Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Monday, April 26, 2010
Dingbats?
Amy says I posted gibberish (see Palin). Did anybody else see dingbats? If so, let me know. If not, did you read the post? Care to comment?
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Palin Makes a Splash in East Peoria
Sarah Palin came to East Peoria and did what she does best. She took the podium like an Alaska cowgirl and "you betcha'd" her way into the hearts of a crowd looking for cheerleader detachment from reality. Her strong suit relies on catch phrases, sound bytes and zingers to elicit crowd cheers. Save me! Am I the only one in America who finds irony and patheticism in Palin's call for family values and leadership when we all know she heads a dysfunctional clan and quit the only real job she had that could have shown her leadership qualities (or lack thereof).
I know her motivation. She wants to be popular. She wants to make money. She wants to have her 15 minutes of fame (albeit extended ad infinitum). Well, she's got it. She can say anything she wants. She is not representing any constituency, she's not holding any office; heck, she doesn't really have a job! Fox News something or other is as much of a job as Ozzie Osborne's on his reality show. Anybody can spout rhetoric if they hold no responsibility for their words. Rush can say anything. The lefties on MSNBC can say anything. None of them is held to any scrutiny (except by each other) because none of them hold political office. None of them have any responsibility to implement their views in the real world. None of them chance losing their jobs by lobbing vitriol.
If Palin really wanted to be anything more than a cheerleader, I think we'd have seen a different approach to her future. I saw Palin lobbying for John McCain in Arizona (where he's battling), and body language showed me that he would have given his lame arm not to have to share the stage with her. He will never fully recover from his misguided decision to draw her out of Alaska. He might have done better with Octomom (had she been an octomom when John was looking for a VP running mate).
I know her motivation. She wants to be popular. She wants to make money. She wants to have her 15 minutes of fame (albeit extended ad infinitum). Well, she's got it. She can say anything she wants. She is not representing any constituency, she's not holding any office; heck, she doesn't really have a job! Fox News something or other is as much of a job as Ozzie Osborne's on his reality show. Anybody can spout rhetoric if they hold no responsibility for their words. Rush can say anything. The lefties on MSNBC can say anything. None of them is held to any scrutiny (except by each other) because none of them hold political office. None of them have any responsibility to implement their views in the real world. None of them chance losing their jobs by lobbing vitriol.
If Palin really wanted to be anything more than a cheerleader, I think we'd have seen a different approach to her future. I saw Palin lobbying for John McCain in Arizona (where he's battling), and body language showed me that he would have given his lame arm not to have to share the stage with her. He will never fully recover from his misguided decision to draw her out of Alaska. He might have done better with Octomom (had she been an octomom when John was looking for a VP running mate).
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Amy Says............
.............if I post about wondrous things like rainbows and twinkling stars, then people will respond. Well? I COULD write about such things, if merely to illicit a response, but I need some kind of feedback that tells me it's worth my time. ???????????????
Friday, April 9, 2010
At War
In Afghanistan:
Where do you stand? Do you want the troops out? In? Bolstered? Do you want more international help? Should we drone more in Pakistan? Should we help the Afghan people? Their government? How should we deal with Karzai? Do you even care? Should you? Are you aware of the American interest in Afghan agriculture? LET ME TELL YOU MY TAKE.
First, a constant military presence in Afghanistan help to keep Al Quaida on the defensive and thwarts their ability to coalesce and organize their efforts to arrange attacks against the United States and elsewhere. The rugged terrain makes it as difficult for them to connect with each other as it is for us to find them. They slip into, and gain support from Pakistan, crossing back and forth, so I say follow. Don't give me that crap about cooperative Pakistan- with continual government turmoil, Al Quaida, Taliban and feudal skirmishes with India, not to mention nukes, logic dictates to me that taking out insurgents in Pakistan might be more important than it's neighboring country.
We are not in Afghanistan to help re-build their government, their economy, their society. We are there to oppress the organization that is Al Quiada. Some officials seem to feel the need to inject western culture into every theater of conflict we enter . Currently some government officials are attempting to convince the Afghans that with some preparation, they can grow corn in the valleys and fields of their country. Have you seen any pics of this place? Can you say "rocks everywhere"? Besides considering the physics involved, consider the potential viability of such an undertaking. Farmers there would be trading $1,000 a bushel (well, maybe an exaggeration) for poppies, which can grow unattended between a rock and a hard place, to around $6.00 a bushel (no exaggeration) for corn that requires tilling, organized planting and harvesting efforts far exceeding the work level of the poppy trade. While you're digesting that lame brained idea, consider it's source, and keep in mind the lobbying efforts surely behind such a plan- Caterpillar, John Deere, - those in the states out to make a buck. Now don't give me the value in honest trade argument. This is pure opportunism. Don't let the focus slip from the real reason we're there- to capture or kill Al Quaida guys. Don't think for a second they'd be less mad at us if we pulled out. They will always be mad at us- we just have to keep them frustrated.
On President Karsai? Anyone who threatens to join the Taliban in response to pressure for him to clean up corruption within his government needs to look around and determine exactly who is safe to piss of and who is not.
Where do you stand? Do you want the troops out? In? Bolstered? Do you want more international help? Should we drone more in Pakistan? Should we help the Afghan people? Their government? How should we deal with Karzai? Do you even care? Should you? Are you aware of the American interest in Afghan agriculture? LET ME TELL YOU MY TAKE.
First, a constant military presence in Afghanistan help to keep Al Quaida on the defensive and thwarts their ability to coalesce and organize their efforts to arrange attacks against the United States and elsewhere. The rugged terrain makes it as difficult for them to connect with each other as it is for us to find them. They slip into, and gain support from Pakistan, crossing back and forth, so I say follow. Don't give me that crap about cooperative Pakistan- with continual government turmoil, Al Quaida, Taliban and feudal skirmishes with India, not to mention nukes, logic dictates to me that taking out insurgents in Pakistan might be more important than it's neighboring country.
We are not in Afghanistan to help re-build their government, their economy, their society. We are there to oppress the organization that is Al Quiada. Some officials seem to feel the need to inject western culture into every theater of conflict we enter . Currently some government officials are attempting to convince the Afghans that with some preparation, they can grow corn in the valleys and fields of their country. Have you seen any pics of this place? Can you say "rocks everywhere"? Besides considering the physics involved, consider the potential viability of such an undertaking. Farmers there would be trading $1,000 a bushel (well, maybe an exaggeration) for poppies, which can grow unattended between a rock and a hard place, to around $6.00 a bushel (no exaggeration) for corn that requires tilling, organized planting and harvesting efforts far exceeding the work level of the poppy trade. While you're digesting that lame brained idea, consider it's source, and keep in mind the lobbying efforts surely behind such a plan- Caterpillar, John Deere, - those in the states out to make a buck. Now don't give me the value in honest trade argument. This is pure opportunism. Don't let the focus slip from the real reason we're there- to capture or kill Al Quaida guys. Don't think for a second they'd be less mad at us if we pulled out. They will always be mad at us- we just have to keep them frustrated.
On President Karsai? Anyone who threatens to join the Taliban in response to pressure for him to clean up corruption within his government needs to look around and determine exactly who is safe to piss of and who is not.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)