Starbucks at Town Hall Meeting?

Well, this has cured my desire for Starbucks.

Of course, this is just my opinion.

Rob’s Rant

Whoopi Goldberg: It Wasn’t Rape Rape

The only time I watch The View is when clips like this come up. 

The discussion on this particular day was about the extradition of Roman Polanski.  If you don’t remember or don’t know, Polanski was an excellent Hollywood director until he drugged and raped a 13-year-old in the late 70’s.  He’s been on the run ever since.

I’m not easily offended and I can’t remember the last time I have been offended by something someone has said.  I think I’m offended by Ms. Goldberg.  I have a daughter and I can tell you that if some adult, let alone some Hollywood scumbag, drugged my 13-year old and had relations with her I would hunt him down and drag his but into the police station.  Rape is rape. 

When Sherri Shepperd and Joy Bahar look like the smart ones things are off kilter. 

Of course, this is just my opinion.

Rob’s Rant

Do Words Matter Mr. Obama?

 One of our great local radio hosts, Jamie Allman, from 97.1 FM Talk, put up a well done video that I just had to share.

It’s good to see we haven’t had the massive loony protests calling President Obama war monger or worse.  For the most part it has been pretty peaceful and pointed.  We don’t have to like Mr. Obama and his direction he is taking the country, but a little civil discourse is healthy for the country. 

Like Dalton says, I want you to be nice until it’s time to not be nice.  I think we’re heading towards the not nice phase. 

You can catch Allman in the Morning online here.

Of course, this is just my opinion.

Rob’s Rant

The Indoctrination of our Children

Maybe it’s just me, but the groups of children singing praises to Obama are just a tad creepy.  I wonder what would have happened if the reverse was going on – singing praises to Bush. 

Where are the parents here?  If this was going on at my childs school I would be up there asking, “Why?”

Of course, this is just my opinion.

Rob’s Rant

Axelrod Blitzed on Health Care Competition

Wolf Blitzer swerved into the truth about breaking down barriers to the insurance companies to complete across state lines.  Interesting stuff.

As Axelrod said, this is not endemic to the kind of reforms that we’re proposing…. 

Of course, this is just my opinion.

Rob’s Rant

UC Berkely Students Fail History Test

Alright, it wasn’t exactly a full blown history test but they didn’t pass anything with flying colors.

One of my favorites, Steven Crowder, hit another home run.  He traveled to the #1 institution in America – UC Berkeley to ask some questions of the smartest students in the land.

My favorite part is around 8:45 asking the single payer option students if Mary Jo Kopechne was in support of the public option (they were using Ted Kennedy’s image to promote the group.)  Also, I was a little surprised that none of these “enlightened” students indicated that Barack Obama was their favorite president.  Very interesting.

Aren’t they just priceless!

Of course, this is just my opinion.

Rob’s Rant

The House Votes to Take Over Student Loans

Since I work in the field of higher education I am more tuned into the news regarding student loan funding.  We have been tracking the funding bills that have been coming up and this one seems to smack of too much government involvement.  An interesting article was posted this morning at Redstate.com on this very subject in regards to HR 3221. 

From RedState.com:

If you want an indication of just how radical the Democrats in Congress have become, consider the vote on H.R. 3221. The legislation, which I wrote about yesterday, shuts down all private lenders for higher education student loans, requires that colleges and universities adhere to a new federal bureaucracy, creates a new Green Schools Czar, and hints that any school not complying will see its students denied federal student loans.

Last year, Congress passed the Ensuring Continued Access to Student Loans Act (ECASLA). The bill passed in the House 388-21, including 221-0 among Democrats. The Senate passed it by unanimous consent. President Bush signed it. The legislation was a bi-partisan piece of legislation that allowed private sector involvement in student loans without a new federal bureaucracy.

This year, the Republican substitute to HR 3221 would extend ECASLA programs through 2014 and create a commission to develop a new private sector model for student lending. The amendment failed 165-265. 257 Democrats unanimously voted no.

Final passage of HR 3221 was 253-171. 4 Democrats voted no, 6 Republicans vote aye.

The Democrats have now rejected the same legislation they unanimously supported last year in favor of a new, expansive federal bureaucracy.

Some of you may say, “so what, the government is already involved in backing funding for the Stafford program.”  This may be true, but what this will do is give total control of the student loan system to the Fed eliminating any choice by students.  Why was the original legislation a good idea last year but all of a sudden the previous vote meant nothing?  Ahh, you have to just love politics!

Daughter Throws Back Baseball at Phillies Game

Nothing political here, just a great video.  This is the best reaction from a Dad at the ballpark I’ve ever seen.  Too bad it was a Phillies Fan, but a great video none-the-less.

Marcus the Lamb is Slaughtered!

I always love stories that end the way I think they should. 

A group of kids in Great Britain had a rather interesting school project.  Around 250 of the kids in this school participate in a program to teach them about rearing and breeding animals.  They care for many animals including a male lamb they named Marcus.  After caring for the lamb the children decided to send Marcus to slaughter to pay for additional animals and continue the cycle.  That’s where their problems began.

It seems that several adults and animal loving celebrities were aghast at the notion of slaughtering an animal.  The whole idea of this project is to expose the students to farming life.  News to all these do-gooders: This means that animals will eventually be sent to slaughter.  Where do you think those scrumptious lamb chops come from? 

From Reuters:

LONDON (Reuters) – A group of schoolchildren who reared a lamb from birth and named it Marcus has overridden objections by parents and rights activists and voted to send the animal to slaughter.

Marcus the six-month-old lamb has now been culled, the head teacher of the primary school in Kent confirmed on Monday, after the school’s council — a 14-member group of children aged 6 to 11 — voted 13-1 to have him killed.

The decision has provoked fury among animal-loving celebrities, animal and human rights campaigners and the parents of some of the children, and led to threats against Lydd primary school and its teachers, according to a member of staff.

The educational farm was started this year, with Marcus being hand-fed by the children. The children also look after ducks, chickens, rabbits and guinea pigs.

The intention had been to buy pigs with the money raised from slaughtering Marcus, but those plans have been put on hold following the furor created by the lamb’s culling. The school said the program may now have to be stopped.

“It’s all up in the air,” said a member of staff. “There’s been so much pressure on us as a result of all this.”

Despite that, the school said there had been overwhelming support among the children, the staff and most of the parents to have Marcus — a castrated male who could not have been used for breeding — sent to the slaughterhouse.

But opponents branded it heartless and cruel, with animal rights campaigners asking why Marcus could not have been used to teach the children about wool, and human rights campaigners worried about the emotional impact of Marcus’s death on the children.

A popular talkshow host offered to buy the lamb and give it sanctuary and Facebook groups sprung up to rally support to keep Marcus alive. But the children had the final say. The school defended the children’s decision, calling it educational.

“When we started the farm in spring 2009, the aim was to educate the children in all aspects of farming life and everything that implies,” the school said in a statement.

“The children have had a range of opportunities to discuss this issue, both in terms of the food cycle and the ethical aspect… It is important for everyone to move on from this issue, so the children can focus on their education.”

It’s funny when kids have more sense than the adults around them.  Hopefully they won’t lose that.

Of course, this is just my opinion.

Rob’s Rant

Kanye West: King Idiot

What an idiot.  I try to be at least civil on this blog, but my gosh.  I stopped watching the Video Music Awards around the time that MTV stopped playing videos.  (How can you give video awards for videos you really don’t play?)

Hopefully this is the last gasp of a no-talent hack.   I truly feel sorry for Taylor Swift.  A great moment in her life taken away by this “singer.”

Of course, this is just my opinion.

Rob’s Rant

Boycott Bank of America?

I ran across this video from a woman upset with the credit card policy of Bank of America.  Evidently her interest rate was raised to 30% on her credit card.  She indicates that she has had this card for many years.

Here’s my advise to this woman:

• Stop keeping a balance on your credit card.  If you don’t want to pay interest on your credit card pay off the balance and live within our means.

 

• Change credit cards.  If you want a change of credit card, move your balance to another credit card.  Surely you could find a better interest rate somewhere else.

 

• Pay your bill.  If you are dumb enough to not pay your credit card (on a balance you created – not Bank of America) then maybe you should be tagged with a high rate.  Yes, the rate is exorbitant, but that is really beside the point.

Personal responsiblity is a virture that is sorely lacking in our country.  If you are going to boycott something, start with the high taxes and march toward socialism. 

Of course, this is just my opinion.

Rob’s Rant

September 11, 2001 – Let Us Not Forget

Today is the 8th anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center towers.  Although many cable shows have been done showing video of the attack, I don’t feel we see this enough.  I am afraid many people have forgotten what happened on that day.  As time goes by, memories fade.

I hope this video made you mad again. 

Of course, this just my opinion.

Rob’s Rant

General Patton: The Courageous Man Forces Himself to Carry On

 This is a great quote for today:

“All men are frightened. The more intelligent they are, the more they are frightened. The courageous man is the man who forces himself, in spite of his fear, to carry on.”

General George S. Patton

St. Louis Area Sheriff Defends Soldiers Funeral

On my way home tonight I was listening to the Dave Glovershow.  This is my favorite time of day as this is one of the best radio shows in the country.   (You can listen online at www.971talk.com.)

The best thing about this show is that it really offers a wide variety of topics – none of them include politics.  Today Dave read an email exchange between an anonymous woman and the Jefferson County Sheriff – Glenn Boyer regarding the funeral procession of Sgt. William Woods.  Stick with the email and make sure to read the Sheriffs response.

 

The original email was sent to Sheriff Glenn Boyer on Thursday, August 27. Below is the citizen’s email followed by Sheriff Boyer’s response.

I tried to call you earlier this morning, but was unable to obtain your extension from the voice mail system as I was not sure of your first name or correct spelling of your last.

I was inadvertently in this procession as I was leaving work on 270 from Creve Coeur and proceeding on Hwy. 30 West. I have some issues and complaints. I called the Sheriff’s office last night, but the officer in charge would not speak with me. His name was Corp. Curtis. I am in no way complaining about your officers. I, however, was not treated very fairly when I called last evening because I wanted a ticket/complaint/or at least a slap on wrist for the people involved. Let me explain:

1) This procession should never have been held during rush hour traffic! Hwy. 270 is dangerous and people drive way too fast and there is too much traffic. This soldier’s certainly would not have want his family hurt on the interstate taking him to Cedar Hill. People were dead-stopping on the interstate even though the procession was in the far right lane, the other three lanes just stopped. There were many near accidents and possibly were after I drove through. I was in the 2nd to left lane, no way obstructing the funeral procession.

2) I exited off on Gravois (30 W), far right lane. Your police officers went in the left lane to stop any additional on-coming traffic so the procession could exit off 270 into the LEFT lane of 30. Again, I was in the right lane. The St. Louis County officer stopped and turned around at Weber Hill to return on 270 after the procession passed.

3) The road was not closed. (Only for president as far as I know.) Again, the road was not closed. Your officers only had the left lane blocked/closed for the funeral. All other traffic by MO law can proceed as long as they do not interfere (weave in and out )with funeral procession.

Let me say, that I did not know what was happening. I knew the did not have Kennedy coming to STL, at least not yesterday. I was at work all day. No news. Nothing reported on the traffic on the radio driving home.
Anyway, two of these dirty, nasty, renegade, who knows what motorcycle men that were escorting the procession proceeded to stop in front of me in the right lane on Gravois. I had to stop in the middle of an intersection. They proceeded to scream and yell at me about respecting this soldier, etc. One of them climbed off his motorcycle and came over to me and stuck his head in my car continuing to scream at me. I asked him what this was for and he told me I needed to stop as the officers had the road blocked and show some dang respect. #1, the road was not blocked, the funeral was in the other lane. #2, I am proud of our country and sorry for the family, but they had no idea where I was going or anything else. I could have a child at day-care, I could have been sick and racing to the bathroom, I could have a sick parent waiting for me, etc., etc.

#3, They are not law enforcement and had no right to stop in the lane on Gravois and they had no right to scream at me and intimidate and threaten me. If I would have had my pepper spray, I would have used it on this nasty man! He is just a big hoo ha that is not even related to this soldier. The other man did not get off his scooter, but was along side of my passenger window screaming.
I left an abusive husband 1 1/2 years ago and I did not need this intimidation. I was livid and shaking!!

My son is a deputy sheriff in another MO county. I respect police officers. It was not their fault as they were busy with traffic, but I called to make them aware of what was going on during this thing. The St. Louis County officer saw it but of course he was out of jurisdiction.

However, I called last night and your office asked me if I knew about this soldier. Again, I am sorry about him, but I am a taxpayer. I got a speeding ticket a few months ago and paid the fine. I do not deserve to be treated like this. I wanted to let the officer know how these men were acting. Also, they were driving into the turnarounds on Hwy. 30 and then back onto the road. the funeral was much further ahead. One of them nearly got hit by me and other people almost hit him and another as well. I wanted to lodge a complaint about them why they were still there, but no one in your office would take any information or do anything.

This was not a military funeral, even though it was a soldier. There were not military vehicles. It was a funeral and the road was not closed, the lane was closed, I was in the other lane and again, these nasty men had no right to do this and I would have liked them to get a ticket!

I am sorry for the soldier and his family but you cannot let these motorcycle renegades do this. They could have caused several accidents and I really wanted them arrested. If they had any respect for the soldier they would have dressed better and not looked and acted so scuzzy.

Thank you. 

Here is the response from Sheriff Glenn Boyer:

From: Glenn Boyer/JEFFCO
Date: 08/31/2009 02:05 PM

Subject: Re: Fw: Re: Funeral Procession – Yesterday p.m.

——————————————————————————–

Dear XXXXX:

Yes, you do deserve a response and I am willing to give you one.

I would like to say that I am sorry for the inconvenience we caused you during the funeral procession of Sergeant 1st Class William B. Woods, but I cannot do so. I would ask instead that you take a moment of your time to take into consideration the scope of the event. Your very right to complain was the reason Sgt. Woods fought for his country and ultimately gave his life; thus making the ultimate sacrifice for you and your family.

Let me introduce you to him. After high school, Sergeant Woods entered the Marine Corps. After his contract was up, he joined the Army, where he became a Green Beret. He comes from a long line of military members in his family. His Uncle is a Vietnam Veteran and two of his grandfathers were World War II Veterans. His job in the Army was one of the most dangerous jobs – he was a sniper looking for the bad guys to stop before they killed or injured one of our soldiers. He has numerous decorations to include the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart.

He grew up in Catawissa and was best known by his middle name, Brian. He enjoyed the outdoors, playing sports, and skydiving. He had a wife, Elizabeth, and two daughters, whom he loved dearly. He was a soft-spoken, level-headed young man who was proud to serve his country no matter what the risk. Now, I did not know him, but I wish I did. I am quoting from newspaper articles written about him.

At the young age of 31, he was shot during an engagement with Taliban forces in Ghanzi , Afghanistan . He died of his wounds in Germany on August 16, with his family by his side. He did not choose the time of his death, nor did he choose the time his remains would be brought back to his home in Catawissa. He just did his duty. He was quite a young man.

While you were being inconvenienced in your car on your way home, there were soldiers just like Sergeant Woods carrying 100+ pounds of equipment in 120 degree heat, up some mountain or in the middle of some desert. They will shower out of a helmet liner if they get the chance. They will eat a cold meal of MRE’s; something most people would consider garbage. They cannot text their family or friends, or go to McDonalds, or watch TV. They can only continue the mission and look out after the guy to the left and right of them. They don’t complain because they know they volunteered. The only thing they ask is that we do not forget the sacrifices they have made.

One of the dirty “big hoo ha” bikers, as you call them, was Brian’s uncle, a Vietnam Veteran, like myself. We were not treated with a homecoming. We were spit on and called baby killers by a misguided public. Brian’s uncle was giving him the respect that he, himself, never received when he came back and I, for one, am proud of him for doing so.

You say that your brother is a deputy in another Missouri county. I am sure he would be proud to escort the casket of a fallen solder, the same as he would that of a fallen officer. I am also sure he would not agree with your complaint about being inconvenienced.

My mother recently passed away. She was a World War II Veteran, serving the U.S. Army. She would say, maybe you should pick up Sergeant Woods’ ruck sack and carry on where he left off. Then you could see first hand what it really is to be inconvenienced.

Per your request, I will forward your complaint to the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office for his review. It is my personal opinion that your complaint is self-serving and without merit.

Sheriff Oliver “Glenn” Boyer

What a great response.   Whether you agree or disagree with the mission of the military, the soldiers are doing their job and following orders.  Whether they are returning to their families after their tour of duty or excorted to their final resting place, we owe them our utmost respect. 

Look for Sheriff Boyer to appear on national programs.  It’s a great story.

Of course, this is just my opinion.

Rob’s Rant

Jack Webb Schools Obama on Health Care

This is just for fun. 

Of course, this is just my opinion.

Rob’s Rant