It's About One Point Three B's to Nowhere Thing

Dear America,

"Peace, Commerce, and Honest Friendship 

with All Nations -- 

Entangling Alliances with None." 

Thomas Jefferson

that was then, this is now.

so you will be happy to know, the yellow crime tape has been sliced, diced, and removed --

just take Hillary's word for it -- there is no need for alarm any longer.  Egypt is on the right path now; the democratic process is fully underway as we speak.

We have been talking about "secret deals" this week.  Anyone recall the days leading up to Mubarek's fall from grace (if he ever had any)?   Our State Department was in there, having secret sit downs with Mubarek and his entire crew.  We nudged.  We interfered.  We shoved.  We meddled.  Call it what you will, but deals were made way back when solidifying days like this:

"As the U.S. State Department prepares to waive democracy requirements and release as much as $1.3 billion in aid to Egypt, a new Gallup poll shows that the majority of Egyptians would rather cozy up to countries like Iran and Turkey than embrace the United States.

Congress passed legislation in 2011 that tied funding in Egypt to progress on democracy and human rights issues. The law, however, also included a waiver provision that allows the state department to overlook the requirement if it is necessary for 'national security interests'.”

Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2012/03/28/state-dept-memo-excuses-islamist-egyptian-govt-clears-path-for-1-3-billion-in-aid/#ixzz1qQF8umQe

Just how secret?  And just who are the players involved?  No need to go any further than one of Hillary's left hand women:  Huma Abedin

[linking Huma with policy based on six degrees of separation, we get down to two rather quickly...]

[why do you think the democrats didn't rush right in to save Anthony Weiner's sorry a$$....purely rhetorical]

As we have previously mentioned here, Egyptians may have been wooing Americans to visit -- as tourists -- but make no mistake,  they don't want you to stay and take up residence  [for they do not likey-likey the US of A at all] We wheeled and deal-ed with Mubarek for so long -- overlooking a number of transgressions -- that even when we wanted to... DO the RIGHT thing...the Egyptians had lost all faith in us.

[of course, there is wide debate on what Doing the Right Thing looks like...both here and abroad...]

The thing is, only 28% of Egyptians view strong relations with the United States as a good thing. They would rather, as the Daily Caller article points out, "cozy up" to Turkey or Iran.

As predicted over a year ago, the Muslim Brotherhood is running the "democratic process" in Egypt.  And more important, they are not our friend.

AND the United States is giving them 1.3 BILLION dollars to bolster up their military to ensure the peace?

Is this what "peace" and "democracy" looks like?

And here's what the region really thinks about the 1.3 B's...
is the U.S. choosing stability over democracy yet again?

[but then again -- define democracy first, aljazeera...oooh snap]

and let's separate this 1.3 billion from the various miscellaneous funding sources also available, like through USAID funds; an article from the Washington Times (August 2010) illustrates how this has been working out for us:

"Americans also may be surprised to learn that the United States has been an active participant in mosque construction projects overseas. In April, U.S. Ambassador to Tanzania Alfonso E. Lenhardt helped cut the ribbon at the 12th-century Kizimkazi Mosque, which was refurbished with assistance from the United States under a program to preserve culturally significant buildings. The U.S. government also helped save the Amr Ebn El Aas Mosque in Cairo, which dates back to 642. The mosque’s namesake was the Muslim conqueror of Christian Egypt, who built the structure on the site where he had pitched his tent before doing battle with the country’s Byzantine rulers. For those who think the Ground Zero Mosque is an example of “Muslim triumphalism” glorifying conquest, the Amr Ebn El Aas Mosque is an example of such a monument - and one paid for with U.S. taxpayer funds.

The mosques being rebuilt by the United States are used for religious worship, which raises important First Amendment questions. U.S. taxpayer money should not be used to preserve and promote Islam, even abroad. In July 2009, the Office of the Inspector General published an audit of U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) faith-based and community initiatives that examined whether government funds were being used for religious activities. The auditors found that while USAID was funding some religious activities, officials were “uncertain of whether such uses of Agency funding violate Agency regulations or the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the Constitution” when balanced against foreign-policy objectives.

For example, our government rebuilt the Al Shuhada Mosque in Fallujah, Iraq, expecting such benefits as “stimulating the economy, enhancing a sense of pride in the community, reducing opposition to international relief organizations operating in Fallujah, and reducing incentives among young men to participate in violence or insurgent groups.” But Section 205.1(d) of title 22 of the Code of Federal Regulations prohibits USAID funds from being used for the rehabilitation of structures to the extent that those structures are used for “inherently religious activities.” It is impossible to separate religion from a mosque; any such projects will necessarily support Islam.

[and my apologies for the long read here...I intended to nip and tuck this section to smithereens, but just couldn't do it...choosing whole context over chopped up talking points...now let's move on...]

Sure, this community building via mosque reconstruction is kinda old news.   But just where are the atheists fighting this one?

Certainly, if they take issue with a simple cross on federal land, just imagine how cross they must be building mosques with American tax dollars in a foreign country, of all people, places, and things.  Separation of church and state -- mosque and state -- across the pond, anyone?

Or does this just fit naturally into the anti-American narrative, marching against western colonialism any which way but loose, and thus, paving the way for a new, new world?

oh, but let's re-wind for just a quick sec:

"expecting such benefits as 'stimulating the economy, enhancing a sense of pride in the community, reducing opposition to international relief organizations operating in Fallujah, and reducing incentives among young men to participate in violence or insurgent groups.'"

that is priceless, isn't it? Was it worth it...rebuilding that mosque in Fallujah...did it enhance a sense of pride, reduce opposition to foreign aid, promote able bodied young men to flee from a life of gang violence...did it make them 'like us' on facebook...?

The Middle East is a different breed altogether; complicated relations between the radicals and the moderates, between sunni's and shia's, Muslims and Christians, East and West, stifle any true democratic process (according to American standards, that is) from ever gaining a foothold.

It's a crime scene, with yellow tape run amuck (still).

This action by the State Department isn't just some slip of the tongue misdemeanor caught on a live mic; it's a felony against our national security -- compromising OUR peace, OUR democracy, OUR future, and immediately becoming a direct threat to Israel -- while all accomplished with OUR money, the people's money, hardly in secret and hardly a best interest at heart.

Aljazeera knows exactly how this 1.3 B's gets played out in Benefits.
But make no mistake, our "security" is not one of them.
....it's more like 1.3 B's to nowhere.

BBBBBut what do I know; I'm just a girl.

Make it a Good Day, G

It's a Situation Unknown Thing

Dear America,

let's play a little game, it is called 'this or that' or what I like to call, 'known and unknown.'  C'mon it'll be fun.

We now know if you appear in 'muslim garb' on a plane -- there is reason to show little, or no, concern -- and if you do raise a concern, you are considered a racist; however, mirroring the theme on the day just yesterday, if you drop the F-bomb -- that is considered grounds for taxi-ing back to the gate and dropping your sorry a$$ off, 'c-ya wuddn't wanna b-ya.'  Overreaction?  Maybe. Quite Possibly.  But I would be remiss if I did not point out, Destination: unknown.

We now know who wears the pants in Weiner's world (yes, and snaps to G, for that is literally and figuratively, badumpba...can you even begin to figure out how this day is gonna go...crazy town right here, right now, prepare yourself!, buckle up, it's gonna be a bumpy ride....).    So, within 24 hours of arriving home, Huma laid down the gauntlet and won.  Resignation, check. Tail between his legs, check.  Kissing his wife's a$$ for the rest of his life, if he should be so lucky (as that reality is still very much unknown), check check.

And,
We now know who is taking bin Laden's place -- that would be Ayman al-Zawarhi. Al-Zawarhi was born into a typical Egyptian middle-class family, did well in school, ate his vegetables, went to mosque -- and by the ripe old age of fourteen, joined a peaceful, fun-loving group whose members mean no harm no foul to anyone, the Muslim Brotherhood.  And continued to grow up through the ranks over the years, becoming a leader in the Egyptian Islamic Jihad radicalized movement, which eventually became just another arm of Al Queda -- and the rest, as they say, is 'history.'  Future for America, Israel, Iran, the hot spots within the entire middle east, totally and without a doubt, unknown.

oh it's good to be alive, isn't it?

Ever wonder about how the new way of the world, seen in the latest waves of freedom, the 'democracy-for-everyone' kick, is really only creating one great big gigantic police state? Infringing upon people's rights left and right, on behalf of other people's rights.  It would be funny if it weren't so real.

Which is strange, when you consider that those who grew up through the Vietnam War era, the sixties, the Watt's riots, the anti-establishment, anti-war, anti-government, anti "the man" time frame... were all about getting rid of the 'PoPo', leveling the playing field, going against authority, running against the tide -- and are now in charge of just about everything.  These are the people who supposedly figured it all out, man.  Go figure.

While the great irony back of all things going on around us, all of what is being made or broken around the world, is steering us right back into the direction of creating even more of it -- you know, a police state.  Truth is, we are further away from creating the Utopian state now, the love child of a misguided generation, than we have ever been!


If we took the cues from those who are leading us now, we are no longer trying on the one-love-y'all philosophy with psychedelic verve, we are breaking ourselves down and out by submission, over-regulation, rules, intolerance, division amongst all the ranks and leading by the common beckoning theme of Divide and Conquer, adding a fist pump to boot.  While anything that falls outside what is considered the Politically Correct boundaries on the day, is quickly labeled extremism, racist, astro-turf, and immediately discredited with ridicule -- continuously -- almost like water-boarding -- beyond recognition.

Get a load of this presidential candidate, before he became president:  watch and be very very afraid (or at least, dazed and confused by the outline of glaring unknowns made known and marked for the history books, casting a heavy haze over a president's own intentions).  What in the world does he mean by that, a civilian military force?

How could the hippies of yesteryear be okay with that?  Are we in the midst of a role reversal, or what?  Are the new kids on the block taking over the world?  Are we in the process of extinguishing all sanctity of our Constitution, the intentions of our founders, blowing smoke at the entire basis for declaring our bloody independence from Great Britain in the first place -- the police state that started it all?

Islamic Sharia Law runs counter to everything the western world, and specifically America, is all about.  The Nation of Islam, to believe in Sharia is a belief in that Allah, Law, Governing, Control is one body.  There is no freedom outside Sharia Law; there is no independence in and of yourself to live the way you wish to live;  there is no compromise in America, under our Rule of Law in conjunction with Sharia Law, which is governance according to the rules and powers of the Qur'an.  Women's liberation, forget about it; gay and lesbian rights, not on your life; following any other religion, outside of Islam, that would be a no.  These are not unknowns, they are each widely known and  accepted as gospel.

To be pure of heart with regard to growing democracy everywhere around the world, the truth must be acknowledged first; and clearly, it is not.   A democracy (as defined by Americans -- and don't even get me started on creating an environment open to the formation of a budding Republic like ours),  has little to no chance of being an acceptable condition and option under any set of circumstances under Islamic Rule, when separation of Mosque and State jeopardizes everything .  It simply is not possible.

Talk about a police state -- oh my goodness -- Sharia takes the cake celebrating Mohammed's centuries old birth and then some.

But wasn't the Left listening -- weren't they equally alarmed -- when their guy opened his great big mouth and declared "we should have a civilian military force" just as much as the American Right next door?  Is that like the Minute Men, or more like SEIU minions by day and thugs by night?   And they should be "just as strong, just as well funded..." as our fine four forces of the military --  Navy, Marines, Army, Air Force?  seriously?  And funny, coming at a time when Congress is being forced to consider austerity measures of our own -- step aside, Greece, we see your debt and raise you ten fold.

More important, is this really how you feel, Mr. President?  Is this really part of your plan, to add a civilian military force to watch our every move, set us straight, to make sure we don't step out of line?   ooooooh, sounds kind of Nazi-like if you ask me.  Is your goal really to be the next Stalin, Lenin, or just a Che?  Who are you and what have you done with that fresh sweet face of a typical american-indonesian-kenyan boy who grew up with next to nothing and yet everything he could ever want, before he was introduced to a brand new world through the eyes of radicals past, present and future? 

You seem to believe we, the people, need to be controlled, regulated, watched, in most every way -- along with our wealth being redistributed along the way?  What is that?  That is not coming from the American spirit.  Just who is responsible for breaking that spirit inside you, dear boy?  Who is feeding you this nonsense?  I would think even your friend, associate, mentor, ghost author -- whatever he is to you that you neither wish to openly make known or unknown --   Bill Ayers -- would take issue with a police state?   I mean, c'mon, that is precisely what he was so totally up in arms and throwing bombs up against. 

I do not understand how America got here (but I know why).  I do not understand how you seriously got elected (but I know why).  I do not understand how you can even begin to think we need more PoPo on the payroll.  But let me take a stab at this from another angle  -- with further review, I really don't want to know why.  It doesn't matter why you think this is a good idea. For I can tell you right now, Americans want nothing to do with it.  I have faith in the America I know, and fully believe this to be true in every way.

Perhaps the Tea Party should begin to change it's standard garb.   Our failure might have been approaching this from the wrong way.   Just maybe -- and taking direction right out of Alinsky's Rules for Radicals -- we keep all the red, white and blue flying, but we transform our polos and button downs with some tie-dye action.  Maybe we need to re-frame and re-image the peace symbol as one of our own; maybe we need to slap on the head bands and throw on the long flowy skirts, and dance around in circles with tambourines and bongos.  Just maybe -- refreshing the idea of masking our identity we  spoke of only 24 hours ago -- we can fool all of you newfangled establishment folk, you young guns who think you can remake America and change the world right before our eyes.  It is worth a shot anyway.  It could be a shot heard round the world again if we are quick to the punch and keep our eyes open.

What's the worst thing that might happen? we get kicked off a plane, or something?

For by the looks of things, if we don't do something about it now, we could be arrested and thrown in jail just for showing our self-reliance, displaying our independence, and just giving somebody a piece of our mind.  Which, according to intentions made widely known three years ago, all considered a serious threat, a breach of security, and totally worthy of being safety controlled and deftly monitored under this administration; and all for our own good, you know.

wow.  everyday we learn something new.  some things seem so unfukeenbelievable, it would seem like an hallucination, or something, if it weren't for the fact it was recorded.

yeah, yeah,
dropping the F-bomb on a plane is grounds for immediate removal;
by force, if we have to.  ah huh
yeah, yeah,
Anthony is the man of the house.  ah huh.
yeah, yeah,
the Muslim Brotherhood is all about democracy, they only want what we have. ah huh

yeah, yeah, and just what we need -- a bigger larger more powerful civilian military force, that sounds like a good idea (this idea really scarier than the first, thank you Rahm).  ah huh; Mr. President, you have been rubbing elbows with the Muslim Brotherhood for way to long now, and it is beginning to show.

this or that, known or unknown.  the day is done.

Make it a Good Day, G

here is an interesting answer coming from one who is a "believer in knowing what you are doing before applying for a job."  fascinating.  and of course, leading G to believe he knows exactly what he is doing...he knows exactly what he means... when he says that we need to have a civilian military force -- he means it;  and when he says that he stands side by side with a widely held belief, that the Muslim Brotherhood mean no harm -- he means it; and when he says that he stands on the side believing that Weiner should step down (because it is a distraction, not that he did anything wrong) -- he means it.   He means every word of every word he says.

Dear America,

"Is there no virtue among us? 

If there be not, we are in a wretched situation. 

No theoretical checks, 

no form of government, can render us secure.  

To suppose that any form of government 

will secure liberty or happiness 

without any virtue in the people, 

is a chimerical idea.  

If there be sufficient virtue and intelligence 

in the community, 

it will be exercised in the selection of men; 

so that we do not depend upon their virtue, 

or put confidence in our rulers, 

but in the people who are to choose them." 

James Madison 

from The 5000 Year Leap, by W. Cleon Skousen

oh the way our government spends money

oh the way our government loses money

oh the way our government deflates money

oh the way our government prints money

oh the way our government wastes money

money money money

Everyday people understand the value of money; our government, not so much; and yet, we continually put them there to do just that.  As Madison frames it so well, all of this, tragically, is just as much our fault.

Friday was a big day for spending; you know, besides the usual 35 billion dollars spent on interest alone for one day.  In an article from The Washington Times just this morning, Eli Lake informs the citizenry about the authorized use of $25 million dollars for "nonlethal" aid to the Libyan Opposition Coalition, the Transitional National Council (TNC).

The White House has authorized the full support to the TNC, clarified in a memorandum to Congress, which also declared the group perfectly harmless in every way (but the jury is still out); duly noting, the group has "publicly rejected terrorism, embraced the Geneva Conventions, and emphasized its dedication to building democratic institutions to provide for a secular future in which a broad range of Libyan citizens will be able to participate." (even though the same article quotes an insider, Noman Benotman, believing there to be "a 1,000 freelance jihadists at large.")  Don't you just love that, "Freelance Jihadists" bit....makes me wonder, which is more dangerous, a Freelance Jihadist or Freelance Journalist?

Currently, the TNC is being led by Mustafa Abdul Jalil -- a Judge, a former Minister of Justice, and newly ordained breakout artist of the Gadhafi regime (for what it's worth, Wikipedia describes him as simply a "Libyan Politician.").  And you know who loves the guy?  The Human Rights Watch.  They think he is golden.  and yes, the same Human Rights Watch who is rolling in the dough, after receiving about 100 million dollars in support from.... wait for it...George Soros; the same Human Rights Watch that condemns Israel more often than not, while full on abuses under Sharia Law go unconscionably unnoticed all over the Middle East.  oh my goodness, take a breath, gretch

To steal one of President Obama's favorite words, and kicking up yesterday's theme of manipulation to a whole 'nother level,  we are being "misguided" in Libya in every way; but no matter, let's just give them 25 million dollars of our money (on top of the millions already spent in missiles and planes to secure a no-fly zone) at a time when we have no money, after our AAA credit rating has been hijacked by our own stupidity, leaving us with a negative outlook and a very possible downgrade on the horizon, all while on the verge of taking on the Debt Ceiling debate, not to mention the discussion for the 2012 budget, to be ultimately settled by a dual.

Yes, let's drop 25 Mill like it's no big deal; let's do that because it is the right thing to do and credit worthy groups like the Human Rights Watch "Likes" Mustafa on Facebook.

And isn't it funny, the memorandum goes out to Congress while everyone is on spring break for two weeks. done.  next.

side-note: have you noticed how many things are being accomplished skirting Congress altogether...throw in an executive order here, a Czar regulation there, pretty soon, who needs a stinkin' Congress.

And how about the news about our government getting the whole "buy low, sell high" principle backwards?  Apparently, the greatest government since sliced bread is considering selling America's stake in GM at a loss; a company we own roughly 60% of, and a stock currently trading at a level hovering around 44% BELOW the "break even point."

This, I clearly do not understand.  We, being the fools who rushed in, HAD to save GM... HAD to save jobs... HAD to save the American dream for the auto industry ...and all of the trickle down economics it came into contact -- for this, too, was part of the 'too big to fail' fallout; and now this -- sell, sell, sell like a scene from Trading Places (even if it means making us look like total idiots).  We might as well be singing, and now,  the end is near.


I'm sorry, do we have to sell now?  Is there some kind of rush to limit our liabilities all of a sudden?  Are we trying to clear the books, even if at a total loss, as if we could somehow find a way to profit by it?  I mean, come on, do we actually need more bad debt and write off's? seriously?

The good news, we must hold the stock until May 22nd -- what d'ya think?  will it all magically bounce back by then?

Couple this with the irony back behind the latest run of ads from the Post Office -- you know what I'm talkin' about -- the one where the office dweeb is sitting at his desk flamboyantly stacking up overnight packages, when the happy-go-lucky Mailman pops in and points out, if it doesn't actually need to be there overnight, he could save a whole lot of moola if he used the world renowned U.S. Post Office.  Of course, as the thirty second spot goes (sold in prime time time slots on our dime.  um, why?), the dude doesn't give a rat's @$$ -- cuz it's not his money! all the while, the mailman/good samaritan/prophet of all things frugal and solvent, attempts to alert the clueless with a well timed eyeball roll of the imminent danger standing right behind him...the boss. oopsy-daisy.  The U.S. Post Office selling us on the finer points of sound money management?  really?

Austerity
Conservative Fiscal Policy
Frugality
Limited Government
Solvency
Buy Low, Sell High
Profit
Stable Credit Rating
Balanced Budget

all things we no longer do, or live by; but rest assured, I am pretty sure we got a Czar for that, just like the one in charge of jobs. (we don't have time for Immelt today -- but isn't it interesting how we promote a global community and identity most all the time, and yet, we turn around and complain when it comes to other parts of the globe getting our jobs...)

Stephen Moore, an economist and frequent commentator on Fox News, appeared with Neil Cavuto yesterday and said the most profound thing in relation to another UN travesty.  Having recently declared "mother nature" a victim of human rights violations -- even while children, still, starve in Africa, are left helpless to the sex trafficking trade in India, and are assigned to hard labor in China -- the UN wants us all to know, they are now in the business of being mother nature's self-proclaimed legal advocate from here on out...okay...

But this is how Steve characterized the new global initiative (and paraphrasing it): we are presently entering a new Pagan belief system...one that supports the CREATED, instead of the CREATOR.  doink, der it is. Not sure what just hit me upside the head, whether it was a coconut or the Light of the World, but either way, I think I get it now.

Perhaps the UN forgets, democracy in the Middle East still looks very much like Allah taking the lead; and considering Allah is Everything Omniscient and Everlasting , isn't it quite possible to think even Sharia Law might take issue with the "created" having more superiority over the "creator", creatively speaking.  just sayin'

No worries --

"democracy" is flowing all over the world now ... and it is good (or so we are told)

we are spending money to make money...even if it means, losing money, burning money, printing money, deflating money, wasting money...and it is good (or so we are told)

and good ole GM is out, while GE is totally in (cuz it's a green thing)...  and it is gonna be good (or so we are told)

the wheels are in motion...other people benefiting... madly, deeply, stupidly... at America's expense all the way around, and it's going global if you haven't noticed. it's a g thing -- only backwards.

Make it a Good Day, G

government gone wild. org ...check the video out.

Dear America,

He's not really a risk taker, is he?

Case in point, he picked the favorites to get to Final Four:  Duke, Kansas, Ohio State, and Pittsburgh.

And just who got there?

Risk takers, underdogs, countrymen of different colleges but same spirit, teams with heart and soul leading the way, if not tattooed in their brains; the teams arriving at the coveted Final Four spot exhibit the kind of innovation and magic that is only made in the USA.  I, myself, kinda like VCU -- any college with the word Commonwealth within must be cool -- aside from the fact that my Aries side loves that little ram connection -- either way, we'll see where that leads soon enough.

He, the chosen one, seems to be only comfortable taking the lead when in comfortable, predictable, situations -- associating with the like-minded, other radicals, people who believe and think in community with each other, justifying any means to an end; or if not in alignment with "predictable", he takes an aggressive stance, putting the boot to the neck, ridiculing dissension by the opposition party as labeling them simply "teabaggers," jumping to conclusions against presumed authority and calling it "stupidity" -- but painfully hesitating to make a sound when America's honor and glory are being attacked, terrorized even, from the inside...as in Fort Hood.

No, he runs with the party line all the way to the hoop -- even if he misses.

Apparently, following the pack is just something that we (america) do now -- feeling very much punched in the stomach, like the favorite, totally upended in the final bell, all of a sudden, we are reduced to nothing right before our very eyes.

Robert Gates admitted Sunday that there was no immediate threat to the United States; while Hillary Clinton (the same Hill that wants out in less than two years from now)  added that it was the perceived humanitarian threat we acted upon.   So with that logic, anyone who appears likely to do any possible harm against humanity, we should attack anyway, even if there is no eminent danger for America specifically?

How did we get here?  How in the world did the party of make love, not war, come out of nowhere launching missile attacks based solely on the perception of things to come?  huh?

We are part of the coalition forces now enforcing a "no-fly zone" for a country that doesn't even have an official Air Force. huh?

We are part of coalition forces now thinking about supplying guns and ammo to 'the rebel forces' -- who may very well be playing on the same side as Al Queda.  huh?

We are part of coalition forces now turning our military over to the strategy and agenda of NATO, allowing even the United Nations to have the ball, allowing our sovereignty to sit on the bench for a long, long, drawn out campaign for all we know -- because, after all, who really knows, right (not even Clinton or Gates)?

...we have no idea who we are dealing with here, these are rebel forces meeting up with more cocky-and-nothing-to-lose rebel forces, and some with guns even!...sit tight, this seems to be anybody's game...

huh?


Our president hesitated on taking sides on this one for the longest time -- only being pushed into it by the new world order mandate, star player simply called, The UN; what was our president doing when the Libya situation was just beginning to heat up?  Oh, he was making his picks for the Final Four.

Let's review:  all of his picks (aka the favorites)... Duke, Kansas, Ohio State and Pittsburgh failed miserably.  Following the line of the favorites didn't really work for him, did it?


The thing is, this is HIS GAME we are talking about; this president, of all presidents probably to date, KNOWS, really KNOWS, basketball (and you thought I was gonna say foreign relations, silly...); this is what for the love of the game is all about (oops that is mixing baseball with b-ball, my bad); hoops -- this president plays it, breathes it, lives it and studies it in his spare time, for all I know -- probably talks about it while playing golf with the boys while half the world is going up in smoke...AND HE, oh chosen one, didn't get anywhere close to calling it right.  His final four crashed and burned.

How in the world does a guy with no military history, no respect for authority (really, let's be honest shall we, review the cold, hard stats all the way back... go to his own words, his books, his community organizer tapes of the game before he was president...), no experience with international relations, no reverence to America's sovereignty and exceptional-ism respective of how this franchise was built -- how could we ever have such highball hypocrisy in this position, being paid too much, for too little, and with such attitude?  Do I dare wonder, how does he maneuver a win for the home team, America, out of this?

Where is our true heart and soul?  Where is our will to win against all odds?  When will we get our game back -- and focus on the things that have made this country pretty great...

...saving umpteen questions as to why are we drilling in Brazil and not our Gulf and Anwar, why are we punishing Arizona for protecting our own security, why are we bankrupting our children with Obamacare, and why our president isn't leading congress on tackling the 1.1 Trillion dollar deficit, please pardon another play of words using the wrong sport....

...so many questions... and we're running out of time... good thing it only takes a nano-second in basketball to have the game turned upside down. I call for a miracle...a three pointer from the center...

It is a show of real character, and will, and self-reliance, that rises to the top in situations like the Final Four -- just as those same principles touch us all, equally and fairly, out in the real world.  America was built on the idea that it could be anybody's game, anybody's day, at any time -- as all things boil down to a wicked (and by wicked, I mean wicked good) combination of skill, knowledge, experience, heart, with a whole lot of good timing and the law of Any Given Sunday thrown in from the sidelines (and it wouldn't hurt to also carry the approach of consciously aligning with, not so much hoping God is on our side...but that we are playing on God's side).

oh, and at the risk of sounding like I'm dithering here, I wouldn't mind the Bulldogs to come out on top either, THEY COULD GO ALL THE WAY!

(darn it, you can take the girl away from the football, but you can't take the football out of the girl).

Now for Libya, now that things are totally stirred up -- democracy must prevail; but if the Wisconsin rebel forces/coalition/unions tell us anything at all...definition of democracy and what it looks like, acts like, is very much in question; as clear and present danger of the unknown wears us down, it is anybody's game, at any given time.

yea cloud.

Make it a Good Day, G

for another take on the same two points, read this.

Dear America,

so anyone else wonder about what comes after Gadhafi?


but here we are, in foreign territory once again, believing oh, if we just get rid of 'fill-in-the-blank', everything will be fine, a democracy will grow, and everyone will be happy...cake for everybody.

We have a president, acting without congressional approval, using the United Nations as the quintessential liberal order throwing out the first stone...as if having the Arab Emirate's also in our corner made it that much more okay...

only now morphing into, some version of,  it has nothing to do with Gadhafi -- it's all about the humanitarian vibe -- even though, if my memory serves me clearly, for the last three weeks you, big O (and Clinton, and ...and ...) have repeatedly said, Gadhafi has to go.

...yes, indeed..."when the entire international community..." says it's okay, it must be okay; making every effort to rationalize the very behavior you said you would never do, that this sort of thing is not okay, that it is never okay; this time, you say, things are different.

"I opposed funding a mission that had no timetable, and was open- ended, giving a blank check to George Bush..."

Obama, responding to McCain, after a question posed by Jim Leherer, during the presidential debates in 2008.

And then to top it all off, you fly off into the opposite direction, heading as far south as you can go, taking the family, making a vacation out of it; when the going gets tough, you take American interests south -- ushering in a new age in energy dependence -- finishing off that slap in the face following a fist full of oil moratoriums, and enough regulations to poke an eye out, and cutting off any preconceived idea that America is the birthplace of self-reliance, production, and innovation, taking us to new lows in jobs, economic growth and prosperity for all... yeah, that's right.


Are you intentionally trying to take us down?

For all we know right now, you have entered us into a third war in the middle east -- and you are a Nobel Peace Prize recipient?  How is that 'sitting down with rogue dictators and kings and merchants of death' working out for you?

But the biggest question I have going on in my head this morning is, how in the world, could the UN take away our personal power, here in America?  The UN does not speak for America's interests...it only speaks on behalf of a larger world order; the UN wants fundamental transformation of the global marketplace and have control on the organizing for social justice everywhere and often -- and we let them dictate how we should proceed?

Begging the question, does the UN have any idea who replaces the crazy man and Colonel, Moammar Gadhafi?  As far as we can tell, rebels and radicalized groups are waging the war against the crazy man -- making a situation where just more crazy follows crazy.  Is there a bona fide leader, of the "democratic persuasion" ready and waiting in the wings?  ...and surely, not to be confused with the real American wings that have just recently crashed landed and burned...

Rumor has it -- whatever the GOP has just saved, through the direction of the Continuing Resolution over the next several months, saving approximately 61 Billion dollars -- it's as good as vaporized, if we keep going at this rate -- and maybe as early as the end of next week... all upon the shores of Tripoli....

And then, if that's not enough, we have the Arabs running away with cold feet; we have Gadhafi claiming this to be the beginning of a "long war"; while Russia's Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin, had the audacity to say this: "The resolution is defective and flawed," said Putin, whose country did not use its power to veto the resolution at the UN. "It allows everything. It resembles medieval calls for crusades." Read more here.

More troubling and confusing is the recent back track of what began as the primary goal -- to effectively oust the evil one and leave Libya back in the rightful hands of "it's people"  (whatever that looks like).

All the while, the messaging has centered on the humanitarian efforts to save lives (not to be confused with the killing fields of oil, now left alone and lonely and wondering about it's own fate); for merely three percent of the world's production, Libya's future sure poses far more questions and concerns than any confidence in a no-fly zone bringing a sense of calm and order.

How can the arrival of the cavalry only ring in greater mystery?

More questions remain -- how long will this take? what are the goals (considering they keep shifting overnight)?  are the goals of the United Nations the same goals as the United States -- and should they be the same, in this instance? and just who is there to wonder why and how and what gives?  how does this distract us from keeping "the peace" in Afghanistan, and in Iraq? shouldn't Congress question the authority of the president to start a third war?  what is the budget?  who is paying for it? will the UN reimburse us for lost planes and tomahawk missiles?  will this just make America appear that much more like the crazy Imperialistic "crusaders" masquerading around the world as the peace keepers for democracy and human rights?  if we, in America and in Europe, did not rely on the Middle East for oil, how would things be different?  what will it take to drill here, in America, for god's sakes?  does Obama really want Sarkozy to lead on this one -- what does that tell us -- he hates Sarkozy -- and given Obama is supposed to be the Commander in Chief of all of the free world, and specifically America, how could he be happy with taking 'just an assist' for the history books?   (that was a plug for his greater interest on the day, being in the middle of March Madness and all).

and just who follows after?

after Gadhafi?

whether we wish to acknowledge it or not, the Islamic caliphate is upon us; and timing is everything, isn't it?

for here we sit, with a  president,  who seems willing to jeopardize everything -- America's sovereignty, freedom, and essential liberties; a president, who, for all we know, is sitting in some South American cafe, drinking an iced tamarind latte right now, totally oblivious to the laws of  engagement; as our energy dependence grows stronger, relying more and more upon the kindness and generosity of other nations --  we lose ourselves; as we enter into a foreign lands, emerging as a nation promising peace while waging war, through mandates lost in the valley of unknowns, contradictory intentions, under misguided allegiances  -- we lose ourselves.  But we are fully engaged now, aren't we?

The thing is, normally, as history goes, the position that holds the power to explain things more clearly, define things more definitively, and communicate things more deeply comes out of the Oval Office; this nation, more often than not, is led by a President, with a capital P.   In other words, we -- in the US of A -- are not led by the intellectual global elite, deciding our fate, any fate, by a show of hands around a quarter moon table.

We decide when we enter into war, by a show of a Congressional mandate; we decide when we put our machines and our boys/girls in harm's way -- we decide; we are not easily swayed, while we also do not sit idly by for week's on end, hoping and praying for a change to come; we act.  We act -- and when we do -- we stay home to witness our decision play out, leading it, systematically and methodically,  every step of the way.

Our President is not even counting himself 'present' on this one -- and that is what is wrong with our leadership today; letting Sarkozy lead us in this march against time, among other things, is becoming my favorite mistake on the day.

happy tuesday.

Make it a Good Day, G

"...Number two, we've got to deal with a growing poppy trade that has exploded over the last several years.

Number three, we've got to deal with Pakistan, because Al Qaida and the Taliban have safe havens in Pakistan, across the border in the northwest regions, and although, you know, under George Bush, with the support of Senator McCain, we've been giving them $10 billion over the last seven years, they have not done what needs to be done to get rid of those safe havens.


And until we do, Americans here at home are not going to be safe." 

Obama, again, during the debate...wow.  so easy to talk about it, isn't it?  The entire transcript is fascinating,  you know, given where we are today...if you got the time, read more here.

Dear America,

Evolution...


when we think of evolution, we gain a sense of something changing, growing, expanding, doing away with characteristics which no longer serve the greater purpose, allowing for new methods of operation to kick in, constantly tweaking the system basically, to arrive at a bigger, better, stronger -- leaner, meaner, wiser -- end result.

This is what inspired the 2008 elections -- the very idea of something truly wonderful to swoop in and change everything, for anything would be better than what we have.

We succumbed to the fundamental transformation like camels to a desert oasis and drank it up.


So this marks the day the evolution of the western world changes forever; we shall see, soon enough, just what kind of unintended consequences come our way; we shall see, soon enough, just exactly what these hundreds of thousands of "young people" in the streets of Cairo are all about.


But make no mistake, February 11, 2011  -- oooh, look at that, 02-11-2011, there has to be something in that numerology somewhere -- marks the day of fundamental transformation in Egypt; who knew, that when we voted in Obama, his vision for hope and change would spill over into the Middle East so rapidly.  Who knew, that when he was speaking before a Muslim Brotherhood audience just two years ago, the organizing of a regime change, a complete overthrow of the Egyptian government, would become a complete reality so soon...no, that is true, it is hardly complete now is it...

And to think, who knew, that with the natural evolution of Facebook, it would make way for a system of Foreign Policy by Social Network; and might I add, a little more tweaking with this method is needed.

What was it El Baradei tweeted mid-afternoon yesterday?  "Egypt will explode. Army must save the country now."

the new buzz words seem to be centered on 'revolution'  'anti-government' 'social justice' 'universal rights' 'democracy'  -- as if Egypt is responding to the rise of the secular, when in the vernacular, we are really bearing witness to something entirely different.  Our idea of democracy -- by definition and by evolution -- is on opposite ends of the spectrum.

Islamic Sharia Law is synonymous with democracy only in reference to when the people are allowed to vote, in fair and open election.  The people of Egypt could just as easily elect El Baradei into office, the chosen one when it comes to the Muslim Brotherhood, as anyone else.  He is the one, right now, who stands out, connected, speaking up as a leader, organized and fully supported by the most radicalized Islamic faction in the area -- the same group currently outlawed for being responsible for the killing Anwar Sadat, among others, and shunned by the Mubarak regime for the last thirty years; but the organization never really went away, and, as nature would have it, they were given plenty of time to mature, adapt... further evolve.

For the last eighteen days, our administration has done everything within it's power, and even everything that goes above and beyond, to take Mubarak down; they have sent envoys for a sit down, they have publicly denounced the leadership -- calling for Mubarak to do the right thing, to listen to the young people, and step down; they have orchestrated an entire storyline that, for all intents and purposes, was contrived and manufactured to suit the means to an end.

It may have begun as a natural, organic uprising, but it most certainly morphed into chaos, making way for a rendition lost in translation,  applying this administration's answer to everything -- clinging to soundbites of universal values and rights, organizing the streets of change, even if on the other side of the world --  all the while, never letting a crisis go to waste.

This is huge.

One thing that crossed my mind, in the last 24 hours specifically, is the number of people we have in power to protect us -- lead us -- interpret world events such as this, to ensure our safety.  In this day and age, our government has evolved into a pyramid of all kinds of levels of protections; question is, are we safer for it?  Are they actually working in sync, to the extent all the entities need to be?  Are they understanding of the history of the world, to the level we need them to be?  Are they continuing to ask all the right questions, even uncomfortable ones, respective of all the political and economical and international ramifications?

Clearly, the leader of all, is our president -- but after that, we have layers and layers of academia and military and economic powers, people in place to interpret the world and how it affects the United States: starting with the upper echelon and our Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense, Directors of the CIA and FBI...we have a Homeland Security Secretary, a National Intelligence Director, with full bureaucracies built up underneath; there are ombudsmen and ambassadors, a hierarchy of intelligence officers and secret service -- and yet, what did Napolitano just admit:  "The terrorist threat to the homeland is in many ways at its most heightened state since 9/11,." while addressing Peter King in Congressional Hearings on Wednesday.


More troubling, comes from the mouth of our National Intelligence Director, James Clapper, only yesterday, when asked to define the threat of the Muslim Brotherhood:

"[ahh]...it's an umbrella term... for a variety of movements...for what is happening in Egypt, it is a very heterogeneous group, largely secular, which has eschewed violence and has decried Al-Queda as a perversion of Islam...they have pursued social ends, betterment of political order...there is no over-arching agenda in Egypt, etc."

This statement required immediate follow up from a DNI spokesman. enough said.

So here we are, experiencing a new era of Foreign Policy by Facebook, with plenty of pinheads in power offering up consolation by denial, at a time when the "threat to the homeland is...at its most heightened state since 9/11" -- do you feel good?

Have we evolved leaner, meaner, wiser in battling against the forces, adapting to the fluidity of the new world order and those who wish to do America, the entire western culture actually, only harm?

If this daily diary of an American girl does anything, may it impress upon us to accelerate our own evolution -- may we welcome a new democratic Egypt with an open heart, if that, in fact, remains to be the wave of change rising into power as we speak; for the way things sit right now, we are stuck in a vortex swirling what we know and what we don't know all around us, and it's running wild at the moment; we can only hope and pray that we are watching the west win one -- if not, we got no hope, leaving us on a wing and a prayer.

anyone catch the story about mandatory Arabic classes being administered in a school district in Texas?

Apparently, not too long ago, our Department of Education, issued a grant to offer mandatory Arabic language and culture classes within the Mansfield School District.  According to our Department of Education, they have designated the Arabic language as the "language of the future." (and you thought it was Chinese...lol)  Yes.  That would be here, in America. Is there something they know and we don't know going on here?

David Horowitz, founder of the David Horowitz Freedom Center, has quite a few thoughts on the matter, as brought to light in the article linked above; but if you go to his website,  you will find a whole 'nother world view as to what is happening today in Egypt. and I double down dare you to go.

So, it remains to be seen if the democracy brewing in Egypt is on behalf of the western definition, or Middle Eastern; remember, Islam does not separate church and state, no where, no how, never.  By definition, an Islamic Government cannot be "secular" (hello? earth to Clapper...sure hope you have your retirement plan secure)

Sharia Law is Sharia Law -- stoning is really stoning -- adultery is still adultery, and punishable by execution -- and beheading is still beheading --  as the desert heat and beat goes on.

Our leaders (nearly all of them) are either being fooled, big time -- OR, they know exactly what they are doing, double time -- OR, they simply do not know what the unknown brings at this present time. And to that end, how poignant the debut of Rumsfled's new memoir, Known and Unknown -- how weird is that?

oh what a day in the neighborhood, no?

Make it a Good Day, G

let us pray for the world -- affirming this hopey-changey thing happening in Egypt spins our way. play your music today ...desert rose...sting....and just pray with me today.