Mutually Assured Defense Initiative

Follows the transcript of an announcement I would have liked to have heard about on the news instead of this.

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As President of the United States of America, I am pleased to announce a new strategic peace initiative. It is fitting that this announcement be made in the historic city of Moscow, on the occasion of my first visit to Russia with my lovely wife Michelle and our Daughters, during this time of peace and cooperation with our relatively recent ally, Russia.

For too long, there has existed a perpetual distrust between our two great nations. The longstanding military strategy of Mutually Assured Destruction has instilled fear into the hearts of hundreds of millions of people for too many generations. I am here today to extend an unprecedented olive branch.

I make this announcement in an open press conference here in Red Square to demonstrate to the good people of Russia the degree of honesty and commitment the people of the United States of America are ready to lend to the cause of peace, if President Medvedev will likewise publicly commit Russia to join us in this effort. Whether Russia joins us or not, we are going to press ahead, starting with our mutual allies in NATO, and I hope continuing with non-NATO countries as well.

I propose that Russia, America, and all other nations of peace and good will take part in a joint project for the sake of peace. I call it the Mutually Assured Defense Initiative.

For years, America and Russia have fought a war of words against the idea of an international ballistic missile defense shield. I call on the people of Russia for their support of a joint missile defense shield. I want full, open partnership between our nations in the development of a missile shield that would prevent any nation: Russia, America, Iran, Israel, China, Australia, or ANY other nation, from developing first-strike missile attack capabilities. I want a joint effort here. All the best engineers from all our countries working together in open collaboration, sharing designs, plans, and technology. We, the stronger nations, will likely bear most of the cost, but this has always been the price of being a super-power.

I call on all peaceful nations to join in the development of this system. I also propose an international governing body to help us all coordinate our peaceful space programs. It would obviously be counter-productive if the new Mutually Assured Defense system were to shoot down the next telecommunications satellite a phone company tries to put into orbit! (pause for laughter) Let us then, in a spirit of peace and friendship, strike out boldly on an uncharted course of peaceful use of outer space, and peaceable coexistence here on Earth.

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Now that would have been Change we could believe in. Instead, along with some admittedly beneficial concessions on military arrangements for the war against radical islam Overseas Contingency Operations, we get the same-old same-old about detente. What it usually amounts to is the USA reducing our arsenal while the Russians lie and stall, and end up not . . . quite . . . living up to their end of the bargain without a great deal of pressure from 'the international community.' I applaud the president for his conciliatory tone. I just wish he would, you know, try changing from the same not-amazingly-helpful stuff we've been doing all along and REALLY strike out in Hope of peace.

Am I nit-picking here?

Oh well, you can't win 'em all, but flying lethal weapons across Russian space sure helps.

Vote for ME!

Code Word Alert: Stability & Peace of Mind in Health Care

The [deleted] communists in the white house are trying to sell you on government-approved health CARE via government PAYMENT for health care, by using with a catchy slogan (like "change" and "hope" were catchy). They want you to get on board because it sounds nice.

This time it's rumored to be "Stability." Expect Barry to come out with his fake mild suthern accent and say "people want stability in their health care." You also will be wanting "Peace of Mind" that you'll be able to get affordable care.

Note: the stability you will be given is not the kind you want. You will have a stable system that prevents you getting life saving care. You will get Peace of Mind in the knowledge that NOBODY will be able to get 'elective' medical services in the USA. Contact your Elected Heroes and tell them it doesn't matter what touchy-feely words they use, communism has no place in the American health care PAYMENT system.

Obama: the Benevelent Dictator de Toqueville warned you about.

Benevelent Dictators on: Personal CO2 emissions

The latest scheme to steal your liberty is to take the CO2 emission limit requirements off of countries, and apply them to individual persons. YOUR CO2 output will be regulated by micro-managing everything you do. Because WE say so!

Nevermind that CO2 is not a greenhouse gas, but H2O vapor is. Can't tax the ocean, can't oppress the liberty of a cloud!

If this sort of thing goes in to effect, some liberty loving individual (probably NOT me) is going to murder some politician(s) and/or scientist(s), just wait.

California's Debt Downgraded to BBB: Ouch.

No comment really, just it's another scene in the ongoing train wreck movie that is the economy of the State of California. Note that the main cause of this mess is the Demicans in the legislature will not allow the Governator to cut the leftist programs they love, even though there is far less than no money to pay for them all.

Independence Day, 2009

I am noticing a cynical trend among like-minded individuals, but the award (so far) goes to Tam for the most gratuitous use of snark in an independence day blog posting. The coverage at Sipsey Street Irregulars is in a similar spirit but quite a bit darker, as usual.

As for us, we went and visited my childrens' great-grandparents who came out from Houston for the 4th. If they hadn't been here, we'd have gone up to watch the fireworks in downtown Austin from the roof of EM's office building, close enough to hear the orchestra play. We went out to the little spot on the map just past the dot on the map that serves as the nearest "town" to where my Dad lives, and from there we headed out in a caravan to Johnston City to see the parade, followed by the porn fireworks show at the fairgrounds.

Highlights of the evening:

The winner goes to: Fireworks launching sideways. I guess somebody knocked over one of the mortar tubes or something, because one of the couple-hundred-foot-big explody type of fireworks went whiz-BOOM in the parking lot, followed by a couple of smaller pyrotechnics in the same sequence. I've done something similar on a slightly smaller scale (smaller, but much closer) and let me tell you, there were probably some choice bad words said in the arena by the guys launching the fireworks just then.

Second place goes to: Jerk taking pictures during Taps. Taps is as close to a sacrament as it gets for me. You can bet there were good reasons for the big, salty tears rolling down into my beard as I clutched my boonie hat over my heart during the playing of Taps as part of the passing of the colors. And of course sumdood took my picture. Thanks.

We Need Bench Warmers In Christianity.

My church just had a group of children get back from Southland, a week-long Christian summer camp. One of the girls (teenagers, we're talking here) announced she wants to be a full-time childrens' ministress in a youth program. God only knows how many souls may be saved from destruction, due to her ministry. The people who gave a little extra every month to help pay to send the children to camp will have had a part in every one of those souls' salvation.

The girl's parents went with the group of children from our church to care for the children. They were a great help to our pastor. As he was saying from the pulpit how grateful he is for their aid, I realized something interesting.

The girl has two sisters and a brother, as well as a dog and a cat. These were sent out to various church families and relations for the duration of the camp. The pastor's gratitude extends, by inference, to those families -and especially the heads of those households.

Q: So what are you driving at here, David?

A: We need bench warmers in Christianity.

If not for the support and financial aid given to the families, children, and church, not to mention the prayers of the saints, these recent Good Things could never have happened. I encourage everyone to do what they can for the Lord Jesus, don't get me wrong. But Jesus said even giving a cup of water is important when it is done with right intentions. So, don't get down on yourself if "all" you can do is attend church services as often as you can, and give of your tithes and maybe a small offering, along with your prayers. You are doing far, far more than you will ever know on this side. Even when your service seems small to you (and the greater your humility, the smaller your service will seem, regardless of how much you do), when you do it with the proper intentions, your little can be much indeed.

There, I Fixed It.

^ That is a self-portrait of me, looking at half the pictures at There, I Fixed It.

You will click the link. You will be . . . amazed.

That Doesn't Make Any Sense To Me, Does It?

I'm about to cut an uncomfortably-large check to pay off American Express for last month's purchases. The minimum payment is about 2% of the total due.

I know the real answer to the question is "you're not," but how are you supposed to pay back a debt making 2% payments and paying out 13% interest?

And how are you going to run a Finance Committee if you have a history of defaulting on tens of thousands of dollars in credit card debt? Oh, sorry, those topics are completely unrelated. Riiiight.

A Little Hint For The Ladies:

If you don't want everyone staring at your tits, don't put on a shirt over them that's a high-visibility "neon" color with a message printed on it in 6" high letters.

Thanks.

Oh t3h n03s!!!1! Feds Won't Let You Sell UR House!

There is a lot of concern out there. over the Cap & Trade bill that passed last friday, that you won't be able to sell your house, unless you comply with federally mandated "green" upgrades to your house. They would know of course because FEDERAL inspectors would be inspecting your house. State code? Who needs state code? We want a FEDERAL building code!

There are, of course, dissenting opinions.

One problem with a big government: it's hart to know what is being done to for you.