Saturday, September 11, 2010

Time Will Never Heal This Wound

DRAFT

As a child I remember hearing the old adage that "time heals all wounds" and I half-heartedly believed it. On this, the nine year anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the United States I am convinced that no matter how much time passes, it will never heal the wounds that were inflicted upon our country that day. 

Nor should it.

An incurable anger was born that day.

For the past week the cable channel lineup has become increasingly populated with broadcasts of the events of that deadly day.  Although I am well aware of  how unpleasantly the story ends, I am compelled to watch. A good deal of the footage is unsanitized:  raw video of doomed innocents jumping to their certain deaths rather face incineration from the rapidly spreading jet-fueled fires.  I rejected the sickening story that people were indeed jumping when one of my co-workers shared that fact with me long before it was reported on the news. Not only could I not believe her, in a small way was angry that she would even voice such a horrific possibility.  I could not wrap my brain around the concept that so many people could give up hope. I had always believed that suicide was wrong, it is a sin.

I can't watch the memorials.  I can't listen to the somber recitation of the listing of the dead. I can't bear to see the tears of the family members of the victims.

Monday, August 23, 2010

Fed Regulation: What Benefit?

It's puzzling.

Despite the imposition of millions of dollars of fines for violations of code, the egg company at center of salmonella outbreak was able to widely distribute some HALF BILLION eggs that have since been recalled.

Why do we, the taxpayers, fund this inept force?

Why do we accept such substandard performance?

Would this outcome be any different if there were no Fed oversight? I don't think so.

So it begs the question: what good are they?

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

National Security



I woke up this morning to the delightful and very welcome news that the evil, soul-less creature that [allegedly] abandoned the VBIED (vehicle borne IED) SUV laden with propane tanks and other incendiary material with the single intent to kill dozens, if not hundreds, of innocent people in busy Times Square on Saturday was in the custody of authorities.

To what do we owe the failure of this deadly terror plot? Was it due to the stellar national security procedures that we have in place?

Sadly, NO!

Yet again, we owe the fact that we dodged the latest in deadly terrorist bullets and flesh-rending shrapnel to the actions of some everyday people doing some everyday things - the sensible, right things - when they "saw something and said something" and alerted the authorities. And the authorities acted accordingly to the life-saving benefit of all. God bless them all!

Even more sadly, we owe it to the total incompetence of the person that hoped to cause murderous mayhem in my New York. The device simply did not detonate as intended.

Just like the Christmas Day crotch-bomber and the shoe-bomber, so did little 30-year old Faizel encounter the same embarassing "failure to launch" result.

The news that the perpetrator was not of the "home-grown" strain no doubt dismayed many in the lamestream media, including perhaps some of the most ardent liberals like Bob Beckel and New York's own Gerald Nadler along with Mayor Michael Bloomberg who voluntarily gushed his opinion that it could be the work of "an American disgruntled with the Health Care bill" that was recently passed .

The MSM news is scrambling to determine the REASON why this man would do such a thing, noting that the home belonging to the suspect was in foreclosure as a result of default on his mortgage payments.  Do I CARE about the reason that this pathetic, very sick man decided he would try and kill our fellow Americans? NO! I couldn't care less.

In the humble opinion of this long-time single mother of seven Americans, we deserve better than settling for the fact that our best defense against terror is that the FIDIOTS that orchestrate such mayhem are totally incompetent? I daresay that their incompetency is only rivaled by that of those who are supposed to be protecting us.  It's complicated to be sure but for the amount of money we pay for national security we are certainly not getting even a fraction of our hard-earned money's worth.

We were safe last night because of the actions of every day people and the NYPD and not because of our national security policies but IN SPITE OF them.



Monday, May 3, 2010

BREAKING NEWS - TERROR


DEM Bob Beckel is still thinking Times Square wannabe slaughterer could be a right wing extremist. (TRANSLATION: he is still holding out HOPE that it is a right wing extremist)

REUTERS reporting U.S. sees evidence of a PLOT in Times Square SUV IED

Times Square TERROR BOMB person of interest may be a naturalized American citizen who recently returned from spending a number of months in Pakistan.

Originally reported as a 40-ish balding, white male, they now believe he may be South Asian.

Had recent contacts with people in Pakistan.

IED SUV was purchased with $1300 cash through Craigslist in Connecticut, no paper trail.

Reports that investigation focused on home-grown radicalized individual.

Clearly premeditated.

SUV purchaser has been identified by authorities.

Investigators now using the word TERROR.

Reports that incident is being investigated by Joint Terrorism Task Force.

Sunday, May 2, 2010

An IED Comes to New York

Hillary was RIGHT!  Except, unlike her campaign ad scenario with the dreaded phone call coming in at 3:00 AM, it came at 6:30 PM and continued throughout prime time. And WHERE was our president? He was cracking wise at a dinner in DC seemingly oblivious to the breaking terror news in top terror target New York City.

The first IED has come to America, to New York. MY New York.  It was reported last night that my beloved New York City was the target of yet another attempted terrorist bombing. From the first report I had zero doubt that that is exactly what it was.


Were it not for the quick thinking of a heroic Times Square T-shirt vendor who "saw something" - an unattended SUV spewing smoke AND "said something" by reporting it to a mounted NYPD officer, God only knows how many people would have been slaughtered to the delight of terrorists at home and abroad. It was quickly investigated by the bomb squad who discovered that the SUV was laden with 3 propane tanks, gasoline, black powder and a detonation device. Thanks to the valiant efforts of the NYPD  who ensured that the lethal device failed to detonate the news this morning is NOT reporting another tragic terror attack on New York.

Rewind to September 11th. I had tickets to see a Broadway show starring Tom Selleck and was really looking forward to seeing it. It goes without saying that I did not attend. My sister thankfully returned from her job at the World Trade Center that day covered in the dust and ashes of that deadly attack. Not so for a high school classmate of mine, who was the highest ranking female in the Port Authority Police Department; Not so for my FDNY neighbor whose parents live on the street that was named after him as a memorial to his service. Not so were thousands of other innocent Americans.

Some months ago, I was waiting for an LIRR train that would take me home from work when I saw numerous helicopters circling overhead. By the time I got home I had learned that they were part of the investigation of the bastards that were plotting bombings of the NYC subway system.

As a New Yorker, I am NOT scared, NOR will I EVER be cowed by the evil attempts of terrorists to impact our lifestylye and destroy America.

But I am FURIOUS! Furious because I believe we deserve BETTER than what the current administration offers as far as our security apart from the pathetic INEPTITUDE of those that would seek to do harm to the United States (think underwear bomber).

Last night the White House released a lame statement regarding the Times Square events and this morning the president will work on plans to do a flyover of the devastation resulting from the oil rig explosion after awakening from his night of merriment. The irony does not escape me that while George W. Bush was unfairly excoriated for remaining calm and continuing his time with schoolchildren after receiving news of the 9/11 terror attack, there are hours of video of our president yukking it up at the White House Correspondents' Dinner while NYC was in a state of emergency.

When will our president take the security of these United States seriously?

How long will it take him to acknowledge the fact that the Times Square terrorist attempted terrorist attack was INDEED a terrorist attack?

I pray that he is praying for God to BLESS AMERICA rather than heeding his dear Reverend Wright's sickening mantra of "God DAMN AMERICA."

I finally fell asleep last night with the TV news on just as I did for months after September 11th after praying for God to bless and protect my beloved America. And praying that our president will become the strong leader that America deserves.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

We Have Them On The Ropes



I found the entertaining little gem below in my inbox when I got home from work this evening.  It was a mass email apparently sent out to Democrat email list by Charles Chamberlain, the Political Director for Democracy for America and it illustrates how the long-delusional Democrats are starting to wake up and smell the coffee.  It shows how they are fully prepared to throw their own under the bus (Dick Durbin) in their headlong attempt to jam through this devastating, nation-changing Health Care plan.

God only knows how I am on their list but I was certainly amused to get a feeling for where they think they are on Health Care.

I have highlighted in red the particularly comical points by Mr. Chamberlain with my comments in blue BOLD CAPS.

Roll Call, a Washington insider newspaper in D.C., reports today that Senator Dick Durbin will ask Democratic Senators to break their promise (ENTER BUS STAGE LEFT) to vote yes on a public option in reconciliation if it comes up to a vote as an amendment from the floor.

What did Senator Durbin say was the reason they want public option supporters to cave on their promise to the people in their states? Because:

So, let's get this straight. Their argument is that these Democrats should break their promise to the American people, risk primary challenges (THIS WILL HAPPEN REGARDLESS AND ESPECIALLY IF THESE LOONS TRY TO PASS THIS BLOATED HEALTH CARE TRAVESTY)  from real Democrats back home, and vote against a public option, purely because Republicans will offer other amendments too.
"We know the Republicans are likely to offer a lot of amendments, and some of them may be appealing to Democrats" (OF COURSE,  ANY  RATIONAL AMENDMENTS WILL BE APPEALING TO RATIONAL PEOPLE.)
That's not leadership -- it's weak, fear-based failure. (THEY HAVE NOT YET BEGUN TO UNDERSTAND WHAT FAILURE IS)

Your Senator committed to vote for a public option in reconciliation if it came up for a vote. We need to fight back fast against these statements from Democratic leaders reported today and tell Senators not to break thier promise. Demand your Senator stand up to Republicans and fight for you.

[the email then directs me to CLICK on a link FOR THE NUMBER AND A SAMPLE SCRIPT RIGHT NOW]

Even Senator Durbin admits that Republicans will offer many amendments from the floor regardless of whether a public option comes to a vote or not. And, of course, Democrats should vote every awful Republican amendment down. (PARTISAN PARTISAN PARTISAN!! WHAT ABOUT VOTING FOR WHAT IS RIGHT FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE?)

But healthcare reform isn't about Republicans -- it's about the American people.

And it's about Democrats like your Senator keeping the promise to stand up for the American people by voting to pass a public option in the reconciliation bill.

It's time for Democrats in Washington to lead. The American people are depending on it.

Please call right now and make sure your Senator knows (THE ONLY PART OF THIS FRIDICULOUS EMAIL I AGREE WITH! WE DEFINITELY NEED TO CALL TO KEEP THE PRESSURE ON THOSE PEOPLE THAT SUPPOSEDLY REPRESENT US TO EXPRESS OUR OPINIONS IF WE BELIEVE - AS I DO - THAT THEIR BOGUS MESS OF A HEALTH CARE PLAN WILL HAVE A DEVASTATING IMPACT ON OUR FAMILIES) your state expects them to keep their promise.

Thank you for everything you do.

-Charles

Charles Chamberlain, Political Director
Democracy for America

P.S. We added Senator Bill Nelson of Florida yesterday to the growing list of senators on the record committing to vote yes on a public option in reconciliation. Our pressure is working and we're proving the votes exist. That brings the count to 41 senators ready to get the job done -- only 9 more and we win -- as long as we make sure it comes to a fair vote. (PASSAGE BY RECONCILIATION IS FAR FROM FAIR!)