Answer: Air Guitar!
Now there's a contest to select the best Air Guitarist. There was an was an Air Guitar group on America's Got Talent!
Are we so far gone that we honor make believe imitators of real guitarists who spend years to become proficient on the instrument? Should some person be honored if he copies Santana's moves without a whit of talent or even a guitar?
OK, I know it is a fad and maybe tongue in cheek. I get it. It is still a sick way for no-talent dummies to get ill deserved attention. Losers are losers no matter how they pretend otherwise.
Gov Gone Nuts
Friday, August 27, 2010
The Fair Tax? Can it work?
I have studied up on the Fair Tax. I was skeptical but wanted to check it out. The Fair Tax is being presented as a stand alone that would not be piggy backed on to any income tax but replace income taxes altogether. It would also abolish the IRS and repeal the 16th Amendment.
The Fair Tax is not the same as a Flat tax but has some similarities. It is very simple and extremely transparent. The tax proposed is 23% on all purchases with lower rates for people below the poverty line (about 11%). It would have no effect on Social Security or Medicaid but would help them become more solvent.
I think this deserves some more study because it appears to me to be a way to help the US economy in many ways including spending, trade, jobs and business. The details are available on the Web. You can search by "Fair Tax" and find a wealth of information.
I suggest everybody do their homework and decide for themselves how they feel. Better that then to have another major change shoved down our throats. Go ahead, take a few minutes and check this out for yourself.
The Fair Tax is not the same as a Flat tax but has some similarities. It is very simple and extremely transparent. The tax proposed is 23% on all purchases with lower rates for people below the poverty line (about 11%). It would have no effect on Social Security or Medicaid but would help them become more solvent.
I think this deserves some more study because it appears to me to be a way to help the US economy in many ways including spending, trade, jobs and business. The details are available on the Web. You can search by "Fair Tax" and find a wealth of information.
I suggest everybody do their homework and decide for themselves how they feel. Better that then to have another major change shoved down our throats. Go ahead, take a few minutes and check this out for yourself.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Correction re: previous Blog
In item 1 of my previous Blog I mentioned the growing Deficit. The Deficit is growing by $4.13 Billion per day (about $40 Million per minute).
Dems Claiming They Did Everything Right ?
Let's see, Hmmmm, Dems are on the Campaign trail and telling us everything is OK and George Bush remains the problem. It's been almost two years since Obama and the Dems were enshrined and the US became a Democratic Dictatorship so lets see where we are;
1. Our Deficit is growing by about $45 Million per day.
2. Iran is poking us in the eye every day.
3. The Taliban are growing stronger.
4. Our borders are worse than ever.
5. Foreclosures are still up.
6. Bankruptcies are up.
7. Unemployment is up.
8. Racism is rearing its ugly head again.
9. Stimulus did not work.
10. Taxes are going up.
11. Admitted Marxists and Socialists were made Tsars.
12. States are fighting each other (i.e. Cal boycotting Ariz)
13. States are suing Government and Government is suing states.
14. Health Care is worse than before the New Plan.
15. Cost of prescription Drugs is still out of control.
16. China has grown stronger with a Military that now has Super Submarines and satellite Killers.
17. Russia is flexing its muscles again and helping Iran.
18. Home values are down.
19. States are broke.
I can go on, the list keeps getting longer and the political fortunes of the US keep looking pretty bad. How long will this stuff continue? When do we see some reality from our law makers?
I can think of many ways to cut the deficit right now. Why can't they? I hope voters will educate themselves on the issues and vote for people who will listen to us and act on our wishes, not theirs.
1. Our Deficit is growing by about $45 Million per day.
2. Iran is poking us in the eye every day.
3. The Taliban are growing stronger.
4. Our borders are worse than ever.
5. Foreclosures are still up.
6. Bankruptcies are up.
7. Unemployment is up.
8. Racism is rearing its ugly head again.
9. Stimulus did not work.
10. Taxes are going up.
11. Admitted Marxists and Socialists were made Tsars.
12. States are fighting each other (i.e. Cal boycotting Ariz)
13. States are suing Government and Government is suing states.
14. Health Care is worse than before the New Plan.
15. Cost of prescription Drugs is still out of control.
16. China has grown stronger with a Military that now has Super Submarines and satellite Killers.
17. Russia is flexing its muscles again and helping Iran.
18. Home values are down.
19. States are broke.
I can go on, the list keeps getting longer and the political fortunes of the US keep looking pretty bad. How long will this stuff continue? When do we see some reality from our law makers?
I can think of many ways to cut the deficit right now. Why can't they? I hope voters will educate themselves on the issues and vote for people who will listen to us and act on our wishes, not theirs.
Friday, August 20, 2010
First Amentment Folly, Part Two, The Right and Wrong
I want to give you all a bit more information about the previous post. You see, I happen to believe our legal system has become wrapped up in itself and no longer understands the idea of WHAT IS RIGHT! Legal decisions in my humble opinion must look at the right and wrong of an issue as well as the Legal grounds. If judges only rule on the written word and totally dismiss the Right and Wrong of an issue, God help us all.
I say that 99.9% of people in this country know it is wrong to go to a funeral burial service and protest in the ugly way described below and in my previous Blog. None-the-less, Courts spend millions on debating the words, the previous trials and each other and arrive at decisions that have absolutely nothing to do with the Right and Wrong of the issue. It is Legal for the sake of Legal, not Legal for the sake of Right.
Here is a bit more information on this sad subject:
March 8, 2010
9:22 am
The Supreme Court agreed Monday to decide on the outer limits of free-speech protection for public protests and to rule on whether a dead soldier’s family can sue fringe religious protesters who picketed near their son’s funeral with signs that said, "Thank God for dead soldiers."
A Maryland jury awarded $10 million in damages to Albert Snyder, whose son Matthew was killed in Iraq in March 2006. He had sued Fred Phelps, the founder of the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kan., who has traveled the country for 20 years leading controversial protests at funerals for American soldiers.
He claims that God hates America because of its tolerance of homosexuality. He and his small group of followers carried protest signs at the funeral in Westminster, Md., that said, “Fag troops,” “God hates the USA” and “God hates fags.”
But a lawyer for Phelps said his protests were not targeted at Lance Corp. Matthew Snyder, the soldier, but more generally at America and the U.S. military. The protesters were kept at a distance from the church and the burial service. Nonetheless, the jury awarded damages to the Snyder family on the grounds that the funeral protests invaded their privacy and intentionally inflicted emotional distress.
In September, however, the U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals threw out the entire award on free-speech grounds. “Notwithstanding the distasteful and repugnant nature of the words being challenged in these proceedings, we are constrained to concluded that the defendants’ signs are constitutionally protected,” the appeals court said.
Snyder’s family appealed to the Supreme Court, saying the protests had “tarnished” their son’s funeral. “Matthew deserved better. A civilized society deserved better,” they said.
The court announced it had voted to hear the appeal in Snyder vs. Phelps and to rule on whether the right to free speech extended to the right to intrude on a solemn ceremony. The justices will hear arguments in the case in the fall.
David G. Savage, reporting from Washington
I know many people who would react rather violently at an intrusion such as this in the burial service of a loved one. Yes, that would be wrong. That is why I say we need our Courts to add Right and Wrong to their basis for decision making. My heart goes out to Hero Snyder's family for having to endure this Legal Abomination.
I say that 99.9% of people in this country know it is wrong to go to a funeral burial service and protest in the ugly way described below and in my previous Blog. None-the-less, Courts spend millions on debating the words, the previous trials and each other and arrive at decisions that have absolutely nothing to do with the Right and Wrong of the issue. It is Legal for the sake of Legal, not Legal for the sake of Right.
Here is a bit more information on this sad subject:
March 8, 2010
9:22 am
The Supreme Court agreed Monday to decide on the outer limits of free-speech protection for public protests and to rule on whether a dead soldier’s family can sue fringe religious protesters who picketed near their son’s funeral with signs that said, "Thank God for dead soldiers."
A Maryland jury awarded $10 million in damages to Albert Snyder, whose son Matthew was killed in Iraq in March 2006. He had sued Fred Phelps, the founder of the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kan., who has traveled the country for 20 years leading controversial protests at funerals for American soldiers.
He claims that God hates America because of its tolerance of homosexuality. He and his small group of followers carried protest signs at the funeral in Westminster, Md., that said, “Fag troops,” “God hates the USA” and “God hates fags.”
But a lawyer for Phelps said his protests were not targeted at Lance Corp. Matthew Snyder, the soldier, but more generally at America and the U.S. military. The protesters were kept at a distance from the church and the burial service. Nonetheless, the jury awarded damages to the Snyder family on the grounds that the funeral protests invaded their privacy and intentionally inflicted emotional distress.
In September, however, the U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals threw out the entire award on free-speech grounds. “Notwithstanding the distasteful and repugnant nature of the words being challenged in these proceedings, we are constrained to concluded that the defendants’ signs are constitutionally protected,” the appeals court said.
Snyder’s family appealed to the Supreme Court, saying the protests had “tarnished” their son’s funeral. “Matthew deserved better. A civilized society deserved better,” they said.
The court announced it had voted to hear the appeal in Snyder vs. Phelps and to rule on whether the right to free speech extended to the right to intrude on a solemn ceremony. The justices will hear arguments in the case in the fall.
David G. Savage, reporting from Washington
I know many people who would react rather violently at an intrusion such as this in the burial service of a loved one. Yes, that would be wrong. That is why I say we need our Courts to add Right and Wrong to their basis for decision making. My heart goes out to Hero Snyder's family for having to endure this Legal Abomination.
First Amendment Folly
Here it is:
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
Bear with me for a few minutes please.
That is the First Amendment which is part of the Bill of rights to the Constitution.
It speaks about freedoms related to religion, assembly, press, etc. It was added because the original document did not sufficiently protect Civil Liberties.
Here's the problem; the First Amendment did not intend Hate Speech" nor did it intend speech designed to hurt or intimidate others.
If you look at the Court decisions affected by the First Amendment you will find them full of LEGAL SPEAK that twists and bends all over the place and over time the Court has become increasingly more expansive in applications of The First Amendment than was originally intended. The Courts no longer see this amendment as originally drafted. The founders wanted government out of religion to avoid the issues that were rampant in Europe at that time.
OK, if you stayed with me this far, here is why I am writing this Blog.
People are attending funerals of our fallen heroes carrying banners that say: "THANK GOD FOR DEAD SOLDIERS". The court has ruled under the First Amendment that they have the right to do so but that they must be in a designated area. I am disgusted by that.
The Judges who made that ruling need to step down, burn their robes and go practice law in Iran.
The display of those signs is Hate Speech pure and simple. It is hurtful, inappropriate, disrespectful and only for effect since the people know full well that the media will show their sick signs to the world. In most of these sick demonstrations, if the press was absent there would be no demonstration.
Those opposed to the wars we fight certainly do have the right to protest. But protest should be about alternatives and objections with reasons and results. Name calling, blasphemy and hate speech are, in my humble opinion, not covered by those few simple words at the top of this Blog.
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
Bear with me for a few minutes please.
That is the First Amendment which is part of the Bill of rights to the Constitution.
It speaks about freedoms related to religion, assembly, press, etc. It was added because the original document did not sufficiently protect Civil Liberties.
Here's the problem; the First Amendment did not intend Hate Speech" nor did it intend speech designed to hurt or intimidate others.
If you look at the Court decisions affected by the First Amendment you will find them full of LEGAL SPEAK that twists and bends all over the place and over time the Court has become increasingly more expansive in applications of The First Amendment than was originally intended. The Courts no longer see this amendment as originally drafted. The founders wanted government out of religion to avoid the issues that were rampant in Europe at that time.
OK, if you stayed with me this far, here is why I am writing this Blog.
People are attending funerals of our fallen heroes carrying banners that say: "THANK GOD FOR DEAD SOLDIERS". The court has ruled under the First Amendment that they have the right to do so but that they must be in a designated area. I am disgusted by that.
The Judges who made that ruling need to step down, burn their robes and go practice law in Iran.
The display of those signs is Hate Speech pure and simple. It is hurtful, inappropriate, disrespectful and only for effect since the people know full well that the media will show their sick signs to the world. In most of these sick demonstrations, if the press was absent there would be no demonstration.
Those opposed to the wars we fight certainly do have the right to protest. But protest should be about alternatives and objections with reasons and results. Name calling, blasphemy and hate speech are, in my humble opinion, not covered by those few simple words at the top of this Blog.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
The Race Card? Bull, Get over it!
I haven't talked about race, ever! Why? Because I believe our society has grown past such distinctions. Think about it. The halls of Congress, Sports, Business, Media, Religeon and finance are all populated with Blacks who were supported by Whites. Yet, the first thing Charlie Wrangle and Maxine Waters scream when their ethics are challanged is RACE. Shut up!
Want to talk about Race Cards? OK. What the hell is the Congressional Black Caucus doing in Washington on our nickle? If that aint Racial I aint Italion. Here are a bunch of elected official lawmakers who are supposed to represent all the people gathering together under the CBC to discuss Black Issues and support them as a block. Reverse racism right in Congress and they have the nerve to call whites racists? There is no Congressional Italian Caucus, no Congressional Jewish Caucus, no Congressional Irish Caucus, get my meaning?
Yup, there are still pockets of bigotry. However, it is not the exclusive domain of Blacks. All ethnic groups have their share. I do not see the Immigration issue as racial but the Hispanic community cries Race. I do not see Mosques as a threat but the Muslim community cries anti Muslim.
Hey Blacks, it is not about you all the time. You have talented, professional and honorable Americans setting standards for all of us throughout our society. Condaliza Rice, Colin Powel, Will Smith, Morgan Freeman, Mahilia Jackson, Martin Luthor King, Barak obama, etc. The problems are no longer racial, they are political and financial. All of us, Black, White, Brown, Yellow, Green, Blue, etc. face extremely difficult times TOGETHER. It don't only rain on Blacks!
I am keenly aware of the road Blacks have traveled and the terrible history of Slavery and Segregation. But somehow we got past those ugly issues TOGETHER. Slavery and segregation were abolished by Whites and Blacks together. Perhaps if we should try to stop the nonsense and work together to lift all Races out of the getto, not only Blacks.
Finally, a message to Black commedians, "YOU AINT HELPIN!". You know dam well, you speak Street on the stage for effect but regular English when with your wife and kids.
Want to talk about Race Cards? OK. What the hell is the Congressional Black Caucus doing in Washington on our nickle? If that aint Racial I aint Italion. Here are a bunch of elected official lawmakers who are supposed to represent all the people gathering together under the CBC to discuss Black Issues and support them as a block. Reverse racism right in Congress and they have the nerve to call whites racists? There is no Congressional Italian Caucus, no Congressional Jewish Caucus, no Congressional Irish Caucus, get my meaning?
Yup, there are still pockets of bigotry. However, it is not the exclusive domain of Blacks. All ethnic groups have their share. I do not see the Immigration issue as racial but the Hispanic community cries Race. I do not see Mosques as a threat but the Muslim community cries anti Muslim.
Hey Blacks, it is not about you all the time. You have talented, professional and honorable Americans setting standards for all of us throughout our society. Condaliza Rice, Colin Powel, Will Smith, Morgan Freeman, Mahilia Jackson, Martin Luthor King, Barak obama, etc. The problems are no longer racial, they are political and financial. All of us, Black, White, Brown, Yellow, Green, Blue, etc. face extremely difficult times TOGETHER. It don't only rain on Blacks!
I am keenly aware of the road Blacks have traveled and the terrible history of Slavery and Segregation. But somehow we got past those ugly issues TOGETHER. Slavery and segregation were abolished by Whites and Blacks together. Perhaps if we should try to stop the nonsense and work together to lift all Races out of the getto, not only Blacks.
Finally, a message to Black commedians, "YOU AINT HELPIN!". You know dam well, you speak Street on the stage for effect but regular English when with your wife and kids.
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