March 19, 2008
In Good Company?
I haven't read a Cal Thomas column in months, maybe years. But a passage in his most recent piece caught my eye:
Obama says Rev. Wright is no longer among his campaign's "spiritual advisers." Obama should not be asked which of Rev. Wright's outrageous statements he disagrees with, but rather which ones he does agree with. That Obama remains a member in good standing of Trinity United Church of Christ indicates that he prefers the company of many people who have demonstrated that they believe what their pastor has said.
Posted by colrus at 01:58 PM | Comments [1] | TrackBack
March 11, 2008
The Plan Keeps Coming Up Again
On his blog today, Billy Blades pointed out something that I've been saying for, well, 14 months now: There has never been a plan for the homeless campus. But, somehow, there was enough of a plan to spend $775,000 on land for it.
Who says government is inefficient?
Here's what Billy had to say:
In Michael Davis' excellent story, Ron Littlefield, Chattanooga's Worst Mayor Ever, admitted that there's no plan to make his homeless complex actually happen, but that he hoped that if he bought the property an opportunity would come along to bring his unformed dream to reality. That's the kind of mayor we have folks - a wing and a prayer. Except the wing cost Chattanooga's taxpayers $775,000. Good news though--prayers are still free.
I just don't know what to say anymore.
I'll just quote Built to Spill:
The plan keeps coming up again
The plan means nothing stays the same
But the plan won't accomplish anything
If it's not implemented
...or if it never existed in the first place
Posted by colrus at 12:53 AM | Comments [0] | TrackBack
February 26, 2008
Needlessly Driving a Truck 118 Miles to Encourage Georgia to Practice Conservation or "Swallow This, Georgia!" or Things Government Does Poorly, Inefficiently, and Expensively #8,436: Being Funny
(Sorry, after scanning the airwaves today, I had to add to my header...)
So, a misguided surveyor has caused a misguided legislative actions in Georgia, resulting in a misguided use of city time and resources in Chattanooga. For a humorous publicity stunt, the action is, well, kinda lame:
"The city of Chattanooga, facing a possible Georgia land grab as part of an effort to get access to the Tennessee River, is sending a truckload of bottled water to Atlanta.Mayor Ron Littlefield said the water will be delivered on Wednesday by his aide Matt Lea wearing a coonskin cap.
The mayor has officially proclaimed Feb. 27, 2008, as 'Give our Georgia Friends a Drink Day.' The proclamation comes as a result of the Georgia Legislature passing a joint resolution that seeks to pursue reestablishing the boundary between Georgia and Tennessee.
The truckload of bottled water along with the proclamation will be delivered to the Georgia Legislature Wednesday morning.
'Please know that we are willing to help our neighbors to the south with this complimentary truckload of water,' said Mayor Littlefield. 'And along with this water, we want to send Georgia legislators a message that focusing on conservation efforts would be much more productive than an ill-conceived land and water grab.'"
Wow. Zinger.
While only slightly funnier, at least Gerald McCormick had the decency to simply call them "idiots" and not take up any more time or money with the matter.
On the flip side, I will be more interested in seriously considering State Sen. David Shafer's desire to stick a big straw in the Tennessee River when -- oh, I dunno -- Georgia seriously considers, say, the history of Forsyth County.
Posted by colrus at 03:36 PM | Comments [1] | TrackBack
February 21, 2008
I Am Change You Can Xerox
Watched most of the Democratic debate tonight. Thoughts...
1. Hillary needed a big win tonight to regain some momentum. She didn't get it.
2. I have never been less impressed with Barack Obama as I was tonight. But he still won.
3. Three quarters of the way through the debate, I was trying to figure out why neither Obama or Clinton were resonating with me -- despite my personal pre-debate pledge to try my best to hear them out, and despite the fact that they were trying their best to stick to the issues. Then, it hit me: I am not a Socialist.
4. On the flip side, I honestly don't care much for John McCain, either.
5. "Change You Can Xerox." Really, Hillary? Really? Fire whoever wrote that.
6. April is the 15th anniversary of the massacre at Waco. During the next debate, I would like someone to ask Hillary if the 29 children under the age of 14 who died during the siege at the hands of her husband's administration deserved universal health care. Before you vote, watch this. Hillary's buddy, Chuck Schumer, was a disgrace during the post-Waco Joint Congressional Committee hearings shown in the film.
Posted by colrus at 11:48 PM | Comments [3] | TrackBack
February 20, 2008
Hillary Clinton: A Mutha of a Mother
Ugh...
Sen. Hillary Clinton took a swipe at her daughter's profession today at an economic roundtable discussion at a restaurant in Parma, Ohio, suggesting wealthy investment bankers and hedge fund managers on Wall Street aren't doing real 'work.'
The lady is as cuddly as a porcupine.
Posted by colrus at 10:13 AM | Comments [0] | TrackBack
January 09, 2008
Random Thoughts on Last Night's New Hampshire-iffic Primary
1. John McCain has some serious neck issues.
2. While I am opposed to more than half of Barack Obama's platform, he does not drive me crazy. In fact, his speech last night (sans notes or prompter, if you didn't notice) was one of the more impressive I've seen/watched in quite some time. If we were to meet, I could likely "agree to disagree" with him and then break bread. Hillary Clinton, on the other hand, could not make a sincere 9-1-1 call.
3. Despite being impressed with Mr. Obama, I would like to politely ask him -- and, now, it seems, all the other candidates -- to pick a new word. "Change" is over, to put it as mildly as I can muster. Besides, "change" ain't gonna win this election. "Dollars" are.
4. Instead of blowing more dough on his never-had-a-chance campaign, John Edwards should take some of the millions he "earned" while suing doctors and pay some folks' medical bills.
5. I don't know what it is about me and Republicans' necks, but have you ever seen Mitt Romney wearing a shirt that DIDN'T cover his entire neck? He's SO wearing that underwear.
6. I have never, nor will I ever, like anything John Cougar Mellencamp does.
7. Just like the admirable job he's done pretending to be politicians on screen, Fred Thompson is doing a nice job of pretending he wants to be President.
8. Jon Stewart's slamming of Rudy Giuliani for his excessive 9/11 referencing was more than justified.
9. Change!
10. I'm not sure, but I think I'm leaning towards Barry Goldwater.
Posted by colrus at 10:12 PM | Comments [2] | TrackBack
August 27, 2007
Marti and Lying
I am not going to say that Marti Rutherford is lying in regards to the current residency controversy that's engulfing her, but I will say that the word "lying" has come up more times than I can count as I've discussed the story with folks over the last few days.
In short, people are sick of politicians who lie to them. Moreover, they are sick of a system where regular, repeated, and wholesale dishonesty is now so seemingly required of those who wish to obtain and maintain political power. Whatever happened to the "service" portion of "public service"?
It's sad. Sickening, actually.
I'd ramble on more about this, but the Red Sox are now back up to 7 1/2 games over the Yankees, I have a fantastic wife and child, and I'm in a good mood.
Posted by colrus at 07:36 PM | TrackBack
May 09, 2007
Attention Braves: You Need More African-American Players
Members of Jesse Jackson's Rainbow/PUSH Coalition recently met with Atlanta Braves GM John Schuerholz to discuss the lack of African-American players on the their roster. The recent addition of Willie Harris to the roster brings the number of African-Americans on the Braves' roster to one. Reacting to the addition of Harris to the roster, Joe Beasley, Southern Regional Director for the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, said:
"You slipped down to nothing, now you've got one, we expect it to start going up higher," Beasley said was the sentiment he voiced in the meeting. "We want to see incrementally it move back up, rather than moving down. There was an openness on [Schuerholz's] part to talk and to be in dialogue and hopefully be in partnership in trying to make sure that it happens. He was very nice, a gentleman. I'm going to hold him to his word to work with us and move those numbers back up to a respectable level."
My thoughts on this story:
1. Rainbow/PUSH's offer to "work with" Schuerholz to "move those numbers back up to a respectable level" was sweet. I didn't know Rainbow/PUSH was in the player development business.
2. You know, after reading this story, I immediately remembered something I heard during a Braves broadcast a few weeks back:
Annoncer 1: "Well, Carlos Delgado is coming up."
Announcer 2: "Yep. He's a tough left-handed hitter."
Announcer 1: "In situations like these, you just know that Bobby Cox wishes he had an African-American lefty he could bring in to face him."
Announcer 2: "How right you are. Carlos Delgado is only hitting .087 lifetime against African-American lefties."
So, yes, Rainbow/PUSH has a point.
2. I expect Rainbow/PUSH to also become outraged about the lack of African-Americans in the NHL.
3. Inspired by Rainbow/PUSH's actions, I am announcing the formation of an organization -- Sunshine/FORCE -- which will put pressure on NBA teams to add more slow, short honkies to their rosters. Once the honky level reaches a "respectable level," I will withdraw all threats of lawsuits and public hintings of racism. Come to think of it, Sunshine/FORCE will also lean on all collegiate and professional teams of all sports to add more honkies to their rosters -- regardless of skill. Or honky interest in those sports. Or levels of available honkies for those sports.
4. This country is dying a slow, embarrassing death.
Posted by colrus at 01:12 AM | TrackBack
May 04, 2007
Jumping the Hitler
Adolf Hitler was head of the National Socialist German Worker's Party.
People call our current president a Nazi and/or Hitler. Because being a Nazi and/or Hitler is a bad thing.
The bulk of the people calling him a Nazi and/or Hitler would like him to be more socialist in nature.
Being more socialist in nature means being more like Hitler.
In closing, I hate politics.
Posted by colrus at 05:10 PM | TrackBack
April 13, 2007
Update: Thoughts on Imus
I posted this earlier today:
1. Would you rather be incorrectly labeled as a "nappy-headed ho" or a rapist?2. If hip-hop culture had not so pervasively pumped terms like "nappy" and "ho" into the vernacular, it would likely have never occurred to a 66 year-old white male talk show host to use them when joking about black female basketball players.
3. Don Imus' statements were over the line. He shouldn't have said them. Should he lose his radio show, too? Ultimately, the market should and will decide. Even if CBS lets him go, he'll probably get picked up by someone else. Contrary to the grandstanding by an endless army of talking heads, audience numbers and advertiser dollars will determine how America really feels about what he said.
Imus has since been fired by CBS, too.
Again, Imus will likely find employment elsewhere.
Posted by colrus at 12:05 AM | TrackBack
November 10, 2006
The Republicans Deserved to Lose Yesterday
While we CONTINUE to wait for the baby to arrive, I thought I'd post...
I think it's become painfully clear that this year's election was a referendum on two things: 1. We really hate the war in Iraq. 2. We really hate each other.
The Republicans deserved to lose yesterday because when Republicans act like Democrats, Republicans lose. If you want to maintain a conservative voter base, you have to do conservative things (be conservative with the country's finances, at least pretend to care about border security, et cetera). The Republicans didn't do those things, so our country is now left with a Republican party full of wimps and a Democratic party without much of a plan for, well, anything.
I'm glad I'll soon have a son to focus on, as I don't think I can't take much more of the status quo.
Posted by colrus at 01:23 AM | TrackBack
November 04, 2006
A Quick Thought As We Ramp Up to Election Day...
If the Republicans and Democrats continue to employ (and increase in emphasis) such sinister campaign tactics (nasty ads, character assasination, actions utilized to further polarize the citizens of this country for the sake of victory, etc.), EVENTUALLY they will both lose. And perhaps, PERHAPS a third party could finally emerge on an equal footing. Or a fourth party. Or a fifth party. Or a sixth. Choice is the operative word here. And I'm all for it.
In an age when we have hundreds of choices in, say, chewing gum, it is perplexing that we allow -- and, worse, viciously promote and defend -- the current two political party landscape.
My name is Bill Colrus. And I approve this message.
Posted by colrus at 10:37 PM | TrackBack
July 24, 2006
John Kerry: One-Man Peacekeeping Force
John Kerry, the man who wasn't quite clever enough to beat George W. Bush (who some argue is the dumbest President we've ever had) in the last election, has proclaimed that the Middle East wouldn't be in this mess if he was charge.
In related losers-to-Bush news, Frakensteinian former V.P. Al Gore's quest to end Global Warming has sparked some interesting thought from one Tara Servatius.
I have a hard time believing that scientists who haven't completely figured out what happened climactically in the past or what caused it somehow know for certain what will happen in the future.
I do too.
Posted by colrus at 02:59 PM | TrackBack
July 19, 2006
A Cycle of Nonsense
Here are a few bits of salient commentary from Mr. Sowell's latest piece on the current conflict in the Middle East.
On Equivalence:
"...But just what had Israel done to set off these latest terrorist acts? It voluntarily pulled out of Gaza, after evacuating its own settlers, and left the land to the Palestinian authorities.Terrorists then used the newly acquired land to launch rockets into Israel and then seized an Israeli soldier. Other terrorists in Lebanon followed suit. The great mantra of the past, "trading land for peace," is now thoroughly discredited, or should be.
But facts mean nothing to people who are determined to find equivalence, whether today in the Middle East or yesterday in the Cold War."
On Concessions:
"There is no concession that will bring lasting peace to the Middle East because the terrorists and their supporters are not going to be satisfied by concessions. The only thing that will satisfy them is the destruction of Israel."
On Justice:
"People who have long been sheltered from mortal dangers can indulge themselves in the belief that there are no mortal dangers.Nuclear weapons in the hands of Iran or North Korea -- and, through them, in the hands of hate-filled terrorists -- may be all that will finally wake up such people. But that may be tragically too late.Those who keep calling for an end to the "cycle of violence" are what make such violence more likely. "World opinion" in general and the United Nations in particular can always be counted on to counsel "restraint" in response to attacks and "negotiations" in response to lethal threats.
What that means is that those who start trouble will have a lower price to pay than if those they attacked were free to go all out in their counter-attack. Lowering the price to be paid by aggressors virtually guarantees more aggression."
Posted by colrus at 01:36 PM | TrackBack
May 16, 2006
While the world debates the ineptitude of the President...
In light of the President's ever-so-pandering recent speech on illegal immigration, this little Inland Valley Daily Bulletin tidbit from a few days ago looks even more maddening:
While Minuteman civilian patrols are keeping an eye out for illegal border crossers, the U.S. Border Patrol is keeping an eye out for Minutemen -- and telling the Mexican government where they are.According to three documents on the Mexican Secretary of Foreign Relations Web site, the U.S. Border Patrol is to notify the Mexican government as to the location of Minutemen and other civilian border patrol groups when they participate in apprehending illegal immigrants -- and if and when violence is used against border crossers.
A U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesman confirmed the notification process, describing it as a standard procedure meant to reassure the Mexican government that migrants' rights are being observed.
If, during their oh-so-courteous discussions, anybody in the U.S. Border Patrol would like to tell the Mexican Secretary of Foreign Relations to encourage Mexicans to STOP COMING HERE ILLEGALLY, that would be nice.
Of course, officials later denounced the story.
Oh, by the way...
The borders in Iraq are very secure tonight.
Posted by colrus at 11:18 PM | TrackBack
May 02, 2006
No Illegals, No Burritos
I would shudder with fear at this sign if not for the fact that my wife and I successfully prepared our own burritos a couple of nights ago.
Posted by colrus at 02:55 PM | TrackBack
February 21, 2006
Darn. He Lived.
Catching up on my reading after a busy couple of weeks, I found this tasty little Thomas Sowell quote in a piece he wrote during the height of, what I've since dubbed, "The Great Dick Cheney Shot A Guy Panic of 2006":
"If Mr. Whittington is so uncooperative as not to die, there will be much disappointment and frustration in Beltway media circles."
While my gut reaction -- as a member of the media -- is to stand up for my professional brethren, Mr. Sowell's thoughts -- as they often do -- win out.
Read the whole piece here.
(I do read other people. I swear.)
Posted by colrus at 12:36 AM | TrackBack
February 15, 2006
And Our Fast Food Icons Continue to Fall...
"Take that, kitchen fresh chicken! Praise be to Allah!"
Now that's what I call "extra value destruction."
In related news: The McDonald's on Dayton Boulevard reopened.
Posted by colrus at 01:16 PM | TrackBack
February 14, 2006
Muslim Extremists REALLY Enjoy Destroying People And Things
"Die, Ronald McDonald! You die right now! Praise be to Allah!"
Yep. They sure do.
Take a good, long look at the above picture and ask yourself:
Where are the U.N. arms inspectors when we need them?
Posted by colrus at 07:31 PM | TrackBack
January 31, 2006
The REAL Reason the Kerry-Led Filibuster Died
The REAL reason that the John Kerry-led filibuster against the appointment of Samuel Alito happened is because, even to many Democrats, the words "John Kerry" and "talking for a really long time" are even more revolting than the thought of Mr. Alito being appointed to the Supreme Court.
Posted by colrus at 12:07 AM | TrackBack
October 20, 2004
Hobos, Part One: They Bother Me
Did you ever notice how hobos are always trying to share food with you?
I was recently in a boxcar with Ernie, a hobo, and he had a piece of corn bread which he'd found in a dumpster. He took a big bite with his almost toothless mouth and asked if I wanted any.
"Want some cornbread? It's still good..."
"No thanks," I said, barely masking my displeasure.
Then he started singing "The Wreck of the Old 97."
After a few seconds, he paused.
"Come on! Sing along!"
I declined.
That's the problem with hobos. They're always telling you what to do and trying to push food in your face. And if that isn't fascist, I don't know what is. Why do you think politicians always campaign on the back of trains?
Posted by colrus at 01:38 PM | TrackBack