President Reagan centennial




With the centennial of Ronald Reagan's birth this Feb. 6, it is fitting to recall the achievements of one of the greatest Presidents in the history of this nation:

1.  Ending the Cold War:  The Cold War had raged since World War II and communism's quest for world domination remained an existential threat to the United States when President Reagan took office.  Reagan reversed the policy of detente and stood firm against the Soviet Union, calling it the Evil Empire and telling Mikhail Gorbachev to "tear down this wall" in Berlin.  He was relentless in pushing his Strategic Defense Initiative and gave aid to rebels battling Soviet-backed Marxists from Nicaragua to Angola.  Those efforts were critical in the ultimate collapse of the Soviet empire and essentially ended the Cold War.

2.  Reaganomics:  Reagan's mix of across-the-board tax cuts, deregulation, and domestic spending restraint helped fuel an economic boom that lasted two decades.  Reagan inherited a misery index (the sum of the inflation and unemployment rates) of 19.99%, and when he left office it had dropped to 9.72%.  President Obama take note:  Under Reaganomics, 16 million new jobs were created.





3.  Revitalizing the GOP and the conservative movement:  The Republican Party was at its nadir after Watergate, but Reagan was able to form a winning coalition of fiscal conservatives, family-values voters, blue-collar Reagan Democrats and neo-conservative intellectuals and set the stage for future GOP electoral gains.  His free-market, small-government, pro-liberty conservatism helped to revitalize the GOP and his influence resonates today as conservative candidates still invoke Reagan as their standard-bearer.

4.  Peace through Strength:  The military was diminished during the Carter years, but Reagan reversed that by rebuilding the armed forces.  His Peace Through Strength philosophy was manifested by his reviving the B-1 bomber that Carter canceled, starting production of the MX missile, and pushing NATO to deploy Pershing missiles in West Germany.  He increased defense spending by more than 40%, increased troop levels, and even got much-needed space parts into the pipeline.  Those efforts ensured that America remained a military superpower.

5.  Morning in America:  It was basically a slogan for Reagan's 1984 reelection bid, but Morning in America symbolized a new beginning for the country.  Reagan's jaunty optimism and an economic boom was a much-needed tonic for a country that had experienced the malaise of the Carter years and the traumas of Watergate and Vietnam.

6. Star Wars:  Reagan's Strategic Defense Initiative was derided by his opponents as being technologically unfeasible, but the mere threat of the U.S. building the system was instrumental in the Soviet Union's collapse.  The successful use of Patriot missile batteries in the first Gulf War proved the critics wrong, and the missile defense system that ensued has lessened the threat of ballistic missiles.

7. Nuclear weapons cuts:  Even as massive demonstrations were held in Europe against Reagan's hawkish stance on nuclear arms, the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty he signed with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev eliminated an entire class of nuclear weapons.  He also laid the framework with Gorbachev for the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), which reduced both countries' arsenals of nuclear weapons.

8. Voiced values:  Reagan gave voice to the values that had served America well—thrift, patriotism, and hard work—and often recounted the wisdom of the Founding Fathers.  He also championed the causes of the pro-life and family-values movements that sought to counter the societal upheavals of the 1960s and 1970s.

9. Tax reform:  Not only did he cut tax rates, but the Tax Reform Act of 1986 simplified the income-tax code by eliminating many tax shelters, reducing the number of deductions and tax brackets.  Reagan's dream of tax returns fitting on a postcard has been nullified as Congress has regressed and continued to make the tax code more complex, necessitating a new push for reform.

10. Taking on PATCO:  Early in his administration, members of the federal air traffic controllers union (PATCO) went on strike, violating a federal regulation.  Declaring the strike a "peril to national safety," Reagan gave the workers an ultimatum and ended up firing more than 11,000 of the controllers, sending a strong signal that union workers needn't be coddled.

National Anthem

I have had a very busy couple of days, regular posting will resume in a day or two....
I got this fromhttp://oldnfo.blogspot.com/ 
    Awesome site and a good read

Singing the National Anthem...

With all the kindness I can muster, I give this one piece of advice to the next pop star who is asked to sing the national anthem at a sporting event: save the vocal gymnastics and the physical gyrations for your concerts. Just sing this song the way you were taught to sing it in kindergarten — straight up, no styling.

Sing it with the constant awareness that there are soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines watching you from bases and outposts all over the world. Don’t make them cringe with your self-centered ego gratification.

Sing it as if you are standing before a row of 86-year-old WWII vets wearing their Purple Hearts, Silver Stars and flag pins on their cardigans and you want them to be proud of you for honoring them and the country they love — not because you want them to think you are a superstar musician. They could see that from the costumes, the makeup and the entourages.

Sing “The Star Spangled Banner” with the courtesy and humility that tells the audience that it is about America, not you.

If you can't or won't, then don't do it again

Disarm the people, crush dissent, all in a days work

It is ok for the streets to get "bloody" when a Democrat calls for it, but the moment a private citizen speaks his mind Joan Peterson (fascist tool) goes into a level seven Pants Shitting Hysterics.

I suggest to the pro gun side that when these statements are made by public officials or by their own at tea party rallies or on blog comments, their cause becomes tainted and should be questioned. How can we take the pro gun side seriously when they defend and use such rhetoric? If these folks want the rest of us to believe that they are just law abiding citizens who won't do anything wrong and we should leave them and their guns alone, then they need to stop with this dangerous rhetoric. Common sense tells the public that we can't let this continue. Common sense tells the public that this is dangerous and is not acceptable. Common sense tells us that reasonable laws to stop the easy access to guns to people who can't handle them responsibly may stop the wrong person from shooting a public official or innocent protesters at a rally. Common sense tells us that our gun culture is leading us down paths that could be dangerous for our country. Reasonable restrictions are called for. Civility is called for. When "the guys with the guns make the rules" ( from Wayne LaPierre, Executive VP for the NRA) mentality is prevalent and succeeds in overcoming common sense, our country needs to take a step back and examine what that actually means.


Common sense evidently doesn't know crap about history.  This country was founded by men with guns fighting for freedom.  That some citizens still know that Joan Peterson wets herself.

"Power comes from the barrel of a gun" Chairman Mao.


Political power is always backed by force.  Joan, why do you want the people powerless?  Is it so that you and your ilk can politically rape us with impunity?


I've had enough of your reasonable restrictions.  Reasonable people adapt to their environment.  Unreasonable people force their environment to adapt to them.  By calling for such a fundamental change in our society Joan proves that she is anything but reasonable.


And I will resist her efforts with unreasonable devotion for you can't fight irrationality with reason.  I am a true believer.  You can't convert me Joan, you can't force me to submit.  At best you can kill me.

Fortune cookie

 I got this fromhttp://randomthoughtsandguns.blogspot.com/
My fortune cookie said, "Don't go to the well too many times."  Also my lucky numbers are 5, 2, 6, 1, 15, 45, and 40.

I don't really care about the lucky numbers, but the proverb "don't go to the well too many times" is good advice.  In plain English the proverb means "don't let a habit turn into a rut" or "don't repeat the same thing all the time."

Life is change.  And a huge part of my life is fighting for change in other countries, and fighting against change at home.  But change is inevitable.  The real question is about shaping the future.  There are two main sides fighting for change.  The left knows what they want, and they are fighting very hard to turn this nation into a true "socialist paradise."  After all, if the point of a union is to protect union workers against being exploited by evil employers then the point of a "public employee union" must be to protect the employee from the evil taxpayers.

The fight in Wisconsin is a "decisive battle" according to Clausewitz.  This is a tipping point where the winner gains a huge advantage for years to come.  Remember the dark days after the AWB was passed?  Remember how hard Conservatives fought to put in the "sunset clause" just to keep from getting completely steamrolled?  That was a tipping point, and the forces of oppression enjoyed a tactical advantage for years afterward.

But the forces of oppression went to the well too many times, their lies became obvious.  Their narrative became tiresome.  They did not exploit their victory by using new tactics.  They watched as conservatives took the fight elsewhere, to the States and changing "may issue" to "shall issue".  Think of this as true insurgent behavior, if you can't fight on the national scene fight on the state scene.  If you can't fight on the state scene fight on the county scene.

And exploit your victories by moving on.  Once you have achieved on thing, it makes no sense to do it again.  Move on.  Do something different.  The struggle for freedom is not just a 2nd Amendment thing, the struggle is for all freedoms.  1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th, and 10th being where I see the big confrontations happening.

We live in interesting times.  You can get an abortion without a background check but not a rifle.  You can communicate across the globe in real time but have to watch what you say for fear of having your house raided and firearms confiscated without ever being charged with a crime.  The Liberals want to know exactly how many guns I have.  Why?  I don't want to know how many dildos someone else has, and a dildo is a much better substitute for a penis than a firearm.  I am dangerous because I am human, with the capacity to reason through problems and choose among solutions.  Even if I were denied the use of Arms it would not stop my capacity for violence.

How is that knife control going over in the UK?  Probably about as well as the CCTV monitoring progress in solving crime.  But this isn't about crime, or about safety.  This is all about control.  Either people will have the freedom to govern themselves or Joan Peterson will be more than happy to govern people because she is sure they can't do the job on their own.  I'm going to try to stop blogging about Joan Peterson for a while, her level of willful ignorance truly offends me and I don't want to go to the well too many times.

Obama Opens Up New Front in War on America (Wisconsin Edition)

He refused to meddle in Iran. He recently threw a US ally under the proverbial bus in Egypt. Along the way, he has chastised a long list of US allies, states and cities, including India, Arizona, Israel and Las Vegas.

And now President Obama is targeting middle America:
President Obama thrust himself and his political operation this week into Wisconsin's broiling budget battle, mobilizing opposition Thursday to a Republican bill that would curb public-worker benefits while planning similar action in other state capitals.

Obama accused Scott Walker, the state's new Republican governor, of unleashing an "assault" on unions in pushing emergency legislation that would nullify collective-bargaining agreements that affect most public employees, including teachers.

The president's political machine worked in close coordination Thursday with state and national union officials to mobilize thousands of protesters to gather in Madison and to plan similar demonstrations in other state capitals.

Their efforts began to spread, as thousands of labor supporters turned out for a hearing in Columbus, Ohio, to protest a measure from Gov. John Kasich (R) that would cut collective-bargaining rights.

By the end of the day, Democratic Party officials were working to organize additional demonstrations in Ohio and Indiana, where an effort is underway to trim benefits for public workers. Some union activists predicted similar protests in Missouri, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Source: Washington Post
Let's just hope that Obama's stunning incompetence overrides his incredible lack of respect for state issues and the political process.

More evidence that the left is evil

Recovering liberal Robin of Berkley has some comments inspired by the events in Wisconsin:

I have noticed fewer people around town this past weekend.  First I thought it was because of the Presidents Day holiday.  Then I realized it was because anarchists were being bused into Wisconsin!  More for them, and fewer for us!


The Midwest is getting a bit of a taste of Berkeley life.  I'm guessing they are not liking it one bit.  The violent, hostile vibe wouldn't sit well with decent Midwestern folks.
Of course, around Berkeley, riots are nothing new; there are street uprisings whenever  the spirit moves people.
On Telegraph Avenue, the poor merchants have endured impromptu mayhem for decades.  I say "poor" merchants for a reason: most of them are struggling, and, if you've visited the area recently, you'll find that a number of storekeepers have packed up and moved on.
When the infamous BART police shooting occurred a few years ago, there was lawlessness all over downtown Oakland.  Cars were destroyed, stores ransacked and looted, and people were injured.  Of course, many joined in who weren't motivated by righteous indignation, but by the promise of free jewelry and clothes.
And, when the verdict was announced, there were riots again, because, well, why not?  Since the law-abiding don't balk at rampant criminality, there's an incentive to act out.  And to borrow from Rahm Emanuel: Never let a crisis go to waste -- especially when you can procure a new television set!
Since I woke up from my leftist stupor two years ago, I've had many epiphanies.  Here's one: the Left is comprised of two distinct groups, the abusers and the abused.  The dynamics are like any abusive relationship. 
Similar to a battered spouse, the abusee will put up with terrible treatment because she's convinced she deserves it.  Out here, all the propaganda about social justice leaves citizens drowning in white guilt.  They'll do anything, accept even the unacceptable, in order to do atone themselves.
Berkeley has our very own version of the Stockholm Syndrome, where, out of fear for one's survival, people come to admire, even love, their abusers.  Berkeleyites will passionately defend the very people who abuse them.  ("It wasn't his fault that he robbed and beat me!  He's a victim of white imperialism!")
The victims even delude themselves into believing that though they are preyed upon, they are somehow lucky.  I hear it all the time out here, "We're so lucky to live in Berkeley!  It's so tolerant here!"  And I think, tolerant of what, violence?  Sociopathy?
As for the abusers, they have been told since they were knee-high that the deck is stacked against them.  Consequently, if the whole system is unjust and bogus, why not take advantage of it?  
And since society continually excuses and rationalizes their bad behavior, they never learn to take responsibility.  They may even become intoxicated with their own power and invincibility.
This is why so much of the crime out here is brazen, right out in broad daylight for all the world to see.  For instance, not long ago, a noon client came in and told me that she had just seen a mugging a few feet from my office building.   
The fact that there were hordes of people on the street and many witnesses didn't deter the mugger in the least.  Why should the miscreant fear the sheep-like unarmed, citizens of Berkeley? 
When I analyze why I am one of the rare progressives to ever see the light, I think it's because I never accepted being a sacrificial lamb.  I have always been appalled by the wanton criminality around here and the foreboding, uncivil streets. 
I even recall writing a passionate letter to the editor bemoaning the unconscionable crime rate -- and I did this twenty years ago!  It has always frustrated me that the multitudes are too indoctrinated to defend themselves or others.
With the demonstrations in Wisconsin, the country is getting a sneak preview of what life will be like for everyone if the left prevails.  The climate that the left has created in Berkeley will be the norm in Milwaukee and Toledo and all over the country should the left win.

Because the left are not just abusers; they are terrorists, with leaders who engage in or call for terror, including Bill Ayers and Frances Fox Piven. 
This is why the Governor and the citizens of Wisconsin must hold strong, and not buckle under pressure.  Because in some ways, the country is at a tipping point.  As goes Wisconsin, goes the entire nation.
Remember who are the leftists: they kidnapped Patty Hearst from her own house and raped and tortured her; they support the regime that sexually attacked and beat Lara Logan. 
The leftists are more ruthless and rapacious than your wildest imagination.  They do not simply want your money and your property.
They desire something much more essential: your ability to fight back; the innate belief that you and I and this country are worth fighting for. 
They want to crush your self-respect and dignity, to steal the virtues that are hidden deep down in your soul.  It's too late for Berkeley.  But, Wisconsin, don't give it to them. 

Robin nails it.  The left doesn't just want our money or even our liberty.  As George Orwell said in 1984 they want our entire identity.  Our hearts and souls and minds and bodies.  They want us to "love Big Brother".

They demand the we not only endure having our spirits crushed but that we willingly cooperate in the process and think that we are lucky to going through it.

This is part, a large part, of the reason why I don't just disagree with them but know them to be utterly evil.  I don't just dislike them I hate them with a pure and burning hatred.

This is why I don't even recognize a common humanity with them.

On a related note Robin's comments reminded me of a comment Bob Beckel made on Sean Hannity's radio show a couple of weeks ago.

Beckel admitted that entitlements like Social Security and Medicare were unsustainable and needed reforms like private accounts.  He said that he and other Democrats (Beckel was Walter Mondale's campaign manager when he ran for president in 1984) had used the issue to attack Republicans but now that wouldn't work any longer.

I wondered at the time if he knew what he was admitting to.  He throws out the fact that for at least 27 years he and other Democrats have known that Republicans were right about Social Security needing reform and that he and they lied about it for political advantage.

And now that the system is paying out more than it takes in and our damaged economy can no longer afford to continue paying out money that we simply don't have he comes along as says, "Oh by the way the GOP was right all along we had better do something about entitlements".  Only the population has so successfully been demagogued by men like Beckel and his fellow liberals that it may not now be possible to do anything meaningful about the problem.

It may now be so late in the game that we can no longer avoid an economic collapse and a global depression.  A depression which will cause millions in the Third World to starve to death and further pave the way for Islamism to sweep the Middle East.  While the West is weakened perhaps to the point of being unable to defend itself.

I hope Beckel and those like him spend eternity burning in hell.

Gas prices...

Remember during the eeeevil Chimpy McHalliburton Bushitler's reign when gas prices topped $3 per gallon and the Dims and the LSM were screaming about it? It was all Bush's fault! It was all Cheney's fault. It was all the Republican's fault. I guess now that gas is once again over $3 per gallon it's still Bush's fault. So is everything else bad going on around the world. Wahh! It's Bush's fault. Jug Hussein Ears inherited all of these problems from Chimpy.
Here's an interesting chart that AlphaDelta sent me.
gaschart.jpg
Also, the largest deficit during the Bush years was $600 billion. Unemployment was around 5%.
So the next time a liberal starts bemoaning how bad it was during the eight years of the Bushitler administration tell 'em you prefer low unemployment, deficits under $1.5 trillion, and gas prices under $3 per gallon.
The longer Obungler is in office, the better the eight years under Bush look. How's that hope and change bullshit working out for y'all.
       My job is based on the Aviation industry and high prices and TSA have hurt the industry, fewer people are willing to pay the prices and deal with the hassles

more humor...

What can I say, I am warped......

More dark times for the Obamamessiah

Wednesday, February 23, 2011
NO MORE RAINBOWS AND UNICORNS!
NO MORE RAINBOWS AND UNICORNS!
Things are about to get real bad for Hopenchange. For a community organizer who sold himself to be a savior, he is about to enter very dark times. And he will not enter the abyss alone. Obama will take a good part of the Democrat party down with him. The last election will look like an ACORN meeting after extorting a bank and buying Cadillacs come November 2012.
Gas prices are going to skyrocket like never before. The radical Islam movement that is about to overtake the Middle East will reduce the flow of oil to America to a trickle. Obama and his disgraceful EPA have illegally shut down off shore drilling in Louisiana and those platforms are now in Brazil and other parts. They won’t return soon. One terrorist attack on a few refineries and we could be looking at $20 a gallon gas. High gas prices will raise the price on everything we buy. It’s not going to be good. Gas prices are now over $3 a gallon in Dallas.
The economy is a disaster zone and the real unemployment rate is nearly 20%. Obama and the Dims have created $5 trillion in debt since 2006. Last year’s deficit was $1.5 trillion. This year it will be at least $1.6 trillion! Yet, the Democrats scream if Republicans try to reduce spending!
Obama has shown his true colors in organizing the Wisconsin union protests. Think about it…a US President organizing union protests and walkouts against a state that is trying to financially save itself from the disaster generations of Democrats have created! Obama is owned and paid for by corrupt labor unions. American wealth producers in the private sector have never paid attention to the upward spiraling costs of public sector employee pay and benefits. Hard-working and over-taxed Americans now are focused like laser beams on the corrupt deal making that has occurred between Democrats and unions at the cost of the taxpayer. This will not go well for unions, Democrats or Obama!
Today, Obama instructed the racist, communist Attorney General Eric Holder not to prosecute cases pertaining to the Defense of Marriage Act signed into law by Bubba Clintoon which states that marriage is between a man and a woman. Obama says he will not uphold the law because it is unconstitutional! Of course, commie racist Holder concurs! THIS IS AMERICA!!! The president does not determine what is or is not constitutional!! Obama has once again arrogantly usurped powers that are not his! His pledge as president is to uphold the laws of the United States and protect the Constitution. He has broken both of those. I hope to see impeachment charges brought against him soon!
Obama has sided against Arizona with the corrupt Mexican government on two occasions in court in support of illegal aliens that are destroying Arizona while Obama throws gala parties with union leaders!! He was aware that Scotland was going to release the Libyan bomber of Pan Am 103 yet did nothing! After the release, Hussein had the audacity to feign outrage! It is quite apparent Obama is a disgraceful con man who hates his country!
Jimmy Carter is guilty of losing Iran. Obama will be guilty of losing the entire middle east. This will not end pretty and could end up in a world war. With China, Russia and their friends just itching to see the US go down, we may see something occur militarily before America can seat a real president in 2012. Why fight Reagan when you can walk all over Carter?
Hussein has alienated our allies and provided aid and comfort to our enemies. He now makes no pretense of covering his actions. Who would have ever thought an American president and wife would not be invited to the wedding of a British royal?
With today’s statement about the Defense of Marriage Act, Obama has thrown in the towel for any chance of winning any independent votes. Only the hard-core left really cares about homosexual marriage. His actions show he will concentrate on pandering only to the hard-core left. This is what he always has done but before he didn’t have a real track record of screwing everyone else. He could at least talk the talk about bipartisanship. For Obama, there is no going back now.
More and more Americans openly despise our president. He had better hope for massive voter fraud from ACORN in 2012 to even think about another term. Of course, the tea party has a little something for him this time concerning voter fraud! We can organize too!
The beginning of the end is nigh for Obama and the Dims. Once inflation and prices skyrocket, jobs continue to flee the country, and we are humiliated as a country as we were this week by the murders of 4 Christian missionaries at the hands of Somali Muslim pirates, Obama could see an uprising in America on the scale of Egypt. A president who does not respect nor honor the Constitution may not last through a major strike and uprising. Nor should he! Our Constitution and Declaration of Independence give us protections from corrupt men such as Barack Hussein Obama!
Unfortunately, the same dark clouds that will hang over Obama will also cover America until we can bring sanity back Washington and the White House.

You are known by the company you keep

I shamelessly borrowed this from Wirecutter(http://ogdaa.blogspot.com/) excellent website.
  The lamestream media of course gives them a pass...as usual.

More on Unions and entitlement attitudes

That things are not going well for the (ahem) "progressives" these days.   The unions represent the unbridled entitlement mentality of a lot of todays citizens.  If we have a chance to change the course of our republic, the attitude has got to change.

And that the tide is turning away from liberalist/socialist/statist ideas in government and those who would push that philosophy on the rest of us. Their message, despite being spun by the sympathetic media is falling on ever deafer and more unsympathetic ears.

It's not that the people have suddenly changed their mind about such policies, it is that most of the population of this country (many of whom are sheep most of the time), have come to realize just what the agendas and goals are of those politicians and their supporters.

Take the latest example: Wisconsin public unions. The unions (and therefore the members) have demanded outrageous salaries AND benefits. Now where once a government worker accepted lower wages for the wonderful security, insurance, and retirements, Today's civil service employee expects all the wonderful benefits (the like which is seldom seen in the private sector) AND fully expects a wage which is significantly higher than that of an equivalent private sector employee as well. And, more importantly, they seem to feel that it is their due.

Forget the issues with efficiency and productivity, forget the lack of caring whether the job is done, or done correctly. Forget the issues with accountability for a job done well. The fact is that these folks care little how much of our tax money is spent in order to keep THEIR standard of living at the level it currently is. They care not how much of a burden they place on their fellow citizens, nor do they care if the state (or county/municipality) goes bankrupt, as long as they get their large slice of that meaty pie.

Their main problem today is a lack of support from the masses. Where once they were able to spin things to make their socialist agenda look good, as they were able to spin the message of prosperity and such in order to hide the socialist roots of their philosophy, they can no longer do so. Despite a sympathetic media, and despite support from Mr. O. (the big cheeze himself) public perceptions of the demands of the public sector unions is one of greedy, petulant children. Where once people expected such tactics from any union, and just ignored them, today people are realizing that the unions and their members (not always the same thing) are only concerned with themselves. The tactics of the SEIU and AFSCME and others are DAMAGING to the nation, and can no longer be cloaked in sunlight. The bussing in of thousands and thousands of other union members from other states is a dismal failure. The flight of the bought and paid for Democratic legislators is seen for what it really is, an attempt to stall for time by legislators who received a significant percentage of their campaign funds from unions, money paid for by union dues. Money that ultimately comes to those inflated paychecks from the taxes paid for by Joe citizen.....That guy who is ever burdened by those increasing taxes, and who is happy to have ANY job, much less one with outrageous pay and incredible benefits.

When greater than 70% of the rest of us have either taken cuts in pay, given back benefits or perks, or have little or no job security see this, we are, at best, unsympathetic to these folks. And we will remember those legislators who support such antics by our employees.

And the media is once again showing its true colors. Sticking stubbornly to its old ways of biased, double standard laced coverage of the event, they fail to realize that the internet, by providing a secondary path for information, is slowly eroding their credibility and showing that they are truly no longer news organizations but rather propaganda outlets for the liberal, statist, socialist power blocks. Their credibility is as good as that of "Baghdad Bob".

This incident, and the ones which are associated with it will cause a change for the better in our society. People will soon expect more from our public employees. And accept less bad behavior from our unions. I think that this is the beginning of the end of the unions. And that will lead, in part, to the end of the Liberals Democrats. Their money will decrease, and therefore their influence. The people, even those who may be sheep, will finally see what has been apparent to many of the rest of us for years. For without the support of the people, the socialist/union/liberal/statists and the groups who are allied with them will fail, they will lose power and become a footnote in history....until they try again.

and try again they will

Obama and sedition....again

from Deep Winter, ( h/t Arctic Patriot )

What is most concerning is that the President is effectively committing sedition, actively taking a role in funding the interference in a state to govern itself effectively and legally. Obama’s Organizing for America, the remains of his 2008 election campaign, is directly and admittedly involved in the situation.

From a sharp and clear voice on another forum, I submit for your consideration:
"S-E-D-I-T-I-O-N"
–noun 1. incitement of discontent or rebellion against a government. 2. any action, especially in speech or writing, promoting such discontent or rebellion. 3. Archaic . rebellious disorder.
OBAMA, our currently sitting POTUS, is not only inciting this with words and deeds, he's ******** FUNDING IT! HE IS DIRECTLY INTERFERING WITH THE STATE OF WISCONSIN'S SOVEREIGN RIGHT TO GOVERN. I also believe that Obama helped orchestrate the acts of the Wisconsin Democrats and probably funded their 'escape' to the Illinois resort and their transportation to that resort....”

Organizing for America is also actively looking at spreading this type of activity to other states that are looking to pare back on benefits paid to public employees and their unions by the taxpayers.

[...]

Destroying the ability of a state to govern, and then another and another, leaving only the Federal Government, provides a very bleak path to a Night of Long Knives.
He's got a point there.

States unable/unwilling to defend themselves will be subsumed. Indiana has already relented.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Who do you want to represent you in elective office? A guardian of the public interest or a tool for the public sector labor Unions


A milk container should be produced with the face of every Democratic legislator, from Wisconsin, Indiana and any other state, whom have run away from their states rather than carry out the duties for which they were elected. They are subverting our system of representative government.
Looking past the specific issues being debated over union collective bargaining rights to the bigger picture, we now know who believes in serving the people in accordance with American democratic processes and who is beholden to their public service union bosses.
When the Democrats won big, as they did in 2008, they readily used their majority powers to steamroll over the minority party in the U.S. Congress and many state legislatures. But the Republicans stood their ground as the minority party and went down fighting for their principles. They didn’t make a mass run for the exits. They ran in 2010, telling voters precisely what they wanted to do to restore fiscal sanity. But when the Democrats lost many of their seats fair and square in the 2010 midterm elections and became the minority party in Wisconsin and other places, they cut and ran in order to obstruct the will of the people as reflected in the election results.
This is the way the choice between the parties in 2012 should be framed. Do the American people want to elect members of a party willing to undermine the orderly workings of elected government to serve union bosses who fill their campaign coffers, or do they want to elect members of a party willing to carry out what they promised to do during the election campaign even if it is not politically correct?
Democrats, all the way up to President Obama himself, believe that Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker’s attempt to curb the scope of collective bargaining by public-sector unions is an “assault” on the basic rights of government workers, regardless of the costs such sweetheart collective bargaining deals have imposed on the taxpaying public. In fact, a Democratic Congressman from Massachusetts,  Rep. Mike Capuano, called for a counter assault – literally. He told a union crowd rallying in Boston in solidarity with the Wisconsin public workers that they need to go out and “get bloody,” while pointing out Tea Party counter protesters across the street.
The New York Times, speaking for the unions and Democrats, said in its lead February 23rd editorial:
For unions and Democrats in the Midwest, this is an existential strugge, and it is one worth waging
But that is not the way President Franklin D. Roosevelt – a friend of private-sector unions – looked at the so-called ”rights” of public-sector workers. He saw an important common sense distinction between private and public workers that has gotten lost in today’s political storms:
Meticulous attention should be paid to the special relations and obligations of public servants to the public itself and to the Government…The process of collective bargaining, as usually understood, cannot be transplanted into the public service… [a] strike of public employees manifests nothing less than an intent on their part to obstruct the operations of government until their demands are satisfied. Such action looking toward the paralysis of government by those who have sworn to support it is unthinkable and intolerable.
Broad collective bargaining rights for government workers have brought many states to the brink of bankruptcy. When government employees have the power to halt or check the functions of government unless their demands are satisfied and they have compliant legislators whom they have paid off with campaign donations, the right of the people to ensure that their representatives are looking out for their general welfare is sacrificed to special interest groups.
For example, when elected officials in Wisconsin delegated to union leaders the power to force government workers into the unions’ selected health care plans, which are more expensive than other alternatives, they are working against the interests of the public at large and those union members who would prefer to have other health plan options to choose from. Forcing public-sector workers to join unions and pay dues which are deducted automatically by the state from their paychecks removes worker choices and makes the government the collection agent for the unions.
As another courageous governor, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie said in a speech last year to his state’s mayors:
At some point, there has to be parity between what is happening in the real world and what is happening in the public-sector world
That time has arrived. Any public service employees who go on strike should be given an ultimatum – return immediately to work or lose your job. Any legislators who run from fulfilling their responsibilities as elected officials should be fired by the people in the next election.
Joseph Klein is the author of a recent book entitled Lethal Engagement: Barack Hussein Obama, the United Nations and Radical Islam

18 facts that prove that there is no economic recovery

This is from Ben Hart's Escape Tyranny.com.



THE ECONOMIC COLLAPSE:
#1 According to Gallup, the U.S. unemployment rate is currently 10.3 percent. When you add in part-time American workers that want full-time employment, that number rises to 20.2 percent.
#2 According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of job openings in the United States declined for a second straight month during December.
#3 There are currently more than 4 million Americans that have been unemployed for more than a year.
#4 The number of Americans that have become so discouraged that they have given up searching for work completely now stands at an all-time high.
#5 Gasoline prices in the United States recently hit a 28-month high.
#6 During the 4th quarter of 2010, 4.63 percent of all U.S. home loans were in foreclosure. That matched the all-time high, and it was up significantly from 4.39 percent in the 3rd quarter.
#7 It is estimated that there are about 5 million homeowners in the United States that are at least two months behind on their mortgages, and it is being projected that over a million American families will be booted out of their homes this year alone.
#8 Almost 14 percent of all credit card accounts in the United States are currently 90 days or more delinquent.
#9 The average credit card rate in the United States had increased to a whopping 13.44 percent at the end of 2010.
#10 Americans now owe more than $890 billion on student loans, which is even more than they owe on credit cards.
#11 Average household debt in the United States has now reached a level of 136% of average household income. In China, average household debt is only 17% of average household income.
#12 U.S. life expectancy at birth is now three years less than Canada and four years less than Japan.
#13 New home sales in the state of California were at the lowest level ever recorded in the month of January.
#14 43 percent of all mortgages in south Florida are currently underwater.
#15 Prior to the most recent economic downturn, there were usually somewhere around four to five million job openings in America. Today there are about 3 million.
#16 When you adjust wages for inflation, middle class workers in the United States make less money today than they did back in 1971.
#17 One out of every seven Americans is now on food stamps.
#18 One out of every six elderly Americans now lives below the federal poverty line.

Boeing Aircraft Co customer codes

If y'll  always wondered where the number behind the airplane model number is:    I mentioned the 707 mentioned in the origional airplane movie was a Boeing 707 348C   means that the airplane was a 707 300 series airplane and the 48 was the build customer for that airplane.  Looking at our trusty list below, the launch customer was AER LINGUShttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aer_Lingus

Unique, fixed Boeing customer codes have been used by Boeing Commercial Airplanes to identify the original customer for an aircraft since the advent of the Boeing 707.
An example would be a Boeing 747-400 ordered by British Airways would be a Boeing 747-436 (36 being the customer code). The codes do not change if the aircraft is subsequently sold as they reflect the original configuration of the aircraft.
Before the 707, Boeing used a generally similar system to identify the presence of detailed variations or options requested by particular customers, but the codes were not customer-specific. A Boeing 377 Stratocruiser built to the requirements of United Air Lines, for instance, was designated a Model 377-10-34. Today, the permanent code denoting United Airlines is 22, not 34.
The order of codes has not been sequential, as the first 707 was designated the 707-120 by Boeing, so the customer codes started at 21:
  • 21 to 99 - First Sequence
  • 01 to 19 - Second Sequence
  • A0 to Z9 - Third Sequence
  • 0A to 9Z - Fourth Sequence
  • AA to ZZ - Fifth and current sequence
Airlines in italics are defunct.
Code↓ Customer↓ Notes↓
01 Piedmont Airlines 737, 767
02 Northern Consolidated Airlines 737
03 Caribair (Caribbean Atlantic Airlines) Not used
04 Britannia AirwaysThomson Airways 737, 757, 767
05 Braathens SAFEBraathens 737, 767
06 KLM 737, 747, 767, 777
07 Luftwaffe 707
08 Icelandair 727, 737, 757
09 China Airlines 707, 727, 737, 747, 767
10 Wien ConsolidatedWien Air Alaska 737
11 Wardair 707, 727, 747
12 Malaysia-Singapore AirlinesSingapore Airlines 707, 727, 737, 747, 757, 777
13 Ariana Afghan Airlines 727
14 Pacific Southwest Airlines 727, 737
15 Lake Central Airlines Not used
16 LAN Airlines 707, 727, 767, 777
17 Canadian Pacific Air Lines 727, 737, 747, 767
18 British European Airways Not used
19 New Zealand National Airways CorporationAir New Zealand 737, 747, 767, 777
20 Boeing
21 Pan American World Airways 707, 720B, 727, 747
22 United Airlines 720, 727, 737, 747, 757, 767, 777
23 American Airlines 707, 720, 727, 737, 747, 757, 767, 777
24 Continental Airlines 707, 720, 727, 737, 747, 757, 767, 777
25 Eastern Air Lines 720, 727, 757
26 United States Air Force (USAF) - Military Air Transport Service (MATS) C-137
27 Braniff 707, 720, 727, 747
28 Air France 707, 727, 737, 747, 767, 777
29 Sabena/Brussels Airlines 707, 727, 737, 747
30 Deutsche Lufthansa/Condor 707, 720, 727, 737, 747, 757, 767
31 Trans World Airlines 707, 717, 727, 747, 757, 767
32 Delta Air Lines 727, 737, 747, 757, 767, 777
33 Air Canada 727, 747, 767, 777
34 Transair Sweden 727
35 National Airlines 727, 747
36 BOACBritish Airways 707, 737, 747, 757, 767, 777
37 Air India 707, 737, 747, 777
38 Qantas 707, 737, 747, 767
39 Cubana 707 (not del)
40 Pakistan International Airlines 707, 720, 737, 747, 777
41 Varig Brazilian Airlines 707, 727, 737, 747, 767
42 Nordair 727, 737
43 Alitalia 727, 747, 767, 777
44 South African Airways 707, 727, 737, 747
45 Seaboard World Airlines 707, 747
46 Japan Airlines (JAL) 727, 737, 747, 767, 777, 787
47 Western Airlines 707, 720, 727, 737
48 Aer Lingus 707, 720, 737, 747
49 Flying Tiger Line 707, 747
50 Trek Airways
51 Northwest Orient Airlines → Northwest Airlines 707, 720, 727, 747, 757
52 Aeromexico 737, 767
53 United States Air Force 707 (C-137), 737 (T-43)
       
More at this linkhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Boeing_customer_codes
   

airport...the origional

The real star of the show, the Boeing 707 (a 707-348C, serial no. 19351 [503rd 707 off the production line], originally registered N324F), was leased to MCA/Universal Pictures from Flying Tiger Line (now merged with Fedex) for the filming of the exterior shots. After filming was completed, the aircraft returned to Flying Tigers and was later sold, going through various owners before meeting a tragic end while on an approach to landing accident on 21 March 1989 in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
   
The 707-320 Intercontinental is a stretched version of the turbojet-powered 707-120, initially powered by JT4A-3 or JT4A-5 turbojets producing 15,800 lbf (70,000 N) each. The interior allowed for up to 189 passengers due to an 80-inch (2,000 mm) fuselage stretch (from 138 ft 10 in (42.32 m) to 145 ft 6 in), with extensions to both the tail and horizontal stabilizer extending the aircraft's length further.[23] while a longer wing carried more fuel, increasing range by 1,600 miles (2,600 km) and allowing the aircraft to operate as true transoceanic aircraft. The wing modifications included outboard and inboard inserts, as well as a kink in the trailing edge to add area inboard.[10] Takeoff weight was increased to 302,000 lb (137,000 kg) initially, and to 311,000 lb (141,000 kg) and perhaps further as higher-rated JT4A's became available. First flight was on January 11, 1958, and 69 turbojet 707-320s were produced. No -320 Intercontinental models were re-engined with fan engines in civil use, but around year 2000 the Israeli Air Force re-engined two ex-Sabena -320 based military tankers.
The 707-320B is a re-engined version undertaken in parallel with the -120B, using the same JT3D-3 turbofans and incorporating many of the same airframe upgrades as well. The wing was modified from the -320 by adding a second inboard kink, a dog-toothed leading edge, and triangular wingtips instead of the earlier blunt ones.[10] These new wingtips increased overall wingspan by three feet. Takeoff gross weight was increased to 335,000 lb (152,000 kg). The 175 707-320B aircraft produced were all new-build, no original -320 models were converted to fan engines in civilian use.
The 707-320B Advanced is a slightly improved version of the -320B aircraft, adding three-section leading-edge flaps. These reduced takeoff and landing speeds, and also altered the lift distribution of the wing, allowing the ventral fin found on earlier 707s to be removed. The same wing was also used on the 707-320C.
The 707-320C has a convertible passenger–freight configuration which became the most widely produced variant of the 707. The 707-320C added a strengthened floor and a new cargo door to the -320B model. 335 of these variants were built, including a small number with uprated JT3D-7 engines and a takeoff gross weight of 336,000 lb (152,000 kg). Despite the convertible option, a number of these were delivered as pure freighters. One of the final orders was by the Iranian Government for 14 707-3J9C aircraft capable of VIP transportation, communication, and in-flight refuelling tasks.
The 707-420 is a version of the 707-320 originally produced at specific request for BOAC and powered by Rolls-Royce Conway 508 turbofans, producing 17,500 lbf (77.8 kN) each. Although BOAC were first to order the 707-320 delays in getting British certification meant that Lufthansa were the first to receive and operate the 707-320 in February 1960. A total of 37 were built to this configuration.
The 707-700 was a test aircraft used to study the feasibility of using CFM International's CFM56 powerplants on a 707 airframe and possibly retrofitting them to existing aircraft. After a testing in 1979, N707QT, the last commercial 707 airframe, was refitted to 707-320C configuration and delivered to the Moroccan Air Force as a tanker aircraft. (This purchase was considered a "civilian" order and not a military one.) Boeing abandoned the program, since they felt it would be a threat to the Boeing 757 program. The information gathered in the test led to the eventual retrofitting program of CFM56 engines to the USAF C-135/KC-135R models, and some military versions of the 707 also used the CFM56. Ironically the Douglas DC-8 "Super 70" series by Cammacorp did develop commercially, extending the life of DC-8 airframes in a stricter noise regulatory environment, so there are today more DC-8s in commercial service than there are 707s.

     
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Flying Tiger Line
IATA
FT*
ICAO
FTL*
Callsign
TIGER*
Founded 1945
Commenced operations 1945
Ceased operations 1989 (taken over)
Destinations
Headquarters Los Angeles International Airport
Los Angeles, California, United States
Flying Tiger Line, also known as Flying Tigers, was the first scheduled cargo airline in the United States and a major military charter operator during the Cold War era for both cargo and personnel (the latter with leased aircraft). The company was started by Robert William Prescott. It was headquartered on the grounds of Los Angeles International Airport in Westchester, Los Angeles, California.[1]
The airline was named after the Flying Tigers fighter unit of World War II, officially the 1st American Volunteer Group. Ten former AVG pilots formed the Flying Tiger Line (originally called National Skyway Freight) after returning to the United States in 1945, using a small fleet of Budd Company C-93 Conestoga freighters purchased as war surplus from the United States Navy.[2] For the next four years, Flying Tiger Line carried air freight on contract.
Over the years, Flying Tigers carried a number of unique cargoes, including SeaWorld killer whales and the torch of the Statue of Liberty.

Contents

[hide]

[edit] History

Old Logo
In 1949, the Civil Aeronautics Board awarded Flying Tiger Line the first commercial air cargo route in the U.S., a transcontinental route from Los Angeles and San Francisco, California to Boston, Massachusetts. Shortly afterward, the company began chartering passenger aircraft for group travel as well; its Lockheed Super Constellation, Douglas DC-4 and DC-6 fleet comprised the largest trans-Atlantic charter operation through the 1950s.
During the Korean War, Flying Tiger aircraft were chartered to transport troops and supplies from the United States to Asia; Flying Tigers later received a cargo route award to Japan, China, and Southeast Asia. The airline also played a major role in the construction of the Distant Early Warning Line, flying equipment to remote outposts in northern Canada and Alaska.
Flying Tiger Line Douglas C-54A Skymaster at Manchester Airport, England in May 1955
Flying Tiger Line adopted the Canadair CL-44 swing-tail aircraft in 1961, becoming one of the first carriers in the world to offer aerial pallet shipping service. In 1965, Flying Tiger Line began operating jet aircraft (the Boeing 707); in 1974, the airline took delivery of its first Boeing 747.
The Flying Tiger Line then put in orders for brand new B-747-200F freighters designated the B747-249F, which at the time were among the heaviest commercial airplanes flying, weighing in at 823,000 pounds. These aircraft had the powerful "Q" P&W JT9D engines and heavy landing gear and could simultaneously carry both 250,000 pounds of fuel and 250,000 pounds of cargo loaded through both the nose door and the side door at the same time. Aircraft loaders had earlier refused to work at the extreme 30 foot height necessary for putting freight on the upper deck, so the "supernumerary area" or "hump" was configured with 19 first class seats instead which were used to transport livestock handlers, charter agents and mechanics as well as dead-heading pilots and flight attendants. Tiger's Ad Hock Charter livestock flights provided airlift for exotic animals. Two examples were thoroughbred racehorses and show animals from Stansted, England to the Melbourne Cup, as well as breeding stock cattle (milk supply) to nations such as Japan and Thailand. Covert flights for DOD were not uncommon throughout the airline's history, since its roots were from Civil Air Transport (CAT), just as was its sister airline Air America (airline) which was owned by General Claire Lee Chennault commander of the Flying Tigers fighter squadron in Southeast Asia.
By the mid-1980s, Flying Tigers operated scheduled cargo service to six continents and served 58 countries. It surpassed Pan American World Airways in 1980 as the world's largest air cargo carrier after acquiring its rival cargo airline Seaboard World Airlines on 1 October 1980.
It also operated military contract services, most notably Douglas DC-8 routes between Travis Air Force Base, California and Japan in the 1970s, followed by weekly Boeing 747 passenger service between Clark Air Base, Philippines, and St. Louis, Missouri via Japan, Alaska, and Los Angeles during the 1980s. Tigers employed approximately 251 flight attendants and carried up to a record 594 passengers and crew on its MAC all coach passenger flights. Approximately 998 pilots worked for the airline based throughout the country. Large crew bases were primarily Los Angeles, New York and Lockborn, Ohio. Headquartered at LAX, Tigers was a large employer at the airport with its own engine shop and jet maintenance business.
Federal Express purchased Flying Tigers in December 1988. On August 7, 1989 Federal Express merged Flying Tigers into its operations.
Flying Tigers operated a recording company subsidiary, Happy Tiger Records, from 1969 to 1971.[3][4] Flying Tigers also made livestock carriers for airplanes. They often made animal carriers that were comparable in external size and shape to the standard AMJ container used in the FedEx flight operations.

[edit] Fleet

Boeing 747-200F of Flying Tigers
At the time of its sale Flying Tigers was operating the following aircraft:

[edit] Accidents and incidents

[edit] References