Monday, October 8, 2012

The War on Birds

I knew it was only a matter of time before the Republican Party declared war on Big Bird. You know what I’m referring to, right? The monstrously over-sized piñata with a person inside that, for some unexplained reason has captured the hearts and minds of the American left. Personally, I was never much impressed with Big Bird —but before you throw yourself from a one-story window, let me assure you that it is only a matter of preference. You see, Bugs Bunny was a friend of mine; Big Bird is no Bugs Bunny.

I suspect there is more to this assault than targeting a gangling fowl. I believe the underlying issue is this: an American ambassador lost his life because the United States government could not afford security, but our government can afford to pay the leftists at The Muppets Studio extraordinary sums of money to concoct foolishness.

Let’s hold off making the argument that Muppets materially assisted our children to grow into psychologically balanced adults, shall we? There is no evidence that any of that is true. In fact, the divorce rate quadrupled since the invention of Big Bird and, since the introduction of these “creatures,” our children have increased body tattoos and facial disfigurations by ten thousand percent. Great job, Jim Henson … way to go, Ernie.

Even worse, thousands of cartoonists are out of work and there’s no longer a demand for truly talented vocalists like Mel Blanc.

I seem to recall that Tim Allen once defined PBS as something women get once a month. Now, according to the screamers on the left, Public Broadcasting Service is too big to fail … and I suspect that the reason for this is that our government is spending tens of millions of dollars creating public service ads which air on PBS, reminding people to wash their hands after they use the restroom. One may recall that the same idiot who saddled us with the “Great Society” signed the Public Broadcasting Act into law. Let’s all give a shout out to Lyndon Johnson.

Now the fact is, when you begin to put all of these pieces together, you begin to understand why we are paying so much foreign aid to Belize. It is to prevent them from launching a successful invasion against the United States, and defeating us in less than a week because Jim Henson and Kermit have transformed most of our citizens into blithering idiots.

By the way, the emotional reaction to Mr. Romney’s notion that we defund PBS (because it isn't worth the cost of borrowing money from China to pay for it) illustrates the childishness of leftist politics. A sane society will concern itself with defeating any notion that unless we pump billions of dollars of taxpayer monies into an enterprise, it will simply collapse like Barack Obama’s ego following the first presidential debate.

—Mustang Sends


119 comments:

(((Thought Criminal))) said...

One may recall that the same idiot who saddled us with the “Great Society” signed the Public Broadcasting Act into law. Let’s all give a shout out to Lyndon Johnson.

Lyndon Johnson? Isn't he the guy that came up with Medicare, the perpetual engine of our national debt that makes Baby Boomers feel "entitled" to over five times more than they paid into the system? The same Medicare that the progressive leftist Republican candidate for President and undisputed founding father of gay marriage wants to enact cap-and-trade to pay for?

Just checking.

Always On Watch said...

Tim Allen once defined PBS as something women get once a month.

I'm in PBS-o-pause!

Constitutional Insurgent said...

PBS should absolutely be defunded. The paradigm which allowed and argued for it's creation has long since been trod over by the free market.

Anonymous said...

Big Bird would do just find on another network. It may actually make even more money.

Those Leftists can be very conservative at times when it's about toys.

Chateau Robert said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Joe said...

Somebody should shoot the bird at PBS!

The Debonair Dudes World said...

Yes, Romney showed just how cruel and evil he really is trying to kill Big Bird to win a debate.
Now it's war against Romney for launching a war on children!
So, Big Bird's life hangs in the balance of the Election!

But all kidding aside, Why not? Why can't Sesame Street go on a network? Any network would jump at the chance. to get them.. Big Bird and Elmo can pay their own way. Sesame Street is a cash machine.
Obama got Spanked on his Anniversary, and he blames Big Bird? Give is a break!
Why should the Federal Government pay for TV shows! I think our tax money can be better used somewhere else.
NPR is a nest for liberals to spew their venom. It always was, and it is worse right now. And the funny this is when NPR fired Juan Williams is was Fox that came to his rescue. And why do the Liberals need NPR, they already have the Main stream Media's news. and CNN, NBC, CBS, ABC, and MSNBC, all of cable, satellite, and the idiots on Television talk shows..
It's pretty sad when the morons in this country that will vote Obama because they actually believe that Romney will kill big bird.. And it's even sadder when the Liberal/progressive bloggers write about this.
Forget the fact that Obama and company are strictly responsible for the death of our Ambassador and his 3 staff members, oh no, that doesn't matter, but the Big Bird comment makes headlines for weeks.
And those on the left and you know exactly who I mean, voted for him before and will vote for him anyway. Yes, now they will repeat the same mistake.
Even though they saw the real Obama on stage in the first debate and saw who this loser really is.
He was over rated when he was a Senator, he was over rated when he ran for president in 2008 and he's over rated right now.. It was the press that insisted that 0bama was Gods gift to the masses, the smartest man on earth. 0bama didn't defeat Hillary Clinton. The truth is that George Soros wanted him so the press destroyed her while ignoring anything negative about 0bama, like the Rev. Wright and Bill Ayers thing, and as we all know there was plenty negative FACTS there right before our very eyes, Oh but they had to make history and elect the first Black man to the Oval office, and they did and we are stuck with the most inept, unqualified, socialist that American has even allowed in the Oval office before. ..
0bama is the creation of the Marxist George Soros and with the help of the the media!!! He is no more qualified to be president than his lefty Hollywood buddies that play the president on TV like Martin Sheen. .
And one more thing, Don't think for one minute that this next debate is not going to be rigged.. They are not going to let him fall twice! The second debate is a 'town-hall' debate that will be heavily stacked with liberals all stacked up with handwritten gotcha questions that I'll bet anything that Obama gets to see them in advance.
The spin masters have been working all day and night as you have seen with the "Big Bird" nonsense
If this man is reelected than America should be ashamed of themselves.
But then again, Hugo Chavez was just re-elected, so who know?

Silverfiddle said...

I will not throw rocks at PBS, but merely say it can stand on it's own. Government funding is only a small part of its overall revenue stream.

Using liberal logic, which says that the GOP hates PBS because they want to remove funding, then the dems and repubs must really hate TBS, and the thousands of other TV channels that receive no government funding whatsoever.

Louis H. said...

How does one rigs a live debate?

Mindy B. said...

Those Shameless, Obama Boot-Licking Progressives cretins in the Progressive party in their blogs and in the media hated everybody involved with the Bush administration. .

I think that it’s fine with them exposing Republican lies, but they need to do the same to the Democrats as well, but I wouldn't hold my breath . These people have fleas,

Oh well there is still HOPE and CHANGE for our side. Obama will be leaving soon and that is the HOPE and CHANGE that we really want.

Mustang said...

Yes Mindy, but try to remember that Obama has healed the earth. Not even Moses can boast that …

Mindy B. said...

Louis H. said...
"How does one rigs a live debate?"

By getting the questions in advance, please don't be so naive.

And when you speak to African-American audiences, and say things like, 'They don't want you to suceed, they don't want you to have anything, or "They want to put you all back in chains"
Do you think that's not fixing a debate, when you have a Stacked Audience! Bet on it.

Our country needs a better performance by the media in charge of these debates, that's for sure.

Ducky's here said...

Romney's statement isn't entirely accurate.

"I'll kill Big Bird" is catchy but he means he'll kill arts funding completely. This has been a right wing position for quite some time.

I'd consider the republican position if I felt they understood arts funding in America. But when Dick Armey was touting cutting it as an effective way to cut the deficit I gave up.

By the way, Silverfiddle, as PBS has been turned into a more market funded entity it's turned into crap. No bite at all. A plethora of cooking shows and repeats. What we would prefer is an independent agency that had reasonable creative freedom instead of having to tread the middle of the road.
Challenge people. Not something the fringe right cares for in art but there you have it.

I welcome replies that don't mention Serrano.

JonBerg said...

Since I never tune into PBS and know little or nothing about "Big Bird" it's not an essential issue to me. However, I'm glad that Romney has the 'guts' to announce his plans to eliminate borrowing money from China to finance stuff that we don't need.

Unknown said...

Good idea, but if you want independent agencies, challenge producers to discover other ways of funding “entertainment,” beyond the wallet of John Q. Citizen.

Anonymous said...

Ducky, it's not the job of gov to fund arts. So it's not about understanding art funding. It's about not funding it all.

Cutting arts funding won't cut the deficit, that's for sure. But when you cut spending, you cut what's superfluous. And gov spending in arts is.

Just grow up a little bit.

Anonymous said...

And let's say I'm broke but have credit cards, do I want to use them to pay the rent or buy some arts? The answer is pretty obvious.

Speedy G said...

Speaking of killing 'Arts' funding, can we please kill 'Science' funding, too?

I'm just saying..

Speedy G said...

The only 'Science' I'm willing to fund are those that have "Defense" applications... after all, the Inter-State Commerce applications (such as USCG cleaning up oil spills) have been relegated to the oil spillers to handle.

Speedy G said...

...so I suppose that the Defense Contractors might handle their own research, as well.

FreeThinke said...

THANK YOU! What a splendid piece of WRITING! A joy to behold for its wit, elegant phrasing and refined syntax.

Nobody seems to notice or care about such things anymore, so I felt I had to register that good opinion.

Big Bird is a symbol of Cultural Inanity run amok.

Sesame Street panders to those with an increasingly limited attention span. The program has played a significant role in what-i-regrettably-called "The Dumbing-Down of America" -- itself a linguistically, intellectually degraded expression.

In short:

PBS is doing its level best to turn us into A NATION of BIRDBRAINS.

Defund the bastard and let it sink or swim on its own.

~ FreeThinke

Anonymous said...

Public broadcasting is by definition propaganda.

Anonymous said...

FROM Z at work:

FB..if we're broke (and we're beyond broke by 16 trillion at least count) we should be paying the RENT, you're right.

Then we are told we're against ARTS :-) This is the inanity and silliness ...Allinsky at his best.

I'm just wondering how many leftwingers wouldn't mind their tax dollars supporting Sean Hannity when we're supporting Bill Moyers?

Speedy....we're probably all having a hard time deciding whether you really think we all feel DEFENSE is the same as ART when it comes to crucial funding?

Anonymous said...

From Z again:

By the way, everybody;

As I type, Romney's probably just winding up a FOREIGN POLICY speech... why would he do that 1 1/2 wks before what I believe is going to be a Foreign Policy debate with Obama?
I'm curious about what you think on that...
Seems like tipping his cards to me...help me out here!

z

FreeThinke said...

It's getting closer and closer to PUBIC Broadcasting everyday, CoF.

The Powers that Be won't rest until PBS becomes a full-fledged PORNOGRAPHIC BROADCASTING CORPORATION.

Georg Lukacs of the Frankfurt School and the Bolshevik Bela Kun, among other hyper-aggressive Cultural Marxists, advocated inundating a nations' youth without-and-out FILTH in order to seduce them away from Christian decency, and render them ripe for a Communist takeover.

Their Long March Through Civilization over the past hundred years has had devastating effects that will only worsen if left unchecked.

~ FreeThinke

Mustang said...

@Z

I agree with Krauthammer, who believes (a) Romney must maintain a sharp focus on the economy; (b) Romney should have given this speech a few weeks ago when Benghazi was still in a state of flux, and (c) now that the speech is out of the way, Romney must refocus on the economy because that is what worries Americans most. Remember, most of our voters graduated from American high schools: they don’t understand that broken foreign policy disrupts our economy.

Anonymous said...

From Z:

Mustang, how'd the speech go this morning?
I thought this was really lousy timing and am curious as to what the Romney peoples' defense of it was; anything said?

And, you're right...Americans are far less interested in foreign policy than JOBS and GOODIES and don't get the connection.

I felt like a speech today was giving Obama the outline on what to be prepared for and how to slam Romney at the next debate.

Mindy B. said...

FrogBurger said...
Ducky,
Just grow up a little bit.



I doubt it Ducky will ever "Grow Up" He another duped Obama Lover

What I wanted to add was the following, When Obama killed bin Laden, and "spiked the ball" and took the credit for it, at every chance and every opportunity that he was able to and bragged at the democrat convention about the killing.and thus got a helicopter full of Navy Seals killed, Well now he can add the killing of four Americans on the 9/11 anniversary attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazito to his list of accomplishments.

JonBerg said...

Mustang said....

"Remember, most of our voters graduated from American high schools: they don’t understand that broken foreign policy disrupts our economy."

Yes and, sadly, most of them don't understand the "economy", per se, either!

Bloviating Zeppelin said...

Nice of Romney to put Lehrer on notice, in public.

ROTFLMAO!

BZ

Bloviating Zeppelin said...

And by the way, WIND POWER is also a "war on birds" in truth.

BZ

Sam Huntington said...

Taxpayers aren’t funding “most” of the costs; PBS does ad nauseam fund raising for that. But if even one dime of taxpayer money goes toward paying the bills at PBS, then it is a tax on our citizens for the purpose of producing leftist propaganda. If we are going to fund PBS, then we should also fund Fox News —who at least provides balance in the presentment of political commentary. I say, “Shoot the bird.”

As for Romney’s speech, it was either give the address or listen to Axelrod whining about how no one knows where Romney is coming from …

Lisa said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Lisa said...

Hi Z-I was wondering too about the timing of Romney's speech today which I listened to. It was very presidential and he did hit on some good points about America's role in the world about how our Allies don't know were we stand with them.
I am sure it will help Obama prepare for the foreign policy debate somewhat, but he really doesn't have much defense for his policies so I can't see how it can help him all that much. Although maybe it just gives him a light distraction before the town hall debate. Maybe.


Anonymous said...

And by the way, WIND POWER is also a "war on birds" in truth

Excellent point.

Anonymous said...

From Z:

BZ..that was funny about Lehrer's job :-) It's okay, Lehrer couldn't dislike Romney more if he tried, anyway. I'll never forget him giving Obama lead-ins on what to say next.
Nor will I forget the left whining that Romney took so much time when Obama got fully five more minutes.

SAM...that's the point...as I said to a Lib acquaintance a few years back who was aghast at my wanting to cut funding to NPR, "Wouldn't it bother YOU to fund SEAN HANNITY?"

Lisa...I'm glad it was a good speeech. I was thinking that maybe, because there is SO much early voting (which I find deplorable and a fraud trap), Romney's been actually ASKED to talk foreign policy NOW so people can decide after hearing that?
VERY glad you thought he did well.

Unknown said...

Please take the time to read Neil Postman's critique of Sesame Street in his iconoclastic AMUSING OURSELVES TO DEATH.

Unknown said...

Please take the time to read Neil Postman's critique of Sesame Street in his iconoclastic AMUSING OURSELVES TO DEATH.

Louis H. said...

Oui Mindy, il est vrai que je suis naïf, je suis sûr que la corruption haïtienne est moins raffiné qu'en Amérique.

Right Truth said...

"... an American ambassador lost his life because the United States government could not afford security, but our government can afford to pay the leftists at The Muppets Studio extraordinary sums of money to concoct foolishness."

Well said.

Debbie
Right Truth
http://www.righttruth.typepad.com

Speedy G said...

>We're probably all having a hard time deciding whether you really think we all feel DEFENSE is the same as ART when it comes to crucial funding?

How much bigger a technological advantage do our forces need? Where are America's "rivals"? Our forces have gotten so "sophisticated" that they can't even beat a hundred thousand Afghans with nineteenth century Enfields.

Unknown said...

Speedy, I think you confuse capacity with resolve. There is no question that American and coalition armed forces can destroy the clan of the cave bear; we simply lack the political leadership and will to do it.

Speedy G said...

An over reliance upon technology is the surest way of turning brave men into cowards.

Speedy G said...

I think that was the paraphrased remarks of a Spartan general witnessing some of the Syracusian inventions of Archimedes.

btw - the Medes in Archi-medes, IMO, came from the reputation of the Persians amongst the Greeks.

Speedy G said...

The WILL to use it... comes from close competition... not carpet bombing from 30,000 ft.

Anonymous said...

From Z:

Speedy, I am simply not getting your point.
But Jack's right...we've GOT what it takes (and most of our servicemen I've heard say they'd like to USE their talents), but when our gov't even CONSIDERS reading Miranda rights to terrorists on a battle field, or our kids are told they can't shoot into mosques from which our kids are getting killed, or when we have to announce we're going to go through homes for a 'surprise check' for terrorists ....why are we THERE?

JonBerg said...

At first I was, likewise, concerned that Romney said too much.
He MAY have tipped-his-hand BUT, so far he has demonstrated more savvy than he was initally given credit for. Also I doubt, seriously, that he brought up anything that the B.O. re-election campaign hasen't anticipated. I won't be surprised that, if given the chance, he has a lot more to say!

Anonymous said...

@Jon Berg

"Yes and, sadly, most of them don't understand the "economy", per se, either!"

I'm sure they know they're broke, over taxed and aware of what their energy, food and living expenses are. At least those who pay it themselves and not section 8'ers.

What else do they need to know?

Speedy G said...

Does this help?

Why did the Union Army wear blue?

Camouflage - blue was a poor choice as a camouflage, however at the time the notion of camouflage was unknown, with many commanders refusing to allow the construction of field fortifications in fear that it would turn their men into cowards. It was not until the Spanish-American War that the United States Army instituted a khaki uniform.

How much money did the US Army spend upon improved camouflage last year?

Improved weaponry has turned the mujahadeen into terrorists. We could end the war on "terror" tomorrow if we offered to meet their thousands upon the plains of Afghanistan armed only with our sabres.

The Debonair Dudes World said...

How do you like these apples?
An Oct. 4-5 Gallup poll finds roughly two in three Americans reporting that they watched the Oct. 3 debate, similar to what Gallup measured for each of the three 2008 presidential debates. Those who viewed the debate overwhelmingly believe Romney did a better job than Obama, 72% to 20%. Republicans were nearly unanimous in judging Romney the winner. But even Democrats rated Romney as doing a better job than Obama, 49% to 39%.
Registered voters' preferences for president are evenly split in the first three days of Gallup tracking since last Wednesday's presidential debate. In the three days prior to the debate, Barack Obama had a five-percentage-point edge among registered voters.
AND, should Mitt Romney's momentum continue in the coming days, that gap in the seven-day rolling average would narrow further.

http://www.gallup.com/poll/157907/romney-narrows-vote-gap-historic-debate-win.aspx

Anonymous said...

"but our government can afford to pay the leftists at The Muppets Studio extraordinary sums of money to concoct foolishness."


Or to have the State Dept fund the rebuilding of mosques ( terrorist club houses ) in their quest for understanding, diversity and...tolerance"?

Or give the sand fleas Pali's millions when they are an avowed enemy of Israel?

Or give Egypt billions to aid the mudslime brotherhood?

Sam Huntington said...

Does this help?

No, not for me it doesn’t. Are you saying we should reform our troops on the model of the Greek hoplite armies and march them into the Afghan plain? I think the British and Russians did that to a less than satisfactory result. Do you have a military or naval background, Speedy? Overwhelming firepower is what wins battles; political resolve is what wins wars. The questions you pose involve the latter, rather than the former.

I am inclined to agree there is a danger to our defense establishment, imposed by Barack Hussein Obama and all his socialist suck ups, best illustrated by General Martin Dempsey’s recent excoriation of a serving officer for teaching the truth about Islam —and then beyond a career ending fitness report, Dempsey ordered this colonel fired from his teaching position at the Joint Forces Staff College.

Anonymous said...

From Z: (who doesn't have enough to do at work yet today :-(!! )

JonBerg...glad to hear your take on the Romney/Foreign policy talk today. I suppose you're right...there was nothing really NEW he could say.

I like his line about how you can't run a foreign policy on HOPE.

z

Ch Hoffman said...

main stream media are in the tank for the communist from kenya.
pollsters lie to discourage republicans.
government statistics are manipulated.
fluoridation in water makes you sterile.
women don't get pregnant from rape.

same guy makes it all up.
and the same progressive gang eats it all up.

don't even try to understand them.

they're f'n nuts!

JonBerg said...

Impertinent,

As a practical matter you are 'Spot On'. My point is that if a preponderance of those people, being polled etc, understood economics B.O.'s Keynesian economic policies would have garnered him little or no support whatsoever. And, further, his promises to CONTINUE down this path to disaster would be largely eschewed. Is THAT happening? I hope so!

Rona49 said...

This just in from TMZ
Actor Danny DeVito and actress Rhea Perlman have separated after more than 30 years of marriage, TMZ has learned.
It seems that Rhea Perlman found out that Danny DeVito was a Liberal.

Mustang said...

Rona, for a moment I thought you were going to tell us Danny DeVito was really the man inside Big Bird.

Anonymous said...

"Danny DeVito was really the man inside Big Bird."


Wrong Danny....everyone knows it Danny Glover.

Anonymous said...

"Military Times...

Poll of active and reserve troops: Romney leads Obama, 66/26."


Wonder why there's no love for the One?

Ft. Hood? Benghazi? Egypt? Afghanistan? Iran?

Workplace disasters?

Anonymous said...

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, only two times, since 1960, has the unemployment dropped by 0.5 percentage points in a two month span.
The first time this happened was in 1984 under President Ronald Reagan
The only other time (in over 50 years, again) is occurring right now under President Obama (Aug & Sept, 2012). When the rate went from 8.3 to 7.8,
Think about that again. In over 50 years, starting with President John F. Kennedy, only twice has the unemployment rate dropped by 0.5 percentage points within a 2-month span. But then again we are dealing with Barack Obama the Messiah, so anything can happen...
So we are to believe that one of those times is happening right now - under a president with the worst jobs record in history, one month before the most important election of our time – all with a backdrop of anemic GDP and job creation. Oh, and when Obama conveniently needed to get to 7.8% to "break even." And exactly one month before the election and 2 days after he got his Ass Whipped by his opponent.
This is really getting ridiculous. We have a dope in the while house who takes us for total morons, just because he is used to be dealing with the morons, idiots in his administration.
Wake up you progressive fools, the numbers just do not add up.
There is no rational for a .3% drop when the new jobs are nearly the same as last month! But suddenly out of the blue, the single largest monthly gain in almost 50 years takes place? Can you imagine the media outrage if GWB used those numbers? This country is in real trouble when the government openly lies to its citizens. I for one just can not believe my own government any more. And that’s pretty dam sad.

Mustang said...

@ Imp

That pretty much explains why DoD under Obama/Panetta doesn't want to facilitate absentee balloting among the active duty forces.

Snakes!

Anonymous said...

From Mustang (and z):

http://alwaysonwatch3.blogspot.com/2012/10/obamas-lie-about-stafford-act-funds.html

As a service of geeeZ, I've always liked to alert you to posts I particularly found interesting in our corner of the blogosphere (that corner's you and us)..(we all have a day when something we covered just HAS to be read, right?)

i'm delighted Mustang's carrying on the tradition since he got the keys to my kingdom here :-)

Please see the above link he emailed me about...Sam and AOW have posted an excellent one you should all know about.

z and Mustang

Anonymous said...

From Z:

My C Thoughts...that is EXCELLENT..thanks for that info.

MY GOSH..it just seemed SO WEIRD that SUDDENLY, 2 days after a lousy debate showing and 2 days after Romney kept pounding about 8% joblessness that BINGO...the LABOR DEPARTMENT SAYS IT'S SUDDENLY BELOW 8%

how the HECK much does this administration control with their agenda, ANYWAY? It's getting a bit scary, folks.

z

JonBerg said...

I see that Enema has found her way to this site. Ducky and Liberalmann, step aside, you have now met your ultimate competitor!

Mustang said...

JB ... I deleted Enema; I have no interest in anything she has to say.

Anonymous said...

" Romney Foreign policy talk today..."


This country definitely could use some ...

R&R

Right troops?

Thersites said...

Do you have a military or naval background, Speedy?

Lt jg USNR

Overwhelming firepower is what wins battles; political resolve is what wins wars.

epitaph on Aeschylus' tomb, "He fought at Marathon".

Plato, "Laws" (Jowett summary)

Is there timber for ship-building? 'There is no pine, nor much cypress; and very little stone-pine or plane wood for the interior of ships.' That is good. 'Why?' Because the city will not be able to imitate the bad ways of her enemies. 'What is the bearing of that remark?' To explain my meaning, I would ask you to remember what we said about the Cretan laws, that they had an eye to war only; whereas I maintained that they ought to have included all virtue. And I hope that you in your turn will retaliate upon me if I am false to my own principle. For I consider that the lawgiver should go straight to the mark of virtue and justice, and disregard wealth and every other good when separated from virtue. What further I mean, when I speak of the imitation of enemies, I will illustrate by the story of Minos, if our Cretan friend will allow me to mention it. Minos, who was a great sea-king, imposed upon the Athenians a cruel tribute, for in those days they were not a maritime power; they had no timber for ship-building, and therefore they could not 'imitate their enemies'; and better far, as I maintain, would it have been for them to have lost many times over the lives which they devoted to the tribute than to have turned soldiers into sailors. Naval warfare is not a very praiseworthy art; men should not be taught to leap on shore, and then again to hurry back to their ships, or to find specious excuses for throwing away their arms; bad customs ought not to be gilded with fine words. And retreat is always bad, as we are taught in Homer, when he introduces Odysseus, setting forth to Agamemnon the danger of ships being at hand when soldiers are disposed to fly. An army of lions trained in such ways would fly before a herd of deer. Further, a city which owes its preservation to a crowd of pilots and oarsmen and other undeserving persons, cannot bestow rewards of honour properly; and this is the ruin of states. 'Still, in Crete we say that the battle of Salamis was the salvation of Hellas.' Such is the prevailing opinion. But I and Megillus say that the battle of Marathon began the deliverance, and that the battle of Plataea completed it; for these battles made men better, whereas the battles of Salamis and Artemisium made them no better. And we further affirm that mere existence is not the great political good of individuals or states, but the continuance of the best existence. 'Certainly.' Let us then endeavour to follow this principle in colonization and legislation.

Speedy G said...

On "poliical resolve"...

Sun Tzu, "Art of War"

[Chang Yu says: "If they are in an awkward place together,
they will surely exert their united strength to get out of it."]
24. Soldiers when in desperate straits lose the sense of fear. If there is no place of refuge, they will stand firm. If
they are in hostile country, they will show a stubborn front. If
there is no help for it, they will fight hard.
25. Thus, without waiting to be marshaled, the soldiers
will be constantly on the qui vive; without waiting to be asked,
they will do your will;

Speedy G said...

...but then, almost every war America fights today is a "war of choice". These do not build "resolve". Especially when the short costs expended far outweigh the long term benefits derived.

Speedy G said...

btw - Ever read Xenophon's "Anabasis", Sam?

Alexander the Great, did.

Ducky's here said...

@Sam Huntington - But if even one dime of taxpayer money goes toward paying the bills at PBS, then it is a tax on our citizens for the purpose of producing leftist propaganda.
------
Antiques Roadshow?

The Metropolitan Opera?

American Experience?

Nova? (oh wait, they may have done a global warming show)

Curious George?

History Detectives?

Man, that's real party line stuff.
You must mean Newshour, left wig explains why Jim Lehrer let Romney walk all over him during the debate.

Freethinker, that's as far into the ozone as you've been lately (quite a distance). Pubic Broadcasting???

Speedy G said...

I have a feeling that all of the above programs could easily make it on NBC/CBS/ABC. After all, Beevis and Butthead lived for how many years on MTV?

Anonymous said...

FROM Z:


Ducky...you left of all the very leftwing shows...just an oversight?
How'd you like to pay for Hannity, Ducky?

Are you talking about the same Lehrer who led Obama into some of his answers, giving him a running jump like "and Mr President, wouldn't you say...?" or very close to that. Still laughing over that.

Gee, we're against our tax dollars going to public broadcasting over helping create jobs or paying down the debt of preventing us from having to borrow more and more...so sue us.

Or, instead, insult, suggest we don't like Antiques Roadshow, Science or Opera. Typical

Anonymous said...

FROM Z:

That's "you left OFF.." not "left of.."

z

Anonymous said...

FROM Z:

BY the way, I think it's less what left OR right programming any tax-funded program has and more the fact that tax payer dollars are paying for any television/radio in a time we're in such trouble....

PBS, in fact, operates largely from donations; let it make it all donations.

In Germany, opera,television, etc., is almost wholly supported by the government and it works because it's been like that always . And there are NO COMMERCIALS except between shows...bliss.

Z

Sam Huntington said...

Ducky, you wish to force me to pay for your programming because … ?

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

@Sam

"Ducky, you wish to force me to pay for your programming because … ?"


EZ...it's only fair. And the "poor" can't donate?

Ducky's here said...

Nice straw man, Sam.

The issue was your contention that PBS and (N)ice (P)olite (R)epublicans are arms of Pravda.


Impert, we are all paying for things we disagree with. I pay for the toy soldiers to screw up in Afghanistan and boy do we pay.

Anonymous said...

"The fact is that this Obama we saw Wednesday night and have endured for the last four years is a product of our liberal leftist media.

Obama was not ready Wednesday, he has never been ready, and he will never be ready to be the leader this country needs, for he is the first president to have never been vetted.

Watching the debate reminded me of a child set out on his own after being raised by parents who failed to teach him responsibility and accountability and let the child think that he was above being corrected or disciplined.

This was the time that Chris Matthews could not jump in and tell the people what Obama meant to say."

Indeed, Obama has been brought up by an adoring and overindulgent liberal media who have coddled him for the last eight years.

And the man they never bothered to criticize or vetted.

With a sycophantic media like this, who needs accountability?"

Sam Huntington said...

@ Imp

If the poor wish to be entertained, let them go the library and check out a FREE book.

In time, they won't be poor any longer and may even prefer reading books over slack jawed, open mouthed drooling pastimes such as television, Lucy Goosey cinema, and Madonna concerts.

Anonymous said...

"I pay for the toy soldiers to screw up in Afghanistan and boy do we pay."


Get out now then you douche...you just mooned every brave soldier that's risked their lives and have lost them already. You really show your commie 'progressive" red colors now...

I'd like to see one rip your silly head off and dump down your throat. You are disgusting.

It saddens me to see that one soldier sacrificed their life for a truly worthless POS like you and your ilk.

Sam Huntington said...

@ Ducky

I never once mentioned "Pravda." Nice try, though. Have you misplaced your medications again?

FreeThinke said...

"Ducky...you left of all the very leftwing shows...just an oversight?

How'd you like to pay for Hannity, Ducky?"


BRILLIANT comeback, Z

Exactly the right question.

THANKS!

~ FT

Kid said...

PBS is such a minor abstract point. Ron Paul wanted to cancel 5 cancerous government agencies. Big ones, starting with the communist brain washing Dept of Ed.

Mitt is going to discontinue funding for PBS? Soros could fund them from pocket change.

Not that I would vote for obama because:

- Mitt is not the perfect candidate
- Any other reason.

Kid said...

Beam, I'd say LBJ has been the worst president so far in terms of the damage done to the USA.

Unknown said...

I could be wrong, but I think the point wasn't so much PBS or NPR or Big Bird, or the somewhat decadent relationship between Miss Piggy and Kermit the Frog. No, I think the point was that we shouldn't spend money on any program that requires us to borrow money to fund it.

Is that an over simplification?

Unrelated question: is it mere coincidence that Kermit's last name is Frog and he is a Frog?

Anonymous said...

Sorry Z...I couldn't pass up posting this...



"There is not a single Obama voter anywhere in the land who believes that another four years of him will make this country better.

Not a single one from coast to coast. No, what they believe is that he will make the country a worse place for those people that they hate. That he will have four more years to sink their ideas deeper in the earth, regardless of how many families go hungry and how many fathers kill themselves because they can no longer take care of their families.

What they believe is that Obama will grant their group more special privileges and the rest of the country can go to hell.”

“In his DNC keynote address in 2004, Obama said, “There is no Black America or White America or Latino America or Asian America, there is just the United States of America.”

And now he has completely disavowed it. He isn’t campaigning to lead the United States of America, instead he is running for the presidency of a dozen little Americas, Trayvon Martin America, Abortion America, Illegal Alien America, Sharia America, Gay Marriage America, Starbucks America and any others you can think of.


And if he can collect enough of these little Americas together, then he may get the privilege of running the United States of America into the ground for another four years.”

“Obama has never been the President of the United States of America. He has been the president of Washington D.C., of Wall Street and of Solyndra.


He has been the President of Green America and of Chicago. He has been the President of Warren Buffett, George Soros, Bill Gates, Penny Pritzker and James Crown.


He is the President of George Clooney, Harvey Weinstein and Anne Hathaway. And now, facing disaster, he still isn’t running to be President of a country, but of a dozen little countries with money from freshly bailed out Green America and Wall Street, not to mention Hollywood.”


“The Obama campaign is not accidentally divisive. It did not stumble into divisiveness. It is not even divisive as a byproduct of its real aims. Divisiveness is its aim. Divisiveness is the only way that a divisive administration can hold on to power.


The anger and the violence are not an accident, they are the whole point. Set one group against another, feed the hate, massage the grievances and very soon there is no longer a nation but a handful of quarreling groups being roped into a mutual alliance to reelect their lord protector whose appeal is that of the outsider becoming the insider.”




And so...as Obama goes...the US becomes another cruddy Chicago, or a Philadelphia, A Trenton, A Newark, A Detroit...and a larger Libya or Liberia....of warring tribes with his approval.

Kid said...

Unemployment rate. I don't see how the drop is possible.

I've been watching the weekly 'Initial unemployment claims' since 2007, as well as the weekly positive employment numbers.

For 5 years they've been around 370-400k Claims and 100-150k Plus jobs weekly for 5 years. Nothing new happened in the last couple weeks. The minus 8% number is BS. And people who are living large have also called BS on it.

I really hope they find a cookie jar with hand in it on this one.

Won't matter for the losers, but still

Unknown said...

BTW, did anyone see these headlines in the media?

OBAMA ACCEPTS ILLEGAL CONTRIBUTIONS

No?

Really?

That's strange.

Kid said...

So, let's break it down:

obama gets another 4 years and:
Pros:
1. no way hilrod clinton gets a shot.
2. some number of libtards will have their face rubbed in 'it' as obama will make things much worse over the next 4 years adn might actually learn something. A re-election will cause him to claim acceptance of the communist/socialist/fascist agenda by 'the voters' and they'll go full steam destruction of the USA.

cons-see point 2 above.

Anonymous said...

"I really hope they find a cookie jar with hand in it on this one.."


We're waiting for the Benghazi FUBAR to hit the fan...go to town on this one Mitt...the S of State....and the One...needs to answer. She needs to be grilled and cooked over this one...but I don't have much faith in Issa since he let Holder the magician slide.

Then the 2007 Race speech and the "White People Hate you" Katrina rant by Obullsh**t ?

Kid said...

Imp,dems are evil, repubs are useless.

they won't do anything to obama because they don't want to 1) be perceived as raaacists, 2) have to run against hilrod.

The system is so broken.

Yea, Katrina. Tennessee floods happened on obamas watch and more people died and FEMA never even showed up and the media never said anything about it. It's that bad man.

Anonymous said...

@Kid

"Doing what feels good” has been the downfall of the Left over and over again, whether it’s drugs, high taxes, or hailing violent criminals as “front-line soldiers in our war against your repressive society”.


The fact that they apparently just can’t resist the urge to do it whenever they are in power is why the downfall of a leftist movement tends to resemble a circular firing squad every time.

Ask Duckshit or Libturd.....they'll bleed forever...as all the vampires in America do.

JonBerg said...

To anyone who still has any cognition: Please tell me what Liberalmann is trying to impart? It seems to me that he is going aginist his own, stupid, liberal bullshit. Did the the debate have that good of an impact???

Ducky's here said...

High taxes feel good?

You're incoherent, Impertinent.

Z said...

Sorry, JonBerg, I deleted the dope.
And yes, I think the debate scared them so much they're in some kind of ridiculous overdrive...
kinda fun :-)

elmers brother said...

Just remember dugkkky was the one who told us Obama had made all Queda irrelevant. He just forgot to tell Chris Stevens

elmers brother said...

Yep....Obam can take down the "mission accomplished" sign

JonBerg said...

Z,

Please don't be sorry. Except for one thing; it's always good for the rest of us to see where the cognitive challenged are coming from!

Michael Corleone said...

JonBerg said...
"I see that Enema (Ema). has found her way to this site. Ducky and Liberalmann, step aside, you have now met your ultimate competitor!"

I' also saw her disgusting post Jon, and I am glad that Z deleted her usual verminous slander.
I've seen her trash other blogs trashing Conservatives and praising Progressives. I personally think that she's a lonely sour Old Hag with nothing else to do but run from blog to blog looking for attention.
Best to delete her nasty garbage and not give her a platform to perform on.

Z said...

Mustang must have deleted it, or Elmer's Brother?.......
i didn't see anything more vile than usual!!

But, thanks guys, whoever did it.

elmers brother said...

Wasn't me

Kid said...

IMP
Liberalism IS a mental disorder. A clinical mental disorder when compared to the minds of people who can remember what happened yesterday in order to plan for tomorrow.

Did I say this here? A libtard's life is nothing more than a series of disconnected moments. Any conclusion they arrive at is dependent on the emotion at that moment. They can easily come to opposing conclusions in the next breath. And it doesn't even register.

Anonymous said...

@Kid

I hear ya Kid...but I'm wasting my time here. And my breath.

Kid said...

IMP, We're all wasting our breath when you get down to it.

Imp, since 1963, it only took 2 democrat presidents to destroy the country - lbj and the moron carter. clinton and obama were just 'piling on'.

Right?

Anonymous said...

@Kid

"Imp, since 1963, it only took 2 democrat presidents to destroy the country"...

1000% correct...and Kennedy would have been in that illustrious group along with his brother.....if they hadn't met with accidents.

But...I would have supported JFK over any of the current crop of loony bastards today. The left has..HAS driven us over the cliff. From LBJ on. Clinton....was no democrat.

Some day...I pray that the demrats will self destruct and cease to exist. To be replaced by the new Millenia voters who have more brains and common sense than any boomer POS that's in control of them today.

Kid said...

IMP, I was about 10 or 11 when JFK was murdered by the USSR. I remember his motorcade driving the Ohio River Blvd a couple years earlier not more than 100 yds from my house.

I thought he was an OK guy and still do. I respect him for his PT-109 action. I respect him and RFK for going after the mob. They lost and now the mob and the commies run the country.

Clinton rode Reagan's economy to great success and appeared to be somewhat centrist but I believe he did a lot of damage also. NAFTA, China, India, Decimation of the military and the intelligence community, emboldening of the islamists, failure to put the finger on the real enemy starting with the WTC bombing in 1993 and ending pathetically with the USS Cole massacre.

He was not as visible an enemy as lbj, carter, and now this racist, marxist, islamic activist. Good God, that no one seems to be able to get a handle on, least of all the Pinnacle Conservative - *Beamish*
:)
Just putting some thoughts out...

Kid said...

IMP. PS - it is my belief that it is the kids who had pushed obama over the top in 08.

Therefore, one potentially good thing to an obama re-election is that after 8 years of failure, only the truly and totally gone will remain obama supporters. I think it's possible that generation xyz will come out with a clue.

I can find a silver lining anywhere.

btw _ i had some friends relay a story that over the weekend they had run into some obama supporters (Still) and Jewish couple to boot, and the lady of mentioned friends told them that since these people supported obama that they simply had no interest in socializing with them or anyone in the business of destroying our America.

They had quite a weekend and ran into these commies at purely the wrong time, but I think it turned out well. She being a compassionate and exceptionally mannered conservative was distraught over the event, (thinking she had been rude beyond any prior action) When we met for lunch today and they relayed the events, I told her I was so proud of her. I believe the correct course of action today IS to shun these libtard morons who are busily destroying our country by voting for racist, islamist, incompetent, corrupt imbeciles. Let them wallow in their leper colonies.

I intend to take the same tact myself.
"You want to line up behind this action? Do it without me folks" The battle lines are drawn.

Anonymous said...

@Kid

Silly me...how could I have forgotten that the first black president was responsible for 911?

Or disgracing the Oval Office,the Presidency...let alone his profession as a lawyer...disbarred and humiliated? Didn't matter much did it? On the other hand Nixon lost his office....but the first blow job president kept his? Something was really FU'd about that friend. Even women...stood by him...waving their panties at him...saying "Me, Me...do Me next Billy"...Jesus.

That to me....this was the beginning of the end of morality and decency in this country. When the so called "acceptable" rules of conduct were rewritten by the lowlifes and narcissists...

When a sitting president could get away with perjury ( just like Obullshit and Holder is doing today over the Benghazi and the gun running fiasco )...I hate my country and what it has become...truthfully. If I had a choice of another place where sanity ruled over divisiveness and racial animosity...I'd move there.

And KID...I do not believe Mitt will win....and I'm a man that always sees my glass as half empty.

Mitt cannot beat this demagouge...this fake...this made up man..the racial bigot and fraud...he's toast.

The lying, deceitful, corrupt media will not allow it.

Anonymous said...

@Kid

"s that after 8 years of failure..."


Are you giving Obullshit another 4 years already? Or are you referring to someone else?

Kid said...

IMP to both your comments:

after billy boy was out of office, impeached, a friend of mine's wife knew a couple ladies that COULDN'T WAIT to do billy when he came to Cincinnati and claim to have done so.

Yea, morality on all levels seems out the window. The KGB dude explained that demoralization is the first step in taking over the country of your enemy. Demoralization being much more than just social morality.

And yea, I'm talking about oblabber getting another 4 years and really putting the screws to old Glory, and maybe that will be a net positive when people see the effects of propping up losers and failures- and etc.

Kid said...

I have no idea who will win the election. Personally, I think Mitt will win.
But it's the losers against the rest of us, that's for sure, and the losers are Highly Motivated.

Anonymous said...

@Kid

"But it's the losers against the rest of us, that's for sure, and the losers are Highly Motivated."


More than that my friend...they are in control. So...I had hoped that the TParty would have been the rallying cry for all decent Americans to come forward.

They did....but a one time rally is not enough to scrub the country of the alien bastards, the weenies, the traitors, the commies, the unions...and the racist among us....No...not the white guys who voted for this dung...we can never vote for another President as white as Mitt is again....without facing the reality of racial animosity...( not ours...of course ) but...a press that will call us...US...not the real racists who'll vote 99% solely on skin color....which is where we are.

Face it Kid..we went into this embracing the first "black" guy as President.

Only to find out that he harbored...and still does...a hatred of the majority of the country.

This POS is hoping for a racial civil war. And the ignorant...are ready for it.

Anonymous said...

@Kid


Email me bud.....

I'm out of here....it's way to GD depressing...LOL

(((Thought Criminal))) said...

Beam, I'd say LBJ has been the worst president so far in terms of the damage done to the USA.

I'd put him as third worst behind Obama and FD Roosevelt.

(((Thought Criminal))) said...

least of all the Pinnacle Conservative - *Beamish*

That's Apex Predator Conservative to you, commie.

Teresa said...

Excellent post! The Left sure did go bonkers. Liberalism is a mental disorder and the reaction to defunding Big Bird displayed that.

MathewK said...

Romney has a point, borrowing money to pay for childrens programs is just stupid.