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Sarah Palin: What's She Thinking?

Posted By Bobby Eberle On July 6, 2009 at 7:26 am

Wow! So much for a calm, relaxing 4th of July weekend. Just when everyone thought that the only news that would be covered this past weekend was something on Michael Jackson, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin stepped forward and dropped a bombshell. I guess she wanted to get the fireworks started a little early.

On Friday, Palin announced that she would not seek reelection as governor. Her current term to which she was elected in 2006 expires at the end of 2010. However, she didn't stop there. In addition, she said at her press conference that she would resign her position as governor by the end of the month. This has left a host of both fans and critics wondering, "What is she thinking?"

In her speech from her home in Alaska on Friday, Palin said that serving Alaska is the greatest honor she could imagine and went on to list a number of accomplishments in her administration. Palin then moved on to talk about how life changed since being asked by Sen. John McCain to be her running mate. She spoke about the media descending down upon Alaska is search of dirt and controversy.

Palin then said it would be a "quitters path" to go with the flow and continue to fight the "politics as usual" that is now happening in Alaska. She noted that "only dead fish go with the flow." This is when she announced that she was quitting her job as governor.

"And so as I thought about this announcement that I wouldn’t run for re-election and what it means for Alaska, I thought about how much fun some governors have as lame ducks… travel around the state, to the Lower 48 (maybe), overseas on international trade – as so many politicians do. And then I thought – that’s what’s wrong – many just accept that lame duck status, hit the road, draw the paycheck, and “milk it”. I’m not putting Alaska through that – I promised efficiencies and effectiveness! That’s not how I am wired. I am not wired to operate under the same old “politics as usual.” I promised that four years ago – and I meant it."

Milk it? Don't some lame duck governors actually get things done? Is there no meaningful legislation ever passed once a governor decides not to run for reelection?

"Let me go back to a comfortable analogy for me – sports… basketball. I use it because you’re naïve if you don’t see the national full-court press picking away right now: A good point guard drives through a full court press, protecting the ball, keeping her eye on the basket… and she knows exactly when to pass the ball so that the team can win. And I’m doing that – keeping our eye on the ball that represents sound priorities – smaller government, energy independence, national security, freedom! And I know when it’s time to pass the ball – for victory."

I don't think the people of Alaska, who voted for her to be governor of their state, voted for her so that she could "pass the ball." The voted for her so that she could be governor.

I'm sure many people out there have opinions on what she is doing and why she did it. If she has her eye on the White House in 2012, this is surely the start of her plans. However, from working in politics and the media for a long time, here are some items that are certainly apparent.

First, the reason she is in the spotlight is not because she is governor of Alaska. It is because she is a national figure and considered to be a presidential contender in 2012. Quitting her job as governor will do nothing to take her out of the spotlight.

Second, if she truly wants to be out of the spotlight and stop the media from attacking her, all she has to do is announce that she will not run for president in 2012. She could go right on being governor, and the media would stop caring.

Instead, with her announcement, the media scrutiny will continue AND she has the additional mark on her record of quitting her job.

I know there are many people out there who think that every move that Palin makes is the right move. That anything she says is the right thing. I'm not one of those people. As with any public figure, I will give you the straight analysis to the best of my ability.

There is no doubt that Palin energized the conservative base. Her down-home, folksy style was a breath of fresh air to the stale political rhetoric. Those who know me and know my blue collar upbringing know that my approach is similar. You have to be able to relate to hardworking Americans before they will listen to your positions. However, you can only go so long being folksy about being folksy. Sooner or later you have to be folksy about the issues, and Palin will need to talk about the issues. As a presidential candidate, there is no rock to hide under.

In addition, though some may analyze this move as "brilliant" in her race for the White House, the fact remains that she is quitting her job as governor. She was elected to a four-year term, and she is quitting... not being promoted to a higher office, but simply quitting. I find this to be very unprofessional. She could finish her term as governor and still have plenty of time to travel around the country campaigning for president. It's not like she is unknown to anyone any more.

Whether the move turns out to be a good one for her political future remains to be seen, and I'm interested to hear your comments on her actions. For me, the quitter label is going to be hard to shake. What happens if she were president? Do you think she'd face "politics as usual?" If so, would she quit then too?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Like everyone else, I'm wondering just what is going through Governor Palin's mind. I'm sure if we knew everything she does, we'd understand. But, we don't and have no way of knowing.

I've made decisions based on my own personal reasons which certainly didn't make sense to others at the time. Sometimes I shared my reasoning, sometimes I didn't. I shared on a need to know basis. As with Governor Palin and her reasons for making the decision to step down, it really wasn't anyone else's business, so I shared what I felt they needed to know. Some got more information; others not so much.

There has been a lot of speculation that something else is coming down the road that will take her out of office anyway, so she's stepping down while on top. Maybe there's a health issue that hasn't been disclosed. That would sort of go along with the "best for the family" reason. Maybe future political aspirations. Stepping down from the Governor's office seems to be a step away from politics, not toward a future in even higher levels. In any case, time will tell.

The upshot is that it really isn't any of our business. It's her decision, made with apparent input from her family, and effects (affects?) only her family and Alaska.

I've Heard of a Flat Tax, but a Flatulence Tax?

Hannah Giles

Monday, June 29, 2009

From a freedom-loving perspective, it appears President Obama has the economic sense of a six-year-old child. Obama and his faithful administration are taking heat as of late due to their mismanagement of the American economy. This brings up their latest scheme, the American Clean Energy and Security Act, which imposes a tax on farts.

Numerous absurdities are included in this gargantuan 1000+ page bill, including a bovine flatulent tax. Translation: farmers will be charged when their cows engage in chemical warfare.

The cow farting problem and the way it contributes to pollution is no secret, but people generally laugh it off as a trivial matter. Not so much anymore. The more farting going on, the more money the government will take.

It is estimated that cows emit anywhere from 26 to 132 gallons of methane daily, which is a level that competes with the average methane discharge from cars. Methane is one of the many identified evils in the global warming fanatic world. Environmentalists have made the agricultural community their demolition project and are advocating worldwide vegetarianism; all for the sake of reducing methane production.

The Stop Cow Farting Crew seldom gets very far when advocating a complete overhaul in people's diets, because methane is a naturally occurring nontoxic gas, and thus far humans have lived with it and have been able to manipulate it without harming the surrounding environment. But little by little the crazed environmentalists are accomplishing their goals.

According to the American Clean Energy and Security Act, the only way to live with the cows and their methane toots is to tax the already suffering cattle and dairy farmers.

This provision in the bill hardly seems fair for farmers. If the government is so concerned about methane problems and boosting the economy, why not encourage people to eat more red meat? The more meat people buy the more regulated cow farms/populations become, and the more money is pumped into the economy.

Of course that would bring up some major glitches for the present administration. The Hindu communities may be offended; PETA and other like-minded activists would feel forced into a state of animal injustice delirium; it would fuel unwanted nagging from vegetarian friends and family; and it would prove that private enterprise does work.

So scratch that idea, it would obviously inconvenience and shame too many loyal liberal crusaders.

Sadly, it looks as if farmers must comply with Obama’s demands. But why stop with the cows? Everyone and everything is guilty of methane emission, granted some more than others. But there are specific industries that promote such vile and obvious harm to the earth.

Take the pharmaceutical companies, for example: they sell laxatives. Laxatives encourage people to release abnormal amounts of methane. Thus, pharmaceutical companies should be punished for ever selling laxatives and future use and sale of laxatives should be banned.

Oh, tea and coffee ought to be widely protested, along with any place producing and serving them. Their morning methane freeing stance is no secret, and the earth does not have to stand for such selfish indulgences at the price of her melting ozone.

Also, Mexican food has the reputation for boosting digestive activity. Everyone knows what happens after digestion is complete. Therefore, Mexican food and any facility serving black beans should heretofore be banned. Mexicans are not banned, just their food.

It is actually no wonder Obama is such an abortion advocate: Babies cannot control their excretion of methane. All babies really are just methane-producing machines. In fact, babies are on the forefront of the methane war against the ozone. The solution: Get rid of as many babies as possible before they have the chance to threaten the atmosphere.

The ban on all products conducive to methane discharge might appear far-fetched or even downright absurd. But what is more bizarre is the fact that there is a $864 million, 1000+ page unread spending bill that got through the House of Representatives and is now floating around the Senate, and in that bill there is a fart fee.

Citizens of America, it must be handed to Obama and his administration. They are being incredibly proactive with their social responsibilities. Since the people elected them into office, they have acted with rapid urgency in an effort to define freedoms, limit choices, infringe laws and question independence.

The provision for a bovine flatulent tax in the American Clean Energy and Security Act is step one to ensuring a better, more constipated America. Changing it from an America that was once free, creative, innovative, powerful, liberating, opportune, glorious and happy and turning it into a slow, grumbling, dull, selfish and miserable place that forever remembers what it once was and has no hope for what it could be.

Romney Rising

Saturday, July 04, 2009

Posted by: Matt Lewis at 9:53 AM

If Mitt Romney had convened a conclave to set about systematically destroying his potential presidential opponents, he could have done no better than this.

Moderate Utah governor Jon Huntsman was dispatched abroad by President Obama, Nevada Sen. John Ensign and South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford's affairs ended any ambitions they may have had -- and now, Sarah Palin's bizarre announcement that she is stepping down as governor of Alaska has -- in my mind, at least -- guaranteed that she cannot realistically win the GOP nomination in 2012 (though she may try).

Had anyone at such a meeting invented this scenario where Romney's opponents would self-destruct, they would have been laughed out of the room.

And while this GOP collapse may, at first blush, appear to be a bad thing for Republicans, it ironically may help Republicans prevent a nasty primary battle on the right, freeing up Romney to focus his energy on President Obama.

Of course, should the economy recover, Obama may well be unbeatable. But should the economy continue to slump, Romney would be uniquely suited to challenge Obama. After all, prior to becoming Massachusetts governor, Mitt Romney ran Bane Capital -- a firm specializing in turning around failing companies.

Moreover, Romney is temperamentally suited to this task, as well. Whereas other Republicans are passionate, Romney (with a few exceptions) relies a bit more on a logical dispassionate approach to politics. In this regard, he is well suited to the times, and more stylistically like Obama than his other potential competitors.

Speaking of which, it seems, at this point, Romney really has to worry about only former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee and former Speaker Newt Gingrich. Regardless, neither Gingrich nor Huckabee will have the organization or fundraising prowess that Romney can put together. One can imagine Romney arising as the establishment candidate, and having to fend off Huckabee in states like Iowa and South Carolina in much the same way that George H.W. Bush dispatched of rivals such as Pat Robertson in 1988.

Conflicts arise when there is no clear leader, and this may be the opportunity for Romney to become the de facto leader of the GOP, sooner than anyone thought. It's still a long way off, but Mitt Romney couldn't have planned this any better had he tried ...

Don't forget to mark your calendars

As you may already know, it is a sin for a Muslim male to see any woman other than his wife naked. He must commit suicide if he does. So next Saturday at 4 PM Eastern Time, all American women are asked to walk out of their houses completely naked to help weed out any neighborhood terrorists. Circling your block for one hour is recommended for this anti-terrorist effort.

All patriotic men are to position themselves in lawn chairs in front of their house to prove they are not Muslims, & to demonstrate they think it's okay to see nude women other than their wife, & to show support for all American women. Since Islam also does not approve of alcohol, a cold 6-pack at your side is further proof of your anti-Muslim sentiment. The American gov't appreciates your efforts to root out terrorists & applauds your participation in this anti-terrorist activity.

God bless America !

It is your patriotic duty to pass this on. If you don't send this to at least 5 people you're a terrorist-sympathizing, lily-livered coward & are in the position of posing as a national threat.

Worry is nothing but a direction for the mind to dwell. Do you really want to go in that direction?

"Misery is complexity. Happiness is simplicity." Lester Levenson

I'm trying to take this to heart. I'm in the process of downsizing and decluttering my home to be more simplistic and less chaotic. Less is more.

I am Kitten. I have OCD. I am a hoarder.

Maybe I can find a 12 step program?

African thunderstorm

African thunderstorm

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The Sounds of Silence

Have you noticed just how loud and noisy life is today? We're surrounded by talking, noises from machines, office equipment, traffic, TV, personal audio devices, cell phones, etc. The first thing I do when I get in my car is turn the radio or CD player on. The first thing I do when I get home is turn the TV on. The first thing I do in the morning is turn the TV on.

Some sounds are wanted, such as the laughter of a child, another person saying, "I Love You", or even just "Hello". A ringing phone with someone on the other end saying "You're hired" or "you have a grandchild". These are all wanted.

Sometimes, the noise gets to be too much. I remember many years ago, I used to have a radio on in my office tuned to a station that played high energy music. I started to notice that I was on edge, jumpy, and even somewhat short tempered. I couldn't concentrate. My work didn't necessarily suffer, but my soul did. I tried an experiment and switched to a station that played less strident music and I calmed down. The louder, high energy music was stressing me. It wasn't good for me, especially since I was in a job that could be stressful.

Over the years I've learned that I don't like loud noise of any kind, whether it's music, talking, outside noise, whatever. I don't enjoy concerts where the music is louder than the singer. If I have to yell to be heard, or can't understand what another person is saying, it's too loud. I've heard a couple of TV commercials recently that have music playing behind voice over commentary. The problem is that the music is nearly drowning out the voice. I have no idea what the product or service was since I couldn't hear what the actor was saying.

I don't think I have a hearing problem. When the sound levels are "normal", and there isn't a lot of extraneous noise, I can hear everything just fine. I live alone, with just my dogs and cat, so it's nice to have the TV on to hear another human voice when I'm home. But sometimes, isn't it nice just to sit and hear nothing but your own breathing? I read a blog about that very thing: the need for silence in our lives.

For most of us, it's calming and relaxing to be in silence. It's a time to unwind, to de-stress and to remember just who we are and where we are in our lives. The idea is to just be in the quiet, the silence of the moment.

I'm very lucky that I don't have a lot of noise in my life these days. Once I leave work, most of my stress is gone. But even so, I think I'm going to start taking a few minutes at some time in the evening just to listen to the silence around me.

The Land Where Men Prefer Size 14 Women

By Hilary Walke | June 23, 2009

The weather is warm, the beaches are gorgeous, the accents are sexy, and…. the men prefer a size 14 woman?

Yup. We love you, Australia.

According to new data, men down under like something to grab on to. As opposed to America’s obsession with waif-thin models, Aussie men prefer what the researchers are calling "Miss Average," a size 14 woman. The study found that the most attractive woman of all is as follows.

Height: 5ft 4in

Waist: 30in

Hips: 40in

Size: 14

Slightly overweight people may live longer than very thin people >>

And it doesn’t stop there. The too-thin-celeb-trend may be just that: too thin. The University of New South Wales researchers said “many modern-day celebrities may simply be too thin to be tempting.”

Momlogic did their own research to see if American men were ready for the size 14’s. The results? They’re not. Yet sadly, we’re not surprised.

Africa is right up there with Australia’s trend, but on a different kind of note.

Overweight and obese women from the country of Mauritania in Africa are considered beautiful, rich, and desirable. However, some argue they have taken it too far.

With “wife-fattening” farms and girls who are force fed from their childhood, Mauritania’s government has argued that the weight these girls grow to is “life threatening.”

"I make them eat lots of dates, lots and lots of couscous and other fattening food," Fatematou said to BBC News. Fatematou is in her sixties, very overweight, and runs a feeding camp that parents send their daughters to for extreme weight gain.

Making your children finish their vegetables at dinner is one thing. But force-feeding? That’s just out of line.

With America’s obesity rates rising and models getting thinner and thinner, are we forgetting where to draw the line when it comes to weight issues?

It seems as though we have put appearance on top of health in our priority list, and it’s not looking pretty.

Note: there are links within this article, but I didn't transfer them. Too lazy, I guess, but you can read the entire article by clicking on the link in the headline.

Whatever you give a woman, she will make greater.

If you give her sperm, she'll give you a baby. If you give her a house, she'll give you a home. If you give her groceries, she'll give you a meal. If you give her a smile, she'll give you her heart. She multiplies and enlarges what is given to her.

So, if you give her any crap, be ready to receive a ton of shit

The Perks of Reaching 50

Someone had to remind me, so I'm reminding you, too.

Don't laugh....It's all true!

Perks of reaching 50 or being over 60 and heading towards 70!

1. Kidnappers are not very interested in you.

2. In a hostage situation, you are likely to be released first.

3. No one expects you to run -- anywhere.

4. People call at 9 PM and ask, 'Did I wake you?'

5. People no longer view you as a hypochondriac.

6. There is nothing left to learn the hard way.

7. Things you buy now won't wear out.

8. You can eat supper at 4 PM..

9. You can live without sex - but not your glasses.

11. You no longer think of speed limits as a challenge.

12. You quit trying to hold your stomach in no matter who walks into the room.

13. You sing along with elevator music.

14. Your eyes won't get much worse.

15. Your investment in health insurance is finally beginning to pay off.

16. Your joints are more accurate meteorologists than the national weather service.

17. Your secrets are safe with your friends because they can't remember them either.

18. Your supply of brain cells is finally down to a manageable size.

19. You can't remember where you read this list.

And you notice these are all in big print for your convenience.

And last, but not least:

Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night!!!

Wouldn't You Know....

...No rain for weeks, now we have flood warnings. My little container garden is underwater for the second time. The plants that survived the first flooding probably won't make it through this one. Oh, well. Guess I'll have to replant. What with being in hurricane season, maybe it's not such a good idea to have a container garden. And I don't have enough room to plant in the ground - not to mention that the ground is all sand here. Can't even grow good grass. And scattered thunderstorms expected through the 10th. Guess the rainy season is here.

...I wrote about my recurrence of Plantar's Faciitis recently. My foot is much better after being strapped for the better part of a month. Usually didn't take that long to heal, but I let it go longer than I should have. Doctor recommended orthodics for my shoes. Then yesterday, I read that the podiatrists association admits that over the counter inserts (such as Dr Scholl's arch supports, etc) work just as well. Not two weeks after I paid over $200. Oh, well. I'll put the orthodics in the shoes I wear for work, and the OTC inserts in the shoes I wear for shorter periods of time, or when not walking as much.

...Just when I decide to grab some overtime, they change the way it's charged out. As it stands now, I can only get time and a half two days during the pay period, meaning to work o/t, I have to work seven straight days. Not gonna happen. And they wonder why they can't get any of us to work o/t.

Cleaning Poem

I asked the Lord to tell me

Why my house is such a mess.

He asked if I'd been 'computering',

And I had to answer 'yes.'

He told me to get off my fanny,

And tidy up the house.

And so I started cleaning up...

The smudges off my mouse.

I wiped and shined the topside.

That really did the trick....

I was just admiring my good work.

I didn't mean to 'click.'

But click, I did, and oops - I found

A real absorbing site

That I got SO way into it -

I was into it all night.

Nothing's changed except my mouse.

It's very, very shiny.

I guess my house will stay a mess....

While I sit here on my hiney.