Muslim Brotherhood Detailed Their Planned Implementation Of Sharia Law In Egypt

The Muslim Brotherhood would implement Sharia law in Egypt "If the people want it we will implement it." And as far as stoning for adultery, if women don't commit adultery "don't go through that red light" then of course there would be no stoning for adultery. 

If TMB gains power in Egypt under Obama's watch there is no electoral defeat big enough to cover the shame.

The Muslim Brotherhood's draft platform includes "the clear decision to exclude women and all non-Muslims from senior positions in the state." 

Any word from NOW or other feminist groups regarding the responsibility of the Obama administration for this possibility or support for their sisters in Egypt who are under this potential threat?

The M.J. Sheppard Post Report

Sullivan like so many on the left is in a daze over Libya "It's so surreal so discordant." It's taken over two years for the scales to (partially) drop. When the light finally dawns there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.


China admonishes Sarkozy at diplomatic meeting over Libya, calls for an immediate cease-fire and says the operation "has gone too far". What does this portend for the Obama administration?


Some are in such a quandary that  instead of bumping about partially sighted like Sullivan they are in total denial. Astonishingly the vanguard "progressive" blog Daily Kos which bashed Bush unremittingly over Iraq had not one single mention, not a column not a readers post-nothing, nada about our mission in Libya-wither all that anger?


The Muslim Brotherhood would implement Sharia law in Egypt "If the people want it we will implement it." And as far as stoning for adultery, if women don't commit adultery "don't go through that red light" then of course there would be no stoning for adultery. If TMB gains power in Egypt under Obama's watch there is no electoral defeat big enough to cover the shame.


The Muslim Brotherhood's draft platform includes "the clear decision to exclude women and all non-Muslims from senior positions in the state." Any word from NOW or other feminist groups regarding the responsibility of the Obama administration for this possibility or support for their sisters in Egypt who are under this potential threat?


Distinguished Professor Eric Altman has this to say, inter alia, about the media's candidate of the week-the Non-Palin. "And how can any reporter expect anyone, anytime to take him or her seriously if they treat the “Bachmann for President” boomlet as anything but a symbol of a political system that has run itself off the rails of sanity?"


Palin has garnered the thinking lesbian vote- and it is for her policy and for her humanity. She has a hugely loyal (to Clinton too) gay following as well. How can any leftist accuse her of being anything but supportive of all people is ridiculous.


The decline of Britain began-not with the two world wars- but with the commencement of the economic policy of free trade.The United States is making the same mistake whilst our rivals in the Far East pursue a policy of mercantilism at our expense. Does any GOP candidate have the guts to present the concept of protection to the public?  How would voters in the rust belt react?


Economic doom and gloom "U.S. economy in the greater depression confirmed by GDP data" from a self proclaimed doom and gloomer-but the charts and the predictions are frightening. It's all here-fraud, crooks, Bernanke, Obama the lot.

Christian Conservative Political Sites Linking To "Page 3 Girls" A Moral Quandary?

On the hugely popular conservative website; 
"The Other McCain" there is a running item, "How to get a million hits on your blog." This advice to bloggers includes the famous "Rule5" which consists of links to various sites which display photographs of assorted and highly nubile cheerleaders, Grid girls, actresses and other images which display the female form in various states of undress.


It must be stated straight away that none of these linked images,that I have seen (purely in the interest of research) would trouble any censors, or even ones maiden aunt (if such a personage still exists). No, they are the equivalent to the basic "cheesecake" or "Page 3 Girls" so beloved of the U.K. tabloids. Dare I say it, they serve the same purpose on conservative sites as they do on the British tabloids-to get as many eyeballs on paper/screen as possible.


In the nature of an experiment to verify the effectiveness of this age old stratagem, and on a much more staid basis, I created a page "A Celebration Of  Beautiful Women" which was simply head shots of those women who I felt were particularly attractive. In my defense there was nothing salacious or even misogynistic (I think) about the posting. I  then created another post with the catchy title "Is It Right To Link To Pictures of 52 Grid Girls" which linked to assorted (tasteful but admittedly slightly erotic) beauties of the Formula 1 circuit.


At this point the redoubtable "Smitty" of The Other McCain fame joined in the experiment and linked, on separate days, to my two postings as they suited "Rule 5"-the result was startling.The "Beautiful Women" post received an, for my blog, unusual number of hit. But the hits for the "Grid Girls simply exploded and came from around the world. The answer to "does skin still sell" is yes, absolutely, and the more skin the bigger the sell !


In conveying the prof of the validity of Rule 5 (a message that hardly needed conveying of course) to Smitty we struck up a dialogue on the metaphysics of transcendental Christian values (we being  professed Christians). This, in relation to the ethical question of such Christians using this sort of imagery to attract readers to our particular political point of view. Who knew that Page 3 Girls could be such a source of soul searching, angst, and even possibly, a doorway to the fiery pit?


What I suggested was that on purely ethical grounds the images are wholesome and that the nubiles posing or cheerleading are apparently happily and voluntarily engaging in a time honored activity for which they strive for against much competition and for which they  are presumably well compensated.


I put this sort of image fun at the same level as some of the evangelical outreach to youth methods we have seen over the years. These include such bizarre events as hot water bottle blowing up competitions, Christian rock bands and latterly Christian heavy metal bands and even WWF type wrestling extravaganzas with all the hype that goes with that "sport".


No one forces those who click on the various links to do so-which is free will and predestination at the same time-a quandary for theologians to sort out. Once having done so the worst thing that might happen to the linker would be to experience a small degree of titillation. Now, as for what a Christians attitude might be to using the bevy of beauties to gain readers perhaps a look at the Bible might give some guidance.


Lets see what the Good News bible says-firstly about Ecclesiastes. "The fact that this book is in the Bible shows that biblical faith is broad enough to take in such pessimism and doubts...and that the same Bible reflects these thoughts also offers hope that gives life its greater meaning."


Then,the next chapter is "The Song Of Songs" which has some sentences which would surely bring a blush to a maidens cheek (Chap 4;1-7) and to which the preceding comment about "a  broad faith reflected in the Bible" surely applies also. One chapter is pessimistic,one optimistic and full of the joys of life which include the natural male/female relationship in its fullest.


There is no problem that I can see in a Christian celebrating this joy in the company of "Rule 5 Ladies" and disseminating it to others to share in !

President Obama Hits Lowest Yet In Quinnipiac And Nears All Time Rasmussen Low

A new Quinnipiac poll sees President Obama at all time lows for their polling at 42% and just 2 points above Rasmussens all time low at 43%

American voters disapprove 48 – 42 percent of the job President Barack Obama is doing and say 50 – 41 percent he does not deserve to be re-elected in 2012, both all-time lows, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today.

This compares to a 46 – 46 percent job approval rating and a 45 – 47 percent split on the President’s re-election in a March 3 survey by the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University. In a hypothetical 2012 matchup, President Obama gets 36 percent of the vote to 37 percent for an unnamed Republican challenger.

Democrats approve 80 – 13 percent of the job Obama is doing, but disapproval is 81 – 9 percent among Republicans and 50 – 39 percent among independent voters. Men disapprove 52 – 41 percent while women split 44 – 44 percent.

Milbank Puzzled By The Obama Doctrine Resorts To Palin Derangement Syndrome Again

Like so many on the left who are now having to defend a president who is involved in a new war, or "kinetic action" Dana Milbank of "Palin moratorium month" fame struggles with how to respond to what the left spent years attacking the Bush administration for.


At least Kuchinich and a few others are being true to their beliefs and some of the far left "progressive' blogs like Crooks&Liars commentators have walked away from Obama but the Washpost and Beltway denizens are struggling-poor them.


Here is Milbank on President Obama and the newly minted "Obama doctrine" which Jon Stewart lampooned in a devastating contrast with JFK's "Fight any foe" speech

"And it's true that after the good versus evil, binary logic of the Bush years -- you're with us or you're with the terrorists -- Obama's answer is vague and unsatisfying.

On the other hand, maybe the lack of a fixed doctrine isn't such a bad thing. Being doctrinaire, after all, got the last guy into quite a bit of trouble. Everybody knew what the Bush doctrine was -- at least, everybody but Sarah Palin ("in what respect, Charlie?"). 

Hello??  Everybody knew what the "Bush doctrine" was? Not according to Bill O'Reilly "there is no precise definition of the Bush doctrine"

But that doesn't matter, in the Lefts thrashing about trying to defend something they have railed against they have hit on the diversion they think will remove the stain of hypocrisy-attack Sarah Palin.It is interesting that he finds her "newsworthy" again which was the standard set for mentioning her name after the "moratorium". 

And, for goodness sake, she mispronounced "skirmish." That alone is enough to justify for them the actions of  this president who got the nomination by having voted against the Iraq war whilst Clinton voted for it and is now involved in three wars.

If this war turns out badly in conception and action,especially if   there is loss of American lives then attacking Palin whilst defending President Obama will hold only one side open to ridicule-and it won't be the Palin side. In the meantime perhaps Milbank should seek professional help for  his returning PDS.

Can Barbour Win In 2012? Computer Says No.

That great friend of the conservative movement Jonathan Martin at the fair and balanced (especially when Palin is involved) site Politico has an article up which  has this weeks media swoon presidential candidate Haley Barbour in focus.


It has a "my people want to speak to your people" slant advising that representatives of Barbour are seeking out representatives of Mike Huckabee to see if they can get Huckabee,should he not run to endorse Barbour. This has been picked up by Hot Air who do their analysis of  it might play out  in the primary elections in South Carolina and Iowa.


Fair enough, the scenario's are possible should this come to pass-even though it appears Huckabee's people have denied there is dialogue, But for arguments sake, and of course anything can happen, what might a possible electoral college map look like about midnight on election night? Before examining that it might be useful to consider the comments,which are of course partisan, at Hot Air which they preface with this comment “Haley Barbour figures out way to alienate entire conservative blogosphere.”


There follows comments about staying at home, how all Barbour  needs is a white suit and a cigar and Boss Hog would be running, DOA  and, well you can read them for yourself. I can't imagine what the left Blogosphere would make of a Barbour candidacy, much less the late night comedians, but if he is the GOP's choice so be it.


I think the map below is a fair representation of what I believe might be the maximum result, given normal circumstances, for Barbour. He wins the entire south including the vital states of North Carolina, Florida and Virginia. If any of those were lost then Republicans might as well turn off their television around 8 p.m. or so. After that the absolute key to the election, as it was for John Kerry, is Ohio.


If Ohio is lost the election is lost. To me Barbour would be one of the least likely of the GOP candidates with a realistic chance of ,getting the nomination, who could appeal to the blue collar northern working class in Ohio, especially any Blacks, who might have been otherwise  persuaded to vote Republican. This, even with a Northerner as his VP-Pawlenty for example.


Even in the best case scenario I can find, if Colorado is added to a Barbour score, along with Iowa, he still wouldn't win. Stretching matters to their ultimate, if he won Iowa, Colorado and Nevada it would result in a tie in the electoral college. 


To me a Palin candidacy would have the best chance of taking Ohio (she would not even need Colorado) and with a VP from Florida-West or Rubio (who would shore up her Southwest Hispanic vote as well) she would have a good chance of taking the three key states of Florida/North Carolina/Virginia. 


Any dreams of Wisconsin/Michigan/Minnesota going to the GOP may have been dealt an irreversible blow by the industrial unrest in the area, whereas it has been lower key in Ohio. This might affect consideration of Pawlenty's chances too.

Linked to Hot Air

Pray For The Heroic Workers At The Reactor Plants In Japan-the Bravest Of The Brave

CNN reports that about 100 people are doing the best to contain and repair the atomic reactors.They  are according to the report, sleeping in corridors and conference rooms and being fed a diet of crackers and one sealed meal a day.


They are surrounded by contaminated water from the efforts to cool the reactors and we know some have been taken away to hospital for emergency treatment.


These people are incredibly brave and not just Japan, but the world owes them our deepest thoughts and prayers. No matter what their religion may be,or if they have no religion they are action for humanity in the greatest spirit of humanity.


Jesus said  "No greater love doth a man have than to lay down his life for his friends". Let us hope and pray it does not come to that for any of these workers who are in God's hands and in all our prayers.

An Apology In Honor Of Christian Martyrs Amongst The Leprosy Afflicted In India

It is very much to my regret that I have just read about the burning to death of Christan Missionary Graham Staines and his two sons whilst they were sleeping in their car in Orissa in 1999.  If this posting can, in some small way, honor their sacrifice then hopefully it will go some way to making up for my being sadly remiss in not being aware of tragedy.

According to the article, which discusses the life sentence handed down against one of the perpetrators, it advises that in fact Staines does not appear to have actively converted anyone. Conversion is against the law in India whereas propagation is not, but irrespective of that he, and his sons died as active evangelicals for Christ, and deserve all honor, and his wife every condolence..

The highlighted part of the article relates to The Leprosy Mission complaint that calling the people Mr. Staines worked amongst "lepers" is an insult to them and reinforces stigma. The United Nations and WHO have made it clear that calling those with the infection, or cured but with a disability "people affected by lerosy' will be a major step forward in removing the stigma of superstion and ignorance.

Ice As An Aid To Faith. Who Knew?

Best Yet Daily Kos Palin Comment:"Hand Fed Grapes,Scantily Clad In Silk Underwear"

The youngsters at 'Daily Kos' have outdone themselves in the massive number of posts about whether Maher was right or wrong to call Sarah Palin a "twat." Some Wimmen are offended, some think that although Palin is lower than Satan herself, she should be defended "as a female". Others (women) say that Maher didn't go far enough in his cursing.


I wouldn't inflict on anyone the suggestion they actually  read the assorted juvenile blatherings, but now and then one appears which tops all others for sheer idiocy-as per this gem;


"The Mean Girl has a fan club and ambition - her ambition and her aspirations would have you and me bound in some slave state while she sat around being hand fed grapes, scantily clad in silk underwear she got off of the McCain Campaign and barking out orders for our demise.  Screw her.  She's not a woman - she's not even human - she's a monster."


The liberal frame of  mind its its utter blind rage is not a pretty sight and frankly will be the material for many clinical papers in the future. The Kos postings are proof, yet again, that liberalism is a diseased state of mind, a psychopathology with hidden roots

Palin And The Art Of English Maintenance

Writing the occasional column in support of Governor Palin is a challenge, a delight, a source of anger and one particularly unexpected and delightful pleasure.


A challenge because, given the subject, I am pressured to write something which approaches the qualities of the person. This is easy in one respect, that is because Palin has so many positive attributes, does so many interesting things, responds to her own challenges in a forthright, sometimes heroic fashion, that the ideas for commentary flow readily. 


On the other hand it is these very qualities which challenge one to rise to the highest level of commentary that they demand of a writer which is a significant task-for myself anyway.


The subject is of course a delight to consider in herself and, if I do manage to finish an article, which I feel goes some of the way in making an insightful commentary which will, in some small way, advance her progress, or at least negate some negativity about her, I am delighted.


The articles can provide a source of anger, beyond the frustrations of not creating something worthwhile. This is because I have to, from time to time, deal with some negative article or comment about Palin which, even having to refer and review that sort of thing, can affect ones mood. Challenging and destroying the negative commentary is cathartic in the end, but the journey is troublesome.


There is one unexpected pleasure, and reward actually, which encompasses all the other aspects in itself-challenge/delight/anger, and that is the "maintenance" of the English language in trying to craft an article worthy of the subject and the readers attention. 


In doing so I find I have to refer to source material which includes in-depth articles and books by great and deeply intellectual writers, some whose language borders on the archaic, particularly the philosophers like John Stuart Mill and Locke, and economists like Hayek and Friedman.


I consider I have a wide vocabulary which serves me well in my modes of expression but in reading the greats I am immediately humbled by the reality of the smallness of  my word storehouse and how poorly I serve those who read my columns. 


The English language has such wonderful depth and breadth of expression. So many words have a similar meaning to others but there are subtle differences which convey a slight change of meaning. Then there are, to me at least, obscure words which seem to stand alone and convey deep meaning and a complexity which drives one to the dictionary to understand the very dictionary definition of the word.


In just the last few weeks, in researching a few columns for Palin articles, I have come across these words which I list as an example of the challenge and delight they (and she) present. 


I apologize if to some readers they, the words, are so obvious that they may wonder at my lack of depth, but if others have, like myself either not heard of them before, or were vaguely or incorrectly in understanding of them, I hope they too will enjoy discovering and using them too. Most of all I thank Governor Palin for being the person she is who so inspires ordinary folk like myself to rise to their best level-a quality in her I look forward to America sharing when she is president.


Neotic/Induction/(evidence) Aliunde/Nominalism/Tabula Rasa/Ratiocination/Quale/Demiourgos/Determinism


Just as an example of one definition, Determinism is defined so:


"Determinism (specifically causal determinism) is the concept that events within a given paradigm are bound by causality in such a way that any state (of an object or event) is completely, or at least to some large degree,determined by prior states. In physics, this principle is known as cause-and-effect."

From Liberal To Conservative To Stossel Libertarian-A Bridge Too Far?

This blog was originally titled "Recovering Liberal" and was created to convey my thoughts on various topics based on a lifetimes experiences. I made it clear that I had progressed, as I saw it, from the left-wing views of  my youth to the conservative views of, I trust, my more mature frame of mind.


In considering the presentations I was making, I was struck by the need to not simply discuss events from an ultra-conservative, or reactionary point of view, but to ensure topics always had reasoning and facts as their basis-rather than simply being rants. 


I felt a strong contrast between formerly held liberal views, which were based on emotion, and now held conservative views which are based on reason. This demand for reason naturally led to seeking out the views of major conservative thinkers such as Hayek and Milton Friedman.


There, challenges arose. In reading Hayek and his anti-statism views there was, I considered, little to disagree with. Friedman's economic views on the other hand became a matter of much self debate. This as regards his flat tax prescription, the validity of his monetary approach as opposed to the Keynesian in relation to the current economic turmoil, and more pointedly, the actions of Bernanke in dealing with it-a matter of much soul searching for me.


This applies also to Friedman's other economic prescriptions which include his attitude the Social Security Administration which he advises could be abolished "at once" his call for completely free trade amongst all nations, and to abolish the FDA.


The biggest challenge however is Friedman's libertarian outlook, He seems to me to take free will to the point of excess in e.g. his attitude to drugs "let us be free to choose what chances we wish to take with our own lives."


My first instinct is to reject these concepts outright as running not only contradictory to my life's outlook whether liberal or now conservative. This reaction is however tempered by the totality of Friedman's proposals in his book 'Free To Choose' and of course by the respect one must hold a Nobel Prize winner in economics.


What further tempers this gut instinct outright rejection of what appears an extreme libertarian philosophy, has been viewing the recent television presentations by John Stossel. It is, for anyone who takes a dispassionate, non-rigid look at Stossel's show, difficult to find fault with the premises he presents. 


Stossel demolishes, for example, the administrations farcical rescue packages such as "cash for clunkers" with a clear, unarguable lucidity. He brings a worrisome portrait of this destruction by governmental waste, in such a manner that it would be foolish to reject his premises out of hand.


However, so ingrained is the accumulated mental dependence on the state, so engrained is the regard for the "government knows best" idea that one struggles to believe ones eyes and ears when watching Stossel's presentations.


For me, now, Friedman and Stossel are "a bridge too far" but a bridge, whose outlines in the distance are becoming clearer, and the fog surrounding it is slowly, but steadily lifting.

Gallup Shows Support For Palin Grouping Rises Whilst Romney Declines

Once again the media, in their  haste to write Sarah Palin off as a presidential candidate have, for the most part completely misread the latest Gallup poll which showed Palin dropping back to 12 % from 16% amongst GOP preferences. Firstly here are the results of the aggregate polls from February 8th

"The Real Clear Politics polling aggregate of 8 major polling firms shows, as I have been regularly promoting that the combined Palin/Huckabee support amongst GOP voters is up to more than double that for Romney who is the next highest choice.
The RCP average for Palin/Huckabee is 35.3% and for Romney it is 18.8%. This result is perfectly in line with the 33%-40% that the Palin/Huckabee support level has been running at for months as set out previously.

If we look at the current Gallup polling we see the following:

Firstly Palin's result is within the normal margin of error and could be 16% but if we take it at face value we find the Huckabee/Palin support at  31%. What has happened  to affect this is the 5% of support for Bachman who is the current media darling (this changes almost  daily). It would be expected that her 5% has come from Palin's support or, to put it another way, if she had not announced an interest in running the majority of her support would go to Palin.

Thus according to the Gallup poll, the forces represented by Huckabee/Palin Bachman garner 36% whereas Romney's support has fallen from 18.8% to

15%. It is clear, as poll after poll has consistently shown that the grass roots wants a true conservative candidate.

In reality Bachman stands no chance whatsoever to win the nomination. The above results show it is to be decided by what Mike Huckabee does. the Gallup analysis shows that if he does not run his supporters would go, in the main to Palin and she and Romney would be running neck and neck.

If that was the case then the early primaries of Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina might be decisive. The odds are,given the structure of those states, that Palin would win two out of the three and be well on  her way to the nomination.

John Bolton As Vice-President-Palin's Cheney ? (And Tribute To Geraldine Ferraro)

As with Sarah Palin and many others I add my condolences at the passing of Geraldine Ferraro. Her historic achievement as the first female vice-presidential candidate set a new framework for American politics. That it took 64 years after American women were allowed the vote showed the strength of the opposition to change, and the fortitude she had to carry off her role with the honor she did.


[UPDATE; Bolton delivers a major speech on the election and foreign policy]

In looking to the next election and the possible historic situation of having the first female presidential candidate or president the question of which person, man or woman, who would be best suited as vice-president arises


According to the poll I ran which was substantially responded to from from Palin supporting sites new congressman Allen West was the run-away choice as a Vice-President for Palin if she runs in 2012.


West certainly has some very positive aspects to him as a potential running mate, not least helping to put the crucial state of Florida in play, but there is a massive gap in his CV which, in my opinion, negates him as a potential running mate. 


There is no history of any legislative experience on his part-a matter which weighs heavily in the mind of the public when they look at a ticket and ask themselves "if anything happens to the potential president would the potential Vice-president have the experiences to step straight into the job?"


Even  though Governor Palin had a record of substantial managerial and legislative experience she still came under strong attack in her 2008 VP run as somehow lacking in those areas.This was of course ironic given that candidate Obama had a much smaller record in those areas-but the leftist media was selective in its outlook of course.


To think that the same media would not continue their attack on Palin's record, emboldened even further by not having to defend President Obama as not having a legislative/managerial history is disingenuous. 


To imagine that they would not attack West as having no record and making Palin have to constantly defend her choice in that respect, wasting precious media time, is beyond being disingenuous.


In the "Choose A Vice-President For Palin" poll the only  other candidate beside West who showed relatively strongly, in fact the only other one to get into double figures, was Rudy Giulliani. 


Giulliani a national hero, has a long record of experience in management, is acceptable on the pro-life issue, has extensive foreign connections, is a Catholic and also might assist with putting Florida in play, given the substantial time he has spent there, and his connection with ex-New Yorkers who have retired there.


There are some difficulties with Giulliani, appreciating that there is no such thing as the "perfect" candidate, which include his lacklustre presidential run in 2008, and his personal marriage history, which might not resonate to well with some conservative Christians. 


That said, it is still my opinion that his positives well outweigh any negatives, and he would most certainly bring a strong element of stability, positivity, and a no-nonsense approach. He would make an excellent spearhead for Palin who could concentrate on policy and not be charged with divisiveness.


However, should Giulliani's negatives  be seen as an impediment to his being chosen there are two others who would add the needed gravitas to a Palin run. I have canvassed Condoleezza Rice as potential running mate as her foreign policy credentials are beyond reproach. 


Frankly speaking her candidacy would be a very powerful antidote to the, sure to happen, background campaign against both Palin and especially the GOP, as somehow "racists." Further, as a ticket with two women, it would be a very strong magnet to the women of America who are, after all, a majority. It would be an historic draw for many to see not one, but two women occupying the highest offices in the land.


To this point Rice has given no indication of any interest in the 2012 election, but there is another option-John Bolton who would bring a similar very high level of gravitas and experience to the ticket. Bolton impresses more each time I see him. 


His latest appearance on Great Van Susteren's show, discussing the conflict in Libya, was absolutely straightforward, incisive, and insightful. He has a wealth of foreign policy experience at his fingertips and tells it as it is. He presents an absolutely clear set of ideas which he expresses forcibly, and would make an outstanding debater who would of course more than hold his own against Biden.


Bolton appeared to have considered a presidential run himself, but there has been little poll response, and he seems to have placed the concept aside. He appears very much cast in the Cheney mold as a person who garners substantial respect for his honesty, forthrightness, experience and gravitas, but whose personality, lacking in the unique factor of charisma, is perhaps not suited for a presidential run. 


On the other hand, Bolton  can add, as Cheney did for Bush, special factors to balance the ticket . These would give the voting public confidence that  the VP could step straight into the presidency if needed.


Bolton is an excellent choice for Palin and a Palin/Bolton ticket would have an excellent chance of victory.

Obsessed Sullivan: Why Doesn't Palin Defend Herself On Maher's Show?

Uterus prober Andrew Sullivan asks why Sarah Palin doesn't go on Bill Maher's show to defend herself against his attacks. Well perhaps Andrew she doesn't want to give a massive ratings boost to a misogynist who called her a "twat". Unfortunately Sullivan is so plainly obsessed with Palin that his human sensitivities have fallen to the wayside.


He accuses Palin of of sticking in her media "cocoon", of being afraid to go on non-Fox shows where he says she will get caught out in her "voluminous lies." Again, Sullivan's obsession blinds him to the many times Palin has been interviewed non-Fox including an extensive interview with the BBC, Leno, Oprah,Walters on ABC, Politico, CNN (Blitzer), Larry King, and various foreign media including this interview with the Indian media


The strange dichotomy that is Sullivan's attitude to Palin continues however-no matter what the seemingly negative polls about her he finds some positive spin as per his most recent column where he points out that in the Gallup poll which has Palin at 12% if Huckabee doesn't run she would be tied with Romney. There is some weird love/hate thing going on which lies in the field of psychiatry not politics.

A Sad Aspect Of Art-Unrecognized Graphic Artist Genius

Reading art history is often one of the most depressing pastimes. So many artists, whose works now command tens of millions of dollars at auction and are prized museum pieces died in penury.


The Fauvists,Van gogh, Modigliani, the Impressionists and so many others through history were ridiculed, mocked, derided, died poor, didn't sell a single painting, and died not knowing that later generations would venerate their work-it is all so sad and depressing.


This applies to writers too of course but because painting is a visual art there seems,to me at least,something more poignant about the starving artists than the starving writer or poet in their respective garrets.


To me this poignancy extends from the greats even to the not so great and all the way down to the graphic artist whose work ,except perhaps for Toulouse-Lautrec has been undervalued. This came to mind as I was looking at a web site of "Cinderella stamps". These are faux postage stamps which were popular especially in the 1920-1930's and were basically advertisements, which were placed on envelopes alongside genuine postage stamps.


City corporations created them to advertize safety matters like safe driving at railway crossing ( a particularly brilliant example is illustrated below) and local festivals etc. In the latter case I was struck by the advertizement for a "Summer Carnival" of 1923, created for the Auckland New Zealand City Council as illustrated below.


This is not museum piece masterpiece, except perhaps, as part of a collection of graphic artist posters from the 1920's, but it has a delightful period piece charm with its bright colors and Art Deco lettering style. There is a constant flow of movement throughout, especially with the curve of layered, large and small, colored dots at the bottom of the work and the blending and flow of arms to held hands and the curve of the legs to feet.


But again, finding such a delightful work carries with it a touch of sadness-all that  remains of this obscure items creator in the public mind, found by chance, is the artists initial "S". He or she remains anonymous and, if it wasn't for the internet, would have been totally unknown, but is now, through this blog, visible throughout the world for those who are interested in such things. 


This of course brings an even greater poignancy as "S" would never know of this small recognition. A contradiction-depressing and exhilaration at the same time-art is a many splendored and puzzling thing.

There are some other "Cinderella" items of interest graphics wise at this link

All Positive Reviews of Palin's Speech In Florida In One Place Including Local Fox TV Report

Here are the links to comments on Sarah Palin's discursive address in Naples Florida yesterday-certainly a major address covering vital topics. This was an impressive speech especially considering her hectic intercontinental schedule and is even the more admirable for that. Her audience seemed impressed with the telling remark that Palin being seen without the filter of the media was eye opening. I have not seen the local Fox TV report elsewhere

Palin on Greta's programme (Terrorism/Israel/NOW)

Florida News-Press  Very positive news report

"Sarah Palin elicits smiles in Naples"

Naples News. Another very positive press report "You betcha I'll be around in 2012"

Adrienne at "Motivation Truth" waxes lyrically about Sarah's performance on Greta Van Susteren's program

Here is the local Fox stations report:

http://www.fox4now.com/global/Category.asp?c=177462&autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=5687943

Tribute To My Late Grandfather's Immigrant Struggles-Vote For Palin

Like so many others I am sure, one of my greatest regrets in life, looking back, was not talking enough with my grandparents about their early life and challenges. But when you are a teenager it is natural of course to look forward, and be self-absorbed and, as much as your grandparents are a pleasure, one may not look to them to often beyond their birthday cards, with the ten dollars inside.


But now when I have reached a stage in life where I am putting all the family photo's in albums, a massive task, and a challenge to memory as to dates, and "who is that standing next to my Aunt?" the early photo's from my parents collection have brought me up with a start.


My great grandparents emigrated to Manchester England from Riga in Latvia, basically a large peasant family with little education, into what Milton Friedman so correctly called, in describing his own families sojourn, "a poverty to aspire to." Some of their children branched out to Nyack New York where they established a pharmacy, one jumped ship in Australia and became a mule driver in World War One before settling eventually in the Bronx, but my grandfather began a career as a professional boxer in Manchester under the ring name "Alf Mansfield".


Here he is as a young man who had become so accomplished that he got on a cigarette card. he fought a number of times for the world championship, about which I knew nothing until he made a recording of his early life just before he passed away. 


His greatest achievement was in almost winning the world title from the immortal Jimmy Wilde as shown in the picture from 1919. Unfortunately he pulled a Billy Conn, and ahead on points, he went for the knock-out which was mistake against "The Mighty Atom" as Wilde was known, and suffered the same fate that Conn did doing the same thing against Joe Louis.


My grandfather had a long career trying to support his family. He eventually went blind, as in the picture with my mother and aunt, through detached retina's which was a price working class men paid, and worse, for a boxing career in those days when there were 15 round+ bouts, and referees were not so quick to interfere when a boxer was being badly beaten.


In considering the struggles of my great-grandparents and grandparents, and the opportunities that eventually presented themselves down the generations in America (two of my sons have doctorates and a third is preparing for one) I can't help but reflect that all they achieved came almost entirely through self-effort. It was this impulse to do the best they could for their family and their country, unimpeded by state dictate and bureaucracy, by immigrants which made America great. 


It is this spirit of gritty determination that I see in Sarah Palin, in her prescription for a renewal of the American spirit through limited government, and through engendering self-reliance and in her determined spirit, in which I see echoes of my grandparents. This new clarity of vision leads me to believe the greatest honor I can pay to the struggles of my forebears is to see those struggles come to bear the fullest fruit under a government led by someone, e.g. Sarah Palin, who personifies their culmination.

Is It Right Or Pure Sexism To Link To 52 Photo's Of Formula 1 Grid Beauties

It is a quandary-I can certainly understand sites using pictures of skimpily dressed very pretty women-just like these of the  Formula 1 "Grid Girls". However, is bringing this to the attention of the wider public doing the same thing?

 It is a public service to mention possible examples of chauvinism but it can have its own challenges. Perhaps the best thing is to let the viewer look at all 52 pictures and judge for themselves as per this one example of the other 51 at this link:
http://nz.sports.yahoo.com/galleries/g/7939107/our-favourite-grid-girls/9060453/

Pawlenty & Mondale-Minnesota twins? Same Election Result? Call Palin Stat.

Which is which?

With both these look a likes  from Minnesota- its too much of a coincidence not to get the same result if Pawlenty is (somehow) the nominee. Mondale, of Norwegian descent, was nicknamed "Norwegian Wood" as he was the stiffest candidate until Gore. 


With Pawlenty aiming for that title, the similarities pile up unnervingly. 


Of course nothing is more unnerving to conservatives than this map of the last presidential result with a candidate from Minnesota. Just imagine all the red states from 1984 blue in 2012 and all the blue, well the one blue state, (perhaps) red.


With Pawlenty all but a declared candidate, frankly the GOP can do better thanks, and instead of having a female VP like Mondale chose, a female presidential candidate would avert a "Minnesota twins" disaster.