Obama's Afghanistan Surge

I support a troop surge in Afghanistan to combat and destroy the Taliban and Al Qaeda. The Afghan government is corrupt and imperfect and it needs to step up the plate and get serious when it comes to dealing with its internal affairs.

However, missing from President Obama address at West Point last night was any mention of victory. The speech focused on policy and goals and troop drawdowns. But victory, how is it to be defined in this case? How will it be ultimately achieved? Will we allow our forces to carry out their mission with full autonomy and steering clear of Rules of Engagement that force them to fight with one hand tied behind their back and the other on a phone with lawyers?

Again, a surge is the right move. I hope that American troop withdrawals will not be used as political and electoral pawns in 2011.

Pray for our men and women and what they do.

Bertha Rieder 1919-2009

A great lady, a beloved mother, grandmother, great grandmother and friend.

May God lead to you your eternal home and keep you in his care. Watch over those who care for you and keep them safe.

You will be forever remembered for touching lives, even in the smallest of ways.

I'm So Ronery...

Well, it seems Kim Jong Il may need a visit from Team America:World Police, but I have a feeling they have been cut under President Obama.

Seems like the North Koreans are in no mood to join the community of Hope and Change(TM).

North Korea threatened a military response to South Korean participation in a U.S.-led program to seize weapons of mass destruction, and said it will no longer abide by the 1953 armistice that ended the Korean War.

Obama Names Sonia Sotomayor for SCOTUS

Well, President Obama made his first selection for the SCOTUS. He's named Judge Sonia Sotomayor for his choice to replace Justice David Souter...

Among many pearls of wisdom espoused by Judge Sotomayor, is this, “I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn’t lived that life,”

How post racial of her...

Naive? Stupid? Deadly...

Via Breitbart

President Barack Obama's intelligence chief confirmed Thursday that some Guantanamo inmates may be released on US soil and receive assistance to return
to society. "If we are to release them in the United States, we need some sort of assistance for them to start a new life," said National Intelligence Director Dennis Blair at his first press conference. "You can't just put them on the street," he added. "All that is work in progress."

It's like having a big 'KICK ME' sign on our backs... A big thank you to those who felt John McCain wasn't conservative enough and stayed home...

Too much makey nice, too little kick ass...

OUTRAGE! Obama to Force Vets to Pay For Care?

One of the items tucked neatly inside the president's $1 Trillion FY 2010 budget is an initiative to make US Military Veterans pay for their own medical care and treatment... The goal as stated by the President is to save approximately $540 Million in costs for the VA...

Here is what the American Legion has to say on this issue...

It's just another sign of the utter contempt the president has for our men and women in uniform.

Shocker...

The 9-12 Project

Talk radio host and Fox News Host Glenn Beck has started a movement to rekindle the American values system that seemingly has vanished from the scene. It started with 9 core principles:
1. America is good.
2. I believe in God and He is the Center of my Life.
3. I must always try to be a more honest person than I was yesterday.
4. The family is sacred. My spouse and I are the ultimate authority, not the government.
5. If you break the law you pay the penalty. Justice is blind and no one is above it.
6. I have a right to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness, but there is no guarantee of equal results.
7. I work hard for what I have and I will share it with who I want to. Government cannot force me to be charitable.
8. It is not un-American for me to disagree with authority or to share my personal opinion.
9. The government works for me. I do not answer to them, they answer to me.

And 12 values:
1. Honesty
2. Reverence
3. Hope
4. Thrift
5. Humility
6. Charity
7. Sincerity
8. Moderation
9. Hard Work
10. Courage
11. Personal Responsibility
12. Gratitude

His project is to help bring America back to the place it was on 9-12 and the question is simple:
Do you live in a 9-10 world? Head in the sand, unwilling to admit the problems in front of us...
Do you live in a 9-11 world? A World based on fear and surprise...
Do you live in a 9-12 world? A world where there is no hyperpartisanism. One where neighbor helped neighbor. We were united.

The goal is that we surround them. We have the future of the country in OUR hands, not the hands of few who are in power.

Check it out at http://the912project.com

No Iranian Nukes, No Missile Shield

There is a report this morning that President Obama sent a letter to Russian President Medvedev basically saying that if Russia could entice the Iranians to drop their nuclear weapons program, the US in turn would stop its Missile Shield program in Eastern Europe.

Russia has been against the US Missile Defense program since it was first announced that Eastern European countries were going to be staging areas.

Of course, this type of appeasement is not surprising coming from this administration. This type of deal is bad for America and worse for our allies in Eastern Europe.

Monday Morning STORMWATCH '09

OK, so the hype is really ridiculous... But still, we managed to get some real snowfall overnight...

A big shout out to my neighbors for not doing anything this morning...

Tax Me More Please

At some point, the people will revolt...

I repeat that this is EXACTLY what I thought would happen... Now I am certain... These guys have no clue that this type of tax increase will paralyze the economy...

From ABC's Sr. WH Correspondent Jake Tapper...

President Obama's budget proposes $989 billion in new taxes over the course
of the next 10 years, starting fiscal year 2011, most of which are tax increases
on individuals.
1) On people making more than $250,000.
$338 billion - Bush tax cuts expire
$179 billion - eliminate itemized deduction
$118 billion - capital gains tax hike

Total: $636 billion/10 years

2) Businesses:
$17 billion - Reinstate Superfund taxes
$24 billion - tax carried-interest as income
$5 billion - codify "economic substance doctrine"
$61 billion - repeal LIFO
$210 billion - international enforcement, reform deferral, other tax
reform
$4 billion - information reporting for rental payments
$5.3 billion - excise tax on Gulf of Mexico oil and gas
$3.4 billion - repeal expensing of tangible drilling costs
$62 million - repeal deduction for tertiary injectants
$49 million - repeal passive loss exception for working interests in oil and natural gas properties
$13 billion - repeal manufacturing tax deduction for oil and natural gas companies
$1 billion - increase to 7 years geological and geophysical amortization period for independent producers
$882 million - eliminate advanced earned income tax credit

Total: $353 billion/10 years

Congress Loading Up the Pork Again?

Today's New York Post details some of the more outrageous pork included in the Omnibus Spending Bill (which is meant to help us get through FY 2009)... President Obama contends that there are no earmarks in it.

Oh really? What about these? Complete idiocy...

Polynesian Voyaging Society of Honolulu, which got a $238,000 "earmark" in the bill. The group organizes sea voyages in ancient-style sailing canoes like the ones that first brought settlers to Hawaii.

New York got its share of earmarks, among them $475,000 to "improve and expand" the Italian American Museum in Little Italy. $4.5 million for new park development in Manhattan. $950,000 to convert a railroad bridge over the Hudson River into a walkway in Poughkeepsie.

The bill, which critics slammed as larded with pork, has big bucks to combat putrid stenches in the heartland, with $1.7 million for "Swine Odor and Manure Management Research."

Another earmark, by Rep. Howard Berman (D-Calif.) provides $200,000 for a
"tattoo-removal violence-outreach program" in Los Angeles.

Obama's Non-State of the Union Address

Last night, in a Joint Sessions of Congress, President Obama gave a non State of the Union Address.

Of course, he did his usual, talking down the economy, saying the things that might be popular, like Wall Street CEO's are greedy fat cats, etc... But all in all, his style over substance continues...

However, of the substantial items he discussed, some are highly controversial:

He called for a “market-based” cap on carbon emissions, which he said would lower U.S. production of greenhouse gases. He pledged to spend $15 billion a year to develop wind and solar power, biofuels, clean coal technology, and research into fuel-efficient vehicles.

This 'cap' is dangerous as it would essentially paralyze business and production in this country. It's a tax... It will reduce our industrial output and be very, very bad.

We do need to look into alternative fuels but we also need to look at Domestic oil and gas production as well as Nuclear Power. If nuke power is good enough for Europe, why isn't it good enough for us.


The President discussed the importance of passing Universal Socialized Healthcare.

We have, for all its flaws, the greatest healthcare system in the World. There is no need to move toward a Canadian-UK-Swedish model, where the most fragile in society are considered liabilities to treatment.


Overall, the President's plans once again come back to the following:

We need to spend our way out of the economic crisis... We will get some money to do it by taxing the 'rich' as printing more money.

Dangerous, dangerous stuff...

Socialism sucks.

Fat Tuesday

Mardi Gras wraps up tonight... It's Fat Tuesday...

Tuesday Morning Update

Back from a quick weekend in the Great Midwest for President's Day. Back at work now with an update on a continuing story...

Recall just last Thursday, we updated you on the construction barrier... Well, breaking news for a Tuesday morning.

Where did the Orange construction barrier go? Sure, we now have a cone here as well as a barrel, but could it really be?

Of course not... It's simply now just around the corner... Still there though...

Thursday Morning Progress?

It's Thursday morning. Here's a fun little slide show on progress or lack thereof, courtesy of the New York City Department of Transportation.

This photo, taken around January 26, shows a barricade in its new position, on the ground, abandoned...

Then, a miracle happened. February 9, the hazard barrier is upright!!! Amazing!

However, this morning, February 12, the barrier is back down. We will continue to follow this gripping story as it continues to develop.

Only In New York!

Wowie wowie! This is astounding, especially considering the condition of the roads...

NEW YORK (AP) - Police say a person was hit by a car, then swept under a van and dragged nearly 17 miles through New York City before that driver realized it.

The badly damaged body has not been identified. Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly says investigators are tracing the route searching for body parts. The first driver notified police after hitting the person around 6 a.m. Wednesday. In the meantime, the second driver went over the victim. It's not clear if the person was alive at that point.

The van drove on drove on three New York City highways from Queens to Brooklyn before stopping to check the vehicle. But he didn't see the body until a pedestrian pointed it out. Police say no criminality is suspected.

DRILL, BABY, DRILL - OOPS - NOT ANYMORE

From the Washington Times.

But times change, and on Tuesday, the Obama administration - with gas prices roughly half what they were and many Democrats' having been swept into office - blocked offshore drilling plans put in place at the last minute by the Bush administration, including plans to open the national outer continental shelf for drilling.

Interior Department Secretary Ken Salazar also announced last week that his agency would block drilling on public lands in Utah, criticizing the Bush administration for releasing its offshore drilling plan just days before leaving office.

"It was a headlong rush of the worst kind"

I find it funny that it was a headlong rush of the worst kind but the stimulus is all right.

Back to the Future

Michael Calderon's blog on Politico has news of Senator Tom Harkin's (D-IA) appearance on The Bill Press Show (on somewhere in the country??) Not good... Here we go... BTW, Bill Press, no one is interested in hearing 'Progressive' radio. It's a failed enterprise.

Step 1: Catastrophe if we don't spend, spend, spend.
Step 2: Talk down to the 'chattering class'.
Step 3: Shut down dissent.

The following is Sen. Harkin's words, when discussing talk radio...

SENATOR TOM HARKIN (D-IA): Well, anytime – just let me know Bill. I love being with you, and thanks again for all you do to get the truth and the facts out there. By the way, I read your Op-Ed in the Washington Post the other day. I ripped it out, I took it into my office and said 'there you go, we gotta get the Fairness Doctrine back in law again.'

BILL PRESS: Alright, well good for you. You know, we gotta work on that, because they are just shutting down progressive talk from one city after another. All we want is, you know, some balance on the airwaves, that's all. You know, we're not going to take any of the conservative voices off the airwaves, but just make sure that there are a few progressives and liberals out there, right?

SENATOR TOM HARKIN (D-IA): Exactly, and that's why we need the fair -- that's why we need the Fairness Doctrine back.

Wednesday Morning Around the Neighborhood

Here are some loverly pics from across the neighborhood for a Wednesday morning...

A crow sits atop the cross at Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Church.

This trash has been at the corner of Fresh Pond Road and Bleecker Street for days.

The ol' gas station clean-up site at the intersection of Metropolitan Avenue and Fresh Pond Road. This site is presently owned by the Long Island Rail Road. An environmental remediation project was performed last summer and the site has been idle since... It's a HUGE eyesore.

This Is Insane... AAAAHHHHHHH She Was OFFERED A House...

UPDATE: Henrietta Hughes was offered a home by Chene Thompson, wife of State Representative Nick Thompson, who heard the homeless woman’s pleas for help to President Obama before a local and national crowd.

ORIGINAL STORY:
So, today, President O-Fraud had another campaign event in Fort Myers, FL... There, he ran into some more interesting O-Bots... And the statements and questions were bizarre and unsettling...

Take for example Henrietta Hughes who said she was unemployed and homeless, and living with her family in a very small vehicle.

"The Housing Authority has two years waiting list. We need something more than a vehicle and parks to go to. We need our own kitchen and our own bathroom." She pleaded, "Please help." President Obama walked over to her, and said, "We're going to do everything we can to help you. I'll have my staff talk to you after the town hall."

Lovely... Some people before the election said that they would not have to worry about paying for gas or paying their mortgages because Obama was going to wipe all of it away...

Now, I am not completely heartless but seriously, this man is far from a deity... This victimization mentality is why we are going down the tubes, quickly...

Pork-a-palooza Passes Senate UPDATED With No votes

The final vote tally was 61-37... The 'No' voters will be posted when available...

The bill only passed because 3 'Republicans' changed sides... Arlen Specter (PA), Susan Collins (ME) and Olympia Snowe (ME).

Once again, a thanks who voted for O-Fraud and those Conservatives who stayed home to teach the GOP a lesson in nominating their candidate.

The 'No' Votes...

NAYs ---37
Alexander (R-TN) Barrasso (R-WY) Bennett (R-UT) Bond (R-MO) Brownback (R-KS) Bunning (R-KY) Burr (R-NC) Chambliss (R-GA) Coburn (R-OK) Cochran (R-MS) Corker (R-TN) Cornyn (R-TX) Crapo (R-ID) DeMint (R-SC) Ensign (R-NV) Enzi (R-WY) Graham (R-SC) Grassley (R-IA) Hatch (R-UT) Hutchison (R-TX) Inhofe (R-OK) Isakson (R-GA) Johanns (R-NE) Kyl (R-AZ) Lugar (R-IN) Martinez (R-FL) McCain (R-AZ) McConnell (R-KY) Murkowski (R-AK) Risch (R-ID) Roberts (R-KS) Sessions (R-AL) Shelby (R-AL) Thune (R-SD) Vitter (R-LA) Voinovich (R-OH) Wicker (R-MS

Stimulus Bill: Old and Sick? Well, Die Already

So, in the last 24 hours, we have found that the Spending Stimulus Bill contains some very interesting provisions for health care. Actually steps toward Universal Health Care and they are not good...

Former NY State Lt. Governor Betsy McCaughey writes about it on Bloomberg.com.

Basically the bill contains provisions to establish a National Coordinator of Health Information Technology which will oversee and monitor treatments to assure that doctors are providing services that are cost effective within the future government run healthcare system...

The problem? If you are old and sick and need specialized treatment, it will be rationed based on need. If you are not viable for treatment, you won't get it. Just like Euro healthcare systems.

This is a true emergency.

Tuesday Morning Sky

Here's a funky sky for your Tuesday morning...

Gov. Mark Sanford - Telling It Like It Is...

Yesterday, South Carolina (R) Governor Mark Sanford, already starting to make a name for himself in a crowded young-gun GOP governor field, was on CNN and provided some incredible commentary on the current economic situation...

“We’re moving precipitously close to what I would call a savior-based economy."

Nice quote... His point being that the more and more government intervenes, it is perceived as the solution. When the solution SHOULD BE the American people...

“A savior-based economy sort of is definitial of what you see in Russia or Venezuela or Zimbabwe or places like that where it matters not how good your
product is to the consumer but what your political connection is to those in power. And if you think about the power that’s been granted to the fed of the treasury, it has savior-like qualities. Everybody knows that we’re in an economic slowdown. But the consideration now is, if I can just get my word, if I can be the plaintiff to the right person in Washington D.C., I can get these things fixed. That is quite different than a market-based economy where some rise and some fall but there’s a consequence to making a stupid decision.”

Enjoy The Weekend!

Stay safe, stay sane!

Mitt Romney: Obama Plan Stimulates Gov't., Not Economy

Former Presidential Candidate (and my choice) Mitt Romney, pens a commentary on CNN.com where he states:

1. That the Obama/Democrat Spending Plan will stimulate the government but not so much the economy.

2. Giving the American taxpayers PERMANENT tax relief is better for the economy than increased government spending.

3. Private business is more effective than bureaucratic government in job creation.

Mitt is right. This man is a brilliant economic mind. It's a damn shame that he was a GOP afterthought in the Primaries...

Porkulus Maximus - CBO Says Bad Deal

From the Washington Times.

President Obama's economic recovery package will actually hurt the economy more
in the long run than if he were to do nothing, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said Wednesday.

CBO, the official scorekeepers for legislation, said the House and Senate bills will help in the short term but result in so much government debt that within a few years they would crowd out private investment, actually leading to a lower Gross Domestic Product over the next 10 years than if the government had done nothing.

Thus, Michelle Malkin's term for this bill 'The Generational Theft Act of 2009'. So true, so true.

Friday Morning Breakfast Update

OK, so a big story in the NYC area today is that the source of a maple syrup smell which has been permeating parts of the City for years now is actually from a food additive factory in New Jersey...

Here are all your tasty, syrupy details...

Do It or REALLY Bad Things Will Happen...

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama warned on Thursday that failure to act on an economic recovery package could plunge the nation into a long-lasting recession that might prove irreversible, a fresh call to a recalcitrant Congress to move quickly.

I call Bulls**t...

Acting on the bloated pork package is bad news. It will likely lengthen the amount of time we are in recession.

Cut taxes for all taxpayers (not those who don't pay). Cut the Capital Gains tax. Hell, eliminate Capital Gains taxes. That's it...

Thursday Morning Hazardous Condition

Thursday, finally... Here's a little danger on the road... Just look at that patchwork!

Drive safely!

Vice President Cheney's Sober Warning

Former Vice President Dick Cheney sat down with Politico yesterday for his first interview post office. In it, he offered quite the sobering assessment of what he sees after two weeks of Hope and Change...

Some quotables...

When we get people who are more concerned about reading the rights to an Al Qaeda terrorist than they are with protecting the United States against people who are absolutely committed to do anything they can to kill Americans, then I worry,”

Ouch. That one hurts. Sadly, he is right.

Protecting the country’s security is “a tough, mean, dirty, nasty business. These are evil people. And we’re not going to win this fight by turning the other cheek.”

Darn right. Not going to happen.

"The United States needs to be not so much loved as it needs to be respected. Sometimes, that requires us to take actions that generate controversy. I’m not at all sure that that’s what the Obama administration believes.”

He's right. I am sure that at some point in the future, a US President will be forced to make an extremely controversial decision for the sake of national security... Our popularity among the 'Global Community' should not really be the forefront of our decision-making process.

Don't Like Your Job, Neither Does The One...

Things have been very turbulent for young President Obama in his first 2 weeks in office. Between tax cheats, pork-laden spending bills and controversial Executive Orders, things are rough for the unqualified One.

Well, yesterday, he and wife Michelle headed out to a school in DC. Upon arriving, he said, "We were just tired of being in the White House..."

Come again? Tired of being in the White House? I can't imagine what the media reaction would be if George W. Bush had uttered those words...

I guess running for President is a lot differed than actually ACTING like the President... I told ya' so...

Hump Day Snow Scenes

Good Wednesday morning... Here are some pics from yesterday's snowfall here in the NY area.

Enjoy!

The scene from my front door...

Scene from the Forest Ave. Station.

The MTA's property... Why bother to shovel today? Uber classy!

BREAKING: Daschle Out for HHS

Former Senator Tom Daschle has withdrawn his nomination for Secretary of Health and Human Services today, after it was revealed in recent days that he has also not paid up on his taxes...

This is a good thing, as Sen. Daschle is a huge proponent of government run socialized medicine. That is the last thing we need when we are spending ourselves silly.

In addition, the amount of tax cheats being nominated and vetted by the Obama Administration, what the heck is going on?

Government Spending-Fest to Grow?

Today's Wall Street Journal notes that Washington lobbyists (you know, the ones who are supposed to have ZERO access to the Obama Administration) are working their Senate contacts to actually ADD proposals to the Government Pork and Spending Festival...

Eh, why the hell not... If we're going to go broke, why not go all the way...

Florida citrus growers, California wine growers and a range of agricultural interests are pushing a tiny change that would allow farmers to more quickly depreciate new fields. High-tech and pharmaceutical companies want to save billions in taxes by including a plan that would allow them to bring overseas profits back home at lower tax rates. Labor unions are pressing Congress to make sure that new government funding for green technology results in jobs with good pay and benefits for workers.

Tuesday Morning Sunrise

A good morning to you all... Here's a sunny sunrise to start your day...

Quote of the Day...

“Make no mistake, tax cheaters cheat us all, and the IRS should enforce our laws
to the letter. ”

Sen. Tom Daschle, Congressional Record, May 7, 1998, p. S4507

It's kind of like the ol Steve Martin bit, 'You Can Be a Millionaire and Never Pay Taxes'...

'First, get a million dollars.
Then, when the IRS audits you and comes by and asks why you have not paid
your taxes, you answer...

'I forgot'

Apparently, it gets you into the President's Cabinet.

Why We Love The Groundhog...

There is always this curiosity surrounding Groundhog Day. I don't know why... The groundhog either 'predicts' 6 more weeks of Winter or an early Spring...

Well, this morning, Punxatauney Phil, fresh off celebrating the Steelers 27-23 last-minute Super Bowl win last night, actually saw his shadow and predicts 6 more weeks of Winter.

Here in New York, Staten Island Chuck, did not see his shadow and predicts an early Spring... The great thing is, one of them is actually right... More effective than The Weather Channel? Perhaps...

Maybe SI Chuck is a Global Warming advocate...

Morning in the Citi

Monday morning. Hope you had a good weekend. The Pittsburgh Steelers are Champions of the NFL.

Have a Ball This Weekend...

Well, off for the weekend!

Here's a pic of the Times Square Ball (now there all the time, year round)...

BREAKING: RNC ELECTS STEELE AS CHAIR

The Republican National Committee today, after a long day of balloting, elected Former Maryland Lieutenant Governor and Senate Candidate Michael Steele as Chairman.

Now THIS is Change You Can Believe In! Let's hope it marks the return of True Conservatism to the GOP.

Bloomberg's Doomsday Budget UPDATE WITH DETAILS

3:30 PM UPDATE:
Here are some additional nuggets from today's presentation...

Job cuts will begin July 1 (which coincides with the start of FY 2010)

Wall St. Losses Could Top $47 Billion in 2008.

The City project 300,000 job losses by 2010.

ORIGINAL POST:
We all know that the budget situation here in NYC is in deep doo doo. Today at high Noon, Mayor Mike Bloomberg will announce his FY 2010 budget for the City. It's loving being referred to as a 'Doomsday Budget'. Wonderful

NY1 has the gory details.

Highlights?
23,000 job cuts (a large number of teachers)
Raising our sales tax from 8.375% to 8.75%

I'm sure there are service reductions and additional tax increases as well... Just what needs to be done when the economy stinks, raise taxes

BRILLIANT!

Friday Morning Profiles in Crapiness

Good Friday morning all!

So, this is part of the loveliness that comes from waiting for the bus in the morning... Busy intersection, lots of crap...

Brought to you by the ever-meticulous NYC Department of Transportation and their compadres at the MTA (Going Your Way?).

Morning Foreign Language

Ahhh, the joys of discovering new languages. Caught this today on the Walgreen's sign in Middle Village...

It's amazing the languages you see as you ride to work... You just never know who is moving into the area...

Stimulus-Insanity Continuuuuuuuuues...

Via Drudge. Great to see the Economic Stimulus bill takes other items of 'stimulus' into account. What the hell is going on America?

Democrats may have eliminated provisions on birth control and sod for the National Mall in the "job stimulus" -- but buried on page 147 of the bill is stimulation for prevention of sexually transmitted diseases!The House Democrats' bill includes $335 million for sexually transmitted disease education and prevention programs at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the DRUDGE REPORT has learned.

In the past, the CDC has used STD education funding for programs that many Members of Congress find objectionable and arguably unrelated to a mission of economic stimulus [such as funding events called 'Booty Call' and 'Great Sex' put on by an organization that received $698,000 in government funds.] "Whether this funding has merit is not the question; the point is it has no business in an economic plan supposedly focused on job creation," says a stimulated Hill source.

A Slushy, Mushy, NY Morning

So, we had a little bit of snow here in NYC this morning, causing mass chaos far and wide. We had about 4 inches before it turned to sleet/rain...

Here are some of the lovely winter scenes...

Here, we have a pic of the slushy mess underfoot when crossing the streets... Why?

Well, because the NYC Department of Sanitation did not get out there and plow the streets. Here is a major intersection in Ridgewood/Middle Village, Queens. Yummy streets...

Here is a terrific example of neighborhood goodwill. The excellent shoveling job performed. (In all honesty, this site is owned by the MTA and they do nothing...)

Here is a plow. Notice it is in the 'up' position. That doesn't do much good when the street are snow covered... Oh well, I guess they know something I don't know...

US Airways Passengers - We Want More $$

Not that being grateful for having a pilot who was able to miraculously land a plane perfectly in the middle of the Hudson River with no engines, the passengers of the US Airway Airbus A320 have each been offered $5,000 from the airline.

However, according to USA Today, some of the passengers feel that $5,000 is just not enough.

So here we go once again. People who should be very lucky to be alive feel they are entitled to additional compensation. Ironically, according to the article, airlines are only technically liable for $3,300 per passenger for incidents where luggage and personal belongings are lost.

It's sad that people are now motivated by the $$ and not happy enough that they still have their lives to lead.

BREAKING NEWS: Iranian Nuke in 2009!

Coming soon to a rogue Middle Eastern cesspool near you... Iranian Nukes!

Yes, according to the UK's Sky News, Iran will have enough enriched Uranium to develop a nuclear weapon by later this year...

What does this mean?

Well, for our allies in Israel, it means they have to make a clear choice here. Do they listen to the Obama foreign policy team and 'open dialogue' with the regime in Tehran, or will they aggressively lead an attack to harm the Iranian nuclear infrastructure?

Time will tell. Although if I were the Israelis I would seriously consider the aggressive approach. It worked in Iraq in 1981 and in Syria in 2007.

Change You Can Believe In...Unless You're Unborn

Matt Drudge has a flash story this morning. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Fransicko) was questioned about the millions of dollars in the economic 'stimulus' bill for contraception... What? How does that 'stimulate' the economy?

Apparently the Democratic Party believes that babies are burdensome to the economy. So does Communist China. I guess this affirms when President Obama said that he would hope that his daughters would not get pregnant while single so they would not have to deal with the burden of a baby... Culture of death...

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi boldly defended a move to add birth control funding to the new economic "stimulus" package, claiming "contraception will reduce costs to the states and to the federal government." Pelosi, the mother of 5 children and 6 grandchildren, who once said, "Nothing in my life will ever, ever compare to being a mom," seemed to imply babies are somehow a burden on the treasury.

The revelation came during an exchange Sunday morning on ABC's THIS WEEK. STEPHANOPOULOS: Hundreds of millions of dollars to expand family planning services. How is that stimulus? PELOSI: Well, the family planning services reduce cost. They reduce cost. The states are in terrible fiscal budget crises now and part of what we do for children's health, education and some of those elements are to help the states meet their financial needs. One of those - one of the initiatives you mentioned, the contraception, will reduce costs to the states and to the federal government.

STEPHANOPOULOS: So no apologies for that? PELOSI: No apologies. No. we have to deal with the consequences of the downturn in our economy.

Countdown to the Next Attack...

President Obama's naiive new Intelligence chief in speaking in hearings before Congress today...

On Iran: "While policymakers need to understand anti-American leaders, policies and actions in Iran, the intelligence community can also help policymakers identify and understand other leaders and political forces, so that it is possible to work toward a future in both our interests."

Are you kidding me? Iranian leaders will laugh in your face...

On Club GITMO: "I agree with the president that the detention center at Guantanamo has become a damaging symbol to the world and that it must be closed"

Damaing symbol for the World... Right... But George W. Bush sure kept us safe, didn't he?

As he said upon leaving office, he didn't make the popular decisions, but he made the best decisions for the American people...

It seems that President Obama does not... F**king shocker...

Change? Obama 1st President in 56 Years to Snub the Medal of Honor Ball

The 'Salute to Heroes Inaugural Ball' is sponsored by the American Legion and honors all those members of the United States Armed Forces who are recipients of the Medal of Honor.

The ball was first held in 1953, at the first inauguration of President Eisenhower and since then all newly inaugurated Presidents have attended. That is, until Tuesday night.

That's right. President Obama sis not show up at the Salute to Heroes Ball. Get used to it.

Remembering the Unborn

Today marks the 26th Anniversary of the Roe v. Wade ruling, which struck down Texas Law prohibiting abortion in the first trimester.

Since then, many millions of children have been aborted. The US pro-life movement continue to try and move ahead in the face of great challenge.

President Obama supports the passage of the Freedom of Choice Act, which will basically, extend abortion 'rights' across all spectrums and force funded abortions, even in religious-oriented hospital centers.

The pro-life movement looks at its bleakest right now. One can only pray for people to return to respect all life, from the unborn to the aged.

An Inside's Guide Into The Birth of American Socialism

Robert Reich is a former Secretary of Labor under former President Bill Clinton. He is relied upon on the Sunday morning round table shows for labor and economic questions. He is also an economic advisor to President Obama.

His blog, http://robertreich.blogspot.com/, is mainly a site where he espouses his political and economic viewpoints. As first pointed out by Michelle Malkin on her blog, Reich makes some interesting statements in his post "The Stimulus: How to Create Jobs Without Them All Going to Skilled Professionals and White Male Construction Workers"

Aside from the post title, here are some of the more controversial points...

But if there aren’t enough skilled professionals to do the jobs involving new technologies, the stimulus will just increase the wages of the professionals who already have the right skills rather than generate many new jobs in these fields. And if construction jobs go mainly to white males who already dominate the construction trades, many people who need jobs the most — women, minorities, and the poor and long-term unemployed — will be shut out.

What to do? There’s no easy solution to either dilemma… People can be trained relatively quickly for these sorts of jobs, as well as many infrastructure j0bs generated by the stimulus — installing new pipes for water and sewage systems, repairing and upgrading equipment, basic construction — but contractors have to be nudged both to provide the training and to do the hiring.

I’d suggest that all contracts entered into with stimulus funds require contractors to provide at least 20 percent of jobs to the long-term unemployed and to people with incomes at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level. And at least 2 percent of project funds should be allocated to such training. In addition, advantage should be taken of buildings trades apprenticeships — which must be fully available to women and minorities.

As someone who understands the construction industry, you just don't 'train' the unemployed to involve themselves in heavy construction. That is welfare and not unlike the forced employment under the Soviet regime. In addition, to once again penalize the most qualified people to do the job simply because they are white is flat out wrong. It is racism. It works both ways... If something of this sort is implemented nationally, it will not go over well.

She's Out...

Via the Associated Press:

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - Caroline Kennedy has ended her quest for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Hillary Rodham Clinton, halting a campaign that began with popular support but withered quickly over criticism about her experience and her reluctance to answer questions about her finances.

Kennedy made the announcement in a terse statement released early Thursday, ending hours of uncertainty surrounding her intentions as she appeared to waver in her decision to seek the office. "I informed Governor Paterson today that for personal reasons I am withdrawing my name from consideration for the United States Senate," she said in the one-sentence statement.

Good. Caroline Kennedy is not qualified. It's ridiculous that she was even considered by the Governor. If Gov. Sarah Palin got lambasted for her lack of experience, why in God's name would Caroline Kennedy be a good choice for Senator?

Strike Two...

From the AP:

WASHINGTON (AP) — The new Obama administration circulated a draft executive order Wednesday that calls for closing the controversial detention center at Guantanamo Bay within a year and halting any war crimes trials in the meantime.

Closing the facility in Cuba "would further the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States and the interests of justice," read the draft prepared for the new president's signature.

While some of the detainees currently held at Guantanamo would be released, others would be transferred elsewhere and later put on trial under terms to be determined.

Stupid, stupid, stupid... typical hopey changey, feel good nonsense. On point, this makes us less safe. Period.

Here We Go Folks...

So, one of the first actions taken by the Obama Administration is to halt military tribunals of terror suspects at Gitmo... Here from the Washington Post.

In one of its first actions, the Obama administration instructed military prosecutors late Tuesday to seek a 120-day suspension of legal proceedings involving detainees at the naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba -- a clear break with the approach of the
outgoing Bush administration.

The legal maneuver appears designed to provide the Obama administration time to refashion the prosecution system and potentially treat detainees as criminal defendants in federal court or have them face war-crimes charges in military courts-martial.

Or, if he was my type of leader, he would just halt trials indefinitely. I don't have as much faith in him. He is most likely setting things up to close the prison and try these thugs as criminals (they are not, they are combatants and non-citizens).

Thank You President Bush

A very big thank you to President George W. Bush. For as many times I have disagreed with him (immigration, the bailouts), he has kept us safe. Our aggressive tactics against terror have prevented any major domestic attacks since 9/11.

Thank you President Bush. We at TBV will never forget you.

Post-Racialism?

So, after the main pomp and circumstance of the Inaugural Address, Rev. Joseph Lowery concluded his benediction prayer with the following...

'Lord, in the memory of all the saints who from their labors rest, and in the joy of a new beginning, we ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get in back, when brown can stick around... when the red man can get ahead, man; and when white will embrace what is right. That all those who do justice and love mercy say Amen. Say Amen'...

Lovely. Is this what we are in for for four years? If this is post-racial, we are in bad shape...

BREAKING: Sen. Ted Kennedy Hospitalized

Breaking News from the Congressional Luncheon with President Obama.

Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., who is battling a brain tumor, was taken away from the congressional luncheon in convulsions.

Kennedy was at a table with Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., Vice President Mondale and Mrs. Mondale, and others. While at the table, Kennedy began having seizures that lasted for several minutes. As they were carrying Kennedy out of the room, he was still seizing. President Barack Obama went out of the room with him, but he is back in the luncheon room now.

We disagree with Sen Kennedy vehemently but we wish him all the best as he continues to battle brain cancer.

Congratulations Mr. President

Well, Barack Hussein Obama took the Presidential Oath of Office and became the 44th President of the United States. We at TBV wish the President of the United States well. It's a difficult job. I hope that this President, who is underqualified for this position, will learn and grow and realize that leftist, liberal tactics would be devastating to this country.

Good luck. You need it.

Local Catholic Schools to Close...

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn, of which my parish is a part, has been investigating a number of ways to consolidate Catholic elementary school operations. Their criteria for doing so is based upon projections of students now through 2013, projected school surplus/deficits through 2011 as well as regional demographics and other miscellaneous criteria. The Diocese made it's draft proposals available on Monday, January 11. Here is their press release (which is never a good idea with draft proposals)...

Diocese Announces 29 Regional School Reconfiguration Proposals

As president of each parish corporation, Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio has asked that a diocesan wide strategic planning process, that would ensure the long term stability of
Catholic schools in the diocese, be undertaken. The Diocesan Reconfiguration Committee (DRC) submitted its twenty-nine (29) regional proposals to ensure the
long term vitality and strength of Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Brooklyn. The process entitled “Preserving the Vision” was initiated by the (DRC) in the beginning of September. It has involved the unprecedented collaboration and input of parents, teachers, principals, Parish and community leaders, pastors and Diocesan employees.
The twenty-nine (29) regional proposals, which will become the roadmap, is to be implemented over the course of five years and will impact every school in the Diocese. “I am committed to ensuring that our Catholic Schools are accessible geographically and financially to the people of our Diocese. When we determined that our schools are operating at only 85% of capacity it became clear that we had to consider why this was happening and how we might reverse the trend” said Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio of the Diocese of Brooklyn.

Bishop Frank Caggiano, Vicar General and Dr. Thomas Chadzutko, Superintendent of Catholic School Support Services, lead the effort to undertake a study of each Catholic school in Brooklyn and Queens. “The DRC has also proposed a model for revenue sharing. The willingness of the pastors of our Diocese and their cooperation on the proposed new tax that will raise $3 million in new revenues for our schools is a sign of the Churches continued commitment to Catholic education.” said Bishop Frank Caggiano. He continued, “…at the outset we believed that this process had to be comprehensive and inclusive. Over the course of several months we compiled the best possible data from many different sources. We were determined to engage all parties with an interest in Catholic Schools to share that data and our analysis.”

The proposal moves all schools towards the adoption of a two-tiered governance model. Under this model, pastors of parishes aligned with an Academy are members of the Corporation with particular responsibility for the spiritual care of faculty, students and families. A Board of Directors composed of lay-leaders with specific competence is responsible for the fiscal oversight and governance of the new school.

It is initially proposed that eleven (11) schools in the Diocese close at the conclusion of the 2008-2009 school year. Schools recommended for closure are: Flatbush Catholic Academy (Bk), St. Vincent Ferrer (Bk), Most Precious Blood (Bk), St. Elizabeth Ann Seton (Bk), Our Lady of Perpetual Help (Bk), Our Lady of Angels (Bk), St. Anthony of Padua (Qns), St. Benedict Joseph Labre (Qns), St. Catherine of Sienna (Qns), St. Aloysius (Qns) and Blessed Sacrament (Qns).

It is initially proposed that nine (9) schools merge and three (3) new schools be created. In the Windsor Terrace section of Brooklyn, it is proposed that Immaculate Heart of Mary (Bk) and Holy Name (Bk) merge and form one school with a single campus to be located at Prospect Park West. In Flushing, it is recommended that three (3) schools, St. Michael, St Ann, Mary’s Nativity merge to form one (1) school with one (1) campus. The school will be located at the St. Mary Nativity site. The four (4) Williamsburg schools are recommended to merge in 2010-2011. The number of sites is to be determined by the Board of Directors following a consultation process. These schools are Northside Academy, St. Stanislaus Kostka Ss. Joseph and Dominic Academy, St. Nicholas.

Mary, Gate of Heaven (Qns) is invited to adopt academy status prior to the 2009-2010 academic year. It is the conviction of the committee that this will strengthen and ensure continued vitality for the school.

It is initially proposed that the three (3) schools close, and then reopen at their same site as an Academy. It is our hope that they will be able to achieve academy status prior to the opening of the 2009 – 2010 academic year. Each of the schools in this category faces unique challenges. These schools are: Our Lady of Grace (Qns), St. Anastasia (Qns), Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal (Qns).

A special task force has been created to explore the creation of a new academy at St. John the Baptist, (Bk).

In offering these twenty-nine regional proposals Bishop Caggiano remarked “We are confident that as a result of this process our schools will have more resources to insure that children have greater access to Catholic education. Our schools will be better able to meet the diverse and changing needs of students and parents and, we will provide thriving Catholic schools that are better able to offer teachers and staff
competitive compensation and benefits while remaining vibrant institutions for generations to come.”

I am close to the situation at one of the schools marked to close and reopen as an Academy. I can tell you that the present proposal is very confusing to staff and administrators.

While I do agree that some work has to be done to ensure that Catholic Elementary education remains a priority, one has to wonder if the Church will remain viable if young people are not strongly educated in the faith. More to come on this topic...

Back After a Break

Well, I am back after a self imposed break from the blogosphere. Things are heating up domestically as the start of The Great Error is just days away... Israel is getting their revenge against the Hamassoles in Gaza and, as always, is getting beat up by the media and the United Nations for their actions. With the inauguration days away, Israel knows it is now or never.

As for the economy, it still blows. President-Elect O is readying another pork-laden, stimulus-palooza bill which the Congressional deadheads are going to pass with much fanfare. We have Conservatism in Exile, with Congressional GOP members acting like frightened 6 year olds after hearing the story of the boogeyman.

And so it goes... But I am back and will be once again, posting regularly...

Israel's Assault on Gaza

In my opinion, Israel should never have pulled their homesteads out of the Gaza Strip back in 2006. Since then, on a daily basis, Hamas has fired rockets from positions in the Gaza into Israel, killing Israelis and Arabs together. Well, we have waited and waited and finally, the Olmert government has decided enough is enough and have begun airstrikes against Gaza.

My question is whether Israel has done this at this point in time before Obama takes over? It angers me that we urge 'restraint' on behalf of Israel. If San Diego were under missile attack from Tijuana, would we really not do anything? Didn't think so...

Here is hoping Israel does what they need to do to prevent any further terrorist actions from Gaza.