Americanian

Here Is A Reminder Of Who We Face

2007-03-17T00:33:00.000-07:00

It appears that our nation has fallen asleep again.
As terrible as this picture is, the thoughts behind it are even worse-
This man is a childs dad and some mothers son.
He lept because the flames caused by the plane were searing his lungs and he was faced with only two choices- Burn or Jump.
In 2004, my son who was 11 at the time and I traveled from Northern California to Ground Zero. I was required to travel to NYC on a business trip and brought him with me to see The City.
When I asked what he most wanted to do while visiting, he surprised me by asking to go to Ground Zero so he could pray for all of the kids who had lost their parents on 9/11.
As touching as that is, it is even more saddening, 11 year old boys normally are more interested in hot wheels and I-Pods...not the parents of orphaned children.
What do we do to stop this?
Lest we forget, there is a people whom have sworn to wipe us off of the face of the Earth.
They struck on 9/11/01 and they will do so again if given the opportunity.
America appears to be preparing to present that opportunity.
To leave Iraq is to invite our enemies into our backyard.
The frightening thing is that the gate to our backyard has been left wide open.
(For those of you who missed the similie- I mean our border with Mexico)
Why it is left open is a subject for another post...
What matters is that America is acting like a loud, lazy schoolyard bully.
When it suits us, we fight. when it requires sacrifice, we complain.
America needs Men who will fight to restore the values that USED to define her:
Liberty, Freedom, Integrity, Charity, Courage.
It appears that our present values are somewhat less noble:
Wealth, Self-Indulgence, Leisure, Hedonism, Narcissim.
With values like those, why fight?
Is it to enrich the few?
Is it to protect the many?
Based upon what I see every day, our culture has become so corrupt and selfseeking, it makes me wonder where the America went that I was raised in?
Can we ever return to an age where we believe that virtue is to be esteemed and strived for?
You tell me.....

Demand Oil In India And China Fuels U.S. Security Concerns

2005-04-11T21:49:00.000-07:00

Increasing demand for oil in India and dollar rich China is creating security problems for the U.S. as it is forced to seek oil from sources with unstable governments.
In countries bordering the Caspian Sea, there is a growing extremist muslim element creating difficulties for oil companies. The U.S. government will spend 100 million dollars on security for the area. In countries on the western coast of Africa, the U.S. is facing massive levels of crime and corruption within the governments of the oil rich nations such as Nigeria and Gabon.
Chinas puchases of oil from countries such as Venezuela and Sudan add the additional difficulty of providing large sums of cash to nations that the U.S. currently has sanctions against. Needless to say, the sanctions have little effect when China is buying more and more oil from them.
America is shooting itself in the foot by continuing to buy products from China.
The very money we use to buy Chinese-made products is being used to purchase oil in increasing quantities by China. This is limiting the supply available to America.
So the next time you start to complain about the cost of gas, look and see where your clothes were made, or your TV, or your DVD player, etc.
If any of them say: Made in China, Shut up, you're part of the problem.
The information in this article was obtained from the Wall Street Journal.

General Motors Pulls Ads From L.A. Times

2005-04-11T21:37:00.000-07:00

In a move that warms the cockles of my heart, General Motors has terminated its relationship with the Los Angeles Times, citing a continuing series of articles that provided 'inaccurate' information (Read: they lied...).
If only more companies had the huevos to advertise in media outlets that were proponents rather than adversaries of their products or services...
In today's Wall Street Journal, an article warns that GM's actions could harm it. I disagree. I believe that the attention it gained from its decision to pull its ads will resonate with conservatives who are disgusted with the leftist views advocated by the newspaper. In recent months, subscriptions have fallen due to a number of missteps taken by the paper, such as the recent article promoting the business climate in North Korea.

Further Proof Of L.A. Times/North Korea PR Campaign

2005-03-07T21:01:00.000-08:00

I have posted an excerpt from Talk Radio host and author of the bestselling book: Blog, Hugh, Hewitt.
In it, he records a series of questions he posed to Barbera Demick, Los Angeles Times reporter responsible for the propaganda piece that the newspaper printed last week.
The uproar caused by the pro-North Korea article has been loud and prolonged, largely due to the attention being drawn to the article by Mr. Hewitt on daily radio show as well as many writers posting to their blogs.
In my opinion, her responses show that Ms. Demick has a clear understanding of North Korea and the violent, depraved, and harsh government ruled by Kim Jong Il. She also acknowledges the mass deaths, as well as the forced abortions of North Korea's people.
This leads me back to my earlier post where I concluded that the government of North Korea must have contracted the Los Angeles Times to roll out an image improvement campaign.
Her 'article' fails to address any of the verifiable facts that are in direct contradiction to the claims made by the North Korean 'businessman' (read: spy). So one can only conclude that the Los Angeles Times is willingly choosing to ignore the obvious untruths made in the interview.
I wonder what Ms. Demick would be capable of writing should she be tasked with actually reporting on the real circumstances in North Korea? Her answers to Mr. Hewitt's questions show a depth of knowledge that could provide a useful perspective should she actually be allowed to write something true.
Excerpt:

"I contacted Ms. Demick to request an interview on my radio show, and to pose some preliminary questions. Here is her response, which I promised to print in its entirety. The response from Ms. Demick is below. I have forwarded three additional questions and will post her replies when they arrive. The article she references on Kim Jong Il's excessive food tastes is from June 26, 2004, but is not available without a charge. If you post a reaction to her responses, please send me the link:

"Hello. I still need to get permission from my keepers to appear on the program, but I suspect it will not be forthcoming. Sorry about that. Here, though, are my answers to your questions.

Best, Barbara Demick

Do you think Kim Jong Il is an evil man?
- We reported last summer that Kim Jong Il spent millions importing
gourmet foods, cookbooks and chefs for himself while his countrymen
were starving. One can judge from there.

Do you think Kim Jong Il and his government are responsible for the
famine of the '90s.
- Yes

How many people does your research tell you died in the famine?
- Up to 2 million, about 10 percent of the population

Did Kim Jong Il and his government obstruct international relief
efforts during the famine?
- Yes

Do you believe Kim Jong Il and his government breached the 1994
Agreement with the United States by secretly pursuing nuclear
weapons via uranium enrichment?
- technically, no, but in spirit, yes. The original agreement had several loopholes, which is why the administration now is insisting on CVID (Complete, Verifiable, Irreversible Dismantlement)

How many Japanese and Koreans do your researches suggest the Kim Jong Il regime and his father's regime had kidnapped over the past forty years?
- Around 20 Japanese. South Korean intelligence says 486 of their people.

Has North Korea been forthcoming about these kidnap victims?
- Only about some of the Japanese

Is Japan correct to insist on an accounting of these kidnap victims?
- Yes

You have reported on the allegations of chemicals being tested on
prisoners in the North. Do you believe these accounts?
- I believe the guy I interviewed for a story that ran March 2004.
Can't vouch for the others.

Do you believe the accounts that pregnant North Korean women,
caught attempting to escape from North Korea, are subjected to
abortions as punishment? Do you believe the accounts that North
Korean women, caught attempting to escape from North Korea, are forced to watch their children executed?
- Yes to the first. Not sure if it's a direct punishment for trying
to escape the country, but NK women prisoners who are pregnant are
required to abort. I'm not sure about the latter.

If North Korea were to open its borders and pursue an economy with
the same policies as South Korea, do you expect it would be as
successful as the South has been in building an industrial base and economic growth?
- No

Is Kim Jong Il capable of launching an attack on the South or on
Japan without warning?
- Conventional, no. Asymmetrical, yes.

How many people do you estimate are kept in the prison camps of
North Korea and how would you describe conditions there.
- The State Department says 150,000 to 200,0000 are held in
extremely harsh conditions.

Do you believe the man you met with in Bejing and interviewed for
Thursday's story was an intelligence operative of the North Korean
government?
His job is to bring foreign investment and development aid into
North Korea. As all North Korean business is owned by the Workers'
Party, government or military, he is a government official -- or
agent, as it were. He spoke in ways that other people would get
imprisoned for, which means, not necessarily that he was a spook,
but definitely that he is elite with some kind of tie to the top
that is his source of protection."

I have sent Ms. Demick some follow-up questions, and will publish her responses when they arrive."

TheNewFederalistPapers

North Korea's Newest Media Outlet

2005-03-04T13:10:00.000-08:00

This week, the North Korean Government was able to secure the services of one of America's most read newspapers, The Los Angeles Times.
In a front page article on Thursday, March 3, 2005, North Korea was able to present as 'news' a propaganda campaign designed to build empathy for its people who are suffering at the hands of the Bush Administration.
The article does not raise any issues that may involve the impact that North Korea's nuclear program has had on the deteriorating relationship between the U.S. and itself.
Of greater concern is the statement in the article that North Koreans are happy with the current leadership under the Kim dynasty. The article states that the North Koreans are 'different' than western civilizations.
This argument has been used for centuries by oppressive governments to justify such reprehensible practices as slavery, apartheid, indentured servitude, and most recently, the potential for a free, democratic government in Iraq.
The American and the European media has been filled with articles and essays outlining a plethora of reasons that a tribal culture was incapable of evolving into a society governed by the principles of democracy.
January 31, 2005 and millions of ink-dipped fingers disproved that notion.
Despite this, on March 3, 2005, an American newspaper advocated the views of a government who is openly hostile towards America.
One can only presume that the editorial practices normally used in journalism were suspended in the crafting and subsequent publication of the articles because the Los Angeles Times has been contracted to provide media services by the North Korean government.
This possibility is not far-fetched when an examination is made of the current financial status of the Los Angeles Times.
In the last two years, the Times have lost substantial numbers of subscribers due to 'inaccuracies' and obvious bias in news reporting. Advertising revenues have fallen due to the loss of so many readers.
This opens the door to more 'creative' ways to recoup revenues lost such as North Korea's recent propaganda campaign being presented as credible news articles within the newspaper.
Recent inquiries to the Newspapers parent- Tribune, have met with no reply.
Perhaps we will begin seeing more 'news' articles on such exciting developments as "China's new evangelical movement", "Survey shows Saudi citizens support peace process in Israel", and even more likely, "Americans support open U.S./Mexican border".
All of these headlines are about as truthful as the recent North Korean article headline- "North Korea, without the rancor.

You Remember This!!!

2005-02-24T20:08:00.000-08:00

I have been listening to many Americans who whine and complain about how we have no business in Iraq or anywhere else for that matter.
I direct your attention to the photo above. It shows three Americans falling to their deaths on 9-11. They left home that morning and said goodbye to their kids for the last time because a group of people have decided that America is the greatest evil on this planet and needs to be wiped out.
I agree that there are many things in America that are evil, but none of them warrant an attack on innocent people.
I kept photos like this to remind me why our soldiers are over in Afghanistan and Iraq.
If we are over there killing them, they are not over here.
That is an excellent strategy as far as I'm concerned.
Our Troops deserve our respect, our prayers, and our support.
I live in a town near Sacramento, California. Recently, a couple hung an effigy of a soldier by the neck from the roof of their house.
I am sickened by the fact that excrement like that dares to refer to themselves as Americans.
If only they knew how lucky they are to live in a country where such dissent is permitted. A part of me wishes they were in Iran, when such an act would result in their being beheaded. But I am an American and we believe in Freedom. Even if it includes displays of such sick and disgusting opinions as those of the couple who hung an effigy of one of our soldiers. They have a right to express their opinion.
Fortunately, most Americans disagree with them.
The majority of Americans believe in the great work being accomplished in Afghanistan and Iraq by our soldiers.
We salute you.
Semper Fi

The Father of a soon-to-be Bride

2005-02-15T20:47:00.000-08:00

This Post Is For All Fathers Who Have Daughters:

Day One:
In about 20 minutes or so, a young man will be visiting us to convince my lovely and effervescent wife, Lindsey and I, that he is a worthy suitor for my daughter Kendall. This should be good....
I am actually rooting for the guy.
So far, all of my contact with him has led me to believe he is either a really great guy or one of the world’s greatest suckups...
He called me earlier this week to discuss his valentine’s plans for Kendall.
I have to say if I wasn't married, male and 42yrs old, I would even like this guy.
Having said that, I still maintain my right as Kendall’s father to invite this young man out to a remote location for a hunting accident...Oops, I mean hunting trip, should he harm my little girl in any way.
I am certain that a jury of my peers would likely acquit me...
More later...

Day Two:
So,
Kendall's potential suitor has just been by to meet Lindsey, Taylor, and I.
He dropped off his bags and spent a few minutes with us before being whisked away to safety by Kendall.
The expression on his face when he met us reminded me of a deer standing in the middle of the road at night, about to be run down by a semi truck...
Kendall told me he was just tired....
I think he was askeerd
Other than what looked like abject terror in his eyes; he seems like a nice guy.
In light of this, jury selection has been postponed until more discoveries are made...
Perhaps we'll be able to get better acquainted at the possum and squirrel roadkill bar-b-que that Kendall's employer planned for this evening.

Day Three:
Let's see now,
The young man vying for the attentions of my daughter has been here for a few days. He will be returning home tomorrow.
(Presumably, with a tearful goodbye provided by my daughter.)
I thought I would provide a brief overview of my thoughts regarding this young man.
My wife suggests that I try to be more 'positive' in describing my thoughts.
Okay...
1. He doesn't smell
2. His hair looks fairly normal
3. Nothing is protruding out of his body in unusual places like his nose and eyebrow, etc..
4. He can carry on a conversation using words of more than one syllable.
5. He appears to honor the wishes of Kendall’s parents. (This perturbs Kendall a great deal, I think.)
6. He doesn't smoke in our presence. (Yes, it's true. But one can't have everything. I'm sure that with the proper amount of manipulation and coercion, this will be taken care of.)
7. He is not so ugly that my grandchildren will be picked on for being freaks of nature, should he and Kendall marry and dare I say it, have children.
8. He appears to tell Kendall what to do. (This is very amusing to watch!)
9. He has asked if he can help me with various construction projects underway at the Fine family compound. (What a suckup).
AND last but most certainly not least:
10. He brought his bible with him and it actually looks used. This bodes well from my viewpoint.
(Note regarding number 10: I have just learned that the above mentioned bible is not actually his!!!
Apparently he couldn't find his bible and took one of his roommates instead. He further states that his bible is even more worn than the one he currently possesses. I am only mildly dubious, but will extend to him the benefit of the doubt.)
So to summarize: No hunting accidents this week.

A party of apathy (Eeyeore the Donkey)

2005-02-08T09:56:00.000-08:00

You know when I was a kid, I used to watch Winnie the Pooh. He has a friend named Eeyore the donkey.
Eeyore is an ideal candidate for Prozac. He is always saying things like, "All is lost, we're all doomed, and what's the use..."
It occured to me that this make-believe character's behavior and attitudes are exactly like the leadership of the Donkey National Committee, or the DNC as its more commonly referred to.
The leaders of the party: Hairy Reid, Nancy Pelosi, Ted 'hic' Kennedy, and that shrill voice of moderation, Hillary Clinton, are most often seen or heard bemoaning the horrible state of affairs in our great nation.
Don't get me wrong, I think that there are several problems that pose huge threats to our nations survival like porous borders, a diminishing manufacturing sector, and regressing morals. But there are great successes in our country and abroad due to the steady leadership of President Bush.
Apparently, the DNC has missed these successes.
The elections in Iraq and Afghanistan are events which all Americans should be proud of. Liberals (Progressives...) and Conservatives alike.
The people of those countries are now able to determine their future by democracy.
Women are allowed to participate in their society again. Imagine that, Americans helped the women of 2 nations to be able to get an education. To actually contribute more than their bodies to their countries. They are becoming a part of their societies again, rather than continuing an existence as the mere property of a man.
Yet the Eeyore's of this world like Mr.Kennedy and his band of thieves would have us believe that "all is lost, we're doomed, and what's the use" to quote the donkey of Pooh.
These so called 'leaders' need to take a kool-aid break or find another country to ruin, (Like France...)
All is not lost: We have helped to improve the lives of more people in other nations than that great humanitarian organization, the U.N.
We are not doomed: Terrorists are being killed by the gross in the mideast by our great soldiers and our allies soldiers rather than innocent citizens here in the USA.
And the answer to their question, "What's the use?" is that our world is safer today because Americans stood up to tyranny and terror.
Just like a schollyard bully, tyranny and terror proved itself to be cowards and blowhards, no match for a well diciplined and well trained military with a commander in chief who believes in doing the right thing despite the Eeyore's of this country.
Thank God right now for our good fortune.

China, a regime of terror

2005-01-31T17:17:00.000-08:00

When Americans think about the greatest threat to the USA, names like Bin-Laden, Al-Zarqawi, and countries like North Korea, Syria, and Iran are the ones most often thought of.
While these terrorists and the countries mentioned are a threat, they are a much smaller threat to our country than China is.
China is using American dollars to build a military that will soon be the largest, and the most advanced in the world. AAnd with an army the size of our nations entire population, we have great cause to be concerned. Actually we should be frightened.
They are building a navy that will be soon be the worlds largest and will allow them to extend their power throughout the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
In case you suck at geography, the Pacific is the ocean that the west coast of the USA is on.
If the Chinese government has no hesitation to kill anybody who dares to defy them within their borders, why should they stop at their borders when they become the reigning superpower in the world?

We contribute to Chinas military expansion by going to our favorite store and then buying just about anything on its shelves.
Think about it, you go and buy a cheap baseball hat that says, "I support our troops" thinking, "This will show that I care about the soldiers in Iraq and Afganistan." Unfortunately the label inside the hat says, "Made in China".
Lets follow the money, Okay?
Before we do, lets look where the money used to go. The money used to go to a company in America that was run by people just like you and me who paid their bills and raised their families in America.
Instead, a little goes to the shareholders of the favorite store who pays such a low wage its employees are on welfare so they can get medical coverage and food stamps to feed their families.
A little goes to the man who runs the factory in China. He pays his workers about two dollars a day if he is one of the generous managers, less if he isn't.
The workers live in barracks on the factory site. They will never earn enough to gain their freedom since their room and board is deducted from their salary.
The rest off the money goes to the government of China who owns at least 51% of every company within its borders. They use the money to Kill Christians and anybody else who would get in the way of their goals.
They use the money to build missiles, aircraft carriers and submarines to protect their interests.
We are trading the blood of our fathers that was spilled in World War Two for a few dollars savings on a cheap hat.
The amazing thing is that we can fight China AND make America stronger by spending more money on things made inside our borders. Every time I buy American made products, I'm helping to keep a few more of my neighbors employed.
So Who Is More Important?
Our Neighbors?
Or China's Navy?
I like my neighborhood.
My neighbors look out for my family and home.
When we get in trouble and need a hand, who comes to help?
Your neighbors or China?

U.S. Unions, Government Assist China's Military

2005-01-26T22:35:00.000-08:00

Perhaps you may have noticed a recurring theme on this blog:
Americans can improve and protect our future if we are willing to spend a little more to avoid purchasing goods made in China.
The downside to this premise is that currently the state and federal governments are so consumed with 'protecting' the U.S. worker a climate exists where business owners would be ill advised to employ Americans instead of importing their goods or outsourcing their services.
When trade unions like the AFL-CIO and its like are added to the business climate, an environment exists that is lethal to bringing jobs back to the U.S.
I am being unrealistic to expect business owners to hire american workers when thay are unable to protect the health of their business due to regulation and union meddling.
Here is an example of the insanity and the disregard that trade union's show for their workers future:
When I was a mere lad of 18, I was hired by Boeing's Construction division through a teamsters union hall in Northern California. My job was to ride around on an ATV at NIGHT to look for 'lost' or misplaced pieces of steel beams needed for the construction of the project we were working on.
Once I finished finding the steel, I was told to just drive around at night until they found something else for me to do.
They eventually did, I was promoted to opening wood crates to make sure the numbers on the items inside matched the numbers on the crates I opened. Also, I was not allowed to pick up a broom and clean up the mess I made when I opened the crates, that was another union's job....
I was paid $20.58 per hour to do this job. In 1980.
Interestingly enough, my non-union supervisor was paid $10.00 per hour...
Don't get me wrong, I was glad to be paid so handsomely for a job that Rain Man could have done, but even then in my self absorbed, young adult testosterone flooded male brain, I thought that I was being just a tad bit overpaid. I also wondered how any company could afford to pay a village idiot like myself to do a job that should have paid minimum wage.
I felt that America's future in manufacturing was in jeopardy if policies continued such as the one I just mentioned. When I voiced these thoughts to my co-workers they were to put it mildly, aghast...(I use this adjective only because this is a family-friendly blog.)
My overpaid position was a direct result of a company being forced to hire Union labor for ALL positions outside of their office trailer. Until unions change, we are never going to get American jobs back.
On top of that, we have regulations for employment that had to be dreamed up by people smoking dope out of a very large bong.
For instance, an employer who sells printing to churches can not terminate an employee only because HE decided to start wearing summer dresses and pumps during HIS working hours.
This would be denying the bearded 'transgender'' his 'right' to employment.
Unfortunately, it also kills any chance of the printer succeeding in gaining business from his targeted customers due to the fact that his clients tend to be more conservative and find his salesperson's lifestyle repugnant.
But as far as the government is concerned, that's beside the point...
If the employer fires the bearded transgender, he would likely be sued for wrongful termination.
So isn't it in the printers best interest to not hire anyone and to outsource whenever possible to avoid the possible litigation? To do otherwise would be detrimental to his survival.

Americans must press for real changes in the regulation of employers and the unions place in business before the U.S.A. can begin reclaiming its jobs lost to other countries. We allow this problem to continue by allowing our legislators to remain in their elected positions and permitting activist judges to pursue their anti-jobs anti-American agendas.