Archive for May 2011
Presidential Smackdowns: Get in Line
President Obama has gone from Arab Spring to Jewish Sting and a spanking by the Queen.
The President’s recent demands that Israel get in step and agree to peace with Palestine and go back to pre-1967 boundaries were met by a swift, concise, and direct response from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressing in no uncertain terms Israel’s dismissal of such talk as ignorant and impossible considering such boundaries would leave Israel all but indefensible from attacks. The response prompted news anchors to report the Israeli leader treated the president like a “schoolboy.”
Class was again in session Monday as Netanyahu addressed Congress where he again, and more fully, exposed Obama’s lack of education on this subject. What we saw in Benjamin Netanyahu was the skill of a great statesman, poise under pressure, courage of conviction, and true leadership. The qualities so obviously lacking in our current commander in chief.
Among the many strong statements made in his address were the following: “Israel is not what’s wrong in the Middle East. Israel is what’s right in the Middle East.”
“The conflict has never been about the establishment of a Palestinian state. The conflict has been about the existence of a Jewish state.”
“We will not negotiate with a Palestinian government backed by the Palestinian version of Al Qaeda.”
“The Palestinian refugee problem will be solved outside the borders of Israel.”
Throw in his urgent reminder that Iran must be stopped in its march toward nukes, and you have a clearly defined and principled outline for policy. If only the President’s “policy” had such clarity.
But the smackdowns didn’t end there. After his meeting with the Prime Minister, President Obama jetted off across the Atlantic for a date with the Queen where he once again set himself up to be “schooled”. In an awkward moment seen in this video, the President proposes a toast to Queen Elizabeth II but as he does the orchestra begins to play the British anthem “God Save the Queen”. As with any national anthem the people stand in quiet reverence as the anthem is played, but Barak Obama just keeps on talking as he shares his toast with the audience. The Queen gives him a quick glance, as if to say, “time to stop talking”, but Obama continues on until he turns to the Queen and says “to the Queen” at which point she turns to Obama and says something causing the President to look a bit sheepish as if he’d just been scolded. He puts his glass down and awkwardly stands there.
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I’ve listened to the audio where the Queen speaks to Obama and I swear she says “Put it down”. Referring to the glass (and not so subtly his ignorance and disrespect for the anthem). Whatever she says it seems to hit Obama like a slap in the face.
What amazes me is the fact that this man didn’t even flinch as the anthem began playing. Its as if he has no clue what to do when a national anthem is played…..then again maybe that’s the case. As you may recall the flack early in the President’s term when he refused to put his hand over his heart when his own national anthem was played.
Hey at least he’s consistent in his disrespect.
Who will be next to Smackdown the President? I’m waiting on the Vegas odds.
Related articles
- PRICELESS: Watch the Netanyahu Smackdown of Obama. (yourdaddy.net)
- Why such a warm reception for Benjamin Netanyahu at US Congress? (csmonitor.com)
- Netanyahu Doesn’t Back Down in Speech to Congress (newser.com)
- Netanyahu addresses US Congress (bbc.co.uk)
- Proper Toast Etiquette when a National Anthem is Played (Washington Post)
- Presidential Gaffe (USA Today)
An Object Lesson in Integrity
“So shines a good deed in a weary world” ~ Willie Wonka
One of my favorite quotes comes from a fictional, eccentric, chocolate maker. It comes to mind whenever I see acts of kindness, honesty, and integrity. So it is with this story that comes out of Utah this week.
Josh Ferrin recently closed on a new home in Bountiful, Utah, his family’s first taste of home ownership. As Josh toured the new home prior to moving his family in he noticed a piece of cloth hanging from an attic door in the garage. He pulled the cloth, opened the door, and grabbed a ladder to climb up into the attic. As he entered he saw a black metal box. He curiously opened it see what, if anything, was inside and that’s when he made a discovery that would probably send chills and thrills up the spine of any one of us. The box was stuffed with cash, bond certificates, old stamps, and other memorabilia, and there was more. He found seven other boxes just like it.
All totaled the contents of the box equaled about $45,000.
Ferrin says his first thoughts were what he could do with all that money and then came the next thought…it had to be returned to the rightful owner. Thought number two won the day.
He called the seller of the home and explained what he had found. The former homeowner passed away in November 2010 but his youngest son, Dennis Bangerter, the executor of Bangerter’s estate, was the one who sold the home to the Ferrins. He had no idea his father had stashed all that cash in the attic.
“The house needs some work,” Josh Ferrin said. “I could use the $45,000 for remodeling, but he didn’t save that money for us. He saved it for his family.”
“Going through those boxes, I felt like I had a peek into his life,” Ferrin said about the late Arnold Bangerter who left the surprising find. I never considered the money mine, you can’t allow yourself to think like that. This is a beautiful outcome and it feels good to be a part of it. It’s a rare opportunity to be able to do something extraordinarily honest.”
It’s a rare opportunity for the public to share in something so extraordinarily honest as well. Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Ferrin for such a fine example of what integrity means and the reward that comes from practicing it.
It’s something money can’t buy.
For the full story and video CLICK HERE
Related articles
- Family Finds $45,000 In New Home — Then Returns It (weirdnews.aol.com)
- Big cash discovery becomes lesson in honesty for Bountiful family ()
- Man Finds 40G in House and Returns it to Owners (foxnews.com)
- Family finds $45,000 in new home _ then returns it (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
Do As I Say, Not As I Do
A North Carolina State Senator was recently in the news after he shot one of two intruders at his home near Tabor City, NC. The intruder wasn’t killed and his injuries were reported to be non-life-threatening. 75 year-old RC Soles, Democrat in the North Carolina Senate, ultimately plead guilty to a misdemeanor assault charge, was fined $1,000 and sent home bringing cries of injustice from many in North Carolina. Whether his sentence was light or not isn’t the point. If he was acting in self defense I stand by his right to act as he did. But that’s not why this story made it into my blog nor is it what incited the headline.
You see, Senator Soles has a long history and has made his career in politics rallying against gun ownership for the general public. Interesting, how politicians like Soles are so eager to take away your right to defend yourself in your home with a gun yet don’t hesitate to do it themselves when faced by an intruder.
In typical hypocritical fashion, and some would say “Liberal fashion”, the “Do as I say and not as I do” Anti-Gun Activist Lawmaker picked up his gun and fired at his would-be assailant. Why hypocritical you may ask? One look at his long legislative record shows that the actions he took to protect his family, property, and life, are actions he feels ordinary citizens should not be allowed to take if they are faced with an identical situation.
It prompts us to ask if the Senator believes his life, family, and personal safety is more valuable than yours or mine. But, it’s what we’ve all come to expect from those who believe they can run our lives, raise our kids, and protect our families better than we can.
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Just for fun here’s a little 2nd amendment “Tedbit O Fun” from our good friend Ted “Snakeskin Cowboy” Nugent as he schools CNN’s Piers Morgan on gun control. Gotta love Ted!
Cinco De Hellmann’s Mayo
May 5th, is largely recognized as Mexico’s independence day. But the actual date when Mexico declared itself separate and sovereign from Spain was actually September 15, 1810. It was 52 years later, on May 5, 1862 that the event which sparked the May 5th celebrations took place. It was then that 4,000 Mexican soldiers smashed the French and traitor Mexican army of 8,000 at Puebla, Mexico, 100 miles east of Mexico City preventing Napoleon III from ruling in Mexico. Union forces from the US Civil War were then rushed to the Texas/Mexican border under General Phil Sheridan, who made sure that the Mexicans got all the weapons and ammunition they needed to expel the French.
But… there is a side note in history you may not have heard of.
Most people don’t know that back in 1912, Hellmann’s mayonnaise was manufactured in England. In fact, the Titanic was carrying 12,000 jars of the condiment scheduled for delivery in Vera Cruz, Mexico, which was to be the next port of call for the great ship after its stop in New York .
This would have been the largest single shipment of mayonnaise ever delivered to Mexico. But as we know, the great ship did not make it to New York. The ship hit an iceberg and sank, and the cargo was forever lost. The people of Mexico, who were crazy about mayonnaise, and were eagerly awaiting its delivery, were disconsolate at the loss.
Their anguish over the loss was so great and yet their joy at the victory of their small army so full they created a duel holiday which occurs each year on May 5th and is known, of course, as –
Wait for it….
Sink’O De Mayo.
Related Articles
- Cinco de Mayo (balloon-juice.com)
- Happy Cinco De Mayo from My Wines Direct (mywinesdirect.com)
- Cinco de Drinko or Drinko De Mayo (mylovelythoughtsdotcom.wordpress.com)
- Cinco de Mayo more popular in U.S. than in Mexico (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
The Long Version 