Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Why Do Dems hate Governor Sarah Palin so Much?


From a email that was sent to me by a friend.

I Didn't Know That...

Question: What is America's first line of missile interceptor defense that protects the entire United States ?
Answer: 49th Missile Defense Battalion of Alaska National Guard.

Question: What is the ONLY National Guard unit on permanent active duty?
Answer: 49th Missile Defense Battalion of Alaska National Guard.

Question: Who is the Commander in Chief of the 49th Missile Defense Battalion of Alaska National Guard?
Answer: Governor Sarah Palin, Alaska.

Question: What U.S. governor is routinely briefed on highly classified military issues, homeland security, and counter terrorism?
Answer: Governor Sarah Palin, Alaska

Question: What U.S. governor has a higher classified security rating than either candidate of the Democrat Party?
Answer: Governor Sarah Palin, Alaska.

According to the Washington Post, she first met with McCain in February, but nobody ever found out. This is a woman used to keeping secrets. She can be entrusted with our national security, because she already is.

Now you DO know!

The above was sent to me my a friend in a email recently. When it was told to a Democratic friend of mine, his dismissive of it was amazing. Then he and other coworkers went on making jokes about Moose nuggets, etc.. I guess they were referring to Saturday Night Live's Tina Feye's skits of Governor Palin that are now so popular with the SNL crowd. In all honesty, I have yet to see a single one of those skits.

In fact, this election cycle has been my least informed one since I left high school in 1978. Why? Because I am in the process of being foreclosed and such things like satellite TV where I could listen to news channels like Fox News in the background while I worked on my models or worked on the computer – did not happen this go around. Quiting such luxuries like Direct TV did not in the end help me save enough money to save my house from foreclosure. But it does make me angry that I was not able to hold my own against my young co-workers who cannot wait to see Barack H. Obama become the next president of the United States of America. Such things like his birth certificate and the lawsuit to check it out having been dismissed by the court is insulting. Americans might very well be going against the Constitution of the United States of America by electing this man. ( I.E. He might be foreign born after all and thus not qualified to be the President of the United States). However, since the birth certificate in question has now been presented, its a moot point. OR is it? I mean, when one fills out the form to run for office, be it president or some lesser office, shouldn't the birth certificate be presented at that time? Why drag it out?

Other stuff like befriending the domestic terrorist Bill Ayers. The mess that ACORN has created in the US economy with its democratic party enablers in congress. I'm just being random in what I pick out about B.H.O. That points to him being nothing but a empty suit according to Republican pundits. Or he is the next coming of Christ according to his supporters. There MUST BE a in between there somewhere!

My young friends at work say that Republicans are arrogant to the extreme.

I say no. I mean, they are the ones who are already planning Mr. Obama coloration.

Come on, each side will cite the poll that offers the most points in favor of their candidate of their choice – that's human nature and is to be expected. Mr. Obama will win the election only with the constant help of the mainstream news media that no longer pretends to be fair and balance (to barrow that phrase from Fox News). To hear Rush Limbaugh talk the next day after the fourth debate, that the Fox News anchors and talking heads stating that Obama won that last debate did not match what Rush heard that night. Has Fox News gone over to the “dark side” as well? I say that with tongue in cheek. Like I stated above – no more satellite TV so I can listen to the news.

So how am I getting what news I am getting now? Simply from reading the Comcast.net; Drudge Report; and to a lesser extent, Coast to Coast am news websites. I gave up on my local newspaper long ago, again since I could no longer afford the subscription rates to it. One needs to be careful with search engines. Misspell a word such as Governor's Palin's name as Paylin and you can get something quite different.

On the radio, there was a report that some artist had set up a cardboard cutout figure of Governor Palin and people can come in and get their picture taken of them shooting her. Shooting her? Is that really covered under the first amendment or a hate crime? How about in Los Angles where someone has hung an effigy of the good governor by a noose as part of a Hollywood Halloween display. Lets switch it around - we now have a cardboard cutout of Barack Obama or a store dummy dressed up as Barack Obama hanging by the noose. Is that too allowed? Maybe if the N-word was added somewhere – then it could become a hate crime. In today's charged climate, these acts of freedom of speech should be dialed down two or three notches. Now, if you are interested in reading about that Hollywood Halloween display, here is the link to that story (www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-palineffigy28-2008oct28,0,541630.story). Am I even going to be accused of promoting a hate crime if someone lifts just part of my essay here and not provide the entire content. More than likely given what is going on in our country now.

UPDATE - October 30, 2008: Well, it seems that some has made effigys of Barack Obama afterall. Read the article by Jeffrey McMurray here ( www.breitbait.com/article.php?=id=D944CKD01&show_article:1). They are treating his effigys as hate crimes. But the effigys of the Republican candiates are not given the same consideration; at least in LA.

UPDATE #2 October 30, 2008: Looks like the spotlight finally forced that LA family to take down the effigy.

What If McCain Pulls Off a Upset Victory?

Seeing that Presidential candidate Barack Obama is already planning his victory lap and seeing some of his supporters up close and personal at work, I thought I would post this to my blog before the election. Just some thoughts of mine as to the possible reasons that John McCain might still be able to pull victory out of the jaws of defeat.

The Mainstream News Media (and the polling companies that they use) for this election cycle gave up all pretense that they were impartial, providing the American public with balance news reporting. Therefore, I would count this as the American public voting more against the News Media (and thus their agent in the form of Barack Obama) for a McCain upset victory. The irony with this is that it was the Washington/Georgetown elites, the RHINOs (Republicans In Name Only) and members of the news media set up the template to sway Republican voters to go with McCain. And true to their true shelfs, once he was firmly established as the Republican nominee, the news media, the pundit class began tearing him down since by this time, the elites had decided on Barack Obama over Hillary Clinton to be their choice in this horse race.

The Politico had a interesting article entitled (Why McCain is getting hosed in the press.” Written by Jim VandeHei and John F. Harris. Check it out here ( http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20081028/pl_politico/14982 ). And this isn't the only news out there. What about that WFTV news anchor Barbara West who got in trouble with the DNC by daring to ask vice presidential candidate Joe Biden some really tough questions for once, instead of the usual softball ones. Daring to ask him how Obama's spreading the wealth scheme isn't the same as Karl Marx's spreading the wealth scheme - otherwise known as communism. Check out that news article on the Orlando Sentinel webpage ( www.orlandosentinel.com/orl-barbara-west-joe-biden-102808,0,5063691,print.story ).

My second theory that I will offer is that usually, when the rest of the planet wants a particular candidate to win the US elections (Barack Obama this time around), Americans will usually vote for the other guy. Basically giving the rest of the planet the “One Finger Salute.” And usually, its the democrat that the planet wants running the USA than a republican. Those pesky republicans actually believe in their silly constitution and in keeping their word and stuff like that.

My third theory for a McCain upset victory is that he is the underdog. Americans historically love the underdog. Going by a chart that was posted on the Drudge Report, Obama barely goes above 52 percent and for the past several weeks, is below the 50 percent dividing line. McCain has manage to move into the margin of error in almost every poll that is out there. Quoting John McCain from his speech in Hershey, PA on October 28, 2008; “Nothing is inevitable here. We never give up. And we never quit.” ( www.comcast.net/articles/news-politics/20081028/McCain.Final.Stretch/ ).

My fourth and final theory is Barack Obama tripped himself when responding to Joe (the Plumber) Wurzelbacher's question about Obama's tax plan. “Spreading the Wealth Around.” while it sounds nice is really nothing more than class warfare in my opinion. While the DNC is doing damage control over this answer, other parts of that political party began checking into Joe's background and presented the following information: Wurzelbacher is unlicensed plumber right now and he has some unpaid back taxes. And with them spreading this information around to damage the “messenger,” so to speak; is it any wonder that now Joe Wurzelbacher has come out to endorsed John McCain.

Early voting is up all over the country I understand from a news spot off the radio. I have already voted. The last quoted figure that I heard for Lubbock country is that 40,000 people have already voted. So, my vote is in there somewhere.

Well, this is what I have come up with less than a week to go now until the November 4th elections. I cast this blog article out into the internet ether like a message in a bottle. Time will truly tell what the outcome will be. Its the waiting that we all hate to go through.

UPDATE - October 30, 2008: Found the following article "Accuracy of Polls a Question In Itself' " by Michael Abramowitz for the Washington Post that I thought should be linked to my article here ( www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/28/AR2008102803675_pf.html ).

UPDATE - November 3, 2008: Latest results from Lubbock, Texas early voting were announched today. The final number of early voters was 69,910. Just 90 short of a even 70,000. Lubbock County Officals orignally thought that only about 50,000 wouldbe voting early.

Saturday, October 25, 2008

Stargate 12-inch Action Figures: Dr. Daniel Jackson

Earlier in 2008, Previews magazine, which is operated by Diamond; began showing off and accepting pre-orders for a new line of Stargate SG-1 action figures. The ad that I saw focus on Michael Shanks' Dr. Daniel Jackson.

And since we both share the same last name – I had to get this figure. And this will be my review of this figure. First off, its distributed by Diamond Select Toys ( http://www.diamondselecttoys.com/ ). I got a little discount on the figure since I had pre-ordered it so the final price came out to less than $35.00 bucks. Regular retail price for this figure is $39.99. (photo is from their website).

Doctor Daniel Jackson is a typical 12-inch tall action figure. This one being sculpted by Bill Mancuso. The figure itself has 26 points of articulation. The face sculpt is of an “older” Daniel Jackson from later in the series.

He is wearing typical green fatigues with the Stargate patches on both shoulders. His glasses appear to be glued onto the head above the ears. There might be some pegs that go into holes there and the glasses just plugs right into them. The boots have actual boot strings laced on them.

Now as for the goodies that come with the figure. Replicator spider! And the Ancients' “splatter gun” or whatever it is actually called. The one that shuts down the replicator's processors and the hive chips just fall where they may when zapped by this gun. Daniel also has the Zat pistol and a regular .45 cal 1911 A1 style automatic pistol, but no holster to put it in. Both pistols have no working parts to them such as a removable magazine or the zat pistol expanding up from its 'stored' position. And finally, a standard issue radio.

On the back of the box are two other figures. Colonel's Jack O'Neil and Cameron Mitchell.

First off – I'm happy to have a Shanks family namesake in 1/6th scale. My disappointments with this figure are as follows. No boonie hat or O.D. green due rag which Daniel wears from time to time out in the field. The next item is no P-90 submachine gun. Thankfully, Century 21 Toys had a package of military weapons carded that was on sale at various Wal-Marts. So I picked up a several and they are in my spare parts box whenever I need to use them.

I am looking forward to seeing the other two figures when I can afford to get them and I hope that Diamond will add additional Stargate SG-1 action figures to the 12” line.

Friday, October 17, 2008

Star Trek Movie Buzz


This week, Paramount Pictures released some production stills from the new J.J. Abrams production of "Star Trek." Set for release in 2009.

MTV, as one of several website, received from Paramount Pictures, some new production stills from the new J.J. Abrams' “Star Trek” movie to be released in 2009. In an article published by Rick Marshall and Shawn Adler. MTV was given permission to show the new bridge design of the starship Enterprise. Before getting to that, I like to add the following. Can anyone say “Battlestar Galactica”?

Now, Do not get me wrong on this – I like the new “Battlestar Galactica.” And it look like that J.J. Abrams is doing the same thing to Star Trek as what had happened to BG. A totally new look and revision to the franchise. Co-producer Damon Lindelof (known for “Lost”) added some additional information in the interview.

The Bridge:
In the photograph on the MTV site, it shows actor Chris Pine as Captain James T. Kirk sitting in the Captain's chair. Hes all in black which Mr. Lindelof tells MTV is a important story hook in the movie. Behind him we see the new Doctor McCoy (Karl Urban) deep in thought. Now he is wearing the classic blue shirt/black pants combo which is the Starfleet uniform. Zachary Quinto as Spock. Kirk and Sulu are both ragged since “they” have just come out of a fight before this scene.

As for the bridge itself; its very bright looking – think Apple Store. Quoting from the article: Abrams was insistent that every piece of equipment on the bridge serve a legitimate purpose – that they all have “functionality.” According to Lindelof, the maps we see in the background near the top of the communications desk were based on the generally accepted layout of the Star Trek Universe. Lindelof also confirmed that the film would be two hours long running time.
Now other pictures that were released show the film's bad guy as a Romulan with facial tattoos.
The movie will open with another starship U.S.S. Kelvin (NCC-0514 ) getting hammered by the bad guys. The Kelvin looks alot like the old destroyer class that was included in the original Starfleet Technical Manual by Franz Joseph (the leatest version of which you can get for yourself here (http://www.amazon.com/Star-Trek-Fleet-Technical-Manual/dp/0345340744). It jsut has the warp nacelle on top of the saucer section instead of below it. Then again, from the above picture, there just might be a second nacelle below the hull as well ( the upper/lower twin engine designs that crop up from time to time in (Star) Treknology circles.

Sunday, October 5, 2008

Hasbro's Indiana Jones 12" Action Figures

Considering what I have been posting in my own blog for the past few weeks, it was long past due that I create a article relating to one of my hobbies - collecting action figures.

I am a BIG Indiana Jones fan. I make no bones about that. I'm not sorry for that bad pun either...

I also collect the classic size G.I. Joe type action figures (i.e. the 12 inch or to state it another way, the 1/6th scale action figures). When the latest Indiana Jones flick came out this year ( Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull ), Hasbro, Sideshow Collectibles, and Medicom Toy released their figures. I still want to pick up the Sideshow figure, but at on average, $80.00 per figure, is a bit hard to justified buying one. Medicom Toys are really proud of their versions of Indy and his father Henry Jones Sr at a whopping $149.00 each! However, Hasbro released their own Indiana Jones figures in the small 4 inch size (approx 1/18th scale) and the classic 1/6th scale.

They release Two Indiana Jones figures. The first one was of Indiana Jones with his leather jacket, removable fedora, and a working jaw that makes the figure look like a fat Harrison Ford. The other Indy figure, for some UNKNOWN reason, has the fedora either GLUED or MOLDED onto the much better Harrison Ford likeness. Other figures included Indy's son "Mutt" Williams, a German Officer, and the black robed swordsman from "Raiders of the Lost Ark."

Its understandable that Hasbro will only release that with which they think that they can make some money with, but could they NOT HAVE come out with Shalla? How about Marion? What about Indy's World War Two buddy Mac? That is a problem for us collectors and customizers, they come out with only the basics and for the figures that we really want - nothing. What about the bad guys? Belloq, Donovan, Mac, and some others. Sideshow is coming out with Belloq in 2009 at least.

Anyway, Cool Toy Review interviewed a Hasbro Representative and part of that interview was posted on TheRaider.net. Basically, Hasbro has indicated that it will NOT continue this (12" figure) line past the holidays(2008). One of the cool things about these figures is the scale Ark one could order after collecting 4 figures.

Also reported on TheRaider.net is news of a new Indiana Jones novel that will be coming out in May 2009. Indiana Jones and the Army of the Dead. It will be a post World War Two adventure with fame triple agent George "Mac" McHale. They will be going up against Nazis, Japanese, and black magic welding Voodoo priests on the island of Haiti.

(Ref. Cool Toy Review via TheRaider.net)

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Some Wounds Can Never Heal. Yes She Was A Traitor.


I received the following email from a fellow radio control model airplane club member. A verteran of the Vietnam war. The title of the email is included in the body of the text. But I think a better title should be: Some Wounds Can Never Heal.

If it was up to me and many of those I knew from the military, she would be tried as a traitor instead! Johnnie Roper Veteran and Texan BOTH by choice!

Subject: FW: Yes She Was A Traitor

I have never sent out a mass mail before and can’t ever say that again. I can’t believe she (Jane) could ever be considered one of the top 100 women of the country. It’s one thing to protest a war [that is a privilege granted to us in this country], what she did is far beyond our Constitutional Rights. Please read pass this on!

Long after she's dead people will wonder how she did what she did and was never put on trial. Some thought being married to Tom Haydn was punishment enough. Many thought there was no such thing as enough, nor was there anything like justice around.

YES SHE WAS A TRAITOR..!!

In Memory of LT. C. Thomsen Wieland who spent 100 days at the Hanoi Hilton She really was a Traitor

IF YOU NEVER FORWARDED ANYTHING IN YOUR LIFE FORWARD THIS
SO THAT EVERYONE WILL KNOW!!!!!! She really was a traitor A TRAITOR IS ABOUT TO BE HONORED KEEP THIS MOVING ACROSS AMERICA.

This is for all the kids born in the 70's who do not remember, and didn't have to bear the burden that our fathers, mothers and older brothers and sisters had to bear. Jane Fonda is being honored as one of the '100 Women of the Century.'

BY BARBRA WALTERS

Unfortunately, many have forgotten and still countless others have never known how Ms. Fonda betrayed not only the idea of our country,but specific men who served and sacrificed during Vietnam. The first part of this is from an F-4E pilot. The pilot's name is Jerry Driscoll, a River Rat. In 1968, the former Commandant of the USAF Survival School was a POW in Ho Lo Prison the ' Hanoi Hilton.' Dragged from a stinking cesspit of a cell,cleaned, fed, and dressed in clean PJ's, he was ordered to describe for a visiting American' Peace Activist' the 'lenient and humane treatment' he'd received.

He spat at Ms. Fonda, was clubbed and was dragged away. During the subsequent beating, he fell forward on to the camp Commandant 's feet which sent that officer berserk

In 1978, the Air Force Colonel still suffered from double vision (which permanently ended his flying career) from the Commandant's frenzied application of a wooden baton. From 1963-65, Col. Larry Carrigan was in the 47FW/DO (F-4E's). He spent 6 years in the 'Hanoi Hilton',,, the first three of which his family only knew he was 'missing in action'.His wife lived on faith that he was still alive. His group, too, got the cleaned-up, fed and get word to the world that they were alive and still survived. Each man secreted a tiny piece of paper, with his Social Security Number on it, in the palm of his hand..

When paraded before Ms. Fonda and a cameraman, she walked the line, shaking each man's hand and asking little encouragings nippets like: 'Aren't you sorry you bombed babies?' and 'Are you grateful for the humane treatment from your benevolent captors?' Believing this HAD to be an act, they each palmed her their sliver of paper. She took them all without missing a beat. At the end of the line and once the camera stopped rolling, to the shocked disbelief of the POWs, she turned to the officer in charge and handed him all the little pieces of paper.

Three men died from the subsequent beatings. Colonel Carrigan was almost number four but he survived, which is the only reason we know of her actions that day. I was a civilian economic development advisor in Vietnam , and was captured by the North Vietnamese communists in South Vietnam in1968, and held prisoner for over 5 years.

I spent 27 months in solitary confinement; one year in a cage in Cambodia ; and one year in a 'black box' in Hanoi .. My North Vietnamese captors deliberately poisoned and murdered a female missionary, a nurse in a leprosarium in Ban me Thuot, South Vietnam , whom I buried in the jungle near the Cambodian border. At one time, I weighed only about 90 lbs. (My normal weight is 170 lbs.)

We were Jane Fonda's 'war criminals.'

When Jane Fonda was in Hanoi , I was asked by the camp communist political officer if I would be willing to meet with her. I said yes, for I wanted to tell her about the real treatment we POWs received... and how different it was from the treatment purported by the North Vietnamese, and
parroted by her as' humane and lenient.' Because of this, I spent three days on a rocky floor on my knees, with my arms outstretched with a large steel weights placed on my hands,and beaten with a bamboo cane.

I had the opportunity to meet with Jane Fonda soon after I was released. I asked her if she would be willing to debate me on TV. She never did answer me. These first-hand experiences do not exemplify someone who should be honored as part of '100 Years of Great Women.' Lest we forget...' 100 Years of Great Women' should never include a traitor whose hands are covered with the blood of so many patriots. There are few things I have strong visceral reactions to, but Hanoi Jane's participation in blatant treason, is one of them. Please take the time to forward to as many people as you possibly can. It will eventually end up on her computer and she needs to know that we will never forget. RONALD D. SAMPSON, CMSgt, USAF 716 Maintenance Squadron, Chief of Maintenance DSN: 875-6431 COMM: 883-6343


PLEASE HELP BY SENDING THIS TO EVERYONE IN YOUR ADDRESS BOOK. IF ENOUGH PEOPLE SEE THIS MAYBE HER STATUS WILL CHANGE .
P.S. (October 5, 2008): Received a email from a Chad Barnes who directed me to the Snopes.com article dealing with Jane Fonda. Here is the link to that article ( http://www.snopes.com/military/fonda.asp ). The bits of paper that was mentioned above in the chain letter email that my friend sent me according to the Snopes article did not actually happened. Use the link to find out for yourself. But I think the title of this article remains the same.