More than I wanted to know…

First, allow me to apologize to the readers for the several missed columns over the past months.  I have been having health issues and have spent a lot of time in the hospital. I am deeply indebted, and grateful to FFOA for their understanding in this difficult time.

Funny thing about being in the hospital, you spend a lot of time watching TV.   If you are me, it’s mostly news 24/7.  Due to this I learned much more about Ebola than I ever wanted to know.  I did however figure out some stuff while doing much more research than anyone ever should, and I thought I would share my conclusions.

First, if the goal is really to keep people from panicking, TAKE THE BASIC TIME HONORED PRECAUTIONS EVERYONE IS FAMILIAR WITH!  Specifically I am thinking of travel restrictions and quarantines.  Refusing to do so does not inspire a sense that the administration has everything under control – It makes us think they don’t know what the hell they are doing.  Add that to their recent track record and reasonable people begin to panic, which is what they claim they are trying to avoid. 

Understand that ALL restrictions are going to look like draconian overkill, especially if they work.  The alternative is to do stuff that doesn’t work and then apologize or blame someone else.  That’s not good enough.  Also if everyone is given an exception to the rules you may as well not have the rules in the first place.  Keep the quarantined for the full 21 days and let them whine about it in good health along with their healthy friends and family.

I think it is ridiculous and insulting to assume that some of the proven bravest people out there, the medical workers who volunteer to go work among the diseased at great personal risk, are going to be frightened off by a 21 day quarantine.   They know the stakes much better than the rest of us and they go anyway.  Please do not insult them by doubting their courage.

Now none of this is exactly rocket science. The new Ebola Czar should be able to handle it even if he is as qualified as the Romanovs.  All of this simply requires some political will.   (NOW you can panic!) This is not a situation for negotiation. It simply gets done and people complain or it doesn’t and maybe we get that crisis nobody wants.  Most important, If you don’t want to think about this sort of thing, either stay out of the hospital or watch something besides news.

Greenies

Greenies are this awesome dog treat that is supposed to keep your dog’s teeth clean.   My dogs love them!  I understand that they are made from actual Global Warning zealots, which means I love feeding them to my dog too!  As a bonus this means there is actually a use for these people, although I am a little concerned that my dogs might catch something.  I wouldn’t touch those cretins.

In a brief summary, we know that Climate Scientists have faked data and lied, and been well paid for it.  Unfortunately for them, now that they are carefully watched, they can’t seem to make an accurate forecast about anything relating to the climate. Also there are new green billionaires who lobby mercilessly to keep Climate Change in the media. They’d really like to keep their money and make more, so “contributions” abound. All of this, however, has been covered exhaustively - even by me.

As a cute capstone to the craziness take a look at VHEMT HERE. They are real…

The weirdest part of the Greenie movement though is where in the hell do they get all the zealots to go out and make trouble on their behalf?  And why would anyone want to put themselves and everyone else back into the Stone Age - much less under a headstone?

There have always been people promoting the end of the world and the one true path to survival.  There have always been snake oil salesmen and people willing to buy from them.  There have always been those so desperate to serve some higher purpose, ANY HIGHER PURPOSE, that they don’t read the fine print.  There have always been those people who are so desperate to be punished for sins real and imagined, from the loathsome to the banal.  There’s always been some people who are so full of rage that they take the first opportunity to expend it, aim be damned.

Global warming, I believe is simply the latest bandwagon.  This one is just painted bright green.  There’s a saying that “there’s nothing new under the sun.” 

I bet these teenagers hate it that that they’ve failed to be unique AGAIN.

Vilification

It’s in vogue on the left, accusations that as often as not are pure fiction (as in somebody made it up), followed by an immediate (pre-planned?) apology.  This has the effect of convincing both the stupid and the overly conspiracy-minded that whatever manure was shoveled is the gods honest truth and “the evil Republicans are MAKING who-ever-it-is apologize through their evil influence.  (Apparently the fact that their accusers LIED no longer matters at that point.) At any rate, the “apology” for this behavior is worthless. Treat it as such.

Now, my preferred way to deal with lies about how EVIL I am, is to own them completely. (I give small children nightmares? I AM SO COOL!!)  But that probably doesn’t work out well for people who are trying to get elected to something.

Expecting the already biased Media to do something about this sort of vilification is a futile hope.  The allegedly unbiased MSM chose sides long ago.  On the upside that’s the choice that’s doomed them to a slow, lingering, and much deserved death, but until they give up the ghost they will give themselves as much company in oblivion as they can get – sadly, this means anyone on the right they get their hands on will be dragged down as well.

Now New Media (Internet) is buried with fact-checkers all over the place. The victims of these attacks should choose a politically aligned group to help them – others will most likely stand mute. Though there are surprises from time to time, In many cases they are not even needed – see Schultz/Walker. But the victims should absolutely establish their innocence regardless.

Preemption would be ideal, but I’m afraid retaliation is the only way to go after an attack of this sort.  The victim HAS taken a hit from this kind of attack, and there’s little to do about it but hit back. SO HIT BACK!  The most PC thing to do is to is to forge the lies into a weapon that you can use on the accuser.  Remember apologies have no worth in these circumstances so the word “LIAR” needs to figure large in any counterattacks.  Don’t soften it – IT’S NOT SOFT. “Con-man/woman” and “Deceiver” could figure large as well. Don’t forget to attack the avenues of dissemination as well – The people who SPREAD the lie should be in trouble as well.  Don’t disappoint them, even if there’s no prayer of it working.

Hopefully the victims will be able to link these attacks to a pattern of deceptive behavior that can then be used against the liars.  Track records of Liars are public too.  They can and should be used, AND ADDED TO.  If they are not dead, the liars are still producing a track record of false accusations.  That sort of thing can and should be fought.

No plan.

How is this acceptable?

No plan for dealing with ISIS.

It’s not like “Kill them before they kill us.” is a mental leap.   Or if you want to sound diplomatic go with “Military and diplomatic preemption of hostilities” but “I don’t know.” is simply NEVER going to cut it.  Not even for Obama.

Even for him, that’s just WEAK.  I thought Obama was supposed to be this super intelligent constitutional law professor who was fully qualified to serve as commander-in-chief. This looks like a sophomore terrified of offending any of his professors.

Has he not learned anything from his repeated encounters with jihadi groups throughout his presidency?  Apparently not.  The only thing Obama’s constitutional training has brought us is a President who is constitutionally incapable of using force to protect our citizens.  This is not a good thing in a commander in chief.  Perhaps he thought he could just “Not Do” that part of the job.   If so, he is mistaken.

Quite simply, this is not a good time for “Peace” in the world.   ISIS, Putin, China’s shiny new navy ( did you know China is BUILDING islands so they can claim territory?) all seem to be intent on pushing hostilities with the US over the brink of war.    

While Obama stands mute.

Examples

A new angle of attack on my least favorite president popped in to my head the other day and it’s interesting enough to merit writing about.  There’s truth to it, but is it true?  Judge for yourself.

Obama has been conceited, petulant, and hostile to advice from EVERYBODY even those that would be his friends.  In fact he’s so predictable about taking his ball and going home that nobody plans on him being around anymore.  He won’t even debate or defend his positions; all he does is act insulted.  He’s the one person who can never be wrong, at least in his own mind.  He refuses to take care of anyone he is responsible for, especially those he does not like such as our military and vets, and regards obedience from all people as merely his due. Nobody has to like him – they’ve only got to OBEY his every whim, and his cheerleaders had damn well better drown out any and all opposition.  That’s what they’re paid for after all.

I’m neither the first nor the last to make these assertions – They are everywhere.  But it occurred to me the other night looking at the latest complaints about Congress that all these things are all true about the Congress as well.  Obama you see is setting the example, and Reps and Senators on both sides are following it.  Seriously, go back through the last paragraph and see if you think it all applies.  I was stunned, and I thought of it.  (There’s probably 0% chance that nobody else thought of it first, but I got here on my own.)

Whether he means to or not Obama sets an example by his conduct.  There is no way to avoid that and it is consistently, consciously or not, mirrored by the rest of the government, on both sides of the isle.  Even doing nothing sets an example – and we see it followed in the Congress daily by members of both parties.

Hiding from work sets the Example of hiding from work, inappropriately long vacations set the example of inappropriately long vacations, etcetera.  And of course not getting anything done…

It’s food for thought anyway.

Ferguson

Honestly, this entire situation is hell of a mess. The first thing EVERYBODY should remember at all times, so we don’t kill each other, is that regardless of whom (if anyone) you support this is a TRAGEDY.  There is no upside for anyone in this. There was never going to be.

We’ll see what happens tonight with the National Guard out, but I think they will be tested at a bare minimum.  (By now YOU know what happened, but I have to predict the future.)  

I believe that the most urgent issue for the actual residents of Ferguson RIGHT NOW, is making sure all the riot and looter tourists don’t burn down the whole damn town.  I heard they tried to burn down a grocery store last night.   Ferguson might just need one or two of those, assuming the residents eat. Those professional criminals are not friends to the people of Ferguson.

I strongly suspect, if they would just analyze the home addresses of the arrested they  could stop the outsiders at least.  To do that, yes, they’ll have to start arresting people.  Then they sort out who lives in town, and who is a professional looter or professional rioter.  Both Police and Press should look at home addresses, specifically for Out of Towners.  I truly believe it will be telling, and could at least give the police a chance to charge the organized rioters and looters as such.

This REALLY needs to work.  The ONLY place left that the cops can go if it does not is Martial Law.  This is a HORRENDOUS idea, but there you go.  Failure to stop the nightly rioting is simply UNACCEPTABLE to all levels of government and the police. The pressure is just going to get worse and worse until it’s stopped.

NOT NO, BUT HELL NO.

I read a story just now about how Mitt Romney is going to be the darling of the Republican Party 2016.  I’ve been reading things like this from time to time for months.  Lest this horrible idea get out of hand, I’m going to crush this stupidity now.  HOPEFULLY in the process I’ll restore a few diehards to something resembling sanity.

My simple complaint?  Romney didn’t fight.  I don’t know if he doesn’t know how, or if he was unwilling, or if he hired people who he allowed to “hold him back.”  There is simply no excuse good enough for his performance.  Perhaps the meek will inherit the earth.  They aren’t going to win the Presidency. Not in 2016. 

People have seen President Obama petulant, smarmy, smug and unwilling to commit any act that looks like leadership for far too long now.  He’s obviously decided to take his ball and go home, ALONE, for the rest of his term while ignoring any responsibility that he’s not fond of.  That’s not leadership. It’s the antithesis of leadership. There is a real opening here IF WE ARE WILLING TO FIGHT FOR IT.

Do you remember?  It was as if Mitt assumed that the Presidency was his birthright!   As if he thought he was so damn well connected that he didn’t have to convince anybody!  All the way through the campaign I was screaming in my head “FIGHT GOD DAMN YOU! FIGHT!”  But no – soft spoken wimpyness was the order of the day.

That is NOT how you win an election in America.  Candidates must show that they can fight for what is right, and get people fired up to fight with them.  They must convince the people that THEY are the best choice even if the people don’t want to be convinced.  Most important, they must continue to inspire – every day, from the time they decide to run until the time they leave office.  Mitt Romney allegedly had to be talked into running by his family.  That’s sweet, but hardly inspiring. 

When Candy Crowley jumped into the debate and said he was wrong, did he invite her up on stage since it was 2-on-1 anyway?  No.  Did he even say “No, I’m right?”  No. He gave up.  HE WOULDN’T EVEN DEMONSTRATE THE CONFIDENCE TO STAND BEHIND HIS OWN WORDS.  I’d have accepted it if he’d done it badly- but he didn’t even TRY. 

And that’s more or less the story of Romney’s whole campaign.

Do you want to have him mess up ANOTHER election?  No. He had his shot and frankly, didn’t take it.  We need someone else.