Atlanta Out Loud

Politics and rantings and just stuff that catches my attention.

Friday, September 24, 2004

|| 3:58:40 PM
The Art of Losing Friends
John Kerry is always yapping about how easily he can "bring the nations of the world together. If that's the case, then why did he do such a great job of alienating Australia, and perhaps the most important new ally we've had since the Cold War ended, Iraq. I wonder if he made new friends like this as a child on the playground.

For them to question the motives of the Prime Minister of Iraq is tantamount to calling the guy a liar. The Kerry chose the word "puppet"...

"The last thing you want to be seen as is a puppet of the United States, and you can almost see the hand underneath the shirt today moving the lips," said Joe Lockhart, a senior Kerry adviser.
Not exactly the way to build a meaningful international alliance. God help us if Kerry does get elected and then actually has to work with this "puppet."

We're supposed to believe that all Iraqis hate us with a vengence, but all Allawi could say is "Thank You, America." He even felt the need to thank the members of Congress who voted to authorize the war and the funding of same.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I particularly want to thank you in the United States Congress for your brave vote in 2002 to authorize American men and women to go to war to liberate my country, because you realized what was at stake. And I want to thank you for your continued commitment last year when you voted to
grant Iraq a generous reconstruction and security funding package."
He resisted the understandable urge to immediately chastise those who voted against it after they voted for it. Predictably, with their head in the sand, only 19 of the 49 Democrats in the Senate bothered to show up.
4 comments

|| 10:46:25 AM

Just another reason why the bogus war on drugs is a really stupid idea. Another productive life destroyed by a government jobs program called the war on drugs.

FareinHYPE 9-11
I never went to see that venomous filth spewing forth from fat-ass Michael Moore called Fareinheit 9-11. But I did have fun distributing this rebuttal to all of my friends. But, here's a movie that I will definitely pay money to see.

One Moron, One Vote
Neal Boortz has written an article about something I've thought a lot about. In fact, I just had a conversation about this with one of my liberal friends last night. Interesting that most Americans believe the right to vote by mass rule is a God-given right but it shows up nowhere in our Constitution. Of course, that's why most Americans also do not understand the purpose of the Electoral College. Anyway, I rather like the idea of voting as shareholders in America. My plan didn't include the giving away of a "free" vote by virtue of the fact that you are a citizen as Neal suggests but I can buy that. But one vote for every dollar you pay in actual taxes is a very intriguing idea to me.

Hey, I thought the Economy Sucked?
The AJC (via AP) reports today that there are 313 billionaires in the US right now. Thats up +51 from last year. But how the hell did this happen when the economy sucks so bad? And so much for that tired "rich getting richer" claim from Kerry & Co. There are MORE rich people (51 more at least), not just the SAME rich people.

The Stupidity of Smokers... This one should be Mother of the Year

0 comments

Thursday, September 23, 2004

|| 2:23:17 PM

CBS Joins Michael Jackson Defense Team
Perhaps the photos of naked young boys found at Michael Jackson's home (which have obviously been denied as authentic by his defense attorneys) is another example of 'Fake but Accurate' evidence.

Now That's Valuable Research!
Thanks to researchers at a public university we now know that Swimming in syrup is as easy as swimming in water! Still no cure for AIDS or cancer.

0 comments

Wednesday, September 22, 2004

|| 11:29:33 PM
Fantasy Draft
No, it's not about Fantasy Football... it's John Kerry's world of make-believe. I know better than to surf the web this close to bedtime.

Instapundit notes today in a campaign speech, John Kerry responded to a question about the possibility of the draft: "If George Bush were to be re-elected, given the way he has gone about this war and given his avoidance of responsibility in North Korea and Iran and other places, is it possible? I can't tell you.”

The AP used that quote as the basis for an article with this headline: Kerry: Draft Likely to Return Under Bush. Huh? Did I miss something? Yahoo later replaced the AP story under the same link with Kerry says Bush in "Make-Believe" World. Pot, meet Kettle.

At first this seems a little weird. Then, Below Street Level suggests it may be an overzealous reporter trying to create the story. That seems like a reasonable explanation.

But then, it appears to have become a regular talking point of the Democrats with Max Cleland and Howard Dean trying to scare young people into drinking the kool-aid.

The only problem with all of this is that George Bush and the Republicans have never suggested the draft should be reinstated. It is Democrat Charles Rangle who introduced the bill (HR 163) to reinstate the draft.

In the words of the immortal James Traficant, "BEAM ME UP, SCOTTY!"
0 comments

|| 4:30:22 PM
AIDS Organization Declines Federal Funding, Citing Too Many Strings Attached.
I must have missed this a few days ago when it was announced. Federal funding of domestic AIDS initiatives is in a sad state of affairs. As much as that angers the hell out of me, good for Vermont CARES for telling the federal government, "Thanks, but your bullshit restrictions, none-of-your-business policies, and head-in-the-sand abstinence-only educational requirements are simply not worth the price for your "free" money. Vermont CARES is probably one of the most effective state HIV/AIDS organizations in the country. I can only imagine the struggling debates they had over this decision. Sometimes non-profits have to look beyond the dollars and simply do what is right to fulfill their mission. Vermont CARES did exactly that. Frankly, I'd be more inclined to give to Vermont CARES than our very own AID Atlanta -- a misguided organization if there ever was one.
0 comments

|| 10:44:04 AM
Bar crowd kills man over a cigarette. If only they had a smoking ban in Cleveland. Afterall, smoking kills.

Bush: No apology, no retreat on Iraq. Is the AJC suggesting that there should be an apology or retreat on Iraq? I'm not sure why President Bush even wasted his time with such a worthless organization as the UN.

"A subdued U.N. audience offered polite applause at the end of Bush's speech." Has anyone ever seen a UN audience that wasn't subdued? Of course very few of these "news" stories points out that it is UN protocol not to interrupt speechs with applause and to applaud politely at the end.

Perhaps President Bush should have called out Kofi Annan for helping Saddam Hussein steal food from babies.

Kentucky Town Is Overrun With Gray-Haired People On Scooters. Ah, our government at work! I have a personal disdain -- actually more of an obsessive rage -- against people on scooters. I know there are some (very few) that are medically necessary, but most are used to haul around their lard ass owners who can't walk to the mail box without an oxygen tank. And our government will pay for it, much to the delight of these blue hairs in Kentucky. I agree with the Mayor... the federal government caused this problem, now they need to come to this Kentucky town and fix it.
0 comments

Tuesday, September 21, 2004

|| 2:29:35 PM
Kerry on Letterman

Kerry laughs it up on Letterman. Supposedly Kerry is making the rounds of talk shows (he also did Regis & Kelly this morning) to make him more "likable" to the American public. If that's the goal, once again, he's failed miserably. He looked like such a misplaced dork sitting their forcing jokes with Letterman. And it was obvious Letterman couldn't have been more bored.

My favorite part was when Dave asked him specifically what he would do to bring more of our allies into the fold in Iraq. Kerry's response was something like "I would reach out to the nations of the world... blah, blah, blah... and bring the to the table to discuss the important issues... blah, blah, blah... like I wrote about four years ago such as global warming." Huh? Now we're going to forget about the war on terror and focus on the war on global warming?

And did anyone else find it ironic that the only other Letterman guest, and immediately following Kerry, was the band Green Day, promoting their new album American Idiot?
0 comments

|| 2:17:17 PM
China fines parents over $90,000 for having more than one child.

Meanwhile, the U.S. continues to give parents who have five children and no job free food and medical care.
0 comments

|| 1:56:17 PM
Smoking Ban sent back to committee

...where it will hopefully stay. Seems our City Council can't get their arms around what constitutes a bar. If they can stall long enough, it won't matter, as the Georgia General Assembly will, in all likelihood, pass a statewide ban next year leveling the playing field for everyone. Even so, it's still a horrible idea. I loved all the people who marched up to the City Council meeting to speak about the "public health issue" this presents -- especially the fat cow who couldn't catch her breath (I think she represented the American Cancer Society) after hurrying to the meeting. "Excuse me, I'm out of breath...," she said in the middle of her comments. That's because your lard ass is a public health issue! And she wants to legislate how others should live healthier lives?!? HA!
0 comments

|| 1:34:21 PM
From Monday's AJC Vent

"For all of you who have been hit by the hurricane, we're sorry. But we've sent all of your relief money to Iraq."

Excuse me?!?!? Your relief money???? This is a prime example of the welfare entitlement mentality that infects this country's work ethic today. I wonder how many people would continue to build and rebuild their homes in areas prone to hurricanes if they knew the federal government would swoop in each time to steal money through taxation from other Americans to rescue them financially? No one ever seems to weigh the risk of their choices until it's too late.

And some presumably "poor" not-too-brite bozo in Alabama had this to say about his disappointment in the state's relief efforts: "Poor folks have a hard time getting around with no gas." Funny, rich people seem to be able to drive forever with no gas.
0 comments

Monday, September 20, 2004

|| 6:23:03 PM
Bush cost me my brother.

No, you bone head little wench, Bush did not cost you your brother. Despite what you want to believe, military service in this country is still voluntary. Your brother signed up to defend this country and honorably serve at the order of the Commander in Chief. With all due respect to the deceased, my guess is that Sgt. Ryan M. Campbell signed up hoping for some government payouts for his college education. Then the government comes along and actually asks him to fulfill the commitment he made by going and defending America and we're supposed to get all teary eyed about it? Go see if any of the victims of daily terrorist attacks have any sympathy for you.
0 comments

Monday, September 13, 2004

|| 9:51:13 AM

Things that caught my attention...

Zell Responds. The summary: He's not an angry lunatic, he meant for the speech to sound that way. Yes, Dick Cheney opposed some of the same weapons systems as John Kerry, but Cheney did it after not during the Cold War. He had nice things to say about Kerry, and he meant them... before September 11, 2001. He's not a racist, but if he is, he's at least less of a racist than Jimmy Carter.

A Worse Candidate than Bush or Kerry? Doug MacEachern at the Arizona Republic thinks that describes Libertarian candidate Michael Badnarik. I'm not sure I can agree with that, but I'll write a followup on my disagreements with the Badnarik campaign a little later.

Komedian Kerry. Some jokes from John Kerry:

Yeah, we need to lighten up.

Thai Transvestite Elephant Polo Anyone?

0 comments

Friday, September 10, 2004

|| 10:50:09 AM
The Silence is Deafening

Muslims were quite vocal with their outrage over the abuses at Abu Gharib prison. Now, I'd like to know Where's the Outrage? over shooting school children in the back by their own brethren.
0 comments

|| 10:22:06 AM
Academic Brainwashing

Having spent most of my life on or around college campuses, I'm glad someone has finally said what needs to be said in BrainWashing 101.
0 comments

|| 10:14:20 AM
Yes, Dan Rather Should Resign

Sometimes you can take a day off, because the Kerry camp doesn't need any help. You can just sit back and let them implode all by themselves.
0 comments

Thursday, September 09, 2004

|| 10:23:02 PM
Libertarian Lunatics

I have voted Libertarian in the past three national elections, and any other time I see a Libertarian candidate on a local ballot. Until now, I had planned to vote Libertarian again, much to the dismay of my Democratic friends who accuse me of wasting my vote at their expense.

The arguments for a Libertarian vote despite the horrible brand image of the party will keep for another post another day. Today, Michael Badnarik, the Libertarian candidate for President, has given me a reason to reconsider my loyalty.

Posted on Badnarik's Campaign Website is a press release written by Stephen Gordon, Badnarik's communications director which begins with an innocent enough fundraising appeal in honor of the third anniversary of 9/11.

After the first paragraph, things start to go sour. Gordon states, "primary consequences of 9/11 are the War in Iraq and the Patriot Act, policies which Bush and Kerry support but Badnarik adamantly opposes." Funny, I thought the primary consequence of 9/11 was 3,000 dead bodies, 4 crashed airliners, and the unprovoked attack on America. Libertarians were usually successful at staying above the fray that taint the other parties. The Libertarian party has now officially joined the left wing nuts who Blame America First.

Gordon goes on to invite supporters to a campaign event "coincidently scheduled for September 11, wearing some clothing article colored black to mourn the deaths of the thousands of people who have died as a result of U.S. government policies" (emphasis mine). Does the Badnarik campaign really think we are stupid enough to believe they are asking for donations ending in $9.11 and hosting a related campaign event that is just "coincidentally" scheduled for September 11?

But the main point here is the request to wear black clothing to mourn the deaths caused by the U.S. government rather than the deaths caused by the peaceful religion of Islam, Al-Qaeda and other murdering thugs. Perhaps the Libertarian party is just as loony as folks say they are. We can honor our fallen heroic sons and daughters during any of the other 364 days of the year. But, it is sick for the Libertarian party to blame America for a war we didn't start.

After being called on the carpet, Gordon makes a futile and sad attempt to recover and explain himself but the horse is out of the barn and the Badnarik Campaign has shown its true colors. Despite the title of Gordon's rebuttle, I consider myself someone who "gets it" but is practical enough to see beyond the philosophically pathological suicide.

We were united three years ago more than anytime in my lifetime. It is only because of anti-American sentiment like that spewed forth by the likes of Stephen Gordon that we are not united today. Go throw your campaign event at an Al-Qaeda training camp... and count me out of your ranks for this election.
0 comments

|| 10:16:21 AM
Resurecting the Dead

The Democrats sure are spending a lot of time listening to Jimmy Carter these days. To me that is illustrative of just what a mess the Democrats are in right now. They are in a panic as dilusional as the most hardened psychopath.

A lot of people have responded better than I can about Carter's letter to Zell chastising him for breaking ranks. One of the best is this from Discount Blogger which sums up nicely Carter's displaced loyalty to the party. The jist of Carter's admonishment is that Zell should be loyal to the Democratic party without a single thought to what is best for America.

Then, there's this reminder from James Taranto about Carter's being pimped out by the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. Carter points out that Zell was invited to the Republican convention "only because you are a democrat" and "only because you are against Kerry." But the Nobel committee said of Carter's award that it "should be interpreted as a 'kick in the leg' to current President George W. Bush's 'belligerent' foreign policy." So if Zell betrayed his Party, did Carter betray his country?

Carter should stick to building houses for Habitat for Humanity which he does very well. It would also suit me if he stuck to appeasing dictators throughout the world, which he does not so well. Just look at the ridiculous election in Venezuela that he endorsed as honest, legitimate and democratic. We now know that it was a corrupt sham and Carter is in bed with thugs like Hugo Chavez and Fidel Castro. Now, who's not being the team player?

Bottom line is this: Carter is, arguably, the worst President we have seen in our lifetime. He wasn't even invited to the Democratic party until most recently. Now all of a sudden, he's offering advice to other policians? Huh? Zell Miller, oh the other hand, has an approval rating among his constituents in the high 60s. So, by all accounts, he would be re-elected today. Carter never had an approval rating that high in his entire political career.
0 comments

Wednesday, September 08, 2004

|| 11:06:12 AM
Smokers' repreive

The Atlanta City Council is the latest government body to enter into territory that, in my humble opinion, should be off limits to government.

In its infamous wisdom, the City Council is about to use the police powers of government to force Atlanta businesses to eliminate smoking from their establishments. Don’t get me wrong… I abhor smoking. It is the nastiest, most disgusting human habit around and I will never understand the attraction. But, as much as I hate smoking and the filthy people who do it, I do not believe it is the government’s role to intervene in the capitalist system to affect people’s behavior.

They of course do it for all the right reasons... they are concerned about our health, second-hand smoke kills, clean air is good, blah, blah, blah. What they are really doing is taking away your freedom to patronize businesses that fit your lifestyle.

But no one asked me... and the smoking ban was almost surely headed for approval on Tuesday afternoon.

An announcement by president Lisa Borders that the Utilities Committee report, which held the legislation, would be moved to the end of the Council Agenda due to unresolved questions and legal clarifications, led one to believe there was a swirl of last minute wrangling for the city to justify telling folks how they should live.

Among Atlanta’s gay bars, one has long stood out as the non-smokers favorite. Red Chair made a decision eons ago to go smoke free. Presumably it was a business decision for purely capitalist reasons. The owners recognized there was no other smoke-free gay bar and perhaps they could find a niche. Indeed they did. The place is regularly packed with Atlanta’s gay A-crowd. There’s no evidence the patrons or employees are necessarily healthier, but liquor flows one way, money flows the other and everyone seems happy.

The legislation before the City Council had been pending for months since Natalyn Archibong introduced it. The Council had gone through a public hearing and several work sessions to craft the language. Indeed, this was the third substitute draft. But, as certain an outcome as there was, it would inevitably get side tracked.

Felicia Moore was, as usual, often confused – actually most of the time. She gets more bogged down in semantics and minutiae. Why does she always have to turn full Council meetings into sub-committee working sessions? I can never decide if she’s really as stupid as she sounds or if she’s just zealously anal retentive. Her usual tactic of opposition masqueraded as confusion worked to stall the measure.

After getting tangled up in an amendment over the definition of a bar vs. a restaurant, Archibong, author of the legislation, moved to send it back to committee for “one last knock-down drag-out full council work session” to bring it back for an up-or-down vote at the next council meeting. A sea of raised hands was pre-empted by a call of the question and the matter was sent back to the Utilities Committee on an 11 Yea, 1 Nay vote with Ivory Lee Young the lone holdout.
0 comments

Friday, September 03, 2004

|| 4:22:42 PM
Shirley Franklin 2005

Sick of politics? With just 14 months to go, Shirley Franklin has revamped her 2005 campaign website.
0 comments