Little Miss Sunshine

Obama slaps former presidents

2009-12-17T11:32:00.002-06:00

Consider Mr. Obama's comment in his interview this past Sunday on CBS's "60 Minutes" that the Bush administration made a mistake in speaking in "a triumphant sense about war."

This was a slap at every president who rallied the nation in dark moments, including Franklin D. Roosevelt ("With confidence in our armed forces, with the unbounding determination of our people, we will gain the inevitable triumph"); Woodrow Wilson ("Right is more precious than peace and we shall fight for the things which we have always carried nearest our hearts"); and John F. Kennedy ("Any hostile move anywhere in the world against the safety and freedom of peoples to whom we are committed . . . will be met by whatever action is needed").

This kind of attack gives Mr. Obama's words a slippery quality. For example, he voted for the bank rescue plan in September 2008 and praised it during the campaign. Yet on Dec. 8 at the Brookings Institution, Mr. Obama called it "flawed" and blamed "the last administration" for launching it "hastily."

Really? Bush Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke and New York Fed President Timothy Geithner designed it. If it was "flawed," why did Mr. Obama later nominate Mr. Bernanke to a second term as Fed chairman and make Mr. Geithner his Treasury secretary?

Touche.

But it's not just slippery. It's downright soaking wet- watered down. He's a wet rat, drowning in rhetoric that's insulting more than inspiring. This kind of response and failure to use the language representative of VICTORY over terror and WINNING the war makes me lose faith that our President will rise to the occasion should he need to truly defend our people -and our honor- as a nation.

B+, my rear.

Franken v. Thune

2009-12-15T11:42:00.003-06:00

This might have been fun to watch.

Mostly because I'm sure I would have been extremely attracted to Senator Thune.

“You know, again, we are entitled to our own opinions, we’re not entitled to our own facts,” Franken said, his booming voice rising. And in a reference to a chart Thune held up, Franken said: “If you’re going to hold up a chart that says when taxes kick in and when benefits kick in, you say 1,800 days, you better include the benefits that do kick in right away.”

Thune, No. 4 in GOP leadership, asked the freshman Democrat to yield for a question, and asked: “Did the senator from Minnesota, when I was pointing out the chart, understand the point I was making – that the tax increases start 18 days from now, and that the benefits, the spending benefits under the bill which are the premium tax credits and the exchanges that are designed to provide the benefit that’s delivered under this bill don’t start until 2014?”

Franken responded sharply: “Does the senator understand that spending benefits start right away?”

To which, Thune said tersely: “If the senator missed the point, I can get the chart out again.”

And did you read, he walked off the floor? God love him.

Obama's B+ is laughable

2009-12-14T10:24:00.001-06:00

Who grades themself?!

I did NOT watch Oprah's special last night, not because I'm snooty and didn't want to see Obama, but because I prefered flipping b/t Sunday night football and White Christmas/Holiday Inn on the classic movie channel.

Alas, all I need to hear, I can read today:

"President Obama told Oprah Winfrey on Sunday night he gives himself a "good, solid B-plus" for his first 11 months in the Oval Office."

"Passage of health care reform would boost his grade to an A-, he said. Until Americans get back to work, he said, "I can't give myself the grade I'd like."

How about leaving that grade up to the people that elected you?

That's pretty cocky.

Madison weather

2009-12-13T14:37:00.003-06:00

This is absolutely ridiculous.

"Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz is apologizing for the decisions he made during a massive snowstorm that left major city streets iced over and led to numerous complaints.

The mayor told the Wisconsin State Journal on Friday he understood the frustration and accepted responsibility for the slick streets and rutted roads in the aftermath of the sixth largest two-day snowfall in 60 years."

Conditions are so bad you're "off-roading" in Downtown Madison!

More than 14.1 inches of snow fell, and frigid temperatures after the storm made salting ineffective.

The city of Madison made the controversial decision to keep all plows on snow removal, instead of pulling some to salt, which led to the very poor road conditions.

The city said it will work to tackle the packed-down roads this weekend.

"(Saturday) we'll be able to salt that because the temperatures will be warm enough all day. We'll start salting, and that will break that bond between that hard pack and the pavement, and we'll be able to scrape that up with the regular plows," George Dreckmann, of the Madison City Streets Division.

But that's just for main thoroughfares. On side streets where the city doesn't salt, crews will most likely have to wait for the snow to melt on its own this weekend.

I simply don't understand why the plows didn't get out on the most used streets- -like John Nolen Drive, East and West Washington Avenues, etc., and plow DURING Wednesday morning when it was wet and fluffy and could easily be lifted.

Shouldn't a city like Madison -4 inches of snow or 14- be better equipped to handle winter weather? This isn't a phenomenon, folks.

I'm not interested in apologies. I'm interested in what's going to change.

Do better.

I like Palin

2009-12-07T10:40:00.004-06:00

I like Sarah Palin. Her latest steps have pundits predicting, but I appreciate that she's not letting it go to her head.

At the dinner, she said to much laughter that she liked her Washington hotel because “I came down from my hotel room and I could see the Russian Embassy”. Mrs Palin, who frequently lambasts the Washington media, said: “Sometimes you’ve just got to trust your instincts. And when you don’t, you end up in places like this.”

She added: “It’s good to be here, really, in front of this audience of leading journalists and intellectuals, or as I like to call it, a death panel.”

Mrs Palin could not resist a dig at Vice-President Joe Biden, her counterpart in last year’s election, who has thinning hair and who in the past has tried to slow down his balding by having hair transplants.

Mrs Palin, referring to Going Rogue, said that if the election had turned out differently, “I could be overseeing the signing of bailout cheques and Vice-President Biden could be on the road selling his book ‘Going Rogaine’.” Rogaine is a hair loss treatment.

Mrs Palin also joked that she had originally thought of entitling her book ‘How To Look Like a Million Bucks, For Only $150,000’. In one of the controversies surrounding her candidacy, the campaign spent at least $150,000 on her wardrobe.

Do I think she was ready for prime-time last year? Definitely not. Do I think she should be the front-runner for President? Not yet.

But I'm sure I'll read her book. And I find her charm, well, somewhat intoxicating. Perhaps because she is so threatening to liberals. Perhaps because she is such a strong woman, as Rachel Campos-Duffy so eloquently describes.

I'm most certainly not ashamed to say that Sarah Palin is a role model in many different ways.

We'll see what's to come.

Cuts in plowing not good for WI

2009-12-07T10:26:00.002-06:00

This is DUMB. In Milwaukee County, and Wisconsin in general, snow response needs all the help it can get.

Cuts in state funding for highway maintenance could lead to more potholes, slower snow plowing and layoffs of road maintenance workers next year, according to Milwaukee County officials.

While snow plowing remains the top maintenance priority for the state, the county's $1.2 million cut in 2010 state road aid could force layoffs and cuts in next winter's road clearing, said Jack Takerian, Milwaukee County's interim public works director.

The 9.25% cut left the county with a total of $12.4 million. Other counties in southeast Wisconsin were assigned similar reductions, the result of state budget cuts.

The money will cover plowing for this winter, but could come up short after that, Takerian said. Unless extra cash is found, the county could be forced to lay off as many as 24 of 56 full-time and 28 seasonal workers who work on state highways in mid- or late 2010, he said.

"This is a domino that's going to fall next year," Takerian said.

Fewer workers would mean longer routes for each plow operator and increase the time it takes to clear state roads in Milwaukee County, Takerian said. State roads in the county include I-43, I-94 and many major thoroughfares such as W. Brown Deer Road, Loomis Road, Forest Home Ave., Appleton Ave. and parts of Green Bay Road and Capitol Drive.

County Executive Scott Walker said Friday the county is seeking flexibility from the state to be able to shift funds between winter and summer road maintenance. For example, if this winter turns out to be relatively mild, the county hopes to be able to retain any saving to help get it through the rest of the year, he said.

Yeah, knock it off with the new ramps and widening of lanes. We've been driving for years on them and can deal a little while longer with just two lanes, or a pothole here and there.

It's snow and ice that'll remain treacherous for WI drivers.

Pedestrian news? Doubtful.

2009-12-04T09:34:00.003-06:00

How is this news?!!

"Girl runs into side of minivan in Monroe".

Yes folks, this is actually a headline in a Madison paper.

The line following should read, "Dumbass."

I am losing faith in our news outlets, daily. No pun intended.

Next time I slip and fall, I'll be sure to put out a press release so it gets local attention. After all, everyone deserves their 15 minutes of

"The girl ran into the passenger side of the minivan and was struck by the side mirror.

Breault stopped, and was told by the girl and by the girl's brother that neither were injured, so the driver left.

"A school bus driver who witnessed the crash called 911," Kelley said. "Police and Monroe EMS were called and the girl said she had a sore shoulder."

She was taken to Monroe Clinic Hospital, as is standard procedure, Kelley said.

Wow.

Praying for Tiger

2009-12-03T15:39:00.003-06:00

Sin is hunting Tiger Woods. Let us all take a step back and reflect on why we find this so fascinating, but also, how what he and his family are experiencing right now touches the inner depths of our hearts in may ways.

This is beautiful written, I hope you will take a minute to read it. In my own imperfect life, it is a beautiful reminder to continually seek God's grace.

Hunting Tiger Woods
by C.J. Mahaney 12/3/2009 3:10:00 PM
Tiger Woods wants his privacy back.

He wants the media entourage to disappear from his life.

He wants to be left alone so he can manage his personal problems in private.

Not a chance.

The story began unfolding in the early hours of last Friday when he crashed his Cadillac Escalade into a tree and a fire hydrant near his Florida home. He refused to speak with the police about the incident, raising curiosity about the circumstances. The story has now escalated into allegations of marital infidelity, and that generated a blog post from Tiger that stated, “I have let my family down and I regret those transgressions with all of my heart.” This statement by Tiger has led most to believe that the allegations of infidelity are true.

Hunted by the Media

As expected, the allegations of adultery involving a public figure are attracting a media pile-on. This is a big story with a big audience and it’s a story that will not disappear soon. Tiger Woods is being hunted by the media.

But let us make sure we do not join the hunt. A Christian’s response to this story should be distinctly different. We should not be entertained by the news. We should not have a morbid interest in all the details. We should be saddened and sobered. We should pray for this man and even more for his wife.

And we can be sure that in the coming days we will be in conversations with friends and family where this topic will emerge. And when it does, we can avoid simply listening to the latest details and speculations, and avoid speaking self-righteously, but instead we can humbly draw attention to the grace of God in the gospel.

Hunted by Sin

But Tiger is being hunted by something more menacing than journalists. Tiger’s real enemy is his sin, and that’s an enemy much more difficult to discern and one that can’t be managed in our own strength. It’s an enemy that never sleeps.

Let me explain.

Sin Lies

The Bible in general, and the book of Proverbs in particular, reveals an unbreakable connection between our character, our conduct, and the consequences of our actions. These three are inseparable and woven by God into His created order.

Deception is part of sin’s DNA. Sin lies to us. It seeks to convince us that sin brings only pleasure, that it carries no consequences, and that no one will discover it. Sin works hard to make us forget that character, conduct, and consequences are interconnected. And when we neglect this relationship—when we think our sins will not be discovered—we ultimately mock God.

Sin Hunts

We’ve all experienced it: Sin lies to us. We take the bait. And then sin begins to hunt us.

One commentator on Proverbs articulated this truth like this: “The irony of a life of rebellion is that we begin by pursuing sin…and end up being pursued by it!….You can ‘be sure your sin will find you out’ (Num. 32:23…).”* In other words, sin comes back to hunt us.

In light of this fact, sin is an enemy Tiger can’t manage. He can’t shape this story like he does a long iron on a par 5. Tiger doesn’t need a publicity facelift; Tiger needs a Savior. Just like me. And just like you. And if by God’s grace he repents and trusts in the person and work of Christ, Tiger will experience the fruit of God’s promise that “whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy” (Proverbs 28:13).

Conclusion

Tiger cannot intimidate this enemy like he can Pebble Beach or any of the field of professional golfers. And there is no privacy he can claim from this enemy, regardless of his resolve, his silence, or the name painted on his yacht. It’s likely Tiger only perceives the press hunting him out of a vain “curiosity about public figures.” But Tiger is being hunted and hounded by a far greater foe: the consequences of his sin.

And this story should humble and sober us. It should make us ask: Are there any so-called “secret sins” in my life? Is there anything I have done that I hope nobody discovers? Is there anything right now in my life that I should confess to God and the appropriate individuals?

And this should leave us more amazed by grace because there, but for the grace of God, go I.

God Calling today

2009-12-03T09:29:00.001-06:00

December 3 - A Journey With Me

Fret not your souls with puzzles that you cannot solve. The solution may never be shown you until you have left this flesh-life.

Remember what I have so often told you, "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now." Only step by step, and stage by stage, can you proceed, in your journey upward.

The one thing to be sure of is that it is a journey with Me. There does come a Joy known to those who suffer with Me. But that is not the result of the suffering, but the result of the close intimacy with Me, to which suffering drove you.

"But the path of the just is as the shining light, that
shineth more and more unto the perfect day." Proverbs 4:18

Obama Speech Reaction

2009-12-02T16:09:00.002-06:00

I WISH I had come up with this:

President Obama spoke 4,582 words in his primetime Afghanistan war speech at West Point last night. He said "al Qaeda" 22 times. He mentioned the "Taliban" 12 times. And used the word "victory" 0 times. Guess that sums it up.

Yup.

World AIDS Day

2009-12-02T16:01:00.003-06:00

Yesterday was World AIDS Day.

And I agree with Causey.

I love Hip Hop and the Hip Hop culture, which is why I criticize it when it popularizes things that do little to improve the lives of young people who live by it.

I’ve been harsh on the saggin’ craze because some young people still don’t know that showing their underwear at a job fair is unacceptable. I also criticized those rappers who brag about the so-called gangsta lifestyle. But today is World AIDS Day and I expected more from the Hip Hop community, especially when more than 225,000 African-Americans have died of AIDS.

Blacks also account for more than half of the 1 million people living with HIV in the U.S. today. But instead of a bunch of rappers, singers and performers coming together to get tested to push the “knowing one’s status” campaign, we instead get a new song from R. Kelly titled “Pregnant.”

Technically, R. Kelly falls under the R&B umbrella, but some of his more successful collaborations have been with Hip Hop artists. His new song "Pregnant" talks about how he wants to knock a woman up.

Listen for yourself by clicking here. I’m speechless but, sadly, I will not be surprised to see this song climb up the charts.

I expected more. Gangsta rapper Eazy-E died of AIDS in 1995. African-Americans generally should be concerned. Former basketball player Erving “Magic” Johnson announced he had HIV in 1991, proving that HIV “can happen to anyone.”

Maybe I was expecting too much. Thoughts?

Here are mine.

22 million people still are living with HIV/AIDS.

In addition, HIV infection rates are far outpacing the number of people added to treatment- every day, 2,600 people are put on treatment across the world, but 7,400 more become infected with the virus.

And R. Kelly wants to knock someone up? Artists these days seem more concerned with writing a decent beat about grinding up on some hot booty for the next gymnasium highschool homecoming dance, than what they could use their voices, power and influence for in advocating for good.

Dear Rappers,
Pick an issue. Get motivated. Give what you can. Mostly, devote your voice to a cause.
Thank you,
LMS

I haven't blogged in a while....

2009-12-01T12:24:00.004-06:00

I'm lacking fervor and general angst about anything that I think readers would be interested in. Perhaps it is also due to a lack of legitimate comments and merely spam, which stems from a lack of interesting blog posts.

I have no one to blame but myself!

I'll take suggestions any time.

More, coming soon.

9/11 civilian trial

2009-11-23T11:19:00.001-06:00

They should not be allowed to speak so that the American people can hear them. Terrorists who murder thousands should be silenced.

Robert is Bothered - Snickers Ads

2009-11-20T08:38:00.001-06:00

Obey out of line

2009-11-17T08:07:00.001-06:00

The whole thing is a sham!

Rep. Dave Obey (D-Wis.), who chairs the House Appropriations Committee, took the administration to task for pervasive errors on the Web site designed to monitor disbursement of the stimulus funds. He called those errors "outrageous."

"Credibility counts in government and stupid mistakes like this undermine it. We've got too many serious problems in this country to let that happen," Obey said in a statement. "Whether the numbers are good news or bad news, I want the honest numbers and I want them now."

Obey demanded a commitment from the executive branch that they would "work night and day to correct the ludicrous mistakes." Congress and the public should be able to trust reports by the Recovery Accountability and Transparency (RAT) Board, he said.

The administration has already slashed 60,000 jobs from its estimates of how many jobs were created by the stimulus, after discovering "unrealistic data" submitted by stimulus recipients. In one extreme example, the stimulus Web site reported that 50 jobs were created or saved by an Arkansas cemetery's purchase of a lawnmower for roughly $1,000.

This guy now has to watch his job.

Animal Liberation Orchestra - Barbeque

2009-11-12T20:29:00.001-06:00

George Will stop you in your tracks

2009-11-11T08:42:00.002-06:00

"In last week's NEWSWEEK, the cover story was a hymn to "The Thinking Man's Thinking Man." Beneath the story's headline ("The Evolution of an Eco-Prophet") was this subhead: "Al Gore's views on climate change are advancing as rapidly as the phenomenon itself." Which was rather rude because, if true, his views have not advanced for 11 years."

Read the rest.

Ben Collins' website scare

2009-11-10T17:15:00.002-06:00

I'm sorry, but does anyone else think some of Ben Collins' photos are just a tad...menacing?

I've said it about JB Van Hollen's monthly e-newsletter, but this is borderline Twilight photo-shoot. Gotta call it like I see it.

You know you were thinking it.

P.S. He does look pretty bad-ass with that gun.

So What? - In Obey's Own Words

2009-11-09T15:30:00.001-06:00

Dave Westlake should keep his advice to himself

2009-11-05T12:18:00.005-06:00

I saw this a few days ago and wasn't going to comment. BUT, I couldn't help myself.

Dave Westlake thinks he not only has a shot at the Senate, but that he's going to dissuade Terrence Wall from running.

David Westlake says he’s never met Terrence Wall.

But if they were good friends and he were giving Wall some campaign advice, he’d offer up this nugget to ponder: “In an economy that’s in a recession based on some problems in the housing market, I wonder, I fear how he’s going to tell his story having made so much money in the real estate market.”

Westlake, a Watertown businessman, got his first competition for the GOP Senate nomination to take on Dem Russ Feingold when the Madison developer got into the race this month. The 1995 graduate of West Point started HighIQ, which provides printer cartridge services and consulting work to manage printer networks.

Guess again, Dave. And bad advice. You never come out swinging against an "unannounced" opponent (on your side of the aisle, no less!), claiming you have advice and taking a low blow at his career choice.

Please, be another bratty GOP candidate that's pissy because someone else got in the race.

I'm not in anyone's camp here. But this certainly makes me less of a fan.

How a state turns red

2009-11-05T08:21:00.001-06:00

WALNUTS

2009-11-04T15:25:00.001-06:00

Why have I never seen this before?

Intense.

WI Dems in trouble

2009-11-01T11:16:00.003-06:00

This is a good sign.

Ashland County prosecutor Sean Duffy has impressed national Republican campaign officials with his early fundraising in his bid to unseat Rep. Dave Obey.

In his first three months as a candidate, Duffy collected $139,471, according to his campaign committee's Oct. 15 report to the Federal Election Commission. That was just $16,600 less than what Obey, a 40-year incumbent Democrat, took in from July 1 through Sept. 30.

"I would consider that a pretty powerful moral victory," said Tom Erickson, a spokesman for the National Republican Campaign Committee, which works to elect Republicans to the House of Representatives. "That should give Mr. Obey pause."

More than "pause," friends.

Obey needs to be scared. This is a serious challenger who's doing the work.

Perhaps more significant than the totals is the fact that all of Duffy's money came from individual contributions, while only $34,325 of Obey's $156,075 came from single donors. The rest came from political action committees.

Duffy's fundraising total was good enough to earn him a spot on the NRCC's "On the Radar" list, the first rung of a three-step hierarchy in the committee's Young Guns program. The program was established to develop promising GOP House candidates. The next level is "Contender" before reaching "Young Gun" status. Fundraising and organization infrastructure are among the key benchmarks in rating the candidates.

I'm sure Mr. Duffy will stay on the radar.

John Edwards makes me want to vomit

2009-10-27T09:47:00.004-05:00

Elizabeth Edwards doesn't deserve what's happened to her. And while I am all about forgiveness in it's greatest form, this is a little hard to swallow.

"John said, 'Perhaps not the great love story that we hoped, but maybe a great love story nonetheless.' [It's] 'till death do you part -- because that's what I want," she said.

Perhaps because that "death do you part" isn't as far away for him... After all the news he's made, it's 'poor Elizabeth' all the way.

I'm sure the last thing she wants is pity, but here's a little empathy. And Mrs. Edwards, I raise my glass to you.

Limbaugh's NFL bid turns political

2009-10-12T14:51:00.002-05:00

Why is Al Sharpton opening his mouth again?

In a letter sent to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Sharpton wrote that he was “disturbed” to hear about Limbaugh’s interest in the Rams and asked for a meeting with Goodell “to discuss the myriad of reasons as to why [Limbaugh] should not be given an opportunity to do so.”

Sharpton argued that Limbaugh has been “anti-NFL” in his comments about several of the league’s players, specifically naming Philadelphia Eagles quarterbacks Donovan McNabb and Michael Vick.

In addition, Sharpton wrote that Limbaugh’s “recent statement that the NFL was beginning to look like a fight between the Crips and the Bloods without the weapons, was disturbing.”

Clearly, this is a political issue in Sharpton's mind.

If Al Franken wanted to buy an NFL team, would there be cause to be "disturbed"? Al Gore? Bill Clinton?

Call a spade a spade. They don't want him because he's a Republican.

Funny that no one has called out the race issue here either.