A YOUNG GRAHAM CRACKER

Billy Graham’s son (jr.) was on “This Week” and by golly, even though he wont say it, he is obviously a Sarah Palin fan as well as a birther. He claimed Barack Obama could put an end to this by just showing the birth certificate. What is it with these people that keep claiming that? Its been shown again and again! Its an issue they will never allow to be put to rest, because they created it and cant lose it now. Its as if they would claim he is purple and require him to prove otherwise. Its sad to see this, because Billy Graham Sr. has come a long way since his anti semitic remarks in the office of Richard Nixon, his son however has fallen far from the current tree and gone back to the earlier tree. It was not a great moment for religious introspection in America to hear the young Mr. Graham talk, and we dont mean to be wise-crackers!

FAMILY VALUES AND THE AIDS PIMPED WIFE

FAMILY VALUES AND THE AIDS PIMPED WIFE

Senator John Ensign on Nevada has long been the subject of an investigation. His problems began when this (not) family values candidate began an affair with his aide’s wife. Most fascinating is that after his aide Doug Hampton found out there was a fallout, as one might imagine. First, Mr. Hampton had been his best friend. Secondly, the affair went on for quite a while, having both passion and length. Thirdly, Mr. Ensigns family paid the mortgage on the home of Mr. Hampton and (for a while) this went away. Quite simply, Mr. Hampton pimped his wife! If not for the fact that the candidate running against Ensign is significantly worse, I think it would be quite obvious which way this family values candidate would be heading.

ONE WILE KYL

ONE WILE KYL

Senator Jon Kyl (R-AZ) has pointed out in the “budget” debate that planned parenthood allocates 90% of their budget to providing abortions. Actually, the real number is 3%. When questioned on it, his office responded “he never meant his statement on it to be factual”, which brings us back to Colbert’s famous statement “beware of facts, they are known to have a liberal bias”. We say beware of Republican numbers, they are about as real as “genuine plastic”. How incredible that a US Senator uses statistics in a debate in the senate chamber, and then argues that they are not meant to be factual! But it should not surprise us…after all he is Republican, and from Arizona.

HERE’S A GASSER, WILL WE ALL SWOON FROM BOONE?

HERE’S A GASSER, WILL WE ALL SWOON FROM BOONE?

There is a bipartisan bill before the house right now that is sponsored by 2 Democrats and 2 Republicans. Its called the “Boone Pickens” bill and it encourages a subsidy towards drilling domestically for natural gas. The feeling is that tax incentives, while only enough to cover 140,000 trucks, would cut our OPEC dependency in half. Every president since Richard Nixon has called for energy independence. This actually would be a big step, it would be a “gasser” (as in natural gasser), and even though T. Boone Pickens is known as an oil man he has been a steady advocate for use of natural gas. Besides he’s a billionaire many times over and 82 years old so he might actually have some reflective selfless view for some of this. Imagine cutting away half of OPEC imports, truly we can all swoon from Boone.

THE MODERATE RICHARD NIXON

THE MODERATE RICHARD NIXON

Richard Nixon was elected President in 1968 after being defeated by JFK in 1960. He crushed George McGovern in his re-election in 1972 but of course had to resign shortly after due to the Watergate scandal. At the time, he was thought to be one of the most right wing presidents ever. But watching the Republicans move the bar further and further to the right gives us pause when we think of what Nixon would be considered today. To explain; 2 states in the US, Texas and Utah, have speed limits of 80 mph. Republicans feel that isn’t fast enough and want to raise the limit in Texas to 85 mph. It was Nixon that said we have to limit dependence on foreign oil and created the speed limit of, get this, 55 mph! We also cant forget his opening a relationship with communist China, and introducing title 9 which allows women to get recognition on the sports field. This makes us think that the right wingers of the past, would be “blue dog Democrats” today. And if you happen to be driving through Texas, keep an eye on the rear view mirror. Do the same while looking at the political direction of this country.

EQUAL OPPURTUNITY IDIOCY

EQUAL OPPURTUNITY IDIOCY

In France, they have just outlawed the wearing of veils for Moslem women. While personally I don’t consider that a great fashion statement, that isn’t our call to make. Many Moslem women feel that the veil is a sign of respect for G-d. We tell all Christians and Jews to pay heed; the day can easily come again when they make Jews remove those Yarmulkas from your head. It’s a slippery slope and it ends in a muddy muck. Its pure bigotry towards the Moslem women, and doesn’t say much for the morality of the French people. Especially as other nations will no doubt follow.

REAL FOX FAUXLOSOPHY

REAL FOX FAUXLOSOPHY

The sign of how polarized our nation is, can be seen by how polarized the truth is.

UCONN, UCANN

UCONN, UCANN

An unbelievable year has just concluded for the UConn basketball program. The women seeking a third championship made it to the final four but went no further after being eliminated by a hot and deserving Notre Dame team. The men had a run that was so improbable that the laws of probability themselves were challenged. They completed a 14-0 tournament on neutral sites for Coach Jim Calhoun’s third national championship. Its puts them in elite company and this year goes into the category of elite years. No doubt Coach Calhoun appreciated his elite team in ’99 and ’04, but I think in his heart of hearts he would say about this year “I never had a better one”.

THE FINAL FOUR AND PRAISE FOR ALL GALORE

THE FINAL FOUR AND PRAISE FOR ALL GALORE

As a UConn booster having just come back from the final four, needless to say I am one happy guy. The run our team had this season may not be matched again for a generation. But I have to say, while in the hotel I was charmed by some lovely classy folks from VCU (Virginia Commonwealth) who were constantly being talked about on ESPN as not belonging in the tournament. Clearly ESPY was wrong and VCU was GREAT in the tournament, making it to the final four. While I am not a VCU alumni, I am now an official supporter and I advise ESPN’s Dick Vitale to come speak at the VCU dinner and rehash what they did wrong, and more importantly what they did right.

SIGNS OF THE TIMES

SIGNS OF THE TIMES

In Houston (TX) I saw a truly remarkable billboard. As you know people like to have letters and numbers to form words and help catch your attention and in this case avoid detention. This billboard showed a criminal defense attorney whose phone number is 713-wasnt-me.

FOR A MORE PERFECT (OR LESS IMPERFECT WORLD)

FOR A MORE PERFECT (OR LESS IMPERFECT WORLD)

Politics today has become, well, so political. And by any other standard in PKR (Pre Karl Rove) era, I would be a middle of the road person, sometimes voting Democrat and sometimes Republican, as I have voted both in the past. But things have gotten so extreme, that what used to be called the middle is now called by those that wish to attack it “the far left”. That said, how do we make it a less imperfect world? Two things that makes it more imperfect is 1. confusing terms and 2. People who claim to know G-ds plans. To be continued…