Sunday Links

Here’s some links for your pleasure on Sunday, with a little trademark snark and sarcasm:

 

A very good read: The World Order And Its Enemies

Someone needs to show this to President Obama; it is a very good read:

Diplomacy is a pillar of global security and peace. The Islamists act to topple it.

The Third World is a beneficiary of the system of diplomacy that has evolved through the centuries. It is a fundament of an orderly world and fanatics are now undermining it.

International relations are as problem-laden as are personal relationships. All associations produce conflict. To promise the key to a “perfect” marriage in total harmony exploits the gullible. Promises to unite mankind in a conflict-free order of love are soothing intellectual exercises. Their practical value, however, equals a biology that claims to convert kissed frogs into princes

via The World Order And Its Enemies | The Brussels Journal.

I highly recommend that you read the rest of that, it is a very good read.

 

A reminder as to why I am not a fan of David Frum

Click here to read. 

I have never quite understood why David Frum is taken as serious on American Politics. The man is from Canada. Plus, there is the issue of his ethnicity. Both of these, I feel, discredit him from political commentary. What I mean by that is this here: There is nothing more off-putting to me; than to listen to a Jewish Canadian sitting on his little “better-than-you” petard, and criticising “Christian America” for its shortcomings. I find that to be most annoying. Quite frankly, I feel that if this man finds America to be so detestable, why doesn’t he just move back to Canada, or more ideally back to Israel?

I will not get into his whole two-bit phony Conservatism. I believe anyone that has followed him for any length of time, knows all about his idiotic nonsense. The utter failure of FrumForum speaks loudly of the depth of this man’s Conservatism.  I do however, give him credit for realizing that Wilsonian policy is wrong. That, I feel, is commendable. However, the rest of Frum, which I have listed above, I find to be loathing.

The problem with people like Frum, Noonan and others is that they want the Republican Party to appeal to the left. My solution to that is simply this: stop trying. Stop trying to make liberals like you or in this case, us. The Democrats are sold on their idea that the Government is the only means to an end. Nothing the right will do or say will ever change that. So, why bother? It is an exercise in futility. Which is why I have basically decided to stop supporting the Libertarian and Constitutional Parties. Because they just cannot win, it is, again, an exercise in futility. I mean, why waste a vote? If I am going to support my principles, I may as well cast a vote with the Party that will actually win the election.

The problem with trying to make Conservatism appeal to liberals is this: no matter how much you try to package Conservative ideology to a liberal — if they are a solid liberal Democrat, they are not going to want to accept it at all.  Which is why I say, what is the point of trying to make Conservative thought appeal to people who simply reject it? It is a waste of time, so why bother?

In closing, David Frum might be a smart man and all. However, sometimes, I believe that one can be educated to the point of being an over-educated idiot. It is quite common in this day and age.

Yawn: Romney’s and Ryan release tax records, Media pounces and calls them evil rich white people

Stuff like this right here and why I and other people begin to want to tune the election out. Governor Romney, his wife and Paul Ryan release their tax records, to satisfy the liberal elite class; who are mostly rich also — and the Liberal media, who are also rich. What happens? They use the tax returns to prove how much of an evil rich white man that Governor Romney and Paul Ryan happen to be.

Here’s the release:

In advance of the posting of these new documents, I wanted to provide some top-line details.

Regarding the newly-filed 2011 Tax Return:

In 2011, the Romneys paid $1,935,708 in taxes on $13,696,951 in mostly investment income.

The Romneys’ effective tax rate for 2011 was 14.1%.

The Romneys donated $4,020,772 to charity in 2011, amounting to nearly 30% of their income.

The Romneys claimed a deduction for $2.25 million of those charitable contributions.

The Romneys’ generous charitable donations in 2011 would have significantly reduced their tax obligation for the year. The Romneys thus limited their deduction of charitable contributions to conform to the Governor’s statement in August, based upon the January estimate of income, that he paid at least 13% in income taxes in each of the last 10 years.

As with the 2010 tax return, the 2011 tax return will appear as four separate documents. It includes Governor and Mrs. Romney’s Form 1040 as well as three underlying Massachusetts trusts detailing the sources of their income. Those are The W. Mitt Romney Blind Trust, The Ann D. Romney Blind Trust, and The Romney Family Trust.

The investments within the trusts are managed on a blind basis by me, the trustee. I have sole responsibility for making, holding and disposing of the investments.

Regarding the PWC letter covering the Romneys’ tax filings over 20 years, from 1990 – 2009:

In each year during the entire 20-year period, the Romneys owed both state and federal income taxes.

Over the entire 20-year period, the average annual effective federal tax rate was 20.20%.

Over the entire 20-year period, the lowest annual effective federal personal tax rate was 13.66%.

Over the entire 20-year period, the Romneys gave to charity an average of 13.45% of their adjusted gross income.

Over the entire 20-year period, the total federal and state taxes owed plus the total charitable donations deducted represented 38.49% of total AGI.

via Note From Trustee Brad Malt.

You see, I believe that Mitt Romney earned his wealth; fair and square, just like the elite liberal class, and like the elite liberal media in this Country. So, what is it to anyone at all, how much money Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan have in their bank accounts or in anything else? It simply will be used to feed a narrative that Mitt Romney is a evil, out of touch, rich, white man, who does not care about the middle class or the poor. (or black people)

It is politics at its worst; and it is why I tend to ignore stories during the election season.

Here’s the roundup; some are smart people and some are Democrats: The Atlantic Online, CNN, ABCNEWS, Salon, Washington Wire, Michelle Malkin, The Daily Beast, Election 2012, Taking Note, Hot Air, his vorpal sword, Hit & Run, Forbes, Little Green Footballs, No More Mister Nice Blog, Capital New York, New York Magazine, Gawker, The New Republic, The Right Scoop, Union-News, Business Insider, GayPatriot, Outside the Beltway, The PJ Tatler, Politicker, Weasel Zippers, Mother Jones, The Raw Story, The New Civil Rights Movement, Guardian, Mashable!, Mediaite,First Read, Alan Colmes’ Liberaland, Weekly Standard, Towleroad News #gay, Daily Kos, US Politics,Jammie Wearing Fools, National Review, FT Alphaville, The Lonely Conservative and USA Today — Via Memeorandum

Silence

Seeing that I am still reeling a bit from my sleeping adventure yesterday and because there really is not anything that I feel the absolute need to write about. I shall be taking a break.

This is while my body tries to figure out when to sleep and when to stay awake.

In the meantime, I will posting links. But don’t expect novels, at least not on this iPod touch.

I’m Back!

Please note: When reading this, try to imagine someone speaking in a slight southern accent; like I do. It will help to make it sound funnier. 

—

As I told you all, I went out with my Dad today. I went with him to his retirees meeting at the UAW Local that he is a member of. It is in Southwest Detroit, where I grew up; a bit closer to downtown Detroit, than where I lived. However, because I want to continue to live in this house, I will not get into the specifics of what happened down there.

What I can tell you is this:

  • It rained. As in, it rained hard; by the time we got to the union hall, I thought we were going to have to ditch the truck and grab a canoe! My Dad was nice enough to drop me and Dad’s friend Irvin off at the door; and you should have seen me come out of that truck! I come out of that truck, like a lost cat that realized that he had wandered into the dog section of the animal pound —- around lunchtime. Yes, it was like that. Ever watch Scooby Doo? You know, when he stumbles upon a ghost and get the wits scared out of him? Yeah, like that. It came complete sound effects too, with “ooh’s eek’s and aah’s.” Oh, it was a wonderful time. I also, when I made it inside, kindly informed the people in the office that whomever was doing the rain dance, really needed to stop. Because the rain was here, in buckets!

So, finally the meeting was over. My Dad stopped at Vernor Coney Island and picked up some Coney Dogs for lunch for Him and Me and rest of the family here. So, I grabbed me a Diet Pepsi out of the fridge, came back down here to what my Mother calls my dungeon, and proceeded to devour me a couple of coney dogs and catch up on what was happening in the political world, while I was out cavorting with the organized labor movement. (Please Note: When I say cavorting, I don’t mean screwing. Hell, they were a bunch of grey-headed old people. Mostly men, and I do not swing that way, sorry. 😉 I mean hanging around them. It is an attempt at humor. Please, laugh. 😀 )

So, anyhow; I ate my dogs and fiddled around, and putted around and read a little here and little there. The next thing I know, an hour had passed and I realized that I was getting rather tired. So, I figured I would grab me a little nap; and nap I did….:

For Six Long Freaking Hours! 

I woke up, and rolled over at looked at the iPod touch and said aloud, “7 o’clock?!?!” I got up, and stumbled around; and went up stairs. Mom was fixing TV dinners. My Father, ever the funny man; greeted me with the normal greeting: “Well, Hello there, Sleeping Beauty!” I grinned, mumbled a little and went to the bathroom. Six hours of sleeping adds up to lot of urine storage. (Yes, I know, yuck. But, hey, it’s all true.)

So, there you have it. What I have done for most of the day. I hope you have enjoyed this rather funny story, as much as I have writing it. It is all true; my parents will verify it. I like going out with my Dad and his friend Irvin, I could write a book, about those two, when they get together. As well, as the funny stuff that goes on, when my Dad and his fishing friends, get together. Someday, I might write about that stuff. now, I live here, and I do not really want to get sued.

Till next time!

-Pat