3DWannabe Blog

He taught what?

One of the things that a quick read of Obama’s biography will tell you is that he has a law degree. His specialty was in constitutional law and he practiced civil rights cases. In fact, he taught constitutional law at Harvard, Why then does he seem to be so ignorant of what the intent of the Constitution is? Or put another way, why does he hate it so much? You see this pattern over and over again.

While not the most recent, at least the most prominent is his stupid comment regarding the first amendment giving them the right to build the mosque near ground zero. What in the hell does the first amendment have to do with it? As I posted on facebook, here is the question that is relevant regarding the first amendment. How many muslims will be prevented from practicing their faith if this mosque is not built on that site? Answer = 0. Forget the Constitution on this one, does not apply. What was the correct answer for the President of the United States of America? “This is a local issue regarding property rights and community standards. Community standards are determined and reflected by Zoning Commissions, Public complaints and opinions should be directed to the NYC local government, this is not a Federal issue. As a private citizen, my opinion is…….” Instead this most learned president decided to try and hide behind a rather stupid interpretation of the 1st amendment. Hey people, I’m not allowed to have an opinion, this is what the constitution says. The first time this buffoon of a president decides to actually read and defend it, he completely botches it. It’s not just me that thinks so, most constitutional scholars (Which I’m admittedly not) came out and concluded, this isn’t a first amendment issue.

So, what constitution did Obama study and teach? Or is there another answer? What would make Obama say such a stupid and obviously wrong statement? While we’ve learned that he’s not exactly quick on his feet, he had plenty of time to get the teleprompter loaded with exactly what he wanted to say. I think it was his own ego and another severe narcissism attack that made him do it. Instead of saying what he knew, he decided to say what he wanted to be true and counted on his cult of personality to make it the truth. (He does this constantly. He just says what he wants to be the facts as if they really are) In his mind whenever there is an open question, the country, even the entire world, is waiting to be led by his brilliance, it doesn’t even occur to him to say it’s not his issue, he’s just another Joe with an opinion. That mindset is more foreign to him than the surface of the moon. For him, there is nothing more important, nothing more worthy of attention than the opinion of Barack Obama, President of the United States of America.

As we common people say, kid, he’s a legend in his own mind

More Tea?

My local tea party group sent out a questionnaire. Attendance is down, people don’t seems to be quite as interested. The question is, now what?

From my perspective, the tea parties came together for people to send a clear message to both Republicans and Democrats alike, conservative values are not held only by fringe groups. The idea of limited government, individual liberties and self-determination are common across all party, racial and social groups. Figure it out or we’ll throw you out. Did we succeed? Possibly, fresh new voices like Rick Snyder, Rocky and Justin Amash are on the ballot for November. (On the down side, 25% was considered a pretty good turnout, why should anyone believe people have had enough?)

What now? Now, we tea partiers need to get behind the candidates that best reflects our views and get them elected in November. The tea party pushed a set of ideals, not specific candidates, and rightly so. I don’t care if they are Republican or Democrat, if they have a conservative agenda I’ll consider them. A conservative leaning democrat may well be a better choice than a RINO republican. In my case it’s an easy choice though, Rick Snyder is running against a democrat that has fully endorsed the Detroit style of politics and agenda. For congress, it’s Rocky versus the Obama / Pelosi / Reid lackey Gary Peters. That choice is no choice at all. The tea parties are not dead, but they have done what they can for now. They must come back after the election to remind these new candidates why they are there, regroup and prepare for the all important push for 2012.

As tempting as it might be to look at a third party candidate, now is not the time to splinter. That time was in 2010 when we knew who was going to win and the Republican party lost it’s way. This time we have affected the choices, the people we will vote for this November. .Even if our preferred candidate didn’t win, a candidate we can live with did. Except in extreme cases, a third party can not win. We MUST take enough seats in November to stop the Obama agenda until it can be put out of our misery in 2012. We MUST have governors that believe in the States and People’s rights and will fight for them.  I can not and will not support a third party candidate in my district races, It is to important a time to jeopardize the future on a wasted vote to make a point. The idea that someone like Peters would return to DC to represent me is repugnant, it can not happen.

So, let’s get the Rick and Rocky show on the road, where are my lawn signs!?

My first Enterprise

After modeling the Romulan Warbird from TOS I want an Enterprise to go with it. Made some headway on the deck so construction is underway….

Link to the Warbird pic here…
Warbrid Picture

There is an icon in the center, above and below the picture, click that for the full size picture.

Born In The USA

Soon it will be the 4th of July, America’s Independence Day. You can expect to hear Born In The USA played that entire week. Who doesn’t know this song by the ‘Boss’, Bruce Springsteen? I remember when it came out, people singing it with vigor, waving the American flag high and proud. But, did you know that it was intended to be a indictment of the USA and it’s people on the treatment of Vietnam veterans? It is widely regarded as the most misinterpreted song ever written. 

How could this have happened? How did millions of Americans listen to this song, listen to the lyrics and come away with such a different feeling than the writer intended? Instead of being disappointed and angry with their country, Americans embraced this song, it made them proud to be Americans.

I believe the answer takes us back to the core of what it means to be an American. Forget about what you see on TV, what you hear in the media. Go back to when you were growing up. What did America mean to you? You might not have thought about it in those terms, but think back. Who did you root for, the underdog or the team that you knew was going to win? (Why do so many people hate the NY Yankees?) Who intrigued you more, the self made millionaires or the aristocrats? When you told someone what you wanted to be when you grew up, what did they say? “Hey, if you work hard, you can be whatever you want to be” was the standard answer. In much of the world, that isn’t the answer you would get, or if someone did say it, the examples around you would tell you it just wasn’t likely to happen. America is different. You are surrounded by people who worked hard and made something of themselves from nothing. Many of them will tell you stories about how they hit bottom, lived out of their cars, and came back to be a success. It can be done and we admire those who make it happen. Little pity is given to someone who falls and stays down, instead, we get behind those that fall and get back up. We help them, we celebrate their achievements, they become our role models. It’s what we do, it’s what we are.

 When Americans heard this song… “Born down in a dead man’s town, the first kick I took was when I hit the ground” … we heard an underdog. We heard someone to get behind, someone to root for. Where the song lyrics end… “Nowhere to run, aint got nowhere to go” … Springsteen’s vision ended, but not ours. In Springsteen’s interpretation we are left with a sad soul that has no chance in a country that didn’t care. What most Americans heard was a man trying to get back up, to fight to make something of himself in a country where that is not only possible, but likely. He’ll struggle, he won’t get many hand outs, but he’ll get what he needs if he has a mind to. We’re behind him, we want him to make it and we’re proud to live in a place where he’ll be able to do it.

Bruce, I am proud to be Born In The USA. Happy Birthday America!

Referendum?

As the dust settles from Obama’s second Supreme Court nominee, it’s again clear how important the elections are this fall. Here is a person whose knowledge of the Constitution is so shallow that the only case she brought before it was shot down by a unanimous vote. Even the liberal judges on the court felt her case and beliefs had absolutely no merit. The fact that she brought this case before the court shows how she would have voted if she were on the bench. Did she even read the Constitution before filing? Will she bother to read it when she is part of the court? Will she read it as the founders intended, or in a manner to somehow justify her personal beliefs? How can Obama say this person is qualified? She isn’t, and nothing Obama says and his liberal cronies come up with will change that.

I believe the November elections are a referendum for this country, like we haven’t had since the fall of Hillary-care. Is the liberal agenda the direction this country wants to go? Federal healthcare mandates, federal control over major businesses, federal control over all financial institutions and transactions, federal control over local projects and appropriations, federal control over schools, federal control over the airwaves, federal border policies that favor illegal aliens over upstanding applicants that respect the rule of law, federal bailouts of people and companies who failed to show any self responsibility. the list goes on and on. Is this the America its people want? Or is this the America that believes in the rule of law, liberty and standing on on your own two feet? An America where control of local schools, institutions and projects is held at the local level? Where people vote for taxes to fund local / state projects, instead of sending money to the Federal government and then beg to get it back?  Where hard work and making a profit and paying off your debts is rewarded instead of being penalized by then having to pay for those who failed to do so?

November will be out chance to vote our preference. Nanny –state or a nation of free people. Who and what are you America?

I think I want one…..

Bev and I stopped in at the Apple store Saturday to see the iPad. I’ve haven’t wanted one up to this point since I have a net book I can carry around. (I originally bought it for work to replace my paper pad at meetings, but my job changed since then.) Then I played with the iPad and have to say it’s pretty cool. The people who say it’s just a big ipod touch are right, but that’s not a bad thing. The touch is very cool, but the small screen and keyboard have always limited it’s use as a computer / information device. In that role it’s more of a stop gap ‘twitter’ device as is the iphone.

The iPad is different than the touch or iphone It’s not so big that the touch interface becomes a problem, try waving your hands to move things on your 24 inch monitor, in fact the extra size seems perfect for the ‘touchy movey slidey’ way to do things. It’s fast as well, truly blows the touch and iphone away in this regard. The screen will keep up with your typing, at least mine. The screen based keyboard is responsive, maybe not for a book but certainly fine for an extended email. Another big difference though is the speed of displaying internet information. It’s as fast as your computer, the limiting factor is your internet connection.

So who will want one? It’s not a laptop replacement for someone who wants to work with it. Big spreadsheets, powerpoint presentations, video editing etc, don’t even stop to look, you’re losing valuable time. The iPad is the ultimate casual computing device. Check your email, read the news, watch a video, check. (I could add listen to music, but this isn’t an iPad strength. The ipod is better suited because of it’s size) That’s the obvious stuff, the difference to the laptop you might already have is that it’s made to carry around the house with you. No waiting for it boot up from sleep mode. It’s open, instant on and ready to go. Check the TV listing, read a book, check your calendar, pull up a recipe, remember a birthday and then play bejeweled for a little while. My mother recently passed away, but this is the device I would set her up with.

I threw the recipe thing in there for everyone that remembers that selling point for computers. For 40 years salesmen have gone on about how you can put you recipes in the computer and access them later. Yes you can, but no one does because you quickly realize that the computer isn’t in the kitchen. It isn’t in the exercise room to use track your progress. It isn’t in the garage to read the assembly instructions. It isn’t on the deck to read the paper. It isn’t at the store with your grocery list. It isn’t in the car with your things to do list. It isn’t in the waiting room to pass the time with. The iPad is and that’s why you’ll want one too.

Constitutional Failure

Anyone who knows me is aware that I am a strict constitutionalist. The men who drafted it were clear in both language and intent. Language like ‘shall not be infringed’ and ‘The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.’ isn’t ambiguous to me, as it seems to be to so many others. However, it was written by men. Men aren’t perfect, so there were bound to be mistakes. or areas where the language wasn’t clear enough. The amendment process is there to correct any mistakes, the Supreme Court is there to clear up any clarity issues. 

Did you know….

… that they put beautiful women in ads because they get better ratings than ugly women? Did you know that they will put a hispanic in an ad just because the ad will be played in a hispanic area? These decisions are made in terms of marketing and demographics. What plays best to what audience.

Now, here is the million dollar question: Did you know that a presidential campaign is largely marketing?

Harry Reid isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed, but he can tell you that a light skinned, clear speaking black person has a better chance of getting elected than a dark skinned hip-hop rapper. The nerve of the man to actually say it. (Personally I think the USA is color blind enough that the skin color wouldn’t really be the issue, it would be the ‘urban-english’ that would kill such a candidate. The President represents the United States of America, we all, white and black, want him to sound clear and intelligent.) They were talking strategy and electability, in this case Reid was correct and the election results bear that out.

Should Reid resign over this? Hell no. (It does show the double standard the liberals have, they would be crucifying Rush Limbauh over this.) What he said was factual and normal in a marketing meeting. I don’t know why he felt he needed to apologize, I don’t know why Obama felt he needed to. I think Steele and the Republicans mis-fired on this one. Should have taken the high road and ignored it. They look a bit petty in my opinion.

Another Obama Trifecta

Let’s see…

1. Obama has completely ignored the protest in Iran, instead choosing to side with the existing government by his inaction. They are shooting their own people, running them down in cars etc. No one is saying call in the troops, but maybe a bit stronger condemnation, call for a emergency UN meeting? Something? Are we in favor of freedom or not? Obama has picked a side and it’s not the one the American people would choose.

2. He has completely miss-handled the terror attacks, calling it an isolated incident before he had the slightest clue if it was or not (it wasn’t), his person in charge claimed the system worked (it didn’t) and he announced that he and his administration would not rest until everyone involved was brought to justice while he continued to vacation in Hawaii. (At least the illness of a family friends child pulled him off the golf course)

3. Once again the arrogance of the man shown like a blinding light. Did you listen to him? “I ordered”, “I directed”. Never, I have acted on the advice of, Secretary whoever will be in charge, while I am in charge I have hired people smarter than me in this area to work on this. Based on his decision making capability shown so far I’d be happier if he had more confidence in the people he put in charge. (But that is a whole other can of worms, Van Jones anyone? I can’t think of one of those people that was brought in as the most capable for the job, instead they were brought in as the most ideologically compatible comrade)

I hope the 2010 election throws the house so far to the right we can start impeachment hearings, even Biden is looking pretty good right now.

Tiger Woods

As the count is now up to 10, does anyone believe he’s sorry? You can be sorry after one affair and wish it never happened, but this guy isn’t sorry. Only that it went public. Only that his life got complicated. This is one of those cases where the pre-nup should be thrown out of court for infidelity. She should get 50% + child support clean and simple. He’s a scum bag and should be treated as such.

That being said, can we get CNN to move on to something else? There’s this little health care thing and an energy policy this dope of a president is getting us in to that we need to pay attention to!