American direction...

A great video from Free Market America about the environment...if there are familiar themes here, don't be surprised.  However, you should skip it if you aren't ready to watch with an open mind.

Give Me Time To Give Away The Store...

Another example of why President Obama does not deserve re-election comes via ABC News as our President tells Russian President Dmitri Medvedev he needs room to operate as he prepares to sell ournation short - once again.


Star Wars, our nation's missile defense system, has come about because we wanted a deterrent to be able to say to the Russians 'we will not fear your nuclear stockpile.  We will shoot them down from the sky before the wreak havoc upon us.'


Now, Obama in another Jimmy Carter impression wants to give away the protection technology that helps protects us against not only the threat of an increasingly belligerent Vladimir Putin, but that of China, another nation who has had no issue rattling sabers and doing business with those that mean us harm.  Forgive me for thinking our leaders were meant to protect us against the threats that the Strategic Defense Initiative provides.


225 days until the Election...and counting...

Bill Of Rights Can Be Terminated

So Chicago Police officers have stated that your First Amendment rights can be terminated.  This is another example of people who just don't get it.

Instead of focusing on the thugs who are causing ninety-four murders thus far this year when there were sixty-six last year, they are trying to stop the bad message about Chicago, i.e. the city is not safe.  The city is either not investing in enough officers or allowing citizens to be armed to protect themselves.  Regardless of the policy differences people may have on funding cops or whatnot, you have to take exception to the police use of force in moving reporters away from a hospital where they are reporting on the news.

The Godfather should perhaps think about a way to control the thugs who he has otherwise coddled.  Chicago has been a mess for months and as the new Mayor, he has done little to help the situation.  Time to step up.

Is The Fifth Amendment A Suggestion?

So recently Attorney General Eric Holder told us that "The U.S. government has the right to order the killing of American citizens overseas if they are senior al-Qaeda leaders who pose an imminent terrorist threat and cannot reasonably be captured."  This can happen without the benefit of trial, conviction, or any due process.


The Attorney General continued in his speech to students at Northwestern University that “the American people can be — and deserve to be — assured that actions taken in their defense are consistent with their values and their laws.”  Well, our values are encumbered in a document many of us like to call the Constitution.  While this may be a difficult idea for the nation's top lawyer, it is one the rest of us get.

No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

I realize that the time of fiat has returned when Presidential administrations see themselves as kings (or potentially queens) who can rule without the consent of the people, the Congress, and so forth, but once again Mr. Holder, you are out of line with the document you swore to protect.  It did take a while, but isn't it your administration that is gloating over the successful capture of Osama bin Laden?  If you want to score political points with that story you should not then steal away the rights of citizens born in this country because the question has to be asked: what is terrorism?  Is it planting bombs in a cafe?  Is is it talk of sex change operations and who should pay for them or contraception?  The problem with a policy that allows an unelected, unaccountable bureaucrat to take on the murder of an American citizen is where does it stop?


As a Catholic it is clear that the death penalty serves very few needs and that is a process by which a trial occurs, a verdict of guilty occurs, then a judge signs a death warrant.  You do not see that in this process and makes me wonder if the Fifth Amendment is simply a suggestion?

Paperwork And Meaningless Comments

Grrr....nothing makes me madder than organizations that self inflict paperwork on themselves for unimportant reasons, but don't communicate on the important stuff except for meaningless comments about how much someone "means to an organization." Again and again, I hear "thank you for being here. We're excited to have you," but again and again it just aint so.

To the first part, why do organizations go out of there way to make sure you document things that have zero to do with anything? It isn't billing, it isn't patient care, it isn't anything. Meanwhile you have to constantly guess whether or not you even know your current protocols because major changes occur without anyone informing anybody. Excuse me,when didthis drug get added and why didn't we get a basic e-mail? Is our communication really that bad?

On the other, I hate to be needy, but when you say I will get back to you, gosh darn it, I expect you to. This is not complicated, nor should it be. I know you expect me to get back with you, but really is it a two way street or not because I am a little offended. Pick up the phone or type out an e-mail. You know how to do it when you need a shift covered.

I remember a lecture on Critical Incident Stress Management by Vickey Taylor who was talking about this business and how we wanted big incidents and they may be the cause of significant stress, but how the day to day grind and the goofiness would get to you every time if you let it. I guess it is getting to me. Grrr...

This is thuggery. not sports

Why are we blaming the refs for miussing this call? Granted they should have caught it, but this is Albert Haynesworth all over and for the same reason. Love is a knucklehead. I don't want to hear about how Kevin Love was frustrated when he stomps on another man's head while playing a game. That isn't frustration. Just thuggery and it is why our kids play it out in their class rooms.

I am so sick of all the coddling of athletes. This is a joke and the fact that he got only a two game suspension demonstrates the lack of seriousness that David Stern has for expectations of normal human behavior. I have no idea why anyone who is trying to cozy up to big business would want to allow that type of behavior at their own workplace, but clearly David Stern is accepting of this type of outburst. I can't wait until players find their way into the stands again...

Are we playing poker...or why all the cards?

When President Obama was elected, the media promised a post racial life. We were told that we had arrived at the promised land that Martin Luther King Jr. had promised. One where your actions would be judged by their content, or lack thereof. One where everyone could be criticized for their judgment, or lack thereof.

Unfortunately, this is not the case because consistently when someone has complained about President Obama, the charge has come back, this is just old fashioned racism. Worse though, it is filtering down within the elite of Washington DC.

Now when Chief Ellerbe's actions as head of DC Rescue and Fire are protested by his own employees, his PIO decided he needs to drop the race card. I have no idea about what is going on with Ellerbe's administration: the fact that they have changed "official" uniforms multiple times has infuriated many members. The fact that Ellerbe has not made EMS a priority in a department that runs 2/3 of its calls has infuriated me and many DC residents who may one day depend on their "service." However, whatever the protest is about there is one thing that is sure. As an anti-Obama placard shows only losers play the race card.