Month: August 2009

Richard Fernandez on the coming unrest

He blogs at the Belmont Club[*1] , and lived (and fought) in the Philippines during the overthrow of the Marcos dictatorship, has words of counsel and wisdom as we enter what I’m very afraid will be dark days for this Republic:

They are calculating past Obama to what happens when the bloom is off the rose; they don’t love him. They are using him. It’s a mistake to believe that the only opportunities which existed occurred around November 2008. No. That was the smaller opportunity. There’s another round of opportunity that may take place around 2010.

This is at the root of my unease about an uncritical “bring it on” mentality. The Constitution is there, the frameworks are there to keep the really nasty opportunists at bay. In the heat of argument it’s tempting to forget that. In the days ahead strengthening the foundations will play as much a role as shaking them. The really dangerous guys know that a crisis will also sweep away restraint. That must always be borne in mind or they will make an appearance. Keeping things together and successfully navigating a crisis means knowing which restraints must never be allowed to weaken as much as knowing which must be challenged. “Revolution” is a game that opportunists play; it can mean simply smashing things. “Some men just want to watch the world burn.” Any parasite can do that. But restoring democracy, or getting it to function is much harder task. It’s like surgery. You want the patient to live, because you are the patient, whether you realize it or not.

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The violence begins

The violence against citizens who presume to insist on their First Amendment rights, that is.  From the St. Louis Post Dispatch[*1] :

Kenneth Gladney, 38, a conservative activist from St. Louis, said he was attacked by some of those arrested as he handed out yellow flags with “Don’t tread on me” printed on them. He spoke to the Post-Dispatch from the emergency room at St. John’s Mercy Medical Center, where he said he was awaiting treatment for injuries to his knee, back, elbow, shoulder and face. Gladney, who is black, said one of his attackers, also a black man, used a racial slur against him before the attack.

“It just seems there’s no freedom of speech without being attacked,” he said.

To provide balance in the story, they also interviewed a Democrat activist who was viciously assaulted . . . well, no, he was photographed by a someone allegedly from the “GOP,” got in the way of the police, and got himself arrested.

Balanced reporting, you see.

It’s the Sun, Stupid!

What causes ice ages?

“Slight shifts in solar radiation caused by predictable changes in Earth’s rotation and axis.”[*1]

In a publication to be released Friday in the journal Science, researchers from Oregon State University and other institutions conclude that the known wobbles in Earth’s rotation caused global ice levels to reach their peak about 26,000 years ago, stabilize for 7,000 years and then begin melting 19,000 years ago, eventually bringing to an end the last ice age.

The melting was first caused by more solar radiation, not changes in carbon dioxide levels or ocean temperatures, as some scientists have suggested in recent years.

What? Something other than CO2 can be responsible for “climate change?” The hell you say!

Direct Action?

Just heard on KCMO Talk Radio in Kansas City:  A caller to the morning show suggests a work stoppage to thwack the donkeys right between the ears to get their attention.

I think that’s a capital idea, no pun intended.

I propose the week after Labor Day.  If you can afford it, close your business for the week, or even for a day or two, the week of September 8-11.  Call in sick.  Take the week off.

Head to Washington, D.C. for the September 12th rally.[*1]

Tell the politicians that your life, liberty, and property belong to you, not to them, and they need to BACK THE HELL OFF.

Don’t tread on me.

And, Captain Hammer reminds me of . . .

Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog[*1] is available for viewing free-of-charge on Hulu[*2] .

Wrenching this delightful little piece of guerilla strike-breaking further into political allegory. . . who can you think of in the news is:

  • Arrogantly convinced he’s right;
  • Gets fawning press;
  • Takes credit for good things, regardless of whether or not he’s actually responsible for them;
  • In the end, (well, that’s a spoiler).

I can’t help but think of a certain Presidential candidate[*3] this year.

And no, that doesn’t mean that I think that the other one[*4] is Dr. Horrible.  Although . . .

Here’s a good point

 From the (Democrat-written) Hillbuzz[*1] (the “Hill” in the blog’s title is Hillary, in fact):

Why are you forcing this healthcare bill through in 3-4 weeks when the current President took SIX MONTHS TO PICK A DOG?

Heh.

Updated, and a new look

I’ve updated my software here at Medary.com.  It went much easier than I thought it would.

One thing I’ve been meaning to do for some time is to change the look of the site.  It currently uses a look (a “theme”) called “Professional.”  That’s the one with the blue header bar, and left and right sidebars.

I’ve found another theme, called “pure” which has a black header, and only a right sidebar–no left sidebar at all.  I think it’s cleaner than Professional and I’ve set it as the default theme for Medary.com.  If you don’t see the new theme, just delete your browser’s cookies, and that should take care of it.  If you actually log into Medary.com, then you’ll have to go to My Account, pick Layout and Language, then pull “Pure” down from the menu and then hit “Save Information.”

Enjoy, in moderation.

Demonizing everyone

I underestimated the arrogance of Democrats  They don’t just want to demonize insurance companies.

They want to demonize EVERYBODY who doesn’t absolutely agree with them.  The President wants you to inform on anyone who disagrees with his government takeover of health care.

Obama, as the leader of the Democratic Party, is now completely revealed as a totalitarian, a socialist, and a fascist.  He is intolerant of dissent and debate–a totalitarian.  He believes the government can spend your money better than you can–a socialist.  He believes that govenrment should operate banks, automobile companies, insurance companies, hospitals, and doctor’s offices–a fascist.

He will get away with everything that good people will let him have.  The fate of the Republic truly hangs in the balance this August.