Happy New Year, Ohio

Well, thank God 2007 is over. Not the best year for the Squeaky Wheel. Personally it was fine. I returned home to Ohio, reconnected with friends (some for the first time in over 10 years) and I have been able to see the amazing growth in Central Ohio.

Professionally 2007 has been a dud. The company I came here to work for turned out to be as committed and faithful to me as Bill Clinton is to Hillary. Luckily I have found a wonderful home with the Navy Reserve center here so once a month I am professionally satisfied. Ah the life of a free-lancer (and I think we all know that that is code for :-)

I took a beating on the sale of my house in Virginia, which took over 6 months to sell, but I unlike so many others, we stayed ‘right-side up’, so I guess that is good. Since I had not sold, I could not buy. However, just in time for Christmas we moved into our own house.

Anyway, here is hoping that 2008 is a better year all around for everyone.

Oh crap, it is an election year so it will be a year of more divisiveness and bitter politics. Well at least there will be plenty of fodder for all of us.

Vote For Comedy

I am a huge fan of live stand up comedy. Rich Vos and Patrice O'Neil are two of my favorites. Help these guys out by clicking on the buttons below and vote for them! Thanks

A White Christmas Overseas

My dear friend, Jim, a fellow Naval Officer who is currently serving overseas aboard USS Kearsarge, wrote to me this morning. You see, Jim and his ship have been serving in the Middle East for over 5 months and recently provided humanitarian relief in Bangladesh.

Jim is a devoted Christian and Christmas is one of his favorite holidays. He is a husband, father and friend, so being away for Christmas is hard, but he presses on. Jim also has the ability, when he chooses, to see the small joys in life and so brings me to his email that he sent me.

Hey – I got a white Christmas after all!
Merry Christmas: I with you all joy and happiness today and for the year to come!

Merry Christmas indeed, my friend and God speed home.

Seasons Greetings For All!

I recieved this in my email today. Perfect!

To All My Democrat Friends:

Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low-stress, non-addictive, gender-neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasion and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all. I also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2008, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make America great. Not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other country nor the only America in the Western Hemisphere. Also, this wish is made without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual preference of the wishee.

To My Republican Friends:

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Christmas proves all government and taxes are not bad

Jim over at the original Bearing Drift in Virginia has a wonderful post for Christmas.

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. [This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.] And everyone went to his own town to register.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Gallilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. - Luke 2:1-5

Continue Reading!

Pregnant Jaime Lynn Spears Talks to Paparazzi

This is GREAT!

Dispatch Thinks The Olentangy Liberty HS Vieyra Story Is About Them? WTF?

The front page of the Columbus Dispatch was home to a follow up story about Olentangy Liberty High School teacher Erica Vieyra’s Spanish V lesson about immigration (read my take on it here).

What struck me odd about this story was that instead of being about the teacher or the lesson, it was about the attention this reporter and the Dispatch received from bloggers, CNN, Drudge and the like. The only problem is, the attention was not about the Dispatch or the author; it was about the lesson.

Now this may be hard pill to swallow for the Columbus Dispatch, but it not about them. You have to love a newspaper that places stories about Bronze Star Medal heroes in the second section but places a story about how much attention THEY think they received on the front page. Ugh.

Read Holly Zachariah’s story in the Dispatch and tell me what you think.

Rep. Kucinich's Brother, Perry, 51, Found Dead

Story Here

Although I disagree with almost everything Rep. Kucinich stands for, he is still a Buckeye, a loyal public servant and a big brother who lost his youngest brother, Perry, today.

My deepest condolences to the Congressman and the entire Kucinich family.

You MUST Watch This Video Now

A 15-year-old girl named Lizzie Palmer put together this. A 15-year-old seems to be smarter than all of us.

Powell Teacher Chooses Political Activism over Teaching in the Classroom

In what is yet another example of liberal agenda indoctrination via academia, an Olentangy Liberty High School Spanish teacher, Erica Vieyra, has assigned her kids an assignment where they are told to try and immigrate.

When the students fill out the paper work, she stamps them “Denied” and then tells them how to do it illegally. Of course she claims this is not political indoctrination. As reported by the Columbus Dispatch:

But she cautions that the point isn't to sway the students, only to teach them a little empathy.

Read the whole Story

No, of course not. Far be it for a teacher to be a liberal, let alone use her class room for political gain. A captured audience I might add.

She goes on and seems to get the reporter to adopt her politics when it is reported:

But they would gain, she hoped, an understanding of what is one of the most important political and humanitarian issues facing the U.S. government today.

Really? The MOST important humanitarian issue? Political too? Well, at least she admits she is engaging in Political influencing.

Bare in mind liberals fight to remove any reference to religion, no matter what it is, claiming it intimidates, or I guess tricks people into believing, but liberal indoctrination in the schools? Well, that is not only ok, but damn near a requirement for tenure.

So, good job Olentangy Liberty High School. You disappoint like so many others.

Fair is fair, so can I force Erica Vieyra’s kids to read my blog? Hell, she forces outr kids to listen to her beliefs.

Teachers are seen as authorities on information. Kids take what they say and how they act as fact. Shame on Erica Vieyra for using a publicly funded classroom as her pulpit. Shame on Erica Vieyra.

BTW, I get to complain. I pay taxes to the Olentangy schools.
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UPDATE: A lot of comments have been left here over this. Most are left by students who are passionate about their teacher. We may not agree, but I am impressed by their determination and debate. Some comments, however, have been childish. At one point a comment was simply a derogatory anti-Semitic word and an offensive derogatory word regarding women repeated over and over. For this reason, I have turned comment moderation on.

I will approve ANY comment left that is an actual comment, but will block any ‘troll vandalism’ that is akin to a fourth grader. Please continue to comment and debate, but for those who simply want to be childish, go elsewhere. Also, since comments leave IP addresses, I know from where comments come, and those leaving derogatory comments do not represent your school well.

For those who have commented, agree or disagree, I appreciate your comments. I am especially impressed with the students of OLHS who have made very intellectual arguments.

Dog Torture. Vick: 23 Months… Huckabee’s Kid: Nada

Interesting read. I guess Huckabee carried more weight than Vick did.

Get it... It’s a fat joke... Get it?

Anyway, read about it here

The Obvious Pop Culture Reference?

Why has no one used this movie for some (hack) reference?

I am sure if there was some Hollywood movie called “I heart Obama” or I (cold) Heart Hillary”, we would see it daily, especially in Olbermann’s lame top ten.

Maybe the media has finally had enough of the obvious puns and cliches...

Nah, of course not!

...And for those of you who have never heard of this movie... get out more

Duncan Hunter’s Video For Kids?

Maybe, I’m just sayin’...

It Won’t Be The Bengals!

I have said for weeks now that if the Miami Dolphins first win comes in the last week of the season, I would lose my mind… That game is against Cincinnati.

My fear is that Miami would go all year their only win being against the Bengals, but thankfully that won’t happen. The Baltimore Ravens just became their first win.

The only thing that would have made it sweeter for me is if the Steelers would have lost to the Dolphins. Oh well, close enough. I Hate the Ravens too.

Oh, and yes, I know, the Bengals SUCKED last night in San Francisco.

UPDATED: Sharpton Investigated: NOW Caught On Tape!

UPDATE #3: From Philly.com:

With a hidden FBI camera rolling inside a New York hotel suite in 2003, an unsuspecting Rev. Al Sharpton, Democratic candidate for president, spoke candidly.

Sharpton offered to help Philadelphia fund-raiser Ronald A. White win a multimillion-dollar business deal, if White helped him raise $50,000 for politics.

White offered $25,000. "If you bring my guys up on this hedge fund, and I have the right conversation," White said, "I'll give you what you need."

"Cool," Sharpton said.

Uh-Oh... Big Al is not only an ass, but STUPID! I am willing to bet the FBI has more hits to come!
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UPDATE #2: More coverage Here and here.
I don't want people to assume only Fox is reporting this. FYI, NY Daily News is the main competitor of the NY Post, owned by the same people who own Fox, so take your "Murdoch" Conspiracies and shove them up your...
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UPDATE #1: Boy, did I call this one. The good Rev wasted no time in blaming "The Man" going after him becuase of his 'work'. .

NEW YORK (AP) ― The Rev. Al Sharpton angrily denounced reports Thursday that federal authorities are investigating his 2004 presidential bid, suggesting that the Justice Department was retaliating against him for his civil rights advocacy.

I may be spit-balling here, but maybe they are going after him for breaking the law and for being an ass... Ok, maybe for just breaking laws.
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ORIGINAL POST:
Uber hypocrite, race baiter and all around ass hole, “Reverend” Al Sharpton is under investigation (again).

From Fox News
Federal authorities have subpoenaed financial records and employees in an apparent probe of the Rev. Al Sharpton's 2004 presidential bid, nonprofit civil rights group, and for-profit businesses, a newspaper reported Thursday.

---

They were told to provide investigators with financial records from the campaign and roughly six Sharpton-related businesses, as well as personal financial documents of Sharpton and his wife, the newspaper said.

This should be rich. I am sure Rev Al has broken more than a few laws (again) and now will get pinched for his shady financial dealings. Of course all of this will be blamed on some grand White Man conspiracy to get him. He will say that this is all based on racism. Ugh.

Of course this is not the first time the law has caught up with him. They put Capone away over tax crime you know. One can hope… one can dream.

Fact is, I hope he is exposed for being the lying piece of shit that he is: A hypocrite, a racist, a divider and self appointed PC police officer who does not carry business cards since his wallet is full of race cards.

I am surprised he hasn’t sued God for having White Christmases. The Bing Crosby estate would be wise to lay low around this clown.

Knight Rider WITHOUT the Hoff? Blasphemy!

No good can come from this, but they are remaking “Knight Rider.”

I grew up on watching the Hoff and KITT (Who didn’t!?!?) but now they are doing an updated version. Oh crap.

From TV Week
NBC has set Feb. 17 as the premiere date for its two-hour “Knight Rider” revamp and announced that Will Arnett (“Arrested Development”) will provide the voice of the new KITT car. NBC also has released official images of the crime-fighting super-vehicle (thankfully, NBC’s latest product placement-mobile is a Ford Mustang, not a Nissan Rogue).

And you can’t have a HollyWeird production without a little political editorializing. From the network’s release, the plot of the pilot:

“Sarah Graiman (Russo) is a 24-year-old Ph.D. candidate at Stanford University, following in her genius father Charles’ (Davison) footsteps. But when men attempt to abduct her, Sarah receives a mysterious call from KITT warning her that he’s a creation of Charles, who also invented the first KITT 25 years ago—and that her father is in serious danger. Sarah and KITT track down her best friend from childhood, Mike Tracer (Bruening), a 23-year-old ex-Army Ranger, whom Sarah hasn’t seen since he left home at 18. Having served in Iraq, Mike is now jaded and lost and initially resistant. Eventually he agrees to help Sarah and the two set out to discover who’s behind the attempt to procure KITT and find Charles.”

Jaded? Of course. That darn war, right. Ugh.

When will Hollywood get that people watch crap like this to escape and be entertained, not to be lectured but limousine liberals.

(Usual) liberal slant notwithstanding, of course I will watch it. I am just that pathetic.

I have Carbon Offsets: I am a better person than you are!

See below. I now have carbon offsets. No, I did not buy them from companies that Al Gore profits from (Wake up people... he is a snake oil salesman). No, I got my for free!

See, I can claim to be a better person just like flighty Hollywood hypocrites and spend no money to get it and you know what, it has the same effect as their that they BUY from AlGore: NONE.

Want your own so you can feel like an elitist too? Sure, why not. Go here then.

Nat’l Review: Go, Mitt, Go!

National Review has endorsed Mitt Romney for President. Read all about it.
…And you thought I was the only smart one…

New Mitt Romney Ad

WCMH 4 Too Cheap To Buy Umbrella For Reporter

As I watched the news on WCMH, I noticed their reporter, Matt Alvarez reporting live from Eastland Mall. The story was not what had my attention, Matt’s umbrella was. See, Matt was holding an umbrella from WSAZ, NBC 3 (See picture below). Matt’s bio does not show that he worked there, but it does say he has been with WCMH since 2006.

Is WCMH too cheap to buy their people umbrellas and since Matt did not work for WSAZ, who the hell did he steal that from?

I know I have been critical of WCMH before (ok, maybe twice), but this one is just funny. If you are going to make the poor guy stand in the rain (Because consultants tell you that is what we want) at least buy him some shelter.

Quote of The Day

"While the music industry is doing everything they possibly can to go out of business, can we all make sure to rid ourselves of the Grammys, too? Out of touch old men jacking each other off.
ENOUGH!

Have a nice day."

- Trent Reznor, on the Nine Inch Nails

Dems Won Congress: How's That Working Out?

h/t Scott's Morning Brew

Random Thoughts for 12/7/07

-If a wall didn’t work in East Berlin, why would it work in El Paso?

-If Iran does in fact have a nuclear weapon, we must face the fact that no one will believe us until it detonates.

-Why can’t losers shoot themselves first instead of last?

-Many preach to be proud of Veterans and to support them, but employers have perceptions and hold on to stereotypes that would not be tolerated if it were regarding race or gender.

-In 66 years will people not care about 9/11 as well?

-Will those who lead in Powell meet in the expanding Kroger’s they approved of to complain about Target wanting to build?

-Two guys doing weather is annoying.

Yet ANOTHER Reason to Love My XM Satellite Radio

h/t OrbitCast

Opie and Anthony Welcome Imus Back

Opie and Anthony went on Imus’ show to welcome them back and Imus was happy to see them.

You see, CBS fired Imus the DAY BEFORE his annual fund raiser for kids with Cancer. Nice. Anyway, the radio-a-thon went on (hosted by Imus’ wife) and Opie and Anthony took it upon themselves to encourage THEIR listerners to donate. Figures show that O&A were responsible for helping raise $2 million of the total funds raised. Hell, I gave! Imus talks about that.

Well someone at WackBag put the audio to a funny slide show… There are some inside jokes and references to the images, so if you don’t know O&A, you won’t get them. Ignore it and listen to the audio.

Imus Returns to Radio, Sharpton Still an Ass

Of course I am happy that Imus is back on the air, but what still enrages me is the arrogance of those like Al Sharpton. See, when CBS caved to special interests, the gave weight to those who are self appointed authorities as to what we can and can’t do, think or listen to.

I was reminded of this by one simple line found in an AP story about Imus:

Just three months after he was fired, the Rev. Al Sharpton, one of the strongest voices calling for his firing, said Imus had a right to make a living and could return to radio. Sharpton planned a news conference later Monday.

He COULD return to radio? Oh, gee, Thanks AL… Oh and I am oh-so excited for him to be the media whore that he is today.

Who the hell made him the authority to decide you MAY or MAY NOT be on the air?!?! Oh, wait, the radio stations did and you did for rolling over and being afraid of him and folding. What should mandate who is on the air are ratings… Of course if that was true, Reverend Al would be far, far from a radio studio, but fear, threats and perpetuated white guilt keep him on the radio and forces all of us to bow to HIS wishes.

Left-Leaning LA Times is Right: CNN Failed

It is a rare occasion where I agree with the editorial board of a newspaper, to say nothing of a left-leaning paper in LA-LA land, but the LA Times really gets this one right. The make a very smart point about how CNN failed in the GOP “Debate” and continue to push an agenda for political reasons and for self serving ratings.

In fact, this most recent debacle masquerading as a presidential debate raises serious questions about whether CNN is ethically or professionally suitable to play the political role the Democratic and Republican parties recently have conceded it.

CNN Currupt? I say yes. But don’t take my word for it. Ask the LA Times.