An Ol’ Broad’s Ramblings
Morning Coffee 09/07/08
For good or ill, candidates’ children send a political message
Palin also provoked an instant discussion of how children are thrust onto the political stage and whether their lives become fair game as media or campaign fodder.
“It is the one remaining area that is sensitive in politics,” said Sacramento Republican consultant Kevin Spillane. “Historically, children have not been fair game.”
Yet the sudden spotlight on Palin’s children isn’t the first time children have played key parts in a political story line.
Barack Obama’s daughters – 10-year-old Malia and 7-year-old Sasha – have been featured on the cover of People magazine and in a televised interview on “Access Hollywood.” The girls chattered about their $1 weekly allowances, going out for ice cream, how their dad talks too much and and how “cool” it would be to move to the White House.
One HUGE difference! No one has attacked the Obama kids! Unlike the left wing smear merchants who have actually set up websites for each of the Palin kids, with more of the slime they wallow in. When the kids start making stump speaches, and I don’t see little Trig doing that any time soon, or Britol for that matter, then what they say can be analyzed, like Michelle Obama’s “this is the first time in my adult life” speech. Like I said….HUGE difference! Kids are off limits! Got that you left wing whackos?
In a somewhat surprising move, Mr. Obama himself swung back at Mrs. Palin yesterday, telling voters at a county fair in Terre Haute, Ind., that she had accepted federal funding for earmarks as governor.
“I know the governor of Alaska has been saying she’s change, and that’s great,” Mr. Obama said. “She’s a skillful politician. But, you know, when you’ve been taking all these earmarks when it’s convenient, and then suddenly you’re the champion anti-earmark person, that’s not change. Come on! I mean, words mean something; you can’t just make stuff up.”
Yes sir, they certainly do. “God DAMN America!” Yep, words mean things. Oh, that earmark stuff? Is there a governor in this country who hasn’t taken money from the federal gubmint? Seriously, is there?
Barack Obama’s Wife’s Cousin an ‘Orthodox’ Black Rabbi
Barack Obama’s wife’s cousin is a Rabbi, according to the Jewish magazine Forward. Michelle Obama’s first cousin once removed, Capers Funnye, shepherds the flock at a mostly black Israelite synagogue on Chicago’s South Side, the Beth Shalom B’nai Zaken Ethiopian Hebrew synagogue.
Forward reports that Rabbi Funnye’s mother, Verdelle Robinson Funnye (pronounced fuh-NAY), and Mrs. Obama’s paternal grandfather, Frasier Robinson Jr., were sister and brother.
Which makes me wonder about his anti Semite associations, like Louis Farrakhan.
Fed Rescue of Lending Giants Imminent
Congressional leaders seized on the enormous implications for taxpayers and the economy as the historic takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac could come as soon as Sunday.
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac together hold or back half of the nation’s mortgage debt, and have played an increasingly important role in the real estate market since the credit crisis started in August 2007. A government bailout could cost taxpayers around $25 billion, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and two other regulators are working on a plan to put the troubled mortgage finance companies into a conservatorship, and remove Fannie Mae CEO Daniel Mudd and Freddie Mac CEO Richard Syron, according to Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., the chairman of the House Financial Services Committee.
That is an EXTREMELY misleading headline. It should read “TAXPAYER BAILOUT OF FECKLESS FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS”. Just saying. Let’s have some accuracy here, ok? And I, as a taxpayer, do NOT want my money spent on an institution that has weaseled and connived it’s way through the unsuspecting public! Has anyone asked YOU if you wanted to bail them out? No? Didn’t think so! I don’t know about you, but I’m getting pretty sick of that cesspool called D.C. throwing my good money after bad! Let ‘em fall. Yes, people will be hurt, but there are other, more reputable institutions who can take up the slack. Keep private businesses in private hands!
Guinean youths torch vehicles at disputed Rio mine
The global mining company is fighting to keep control of the $6 billion project after government officials challenged the validity of a mining permit granted by the West African state.
“Young unemployed people were demonstrating over their employment problems. Three company vehicles were burned,” Rio Tinto’s spokesman in Guinea, Jean Raymond Soumah, said. The protests happened on Saturday, he said.
“People must understand that we have not yet started operations. Only when we do will the 10,000 or more jobs be created,” Soumah said.
Oh yeah. Now there’s a real good way to make sure ya get a job with the company when they become available…..torch the companies vehicles. Uh huh! Real bright kids, aren’t they. And just what is it with kids and torching cars? Gar-ron-tee! They’d be the LAST people on my list to hire! 
Hopefully, because they’d be behind bars for destruction of private property.
UN lauds IRI for hospitality towards refugees
Addressing the conference, Ghaemi termed Islamic Republic as one of the biggest countries in term of accepting the refugees.
“Establishing peace and security will pave the way for the voluntary repatriation of the refugees,” Iranian official said.
Guterres, for his part, appreciated the Islamic Republic for hosting the refugees without international contributions for the past years.
Referring to the meager UNHCR budget, Guterres expressed regret that this community can not compensate the Islamic Republic expenses for the war-refugees.
So, the UN uses our tax dollars to send to rogue regimes under the guise of helping refugees of worn torn countries. One more reason to cut off all funding to the UN, and kick ‘em out! Didn’t we send a boat load of money to Iraq with the intent of helping the people? Look where that money went. Nice programs with fancy sounding names in reality aid and abet the tyrants. Isn’t it time to put a stop to that? Oh, and I’m wondering what the Iranian people think while the price of food increases by the day?
Unknown powder sent to US diplomats in Pakistan
Two American diplomatic outposts in Pakistan received envelopes containing an unknown white powder last week, sparking a security scare, a U.S. Embassy spokesman said Sunday.
Tests are being conducted on the substance, spokesman Lou Fintor said. He declined comment on whether any embassy staffers had become ill or were under observation.
The envelopes were sent to the U.S. Consulate in Karachi on Thursday and the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad on Friday. Fintor said both facilities have remained open, with no plans to close them.
Not closing seems to be a good indication that it was harmless, doesn’t it? However, I’d say we pull all our diplomats out of Pakistan, and bring our money back with them. No more aid. Not to them, not to any country who would rather see us dead. Sorry, just don’t think that’s money well spent, do you?
Father of Syrian schoolboy beaten to death refutes pardon claim
Most crucially, he is asking the Canadian government to stop interfering in their case,” the newspaper said.
“I never mentioned it in that context nor were there any conditions or talk of conditions. I was disappointed about the way the Kohail family reacted after the incident.
I was surprised and enquired why the Canadian government was defending murderers. I never gave any hope of clemency,” he said, adding that he wants a verdict.
“When a verdict is issued then there will be talk… Our family is seeking justice. A verdict.
That is what we want. It is between us and God Almighty,” he said. A general court in Jeddah sentenced 23-year-old Canadian national Mohammed Kohail and 22-year-old Jordanian national Mohanna Ezzat to death for the murder.
Wow. This kids will be beheaded, as might the third kid. Perhaps I shouldn’t call them kids. They are old enough to know right from wrong. What kind of school were these Canadians attending anyway? What on earth did the victim do to warrant such an attack? We may see Saudi justice as extreme, but they sure don’t molly coddle their criminals!
Domestic violence deaths rise in Greater Memphis
Jackie Thomas’ death was the 27th homicide linked to domestic violence in 2008, nearly double the number (14) at this time last year.
The six deaths in the Lester Street case skew the 2008 number upward, but other than that, police have no explanation for the increase.
“There’s no rhyme or reason why,” said Memphis police Det. Monique Martin.
Each case typically has only one thing in common, she said: “It starts with an argument and ends with a homicide.”
REAL men do not use physical force on their wives/girlfriends. REAL women don’t beat on their men either. I know all too well two of the causes of this sort of violence – alcohol and drugs. If you have a problem, get help. There is NO excuse for physical abuse. And damn sure no excuse for killing your spouse/partner.
Pakistan suicide blast death toll reaches 35
The attack Saturday demonstrated the severe militant threat facing the Muslim nation and President-elect Asif Ali Zardari, who overwhelmingly won lawmakers’ votes the same day as the blast and was expected to be sworn in by Tuesday.
Zardari has vowed to be tough on militancy, a stance that plays well in Washington, where U.S. officials worried about rising violence in neighboring Afghanistan have pushed Pakistan to clamp down on extremist havens in its borders.
He might want to consider making a clean sweep of the madrassas. Although, that would probably increase the violence. Hmmm… Well, either they stop killing people, or they die before they can kill. Real tough decision there. (sarcasm) And NO, if you were wondering….I have NO sympathy for murderous thugs!
Powerful Hurricane Ike looms as trouble for Gulf
Powerful Hurricane Ike rolled down an uncertain path Sunday that may lead to the U.S. Gulf Coast late this week, forcing emergency officials to pay attention and leaving millions of people from Florida to Mexico to wonder where it will eventually strike.
Officials in the Florida Keys planned to start a phased evacuation for residents Sunday morning after telling visitors a day earlier to get out. Ike, a dangerous Category 4 storm with winds early Sunday of near 135 mph, was forecast to affect the Keys starting Monday night on a potential track for the central Gulf.
Crap! It’s like there’s a hurricane making machine out there in the Atlantic. Maybe if everyone prays real hard, and thinks positive thoughts, it’ll fizzle? 
Seriously, I will be praying for family and friends, and family of friends!
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
How come no one is talking about the videos on you tube showing Joe Biden appearing to be intoxicated. One was recent with Barack at a campaign stop. This is more important than Sarah Palins pregnant daughter.
Do we want a drunk as a V.P.?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXDsDwqt8Vk
at a campaign stop in Pa.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8y4petkKSwE
@Big Mark:
Actually, Miss Jenn had it posted.
Joe Biden Drunk?
Guess I should have swiped it, eh?
these folks aint really saying nothing about the issues, Obama is a little tiny bit, but it seems like Palin and McCain just mantra stealing when they need to talk about N. Korea rebuilding nukes <a href=’http://rawdawgb.blogspot.com/2008/09/ping-pong-n-shit.html’>like North Korea has fallen off the map</a>
@rawdawgbuffalo:
I’m fairly sure that NK hasn’t fallen off McCain’s radar. At least I hope not. I know they haven’t fallen off mine. I keep watching and reading.
Oh, and the link doesn’t work.
So, how ’bout I try this: ping pong n sh*t