Blogging the world around me.
Coverage of the meetings of the Macon County Board of County Commissioners.
Coverage of the meetings of the Franklin Town Board of Aldermen.
Coverage of the meetings of the Macon County School Board.
Photos from my photoblog.
If you are sipping coffee right now, put. the. cup. down. Trust. Me.
Now go here. That is just WRONG!!!
I just followed a link from Drudge to an article with the headline, "Gore unleashed:Bush is 'Renegade Rightwing Extremist'". Sure, Al. From where you live, a centrist is rightwing. I consider Bush a member of the Rockefeller Republicans (as are all neocons!). If a real Conservative were President, Al Gore's head would explode in protest! (Not a bad thing, I think.)
A. Because they run away from danger. Cowards!!!!
Meant to protect civilians, UN staff have run away from the capital of East Timor after an outbreak of violence. Australian forces stand firm, meanwhile.
I expect nothing less than standing firm for the Aussies are made from sterner stuff than the powder blue skirted helmeted U.N. forces.
I should have written about The Action Club earlier, and I am now correcting that mistake since I have today off work.
Here is their Mission Statement:
Mission Statement
To actively work year-round to elect qualified Republican candidates to local and state offices; and
To actively work year-round to effect policy changes which are in keeping with our belief system as it relates to government.
Right now, I believe the big motivator is the illegal alien problem in our country.
They even have a set of tools for us to use to combat this problem and take back our government.
If you are able, join them and/or donate. If you do, I'll be seeing you at the meetings because I think it is important enough to take a couple of hours off work and join them.
I have pasted a small excerpt below:
I am so disturbed by the remarks of Rep. John P. Murtha (D-Pa.) regarding the Haditha incident ["Death Toll Rises in Haditha Attack, GOP Leader Says," news story, May 20]. Mr. Murtha said, "Our troops overreacted because of the pressure on them, and they killed innocent civilians in cold blood."
In the United States, we have a civil and military court system that relies on an investigatory and judicial process to make determinations based on evidence. The system is not served by such grand pronouncements of horror and guilt without the accuser even having read the investigative report.
Due to the strategy and tactics employed by our enemies in this 4GW type of conflict, Murtha's reactions could be construed as giving aid and comfort to the enemy in a time of war.
I will quote John Robb on what it will take to win this war, and you decide for yourself whether or not Murtha's words contribute to the opposite:
Winning a 4GW conflictVictory in 4GW warfare is won in the moral sphere. The aim of 4GW is to destroy the moral bonds that allows the organic whole to exist -- cohesion. This is done by reinforcing the following (according to Boyd):
Menace. Attacks that undermine or threaten basic human survival instincts.
Mistrust. Increases divisions between groups (ie. conservatives and liberals in the US).
Uncertainty. Undermine economic activity by decreasing confidence in the future.
Is it just me, or does it seem the closer we get to victory, the more unhinged progressives and their lapdogs get?
Updated
What? When did 5GW get invented?!?
Smells like Victory to me!!! [response to Anonymous post at 9.51am]
Apparently, I'm so ahead of the curve, even the creators of the display haven't put their info on line yet! However, when they do, it will be on their blog.
And as promised, here it is!!! Added 05-29-2006
Click here for more information about Decoration Day.
Other Posts on Decoration/Memorial Day check for updates.
Defense Tech has information on saving Memorial Day.
Senate Bill 2611 has passed the Senate and will go to Conference Committee soon to try to reconcile it with HR 4437.
As soon as the House and Senate members of this committee are announced, we need to bombard them with phone calls, emails, faxes, and even good oldfashioned letters and postcards. They need to know that we are watching them with intense interest and will remember and remind everyone else how they voted when the next election cycle comes around. I will do my best to keep you informed; however I will point you to some people who are on the point in this battle.
Another action I would suggest is to enlist others to get involved by keeping them informed. Call your local radio talk shows with information about this debate and how their Congressional Delegation has voted. Give out the local office numbers for your senators and representative on the air so people can get involved. Email a link to the NumbersUSA website to your friends. Donate money if you can/or don't have the time for citizen activism. One more thing, call the White House Comment Line at 202-456-1111 and leave a comment with the operator who answers your call. Be cordial, have a brief comment about your concerns prepared before you call, and stay on topic.
STATUS: On May 25, the Senate concluded work on S. 2611, the “compromise” amnesty bill, when it passed by a 62-36 vote. If the bill became law in its current form, it would create the largest immigration increase in U.S. history – a disaster for American workers and taxpayers. S. 2611 would increase legal immigration by 60 million people over the next 20 years and grant amnesty to an estimated eight to 10 million illegal aliens. The Senate passed the bill despite recent polling indicating that Americans oppose amnesty and want legal immigration numbers reduced. The next step could be a conference committee with the House, which passed a strong enforcement-first immigration reform bill last December.
May 28, 2006, 4:40AM
Immigration bill divide goes from miles to 'moons apart'
By GEBE MARTINEZ
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON - Asked recently how effective President Bush might be in upcoming congressional negotiations over an immigration bill, the point man in the House on the issue sidestepped the question.
"We have a great respect for the Senate," said House Judiciary Committee Chairman James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis.
Sensenbrenner's reaction reflected the anger of many House Republicans toward the president as House and Senate members prepare for negotiations on what has become the president's top domestic priority.
Because of the wide differences between the bills passed by the two chambers, and because of the sharp divisions among Republicans, the deliberations are expected to be long, acrimonious and possibly futile.
So far, leaders of the House and Senate have not even been able to agree when to begin the conference committee's negotiations.
"The Senate and House started miles apart, and as a result of some amendments that were offered in the Senate, miles have become moons apart or oceans apart, (making) a difficult task even more so," Sensenbrenner said.
Let your elected critters know you are against this invasion of The United States of America, and you won't go quietly into the night!!!
Ever wonder how they find an on air expert for the talking head shows?
Well, wonder no more!!!
Hat Tip to Beware of the Blog.
Islam Watch is now There's Someting About Islam.
Warning: The True Islamic Enemy is presented in Graphic Pictures and Videos. I would suggest only those who seek truth follow the above link, anyone wishing to remain ignorant of the nature of our enemies stay can find a convenient sandbox on any playground and join the children.
I heard about this flash animation on Ken Bagwell's Radio Show, First Up during an Other Than Sports segment.
The animation is part of a Libertarian Party campaign to drum up support in the fall elections. I can't support them due to their view on drug use...
Normally, I would consider this stuff Moonbat Territory.
Excerpts below:
by Jerome R. Corsi
Posted May 22, 2006
The idea to form the North American Union as a super-NAFTA knitting together Canada, the United States and Mexico into a super-regional political and economic entity was a key agreement resulting from the March 2005 meeting held at Baylor University in Waco, Tex., between President Bush, President Fox and Prime Minister Martin...
Commentary
I had previously thought this whacko stuff belonged on Coast to Coast AM or on Alex Jones websites (I won't link...Google it yourself), now I find myself on the otherside of the looking glass, and I don't like it.
If true, this has implications.
Here is a citizen activist running for a seat in the NC Sate House District 115 against Bruce Goforth.
A snippet from his website:
When I am your State Representative, I will fight to hold down taxes by supporting zero-based budgeting and a taxpayer’s bill of rights. This will hold the House accountable for spending; allow us to start cutting the waste in our state departments, and limit spending increases to inflation and population growth. We are now the highest taxed state in the southeast. In the past 10 years, state spending has increased by 130%; inflation and population have increased by only 27%. Our taxes were raised by over $600,000,000 last year alone! The state budget is riddled with frivolous expenditures, slush funds, and overlapping services. It doesn’t have to be this way!
Victor Davis Hanson asks, "How does the United States deal with a corrupt world in which we are blamed even for the good we do, while others are praised when they do wrong or remain indifferent to suffering" And he provides us with an answer I feel we, as a nation, should pursue.
Click on the post title to see the page, I've copied the NC Delegation below:
State Delegation Average Score: 15.77 State Rank: 44
Senate:
Name Rank in State Score Rank in Senate
Sen. Dole (R-NC) 1 30.31 56
Sen. Burr (R-NC) 2 14.00 94
House:
Name Rank in State Score Rank in House
Rep. Taylor (R-NC-11) 1 31.88 23
Rep. Jones (R-NC-3) 2 25.12 44
Rep. Hayes (R-NC-8) 3 22.25 67
Rep. Coble (R-NC-6) 4 20.63 94
Rep. McHenry (R-NC-10) 5 17.12 153
Rep. Watt (D-NC-12) 6 15.38 197
Rep. Price (D-NC-4) 7 12.87 256
Rep. Myrick (R-NC-9) 8 11.13 280
Rep. Foxx (R-NC-5) 9 10.75 292
Rep. Etheridge (D-NC-2) 10 8.25 341
Rep. McIntyre (D-NC-7) 11 7.50 357
Rep. Miller (D-NC-13) 12 4.75 415
Rep. Butterfield (D-NC-1) 13 4.62 422
My old camera mysteriously crapped out on me after being left at work, outside, and in the rain. Oh well, it was a $40 camera. So, I upgraded to a Kodak CD-33 for a little over a hundred bucks last week. I wish I had done it sooner. The only complaint I have is I can't point and shoot to catch those fleeting moments when a C-130 flies overhead or a herd of deer nearly run me over as they stampede away from rock-throwing Mexicans!
The President has tried to seek the fabled Middle Ground in this debate on the problem of people entering this country illegally.
Personally, I thought he sounded very good and the first part sounded okay. He is offering a Reactive Solution, not a Proactive Solution. All we are doing is reacting to the internal Mexican problems. They have enough Natural Resources to make them a First World Nation instead of the Third World Nation they currently are.
Why?
These people need to be liberated just as much as any of the other oppressed souls on this planet. I am starting to think that Lou Dobbs and Phyliss Schlafley may be on to something, all I can offer as alternatives to our inaction is power politics by the Democrats, who see Illegal Aliens as the new victim class to replace the former victim class.
The Time To Act Is Now
To all you people who've been sitting on the sidelines, come on in and help save our country! Register to vote with a party, don't dilute your voice and be "Unaffiliated", your holier than thou attitudes are wearing thin, with sufficient numbers we can change the political parties from within.
Sorry, Mr. President. You don't put a Bandaid on a gaping hole.
I hope you are making babysteps in preparation of bigger and better things, because I believe we are at the point where militarization of the border is required should we wish to continue as a great nation. H.R. 4437 should be the place to start.
If you really want to fix the problem, you should invade Mexico, and help them establish a real Constitution with safeguards against rampant corruption throughout the Mexican government from top to bottom. This would be very costly, but easier than Iraq, and create a nation that Mexicans could earn an honest living inside, rather than leaving it for a better place.
Here is what other people are saying about the President's Address:
I just realized that Thunder Pig Blog is a year old today. Yay!
It is also the 58th Birthday of Israel.
A lot of people just need a catastrophe--any catastrophe--to make their lives feel worthwhile. If the catastrophe fits their political proclivities and prejudices, so much the better.
Most people are tired of this dependence on fossil fuels, and want society to move to renewables as soon as economically and technologically possible. The world will not end during this transition, much to the disappointment of the doomseekers.
I promise this is the last in my over-the-top, caustic series berating Bush 43 (for now). >=^)
Mr. President:
SOLUTIONS
Here are some of what I feel are the best options to deal with this problem short of sending the National Guard to the borders, which is asking for an International Incident.
CLOSING STATEMENT(Yay!)
Mr. President:
Here is the situation so far, we have between 11 and 20 million (maybe more) people in this country who have broken the law in order to get here, let alone remain.
How many of these people file 1040's or 1099's?
How many use fraudulently obtained Social Security numbers?
How many get free medical care?
How much money is it costing us to provide "free" bilingual education in public schools?
How many are serving time in our prisons?
Mr. President,
Stop the invasion of the United sates of America, or We, The People, WILL !!!
It is your Constiutional Duty to do so, or you will have FAILED to uphold your oath of office.
Notice to all Elected Critters of The Congress... It is also your Duty to make sure The President upholds his oath of office. I am going on the record in support of Impeachment of the president should he fail in this regard.
I have had enough.
Ever wonder what the Star Trek Prime Directive would look like in action?
Can you say United Nations? Wretchard has belled the cat for us.
Robert Spencer of Jihad watch will appear on The Michael Reagan Show Tonight.
Michael Reagan is on XM166 on XM Satellite Radio. Follow the links if you can listen online.
Better late than never.
US President George W. Bush said the September 11 revolt of passengers against their hijackers on board Flight 93 had struck the first blow of "World War III."
In an interview with the financial news network CNBC, Bush said he had yet to see the recently released film of the uprising, a dramatic portrayal of events on the United Airlines plane before it crashed in a Pennsylvania field.
But he said he agreed with the description of David Beamer, whose son Todd died in the crash, who in a Wall Street Journal commentary last month called it "our first successful counter-attack in our homeland in this new global war -- World War III".
We all know that WW I was fought from 1914 to 1918, with our participation only in 1917 and 1918.
WW II was fought from 1931 to 1945, with our participation (courtesy of Japan) being from 1941 to 1945. FYI: Japan invaded Manchuria in 1931.
WW III was fought from 1947 to 1989. It began with the Soviet closure of Berlin and the Allied airlift to save the city. Korea, Indochina, Vietnam, The Arab-Israeli Wars, Cuba, Nicaragua, The Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan, Panama; all were some of the battles fought in a war spanning a couple of generations.
WW IV began sometime in the late 20th century, most place it with the Iranian revolution of 1978. I don't know. I think we are too close in time to be able to pin point it. We finally accepted the invitation to get involved in 2001.
When will it end? I don't know. I am afraid that we may wait for another invitation before sinking our teeth into the problem posed by Islam. I am not politically correct. I assert that Islam is the problem. A problem that grows larger every day we ignore it, appease it, or antagonize it with girlie slaps.
This is one of the best places to start understanding Islam, and it has an excellent commenting community, and links that will take weeks to explore. I dare you to read the posts of Robert Spencer and Hugh FitzGerald, follow the links on the sidebar; then tell me Islam is not a problem. Fools need not apply.
I don't always agree with the people at WoC, some are RINOs and a couple or so are Liberals. Ignore their analysis at your own peril. My favorites are the Winds of War briefings and anything by Joe Katzman, Donald Sensing, and The Armed Liberal. All the rest are worth reading. And, of course, the links.
This is an excellent place to find another view of the war, and its participants. Guest Bloggers appear from time to time for some extra spice. The commenters and links are well worth clicking on.
This guy was the best of the essayists, and has retired from current event blogging. Reading his material ought to count for college credit.
I own this guy's book, and you should, too. He is semi-retired. His essays are among the best I've read.
I hope our enemies aren't reading John Robb. Some of them know what he knows, and that scares me. That is the nature of open source warfare and distributed networks.
Mark S (aka mohammmadsmasher):
I have noticed that your blog has disappeared from Blogger, and if you don't have a copy of it, I have a copy from the google cache before it disappears from there as well.
I hope I'm just being paranoid about its disappearance.
You may contact me via thunderpigblog at yahoo dot com.
Speaking truth to Hecklers. I think of these hecklers as the true suicide bombers...they kill no one but themselves.
Click on the title for the entire article and for links to the bloggers who participated in the conference call, and posted afterwards.
ExxonMobil on Gas Prices:
We Couldn't Manipulate the Price Even If We Wanted To
On behalf of this blog, The National Center's Peyton Knight participated in a blogger conference call this afternoon with ExxonMobil Vice President Ken Cohen. The following is Peyton's report:
Along with eight representatives from various other weblogs, I participated in a "blogger conference call" Wednesday afternoon with ExxonMobil Vice President of Public Affairs Ken Cohen. We discussed issues surrounding gas prices and his company's record profits.
Cohen says that the current negative press surrounding his company's profits has more to do with a lack of understanding of the oil industry than anything else. In this regard, he says, ExxonMobil needs to do a better job communicating with the public and helping folks understand all of the forces at play in the oil business.
According to Mr. Cohen, there are "three data points" that need to be connected. "First, we all have to have a common understanding of what the facts are... then, what are the policy options, and what is the cost-benefit ratio? And right now we don't have a good common understanding of what the facts are."
There are currently about 170,000 gasoline service stations in the United States, and, according to Cohen, ExxonMobil owns and operates less than 1,000 of those.
"We control the pricing at less than a thousand gasoline stations in the United States... We have about seven percent of global refining capacity and 12 percent in the United States. That's not market power." He notes that ExxonMobil couldn't manipulate the price of gasoline even if it wanted to.
Cohen acknowledges that "right now, [profit] margins are good," but says, "it's a cyclical business."
Even so, I believe many people would be surprised to learn that as good as ExxonMobil's profit margins are, it's government that is reaping the biggest "windfall" in this time of higher gas prices.
According to Mr. Cohen, in the first quarter of 2006, ExxonMobil made $8.4 billion in total profits. Profits in the U.S. accounted for $2.3 billion of that total. And what did ExxonMobil pay in total government taxes in the U.S. in this first quarter? $3.7 billion. The company paid $1.4 billion more in taxes than it took in profits.
In fact, Mr. Cohen says, from 2001 to 2005, ExxonMobil's total U.S. tax bill was $57.1 billion, and its total earnings in the country were $34.9 billion. This means that over the most recent five-year period, the company paid $22.2 billion more in taxes than it earned in profits.
The PropagandistsReporters would have you believe that profits are, well, evil. That is because the aforementioned do not believe in the Capitalist system, and wish that we were a wee bit more socialist in our form of government.
A windfall tax on Big Oil is a back-door way of getting Price Controls. We all know that price controls do not work, and send a violent shock throughout the economy. (I think perhaps they want this.)
How big or little your marin of profit are much more important than how much it is.
I was shocked to learn that the margin of profit was around ten percent or less. Abusiness, no matter its size, cannot stay in business forever under those circumstances.
What most people don't realize is the price is what the market will bear, if it is too much, simply don't buy it. Convert your automobile to run on vegetable oil, reaslizing that if many of us do this, the price of vegetable oil soon rises to what gasoline was. The same applies to The Corn God of Ethanol.
This has been one of my favorite French-bashing holidays.
I used to say even the Mexicans have beaten the French on the field of battle. Well, after The Battle of Puebla sent the Frogs in headlong retreat, Napoleon III sent an overwhelming force that seized Mexico from its inhabitants, and installed the Archduke from Austria, Maximillian, as Emperor.
The United States were involved in the Civil War, and could not intervene to help our neighbor until that affair was concluded. Soon after, we sent the weapons and ammo that allowed the Mexicans regain their independence from Europe.
So, my little amigos, you wouldn't even have a country if it weren't for us gringos. Worse yet, you guys would be speaking french !!! Sacre Blu, mes amies !!!
Seriously, you'll find more about cinco de mayo at answers.com. Notice the differences in the account from the sources.
Update
Blogbat has an interesting idea about how to celebrate cinco de mayo, I only wish I'd had more warning! The nearest flag store is over 60 miles away in Asheville!!! I'll stock up for next year... also, get a Mexican Flag to fly underneath the French flag...upside down.
U.S. House District 11
Democrat
8,736 25% C. Michael Morgan
26,221 75% Heath Shuler
Republican
6,372 19.8% John C. Armor
25,772 80.2% Charles H. Taylor
N.C. House District 49
Republican
1,378 72.7% R.L. Clark
517 27.3% Brian Cooper
N.C. Senate Disrict 50
Republican
635 5.8% Rick Bagley
841 7.7% Mark Crawford
4,816 43.9% Ken McKim
4,684 42.7% Sue Lynn Ledford
N.C. House District 115
Republican
355 56.6% Eric Gorny
272 43.4% Bill Reynolds
N.C. House District 116
Too close to call at present time, with Doug Jones in the lead on the Democrat side, and Charles Thomas leading Bill Porter on the Republican side.
The data comes from the Citizen-Times.
Today is the day to whittle down the field of candidates.
I have focused my coverage on the U.S. House District 11 Race; and would like to have more time in the next few months to broaden my scope to the whole of WNC.
I realize that John Armor is a long shot to beat Taylor, nevertheless, I feel he is the most qualified candidate for the job.
The only other race I will comment on is N.C. Senate District 49, in which I whole-heartily endorse R.L. Clark. I have heard this man speak on local call-in shows for the last couple of years, and am impressed with his knowledge of the issues and his no nonsense, common-sense approach to the culture of corruption that is to be found in State Government.
Other people have covered local races, and Screwy Hoolie has posted on Blog Asheville courtesy of Mountain Xpress coverage. Check them out, and perhaps I will have some numbers by this time tomorrow.
Vote early, and vote often. ;-p
CROWD FUNDING
If you're of a mind, and can afford it, a dollar a month (or more) from enough people will make a huge difference in improving the quality of coverage of local meetings and events, as well as allowing remote weather stations and weather cams to be deployed throughout the county that you will be able to access online.
Currently, 20 people have pledged $99 a month. This is a tremendous help. Please visit www.patreon.com/MaconMedia for more information on how to contribute.
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