You Can't Make This Up

In many ways the Left has reached the point where it is impossible to parody them. They seem to go from one impossible absurdity to the next. When reality gets in the way ignore it.

Dr. Sanity has a very troubling post of something going on in Sweden, one of the most "progressive" nations on earth.

I am half Swedish and right now I am not too proud of that heritage.

What next?

another beauty
Michigan is in a severe budget shortfall right now. It is not as bad as California but bad enough. Michigan is shutting down prisons because we can't afford them or don't need them (depends on who you ask), but our ingenious governor has a brainstorm. California has more criminals than it can handle. So let's raise revenues by leasing (perhaps not the best word but it gets the idea across) space in our prisons to California.

Has that lady seen California's economic condition? I can't see California paying Michigan to house criminals that they can't afford to house themselves.

more




Additional Update
I just received the newsletter from my Congressman, Dave Camp, and he basically said he opposed the Cap and Trade, spoke out against it, and quite bluntly referred to it as another broken promise that will further devastate our already floundering economy. He offered no suggestions on how to resist or survive this nonsense but he knows it won't work.

Groan

I have started three post in the last three days and just can't seem to bring them through.

So I'll just talk about a few things.

We seem to be in a flood of celebrity deaths. My personal response is some sadness over Farah Fawcett, contemplation of a life gone badly wrong with Michael Jackson, and I am ashamed to admit it but, relative indifference to the deaths of Ed McMahon and Billy Mays. I guess Farah Fawcett will always be Jill Monroe to me. An odd thing comes to my mind though as I think about her. She had a bit part in the movie Logan's Run as she was a relative unknown when the movie was made but by the time it had come out her stature had risen so much that she was made a headliner for one five minute scene and a brief second scene that her character didn't even survive. It's amazing how swiftly one's star may rise or fall.



The world was Michael Jackson's for the taking and he blew it. I personally think that much of his problem was the same that inflicts people like Lindsay Lohan and Britney Spears, they achieved fame and wealth before their personal growth was ready for it and it consumed them.


It has been hot the last week or so. Tuesday it was so hot in the plant that the unthinkable happened; management shut down production and sent the crew home. I don't know exactly how hot it got but I know that later that afternoon when I made rounds the temp was over 110º. I couldn't get through the plant and out of it fast enough. They also had to call an ambulance last week. One of our second shift people came in and went straight to our Human Resource Manager and said he needed to go to the emergency room because his chest hurt bad. The HR manager looked at him and asked "Why did you come in? You should have just gone to the emergency room! You know your job is safe!" then he realized that my co-worker was falling and was having a heart attack right in front of him. Call the ambulance. The guy is alright but will be out of work for a few weeks.

We are supposed to be soon buying and driving much smaller cars. Now I have no problem with such cars being manufactured and sold in America so long as it is what the consumer wants. I wouldn't hesitate to invest in a company that made small cars as I believe there is a real and legitimate market for them. I draw the line on the government mandating the production and sales of such cars. Can you see it in the future?

The Future Sport Utility Vehicle.


The future hot sports car.


and of course the future Ford Mustang



(Hat/tip to a friend named Brian)


As far as my family goes. Both my father and my brother were in the hospital last week. Both are in a situation that could best be summed up as Not good but could be a lot worse. All prayers, thoughts and well-wishing is much appreciated. Thank you my friends.

Family Emergency

My brother who gives Dad most of his care is in the hospital and I will be spending more time up there this week even if it means an hour and a half commute to work. I don't know if I will be able to even look at a computer.

Update: While it's a real problem it isn't as bad as I had feared. I left this morning believing he had had a stroke or heart attack and it isn't.

Father's Day

Today is Father's Day and I fear that it is very likely to be the last one I have with my Father and because of work I am unable to be there. I saw him just a couple of days ago, gave him a card and a gift and told him that I loved him, a sentiment he said he returned, and was sorry that I could not be there today. He said he understood and would rather me have a job and be at work when so many have lost their jobs; that's my Dad -- near the end and still worried about his kids.

I could say so much about him. He is a very stubborn man, but in a good way, I guess a better word would be steadfast. He used to be very independent which he sadly can no longer be. He was also a workaholic who would work and work until he fell asleep. He was, and still is, a very good father. He had four sons, 8 grandchildren, a great-granddaughter, and a great grandson on the way. Like Mom, children seem to be drawn to him. He is grandpa at heart to several more.


This picture of him, over 45 years ago, is probably how he wants to be remembered.

His father was born in 1914 and started his family in the middle of a depression. Life was tough but so was he. He had 4 sons, 2 daughters, and about 20 grandchildren and I have no idea how many great-grandchildren, plus quite a few great-great grandchildren born after he died. He was an avid collector of antiques and rocks. His home would have been an entire episode of Antiques Road Show. He was a contractor who mostly built homes; he designed and built the home in which he lived.


My mother's father was born in Vestmaland (spelling uncertain and I can't find it on any map but that's what the family records say) Sweden in 1885 and he was 72 when I was born. He migrated to America when he was 13. As a young man he served in the Cavalry (toward the end of our Cavalry's existence), rode in the rodeo where he got a scar that he had for the rest of his life. When it was time to take on responsibilities he got a job on the railroads in Ogden Utah where he worked until he retired. Needless to say he spoiled his grandson and I do remember him well, though I last saw him when I was six.



This is photo of him, me and my younger brother.

There was an old barber I knew who was older than the hills and refused to retire. He had cut 5 generations of my family's hair. He talked to me about my ancestors a couple of times. He liked my Dad, sort of liked my Grandpa, did not like my Great-Great Grandfather, but said that my Great Grandfather was the greatest guy in the world and that it was a crying shame that he died a few months before I was born because I would have loved him.



That is the man he was referring to, my paternal Grandfather's father. My Dad is to his far right. This is the only picture I have of him. He was a farmer outside of Swartz Creek Michigan.

My paternal grandmother's father was the only Great Grandparent I really got to know. (I occasionally saw one other but really had very little time with her, plus I got to know a step-great grandmother quite well.) He was a Flint factory worker in the auto-industry and retired to become a very successful gardener. I remember one time when he was in his late 80s and we came home to find him up in our pear tree pruning. Dad looked up at him and asked him what he was doing. Great Grandpa answered "Pruning your pear tree. Someone has to do it." A few days later that tree fell over. But he was always healthy and young for his age.



This is a picture from the early 20s, probably 1920 or 21, of him and my Grandmother.

I only have one picture of my Maternal grandfather's father. He was born in Sweden and migrated to America with his family around 1898 and settled in Utah. He was a tailor by trade and he died before my mother was born.



This is a picture of him and my Grandfather about the time they migrated.


My Maternal Grandmother's father brought his family to America about 1916 from Malmo Sweden. While the family has photos of him I have none available. Sadly I also know very little about him.

Not all Grandparents are by blood. My parents are de-facto Grandma and Grandpa to quite a few kids and it was true in my life too. My mother's parents had died before I was born or when I was very young. The void was filled by a middle aged couple who became Grandparents in every sense but bloodline. There could not have been more love between us had they really been my Grandparents. They were always seated the family during weddings and receptions and acknowledged as "honorary grandparents." They died over 20 years ago and I still miss them.

Michigan's State Supreme Court

In spite of our "blue state" status (actually Michigan is a cultural red state and economic blue state) we have a reasonably conservative high court in Lansing.

And they're not Dhimmis. Congratulations to our state Supreme Court on a very wise and courageous ruling.

The US Constitution and our state Constitution both forbid secret and disguised witnesses in court which means the name must be known and the face must be seen in court. A Muslim woman sued because she was not allowed to cover her face in court. The State Supreme Court ruled against her.

If they want to swear tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth so help me God on the Koran, I have no problem with it. I do have a problem with hidden faces in the courtroom.

Detroit . . . What Else is New?

People talk about the criminal political machine that controls Chicago and also has very strong ties to Obama, but Detroit is every bit as corrupt. Detroit has, in my opinion, been under the control of criminals for years. Some say it goes back to Coleman Young but it could have gone back further. Political machines have been a problem in large cities for years, at least back to the days of Boss Tweed and Tammany Hall, and knowing human nature, it probably goes back to the dawn of civilization.


(Boss Tweed is the fat one in an expensive suit, though Tammany Hall started years before he was born and actually had it's start as a civic organization!)

Detroit's City Council is embroiled in a scandal, which is almost its natural state of existence. Monica Conyers, the wife of Congressman John Conyers is in serious trouble for taking a bribe. The man who bribed her has already pleaded guilty and has named names.

A couple of things strike me though. First off, and most importantly, is her connection to her husband who is a congressman. It may not directly affect John Conyers but it certainly taints him. I would not be surprised to find him messed up in it somehow.

Secondly is the amount of the bribe. A billion dollar sludge contract affected by a $6000 bribe. She is considering a plea bargain. The trouble is that this is probably only the tip of the iceberg. What don't we know about?

Mayor Bing appears to be a good man, but when a criminal syndicate controls the city council it will take more than an honest mayor to clean it up.

From Congressman Dave Camp

My congressman, Dave Camp, no saint but still one of the best in the House, has sent his newsletter to his constituents.

Conservative Congressmen and women are planning a meeting with health care professionals and businessmen to discuss options and see if there is a better way to solve the problem. Certain Democrats are warning the health care people to not even attend the meeting or else.

Russell Sullivan, the top staffer on Finance, and Jon Selib, Baucus’ chief of staff, met with a bloc of more than 20 contract lobbyists, including several former Baucus aides.

“They said, ‘Republicans are having this meeting and you need to let all of your clients know if they have someone there, that will be viewed as a hostile act,’” said a Democratic lobbyist who attended the meeting.

“Going to the Republican meeting will say, ‘I’m interested in working with Republicans to stop health care reform,’” the lobbyist added.

Listening to the other side is hostile act? Isn't hearing all sides the best way to determine the most desirable outcome -- unless that outcome is a challenge to your personal power? It's power and not results that matter anymore.

If you even listen to the other side or talk to them you will be punished! I guess we're now a one-party state.

But with Baucus’ office still warning dissenters that anyone who makes their opposition public could be permanently excluded from future negotiations, the groups representing businesses, health care providers, hospitals and similar stakeholders are still wavering on whether to voice their concerns publicly.

What does it sound like to you?

The Truth About Von Brunn

The claim is being made that James W. von Brunn , who shot up a Holocaust museum is a right winger. A typical Christianist.

Well let's see what the man himself said. (I normally do not post so much written by others but this is very important.)

As duped Aryan sheep begin to understand the "Holocaust" they also begin to better understand Christianity. Both have similar origins. Both have identical objectives.

Further on he says

Saul and Jesus earnestly, fervently, joyously conversed with one another. Arm in arm they tarried there. Jesus told Saul he was his own. Jesus was loving, loving, forgiving, forgiving. Saul became his disciple there and then -- struck by the Holy Spirit. Finally, following Saul's vows of fidelity, love, and obedience, the visitation ended when, before Saul's wondering awe-struck eyes, Jesus to Heaven in a halo did rise. It was a miracle.

Yet further on

ACTUALLY, on the road to Damascus -- brooding about Rome, relishing the bloody image of the disciple he had stoned to death; sweaty, sore footed, thinking of the blasphemous ravings of the Nazarene -- Saul had an incredible, earthshaking IDEA. A light-bulb inspiration. He, Saul -- a Roman citizen -- suddenly realized how he could destroy Rome! Saul trembled uncontrollably with fear and joy. He would simply promulgate the insane teachings of Jesus! What better way to destroy a Nation -- any Nation -- than to undermine her hubris; her gods, ethics, mores, history, her gene-pool -- in short, Saul would DESTROY ROMAN CULTURE. Then, as night follows day, with her foundations rotted, the Roman Empire would FALL. Saul decided to begin the HOAX by inventing a miraculous encounter on the road to Damascus with the reincarnated Jesus the Christ!

(yawn) still further on.

The Gospels profess that only Christians may enter Yahweh's Kingdom of Heaven. To qualify, among other demands, Christians must LOVE THEIR ENEMIES (Jews); give away their personal belongings; eschew knowledge; judge not, despise nature, abandon earthly pleasures, acknowledge that all YHWH's children are equal; and above all else worship YHWH, the jealous, wrathful, vengeful, unforgiving, genocidal, anthropomorphic tribal god (Jesus' father) created by Hebrews in their image and likeness. Omnipotent, omniscient YHWH promises Hebrews that they alone shall inherit the earth, that it is commendable to steal from Gentiles, better yet -- kill them. Whereas Gentiles, if they fail to worship YHWH, are transported straight to Hell. And it is written, "A little child shall lead them."

These dangerous, imbecilic, concepts, tenets, and teachings, often treasonous, DESTROYED the Roman Empire and drenched the soil of Europe with Aryan blood for almost 2000 years!

The Big Lie technique, employed by Paul to create the CHRISTIAN RELIGION, also was used to create the HOLOCAUST RELIGION ... CHRISTIANITY AND THE HOLOCAUST are HOAXES.

"Christianity" destroyed Roman Civilization. The "Holocaust" Religion is destroying Western Civilization. The Aryan gene-pool dies, "unwept, unhonored and unsung."

jvb

"Kill the Best Gentiles!"

(Talmud)

This man is clearly not a Christian.

I have saved a screen capture of his lunatic ravings as I suspect they will not be up much longer.

H/T to Francis Beckwith

A Modest Proposal

Our fearless (or in his opinion peerless) leader is going to create some jobs here. He is going to create 600,000 of them. A 787 billion dollar spending plan that will create 600 thousand jobs.

hmmm A little second grade arithmetic.

787,000,000,000 ÷ 600,000 = 1,311,667. $1,311,667 per job created? How much do these jobs pay? Now clearly some of them will require materials and other support but that much? Where is the money going to go?

I have a proposal. Give me and a few of my acquaintances a mere one million each and some time to think and plan and talk with people who know what they're doing. One year from now we will have created five to ten (or even more) decent paying jobs per million invested than the government will.

But then the money will not be going into the pockets of the Obamassiah's friends and cronies. It will instead be going to the people.

Worldviews and Sanity

I was looking on a list of my favorite writers and I couldn't help but grin a little as I noted something that I was well aware of. Some of my favorite writers didn't share my worldview at all. This is most notably true of HP Lovecraft and David Lindsay. Why do I enjoy the writing of people so opposed to my worldview?

The answer is simple. Both men were honest about what their worldview meant to themselves and humanity at large.

Lovecraft had a personal philosophy of Now all my tales are based on the fundamental premise that common human laws and interests and emotions have no validity or significance in the vast cosmos-at-large. He also once wrote The world is indeed comic, but the joke is on mankind. He took his atheism to its logical conclusion, that life was futile and hopeless and died a madman at the age of 47. Now to be honest, his writing is often poor and weak but his stories themselves . . . thank God there is no truth to them.

David Lindsay was a Maltheist, ie one who believes that God's intentions are not in mankind's best interest. As I wrote before his biggest problem was that he was a man in his 40s and 50s but his understanding of the Christian God was similar to that of a five year olds; his theology never advanced beyond the child's prayer God is great, God is good so he couldn't understand how a good God created a world where evil is so powerful. What is sad is that in many ways he was so close to the truth, but refusing to advance another inch may have cost him everything. It did cost him his sanity.

You look at the writing of some Atheists, such as Ayn Rand and wonder why they bother. Their bland optimism is without rational foundation. If there is no God then there really is no hope for us as individuals, a species or even a universe. You can wrap yourself in drugs to forget it, or stop thinking about while you tend to your own garden (Voltaire - who was technically a Deist but is considered a hero to many materialists) or go mad (as did so many, such as Neitzche).

Have You Ever Eaten a . . .

I've eaten a few oddities.

I had squid once. It was like eating fish-flavored rubber bands.

I had baby shrimp (I don't know how they were prepared for this.) on a pizza once and it wasn't bad.

Chocolate covered ants? Yeah and you don't even taste the ants. If you don't know they're there you don't notice.

One of the first links I put in this blog was to RecipeSource which is on an online cookbook. You can find just about anything on it. Most of it is ordinary food from all over the world but from time to time you find some oddities.

Including this:

                             French Fried Skunk

Recipe By     : Indian Cookin-Herb Walker
Serving Size  : 1    Preparation Time :0:00
Categories    : Dinner

 Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
  2                    skunks -- skinned and cleaned
  1      tablespoon    salt
                       water to cover
  2      cups          bear fat or lard
  2                    egg yolks,beaten
  3      cups          milk or cream
  1 1/2  cups          flour
    1/2  teaspoon      salt
  2      tablespoons   baking powder

Clean and wash the skunks, making sure that the scent
glands are removed.  Cut up into small serving pieces. 
Put a soup kettle on the stove and add the meat.  Cover
with cold water and bring to a boil over high heat. 
Lower the heat and boil until the meat is tender, about
40 minutes.  Remove all the scum that rises to the surface. 
Make a batter by mixing together the egg yolks, milk, flour,
salt and baking powder.  Mix real good until the batter is
about like cake batter.  Heat the bear fat or lard in a deep
fryer to about 360 degrees.  Dip the pieces of skunk in the
batter and then fry them until golden brown.  Drain well
and serve.  Yum, yum.

You kind of wonder if they are serious but I think they are. Have you ever eaten anything really unusual? Like a skunk?

Good Dreams

CS Lewis once stated that during dark times God sent what Lewis called Good Dreams to people. These were ideas and stories that rekindled faith and hope during the darkest of times. We are living in dark times right now; for real Americans we see what Obama is doing and we are as horrified as the citizens of Minas Tirith were when they saw the gates of city break open and the orcs come rushing in. We feel the same mixture of fear and rage that the witches and wizards in the Harry Potter series felt when the got the message The ministry has fallen, Scrimgour is dead. We see everything we believe in being destroyed by leftists/orcs/deatheaters and wonder if there is hope.

Yet there are interesting lines is these prolonged stories (and I consider both and The Lord of the Ring and Harry Potter to be good dreams). At the end of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Harry reminds his friends that "We have something Voldemort doesn't have!"

"What's that Harry?"

"Something worth fighting for!"

At the end of The Two Towers Samwise makes the same observation.



The light of the sun will not be darkened by socialism and Islam forever. The sun will shine again and we must not give up hope. Even if it takes the literal Return of the King, it will happen. Harry Potter and Frodo both had to enter the heart of evil's domain, both convinced they would not leave alive, to defeat evil and save their friends as well as everything they loved. They both felt all hope was gone, yet went forward to face their enemy because that was all that was left. In the end both triumphed but had to pass through a valley of despair to find the final victory.

ON A LIGHTER NOTE
Is this what our military will be like in four years?