Archive for August, 2009

Sell the guns, sell the uniforms but never the colors

Posted: August 19, 2009 by datechguy in oddities
Tags: ,

I was watching Pale Rider with my son and noted that one of the characters was carrying a single shot rifle that looked like a Kentucky Rifle. He asked what a Kentucky Rifle was and I explained a bit. He then asked what one went for and we ended up looking online and finding all kinds of awesome classic weapons for sale.

One site in particular Michael Simems has an incredible collection of weapons of all shapes and sizes. My son and I was drooling all over them when I spotted this item.

The write up says:

This is an original Civil War Regimental Battle-Flag on its original staff with tassles. I purchased a fantastic Illinois Majors Frock Coat and Vest over a year ago from the same area that this flag came from. The set was ID’d to an Illinois Colonel who was killed leading a charge at Kennesaw Mountain.

He is currently offering it below his cost, not a surprise since times are kinda tough but looking at it, I found myself bothered. I’m sure Mr. Simens has a great love and respect for history, his site radiates respect but it still feels wrong.

Looking at that flag all I could see in my mind is hundreds of fellows marching fighting and dying behind those colors. The colors are the soul of a regiment. It seems to be that even with the regiment long gone it just feels wrong for them to be bought and sold.

I’ve never served although my father and many of his and my mother’s family did, so perhaps I’m not in a position to object I’d be interested in the opinion of those who did serve.

Barney Frank isn’t worried…

Posted: August 19, 2009 by datechguy in opinion/news
Tags: , , ,

…about facing people in his district. Why should he?

Don’t forget back in 1990 the people in his district didn’t mind a gay prostitute operating out of Frank’s apartment. The media has almost totally ignored his part in Fannie mae and Freddie Mac.

Why would he have any sense that this is going to change now?

We always get the government we deserve, in Massachusetts doubly so.

Update: You think they would know better than to use phony doctors by now.

Bob Novak’s final column

Posted: August 18, 2009 by datechguy in opinion/news
Tags: , ,

Bob Novak died today. Commentary from all over shows that he was respected as a reporter (except by the daily show) and Eleanor Clift’s tribute demonstrates that friendship and respect are not exclusive to your political allies. And this quote:

“Always love your country — but never trust your government!

should be included in every civics class taught nationwide.

I have a habit of looking at the last column of a person when he dies. Using the drudge link to Novak it took me to this page at human events dated Feb 4 of this year. What he wrote shows that he knew what he was talking about:

We are in fact, entering a new era of American politics. But then again, we frequently enter new eras of American politics. Barack Obama has immense political capital and popularity. Democrats are gaining politically in every corner of the map, and at every level of government. Obama’s popularity and political skill contribute to this rising Democratic tide.

But ENPR has seen this before, in 1974, 1980, 1994, and 2006. “Paradigm Shifts” are a fact of political life, and only those with short memories believe that the resulting political alignment from these shifts is permanent.

Nobody except for maybe Rush was talking like this in February. He continued:

Obama may enjoy a longer honeymoon than most Presidents, but it already seems to be coming to an end as various polls find a large portion of the public turning against the huge stimulus bill with its massive deficit spending. He will stumble. Republicans will build new political coalitions, and, even if they don’t get back a majority of either chamber in the near future, the pendulum will eventually swing back.

Politics has a tendency to cast down the mighty and lift up the lowly. Politics makes a fool of any commentator or participant who, explaining the significance of a recent political development, uses the words “never” or “from now on.”

Everything about politics–the heroes, the goats, the dynamics, the rules of thumb, the alliances, the enmities–comes and goes.

I’m bet if he had been healthy he would have covered Ken Gladney.

Update: Linked back by The Other McCain. I owe him a beer next time he is in central mass, or a shot of Chivas if he comes to the house.

You know I have Frum’s book The right man and liked it but I really think his is talking nonsense here. I must confess his opinion on Sarah Palin makes me less willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.

Sullivan’s Syndrome WND edition

Posted: August 18, 2009 by datechguy in oddities, opinion/news
Tags: , , , , ,

World Net Daily was one of the first web sites I discovered on the web years ago. They are a staunch friend of Israel and a defender of conservative values, but when it comes to the “Birther” issue they are losing it:

A new wrinkle in the dispute over his birth – and whether he is eligible to be president under the U.S. Constitution’s requirement that the president be a “natural born” citizen – appeared today when Obama’s official MySpace page declared his age is 52, thus placing his birth year at 1957 instead of 1961 as has been claimed.

That would mean he would have been born during the archipelago’s time as a territory of the U.S., the islands’ status from about 1900 until statehood in 1959.

Ah HA now we’ve got him, even if he was born in Hawaii it wasn’t a state. So maybe THAT’s what they are hiding unlike say John McCain:

the NY Times pulled this same “we’re just wondering” silliness regarding John McCain and him being born in the Panama Canal Zone (shockingly, soon after the DU pulled it.) Twice. The relevant point is that anyone born in territories under the jurisdiction of US law, the Panama Canal Zone and the Hawaiian Territories being two of them, are considered Natural Born Citizens, eligible to be President of the United States. Someone born in Guam would be eligible. Someone born in Puerto Rico would be eligible. Interestingly, if someone was born on a military post in Germany, they would be a US citizen, but, not “natural born.”

Stop the ACLU shakes it head me I give a Nelson award:

Meanwhile WND continues to press the White House:

Les Kinsolving, WND’s correspondent at the White House, several times has raised the question over Obama’s eligibility at White House news briefings – initially asking why the president didn’t just release a copy of his original long-form birth certificate.

Les you are an experienced reporter and I’m not, but even I know the answer to that one. It’s because it gives the White House and the liberal media an avenue of attack when they are on the defensive everywhere else. They will string this out as long as they can because it HELPS THEM.

The symptoms seem to mimic that dreaded disease of bloggers Sullivan’s Syndrome. By as they aren’t bloggers they just get a You FOOL!

Hey Lee I have a suggestion, why don’t you ask them to comment on Ken Gladney being called a nigger and beaten? I hear the SEIU is involved. Might be a story there.

Older Entries
Newer Entries