Monday, April 26, 2010

Can I Please Borrow $100,000? Tea Party says. . . NO!!







by, Andy Badolato


Would you provide a $100,000 loan to a company or an individual who;

1.Has personally guaranteed short and long term debt of $1,630,000.
2.Has $100,000 in questionable non liquid balance sheet assets with no savings.
3.Has current income of $240,000 per year, but is currently spending $350,000 per year on his planned and budgeted bills and expenses. The next 5 years of budgets and financial projections that they provide also show expenses and fixed bills exceeding their income by an average of 30% every single year.
What would your answer be? What would a bank say?

Yet, these are the same ratios of debt, assets, income, monthly obligations and expenditures of our country at this time.

On tax day, April 15th 2010, President Obama addressed the country, and in a mocking way directed criticism and his amusement towards American citizens involved with the Tea Party protests. He was humored and felt it ironic, since taxes did not go up for Americans. Other Democrats, talk show hosts and celebrity left have also been seen smirking and joking about the Tea Party; labeling them as redneck militia, domestic terrorists, and or racists for being so concerned about the economy, national debt and taxes.

These simple actions clearly define how out of touch and clueless the Democratic Party, Obama administration and some mainstream media have become with the American people and the role of government. How they view themselves as elite, above us and looking down upon, entitled, while pompously acting as if they know what is best for us. How stupid they think the average American citizen is, and or being too arrogant and stupid themselves to look at the facts or the bigger picture.

Since the Presidential inauguration, our national debt has increased more than $2.7 Trillion to $12.8 Trillion. We have purposely prepared, budgeted and planned for an additional $7 Trillion of borrowed cash, giving us a $20 Trillion total noose by 2015. This strategic, planned on purpose -$7 Trillion budget was introduced to the American public with big happy smiles, a gloating giddy media, and lots of congratulatory applause. The title is ironically called, "A New Era of Responsibility, Renewing Americas Promise" and the first chapter of the budget presentation is titled "Inheriting a Legacy of Misplaced Priorities". This presentation and budget is directly overseen by the OMB or Office of Management and Budget, the largest department of the executive branch of the White House. The highlighted quote on the front page of the OMB website correlating directly to the $10 Trillion of actual and planned debt increase in two years is from President Obama. He states, "Let’s invest in our people without leaving them a mountain of debt. Let’s meet our responsibility to the citizens who sent us here. Let’s try common sense".

This single paragraph and facts described above should provide a glimpse of the seriously flawed political and economic system we really have, the problems we face in correcting it, and the legitimate beefs of the Tea Party.

Some say the recently passed heath care bill could increase debt another $10 trillion on top of the $108 trillion of unfunded social security and Medicare entitlements just starting to become due. Let’s discuss your share as of today, before it increases. Are you sitting down?

Per Citizen Per Taxpayer

National Debt
$12.8 Trillion
$41,613.00 $117,035.00

Unfunded liabilities $108.3 Trillion
$350,537.00
$985,710.04

Personal Debt:
$16.5 Trillion
$53,510.00

State and Municipal $2.8 Trillion $9,446.00 $26,449.00
Totals:

$401,596.00 $1,129,194.0

Sources:
http://www.usdebtclock.org
http://www.treasurydirect.gov

There are many that now point to an improving economy now emerging due to recent economic reports and statistics. I pose the question, "If you personally made $240,000 per year and were handed $270,000 of borrowed cash and told you had to spend it all in one year, do you think your economy might improve slightly?"

Fellow Americans, we have a ticking thermonuclear economic bomb that requires immediate action, not denial or procrastination. Some say it’s too late already, it’s better to avoid all of the madness and worry, buy gold, guns and canned goods, hunker down, buckle your chinstrap and hold on tight. This national debt issue has just recently started to surface the past two years, having been suppressed, ignored, and tossed from president to president like a hot potato. Our political parties have become like the arguing newlyweds after getting the credit card bill from the extended honeymoon and the new furniture bought using the 90 days same as cash promotion. Rather than sensibly and logically attempts to deal with the obvious, they fight over whose fault or idea it was to go, or who signed for the expensive room service and massage while the other wasn’t around or complain about it to their friends. This type of behavior has become the meaning of bipartisanship in our country.

We have been living in a fantasy dream world, a delusional economy and sugar credit high, based on phantom money printed out of thin air backed by nothing. It’s as if we received a bunch of credit cards in the mail one day that our parents said to only use for emergency. Then, we quit our day jobs to live lavishly, take vacations and buy new clothes and cars, living off credit and equity line checkbooks to pay our bills. When the monthly payments become due, we paid with credit cards and wrote credit line checks. Sometimes, we transferred the entire balance to another card to make things all look good, keep a good credit rating and pacify our ego. At just the time we finally experience a serious event indicating a potential problem and our conservative friends suggest a debt Rehab clinic or an intervention; we decided to say the heck with it, took a tequila shot and "DOUBLED DOWN", going for broke. We gave our friends a high five, smiled widely and called our travel agent for an exotic vacation. We needed a get away from all the emotional stress, ridicule and hassles we suffered especially from the friends who nagged us to cancel our credit cards. It's easier for us to now deny those friends exist and cut them out of our lives, ignoring them completely. We ridicule and label them as nuts and kooks to others. Besides, it’s easier to get more friends, especially when you have several trillion dollars of money to spend and throw around. Just ask Mike Tyson.

The difference between the Tea party citizens and current elected government is:

• The American citizen knows the responsibilities and consequences of personal debts. Our elected elite politicians do know the consequences of debt, but unfortunately don't really care but still act like they do. They personally don’t have to pay it back, plus they get additional contributions, ribbon cutting invitations and other perks for the favors they provide with our borrowed cash. If it ever does become an issue, they have PR people that advise them who or what to blame, and write their response scripts advising them to be sure to act very angry towards the blamed person or party when asked by the press or on TV. Besides, if this mountain of debt finally one day causes the dollar to collapse or inflation to set in, they have no worries. Congressional, senior government and cabinet pensions automatically are protected for inflation and standard of living inflation adjustments in laws they passed themselves.
• The American citizen generally understands the meaning of how much they make each year and the importance of not spending more. Elected politicians understand, but don't really care and or don't understand sound business principals. Our current President has never run or operated a business as well as many in congress. After all, we elect the people who promise us the most and can give great speeches. Foolish of us to entertain the thought that government is a business and to actually vote for those qualified even if they are not great speakers or look good on camera.
• The American citizen understands the reality and consequences of not being able to pay their debts. Losing homes in foreclosure, lawsuits, liens against assets, utility shut offs, and repossessions all happen when income is not enough to pay debts after monthly bills. Our elected politicians understand but don't really care; being more concerned how they can benefit politically in the NOW rather than later when the debt has to be repaid. Besides, if they don’t say yes to bailouts, vote for pork barrels and pass new laws that help big corporations; they would get blacklisted unable to get $400,000 per year lobbying jobs or corporate speaking gigs when their term is up.
This decision to double down was triggered at a time when the crisis was related only to the debt of the consumer mortgages. The total of these loans are now at $14 trillion after write downs/write offs the past year and giving the banks enough money to cover the loss. Many leading economists indicate that further deeper write downs will be needed and that commercial mortgages are twice the size and magnitude of the residential market waiting to explode. Many blame the mortgage problem on our government as the enabler via the passage of the community reinvestment act. It allowed literally anyone to buy a home and the law made it mandatory and a crime not to provide these loans regardless of traditional qualification approvals. This lit the match and started the beginning of the housing boom as well as low interest cheap money made available by the Fed. The government obligated Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans were what brought the banks to negative reserve capital, sending shrapnel everywhere. We may still require further trillions to the banks due to commercial real estate, perhaps triggering other too big to fail corporations that will need more money too. Maybe we have only addressed 30% of the total problem? Unfortunately it gets worse.

The $108 trillion unfunded liabilities Grim Reaper has been patiently sharpening and honing his scythe, ironed his new black cloak and just landed in town as the first of the baby boomers reached retirement age earlier this year. This 65 year old Reaper is quite angry at us. He knows we have already collected these monies and made promises to set it aside, but instead we decided to spend it all along the way. This eye opening reality now means that every single United States citizen (man, woman and child) is liable jointly for $350,000 starting in 2010, ending in 2029. Since only 1/3rd of the US citizens pay income taxes, this means each would be responsible for $985,000 paid out over the next 19 years. This makes you really wonder about the smiling widely, yet reserved denials of the "death squads" political debate when the Heath care bill was being discussed. PS. Dear Granny; bring your shotgun and sleep with one eye open.

Based upon our current national debt projections of $20 Trillion by 2015, and assuming balanced budgets thereafter, the interest payments alone are $1 Trillion at 5% interest. This would be 41% of our government’s total revenues if they stayed the same as they were today and 83% if interest rates were 10%. Remember, that not too long ago interest rates were 18%. The money that is left over has to be used for the unfunded liabilities of Medicare and social security, military expenditures and homeland security now at almost $1 Trillion, and the rest allocated to the government Departments and Services overseen by the Czars at the Heath and human services, Transportation, Veterans affairs, housing, education, Energy, agriculture, Justice, commerce, labor, Treasury, interior, EPA, Corps of engineers, small business, Science, HUD, and community Services.

Oh, and don’t forget about figuring out how to pay for our personal debts of mortgage, consumer and credit cards totaling $16 trillion averaging $53,000 per citizen, and keeping our States, counties and cities operating smoothly that will need $2.8 trillion to pay off their loans.

Any sensible American taxpaying citizen with even half a brain and can use a calculator knows that there is an extremely tough rocky road ahead, a huge price to pay, and most definitely additional tax increases required. This was the case even before our national debt was increased by our elected leaders from $9 Trillion to $20 Trillion in just 2 years. We have reached our credit card limits already and may not have enough. Who is going to give us this money? There is no more equity line available or assets to leverage. As of April 2010, our country’s combined personal, business and corporate assets are valued at $72 Trillion dollars. This includes the stock market valuations and we all know what that would be worth if there was a serious or even a rumored sovereign debt problem. The total of Federal, State, municipal, personal, business and corporate debt is $71 Trillion. We have on paper a positive $1 Trillion in assets. But the problem is we still have $20 Trillion in debt and still owe $108 Trillion in unfunded liabilities.

Does this make you understand the views of the Tea Party a little better?

It seems as if all of our elected politicians have either become like; Nero playing the violin and sipping champagne while Rome burns, or crew members of the Titanic arguing over how to reorganize the chairs on the deck. A more appropriate analogy of the actions of our political leaders is; the crew members of the Titanic looting, robbing and stealing from us before taking our life jackets and lifeboats all the while smiling to us telling us things are OK and they are saving and protecting us. A great movie to watch that further explains our country's economy, culture, society, political system and how we got here is www.generationzeromovie.com

The insinuation and sheer madness of those in our country, that would laugh, joke and make fun of American citizen Tea Party groups that have legitimate concerns about national debt and the future of their country is appalling and embarrassing actually. They want to know why their government continues to spend more money and discuss even more programs.

The extreme polarization, differences, increasing antagonism, brewing resentment and irrational interpretations by the political parties and our media that is happening in our country is just the beginning. Just wait till the time when we can't borrow more, or interest rate costs increase enough to consume a majority or all of our current or projected revenues. We can’t keep printing money either, or the dollar will become virtually worthless setting off massive price inflation. Any of these events occurring will be the time when the hard decisions and the real hardball politics and finger pointing starts. Who to pay and why, and who to cut and why. Thus, a form of economic triage of decisions that will be made that possibly could literally mean life and death for many. In the meantime, it’s still easy to maintain status quo using the credit cards and fighting over how to spend trillions of borrowed money.

We are at a crossroads that cannot be compared to any other time in history. We are entering just the first phase that will indelibly redefine our future.

Note: Mr. Badolato currently serves as chairman, CEO of the Renewable Corporation. He has extensive experience in venture capital, technology transfer, and development stage start-up companies. You can check his company out at: http://www.therenewablecorp.com/

Monday, April 19, 2010

Research shows that 78% of Americans don't trust Central Government: A Look into the Game of Spin Control





by Mark Baker


This morning's MSNBC lead story is a feature by AP Reporter Liz Sidoti titled "Poll: 78% don't trust Big Government. Sidoti's article is based on the results of poll research released yesterday by the respected Pew Research Center. The results of the research don't paint a pretty picture for Obama and the rest of 'Team Thug,' as Sidoti writes:

"The poll released Sunday illustrates the ominous situation facing President Barack Obama and the Democratic Party as they struggle to maintain their comfortable congressional majorities in this fall's elections. Midterm prospects are typically tough for the party in power. Add a toxic environment like this and lots of incumbent Democrats could be out of work."

Imagine my surprise then (NOT), that these research results didn't show-up as a 'Lead Feature' on any of the old 'Big Three' TV News Networks, ABC, CBS, or NBC, although FOX did feature it. Keep in mind that major Poll Research doesn't develop in a perfect vacuum and as such, there findings are generally known by professional news-people before the general public. This 'cushion period' allows time for the wire-service reporters to write articles to 'package' the info in. Generally speaking, these releases are fairly straightforward in nature due to the fact that the research stands for itself.

By now, most everybody's heard of term, 'Spin.' Broadly speaking, Spin is ones attempt to re-paint, or manipulate a piece of information (be it 'hot-off-the-presses, or historical in nature), to best serve one's agenda or interests, or in many cases, to 'control damage' that result from the data's public release.

Two of the most common means to 'Spin' news or data, is to 'Wring-In,' or 'Wring-Out' false or weak arguments either for or against the original premise of the subject or material in question. Without exception, one of the best examples of obviously nefarious wringing-in and wringing-out Spin Control regards the left's relentless campaign to misinterpret the meaning of our Constitution's Second Amendment.

Try as they will to spin -and frighteningly enough, to some extent successfully twist the writers intent or meaning-of it, inasmuch as far too many otherwise intelligent people have been fooled into viewing the 'militia' verbage as ambiguous where in fact it is not. The debate is over whether that amendment protects private, individual ownership of firearms or whether it means something else. Typically, people who favor gun ownership take the first position, as do many legal scholars who study the Constitution on an objective basis that concentrates on division and assignment of rights and responsibilities between 'The People,' 'The State,' and 'The Central Government.' Opponents of gun ownership on the other-hand, subjectively argue that the amendment protects only the right of the states to form militias or National Guard units.

I've digressed here from the original topic only to share a well-known example of 'Spin' by those who wish to ignore or undermine our Constitution in pursuit of their own objectives. NOTE: I will offer more background on the 2nd Amendment battle in a future post.

Back to the Pew Research findings -78% of Americans don't trust Washington- and what we can learn regarding the manner its' findings are being (or NOT being) shared in the media.

I find it very interesting (and revealing) to consider that while all four major private media outlets (ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC) ALL posted the Pew Research Findings on their internet news links, but from what I've seen, only FOX has released it in BOTH their internet and TV outlets? The burning question that should be asked of the other three is WHY? I offer as consideration, the possibility that their motives are based on the difference between the 'Audience Demographics' of the two mediums, Internet vs. traditional TV. I would speculate that perhaps the reason is based on institutional racism and audience control* (*which I'll expand on later in this post).

While Fox and MSNBC, to their credit, feature the Pew Research findings very prominently in their internet feeds today, CBS and ABC do not:

CBS buried the story under 'Additional Political News (requiring an additional click) whereas one on their site would first be 'informed' about the Iceland Volcano, the American Country Music Awards and even a demented 'Thong & Panty Theif' busted at Michigan State University.

ABC meanwhile, leads with a worthy piece on Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, but nowhere can one see the Pew Research findings -although if you scroll down to their 'Politics' area, you'll find a lead featuring Obama and Barbara Boxer in a loving embrace, as well as links to stories on 'Senate nearing a Bi-Partisan Climate Bill', 'Obama taking Financial Reform on the Road', 'Clinton on Rush...', AND an apologist link titled, 'Clinton: I was Wrong to Listen to Wrong Advice Against Regulating Derivatives.' I'm not lying, check it for yourself on the ABC News website right now (in their 'Politics' section which can be found right after their 'Recipes' Section).

'Institutional Racism' & Audience Control: As I mentioned earlier, I personally feel that the various media outlets cynically make their 'news-dissemination' decisions based upon either maximizing, or minimizing the 'impact' of the information on their target demographic audience. They realize that on average, people get the bulk of their information from different sources based on differing demographic factors. They also realize that the factors that make-up these demographic differences are fluid in nature, and thus 'adjust the feeder-spouts' occasionally so as to control not only what their target audience gets to feed on from their plate, but also how it's prepared for them (to ensure better control the digestion perhaps?).

I view their desired 'control' over any demographic group as being Institutionally Racest in nature in that they desire to see certain 'approved behaviors' practiced by those within their 'control groups.' Rewards (often in the form of legitimacy, or additional wide-coverage) are sprinkled upon those who do and say as they are supposed to; examples being: Maxine Waters, John Conyers, Charlie Rangle, and Jocelyn Elders, etc., while those within the demographic who 'dare to deviate from the accepted dogma of the controllers, are demonized and attacked as 'Uncle Toms,' or worse; examples being: Alan Keyes, JC Watts, Thomas Sowell and Walter Williams.

For example, in 2000, research indicated that less than 50% of Black and Hispanic Americans had daily access to the internet, so the 'Big Three' (CBS, NBC and ABC) were relatively comfortable in knowing they could by and large control the 'news' that that demographic population received through their traditional TV medium.

However, as I've stated, demographics are constantly changing due to many forces, and by 2003, a research study by Grumwald & Associates showed a 314% increase from 2000 figures in internet access by young black American students, and lesser but still significant increases by other minorities. Thus 'control' of these demographic groups were allowed to be exposed-to became a a much harder game to play.

While I've emphasized the white-liberal-elite control over willing-black-liberal-followers thus far, that by no means that the Big-Government/Big-Media cabal doesn't also target every other ethnic group and race, for it's an 'Equal Opportunity Oppressor' in function and design. When it says to you: "It rubs the lotion on its skin." You better be rubbing or look out! If you're white and respond with "No thanks," you can expect to be called all sorts of names and such. However, if you are Black or Hispanic and DARE to not march in lockstep fashion, you can expect to be attacked relentlessly at every side without ceasing.

Like an onion, the truth makes itself known after one takes time to peel-back a few layers. If you want a clear (albeit sad and disgusting) example of institutional racism, look no further than 'Planned Parenthood,' and its founder, Margaret Sanger, a venerable bastion of liberal (eg. Socialist) admiration and unquestioned support:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEja-1emRic&feature=PlayList&p=CF25CE4673D75231&playnext_from=PL&playnext=1&index=14

This 'Game,' or attempted control goes on every day. Few people today remain naive enough to believe that news-outlets, be they from the left or right of the political spectrum are unbiased. Be they the major electronic players, ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, or PBS, or the major print players such as Time, Newsweek, Wall Street Journal, etc., they all play the numbers and adjust accordingly, in their attempt to control what you get to see and how you interpret it. This is why many and an ever-growing number of Freedom-loving, Constitutionalist Americans of all races, and socio-economic classes are comming to view the Blog World as the last true (or 'New-Born') Free Press in America.

Not only does the viral expansion of the internet and it's affiliated 'Blogasphere' serve to protect and defend the premise of Free Thought here in America, but causes tyrants to quiver in fear the world over as they feel the loosing of their death-grip upon the Free Thought of Free People.

In closing, I'd like to share the thoughts of one of my hero's, Thomas Jefferson:

"The only security of all is in a free press. The force of public opinion cannot be resisted when permitted freely to be expressed. The agitation it produces must be submitted to. It is necessary, to keep the waters pure." --Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, 1823. ME 15:491

"The functionaries of every government have propensities to command at will the liberty and property of their constituents. There is no safe deposit for these but with the people themselves, nor can they be safe with them without information. Where the press is free, and every man able to read, all is safe." --Thomas Jefferson to Charles Yancey, 1816. ME 14:384

"The most effectual engines for [pacifying a nation] are the public papers... [A despotic] government always [keeps] a kind of standing army of newswriters who, without any regard to truth or to what should be like truth, [invent] and put into the papers whatever might serve the ministers. This suffices with the mass of the people who have no means of distinguishing the false from the true paragraphs of a newspaper." --Thomas Jefferson to G. K. van Hogendorp, Oct. 13, 1785. (*) ME 5:181, Papers 8:632


NOTES: If you read my posts, please take an additional moment to rate them below here (you won't break my heart if you don't like it, lol). Also, I would appreciate your comments as well. This helps contribute to constructive dialog which is something Free Societies like ours should partake in.

Press On,
-Mark

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

My '70's Nastalega





by Mark Baker


I recently 'misplaced' my cell phone for the better part of a day, the end result of which caused me to reflect on how much things have changed since I was a kid. But, before I get too far ahead of myself, back to the missing cell phone...

I, like millions of other 'Clip-the-Cord' folks today, a couple years back, decided it made little sense to pay both a cell AND land-line bill, so I 'went bare.' That's all good until the day you realize you don't have your cell and have no damn idea what you did with it. Suddenly one begins to miss that good old land-line, because even if it had a 73 foot line (like the one our Mothers had with their kitchen phones), you could always find it by 'reeling it in.'

Yeah, I know, nobody has had a corded land-line (or will admit to it) for years, but even the cordless ones could be found by idiots like myself by simply hitting the 'Ring Alert' button whereupon it would cry out from beneath the pile of clothes you just dumped on the couch.

After searching absolutely everywhere I had been that day, I notified my FaceBook Friends of my predicament so as to apologize to anyone trying to call me and that I'd get back to them as soon as it turned up -this was a slightly disingenuous statement in that I KNEW without any doubt that 'some PUNK' must have stolen my phone at some point (because I'm simply too smart to loose it myself, right)!

Anyway, after completing my near county-wide search, I remembered that I'd put a load of wash in hours before, after getting back home from meeting friends at lunch and that I'd forgotten to transfer them into the dryer. So down into the dungeon I went and what do I discover atop the box of Spartan-Brand Dryer Sheets, next to 'Scraps' the sleeping Cat? Why of course, my missing cell phone! I had to laugh at myself because I didn't remember carrying the thing down there, but really couldn't allow myself to believe that, that same mystery punk, after going to all the trouble of steeling my phone, would then be dumb enough to sneak it into the basement to place next to the sleeping cat. I considered the cat for less then 30 seconds, before my superior intellect told me he couldn't be the culprit as he lacks the necessary opposable thumbs to pull-off such a caper.

It was at that point that I remembered back to loading the washer, where I realized that there was still some 'room' in there for more stuff, so I pulled-out my belt, which caused my cell-phone and holder to fall to the floor, dropped my pants and threw 'em in (they were actually still clean, but what the hell, a guys gotta get his moneys-worth out of the 'Arm & Hammer' Soap People, right)! I STILL do not remember picking-up the phone off the floor or placing it atop the dryer-sheets, but I must have because again, the cat lacks thumbs and really prefers Milk-Jug Rings to cell phones anyway.

That experience caused me to consider how much easier AND how much more complicated our lives have become since we were kids in the 60's and 70's. I mean, it would have been unheard of to 'loose ones phone.' How the hell could that happen when it was mounted TO THE WALL! Likewise, anyone who'd of dared wax-on in public about the need to replace their 'Floopy' with a 'Hard Drive,' MIGHT have found themselves getting a visit by the County Sheriff; and 'Wee' was what we boys did behind trees when we were too busy playing WhiffleBall in the street to run home.

We didn't have 11,872 channels to 'surf,' we had THREE! Oh, excuse me for not being 'Politically Inclusive,' that's TRACE to you Amigo! Three damn channels, 6, 10 and 12; CBS, NBC and ABC (two and a half actually, as 12 was usually foggy, however their commentators, such as Chris Schenkle {RIP} made up for it by always wearing hideous bright-plaid sport coats in yellow or green that allowed you to see 'em through the fuzz). We're talking the high-tech world of VHF baby! Oh sure, if you wanted, you could maybe double the number of channels available by switching over to UHF, but UHF always seemed to feature odd programs put on by odder-looking people with really bad hair.

Back in our day, you didn't compare equipment in terms of Gigs, or Bandwidth, no way. There was no cable, and the only folks with access to satlites were those in NASA or SAC. It was all about Brand and Model-name baby! To tune their tubes, my Aunt & Uncles had the inferior 'Tenna-Rotor U-100's' by Alliance. You'd work 'em by turning that big tanish knob with a red-line. You'd crank that puppy so far and it would go 'CheePonk,' 'CheePonk,' 'CheePonk,' until it reached the stop point. It was loud and it was SLOW! We, on the other-hand, had the fancier 'WhisperJet-5000' by 'ChannelMaster' of course. It was a MONSTER of a unit; came complete with a warning to not place it too close to the edge of the TV console (Console TV's are a subject for a future blog) because if it should topple-off, it's weight would surly break foot bones, or kill a family pet. It had a hand-sized dial that you'd turn so far and the whole thing would 'BUZZ' (not really a whisper, but more like an irritating synthesized gas-leak sound) until it arrived to it's stop.

Regardless of brand, everybody had little pieces of tape or 'magic-marker' marks on their dials for the various 'sweet spots.' The 'WhisperJet' wasn't THAT MUCH faster than the U-100 Tanna Rotor -in fact a Consumer Report comparison actually established that it was SLOWER than the U-100- but who cared because only odd-balls read Consumer Reports, plus, the ChannelMaster 'WhisperJet-5000' looked like something that came right out of the Starship Enterprise, while the U-100 looked like it was pried off the Dash of your Grandpa's old DeSoto FireFlite.

My Dad's side of the family, were 'Curtis Mathis' people ("the most expensive TV, and darn well worth it." {when it wasn't back in the shop for frequent repairs that is}), while my Mothers side tended to be a hodge-podge of Zenith, RCA, and Magnavox folk. We were Magnavox people till RCA came out with 'Instant-On' technology (which really only meant that the damn thing never actually turned-off, but you could buy 43,000 KW of monthly juice from the local power company for between $10-$15 per, so what the heck). The RCA's with 'IO-TECH' never came close to getting as sharp a picture as the Magno's, but you could snap that puppy on/off like 237 times in one minute to beat your little brother's score (I know, because I DID); it's all in the wrist! lol.

Then, Christmas of '72, we became the envy of the tri-county area when Mom & Dad bought us an 'Atari PONG!' What totally sucked was that they played it for like three hours before my little brother and I could get at it, so I ended-up'accidently' shooting-out one of the garage windows with my slick new Crossman 760 Pump. The next day, I donned my little brother's new Yellow Tonka Construction Helmet and had him shoot me in the head with the Crossman (but ONLY 4-Pumps), thinking it would bounce-off (and assuming he didn't miss it altogether and put one into my face. The pellet hit the helmet just above and to the right of the 'Tonka' name.... went right through the plastic and buried itself into my scalp! My 5 year old brother and I dug that little .177 cal slug out of my head and stuffed the hole with 'Bag Balm.' I lived, and we made a pact to never tell Mom or Dad. Years later at a family get-together, 1987 or so, figuring the 'Whup-Ass Statute of Limitations' had expired, we decided it would be safe to tell Mom... We were wrong.

Ahhh, nostalgia...

Monday, April 12, 2010

'Unilateral Capitulation': Tini Tyrants We Love To Suffer.
















by, Mark Baker



In response to a thread I'd posted a while back concerning yet another dumb statement by Obama, a young staffer of a candidate I'm supporting (who we'll refer to as 'Herb' for the sake of annonymity), posted two simple words to convey his disgust with Obama: "Unilateral Capitulation!"

'Wow,' I chuckled to myself, those are a couple big, powerful words, however I thought such grand statement might be better reserved for something REALLY big in life. Thus I responded with this: Herb, one day, you'll find yourself sitting at a messy, food-splattered table facing a little mini Herb, or Herb'ette (chuck-full of God-Given Autonomy); using 'intangable skills' that you could have never attained in college, you will, through long-suffering patience overcome the stubborn definance of that little package of dynamic will-power, and watch them chew and swallow their first green bean. WHEN that day comes, I hope you'll remember this prediction by me, smile, and exclaim: "Unilateral Capitulation Achieved!"

'LIFE' Herb, you'll find, will present you with many joys and sorrows, rewards and regrets. But when your kid eats their first Green Bean, or Rides their first bike 50 feet without falling over... Those are among the sweetest of moments!

If you doubt the validity of my prediction, share this with any 'Dad' and see if he doesn't break out in laughter because I'll GUARENTEE you that he too has sat at that same messy table, patiently confronting that same little automotonic force.

Notes: That cute little bundle above is my 2nd born-son James Russell Baker; I can assure you that he was just as precocious and stubborn as he was cute. Today, he's a strapping 23 year old and I'm not sure how he feels about eating Green Beans as an adult? lol

Take Heart in the Strength of the Growing Family of Freedom.




by Mark Baker


As I tried to 'catch-up' on FaceBook the other night, a reality slapped my face. Read these threads ladies and gentleman and TAKE HEART. Pause to consider for a moment the nature of our united passion... FREEDOM.

Now realize that we, on these threads, are but a microcosm of a much larger body of like-minded, freedom-loving, Constitutionalists, all of which are finding each other incrementally. We ARE far larger in number than are our enemy. We need to cognate on these facts and draw upon each others strength and the synergy of the ever-expanding family we find ourselves.

Just as the 'Bully' from our childhoods' always seemed bigger than they really were, and light-bulbs tend to burn brightest right before they burn out, as do stars before their super-nova wherein they collapse in upon themselves, leaving a black hole. So too is the natural end of tyrants. The only variable in these events, is the amount of damage they're allowed to wrought in relation to the in-action of their opposition. Those being in this case, we, the children of FREEDOM.

I attended an event last week where I listened to several of our fellow brothers and sisters of freedom, black, white and Hispanic, share their passion and dedication to the work ahead of us. I smile now as I write, and I'll sleep at ease tonight, because I'm surrounded by millions just like me; who are girded with Wisdom in their Mind, Freedom in their Heart, the Constitution in one hand and the Means to Defend all three in the other. Many battles lay ahead, but in the end Victory Shall Be to those who Breath Free.

Press On!
-Mark

Friday, April 9, 2010

Mark Baker's Secret 'CTSDN Strategy for Success: 'Change That Shitty Diaper NOW!'




Gen. Claude Balls endorses Mark Baker's CTSDN Strategy:


"Much like the US Navy, my love-life was 'Half Mast and Sinking Fast' before I learned-of and deployed Mark's CTSDN Strategy. Now, by simply changing one or two of little Buff's poopy diapers a week, my Scarlett often greets me at the door wearing nothing more then my leather Bomber Jacket and a coy smile. Last week in fact, after an exceptionally knarly engagement of mutual shock & awe, she pinned my Master Missile Badge into my bear chest and exclaimed in a near-spent voice. 'Well Done My Commander, Well Done!' In short, my SITRIP on CTSDN is that it's a powerful Force Multiplier and Mark's Strategy is at least 20 years ahead of anything the Russians are using!"

-General Claude Balls,
Air Force General, Commander-In-Chief: Strategic Air Command


As is the case with all men (the exception being those sad souls born with an extra 'X' Chromosome who grow-up to be liberals or worse), we at some point pass through that 'unique' stage in our path to reason and maturity which forges us into men. In my personal case, that process included 'molding' through the exposure to the fire of life's realities including participating in Scouting, Sports, Military Service, as well as some 'unique' passages, such as dealing with what had to have been 30,000 dirty diapers from the butts of my three great sons -and in fairness to my ex-wife, may have contributed to her needing to leave after 14 years of marriage to "find herself." In honest reflection, I have to admit that I only dealt with maybe 1 in 20 of those nasty packages (actually I remember 'deferring' all the really odious ones her way! So not only can '20-something' males be a bit overbearing at times, but when it comes to equality in dealing with 'baby-exhaust issues,' down right jerks)!

Wow, at 48, this admission by me, to borrow a favorite phrase of doofy Joe Biden, is "a Big F%$#ing Deal!" In doing so, I've betrayed one of the MAJOR secrets of the male brotherhood (I won't get into 'Selective Hearing,''Faux Sleep,' or other deeply-held male secrets here, which I pledge to take to my grave).

In our world, there exist's 'Ism's'of all shape, size and merit, or lack thereof, but for the purpose of this writing, I'm going to focus on 'True'ism.' Here's some examples of Mark's True'isms of late: reject outright about 97% of anything any Democrat says; test the motivation of any Republican office-holder; scratch your head as to WHY Sarah is stumping for RINO-Supreme, McCain?; continue to avoid the Kool Aid (of all flavors); eat less, exercise more; if something smells really odd or funny with a politician, always follow the money; and more importantly, if something smells really odd or funny with your KIDS BUTT, do your wife a favor and JUST CHANGE IT!*

*NOTE: -Sorry pal, you're married now, so that cool Nike motto, 'Just Do It' doesn't apply to you anymore. In what is perhaps the new century's most ironic twist, Tiger Woods' last major sponsor to not bail on his philandering-ass is NIKE, with it's "Just Do It" motto. God DOES have a great sense of humor indeed.

Trust me on this one young fathers out there, if you want to get laid more, I'm pretty sure that the act of brave, pro-active engagement of shitty diapers is the Holy Grail Secret that trumps roses, un-solicited dish-washing, dispatching of scary: bugs, mice, bats, snakes, etc.; and if you find yourself DEEP IN THE HOLE BUDDY, and need the benefit of 'Exponential Suck-Up Dynamics' (were talking stuff that will garner you between 20 to 50/1 returns!), than you need to understand and unleash the power of my exclusive 'CTSDN Strategy,' which is simply an acronym for my CHANGE THAT SHITTY DIAPER NOW formula.

Fellow men, hear me now; for the wisdom I share with you is as timeless and true today as it was back in 'Kirock's' time when he learned the value of removing 'dingle berry's' from the hindquarters of little KoJo and KeLava in order to win the favor of his lifelong cave-mate, Koolhot-Ma. It's no accident that the fact is, women on average, live SEVEN years longer then men! There are many contributing reasons for this, but primarily due to our trying to figure out how to keep them happy. We usually fail because of the fact that we are by and large 'Tri-Wired' beings: Eat, Sleep and have Sex, whereas women are by and large 'Infinitely-Wired' beings: Talking, Shopping, Working, Cleaning, Talking, Shopping... well, you get my point.

Additionally, ever since women learned how to read, our 'Life-Clocks' started their countdowns because they love to read stuff like Harlequin Romance Novels and works from that traitor, Nicholas Sparks, who spins yarns that no man can possibly live up to, and thus only further stacks the deck against us. Then there's Oprah and her damn Book Club endorsements of destructive 'Self-Help' and 'Psycho-Babble' books such as 'Women are from Venus, Men are from Mars.' Just more fuel for the fire set to see our failure through their lies; for Women may well be from Venus, but we MEN are from Cabela's, not Mars!

Don't just take my word for it, but read for yourself, the endorsement at the top of this page of Air Force General Claude Balls, who's utilized my CTSDN Strategy to successfully re-invigorate the sex life of he and his wife, Scarlett (see same at top of this article).

If you're a typical young father between say 21-34 and have seen a severe decline in your 'love-life,' my CTSDN Strategy can help you quickly restore the 'play' to your game! In fact, Changing a shitty diaper is a 50-1 equivalent to mowing of the lawn, taking-out of the trash, or bringing-in ALL the groceries! The CTSDN Strategy pays between 30-49/1 equivalent to Vacuuming the house without being asked; changing the Kitty-Litter, policing-up pubic-hairs in the bathroom, or remembering to leave the seat-down at night.

Finally, for those of you who are 34+, you better be changing 75%+ of any nasty diapers pal, because there's a shelf-life in 'Cougar Country!' Any of you cats over 50 trying to ply your 2nd or 3rd wives; my CTSDN strategy WILL NOT WORK for you and would be a waste of time. Your only hope is to ply her with a large bank account, alcohol, or Viagra (or all three in some 'blond' cases).

The power of my CTSDN Strategy establishes a *Proven Scientific Fact: If you will change shitty diapers, you WILL get laid!

*Based on Finnish Governmental Studies Conducted by the University of Halstinky, FN.

Mark's Disclaimer: For any of you who suffer from a low degree of humor, please know that I wrote this with my tongue firmly planted in my cheek. However, the crux of my postulation, though packaged in a humorous wrapper, IS based on absolute fact that I and many other intelligent men who breath through our nose HAVE validated personally. In my past, I HAVE experienced a real, true Cause & Effect Relationship between a willingness to help out with nasty diapers and getting 'rewarded' for said behavior. Try it and see for yourselves...

Press On,
-Mark

Who's Afraid of a little Tea Party? Everyone, fortunately.









by, Kevin O'Brien



For many a year now, officeholders of both major parties have worked hard to earn the distrust of ordinary Americans. It appears that they finally have succeeded.

If only ordinary Americans hadn't been so inattentive. If only ordinary Americans hadn't been so trusting. If only ordinary Americans hadn't been so damnably nice, the country would be in a better position to manage its finances today.

But when have Americans not tried to look for the good in every situation? When have we not been slow to recognize the need to deal with forces, foreign or domestic, aligning against our best interests?

Better late than never, a lot of ordinary Americans are waking up to the sobering reality that there really is no one they can trust. Not Democrats. Not Republicans. Not government. Not corporations. And certainly not corporations in league with government.

Hallelujah.

The people who are angry today are more in tune with this nation's founders than ordinary Americans have been in decades.

The United States has an intricate system of checks and balances, and a government structure based on a separation of powers, and a Bill of Rights that safeguards the rights of states and the rights of the people precisely because the greatest collection of political talent and philosophical insight ever assembled on this continent -- and maybe anywhere on this planet -- looked at the concept of government and said, "We need to make a really small cage for this thing, then be careful not to overfeed it."

We seem to have lost the care-and- feeding instructions about a century ago. We let government out of its little cage and it has been consuming everything it can lay its paws on ever since. In the last 45 years, it has been on a real binge, and in the last year and a half, it has taken bigger bites than a lot of people thought possible.

Ordinary Americans who care about freedom are finally getting a clue and -- horrors! -- they're hollering at members of Congress. That's right: Nice, trusting, formerly inattentive Americans are getting in the faces of the political class and calling them names.

Big (Joe Biden expletive deleted) deal. If members of the political class are too tender to endure a little well-earned rudeness from the people whose hard-earned money they like to "spread around," then they ought to get out of politics. Maybe their successors will find the voice of the people less irritating.

A very, very few ordinary Americans are going so far as to threaten members of the ruling class with physical harm or property damage. That's not fine.

All that does is damage the cause of the people who are loudly but peaceably petitioning their government for the redress of a growing list of very real grievances.

It also allows politicians on the left, including a president who now taunts opponents of his new health care law every time he speaks, to cast themselves simultaneously as victors and victims.

Finally, threats from the right allow the left to lump every proponent of individual liberty, self-reliance, limited government and limited government spending -- the Tea Party movement, in general -- in with nuts who might actually do some harm.

Don't doubt for a second that the left is hoping desperately for someone to step all the way out of line. They thought they had their man -- and early news reports said they did -- when Joseph Stack crashed his Piper Dakota into an IRS building in Texas.

As it turned out, Stack proved to be a Marx-quoting lefty -- the wrong flavor of nut.

So the left has to settle for a little name-calling of its own: "ignorant," "racist," "homophobes," "hooligans," "extremists." The list, as you know, goes on and on.

It's bunk, but it's the script.

Tea Party folks are just patriots worried, with good reason, about the future of the country they love. They're vocal and they're inspiringly unaffiliated.

They scare the hell out of both political parties, because they've embraced distrust.

The Democrats fear them because they see through the left's empty promise of utopia in exchange for freedom. The Republicans fear them because they're pushy and because they're loyal to their principles rather than to a party.

They make everyone uncomfortable. That's healthy.

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

New Twist on Old Classic Game: 'Obama Bullshit Bingo'











by, Megan Ward


'Obama Bullshit Bingo' Instructions:

1. Before Barrack Obama's next televised speech, prepare your "Bullshit Bingo" card by drawing a square.

I find that 5" x 5" is a good size -- and dividing it into columns --five across and five down. That will give you 25 1-inch blocks.... See More

2. Write one of the following words/phrases in each block:

. Restored our reputation
. Strategic fit
. Let me be clear
. Make no mistake
. Back from the brink
. Signs of recovery
. Out of the loop
. Benchmark
. Job creation
. Fiscal restraint
. Win-win
. Affordable health care
. Previous Administration
. Greed on Wall Street
. At the end of the day
. Empower (or empowerment)
. Touch base
. Mindset
. Corporate greed
. Ballpark
. Game plan
. Leverage
. Inherited as in "I inherited this mess"
. Relief for working families (alternate - "unprecedented") **

3. Check off the appropriate block when you hear one of these words or phrases

4. When you get five blocks horizontally, vertically, or diagonally, stand up and shout

"BULLSHIT!"

Testimonials from past satisfied "Bullshit Bingo" players:

"I had been listening to the speech for only five minutes when I won." -
Jack W., Boston

"My attention span during speeches has improved dramatically." - David D.,
Florida

"What a gas! Speeches will never be the same for me after my first win." -
Bill R., New York City

"The atmosphere was tense in the last speech as 14 of us waited for the fifth box." - Ben G., Denver

"The speaker was stunned as eight of us screamed "BULLSHIT!" for the third time in two hours." - Harry A, Chantilly

"This is the most fun I have ever had with my pants up!" Robert H. Portland *

Friday, April 2, 2010

Conservative African Americans Stand-up to 'Democrat Plantation:' Frederick Douglass Would be Proud.



Black GOPers in Dixie Congressional Races

By Hastings Wyman
Southern Political Report

March 30, 2010 —

At least seven African Americans are running for congress as Republicans in the South this year. If one or two of them get elected, along with African American Ryan Frazier (R) in Colorado, there could be a nucleus of black elected officials to help the GOP make inroads in the black community in the future. Although a number of Dixie’s Republican statewide candidates in 2006 sought and received a larger-than-usual share of the black vote, that trend disappeared in 2008 in black voters’ enthusiasm for Barack Obama’s presidential bid.


In the post-Obama era, many in the growing black middle and upper-middle classes might find it in their interest to support fiscally conservative policies; in addition, many of these voters hold relatively conservative social views, consistent with many in the GOP. This potential trend, if it develops, could offer the GOP an opportunity to – for a change – expand its base. Having two or three African American Republicans in Congress would certainly be a boost to this effort, probably more so than having African-American Michael Steele serve as chair of the Republican National Committee, which can easily be dismissed as window-dressing.


Most of the black Republican candidates have impressive backgrounds – professionally and/or politically. State Rep. Tim Scott (R-SC) spent 13 years on the Charleston County Council. Deon Long made law review at the University of Michigan Law School before practicing law in Winter Park, Florida. Les Phillip in Huntsville, Alabama, is a graduate of the US Naval Academy. Angela McGlowan in Oxford, Mississippi, was a Fox News analyst before launching her congressional bid. And Lou Huddleston in Fayetteville, North Carolina, retired from the Army as a full colonel in 2003 and has since been both a civic and business leader in the district.

Moneywise, unlike most black Republican congressional candidates in the South in past years, some of today’s contenders are proving successful at rounding up cash. As of the end of 2009, West had raised $1.2 million, Phillip raised $364,000 and Huddleston $122,000. Scott is also expected to do well in the financial battle; he scored a coup last week when he won the endorsement of the Club for Growth, an influential fundraising group that backs conservative Republicans. New financial reports, for these and the other contenders, should be available by April 15.

Probably the most likely winner among them is Tim Scott (R) in South Carolina’s 1st District (Charleston, etc.). In 2008, Scott was elected as the first black Republican member of the state’s legislature since the Reconstruction era. (An historical note: If Scott is elected, he would be the second black Republican to represent this area in Congress; the first was US Rep. Robert Smalls (R), who served five non-consecutive terms during the late 19th Century.) Scott will have to face nine other candidates for the GOP nomination in the June 8 primary, but he is heavily favored to get a spot in the June 22 runoff, possibly with Paul Thurmond, son of the late US Sen. Strom Thurmond; Carroll Campbell III, son of the late Gov. Campbell; or Stovall Witte, former staffer to retiring Congressman Henry Brown (R). In the General Election, the Republican winner will face one of two Democrats, but the district is favored to stay in GOP hands.

Despite this year’s more-promising-than-usual black Republican candidacies, most are underdogs. Allen West in Florida’s 22nd District (Boca Raton, etc.) is a former Army lieutenant colonel who retired following a 2003 incident in which, to obtain information, he fired a gun near an Iraqi prisoner’s head. West is in a tough district for a Republican, but he did get 45 percent in 2008, a Democratic year (Obama got 52 percent here). The NRCC has put West in its “Young Guns” program for promising challengers, but he is up against very well-financed freshman Ron Klein (D), who had $2.3 million on hand at year’s end. This looks like a Republican year, however, and there are always upsets. Watch this one.

Les Phillip in Alabama 5 (Huntsville, etc.) has been pulling in good money, but he spent most of it raising his war chest and at year’s end had only $66,000 on hand. The leading fundraiser in this race has been freshman US Rep. Parker Griffith, who switched from D to R earlier this year, and is the frontrunner for a spot in the runoff. Before Griffith switched, the NRCC had been high on Phillip’s candidacy, but – as is its practice – got behind Griffith when he became a Republican incumbent. Phillip has been successful in business and previously served as the Alabama GOP’s minority outreach chair. Either Phillip or County Commissioner Mo Brooks (R), with high name ID, is expected to end up in the runoff with Griffith. Wayne Parker (R), who got 48 percent against Griffith in 2008, has just endorsed Brooks, which should give him a boost. But as one Alabama insider commented, “There’s a lot of baseball to be played yet” before the primary on June 1 and the runoff on July 13.

Lou Huddleston is making a serious bid to win the Republican nomination in North Carolina’s 8th District (Concord, etc.). After a promising fundraising start, however, his money effort stalled. But he is on the NRCC’s “On the Radar” program; watch his numbers in the 1st Quarter 2010 reports. Huddleston has three primary foes, including well-funded Tim D’Annunzio (R), who raised $372,000 by year’s end, supplemented by a loan of $250,000.

The other African-American Republicans are not expected to be competitive this year. McGlowan, aside from entering the race after other candidates had been campaigning for months, suffered a serious blow when a past TV interview surfaced in which she supported gun control. In Arkansas ‘s 1st District (Jonesboro, etc.), Princella Smith, a former aide to US Rep. Joseph Cao (R-LA) and other Republicans, does not appear to have the political heft back home that a successful race requires; moreover, she is running in the May 18 primary against radio station owner Rick Crawford, who has been endorsed by former Gov. Mike Huckabee (R) and former US Rep. Asa Hutchinson (R). And Deon Long is competing with nine other candidates to oppose freshman Suzanne Kosmas (D); many of the other GOPers have more money and more political muscle.


None of the African-American Republicans can depend on significant support from mostly Democratic black voters in the GOP primaries, although those who get the nomination might break into the black vote to a limited extent in the General Election. The problem for black conservatives is that their political agenda is not widely popular among other African Americans. According to news reports, the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) is disturbed by President Obama’s lack of progress on programs to help African Americans; however, the CBC solution would be to favor an expanded government role, not the limited government conservatives, black or white, espouse. And in the longer run, if some black voters, like many Catholics in the post-John F. Kennedy era, become more open to the GOP, occasional clashes over civil rights issues, such as the recent controversy over North Carolina’s Wake County (Raleigh) school board’s discontinuance of its diversity policy, could still encourage a wide gap between Republicans and African-Americans. Nevertheless, a significant change in American racial and partisan politics could begin this fall. Stay tuned.

Mark's Notes: For those of you FaceBook'ers who would like to 'Bridge-the-Gap,' support and join forces with our fellow Conservative Brothers & Sisters in the Spirit of Dr. King and Frederick Douglass, visit the 'Black Conservatives' page at:
www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/group.php?gid=5657371922&ref=ts

Press On,
-Mark