The Bass is MINE

I was able to acquire the Calin Wultur Panormo today.  I can't believe this fine double bass is standing here in my music room.  The setup is great -- very easy to press down the strings; the nut and the bridge are set perfectly.  (By the "nut" I am not referring to the new owner.)

The tone and volume are unbelievable!   My laminate bass sounds tinny in comparison to the rich warm tones that bounce out of the Calin Wultur. 

Okay, finally I have a serious double bass, one worthy of professional performances.  Now I need to find a group to play it with.  That will be my next goal.

The Calin Wultur is the first bass on the left in the photo.  

My music supplier told me that he sold his Hans Kroeger bass and also bought a Calin Wultur Panormo, the very same bass.

Rule 5 Sunday: A Pair of Bodacious Tatas

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em.  There's now a whole crowd of R.S. McCain imitators who are following his five or six rules to blogging success.  One of those is Rule 5 where you are supposed to post a sexy photo.  So here's mine:  a pair of Bodacious Tatas.

The Tata is the new Indian car that costs $2,500 and is very easy on gas. With Obama in office we will all be driving them soon.  

I understand that the economy version is called Tata but if you want one with all the options, like tires, it is called the Bodacious Tata.  That's my understanding anyway.  I could be wrong.  

Rush: Do Away with Self-Censorship and Attack!

Rush Limbaugh continues to bring the fight to the Left.  Lately he has been attacking the judicial qualifications and racism of Sonia Sotomayor, the judicial extremist who wants to replace the Constitution with her personal notions of empathy.  

Rush has noted the extreme self-censorship that permeates conservative arguments; we can't oppose Sotomayor because of her race -- she is latina -- even though the Democrats viciously attacked Bush's hispanic appointments to the federal courts.  The Left, over time, has constructed well-entrenched rules that people in both the public and private sectors unconsciously obey.  

Those rules are that Republicans cannot criticize any Democrat who is of a minority extraction, whether they be hispanic or black; to do so shall be judged "racism" with no appeal.  However, this rule shall not be applied to Democrats.  They can demean and insult Republicans of minority descent until Hell freezes over, but that's fair game.  It is an egregious double standard that was invented specifically for the purpose of shutting up Republicans.

These well-entrenched "rules" cause Republicans to self-censor.  Quite a few have now concluded that we cannot oppose Sotomayor on the High Court simply because of her race; that to do so will bring charges of racism; and that we will lose the hispanic vote.

Rush says we should no longer play the game by the Democrats' rules, but should boldly criticize and oppose far-left candidates regardless of their membership in any ethnic group.  Yes, they will call us racists, but they always call us racists.  Let them.

No we won't lose the hispanic vote because we don't have it to lose.  Bush appointed hispanics to the courts and those hispanics were viciously denounced and opposed by the Democrats.  Both Bush and McCain looked the other way on illegal immigration.  It didn't help them with hispanics.

Even though Democrats opposed GOP hispanics, it didn't cause them to lose any hispanic votes.

Forget the hispanic votes, per se.  Concentrate on votes we can win, i.e., people (of whatever ethnicity) who dislike high taxes and government takeover of the economy and who want the security of a strong military.

Leftwing Illusions v. Hard Reality

Robert S. McCain has written a great article today, "If Obama's Lost Ted Rall..."  Ted Rall, a despicably hateful hard-left pundit, is mad at Obama for not being left enough.  McCain uses this to expound on the illusions and arrogance of Democrats, liberals and "progressives."  He explains how liberals sometimes are so disillusioned with what was promised and what was delivered that they become conservatives.  These are the few who realize they were only being played by their elected leaders.  

It's an excellent essay, professionally written by a professional journalist. 

McCain says he uses a lot of techniques to attract visitors to his site.  However, I find some of these a bit annoying.  I suspect the real reason he has a million hits in a year is because of articles like this:  expository, well-written, substantive, factual and downright interesting.

If you think you're going to get a million hits on your blog with gimmicks alone, think again.  It is meaty articles that will do the trick.  Techniques like an occasional cheese cake pic are icing on the cake, but they are not the cake.  Without the cake they don't count for much.

My friend Donald Douglas at American Power has a hit count that continues to grow, not because of gimmicks, but because he writes timely and relevant articles.   Of course, Pamela Geller is one of the best examples of "success through substance" and she never uses gimmicks.  I rest my case.

My Desired Double Bass: A Slim Chance for Getting It

My most coveted goodie in the whole world is a Calin Wultur Panormo fully carved bass.  This bass is made in Romania and has an unusually rich tone and a lush voice.   It is loud for an acoustic instrument and sounds unusually good.  It's an orchestra quality bass; you could play it in the Philharmonic Orchestra and not be a bit embarrassed.

It generally costs $4,000 but is comparable to basses that costs $10,000.  My supplier told me that he would sell one to me for only $2,900.  That's one heck of a bargain.  That's the actual bass on the left.

My dealer is hurting for cash as are all small businesses these days.  My wife has consented to going with me to look at the bass on Sunday.  It will be a hardship for us to buy the bass right now, but it may be my only chance to buy one this year.   At that price, I suspect he will sell the bass in the next couple of weeks if I don't snag it.

Tomorrow I am going to be analyzing my income and expenses in an attempt to figure a way.  Wish me luck!

UPDATE:  I got the bass!

Obama: Worst President Ever?

This morning on the way to work I listened to my fellow grouchy curmudgeon, Lee Rodgers, of KSFO radio in San Francisco.  He was talking with a lady from Pajamas Media and he made a pithy observation:

If Obama isn't anti-American, he certainly is doing everything an anti-American would do to ruin the country.  He weakens the military at the same time he's apologizing to our friends and foes alike for our country being so rotten.   He's bankrupting the economy, appointing radicals to the bench and is now considering a new federal tax, a national sales tax.  No, this national sales tax won't replace the income tax, it will be in addition to the income tax.   

The new taxes will be needed to pay for universal health care, which will deteriorate badly once nationalized.  I do hope all of you Obama supporters are ready to pay through the nose.   Your lives, like ours, are going to get progressively worse.

Barack Obama is so irresponsible it's scary.  His latest insult to the Queen of England is a case in point.  They say she is fuming over not being invited to the D-Day ceremonies that Obama is planning.  One gets a strong impression that Obama has some kind of grudge against British royalty.   He never misses an opportunity to trample all over international protocol with muddy feet.  Maybe he should give the Queen noogies the next time he sees her, followed by a lot of rib tickling.  Then he could give Prince Charles a wedgie.  Such diplomacy has not been seen since Jimmy Carter planted one on on the Queen Mother.  Right on the smacker.

Obama is an unfolding disaster.  If that isn't clear to you yet, never fear:  it will be.

Rush Limbaugh Denounces Moderate Republicans

Not One Red Cent has been strongly arguing for the need for the GOP to return to its conservative principles and its grass-roots base.  An battle for the soul of the Party is in full gear.  On the side of the moderates is John McCain, Colin Powell, Tom Ridge and others.  

It's good to see Rush taking a clear and unequivocal stand for the right side...the Right side.

Unexpectedly, Jeb Bush has come down on the side of the conservatives.  

You know where I stand.

Hitler Youth: "Tomorrow Belongs to Me"

On our second date I took the future Mrs. Chomper to see "Cabaret" starring Lisa Minelli and Michael York.

The one scene that I found chilling was at an outdoor cafe in Germany. A member of the Hitler Youth begins singing a song, "Tomorrow Belongs to Me." At first no one says a word. Then a girl joins in. Then others rise to their feet and begin singing too. Finally the crowd is standing and singing at the top of their lungs.

The people had become caught up in the Nazi movement and the rest is bloody history.  Giving up our freedoms is easy.  Getting them back is hard.

Obama Nominates Anti-Constitution Radical for High Court

We knew this would happen when Obama won.  Now he has appointed a radical anti-constitutionalist to the Supreme court in Sonia Sotomayor.  

Sotomayor created waves when she stated that a Latina woman would probably give better judicial opinions than a white male.  However, her track record would suggest otherwise:  her opinions have been overturned five times out of six by the high court.  Even liberal judges have admonished her for the frivolous nature of her decisions, stating that they have no bearing on the Constitutional issues at bar.

Yes, she was originally appointed to the federal bench by President George H.W. Bush; that doesn't change anything.  The Bushes are not conservatives and made many decisions in office that we conservatives disagree with.   

Sotomayor's judicial philosophy is that a judge should make policy, that is, to legislate from the bench.  She believes that her empathy for the racial or gender makeup of the parties should have a bearing on her decision.  However, "empathy" has no place in deciding questions of law.   Lady Justice is shown blindfolded, to remain unbiased by the racial, gender or other particulars of the parties involved.  Sotomayor intends to remove that blindfold and review cases through the pink lens of leftwing dogma.

Once again we see how Democrats care more about the gender and ethnicity of a candidate than about his or her qualifications for the job.  One thing that Sotomayor does bring to the bench is a willingness to corrupt and pervert the Constitution in order to write Leftist ideology into law without the necessity of a vote.

Nice or Nasty: How to Fight the Left Effectively

It seems the GOP is dividing into two camps:  the wins and the wimps.  The wins are those who think we need to cut the crap and take the fight to the left, wrestle the Dems in the mud, duke it out toe to toe until somebody falls down.

The wins include Rush Limbaugh, Mark Levin, Sean Hannity, R.S. McCain, Pam Geller, Jeff Goldstein, Liz Cheney, Dick Cheney and a lot of others who are fired up and fed up.

The wimps include Tom Ridge, Colin Powell, Meghan McCain, John McCain, and various chicken-hearted bloggers.  Their approach:  be polite.  Debate calmly.  Don't raise your voice.  Uphold all of the PC rules foisted on us by our enemies.  Avoid controversy at all costs.  Speak ill of Rush Limbaugh because he sometimes takes the glove off and tells the unvarnished truth.  Apologise for your Party, your principles and your constituents.  

You can include me in the top group.  How about you?  Read the posts below if you are undecided.

Related Posts:

Not All the Pussies are Democrats

Liz Cheney, Rising Star in the GOP?

Lessons from "Rules for Radicals" -- How to Fight Dirty

Because You're Wrong

***

The purpose of Memorial Day is to honor those who died for our country and for meditation and reflection on those sacrifices.  With that in mind, I am going reread Mark Levin's "Liberty and Tryanny" with a cup of decaf and a good cigar.

Have a great Memorial Day.

Video: The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Arlington

Memorial Day 2009

The American Cemetery, Normandy, France

They gave up all of their tomorrows for all of our todays.

Pelosi Galore Flap: Not All the Pussies are Democrats

Incredible.  The GOP has released an effective video ad subtly comparing Nancy Pelosi to the James Bond character Pussy Galore (the film never mentions Pussy Galore, however).  Pelosi is fighting with the CIA over waterboarding and making a fool of herself in the process.  What better time to heap ridicule on this evil Democrat and further erode her credibility?  The Pelosi Galore ad did that.  It was an effective satire that underscores Pelosi's hypocrisy and mendacity.  

But some Republicans don't have a clue and react in accordance with decades of liberal programming.  The ad will backfire, they moan.  It will be misinterpreted.  It sends the wrong message.  It will be used against us. It will cost us votes.  They may even call us...gasp!...SEXISTS!

Update:  Jeff G writes at Protein Wisdom: "Conservatives deserve to wander in the wilderness so long as they continue to accept the premises that Democrats foist upon them, and then scurry about trying to fit their behavior inside parameters that have been defined for them by their ideological enemies."  Very much on point to this article.

Hot Air (Allah) is one of the chicken-hearts who are trumpeting this crapola today, and of course, Democrat websites and blogs will be quoting him in their defense of Pelosi-Galore.  He has supplied them with propaganda talking points.  They can say "even well-known Republican blogger Allah of Hot Air has denounced the ad as sexist."

As Saul Alinsky wrote in his book "Rules for Radicals," ridicule is the most potent political weapon you can use.  It makes the opposition react angrily and irrationally and allows them to self-destruct.  However, the effect can be spoiled by self-doubting and brainwashed Republicans who are always eager to apologize to our enemies and to avoid controversy at all costs.  

When the Democrat programming and propaganda begins, alleging sexism, racism or whatever-ism, we should never apologize or retreat.  The thing to do is laugh long and loud in their direction and keep the ridicule flowing.  Allah should obey that old Army dictum:  either lead, follow or get the hell out of the way.  Allah, you didn't help us today.

The video is embedded below.  Watch it carefully and decide for yourself.

Liz Cheney, Rising Star in the GOP?

Since my blog wasn't operating properly for a few days, I was unable to comment earlier on Liz Cheney's excellent debate with CNN's Anderson Cooper.  Liz Cheney is the beautiful blonde daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, who has been sharply criticizing Barack Obama for releasing the details of our enhanced interrogation techniques to the public.  

Dick Cheney has said that this release of information compromises our intelligence agencies by giving information that the terrorists can train to resist when in captivity.  

In fact, Dick Cheney has become the foremost defender of the Bush administration from Obama's constant denigrations.  Dick Cheney has been forceful and articulate in his criticisms of Obama, causing Obama to become openly defensive.  Anderson Cooper tried to repair the damage.  He interviewed Liz Cheney and tried to equate the enhanced interrogation techniques with the crimes at Abu Ghraib, but Liz wouldn't let him get away with it.  She calmly pointed out that some of his statements were "irresponsible" just before she demolished them.  

Liz Cheney was cool as a cucumber, very confident and informed of the issues, and soundly rebutted Cooper's attempts to miscast the facts.  Ms. Cheney was a role model for all Republican spokesmen to emulate.  She never got ruffled, never got tongue-tied, never lost her temper.  Rush Limbaugh called her "vocal, informed and effective."

You can view the video of her debate with Cooper at Not One Red Cent's article, "Could Change for the GOP Look Like This?  

Our Islamic Future Foretold by World's Changing Demographics

Here's a real downer for you to digest.  Strategies must be devised to avoid a new dark ages and the replacement of Western Civilization with barbarism.

Thanks for this link is due to my French friend Aimée Khayat, a French Jew who is involved in a nonstop battle to inform the world of the Islamic threat.  Thanks Aimee, you are a good friend.

Remembering a World War II Vet: My Dad

That's my father on the right.  He served in World War II as a Staff Sergeant with the U.S. Army Air Corps, which would later become the U.S. Air Force.

Pop was an expert on the famous Norden bombsight, the mechanized device used in our bombers that would fix on a target and guide the plane and drop the bombs at the precise moment.  It was terribly effective against enemy targets.  Because of his knowledge, the Army would not ship him overseas for fear that, if captured, he would be made to tell how it worked.  Pop repaired and maintained these bombsights and trained bomber crews in its use.

When a bomber was forced down in enemy territory, the crew would destroy the bombsite with a grenade to prevent it from falling into enemy hands.

Pop was already in the Army when Pearl Harbor was attacked.  He was in sick bay with the flu when he heard the news.

I guess my dad would want to join with President Obama and apologize to the Germans for Dresden...well, not really.  He married a German woman and figured that the Germans had their revenge!  I'm joking -- he really loved my mom.

Pop passed away in 1991 and I miss him every day.  I guess you could say that every day is Memorial Day for me and Bro.

Lessons from "Rules for Radicals" - How to Fight Dirty

Today I finished reading Saul Alinsky's Handbook for Democrats, otherwise known as "Rules for Radicals." The best chapter of the book, by far is "Tactics." In it he discussed a number of rules for tactics. Some of the best are described below.

Tactics means doing what you can with what you have. As for any other goal in life, you have to make a start and not wait until conditions are perfect or "the time is right." No matter how hopeless the situation may seem, doing something, even small, gives a group energy and purpose and optimism. I think that's why most of us started blogging. We wanted to do something, anything, to help further the cause.

Never go outside the experiences of your people -- they will be uncomfortable and give up the effort. If we conservatives took up the tactic of breaking windows, spraying graffiti and throwing rocks, we would "go outside the experiences of our people." Most of us would not participate.

Go outside the experiences of your opposition. Use tactics that the enemy doesn't expect; it will confuse and panic him. An example might be buying symphony tickets for a group of civil rights workers, feeding them beans, and having them noisily pass gas during the performance. This was actually considered by Alinsky's group.

One tactic he did use against a "slum lord" was to bus blacks into the man's white upscale neighborhood where they picketed with signs that said "Do you know your neighbor is a slum lord?" It worked.

Use tactics that are fun for your group. If your group enjoys the tactics, that definitely makes them more successful. Our recent round of TEA parties did this -- they were fun.

Keep the pressure on. Tactics shouldn't be terminal, once over, quickly forgotten. We must continue the Tea Parties and find new avenues for dissent. Alinsky recommends different tactics and actions, because a tactic can become overused and lose its effectiveness. The Left's old standby of calling everyone on the right "racist" is a good example of overuse. It has become a meaningless epithet and doesn't cause the panic and confusion it once invoked.

Pick a target and polarize it.  Most social or political conflicts are not all black and white but are diffused among a variety of factors, forces, people and circumstances. Reality, however, just won't do if we are to energize our group. To do that we must give them a simple slogan, idea or villain to attack. You must assume that you are 100% right and the opposition 100% wrong and you must personalize the attack and polarize your group. Alinsky explains: "One acts decisively only in the conviction that all the angels are on one side and all the devils on the other." That leads to his next point, or how to create a target for your group's vitriol.

Choose a villain and make him the scapegoat for everything you oppose. Alinksy writes: "Obviously there is no point to tactics unless one has a target upon which to center the attacks."

The Left did this very effectively in politically destroying Newt Gingrich after the 1994 Republican victories; they made him a scapegoat, a symbol of everything the Left hated, and he became a polarizing figure simply as a result of this propaganda. They tried very hard to do the same thing to George W. Bush and were fairly successful. These men served as the "target upon which to center the attacks."

This was much more effective than merely attacking the Republican Party as a whole; that wouldn't have been adequately personal or polarizing. This tactic is well illustrated by that old canard, "to kill a snake, cut off the head and the body dies as well."

Goad and ridicule your enemy to make him react. Alinsky says that ridicule is the most effective tactic because it causes anger and irrational responses in the opposition. It is in the enemy's reaction that you gain your greatest strength. Akinsky says that the one thing "that is certain to get him to react is to laugh at him. This causes an irrational anger." An angry, irrational reaction can be used to direct bad publicity at the enemy, to further ridicule him, to send him into a humiliating retreat. You gain support while your enemy loses it.

Remember how irrational that Seinfeld comic was when blacks insulted him during a comedy routine? He boiled over and started shouting racial insults at them, and almost destroyed his public persona in the process. If there is one thing we should all learn here is not to lose self-control when ridicule is used against us. Learn not to react, because that's what the enemy wants.

Another thing we should all learn here is to continue using ridicule against the Obama Administration, Nancy Pelosi and the Democrat Party. They furnish us with enough ammunition that we should never run out of jokes at their expense.

Pelosi was successful in bringing ridicule upon herself with her transparent attempt to avoid responsibility for waterboarding by claiming the CIA lied to her, "and that they lie all the time." She became angry and irrational, made foolish statements and made herself a public laughing stock. For the time being, at least, her credibility with the voting public is all but shot.

Ridicule helps the enemy destroy himself.

Update: See the RNC video ridiculing Nancy Pelosi's stand on the CIA. This is a good example of an effective use of ridicule against the enemy.

Hoist the enemy on his own petard. Highlight the fact that the enemy will say one thing and practice another. Their great rules of ethics, fair dealing and manners are mainly for show and they will abandon them under the pressure of the fight. Rub it in when they do and make them look like hypocrites. 

Some pertinent, recent examples: Al Gore preaching low carbon emissions while burning an obscene amount of energy is in own home; prominent Democrats who preach raising taxes on "the rich" while dodging their own huge tax liabilities.

Play one party against the other. Alinsky fought corporations by using their competition against them. If they were trying to unionize department stores in Chicago, they wouldn't picket them all simultaneously. They would picket one store, sending many of its customers to its competitors rather than endure the political shouting of a sign-wielding picket line. This tactic has been very succesful. It was used against General Motors, sending a lot of its customers to Chrysler.

There's more. I suggest that every conservative who wants to win the culture war buy a copy of this book. Not only will we be able to recognize the tactics used against us, we will be better able to devise defenses. We can also use the same tactics against them.  It's all about winning, baby. Let's be in it to win.

Update: Stacy McCain of The Other McCain has a related article to this one, "Against the Politics of Niceness." Do read it.

Buy the book!

Some Must Read Articles for Saturday

Infidel Blogger's Alliance has a must-read article on the potential legal liability of bloggers.  It's worth a read.  Our exposure as bloggers generally falls in the areas of copyright infringement and defamation.  I know a highly visible blogger who has been threatened with copyright infringement, although their use appears to be obviously "fair use" and exempt from infringement.  They will have to decide whether to fight or not fight if sued; even if you are in the right, it can cost a fortune to defend yourself.   One major protection you should have is umbrella liability insurance.  The cost is affordable and can cover you up to a million dollars.

Carol at No Sheeples Here has a video tribute to soldiers everywhere, appropriate for Memorial Day.  

Donald Douglas at American Power is running an interesting photo of Britney Spears in a bikini.   Britney is not skinny and we love it.  My interest in the photo was strictly to assess the sociological ramifications of her impact on popular culture.  I am sure yours will be too!  Okay, okay, I just wanted to check out her legs.

The Other McCain has an informative and educational video featuring Nancy Pelosi who articulates well her political vision.  It really changed my mind about her, and I'm sure it will change yours too.

The Great American known as Pamela Geller of Atlas Shrugs has the best Memorial Day article I've seen yet, and it questions the wisdom of Barack Obama's apology to Germany for World War II.  Ms. Geller gives several reasons why this is unjustified and unwise -- 104,366 reasons, in fact.  These reasons are marked with white marble crosses in cemeteries all over Europe, and Pamela presents stunning pictures.

The Astute Bloggers explain how the Left's DDT ban has killed millions of people, making the Greens nearly as genocidal as the Reds.  However, the liberal left wants to feel good about themselves by banning pesticides, and we must keep our priorities straight.  (I recently ordered the book "Green Hell" that covers this and other environmental wacko policies.)

Hoosier Army Mom expresses my thoughts exactly on the rights of states, in her article, State Sovereignty, an idea whose time may have come.  With the outrageous growth in the power and size of the federal government under Obama, it is time for the states to draw a line in the sand.  

Ron Russell of Totus discusses Israel and Iran and possible routes for an Israeli attack on Iran.  

Memorial Day Cook-Outs: Forgot Anything?

With thanks to Larry Bovshow of Los Angeles.

America, the Beautiful -- Ray Charles Live Performance

With loving gratitude to the soldiers, sailors, pilots and Marines who died to protect and preserve America.

Eight Random Cootie Bites for Carol

My buddy Carol at NoSheeplesHere sicked the "filthy blog cootie bug" on me this week and that means I have to share eight random thoughts about myself.  Egad, how boring.  For you.  But here goes:

1.  I smoke cigars.  I know that comes as a shock for a guy named Stogie, but there it is.  My favorite hang-out in the world is the Morgan Hill Tobacco Company in Morgan Hill, California.  It's actually just a tobacco shop, but they have a bar where you can order bottles of great German wheat beer (and others) to drink while you smoke; wine at $10 a glass; and a big picture of the Rat Pack hanging on the wall, just over the pool table.  Definitely my kind of place.

2.  I am an aspiring bass player.  In my younger days, Bro and I played Rock, he on guitar and me on bass guitar; our younger brother played drums.  We played parties and in nightclubs, a couple of strip clubs and even once for the Debutant's Ball in San Francisco, playing between sets when the orchestra took a break (it was the band leader who hired us).

Bro was a serious musician and really developed his art; I was a dilletante and frankly, not very good.  I was too lazy to put in the time.  I am making up for that now, a few decades later, by seriously studying the bass.  I have a Fender Mustang bass guitar, a Fender bass amp, and one of those big, upright acoustic basses that I like the best.  The picture above right is of Bro on the  left and me on the right, playing at some event that had a Hawaiian theme, and that explains the shirts.  When my youngest son saw this old pic for the first time he said I looked like Buddy Holly.  Buddy Holly was a nerd with serious talent.  I was just a nerd.

3.  Bro and I were extras in the 1992 TNT movie "Gettysburg."  We were Confederate infantrymen and took part in the recreation of Pickett's Charge, actually marching over the original site where several thousand men died on July 3, 1863, our long gray lines stretching into the distance on either side of us, Confederate flags flying in the Pennsylvania breeze, rockets streaking over our heads and theatrical charges blowing up around us.  For us Confederate descendants, it was almost a religious experience.  Some of the men were actually crying with the emotion of it all.

We slept in period tents in Gettysburg for a week, went drinking on the town in our uniforms, and as we wandered out of a bar one night, we noticed that the Inn next door had a sign out in front:  "Lincoln slept here the night before the Gettysburg Adress."  That's me on the left with the beard; I was trying to look tough but merely succeeded in looking blind.

While at Gettysburg, we thousands of Confederates, dirty with smoke-blackened faces, faced the thousands of equally unkempt blue-belly Yankees behind the stone wall.  One of them yelled "Less filling!"  Then one of us replied, "Tastes great!"  Then a mighty roar went up, alternating between sides, "Less filling!"  "Tastes Great!" and so on.  It was the greatest beer commercial never filmed.

I met and talked with Martin Sheen on the Gettysburg set.  He was General Lee.  Nice guy but I hate his politics.

4.  I was a Neo-Confederate with Stacy McCain.  We've known each other for over ten years, but have never met in person.  What being a "neo-Confederate" means is that our ancestors fought for the South in the great War Between the States, that we are Civil War buffs and historical preservationists, and yes, we think the South was the good guys.  It has absolutely nothing to do with race, but if you prefer to think of us as racists, feel free.  I don't speak for Stacy, but I am sure I am correct in saying that neither of us gives a damn.  ("Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn.")

Ask any American Indian and they will tell you a similar story, of how they played "Indians and Cowboys" when they were kids.  It's all a matter of perspective.

5.  I was kicked off of Free Republic for winning an argument with a Yankee about the Civil War.  The owner of that site may be a wounded Vet in a wheelchair, but he's also an asshole.  Just the facts, ma'am.

6.  In college I was a biology major (later I changed majors to accounting) and probably know more about the theory of evolution than most of you.  I was once its passionate defender, but now I don't believe it.  I am not a religious fundamentalist or Bible literalist, either.  I have no alternative theory, however.  I am quite comfortable with uncertainty, knowing that many great questions may be beyond the comprehension of man.

7.  I love hats and I collect hats.  When I was about ten, I surmised that, with the right hat, all of life's conundrums could be answered.  If you found just the right hat, all of life's doors would open wide.  I always wanted one of those coonskin hats that were so popular during the Davey Crockett phase (in the early 1950's) but my dad wouldn't buy me one.  They cost $3 each.  He did, however, buy me a toy Confederate kepi and that locked the South into my loyalties forever after.  I am still going to buy a coonskin hat, sooner or later, and like Paco, I also want a pith helmet.  Actually, I have one somewhere, probably in the garage.  I will find it again someday.  I also want one of those really neat Colonial style tricorner hats.  I have a bowler and a fedora, and want more.  Oh yes, and I even have a genuine Dirty Billy slouch hat, black, perfect for reenacting, if I ever have the time and inclination to do that again.  I need to replace my Confederate kepi; I can't find my old one.  (That's an officer's Confederate kepi in my banner, in case you don't know what a kepi is.)

8.  I've been married twice.  The second one, to Mrs. Chomper, has lasted 32 years.  She raised my two boys from the first marriage, along with our own son.  My wife is Filipina, so if it's true that Stacy McCain doesn't approve of interracial marriages (as leftist idiots claim), I wonder why he's been my friend for so many years and never mentioned it to me.

9.  One more than ordered -- I am a Certified Public Accountant and I don't do taxes.  Well, except for friends and family, whom I don't charge.

That's more than I ever intended to share here, but there it is, for those of you still awake.

Passing along the Filthy Blog Cootie:  I hereby pass the blog cootie along to Pastorius of Infidel Blogger's Alliance, Hoosier Army Mom of Hoosier Army Mom's Weblog, and to Ron Russell of Totus.

You foks are now obliged to share eight random facts about yourselves and to pass the bug along to three other bloggers each.

It's Colder Than a Witch's...

I learned so many great sayings in high school.  That was a while back, to be sure.  Think Conway Twitty and Fabian.  Elvis was in the Army.

It's cold here tonight in Hollister, California.  It's 55 degrees with a wind blowing.  It reminded me of one of those high school sayings:  "It's colder than a witch's tit in a brass bra!"

Even colder temperatures resulted in amendments to this sentence, such as "in a brass bra in a snowstorm!"  or the ultimate, "in a brass bra in a snowstorm at midnight!"  We tried to outdo each other while combing back our pompadours.  How do you like that, daddio?  

That's all the wisdom I have tonight because, frankly, I'm freezing my ass off out here.

Internet Explorer Crashing When Opening Blogspot Blogs

UPDATE: The problem was related to the Followers gadget. I removed the gadget and now the blog is loading fine in Internet Explorer. Thanks to Donald Douglas of American Power who alerted me to the problem.

I will resume blogging later today.

BLOGSPOT IS WORKING ON A FIX.


A growing number of people are reporting that Internet Explorer crashes when attempting to log on to blogs from blogspot.com.

Try using Google's new browser -- it's great. It's called "Google Chrome." You can download it for free at this link.

POSTING WILL BE LIGHT UNTIL BLOGSPOT FIXES THIS PROBLEM!


Google Chrome will require you to install a free add-in, but it's quick. Google Chrome will not crash when logging onto this blog!


I do hope, however, that Google (who owns blogspot.com) is not causing this so people will switch!


More as it develops...

Keeping up with the Kardashians

My son was home briefly on Sunday.  He likes to watch a reality show called "Keeping up with the Kardashians,"  so I was forced to watch it.  Who are the Kardashians?  Beats the hell out of me.  They are a family with three good looking daughters.  Okay, so they're good looking; does that justify following them around and listening to their banter about men and food and apartments and renting a chimpanzee for mom?  No.  Not only no, Hell No.

In any case, the show "Keeping up with the Kardashians" doesn't have much of a plot and the girls like to talk trashy and vulgar at times.  This is okay if one is discussing the Democrat Party, but in general such talk should be minimized.  

The daughters were quite pretty, especially Kim Kardashian.  That's her on the right.  My son recently saw her in person in Los Angeles.  She was in a store plugging some exercise videos she made.  Son said he was surprised to see how petite she is in real life. Humph, I think he's interested in the parts of her that are not so petite.  Well now, I can't say that she's hard on the eyes, though I would prefer her mom.  Now there's a babe.

Nevertheless, I won't be tuning in anytime soon.

Cartoon: Diagnosing the Auto Industry

Via: Cox & Forkum

Democrats Advising Republicans on How to Win Elections

Moral:  Never take advice from your enemies.  

Via: ARRA News Service

This may be an opportune time to refer my readers to a related blog that is opposing the "moderation" of the Republican Party into "Democrats Lite" a la John McCain.

The blog is "Not One Red Cent" (for Rinos).  It will support true conservatives for election and oppose the neutered National Republican Senatorial Committee's betrayal of the party's conservative grass roots.  No longer will conservative Republicans willingly lie down when the party endorses liberal and "moderate" candidates for office instead of conservatives.

It's about time.

Carla Bruni: "Let Them Eat Cake!"

STOGIE DOES HISTORY

Shades of Marie Antoinette!  History repeats itself:  Carla Bruni, First Lady of France, must go to Paris in disguise since the recession has hit France.  French aristocrats during the French Revolution had to do the same thing, for their own protection.  And so, dear reader, it is time for another segment of Stogie Does History.

Actually, Marie Antoinette got a bum rap.  She never said of the starving peasantry, "Let them eat cake."  It seems they had a liberal press in those days, too.

What she did say was, "Peasantry?  What's that?"

The angry peasants of Paris then descended on the Palace of Versailles, the Queen's digs, with pitchforks and lighted torches where they began yelling and screaming outside the walls. A French servant in powdered wig and red silk knee pants dutifully reported the disturbance to the Queen:  "Serf's up!"

Shortly thereafter, Queen Marie was relocated to a nice apartment in Paris near the Place de la Concorde, renamed Place de la Revolution, where she would eventually attend a public event in her honor.  Not really understanding what the doings were all about, she reportedly said, "a little off the top, please."

Okay, so she wasn't Ronald Reagan.  Those in power are always blamed for recessions whether they caused them or not.  Marie actually had quite a stimulus plan in place for France's powdered wig and silk gown industries.  But the ungrateful peasantry refused to give it time to work.

And so, dear reader, let us learn from the lessons of history.  Queen Michelle Antoinette and King Obama must be given time for the stimulus plan to work.  Say a week or so.  Then we begin waxing our pitchforks and lighting our torches.  

Waterboarding Ain't So Bad

Compliments of Diversity Lane

Elvis in Hawaii: "I'll Remember You"

In 1973 Elvis Presley made a television special called "Aloha from Hawaii." He performed live and the performance was transmitted all over the world by satellite.

The purpose of that performance was to raise money for the cancer wing of a Hawaiian hospital, in memory and honor of Kui Lee. Kui Lee had been a popular Hawaiian singer and songwriter until his death from cancer at the age of 34 in 1966. One of Kui Lee's best compositions was the love song, "I'll Remember You." That song has always had, for me, a touching remembrance of ones loved and lost.

The little girl at the right is my granddaughter and I haven't seen her in two years.  I may never see her again...but she's alive and well.  It is to her that I dedicate this song.

Update:  I have subsequently been reunited with my granddaughter.

Here's a video of Elvis singing "I'll Remember You" in that 1973 television special.



I'll Remember You

I'll remember you
Long after this endless summer is gone
I'll be lonely, oh so lonely
Living only to remember you

I'll remember too
Your voice as soft as a warm summer breeze
Your sweet laughter mornings after
Every afternoon I'll remember you

Chorus:

To your arms some day
I'll return to stay 'til then

I will remember too
Every bright star we made wishes upon
Love me always promise always
You'll remember too

The Case of the Cat and the Vicious Shoe

My wife reported a funny episode with our new kitten this past week.  Prudence, the kitten, was playing with one of my wife's shoes -- the shoelaces in particular.  Prudence was fighting with the laces in an attempt to subdue them.  In the process, one of the laces became tangled around one of her hind legs.

When she tired of this game, she walked away, but noticed the ominous sound of footsteps following her: "clumpety-clump clump clump."  Convinced that the shoe was taking revenge, our kitten panicked.  She ran around the couch twice but couldn't shake the persistent shoe.  "Clumpety-clump-clump-clump!"  

Prudence dashed up the stairs at breakneck speed, then back down again, then up again, and always the angry shoe seemed to be gaining on her.  The shoe said "Clumptety-clump-clump-clump!"  Prudence was sure this was shoe language for "I'll get you, you rotten little cat!"

Finally, the shoelace freed itself from her foot and at last the shoe no longer followed.  Prudence collapsed on her front paws, exhausted but deeply relieved.

Flowers for Mother's Day

My youngest son sent these flowers with a nice note to his mom for Mother's Day.   He's a good son.  

Thoughts on Saul Alinsky and "Rules for Radicals"

I started reading Saul Alinsky's book "Rules for Radicals."  I expected a ridgidly ideological screed with lots of capitalist denunciations, "power to the people" and other leftdumb slogans. However, I have been quite surprised at how good the book is and how free of dogma.  

On the subject of dogma, he writes:

This book will not contain any panacea or dogma; I detest and fear dogma.  I know that all revolutions must have ideologies to spur them on. That in the heat of conflict these ideologies tend to be smelted into rigid dogmas claiming exclusive possession of the truth, and the keys to paradise, is tragic.  Dogma is the enemy of human freedom.

Alinsky was a leftist, of that there is no doubt.  However, in the prologue and the first couple of chapters,  he says many things that I agree with and that are insightful and even wise.  He counseled the youth of 1971 to "fight for a better world" by working within our democratic system.  He says to them something that could have been spoken by Ronald Reagan:

We are not concerned with people who profess the democratic faith but yearn for the dark security of dependency where they can be spared the burden of decisions. Reluctant to grow up, or incapable of doing so, they want to remain children and be cared for by others.  Those who can, should be encouraged to grow; for the others, the fault lies not in the system but in themselves. 

A chapter that I find particularly instuctive is "Of Means and Ends."  He discusses the ethics of "the end justifies the means," but it isn't what you might think.  Alinsky disputes that the ends always justify the means; however, it may be true that in a particular situation, the particular end justifies the particular means.  He uses Churchill as an example.  Churchill was a devoted anti-communist, but allied himself with Stalin to defeat Hitler.  He was asked if he found it embarrassing to support the communists against Nazi Germany.  Alinsky writes:

Churchill's reply was clear and unequivocal:  "Not at all.  I have only one purpose, the destruction of Hitler, and my life is much simplified thereby.  If Hitler invaded Hell I would make at least a favorable reference to the Devil in the House of Commons."

A modern example of particular ends justifying particular means might be the use of waterboarding on captured terrorists.  The sought after end was to stop planned terrorist attacks before they happen.  (And that is exactly what did happen, preventing a planned 9/11 style attack on Los Angeles.)

In spite of the many good points one might derive about Alinsky, he drops many clues as to his philosophy:  that he believes that we are our brother's keeper; that the plight of the have-nots, or the poor, can only be satisfied by taking away from the haves.  It is the mistake all socialists make, the false premise that undermines all of their proposed solutions:  that there is a finite amount of goodies in the world, be they houses, cars, food, clothing and Fender Stratocaster guitars (I want a red one).  To the socialists, the economy is a zero-sum game; rich people are greedy folks who have taken more than their fair share at the expense of the poor and underpriviliged.   The way to correct the situation is through revolution, the forcible redistribution of wealth.  It's a bankrupt philosophy.

I will keep reading the book, however.  It is well written and has a lot to interest me.  In the game of chess with the Left, it is wise to study your opponent's methods and strategies, so that he is the one who is checkmated rather than you.

The Death of the Republican Party Has Been Greatly Exaggerated

We are hearing a lot of silly comments from Democrats and liberal Republicans lately.  They say that the Republican Party is all washed up, fini, kaput.  Some of the liberal Republicans like John McCain and his daughter Meghan say we should try to be more like the Democrats.

Today Mark  Steyn, filling in for Rush Limbaugh, rebuts this.  He says that this concept suggests that we must have an express lane and a regular lane to liberalism -- and that it is wrong.  He says a two-party system must have two parties -- not one and a half parties.  We must make the case for liberty and let the Dems be the one party that supports big government.  We don't need "Democrat Lite."  I agree.

On KSFO Radio this morning, guest Richard Viguerie of ConservativeHQ.com said the same thing.  He said that if you want to sell a product, you must differeniate your product from all the rest.  A second Democrat Party is neither needed nor does it provide the consumer with a clear choice.  As a result, there is little motivation to make a switch.

It is foolish to project all of our tomorrows on what the situation is today.  After the 1994 Republican Revolution, when we achieved majorities in both houses, many Republicans predicted the end of the Democrat Party.  It was a vain hope, because politicians have a great talent for shooting themselves in the foot.  Right now, Obama is shooting himself in both feet with a howitzer.  Bad policies will come back to haunt him and a reaction will eventually set in.  Or, as I said when Obama was elected, the tide goes out but will come back in again.  Politics tend to be variable.  

Remember when the GOP's fortunes were at a low ebb with the resignation of President Nixon?  The American electorate reacted with a vengeance to Watergate and Nixon's pending impeachment (which wasn't pursued because President Ford granted him a pardon).  They reacted and voted in the second most leftwing President in our history (Obama being the first), i.e. Jimmy Carter.  Many pundits said then the GOP was all washed up.  However, Carter fouled things up quite thoroughly and was booted out by a landslide for Ronald Reagan.

The political situation in this country is never static and it is foolish to believe that it is.  We'll be back, count on it.

Pamela Geller on Hannity Tonight

Pamela Geller of Atlas Shrugs was on the Hannity Show on Fox tonight.  I didn't see it but it no doubt will be available at Sean Hannity's site by tomorrow.

Pamela is really hitting the big time now.  I always suspected that she would.  Her star is on the rise!

And to think, we all knew her when!

UPDATE:  I caught the 9 PM PST recorded broadcast on Fox.  Pamela did great, arguing with some liberal on the panel.  

UPDATE 2:  Pamela now has the YouTube videos linked at her site.  Take a look.

She is getting an avalanche of praise and love from her readership -- see the comments.

Dom DeLuise Dies: A Great Comedic Actor

Whenever a movie comes on TV that has Dom DeLuise in it, I know it's going to be funny. A few weeks back I saw him in the 1978 movie "The End" with Burt Reynolds. DeLuise plays a nut who has been committed to an asylum. He meets Burt Reynolds' character when he too is commited for attempting suicide. DeLuise's character tries to help the Reynolds character accomplish his suicide goal -- even after Reynolds has changed his mind. It was wickedly funny.

I've been a fan of Dom DeLuise for quite some time and felt a kind of affection for this actor. He died in his sleep yesterday at age 75. For him "The End" has become a reality.

He was a big warm Italian guy who loved to eat and make people laugh, and he was darned good at both.

I'll miss him.

Google Ads Now on Saber Point

I'm following the lead of my friend Donald Douglas at American Power and "monetizing" my blog.  I figure I may make enough money to buy a cigar in about six months.

Meanwhile I'm getting a lot of leftwing ads in the sidebar.   Try to suppress your disgust.  We'll see how it goes.

Next step:  I want to run Amazon ads advertising my favorite books.

Update:  Amazon books on conservatism now added.  Next will be a section of books on Islam that I have read and recommend.

Update:  Amazon books on Islam added.  I could add many more but don't know if I have the room!

Pamela Geller on Fox News - and Looking Hot!

The world's hottest blogger continues to impress. Here's Pamela Geller of Atlas Shrugs on "Red Eye" on Fox News. This is a funny put down of the DHS's recent silly warning about "Right Wing Extremism."

A while back I Photoshopped a picture for Pamela that we were going to use on a blog ad for her radio show in Phoenix. It was taken from a photo of her with some lucky guy at a New Year's Eve party. I had to edit him out and then recreate her right breast which had been covered up by the now removed guy who was standing in front of it.  My reconstruction looks so real and natural  that I was rightly proud of my work. However, she thought the photo was too sexy to use in the ad. But I still have the Photoshop! I'm planning to use it in one of Stacy McCain's "Rule 5" Saturdays (that's when you post a picture of a pretty woman to bring in more blog hits). First I have to find a suitable background and I have one in mind. You'll just have to wait for it!  

Sunday, Sweet Sunday...

National Offend a Feminist Week

My title is a line from "Flower Drum Song." Stacy McCain of "The Other McCain" blog has declared this "National Offend a Feminist" Week. I like the concept. He says the song "I Enjoy Being a Girl" by Nancy Kwan is the anthem for this special week. Heck, I ran that video months ago, not to offend feminists but merely because I love the song...and Nancy Kwan. And if that fact doesn't offend a feminist, then there's just no offending them.

F.A. Hayek's "The Road to Serfdom"

It took me a couple of weeks and a fistfull of cigars, but I finally finished reading Hayek's classic tome in defense of free markets. It's not an easy or fast read. However, I didn't just read it, I studied it, highlighting key points. There is so much that is quotable. Here's one I picked out at random:

It is true that the virtures which are less esteemed and practiced now--independence, self-reliance, and the willingness to bear risks, the readiness to back one's own conviction against a majority, and the willingness to voluntary cooperation with one's neighbors--are essentially those on which the working of an individualist society rests.

This was written in 1944. When I think of the Tea Parties of today I can see a lot of Hayek's "individualist society" is alive and well, though fighting for its life, i.e. backing its "own conviction against a majority."

Hayek's book, in a nutshell, says that collectivism or socialism doesn't work; that when central planners begin to realize that there are many unexpected factors and forces popping out to derail their schemes, they will seek even more power to exercise ever greater control of society, until at last the central planning of socialism ends in totalitarianism and tyranny. And on top of that, the great majority is poor. Bummer. There's much in this book that applies to the current economic downturn and the rise of Obamunistic Socialism.

Eating Sushi

I had to work again yesterday. Now I'm pooped. When I came home my wife took me out to eat sushi at a great Japanese restaurant. I tried the sea urchin but my wife, who is Asian, wouldn't touch it. It was pretty good, but you have to be careful not to swallow all those little purple spines. Just kidding -- you eat the inside of the urchin, not the outside. We asked for a side order of poisonous blowfish but the proprietor wouldn't serve it. Ha! The next thing you know he will tell us we can't practice Hara-Kiri. Too late, the nation already did that last November.