi Air Force, for one, still lags behind, and no modern army can operate without air cover. The Iraqis are also still learning how to conduct planning, logistics, command and control, communications, and other complicated functions needed to support frontline troops. No one favors a permanent U.S. presence, as Senator Obama charges. A partial withdrawal has already occurred with the departure of five “surge” brigades, and more withdrawals can take place as the security situation improves. As we draw down in Iraq, we can beef up our presence on other battlefields, such as Afghanistan, without fear of leaving a failed state behind. I have said that I expect to welcome home most of our troops from Iraq by the end of my first term in office, in 2013. But I have also said that any draw-downs must be based on a realistic assessment of conditions on the ground, not on an artificial timetable crafted for domestic political reasons. This is the crux of my disagreement with Senator Obama.Senator Obama has said that he would consult our commanders on the ground and Iraqi leaders, but he did no such thing before releasing his “plan for Iraq.” Perhaps that’s because he doesn’t want to hear what they have to say. During the course of eight visits to Iraq, I have heard many times from our troops what Major General Jeffrey Hammond, commander of coalition forces in Baghdad, recently said: that leaving based on a timetable would be “very dangerous.” The danger is that extremists supported by Al Qaeda and Iran could stage a comeback, as they have in the past when we’ve had too few troops in Iraq. Senator Obama seems to have learned nothing from recent history. I find it ironic that he is emulating the worst mistake of the Bush administration by waving the “Mission Accomplished” banner prematurely. I am also dismayed that he never talks about winning the war—only of ending it. But if we don’t win the war, our enemies will. A triumph for the terrorists would be a disaster for us. That is something I will not allow to happen as president. Instead I will continue implementing a proven counterinsurgency strategy not only in Iraq but also in Afghanistan with the goal of creating stable, secure, self-sustaining democratic allies."

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

A Fallen Hero's Family Needs Our Help

Kevin Bewley gave his life for his country on November 5, 2007. A member of the Navy’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 11, Petty Officer Bewley died trying to save lives by disabling an explosive, and unfortunately lost his life in the process. Bewley’s family has set up a website and a trust fund for his daughter McKinnzie, and they’re looking for donations. Here is the eulogy Bewley’s brother gave at his memorial:

My brother Kevin Bewley was born April 18, 1980, in Russellville,Arkansas. Kevin had a lifelong dream of joining the military, seeing the world and making an impact on the lives of others.
He was a lifelong student of history. While on his first tour of duty, he completed Civil War, and American West history courses at Columbia. He spent two tours of duty in Iraq as a member of the Navy’s elite EOD Mobile Unit 11 Bomb Disposal Squad. During this time, Kevin and his team conducted 288 Combat missions and countless IED responses.
While in service, Kevin was responsible for the disposal of hundreds of terrorist bombs through which he protected thousands of American and Iraqi lives. He loved adventure and the outdoors. I had the privilege to travel tens of thousands of miles with Kevin. Our trips took us from the desert to the artic, and from the bottoms of the oceans to the tops of mountains.
Whether it was thru his service in Iraq, always being the first to volunteer for Snake Hunter missions, or simply thru his honesty, integrity, and spirituality, my brother led by example and he led from the front.


He did his job with professionalism and he did his job right all the way to the end. He lived his life with no regrets. For those of you who have came to honor him, we thank you.
Rest well, for men like Kevin Bewley are at your guard.
McKinnzie suffers from cerebral palsy and needs physical therapy to help her learn to walk. Kevin Bewley gave his life to his country; maybe his country could give some of its attention to his little girl. Donations can be transmitted through the website or through the Navy.

http://www.daddywaskilled.com/

Thursday, February 14, 2008

The Guy on the Shirt?

I am sure you have seen the nutroots running around in their Che-T's. Some of you might know who he was and some might not, so I am going to give you a brief rundown on this t-shirt worthy hero or as we like to call him SCUMBAG.

Guevara was born in Argentina in 1928 and originally trained to become a doctor at the University of Buenos Aires. In 1952, he embarked on the trip over-dramatized in "The Motorcycle Diaries" across South America. After returning to Buenos Aires to complete his medical degree, Guevara set off again to travel through the Americas. He participated in leftist movements in Guatemala and Mexico and became acquainted with Cuban expatriates in those countries. He joined Castro's revolutionary Cuban army in 1956 as a top commander and Castro's personal physician. He helped Castro topple the regime in Havana in 1959.

As Castro's right-hand man in the new regime, Guevara ordered the execution of hundreds of people while in charge of the notorious La Caba, a prison in Havana. He was unapologetic about the mass killings of innocent people, explaining, "To send men to the firing squad, judicial proof is unnecessary. These procedures are an archaic bourgeois detail. This is a revolution! And a revolutionary must become a cold killing machine motivated by pure hate."
Pure hate. It wasn't the first time Guevara used the expression, nor the last. He explained how it must be a tool in the arsenal of revolutionary terrorists – permitting them to do things they would otherwise never be able to accomplish.

"Hatred as an element of struggle; unbending hatred for the enemy, which pushes a human being beyond his natural limitations, making him into an effective, violent, selective and cold-blooded killing machine – this is what our soldiers must become," Guevara said.

During the Cuban missile crisis, Guevara was in favor of a nuclear war with the U.S. because he believed that a better world could be built from the ashes, regardless of the cost in millions of lives. He was overruled by cooler heads in the Kremlin and in Cuba. The nuclear missiles headed for Cuba, 90 miles from the U.S., were returned to Russia.

Disgraced by the slight, Guevara went to create new revolutionary movements and wage armed struggle in Africa and Latin America. He was killed in the jungles of Bolivia in 1967.
Guevara was proud of the fact that he personally put bullets in the backs of the heads of many he considered counter-revolutionary.

Once again, in rallying his guerrillas in Angola, he wrote: "Blind hate against the enemy creates a forceful impulse that cracks the boundaries of natural human limitations, transforming the soldier into an effective, selective and cold killing machine. A people without hate cannot triumph against the adversary."

This beret wearing douche is not the hero (crazy) people say he is. He stood for murder and hatred. You might as well where a shirt with Hitler on it.

Thursday, February 7, 2008

A New Idea

Having spent time pushing two losers for the republican nominee, I have decided the problem is more than lame candidates. The problem is the Republican Party. The party of Bush and McCain is an entity I want nothing to do with. I was repeatedly disappointed by the lack of energy in the Republican Party for years now, going back to George HW Bush. I watched the two California senate seats slide into the hands of the two most sickeningly corrupt disgusting women I have ever seen. The governor being so bad we recalled him and installed an actor who fooled us into thinking he was better. Conservatism is not dead but the Republican Party looks like it's about to flat line.

I long for a day when conservatives have a party that can stand alone, a party that has the strength to stand up to all invaders foreign and domestic. Republicans spent to long drifting to the left, talking and not acting. Talk is cheap and sitting on your hands will do nothing. Abe Lincoln and Ron Reagan’s republican party is far far away. I didn’t leave the Republican Party, the Republican Party left me! I will not CALM DOWN. I will not fade into the crowd; I will not go quietly into the polling booth. I am a LOUD PERSON and proud. The time is now to create a new party, a CONSERVATIVE party.

Monday, January 21, 2008

How the mighty have fallen...

I am so pissed with this whole Fred Thompson bailing to back McCain situation. I put a lot of faith and dollars into Fred. This will be a bitter pill to swallow if it pans out the way it's looking.

Years back at my (very liberal) jr. college I tried starting a conservative club because the republicans were not cutting it. I was registered independent and proud. But I wanted to see change so much that I realigned myself with the republican party to back GWB. Since then I have let things slide, and oh have they slid. With George Bush Jr. turning out to be such a liberal wank, failing us on Iraq, the economy and the border. I was thrilled when I read Fred Thompson's platform. He seemed to have a grasp on what Reagan conservatism meant. A glimmer of small government and lower taxes with a military that was second to NONE. Ideas that I still believe will keep America on top where it belongs. I will hold out a little longer to see if Fred does the RIGHT thing. My faith is shaken, but I hope the republican party has some guts left. If I leave the party again it will take WAY more than a GWB to get me back. I am sooo pissed...

Monday, January 14, 2008

What Housing Crises? (Rated R)

I know you've heard a lot about it in the news and I have been reading up and today we're gonna be talking about the "Housing crises" and the feds misguided actions towards "averting" it. I will probably piss off a few people, most likely limp wristed whining sacks of shit that don't believe in personal responsibility, but that's ok, because these are generally the same people that refuse to answer violence with violence, an attack with retaliation, so the worst that is gonna happen is they are gonna whine at me, at which point I will promptly tell them to pray to St. Doomonyou, we don't have a housing crises. What we have is a personal responsibility crises, and THAT is definitely something the government should be doing something about. Would you kids like to know WHAT the government should be doing about the personal responsibility crises? Why, it's the same thing they SHOULD be doing for the "housing crises" but aren't.....thaaaat's riiigghhhttt..........NOTHING!!!!! What we have here is thousands upon thousands, maybe even millions, of people that saw something that looked too good to be true, and in their pursuit of the American Dream they took it. What they forgot was that the American Dream, or at least the part of it that entails owning ones own home, does not entail low interest rate loans with a balloon payment in three to five years. The American Dream of owning ones own home begins and ends with PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY. You save up your down payment, usually five to ten percent of the price of the house, maybe even twenty percent, under the theory that if you have so much of your hard earned money and time put into the house you are going to be serious about taking care of it and paying it off. Then you go out and find a lender that is willing to work with you to secure the loan that you would spend the next decade or two paying off, because you, during all those years that you were saving that money for a down payment also didn't run up tons of debt on credit cards, and you paid your bills on time and drove a car you could afford the payments and insurance on, and certainly wouldn't buy a car that was the equal to the cost of 1/6 of your house or buy such extravagances as flat screen TV's, iPhones and every other gadget that Amazon shopping said was THE MUST HAVE FUCKING GADGET OF THE YEAR AND IF YOU DON'T GET ONE YOU ARE THE LAMEST PERSON ON EARTH!!!! THAT is how it is supposed to be done, but NOOOOOOOOWWW we have a bunch of whining fucktwits unable to understand basic math or accept the responsibility for the loans they willingly signed up for, and we have a bunch of weak kneed blithering idiot morons in D.C. screaming about some "housing crises" when in reality the crisis is of their own fucking doing. That's RIGHT!!! This is 30 years of education policy (that the feds aren't even supposed to be involved in) coming home to roost, and I lay the blame right where it belongs, WITH THE NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION!!!The dumbed down, politically correct "education" system that now stresses making johnny "Feel good" rather than making sure johhny can fucking read or count has created a whole friggin society of people that won't take responsibility for their actions and expects government to bail them out when things get too deep.And the same people that are crying that the goverment needs to help them save their houses are the very same ones that will vote for a fucking socialist twit (a democrat for those of you, as Rush says, in Rio Lindo) come november. I am torn between suddenly becoming afflicted with a disorder that crosses Tourettes with some disorder that causes me to violently lash out at people at "random" and then wandering into some patchouli reeking coffee bar and having an "attack" and just throwing up my hands and try to get everyone to vote for the dems, quit their jobs as soon as that president is sworn in and spend all our days marching and demanding that the government take care of us. I mean, the second situation is what we have now, but at this time all of us dumbasses that actually expected to pay for our houses ourselves are quietly toiling away, while some sunuvabitch that can't bother to figure out that when the loan agent says "balloon payment" or "rate increase" it means "HEY DUMBASS, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO PAY MORE MONEY AT A LATER DATE!!!!!!". You see, many of these loan agents apparently said something along the lines of "Yeah, the payment goes up in three years, but THAT is when you just REFI and get your payment lowered." The loan agents never added "unless the housing market is in a slump and all these subprime loans, like yours senor sanchez, are causing havoc in the financial markets. Then you can probably totally forget about getting a refi and you may very well be stuck with a house payment that is three times what you make every month." But hey, the loan guys aren't psychics, they are just trying to make an honest living. Who knew they were gonna get stuck with a bunch of dishonest customers. There is a reason subprime loans are subprime loans. Because the poor bastards that have shown they can't manage their finances and make too little money to support their lifestyle, such as flatscreen TVs and Cadillac Escalades are really bad loan risks. Did you ever notice you see so many people at the laundromat driving a 50 thousand dollar car? Wouldn't you buy a cheaper car and get a damned washer/dryer set? Yeah, me too.Now the question becomes, what DO we do about this "housing crises."Nothing. Let them lose their houses. Sure, it'd set the financial market around for a bit, but it certainly won't kill us, and it may very well teach a valuable lesson that needs to be relearned, mainly don't loan money to people that are bad at handling it. It'd also teach a valuable lesson to all those people who are clamoring for the government to get them out of the mess they made, and that lesson is "Hey, ASSHOLE, paying your bills is YOUR job, not your Uncle Sam's." Finally it'd put a whole lot of houses on the market under foreclosure, allowing people who have not lived in a financially suicidal way to buy some investment real estate and improve their lot in life, setting a fine example for all those asshats whining for D.C. to save their homes and showing them that with some fiscal restraint and some patience they too can partake in the American Dream.One thing though...if you do go into buying some foreclosed housing and start renting them out to the legions of suddenly houseless former home owners needing a place to stay, you might wanna do a background check and make sure they don't have a foreclosure on their record and consider not renting to them. I hear those kinds of folks don't like to pay their own bills.

Tuesday, January 1, 2008

First things First!









I want to say THANK YOU to all of the US ARMED FORCES, past, present and future. We are here celebrating another year of Freedom all thanks to them. I know you don't see it from the media but here in the Expert's world we appreciate your sacrifice and support You and your mission 100%. We understand that politicians and lawyers are holding you back and are doing everything we can here to free you to do your job. I can't say it enough THANK YOU for making America safe for me and my house.