An Ol' Broad's Ramblings
Archive for January 2009
R.I.P. Sir
Sometimes, you hear a story that touches you, in ways you don’t expect. This is one of those stories.
Ark. Police Chief Killed In Ice Storm
Trumann, AR Police Chief Larry Blagg helped save a child Tuesday evening, when an icy tree fell through a roof and missed the child by a few feet. Just a few hours later in a different part of town, Chief Blagg was helping others again, deal with falling limbs, that’s when his life came to a tragic end.
“He was more than our boss, he was a leader,” Asst. Police Chief Tony Rusher said.
Working overtime Tuesday night, Trumann, AR Police Chief Larry Blagg wanted to keep residents safe from the storm.
“He couldn’t stand to see people hurting. he wanted to meet that need & go down there to help. that was his heart, to serve people,” Asst. Chaplain Anthony Patterson said.
So just before 8:30 Tuesday night, Chief Blagg was on West Main Street, cleaning up fallen tree branches and clearing the road.
“He didn’t have to be there, but he was,” Rusher said.
Officers say Blagg had just laid an orange cone on the road to warn drivers of the dangerous debris, when an icy limb snapped from above, falling and killing the 39 year old instantly.
“Our job was serve the public. Everything he did was for the public. Anything from arresting people to making the street safe to finding shelter for someone. He wasn’t just a boss, he was a leader,” Rusher said.
I didn’t know this man, but from the story I saw on the news this evening, he is the type of person I would have loved to have known. There are many like him who never get the kudos they deserve. The nameless and faceless who really DO serve the people.
My most sincere prayers with his wife, son, and all those who called him friend.
Movie Review
A most excellent story with bad editing and not so great acting: Come What May
Definitely worth watching for the story alone!
Weasels
The Dhimms Culture of Death Continues
Fla. Senator Loses Bid to Get Abortion Funding Ban Reinstated
Florida’s junior senator, Republican Mel Martinez, called on his Senate colleagues today to reinstate a policy that prohibits U.S. tax dollars from going to international organizations responsible for performing and promoting abortions.
During the debate on reauthorizing the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), Martinez offered an amendment to reinstate the policy. The amendment was defeated by a vote of 37 to 60.
“The core of this argument is whether U.S. taxpayers ought to be forced to fund efforts abroad that utilize abortion as a means of family planning,” said Martinez. “If we want to continue fostering a culture of life, where every life is considered sacred, every child is celebrated, and life at all stages is given the dignity it deserves, then we will reinstate this policy.”
The Mexico City Policy was first implemented in 1984 under President Ronald Reagan. President Obama rescinded the policy Friday.
Unless I’m extremely confused, I do believe my two Senators from Tennessee voted to re-instate the ban, and I thank them for this.
H/T: Michelle Malkin via Twitter
NO To The Anti-Israel
This is a fairly long piece from a couple of days ago, but well worth your time. Especially you Muzzie loving, pro Pallie types. Read, and learn!
A tiny snippet:
Despite touting otherwise, Bush and Company were not our friends, and I fear the situation is going to be even worse when the new team gets started. At least Bush never announced that he would sit and negotiate with a terrorist organization and give them the credibility of a real state.
Maybe Obama should just go sit down with the Taliban first and give them a hug.
I will NEVER understand the Israeli hating Jews, and the so called Christians who spout their antisemitism. It is totally incomprehensible to me that anyone who professes faith in THE Creator, would condemn those whom HE chose.
Obamarama
And A Good Morning To You Too!
Pfft! The whole purpose, other than escaping the tax hell, was to get away from this kind of nasty stuff. Yes, I realize it’s ‘winter’, but this is the SOUTH fer the love of pete. Winter is suppose to be high 50s, low 30s. But what greeted me when I got up this morning?
Yeah yeah…it’s not much, and it had already started to melt, mostly just a few patches left now, dripping off the roof and such. It’s the principle of the thing. I don’t want to see snow on my magnolia trees!
On a serious side, I do know this storm has done some damage and I hope everyone will be careful!
Morning Coffee 01/28/09
Jackson coated with snow; schools closed
Snow coated the ground in Jackson between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. today, but the National Weather Service says not to expect significant accumulations in the city. Most schools, including those in Jackson-Madison County, are closed today.
Now, I can understand why the closed the schools in Jackson. They are farther north, and were in the path of the expected storm. But why they closed them here, before they even knew if we were going to get hit, is totally beyond me. They announced it on the evening news, many hours before they needed to, and my jaw dropped. Again.
Iran said on Wednesday it would welcome President Barack Obama’s offer of a change in U.S. policy provided it involved a withdrawal of U.S. troops from abroad and an apology for past “crimes” against Tehran.
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was speaking after Obama offered to extend a hand of peace if Iran “unclenched its fist.”
If B. Hussein bows to the whims of that slimy little murderous twit, I will say “not MY president”!
Economic talk ‘very cordial,’ but …
After President Barack Obama’s back-to-back meetings with GOP lawmakers Tuesday to discuss his $825 billion economic package, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs praised the “very cordial” tone of the gatherings and effused: “I think we will have Republican support for this bill.”
He obviously hadn’t talked to any Texas Republicans. The GOP’s Houston-area lawmakers emerged from their closed-door session with Obama impressed with his sincerity and his outreach attempt but uniformly unimpressed with the costly plan designed to jump-start the stalled American economy.
“Redistributing hard-earned tax dollars will do far more to expand the power of the federal government than it will to stimulate the economy,” said Rep. John Culberson, R-Houston. “This legislation is a Trojan horse that liberals are using to ultimately turn America into France, because it contains massive expansion of multiple federal programs that are utterly unrelated to stimulating the economy.”
I’m thinking B. Hussein has a real problem with reality. The ONLY people who want this absurd bill are Dhimmis in D.C. Oh, there are few out here, who I’m sure think it’s a great idea to steal from the “rich”, but the other 48% of us think it’s a very foolish attempt at socialism.
Strapped states turn to gambling
States are increasingly turning to gambling to plug budget holes.
Proposals to allow or expand slots or casinos are percolating in at least 14 states, tempting legislators and governors at a time when many must decide between cutting services and raising taxes.
Gambling has hard-core detractors in every state, but when the budget-balancing alternatives lawmakers must consider include reducing education funding or raising sales taxes, resistance is easier to overcome, political analysts said.
I’m thinking the states who have banned smoking in their casinos, like Illinois and New Jersey, are hurting quite a bit. They might want to reconsider if they really want some revenue from them. Honestly, I don’t believe opening new casinos, or expanding those that do exist is such a swuft idea at this point in time. They might want to consider alternatives….like tax breaks for businesses that will build in their area. Cut the sales tax if it’s more than 5% and quit flipping spending every bloomin’ dime that comes through the door. Get a grip!
Gore: US must retake high ground on climate
Former US vice president Al Gore pressed lawmakers Wednesday to back President Barack Obama’s economic stimulus plan and quickly restrict US output of greenhouse gases blamed for global warming.
“In order to repower our economy, restore American economic and moral leadership in the world and regain control of our destiny, we must take bold action now,” he said in testimony to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
The Nobel laureate, who won an Oscar for his global-warming book turned documentary “An Inconvenient Truth,” said Washington had to lead the world heading into global climate talks in Copenhagen in December.
The man is a bad joke that just won’t go away. “Nobel laureate”? He should hang his head in shame! “Oscar” winner? Well, we all know what cesspool Hollyweird has become, and no one but the loony left gives a flip. Both ‘prizes’ have become as irrelevant as the hoola hoop, and so have their ‘winners’. Yes, the US must take the high ground, and put a stop to the arrogance! We do NOT control the climate!
The Israel Air Force (IAF) blasted smuggling tunnels along the Philadelphi Corridor in southern Gaza late Tuesday night. The bombing run was a response to an Arab attack earlier in the day that killed one soldier and wounded three others.
Pilots reported hitting their targets, and the planes returned safely.
Local Arabs said there were three separate attacks in the Rafiah area, where thousands of residents reportedly fled their homes.
On Tuesday afternoon, the IAF carried out a strike in northern Gaza, critically wounding one of the terrorists responsible for Tuesday morning’s attack.
If anyone in Gaza has an ounce of common sense, I’d say it would be a real good time to shove Hamas, and their followers into the Mediterranean. No boat, no life jacket.
Pakistan: Militants blow up boys’ school and homes in northwest
Taliban militants have blown up a boys’ school and the homes of six pro-government tribal elders in Pakistan’s troubled northwest Bajaur tribal region, a local official said on Wednesday, quoted by media.
(…)
Over the past year, the Taliban has ordered most of the private schools to close in North West Frontier Province’s Swat district and has destroyed nearly 150 schools as part of their campaign to ban education for girls.
Although 400 private girls’ schools complied with a Taliban edict to close by mid-January, Taliban militants continued their campaign of violence and blew up another five schools in Mingora, the largest town in Swat.
Keep the people ignorant. Obviously, education is a threat to such pigs. People might figure out how full of male bovine excrement the animals really are! And heaven forbid that a girl should be able to read and write, and THINK! Where are all the so called ‘feminists’ on THIS issue, eh? I guess the only thing they really care about is baby murder, and men hatred. They really don’t give a flip about actual females who are being oppressed and murdered.
State could get $10 billion stimulus school aid
An economic stimulus package working its way through Congress could provide $10 billion in federal relief over the next two years for California’s public schools, raising optimism among educators that it might ease cutbacks caused by the state’s budget crisis.
The money is part of an $825 billion stimulus package the House of Representatives is expected to vote on today. It contains about $140 billion for schools nationwide.
The package would provide millions of dollars to most school districts in the Bay Area and across the state for construction, special education and help for low-income students.
And I wonder who shoved that little tidbit into the bill. Hmmm….let me think…. Pfft! California is in seriously bad shape, but I didn’t put them there, and I am not responsible for their actions. If they can’t fix their problems, then perhaps they need to slide into the Pacific. Taxing businesses OUT of the state was never a good idea. Spending BILLIONS for illegals wasn’t too smart either. And I seriously doubt that the money has a damn thing to do with actually educating kids. It’s all about the unions! And they don’t educate.
S.S. D.D.
Verse of the Day
John 10:9-11
9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
Just Say NO!
Tenn. Blue Dog Democrats waver on stimulus package
After years of preaching fiscal responsibility, middle Tennessee Democratic House members were struggling Tuesday with how to vote on an $825 billion economic stimulus plan.
Reps. Jim Cooper, D-Nashville, and John Tanner, D-Union City, both members of the fiscally conservative Blue Dog coalition of Democrats, said they had not decided how they will vote Wednesday on the House proposal.
I’d suggest anyone living in those districts, let Reps Cooper and Tanner know this is NOT a stimulus bill. It will stimulate NOTHING.
Republican Reps. Marsha Blackburn of Brentwood and Zach Wamp of Chattanooga, a candidate for governor, were adamant in their opposition to the bill.
Bless their hearts! 
“I want to support the new president, (but) I’m worried about the pork in the bill,” Cooper said. “I think the president is trying to offer a clean stimulus bill and (Democratic) congressional leadership is practicing business as usual.”
Business as usual? I’m shocked I tell ya….shocked! Seriously though, he might think BHO wants a ‘clean bill’, but it’s highly unlikely.
Let’s face it, what politicians want is power. How do they get it? Well, they suck the life out of the common folk, like you and I, to the point where we are unable to fight back. One way of doing this….money. We earn it, they take it. The Dhimmis don’t just want to take it, they want to “spread the wealth”. Isn’t that what B. Hussein said? They want to remove any incentive to succeed.
No one, no company, no government, nothing….is too big to fail. Are we seeing the first steps to failure?
A Great Analogy
Who worries about “the cow” when it is all about the “Ice Cream?
The most eye-opening civics lesson I ever had was while teaching third grade this year.
The presidential election was heating up and some of the children showed an interest. I decided we would have an election for a class president. We would choose our nominees. They would make a campaign speech and the class would vote.
To simplify the process, candidates were nominated by other class members. We discussed what kinds of characteristics these students should have. We got many nominations and from those, Jamie and Olivia were picked to run for the top spot.
The class had done a great job in their selections. Both candidates were good kids. I thought Jamie might have an advantage because he got lots of parental support. I had never seen Olivia’s mother.
The day arrived when they were to make their speeches Jamie went first. He had specific ideas about how to make our class a better place. He ended by promising to do his very best.
Everyone applauded. He sat down and Olivia came to the podium. Her speech was concise.
She said, “If you will vote for me, I will give you ice cream.” She sat down. The class went wild. “Yes! Yes! We want ice cream.” She surely could say more. She did not have to.
A discussion followed. How did she plan to pay for the ice cream? She wasn’t sure. Would her parents buy it or would the class pay for it? She didn’t know.
The class really didn’t care. All they were thinking about was ice cream. Jamie was forgotten. Olivia won by a landslide.
Every time Barack Obama opened his mouth he offered ice cream and fifty-two percent of the people reacted like nine year olds. They want ice cream.
The other forty-eight percent of us know we’re going to have to feed the cow and clean up the mess.
Courtesy of Sharon.
ALWAYS Check Their Homework
Dear Mrs. Jones,
I wish to clarify that I am not now, nor have I ever been, an exotic dancer.
I work at Home Depot and I told my daughter how hectic it was last week before the blizzard hit. I told her we sold out every single shovel we had, and then I found one more in the back room, and that several people were fighting over who would get it. Her picture doesn’t show me dancing around a pole. It’s supposed to depict me selling the last snow shovel we had at Home Depot.
From now on I will remember to check her homework more thoroughly before she turns it in.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Smith
Courtesy of the brat!
Weasels
MEGA WEASEL
Citigroup ‘Grounded’
CITIGROUP CANCELS PLANS TO BUY $50M JET
Airhead Citigroup execs took their heads out of the clouds today to say they are grounding plans to purchase a new $50 million corporate jet in the wake of a national public outcry.
The embattled bank – recipient of some $45 billion in taxpayer bailout funds – was pressured by the Obama administration to cancel the purchase after The Post exclusively reported the deal yesterday.
“We have no interest to take delivery of any new aircraft,” said Citigroup spokeswoman Shannon Bell this morning.
A Treasury Department official personally called Citigroup brass to tell them to scrap the jet deal.
If they had “no interest to take delivery”, why the heck didn’t they cancel the order BEFORE it was brought to the attention of the American taxpayers? I don’t know about you, but I’m not buying into their claptrap. I’ve no doubt if the Post had NOT splashed across their front page, our money would have been spent on this French made jet, and all would have gone about their merry business of sucking the taxpayers dry. It also tells me that the Treasure Department has NO clue where the bailout bucks is being spent. If they did, they wouldn’t have had to wait until it was brought to their attention by a newspaper.
Other political leaders had also demanded the bank abandon its plan to buy the French-made Dassault Falcon 7X, which comes with a leather interior, gourmet galley and entertainment center.
“This sounds far plusher than called for in their circumstances,” said Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), chairman of the Financial Services Committee, which oversees the bank rescue.
And Barney would know ‘plush’, wouldn’t he.
Just yesterday Citigroup, which fired 52,000 employees over the past year, said it is “exploring all of its options,” including “the potential sale or lease of the aircraft,” said Citigroup’s Bell.
She had defended the purchase as sound business, pointing out that the company is planning to sell two of its four current planes. It also owns a helicopter.
How many jobs could have been saved if Citigroup had actually spent money wisely? There’s no telling. It’s obvious that many at the top levels of business are totally clueless about how to actually RUN a business.
“This was done as part of our plan to reduce the number of aircraft Citi owned,” she said. “We expect proceeds from the sale of our existing aircraft will exceed the cost of the replacement aircraft, and refusing delivery now would result in millions of dollars in penalties.”
Oh yeah….I buy into that excuse. /sarcasm
The Financial behemoth, being kept afloat by $45 billion in public life support, should not be spending its precious greenbacks on frivolous luxuries, said President Obama’s spokesman, Robert Gibbs. (source)
Gee, y’think? 
Obamarama
