Our Ship Of State

In his 1935 State of the Union message, President Franklin D. Roosevelt said the following:

The lessons of history, confirmed by evidence immediately before me, show conclusively that continued dependence on relief induces a spiritual and moral disintegration fundamentally destructive to the national fiber. To dole out relief in this way is to administer a narcotic, a subtle destroyer of the human spirit. It is inimical to the dictates of sound policy. It is a violation of the traditions of America.

Ironically, it was this message that Franklin used to introduce his legislation for the Social Security Act, unemployment insurance and Aid to Dependent Children programs.

Under both Democrat and Republican Democrats administrations, social entitlement programs have destroyed the traditional American family and replaced it with a ravenous impostor, a morally and spiritually dead entity that consumes and demands ever more resources and yet produces nothing but crime and poverty.

And if it wasn't so incredibly short-sighted and just flat out wrong, what follows would be hilarious. This is what FDR penned upon signing this legislation on August 14, 1935:

This law, too, represents a cornerstone in a structure which is being built but is by no means complete. It is a structure intended to lessen the force of possible future depressions. It will act as a protection to future Administrations against the necessity of going deeply into debt to furnish relief to the needy.

This pandering former NYS Governor was old, infirm and completely unaware of the consequences of his actions.

Or perhaps not.


It is still undecided as to whether or not the war preparations of the Imperial Japanese Navy, reported to us by the British Royal Navy and deciphered by the Magic program, were deliberately kept secret from Adr. Kimmel by Roosevelt in order to propel us into WWII. In any event, FDR's incompetence prolonged the Great Depression by almost ten years and killed over 2,200 sailors at Pearl Harbor. And now we are again paying the price, this time for his politically motivated domestic policies.

And I fear we are beyond the tipping point. Don't bother reversing engines or moving the deck chairs; the Ship of State is sliding into the cold, wet abyss of moral rot, decay and financial ruin. Our current, ill-conceived welfare system has destroyed our culture through:

1) Dependency - Nearly half the nation is receiving some form of government assistance.
2) Poverty - Poverty and dependency are merely sides of the same coin. Despite trillions of dollars expended, national poverty levels have remained virtually unchanged since the War on Poverty began in 1965. In 1966 the US population was 193,388,000 of whom 28,510,000 were at or below poverty levels for a poverty rate of 14.7%. In 2010 there were 305,688,000 Americans of whom 46,179,000 were at or below poverty levels for a rate of 15.1%. Does this sound like a plan or what?
3) Births Out Of Wedlock - The national rate is 51 births per 1,000 women, it has risen 16% in ten years; for Hispanic woman it is more than double at 106 births per 1,000, blacks are 72 births per 1,000 and whites are 32 per 1,000. Over a third of all new births are now out of wedlock. Couple this with a precipitious drop in the overall birth rate - there are fewer babies and fewer fathers willing to care for a family. Perhaps no other indicator other than high school drop outs is more accurate as a harbinger of poverty than this one - a single mom.
4) Nonemployment - Not only unemployment where a person is seeking employment; nonemployment is the percent of the civilian noninstitutional population age 16 to 65 that is not employed. National nonemployment is estimated at 29% and as high as 51% in Washington, D.C.
5) Abortion - Abortion rates are highest among poor blacks. In NYC recently an anti-abortion ad was pulled down because of fear of reprisals because it stated that the most dangerous place for an Afro-American child is in the womb. There are almost 1.4 million abortions a year in the US. About 60% of them are performed on white women but black women are three times as likely as whites to have an abortion.
6) Violent Crime  - Violent crimes trends are the lowest they have been in decades, a 65% decrease from 47.7 violent crimes committed per 1,000 population in 1973 to 16.9 in 2010. The experts are still arguing over the reasons for this for it flies in the face of conventional wisdom.

In the words of Ben Franklin:

Freedom is not a gift bestowed upon us by other men, but a right that belongs to us by the laws of God and nature.

Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become more corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters.

And it is only through God that we may become virtuous and deserving of freedom. Our Nation forgets this only at great peril.

Is It Charlie Obama Or Barak Chaplin?

From the UK Telegraph we get this bit of fluff:

MI5 investigated whether Charlie Chaplin was actually a Frenchman called Israel Thornstein, previously secret files on the Hollywood film star have revealed.

Intelligence officers could find no trace of the actor's birth in Britain despite Chaplin always claiming he was born in London in 1889.

The mystery surrounding his origins emerged when the US authorities asked MI5 to look into the comic actor's background after he left America in 1952 under a cloud of suspicion over his communist links.

But British officers could find no birth certificate and the earliest official record was a passport issued in 1920.

They never looked in Hawaii, did they?

They investigated suggestions he was born in Fontainebleau, near Paris, or nearby Melun, while the Americans claimed his real name was Israel Thornstein and raised the idea he may have been a Russian Jew.

Despite extensive searches, MI5 could find no evidence of any of the claims leaving his true origins a mystery to this day.

Born in Kenya? Do I hear Kenya? Anyone for Kenya? Is Paris near Kenya?

The star said he was born on April 16 1889 in East Street, Walworth, south London – just four days before the birth of Adolf Hitler, whom he lampooned in his classic 1940 film The Great Dictator.

But after scouring the files at Somerset House in London for his birth certificate, MI5 concluded: "It would seem that Chaplin was either not born in this country or that his name at birth was other than those mentioned."

Chaplin had a strong socialist leaning and was accused of donating money to communist front organizations. Thank the Lord that, being as popular was he was but foreign born, Charlie was not eligible to run for President.
Wait a minute.

Scotland Yard's Special Branch added to the intrigue by passing on a tip from a source who claimed the actor was born near Fontainebleau, just south of Paris.

The police memo said: "There may or may not be some truth in this, but in view of the fact that no documentary proof has been obtained that Chaplin was born in the United Kingdom, it may well be that he was in fact born in France."

One possible answer to the mystery emerged last year when Chaplin’s family found a letter in a locked drawer suggesting he had been [...] born on a gipsy camp in Smethwick, near Birmingham.

I wonder if MI5 has dossiers on other "celebrities?"

Allah Akboom

H/T to Dave's Notepad

Now He Huffs Reddi-Wip

I gotta admit, for an old stoner he doesn't look bad. Better than most in fact.

From the UK Telegraph:

Sir Paul McCartney 'gives up cannabis for daughter Beatrice'
Paul McCartney has given his hippy roots a shake with a pledge to give up smoking cannabis for the sake of his eight-year-old daughter Beatrice.

“I smoked my share. When you’re bringing up a youngster, your sense of responsibility does kick in, if you’re lucky, at some point,” he said in an interview with Rolling Stone magazine. “Enough’s enough – you just don’t seem to think it’s necessary.”

[...]In the magazine interview Sir Paul admitted to smoking cannabis "a lot" and has previously declared a passion for "wacky baccy". Heather Mills, the mother of Beatrice, claimed Sir Paul smoked marijuana as often as most people drink cups of tea during the couple's divorce proceedings.

He didn’t explain why he hadn’t given up cannabis for his other four children.

Couldn't. Too busy smoking dope, snorting coke, shooting heroin and wigging out on acid. A man can only do so much with the time he has, ya know?

Bob Dylan introduced Sir Paul to marijuana in the mid-Sixties after discovering the Beatle was a “pot virgin”. Following the introduction, Sir Paul became a prolific drug user – more so than fellow band member John Lennon – experimenting with heroin, LSD and cocaine.

Some of the Beatles hit songs were believed to have been inspired by drugs, Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds perhaps being the most poignant; a song banned by the BBC because of its suggested undertones.

McCartney has been arrested several times for his use of drugs. In 1972 he was arrested in Scotland and Sweden for possessing cannabis and in 1980 he was deported from Japan after half a pound of the drug was found stashed in his luggage.

I'm kind of surprised he's still alive.

Addressing The Ball

The Jerusalem Post reports that the ball is now on the tee.

Ahmadinejad loads nuclear fuel rods into reactor

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad loaded nuclear fuel rods into the Tehran Research Reactor on Wednesday, state TV reported.

"The president loaded 20 percent enriched rods into the Tehran Reactor... it is a sign of Iranian scientists' achievements," said state TV, which broadcast the ceremony live.

Run For The Border

"I'm walking this baby across the border too!"

US Attorney General Holder may have some new fashion accessories in the near future. Felons call them handcuffs. From the Daily Caller:

On Tuesday Rep. Darrell Issa, chairman of the House committee on Oversight and Government Reform, took a major step toward holding Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress for his failure to provide subpoenaed documents and other information about Operation Fast and Furious.

In a Jan. 31 letter, Issa had threatened Holder with such a move if he failed to provide all the subpoenaed documents relating to the Fast and Furious gunwalking scandal by Feb. 9. That deadline has come and gone, and Holder’s Department of Justice still hasn’t provided most of those documents. Issa’s subpoena dates back to Oct. 12, 2011.

On Tuesday in a seven-page letter, Issa revealed that Deputy Attorney General James Cole begged Congress to extend the Feb. 9 deadline. Issa wrote that the request was “ironic” and “ignores the reality that the Department has unreasonably delayed producing these documents to the Committee.”

If this was just an ordinary American citizen, he'd be in jail right now. Holder has been stalling on this matter for months and months. Holder must be waiting for Sandy Berger to drop by so he can cram about thirty pounds of memos down his pants..

[...] Issa also attacked Holder for Justice’s failure to comply with Congressional subpoenas. “Had the Department demonstrated willingness to cooperate with this investigation from the outset — instead of attempting to cover up its own internal mismanagement — this investigation likely would have concluded well before the end of 2011. In reality, it is the Department that is playing political gotcha games, instead of allowing a co-equal branch of government to perform its constitutional duty to conduct oversight of the Executive Branch.”

Whow, whoa, whoa! What's this "co-equal branch of government" crap? Hasn't Congress got the Dear Leader's memo? There is only Teh Won.

[...] Issa’s letter concluded by warning that Congress will continue to investigate Opeaqtion Fast and Furious until responsible parties are held accountable. He pointed to bipartisan support behind efforts to assign responsibility for Border Patrol agent Brian Terry’s murder, for the murders of at least 300 Mexican civilians and, likely, for the murder of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent Jaime Zapata.

WHAT Was That?

We tuned into the Grammies last night for a bit, just in time for that sadistic, anti-Catholic horror show. So this is what passes for talent in the music industry.

'Nuff said. I'll know better next time to use the remote control wisely.

What You Don't Hear About Muslims

We view Islam from the outside. We see Islamic-inspired hatred expressed in the mutilation and slaughter of innocents and react accordingly. But Muslim fanatics are even more likely to kill their own people than infidels. They do this to spread fear, fear of leaving Islam for another belief.  The Prophet warns his followers:

Qur'an (4:89) - "They but wish that ye should reject Faith, as they do, and thus be on the same footing (as they): But take not friends from their ranks until they flee in the way of Allah (From what is forbidden). But if they turn renegades, seize them and slay them wherever ye find them"

(Islamic Law) 8.1 - "When a person who has reached puberty and is sane voluntarily apostatizes from Islam, he deserves to be killed."

Bukhari (84:57) - [In the words of] "Allah's Apostle, 'Whoever changed his Islamic religion, then kill him.'"

Bukhari (89:271) - A man who embraces Islam, then reverts to Judaism is to be killed according to "the verdict of Allah and his apostle."

But in Africa and even in Asia it is not working. Stay with the following videos; it takes a little while for the first one to get to the meat of the matter but, in Africa, Mohammad is losing followers like Obama is losing voters - to the tune of 6 million a year, perhaps more. It is estimated that perhaps 30 million muslims a year are convertingto Christianity. And they are being baptized in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. The imams are worried.

Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.

Our former pastor is now the head of an international Christian outreach program. He tells us that their efforts in Africa, especially North Africa, are very successful, but they keep it low key for obvious reasons. There is a movement of the Holy Spirit within Muslim nations and Islam is reacting violently against it. Witness what is happening in Nigeria where a minority Muslim population in the north is attacking the majority Christian population in the south.

H/T to Starsplash.

Just A Hunk, A Hunk Of Burning Love

"I love the smell of burning plastic and cheap sheet metal in the morning.
It's the smell of subsidies."

Daniel F. Akerson, Chief Executive Officer, General Motors

H/T The Real Revo

Got Cat?

H/T to my Soldier Girl

"I think we're going to need a bigger bat."

The Cops Are Getting Hosed Again

In Belgium.

Several hundred Belgian firefighters have broken through police lines in Brussels and hosed down the prime minister's office in protest at the government's tougher retirement plans.

The firefighters want to keep their early retirement age at 58, arguing their arduous job does not allow them to work into their 60s.

Such demands run counter to government plans to have the overwhelming majority of people work two years beyond 65 so it can afford an ever-increasing pension bill as Belgium's population ages.

The deputy prime minister, Didier Reynders, said caving in to the firefighters' demands would "send the wrong signal" to everyone. Belgium has 17,000 firefighters.

A grinning Belgian firefighter hands out apples to police after they sprayed them with fire retardant foam. One of the cops is already holding a green apple just handed to him. All I can imagine is that the firemen warned the cops what they were planning to do in their protest before hand and used very low pressure in the hoses; the cops said, "Sure, go ahead." The change in retirement probably also affects police, so as a show of support the cops didn't beat the crap out of them. 

Breaking Our Backs And The Bank

When John F. Kennedy was President, just over a quarter of federal spending went to fund programs paying for some 21.7 million Americans to be dependent on Uncle Sam. But as high as that spending and dependence on the federal government was then, it has exploded today, with one in five Americans — more than 67.3 million — depending on Washington for assistance.

The Heritage Foundation’s 2012 Index of Dependence on Government shows an alarming trend under the Obama Administration of a level of dependence on our government that has never been seen before. Today, a full 70 percent of the federal government’s budget goes to pay for housing, food, income, student aid, or other assistance, with recipients ranging from college students to retirees to welfare beneficiaries.

More here.

Why Is This Man Laughing?

Because the taxpayers are getting stuck with the bill.

Earlier this month, the city of Chicago wrote a check for $399,950 to the Second Amendment Foundation, a gun rights group located in Bellevue, Wash. The check was a reimbursement for legal fees the foundation incurred in the McDonald v. Chicago case, which resulted in the United States Supreme Court overturning the city’s ban on handguns.

“The city lost that action,” said Julianne Versnel, the foundation’s director of operations. “Because it was a constitutional civil rights case, the city was required to pay the cost.”

This was a law suit initiated against the Daley administration. In any case, this gives more fuel for 2nd Amendment fires.

Way To Go Giants!

I am not a football analyst. I enjoyed the Superbowl yesterday and the wonderful time we had with friends. I found the game to be exciting, frustrating and it kept me on the edge of my seat for a good part of the fourth quarter. The Giants won and all is right with the world ... at least for 24 hours.

But the media side show did not end with the game. There is still a pound of flesh that can be lashed out of this drama. I am talking about the unfortunate remarks made by the wife of the Pat's quarterback.

But instead of the media attention given to Gisele and her remarks after the game, if you want a class act from the Patriots, look no farther than Tiquan Underwood, the wide receiver who was cut from the Pat's roster the day before the game. But instead of carping about how unfair life is, Mr. Underwood tweeted this instead:

Tiquan Underwood@TiUnderwood
This Is Nothing But MOTIVATION....

Tiquan Underwood@TiUnderwood
I Been Thru A LOT...But There Are Ppl In This World w/ More Serious Problems So I Cant Hang The Head....Thank You Lord
#Blessed

Tiquan Underwood@TiUnderwood
Good Luck To The New Enland Organization, The Coaches; All My Teammates...
#PatsNation
4 Feb 12

That's class.

Of course I never knew he existed until 48 hours ago but, still,  I will look forward to watching this young man in action next year. I believe it is harder to find a man of good charater than it is to find a good wide receiver.

Hmmmmm, interesting.

Deep Vote

Taranto, Italy, where pole dancers aren't Polish

Two female Italian porn stars are running for the Office of Mayor in Taranto, Italy.

Amandha Fox and Luana Borgia are both vying to become the civic leader in Taranto, Italy.

And they are going for a political bust-up of a different kind.

The two candidates' backers are organising a pole-dancing night next month where local voters can see what the big election issues are.

Agent Mimmo Pavese said: "We want to be fair so we would like to invite any other candidate to come along and dance too."

Amandha said: "I want voters to see the real me."

And they may get to see as much of her as they want.

Taranto is the capital of the Province of Taranto and is an important commercial port as well as the main Italian naval base.

If the Italian Navy squids can vote in local elections, one of these gals is  definitely in.

It is the third-largest continental city of Southern Italy: according to 2010 estimates, it has a population of about 190,000.

Taranto is an important commercial and military port. It has well-developed steel and iron foundries, oil refineries, chemical works, some shipyards for building warships, and food-processing factories.

If this was a little village or something on that order we'd probably never hear about it. But this is a good size city. I guess they needed some free advertising for their respective "dance" clubs.

Taranto was originally founded as a Spartan colony in 706 BC. It is a beautiful place only sixty miles from where my wife's grandparents were born.

Something interesting...

Taranto is also the origin of the common name of the Tarantula spider family, Theraphosidae, even though strictly speaking there are no members of Theraphosidae in the area. In ancient times, residents of the town of Taranto, upon being bitten by the large local Wolf Spider, Lycosa tarentula, would promptly do a long vigorous dance like a Jig. This was done in order to sweat the venom out of their pores, even though the spider's venom was not fatal to humans. The frenetic dance became known as the Tarantella.