Hamas is Super Irritating

They fire rockets at Israel, then get the crap beat out of them. What's the big deal?

Israel needs to clean out all the Hamas people in Gaza, and it looks like they've started to do that.

Merry Christmas, 2008!

Hope & Change = Exactly the Same!

Bush war team to stay on.

This shows Obama has at least a modicum of sense. He would look pretty stupid if he fired Bush's DoD employees, then we get attacked.

The reactions of Obamessiah's supporters are priceless right now. Liberals are even more vile and wretched and angry than they were BEFORE the election, if that's possible.

Blago-Gate & Obama Part 1,400

Rahm Emmanuel is in deep doo doo.

Emanuel's refusal to discuss the matter publicly, and the few comments offered by Obama to date, have prompted questions about Emanuel's ties to Blagojevich and what fallout he'll face as the criminal case unfolds, although sources have said he is not a target of prosecutors. Even so, any hint of scandal for Emanuel threatens to tarnish Obama's promise of new political leadership free of scandal and corruption.

Obama already has insisted that his aides did no bartering with Blagojevich to advance candidates for the appointment. But refusing the deal is only the first step to fighting corruption in a political culture that promotes it when others look the other way, U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald said earlier when announcing the charges against Blagojevich.

So the million-dollar question is: what did Obama know?

Fat Lady, you may warm up now.

Welcome Winter

Today is officially the first day of winter. Appropriately, it is the coldest day of the year right now in the St. Louis vicinity.

Stats:

4 degrees
-14 windchill
Frostbite Advisory

The sun is up now and the howling winds have died down somewhat, but I don't think it's going to get much warmer today. The high today will be lucky to reach double digits, with the wind chill supposed to stay well below the 0 mark.

More Dirty Politics & Obama

The shady Ohio official who ran background checks on Joe the Plumber has resigned.

Ohio prosecutors are also looking into who this woman called after she unscrupulously looked up JP's history.

I literally do not have enough time in the day to keep posting about all the dirty politics connected with Democrats & Mr. Obama.

My predictions for the next month: Rahm Emmanuel becomes the sacrificial lamb in order to save Obama's hide with Blago-gate. He will end up resigning and it will be a huge embarrassment to Obama's infantile presidency. Expect more Democratic resignations in Ohio and perhaps even from Obama's campaign once this Joe the Plumber-gate thing gets rolling.

The Democrats have shown that they cannot run the country, even though they are giving themselves raises with a 6% approval rating. Despite all this, Obama thinks that in order to save the economy, it would be a jolly idea to socialize our health care system. Obamessiah must have missed Economics 101. Either that, or he is channeling Karl Marx.

It's funny how all the liberal trolls who used to defend their Messiah are suddenly quiet. Tee hee.

Blago-Gate & Obama Part 1,399

Missouri and the War on Drugs

Looks like little ol' me caught the eye of one of the major Cold Med Bill proponents.

I'll post the debate with Grellner in a bit once I'm done.

Reference previous post and article in it. I was able to get into contact with Sgt. Grellner and had a spirited debate first on the discussion forum of our local news station, then via email (waiting for him to respond). I'll post both sides' responses later today or whenever I hear from him next.

Missouri and the War on Drugs

I generally think the War on Drugs idea is daft. If people want to smoke crack until their teeth fall out and they're crapping their pants, that's their prerogative. I don't really care whether or not drugs are legalized, since I am, well, a productive member of society without the need of mind-numbing chemicals to make it through the day. However, I do not think that if drugs were legalized, there would be a huge change in how many people use. Drugs are fairly easy to come by. Almost anyone can buy drugs. The people that are stupid enough to do drugs are most likely already on them. Legalization wouldn't be the end of the world.

Here in the Good Old Meth Capital of the USA, restrictions on common items that could be used to make meth are in danger of increasing, which really chaps my butt:

If you live in Missouri, you could soon be forced to get a prescription to buy certain cold medicines.

A group of police officers wants over-the-counter drugs that contain pseudoephederine to be made prescription medications.

Pseudoephederine is a popular decongestant.

But it is also often abused, used as a key ingredient to make the dangerous, addictive, and illegal drug, meth.

This is one of the worst ideas I have ever heard in the history of mankind. In fact, I think the police who suggested this are sampling some of the same stuff they are trying to secure. It would screw up our health care system, although I probably don't need to worry about that since Obama and his minions are going to do a fine job anyway. But adding such a common item to health care costs would be inane, dumb, idiotic, moronic, et al. Perhaps the biggest piece of flawed logic here: LAST TIME I CHECKED, METH HEADS DON'T HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE. THEREFORE, THEY WILL BE ABLE TO PAY CASH AND GET MULTIPLE PRESCRIPTIONS FILLED FROM DIFFERENT PHARMACIES. Gaaaaaaawwwwdd! Stupid stupid stupid.

A St. Louis pharmacist, Randall Berger, makes my point exactly:

"Now you're talking about going to a physician, or going to the emergency room, getting a prescription. It is cost prohibitive, it is going to be really strenuous to the healthcare system, when really the only over the counter decongestant that a patient can buy without a prescription isn't strong enough, " says Randall Berger, R. Ph., a pharmacist at Williams Pharmacy in University City.

Requiring the 98% of Missouri citizens who are NOT cracked out of their minds to go through the hassle of prescriptions for like, Tylenol Cold Medicine, is outrageous. I find it a gross misstep on the part of the police department, and one that will make the police even more unpopular then they already are.

Besides, if meth heads want something with which to make their nefarious fare, they'll find a way to get it. Making all the rest of us non-adult-diaper-wearing-drug-addicts go to the doctor isn't going to stop a drug dealer from plying his trade. The meth heads will simply go to the ERs and doctors and rack of prescriptions. It wouldn't be hard to get multiple prescriptions filled for the same item if you were bent on doing it that way. (I am assuming most meth addicts don't have health insurance, which means they would end up being able to get all these prescriptions filled sight-unseen).

But some pharmacists we talked to call pseudoephedrine, "the best decongestant out there."

However Grellner points to Mexico, where they've made pseudoephedrine illegal.

There they've allowed for a larger over the counter dose of phenylephrine in its place.

Grellner hopes to have the prescription change passed in Jefferson City by the end of May.

Right now his organization has the support of the state's Chief's and Sheriff's associations.

Oh, yes, Mexico is just a wonderful country full of wheez-free people. This Grellner clown is such a butthole, it makes me want to punch a kitten right in the face.

Since this is even in danger of passing, I am going to start stocking up on cold medicine right now. Every time I go to the drug store, I will be buying a box or two to put away in my cabinet. Grellner can suck it.

Just Because

These animated gifs of the Iraqi show-thrower are priceless. My favorite is the duck hunt one.

I have to say Bush has some great reflexes.

Blago-Gate & Obama Part 1,398

Lookin' more and more like Obama's team was involved...

By the way, Obamessiah's team has "cleared itself" of anything "inappropriate." It depends on what the meaning of "is," is, right?

I declare myself a billionaire! Wait...it doesn't work that way, Barry.

Obama looks like a peawit in front of everyone: check
Enormous scandal nipping at Obama's heels before he even takes office: check!
The ability for me to say I frickin' told you douchebag liberals SO: check!!!

Ahahahahaha!

Hearst Castle

Husband and I visited here during our honeymoon three years ago. It was definitely an interesting sight to see; I've never seen anything quite like it. But the excesses of the castle were to the point of nauseating.

Winter Storm Watch

A nice, big ice storm is supposed to glaze over the greater STL area tomorrow night and Monday. Hopefully, the power will stay on and we won't have to do Little-House-on-the-Prairie again.

Tacky Light Tour

www.tackylighttour.com

Obesity Trend, Pregnancy, and Parenting

It's sad to read about the obesity statistics coming up in the next generation of American children. Due to our convenience culture and no-consequences attitudes, more and more children are becoming obese at an early age. World governments try to slap food regulations on restaurants, playtime requirements at schools, but no one really acknowledges the real problem behind childhood obesity: the parents.

I see so many commercials on TV with athletes encouraging youngsters to "get outside" and "get going." If parents would actually put away the video games and computers and force their kids to be normal, productive citizens, the next generation of kids wouldn't be so obese. Period. I think it's rather mean for parents to let their kids get obese. Children cannot make educated decisions with foresight, such as how eating badly during their childhood will most certainly lead to health problems later in life. It's up to the parents.

It's not just elementary kiddies who are suffering. More and more research is pointing to eating habits that are pre-progammed in the womb. I can't tell you how many women who are pregnant tell me about how they eat whatever they want, whenever they want (look up message boards on pregnancy websites. Comments like "Well, I've always wanted to eat a whole chocolate cake, and now I can!!"). People constantly tell me how I should have some more to eat at lunch and enjoy that big ol' stinkin' chocolate cake. But I take the health of my baby seriously, and there's a reason I am at 31 weeks and have gained only 18 pounds. I did a ton of research right after I found out I was knocked up, and adjusted my diet accordingly (the projectile vomit in the first trimester kept my overall weight down, too, I believe). I eat almost entirely fruits, veggies, whole grains and protein. Rarely do I have anything with high fat in it, or lots of sugar. My one splurge is a cup of coffee in the morning and an occasional soda. It's called being responsible. Doctors and nurses have mentioned to me over the past few months that the obesity epidemic is going to pregnant women, too, since they feel the baby gives them a green light to gobble down everything in sight.

The parents of today use television and Playstations as the new babysitter. Kids are no longer required to be active members of society. They then become pasty and rude. I have seen so many examples of this. Kids who just sit in front of something and press buttons all day will not know how to behave out in public, in the real world.

This is something Michael and I discussed at length, since Michael is a big computer/video game fan. I believe children should have chores, homework, outdoor time, and responsibilities while still learning skills that will help them fit in. Will our daughter get a video game system? Most likely, once she's old enough. But she'll be confined to a small amount of play each day, only after her other responsibilities are taken care of.

I strongly believe that all those kids that are out-of-control at your local restaurant are the ones whose parents simply plop them in front of an electronic babysitting machine. But the parents of these spoiled, obese children are not doing their kids any favors.

As a parent, it's your responsibility to ensure the safety and well-being of your child, and prepare them for the life ahead. Obese kids' parents are failing in that area.

Blago-Gate & Obama

More calls for Obama "transparency" in this investigation.

Obama can't keep claiming "Oh, oops, I didn't know [insert Obama friend here] was corrupt. Really, I'm just as astonished as you!"

You can't have all these longtime political allies and buddies who are all corrupt crooks and not be involved somehow. I'm not advocating guilt-by-association here necessarily, but it does seem like Obama knows more than he is letting on, and it's making his team extremely nervous.

Change we can believe in apparently means massive corruption scandals!

This is just getting ridiculously easy.

*also* "I had no contact with him." REALLY?

Chickens Coming Home to Roost?

More on the "trail of breadcrumbs" leading from the Blago-Rezko scandal right to Obamessiah himself!

The first question on most peoples’ minds has to be is the new president-elect involved and will he be drawn into this? It’s been known for a long time that Obama has had strong ties to Rezko (see, i.e.,) who is revealed yet again in these tapes as the governor’s bagman. If you wanted anything done in Chicago, it appears that you had to do it through payoffs for the governor to Rezko.

Lindgren is not alone in seeing this investigation traveling up the ladder, perhaps to Obama himself. A former law enforcement officer notes that Fitzgerald first subpoenaed some Obama records relating to Rezko in 2006 because he is fully aware that Obama is part of the corrupt Chicago circle, though he is unlikely to charge Obama with any wrongdoing unless he is certain he can make it stick.

If I were Obama, I would probably be wanting a refill on Xanax right about now.

Christmas Shopping

I did 99% of my Christmas shopping online this year. With the economy in turmoil, many online retailers are offering ridiculous discounts. In case you are looking for some good ideas:

www.amazon.com (obviously). We used a retailer through Amazon to ship a crate of pistachios to my father-in-law. He loves those things.

www.pajamagram.com Luxury PJs for both moms.

www.harryanddavid.com Gift baskets for some family members.


www.swisscolony.com Gift baskets for family members with free and/or discounted shipping and sale prices. For $20-$25, you can get a nice box of Christmas cookies, truffles, assortments, etc with shipping either discounted or free.


www.walmart.com Site-to-Store shipping. I ordered several items online through Wal-Mart's website, and chose free site-to-store shipping. It took about a week for everything to come in, and all I had to do was show my printed receipt at Customer Service and an ID to pick up my items and leave.

www.thinkgeek.com For that certain special geek in your life.

www.landsend.com Land's End has had several promotions running, such as free shipping on any amount order, no minimum. Plus, they have been having a huge sale on winter clothing. Land's End is a must if you live in the midwest. Last Christmas, I got a $50 robe for $16 with free shipping. That's just one example.



A lot of the sites above have expensive items, but all you have to do is go to the clearance sections pick up some good finds, or take advantage of Free Shipping offers.

Bad News for Obamessiah!!!!! Which Means Great News for TDS!

Obama-Rezko being looked into.

And.

Obama-Blagojevich being looked into. In all fairness, I don't think Obama was in on the Illinois' Governor's scheming. But it's still bad publicity for Obamessiah.

Not good for Obamessiah. Not good at all.

Corrupt Leadership

Pelosi, Rangel, et al.


Illinois Governor...incidentally a Democrat.

The Democrats are the most corrupt organization in the history of this country. Their leadership, including that of Obamessiah, is a complete joke.

Doesn't reflect well on the American people's decision to let a Democrat n00b run the world, does it?

St. Louis Driving

Having lived in L.A. where drivers are some of the best in the world, I have a bone to pick with St. Louis drivers, or maybe just Midwest drivers in general.

Signs of a good driver:

-proactive driving habits/awareness of ongoing traffic conditions (lane merges, construction, people around them, etc)
-defensive driving (leaving enough space from the car in front of you, not getting boxed in by other drives/not boxing people in, etc)
-keeping up with the flow of traffic
-using proper lanes (not driving 45 mph in the fast lane, keeping to the right when you are not passing people)
-using turn signals
-adjusting speed for weather.

K.

So last night we had the tiniest amount of ice on the roads as is possible. Like, a very small amount of ice. Sure, even the littlest amount of ice can cause slick roads and hazardous conditions, but come on. All it takes is some awareness to avoid, well, disaster. The weather people here have been warning of some ice on the roads for like a week. And here's the result:









Dozens and dozens of accidents around St. Louis. Now, I sincerely hope that everyone is OK. And a lot of these accidents were probably a result of one person driving like an idiot. But seriously. This is our 3rd winter in St. Louis, and I've driven in some pretty gnarly winter conditions. Even in my bad-A Jeep Liberty with 4WD that can get over anything Mother Nature throws at us, I still drive very carefully when the weather runs afoul. I don't think that because I have a super sweet all-terrain vehicle that I am immune from accidents (like most other SUV drivers around here, omg, don't get me starts on my fellow SUV drivers who inevitably wind up in ditches every.single.time there is a winter storm).

For example:

Weatherman: Alright, folks, expect a few slick spots in the morning on the roads. Nothing major. Just drive carefully.

My driving: I slow down around curves and ease to a stop at intersections and stop signs. I keep an eye out for anything that looks like ice, and try to avoid it. I leave extra room between my car and the car in front of me.

Rest of St. Louis: AHHHHHH let's go nuts and drive like $%&*!!!!!!!!!

*sigh*

Iraqi Women and Modernization

It's still the stone ages in a lot of places.

Happy Birthday!

to Master of None!

You naughty, naughty man.

Soooo Sexist

Would the liberal MSM stop making hit-job references to Palin's wardrobe/fashion/accessories, etc?

I'm not your run-of-the-mill feminist. I think women these days are way too masculine. I think women should look and act beautifully, and be the soft complement to masculinity. The world works better that way. But I do get offended when the hypocritical liberals make such a stink about supposed "women's rights," and then turn right around and demean a successful, beautiful woman like Sarah Palin. It's shameful and disgusting to me as a female.

For shame, dickwads.

Juice is Definitely Not Loose

Justice bites O.J., finally.

He was guiltier than sin back in '95, and got off from some technicalities. I'm not a fan of trial-by-sentiments, but hey, he killed a manatee AND pirated DirecTv. That's worth 3 dozen in the slammer.

Yes, I tried to incorporate Law & Order terms here.

What happened to Churchill's England?

Islam still taking over England.

British parents looking to see their children in a traditional Christmas play are fuming after a school decided to cancel the performance because it conflicts with the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha, the U.K.’s Telegraph newspaper reported.

Officials at the Greenwood Junior School in Nottingham decided to postpone the annual holiday performance because it would have been too difficult to have both the Christmas and Eid celebrations together, The Telegraph reported.

"It is the first year my son has been there and a lot of the mums like me were really looking forward to seeing the children in the nativity," one mother told the paper.

A letter sent by school officials and obtained by the paper apologized for "any misunderstanding" but said it had to respect "the cultures and religions of all the children.”

“The Christmas performance has not been canceled outright but has been postponed until the New Year," the letter read.

But parents told The Telegraph that they were originally told the performance was canceled because Muslim children wanted to celebrate Eid with their families, making it difficult to schedule a date for the performance.

Ironic that the only people the school is concerned about pissing off are Muslims.

Israel Getting Ready

to "go it alone" vs. Iran.

Jews know how to fight and how to survive. Their military is far superior to those around them (i.e., crazy Muslims), and they have the best incentive to be the best: survival.

Israel would not be doing this unless:

- They absolutely know Iran is going to hit them, and soon.
- They doubt Obama's support come next year, when it may be too late.

I hope Iran gets what's coming to them.

Obamaland Disilliusionment Epidemic

is already starting. Or will soon. I've already seen a distinct lack of Obamessiah praise on liberal blogs and the MSM the past couple of weeks.

Arm Up, St. Louie

St. Louis City leader wants residents in crime-ridden downtown to arm themselves to help prevent crime:

Alderman Charles Quincy Troupe said police are ineffective, outnumbered or don't care about the increase in crime in his north St. Louis ward. St. Louis has had 157 homicides in 2008, 33 more than last year at this time.

"The community has to be ready to defend itself, because it's clear the economy is going to get worse, and criminals are getting more bold," Troupe, 72, said Tuesday.

I am fully in support of citizens legally arming themselves. My husband and I both have our permit to carry after we took a 3-hour safety class. It's common knowledge that cities where the 2nd amendment is supported have less crime than no-gun areas.

Gun control only keeps you and me from legally having arms, and it puts regular citizens at a disadvantage against violent crime.

Obama Violates Constitution

Not surprising since he seems to think it a "great flaw."

What a buffoon.

Sick

At loss for words.

Nothing says "tis the season" like a dead baby.


H/t: Chris.

Mulally to Work for $1

Finally some sense from an American automaker.

Alan Mulally strikes me as being the most competent out of the Big Three, anyways. This is a good move to shore up public opinion, and he has separated Ford from the rest of the groveling pack. If the remaining two American automakes wanting handouts don't want to be made to look foolish, they'll have to follow suit.

Smart, smart move by Ford. Very smart.

*edit* Looks like GM and Chrysler have done the same thing.

Ford still seems in the best shape:

Ford, meanwhile, is not expected to immediately seek the loans. Mulally told Congress last month that the company would only seek funding if the U.S. market continued to deteriorate. He mortgaged factories to arrange a $23.4 billion credit line shortly after taking over the company in 2006 and he has said Ford can last at least until 2010.

And haha:

Ford said that Mulally will travel by car when he returns later in the week. Chrysler and GM said their CEOs will not fly by corporate jet, but neither company has said if the executives will fly on commercial airlines or drive.

I drive a Jeep, which is owned by Chrysler. I have a fondness for American things, and I would like to see these companies succeed. But whatever my idyllic sentiments, the market seems to have rejected these three companies.