The Obsession With Celebrities

I felt the same way Joe Queenan does in his article about Ann Curry. I still don't know why this was considered important news and made so many headlines; but unfortunately most Americans are more interested in things like this (and probably Tom Cruise's divorce) than in the state of their own country.

Watcher's Council

Here are the latest Watcher's Council winners.

The Choice is Clear

Greg Crosby distinguishes between Obama and Romney and finds that the choice is clear: It's Romney, of course.

"Yes, this year there is a very definite choice to be made. The theme of the presidential election will be all about the role of government in our lives - how big, how controlling, how all consuming should it be? The candidates may not say this in so many words, but that is really what this election comes down to. Just how badly do the American people want free stuff from the government? Do people want more food stamps, more welfare, expanded entitlement programs, more taxing of the working people to pay for those who do not work? And all of this putting our country deeper in debt. How much government do you want in your life? The more government controls you, the less free you are. Think about it. Think about what has happened in Europe thanks to the Big Brother nanny state of their governments. Think about where you want to see America going in the future."

A Catchy Tune

Via Metafilter comes this enjoyable version of Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen (which I thought was called "My Dear Mr Shane" was I was a kid).

For Your Listening Enjoyment

Here are two related radio stations: The 1940s UK Radio Station's Swing Jive Disco has an unrivaled selection of music from the 1920s to 1950s; Living History Radio delivers historical drama, documentaries and audio text.

A Vote for Romney is a Vote Against Socialism

From the Wall Street Journal: "If there is a modicum of hope in Chief Justice John Roberts's inglorious one-man opinion Thursday, it is that Americans were reminded again that they cannot count on others to protect their liberty. Certainly judges aren't reliable. They can be turned by the pressure of the media and the whims of vanity. If Americans want to repeal ObamaCare, their only recourse is to demand it at the ballot box in November." Amen to that!

Well, That Didn't Take Long

A friend and I have the same discussion every summer about how soon we'll hear about idiots who leave their kids in hot cars: "Dad 'left toddler son in sweltering car outside his office for TWO HOURS - after he forgot to drop him off at daycare'". And every year it's the same -- so-called parents somehow forgetting their kids are there. It's a real shame when the weather forecasters have to remind you not to forget your kids or your pets during heat waves!

Disorder in the Court

What a national disgrace today's ruling is, and an surprise to me, as I really thought the Supreme Court would overturn Obamacare. There will be a lot of roundups by the bloggers today, so keep reading. Meanwhile, Market Watch describes what the Obamacare ruling means for you. I read that the Republican governors are refusing to implement it, and I applaud them for that. And yesterday I came across this excellent reader comment about our dangerous president. Read the Gateway Pundit post as well, about encouraging people to sign up for food stamps; it makes you feel ashamed.

The Disaster That Is Obama

Take a look at this chart that I found at Cold Fury. It shows that we are much worse off than we were 4 years ago. Surprise! And from Protein Wisdom comes this coping mechanism to deal with the despair caused by Obama.

THIS is Art?

Via American Digest. I like the comparison of this thing with Obama!

Hoping Obamacare is Overturned

Neal Boortz says that the Republicans don't have a health care plan of their own. Well, what's wrong with that? Why do they think we need one at all?
You want  to build more free clinics for the poor, fine. But don't force the rest of us off our work-earned and paid-for health insurance plans or Medicare plans!

Watcher's Council

My Brief RSS feeder has stopped working again, so here is a belated version of the Watcher's Council winners.

What Could One Minute Hurt?

Isn't it a shame that we have to beg for this at all? "Students at the Catholic University of America Plead for One Minute of Silence; Movement to get Munich massacre recognized at 2012 Olympics gains momentum as US, Germany and Australia join."

An Election-Year Glossary

The always wise Dr. Thomas Sowell offers this helpful political glossary.

"The Passage of Power": Well Worth The Long Wait

I just finished Robert Caro's "The Passage of Power" in less than a week, and I only wish I didn't have to wait another ten years for the next volume! This one was just as I expected: a larger-than-life figure, compelling writing, and Shakespearean drama. The section about the transition, the seven weeks between 11/22/63 and January 8, 1964, when LBJ transformed himself from useless, demeaned Vice President to a masterful President, was one of the best in the book. Here's an excerpt. Since everything else I read will now be terribly anticlimactic, I will just have to re-read the other 3 volumes; "Means of Ascent", especially the section on Coke Stevenson, is one of my favorites.

Hate & Antisemitism in Congress?

Let's hope this vile candidate is soundly defeated on Tuesday: "The prospect of Charles Barron on Capitol Hill ought to send a shiver down the spine of every decent New Yorker. The man is a hater and a bigot whose only redeeming quality is his candor: The man makes no attempt to hide his loathing of white people, Israel, his colleagues and anybody else who doesn’t share his demented views."

A Matter of Write and Wrong

How depressing. According to the Daily Mail, people have forgotten how to write by hand! Add this to the list of skills that people no longer care about, along with spelling and grammar.

Oh, Brother(hood)!

What just happened in Egypt is bad news for Israel -- and bad news for America.

"Long Live Grammar Nerds"

This is a good article from The Atlantic Wire about the increasing lack of good grammar. I liked the comments, too, especially the one about the infuriatingly ungrammatical expression "I should have went", which I unfortunately hear every day. Grammar and spelling don't seem to matter any more, and it's a real shame.

Sandusky Guilty

That's the headline on the front page of the Philadelphia Inquirer. His lawyer of course insinuated that his client was the victim of a frame-up, but it's obvious he was guilty, and it's also obvious that Penn State will be held accountable for their part in covering up these crimes. Normally I loathe MSNBC and that Ed Schultz, so I was very pleasantly surprised and impressed with their excellent coverage of the verdict last night. I guess when they're not covering politics, they can actually be calm and rational!

"A Small Measure of Peace"

I just heard this beautiful piece for the first time on Classical 102. It reminded me of other things I've heard before, but it still caught my attention.

The Torment of Karen Klein

This story made me ill. The thugs on the bus who tormented this poor woman should be forced to visit a maximum security prison, in the manner of "Scared Straight" -- and their parents should be made to accompany them. I'm glad that so many Americans have been outraged by this and have sent an outpouring of gifts to Karen Klein, as our way of apologizing for disrespectful, disgraceful behavior and lax upbringings. The phrase some of us were taught as children, "Respect your elders", is obviously not being enforced today.

Shame!

Protein Wisdom reports on the death of shame in regards to the growing dependency on government entitlements --- encouraged and welcomed by the Obama Administration.  And in another example of the Administration's lack of shame, read about this defiling of the White House.  Unbelievable!

The Most Arrogant Man in the World

If you like the Dos Equis commercials about the most interesting man in the world, you'll love this parody, via American Digest.

In Contempt

This is a great column about Eric Holder. Aaron Goldstein says what I think:  "I say Holder should remain as Attorney General. The longer Holder remains in office and the angrier Americans become about Fast and Furious, the bigger an albatross Holder remains around the neck of President Obama. All of which reflects poorly on President Obama's judgment or lack thereof in appointing Holder as his Attorney General in the first place. If the American public should now hold Eric Holder in contempt, the American public may do the same with President Obama in November."  I've been holding Obama in contempt since before he was elected.  But if the media refuses to cover this story, the American public won't even care.

Old New York

Take a look at these great nostalgic photos. I love the menu from Haim's Quick Lunch Restaurant!

The Color Stupid

How nice -- swastikas in Brooklyn: "Police are still investigating if the perpetrator was targeting the Jewish community though it seems likely. If so, and when arrested, the assailant can be charged with a hate crime." No, they were targeting Italians!

Alice Walker shouldn't flatter herself. Who cares about "The Color Purple", anyway?

Son of Watergate

What an outrage! This man is making me more infuriated each day. A Lucianne.com commenter says, “Remember when Woodward and Bernstein, whose claim to fame is the take down of Richard 'Executive Privilege' Nixon and who recently said that there is too much digging around at the current White House? I wonder if they'll get off their pompous leftist butts and delve into the corruption of the Obama administration as much as they did decades ago.” Unfortunately, there are no Woodwards or Bernsteins today, and the mainstream media is too busy protecting Obama to bother investigating him. (Photo seen at Drudgereport.com)

Nervy Lawsuit of the Day

The only one responsible for "wrongful death and negligence" is this so-called mother: "A woman whose toddler plunged 50ft to his death after she put him on a ledge to take his photo at a Los Angeles Lakers game is suing the arena where the tragedy occurred. Two-year-old Lucas Tang fell from the third level top tier of the Staples Center arena after the game on November 21, 2010. His mother, Hoai Mi Nguyen, is now suing the managers of Staples Center for wrongful death and negligence for an unspecified amount."

Gee, What a Surprise

Is anyone actually surprised by all this? -- "And Now It Begins: Attack From Egypt Signals Muslim Brotherhood-Hamas Jihad Against Israel". Barry Rubin reports, via Israpundit.

Happy Birthday, Paul!

Imagine, Paul McCartney is 70 years old! Here's a photographic tribute. I was very lucky to get to grow up with The Beatles in their heyday.

In Black & White

Here are some wonderful celebrity photos from Vanity Fair. Paul Newman was gorgeous even in black & white.

Curses!

Jeff Jacoby has a good column about profanity and how widespread it has become.  When you hear it used as a replacement for words in a sentence, you know things are bad. I remember when it wasn't even common for men to swear, never mind women! It's a turn-off, like tattoos -- there's nothing attractive whatsoever about it -- and it's just getting worse.

The World According to Obama

Referring to the amnesty for illegals, Victor Davis Hanson says: "When you collate this recent act with the class-warfare rhetoric, the 'punish our enemies' threats, the president’s and Eric Holder’s serial racialist statements, the huge borrowing, the national-security leaks, the takeover of health care, the push for redistributive taxes, and even the trivial appointments like a Van Jones, Anita Dunn, or Armendariz, you can fairly conclude that Obama most certainly did not like the way the United States operated for the last 30 or so years, and has tried his best, through hook or crook, to change America in ways that simply were not possible through legislative or even judicial action. Give the president credit. He has thrown down the gauntlet and essentially boasted: This is my vision of the way the new America should work — and if you don’t like it, try stopping me in November, if you dare."

Holocaust Story

The number of survivors keeps dwindling, and stories like this keep surfacing. It's important that they do.

A Perfect Description of Obama

From James Taranto: "Obama’s admirers sometimes describe him as a 'rock star.' If so, he’s a one-hit wonder. They thought they were getting the Beatles but ended up with A Flock of Seagulls."

Obama: The Movie

This is one film I don't want to see more than once! (From Doug Ross @ Journal)

The Joy of Reading

I walked into the library today, and the librarian immediately told me, "Wait here. I have a surprise for you." When she came back, she handed me Robert Caro's "The Passage of Power", the book I've been waiting for and talking about since I heard it had been published. Only another unabashed bookworm could possibly understand how thrilled I was. I have 3 weeks to finish it, but I have a feeling it won't take even that long!

A Matter of Life and Death

Another day, another scandal: "President Obama's Food and Drug Administration has caused 'a public health crisis' -- a prescription drug shortage over the past two years -- by increasing the number of threats issued to raid and close drug manufacturing plants, according to House investigators." This is a national disgrace. I had been hearing about it for 2 years, and it keeps getting worse. You'd swear you were reading about a third world or Communist country, not the United States!

Panderer-in-Chief

In the latest example of the Friday Follies, this decision of Obama's to give what can only be called amnesty to young illegals is nothing more than shameless, desperate pandering for votes. I had to laugh when he said he wants to give them the opporunity to work. Work? Legal Americans aren't even working. Shall we expect a spike in welfare and food stamp applications? Instapundit has a roundup.

Flag Day

Here's a nice story about the 9/11 flag and the Star Spangled Banner. It's good to see national pride on display.

Vote No For Obama

Peter Wehner says this about our whining President:

"Barack Obama’s increasingly desperate struggle to win re-election is causing some of his worst traits to be put on display, including petulance and self-pity. The latest example occurred during a fundraiser in Baltimore, when the president said, “Because folks are still hurting right now, the other side feels that it’s enough for them to just sit back and say, 'Things aren’t as good as they should be, and it’s Obama’s fault.’ This is rich. No president in human history has quite equaled Obama when it comes to blaming others for his problems. And during the 2008 campaign, everything wrong with America could be laid squarely at the feet of President Bush. But now Obama, having presided over what at this stage must qualify as among the most inept presidencies in American history, is complaining because he’s being held accountable."

And today, Ben Shapiro wrote: "We have a four-year record of incompetence covered by blame-mongering and lie-telling. Obama’s speech offered no new vision, no new solutions, not even any inspiring rhetoric. What a pathetic launch to a campaign about the economy. Then again, what a pathetic president."

Cain Was Able

Wow! A perfect game AND 14 strikeouts. What more could a baseball fan ask for? I got to see the last two innings of Matt Cain's masterpiece last night and was glad I did.

Lots 'o Links

You can never go wrong reading the great links at Betsy's Page, Maggie's Farm, or Larwyn's Linx at Doug Ross @ Journal.

Jewish News

Here's a report on antisemitism in Europe, and it sounds eerily familiar:

"Europe is again approaching, as many prefer to avert their eyes, the horrible paroxysm of Jew-hatred that plunged the continent into its XX century abyss. In the current denationalized, universalist, third-worldist and secularized Europe, Zionism is casted as the cause of anti-Semitism, Bruxelles’ officials see the bombing of a synagogue in Paris as a reprisal for an Israeli incursion into Gaza, European ministers and MPs more and more call the Israelis 'the new Nazis,' anti-Semitism is fading from the general consciousness and 'Islamophobia' is declared the worst racism. In the old Europe that abandoned the internationalism of the proletariat for the transnationalism of the Islamic umma, there is no space for the Jews."

As this isn't bad enough, there's actually such a thing as Jewish anti-semites, which for me is incomprehensible: "Thugs defile Holocaust memorial in Israel, spray paint message, ‘Thank you Hitler’ Jerusalem cops say graffiti is work of ultra-Orthodox Jewish group that opposes Israel."  At least with Nazis and Muslims, you expect them to hate Jews and loathe Israel!

Surprise!

You just have to hear this Yiddish opera singer!

Nervy Lawsuit of the Day

How is this for gall?: "Toulouse killer's father files murder suit" -- against the police who finally stopped his antisemitic son's murder spree! He should hang himself!

"Bye Bye Bryson"

This is from the CQ Roll Call Daily Briefing e-newsletter I receive, and I liked the way they worded it. When I heard this story on the news, my first reaction was that he was probably drunk and that the seizures story was a convenient cover. Did anyone else feel that way?

"A personnel announcement here a decade ago described a senior editor departing on 'a leave of absence from which she is not expected to return.' That HR-driven rhetorical contortion may well emulate what the White House has in mind now for John Bryson.

Just after 10 last night, the suddenly most famous Commerce secretary in years declared that 'effective immediately I am taking a medical leave of absence so that I can focus all of my attention on resolving the health issues that arose over the weekend,' when he crashed his Lexus three times into two cars within five minutes, lost consciousness and then was cited for felony hit-and-run before being hospitalized. His statement declared ominously that he would be away from his Cabinet post work 'during the period of my illness.'

Administration officials have no apparent interest in explaining whether Bryson has a brand new seizure disorder, has been having epileptic episodes for some time without the West Wing or the Senate knowing about it, has a more profound medical problem that’s only now manifesting itself — or has other challenges that have not yet come to light. They won’t even say that the seizure Bryson described yesterday happened before he started his San Gabriel Valley bumper car spree. But what seems abundantly clear is that the White House (which was kept in the dark about the incident for more than 24 hours) has very little campaign-season empathy or patience, and wants this story to fade to oblivion right away. And that means that, if the 68-year-old secretary does not resign, he is highly likely to remain officially out of commission through the election, after which he’ll either be a lame duck or replaced for a second Obama term."

Politically Incorrect Nursery Rhymes (cont.)

In America and Great Britain, there seem to be an awful lot of people with far too much time on their hands. How else to explain this utter lunacy?
"Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall.
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
He didn't get bruised,
He didn't get bumped,
Humpty Dumpty bungee jumped!"
Yes, that is definitely much better than the original.

The Godfather - Farshtay?

Check out the first scene of "The Godfather" in Yiddish! As soon as I heard about this, I guessed that it wouldn't be quite so powerful or menacing in Yiddish as it is in English, although Don Corleone sounds better than Bonasera!

Proud To Be An American!

Can someone please ignore this minority of politically correct, anti-American naysayers? I am so sick and tired of hearing about how America's national anthem, or any patriotic songs, sentiments, or expressions are considered somehow "offensive" to others. Let them be offended!  It's not normal to suppress your patriotism in your own country.  What next, not cheering for our Olympic athletes in London? This self-destructive way of thinking, and all this diversity garbage, has gone way too far and has got to stop before American pride becomes a thing of the past.

The Obama Economy

Per the New York Post, you can see more signs of Obama's great economy:  "Desperate times -- What thieves are stealing & resale price per pound:
*cooking grease 38 cents
*manhole covers 15 cents
*wrought-iron gates 12 cents
*cardboard 6 cents
*scrap metal (refrigerators, washers, dryers) 10 cents"

A Visit to Auschwitz

Here's a touching story about the English soccer team's visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau. One of the players said this: “We will speak of what we have seen,” Rooney promised. “If that helps a few more people to understand what happened at Auschwitz then that’s good. It will never be forgotten.”

Go With The Flow Chart

Having any trouble trying to decide whether or not you want to re-elect Obama? This helpful flowchart from The Looking Spoon should help!

Watcher's Council

The latest Watcher's Council winners are available for your reading enjoyment.

De$picable & $hamele$$

She's despicable for faking cancer out of sheer greed; he's despicable for taking her back; and they're both despicable for having no shame. ABC's "20/20" should be ashamed for paying to interview this hideous liar.

Food Stamp President (cont.)

Food stamp spending up 100% since Obama took office. How embarrassing! "'This legislation will spend $82 billion on food stamps next year, and an estimated $770 billion over the next ten years. To put these figures in perspective, we will spend $40 billion federal dollars next year on roads and bridges,' said Sessions, the ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee."  How about getting out the shovels and putting people to work building those roads and bridges, and ending or at least stigmatizing the dependence on food stamps?  But no, our delusional president thinks the economy is fine, and he's advising Greece on their economy! Please  -- with any luck, in November, he may become our ex-president!

My, How Amusing

Gee, I wonder why they said no: "A Jewish British couple was asked to consider dressing up as Holocaust victims to commemorate World War II during the annual Wartime Weekend event."

Educational Priorities

Remember the furor that resulted when Rush Limbaugh referred to Sandra Fluke as a slut? Well, here's a group of high school girls calling themselves sluts, all in an attempt to change the dress code: "Stuyvesant HS students held the so-called 'Slutty Wednesday' protest after girls got fed up with being told throughout the year that their short skirts and sleeveless tops made them more fit for a club dance floor than for a seat at the best public school in town." Yes, it's a tough life, isn't it? I'm sure prospective employers will rush to hire applicants like these.

Respect for our Heroes

Here's a great video from Fox News showing strangers applauding WW2 vets at the airport. The sad thing is that the vets were surprised by the warm greeting, when it's something that they are entitled to and something they should have always received.

"The Ego Has Landed"

Aaron Goldstein writes about Obama's high opinions of himself: "Obama is about as well acquainted with modesty as Casanova was with monogamy." You'll enjoy the entire column.

The Moronic Generation

From greatest generation to most useless generation, these Drudge headlines describe some of today's so-called adults.  Is this a harbinger of what's to come in November?

"'Kill Scott Walker': Angry libs flood TWITTER...
VIDEO: Woman slaps Barrett for conceding...
Sobbing man: 'Democracy died tonight'..."

Very mature. And they have the nerve to refer to the Tea Party as extremists?

D-DAY: THE GREAT CRUSADE

They were indeed the greatest generation.  How lucky we were that they sacrificed for us to make the world safer!
This statue of Major Dick Winters was unveiled today in France. If you watched "Band of Brothers", you know about this hero.

More Good News From Israel

Another oil field was discovered: "This quantity guarantees Israel's energy future for decades, and makes it possible to export Israeli gas, and boost the state's revenues without worrying about gas reserves for domestic consumption."  How I wish we could substitute the word "United States" for "Israel" in this sentence!

Rooting for Walker

I hope Gov. Scott Walker survives that disgraceful recall vote today. It will be a victory not only for Wisconsin and for democracy, but it will be a shot in the arm to Republicans as a party. Just the fact that a former President is campaigning for Barrett shows how desperate the Dems are. Let's hope for good news tomorrow.

Politically Incorrect Cheering

Apparently, cheering for your child at a happy occasion like a graduation is now considered politically correct and worthy of punishment. I guess the cheering might hurt the feelings of students who didn't receive as much cheering.  If I were this student, I would refuse to do the community service and hire a good lawyer.  Please -- can anyone make political correctness politically incorrect?!

Fascinating

No wonder  I always liked Mr. Spock: "Spock's Iconic 'Live Long and Prosper' Hand Gesture is Originally a Jewish Sign."

Sink Your Teeth Into This

Can we possibly go an entire week without hearing the words "cannibal", "zombie", and "vampire"? Thank you.

Meeting Malaise

The name of this article is "How Meetings Kill Productivity", and I sure wish more offices would get the hint!  I think much of the meeting mania is a result of our touchy-feely culture, where everyone is encouraged to express themselves whether or not they actually have anything constructive to say, thus turning a to-the-point meeting into a long share-fest.

Diamond Jubilee

Congratulations to Queen Elizabeth, for her unwavering sense of duty and love of country. The British people must so proud this weekend. These wonderful photos show scenes of a simpler British life when she first became Queen. (via Maggie's Farm)

Haveil Havalim Time (Oy, Am I Late!)

Ugh! For some reason, my RSS feed no longer picks up Haveil Havalim, so I have missed quite a few -- and have greatly missed the whole series. Here is Haveil Havalim #361: The Post-Shavu'oth 5772 Edition at Esser Agaroth.

The Audacity of Portraits

This bit of cleverness comes from Doug Ross @ Journal. It shows the portraits of President & Mrs. George W. Bush -- containing Obama's picture. You'll get the reference immediately.

Watcher's Council

Here are the Watcher's Council winners from the post-Memorial Day edition.

Scare Tactics & Intimidation

Betsy's Page is full of good links, including the infuriating story of Eric Holder, who is lying and fearmongering in the black churches, claiming Republicans will stop people from voting. Funny, but I don't see that role listed among the duties of the AG listed here. Just how low will this administration continue to go in its desperation to get reelected?

A Lost Art

The always-entertaining Greg Crosby brings us back to the days of elegance and manners: "We can't control what our society is; we have no say in the fashion, music, and mores of our times. What we can do, however, is attempt a bit of personal elegance in our own lives. We can start with taking more pride in our appearance; try to dress things up a bit. Go for the glamour, the refinement, the class. Never mind what others look like, go ahead and 'put on the Ritz,' as Fred Astaire did. After that, the rest will fall into place." Let's hope so!

The Economy, Stupid!

It looks like "suddenly" is the new "unexpectedly": "WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. economy suddenly looks a lot weaker. U.S. employers created only 69,000 jobs in May, the fewest in a year, and the unemployment rate ticked up. The dismal jobs data will fan fears that the economy is sputtering. It also puts President Barack Obama on the defensive six months before his re-election bid." Fears that the economy is sputtering? Obama is the Sputterer-in-Chief!