Liberals Lying Liberally

Photo being posted on Facebook

Liberals Lying Liberally 

DISCLAIMER:  I THINK.  THEREFORE I'M NEITHER DEMOCRAT NOR REPUBLICAN.  

No, I do not support Obama.  But I'm not exactly excited about anyone the Republicans have shown us. 

Given that we don't actually elect a president, (he or she is appointed by the members of the Trilateral Commission, Council On Foreign Relations, and Bilderberg Group, via the Electoral College) I may vote independent. Who?  Who knows.  

BUT back to the reason for this post. 

Here's yet another emotive lie circulating on Facebook.  It's simply a photo/poster presumably offered by some group that wants to eliminate Republicans from the political process. 

I haven't bother to read their page nor will I post their name here since this photo most likely represents the quality of reasoning and fact-finding the group apparently DOESN'T do.  

So here's the skinny on the horsey that's getting so many self proclaimed "liberals'" knickers in a knot:

Said horse is co-owned by Mrs. Romney,  Amy Ebeling, and Beth Meyers.  The mare, named Rafalcas, competed in the Olympics in London last month.  

The Romneys actually declared a more than $77,000 LOSS on the upkeep/expenses for the animal.  They received, according to their 2010 tax return, a credit for only $50.  IT WAS NOT A TAX CREDIT OF $77,000.  

We all need to do due diligence with these websites and FB pages.  It's one thing to not agree with a candidate, but quite another to follow websites and Facebook pages that post emotive nonsense and outright lies. 

The New York Times report by Matt Yglesias and other so-called "journalists" (titter titter) was incorrect.  Mr. Yglesias published a retraction here. And you can read further explanations of the potential future tax code allowances here.

We must stick to real issues, though it appears that "liberals" in particular, and Republicans in general seem to have difficulty with that concept.   

No one seems to be complaining about Michele Obama's expensive dresses she's supposedly been seen wearing around the world.  

Oh, and how about those reported $540 sneakers in 2009 that she wore  to the Capital Area Food Bank while bagging food for hungry kids?  DO ANY LIBERALS HAVE THEIR PANTIES IN A KNOT ABOUT THAT??  WELL????  

Naw, didn't think so! 

Issues, folks.  Issues.  

And try to keep it real. 

Rick Baker 

Rochester, NY 

August 24, 2012 

©2012 R. Burnett Baker 

Photo credit:  Unknown.  Found on a Facebook post.

Dancing With Irony And Hypocrisy

Credit: AP Photo/ABC, Adam Larkey

Dancing With Bristol:  An Unreality Show 

This is going to be short and to the point.   

Bristol Palin, offspring of the right-wing's intelligentsia, Sarah Palin, has come out today with criticism of President Obama's  latest stance on same-sex marriage. 

 Today, Miss Palin spews out this wisdom, saying,  

 "...we know that in general kids do better growing up in a mother/father home. Ideally, fathers help shape their kids’ worldview."   This according to the Los Angeles Times.

Pardon me, but what the hell does Bristol Palin know about marriage? Yes, UNWED MOTHER Bristol Palin. 

  

Please explain this to me, and TRY to be serious when you answer. 

Rick Baker 

May 11, 2012 

©2012 R. Burnett Baker 

Spike Lee Spiked

Photo borrowed from

http://yamule.com/piper-spike-lee-joint-hat/

Faces Of A Racist

There's no doubt, in my opinion, that Spike Lee has lived the American dream and made his millions of dollars by being a serial racist. He has demonstrated this time and again through his movies, interviews, and media comments.

Now Spike Lee has spiked himself in the butt with his Tweet about the Trayvon Martin killing in Florida. Why any rational person wants, or even has time to "tweet" anything is beyond my working class comprehension. But Lee, in his tweeting, bleeping, effort to self-promote posted the address of the accused shooter of Martin, William Zimmerman.

Just one small problem: It was the wrong address.

As told in the Associated Press story today, Lee had the wrong William Zimmerman. The result was that an elderly couple's lives were seriously disrupted by this twittering twerp's tweet.

Yes, Spike Lee, who titled one of his films "Do The Right Thing" did the WRONG thing. According to the AP story, Lee called the couple, apologized, and they reached some sort of "settlement" over the matter.

Ok. So he did the right thing. But too late. A larger question about vigilantism in general, and by Spike "twittering twerp" Lee in particular, is raised by his action.

The question raised is about racism. Where, when, why, and by whom do we accept comments that encourage vigilantism, especially when the flames of racism are being fanned throughout the country? Even President Obama felt the need to publicly comment on this case. Why? For election year traction? Where are the president's and Lee's comments and anger about the thousands of other killings involving whites on blacks, blacks on whites, blacks on blacks, or any other ethnic group on anyone throughout the year?

To all of them, I would not so politely suggest that they shut their pie holes! And as for Spike Lee, well, he can go spike himself.

Rick Baker

March 30, 2012

Rochester, NY

© 2012 R. Burnett Baker

9/11: A Warning As A Memorial

This may come across as insensitive to some readers, given that this is the 10th anniversary of the Twin Towers' destruction and the attack on our country and civilization.

Too bad.

The following videos of Geert Wilders warning Americans of the political nature of Islam and the movement of Islam to dominate the world should be required viewing in every school, office, church, and tax payer funded institution in the country.

There will be plenty of time for sensitive viewing of the memorials in New York City all day long. But this is a call to wake up and reflect on what all of the destruction, wars, and death are really about.

I implore you all to watch both videos to completion. Then encourage others to seriously consider the implications of it all.

Rick Baker

Rochester, NY

9/11 Memorial Flag post on Efficient Agony.

Same-Sex Marriage: Children To Be Extinct

Same-Sex Marriage=Extinction

And you thought global warming was going to do the planet in. How could we all have been so misled?

Personally, I don't care whether same-sex marriage is legal or not. But I say just legalize it and be done with it. Give gay men and women the same legal, economic, and social rights that others have when it comes to being in committed relationships. No big woof.

But now that New York State has legalized this cause, ( it's a cause, not an issue) the folks who have nothing else to do with their time, energy, or "intellect" are out protesting. On July 24, 2011 it was reported by YNN news in Rochester, NY that an organization called "Let The People Vote" were rallying all across New York protesting same-sex marriage.

I'm not going to get into any deep discussion about all this, but the story quoted one protester, Brad Barkowski, from Greece, NY ( a suburb of Rochester) as saying:

"I believe that marriage is between a man and a woman and I believe we need to uphold that in the state. Children will be extinct if we allow same-sex marriage."

So forget about everything you've ever read about extinctions on the planet. I guess divorce rates, children born out of wedlock, and kids raised in dysfunctional or abusive families are never considered by Mr. Barkowski as having any negative impact on children or family values.

And furthermore, I'm sick of every cause, issue, protest, initiative, law, or whatever being about the children! Throw children into any cause or issue and people go soft and foam at the mouth. Put the damned children to work doing their homework, taking out the garbage, cleaning their rooms, or volunteering for senior citizens or the community and we won't have to worry about them going extinct.

Children will be extinct, indeed. And these people actually vote?? How about these busybody closet cases stop railing against non-issues and start voting for representatives who will prevent all of us from, say, corrupt politicians who are spending us all into a bankruptcy hell?

Oh, I get it. Just look at the "Let The People Vote" banner. The bottom line on the banner says "Text NYVOTE to 96362 to Support Marriage." Voting by text message??? Have we all been THAT dumbed-down?

I suppose texting a multi-trillion dollar debt figure on your key pad isn't feasible with today's cell phone technology.

The smart phones just aren't that smart.

And apparently, neither are the protesters in Greece, New York.

Rick B. Baker

July 24, 2011

Rochester, NY

©2011 R. Burnett Baker

Extinction photo from Google Images

Vote Photo from YNN news.

GOP: Goofy, Oppressive Politicians

Santorum Or The Sanitarium?

Right. Let me cut to the chase about Rick Santorum running for president: Would he be running for the presidency or the presidency of a sanitarium?

If what I read today online has a shred of truth to it ( and it's questionable whether ANYTHING we read these days contains any truth) then this man may be crazier than an out-house rat.

The omnipresent Associated Press on June 6, 2011 ran a story about Santorum entering the Republican presidential race. The by-line of the online piece described him as a "reliable conservative."

In that story about his political history, policy stances, and family life there was the recounting about he and his wife having a child who died shortly after birth in 1996. According the the AP story, he and his wife "…slept with the bundled dead baby's body in their hospital room that night…" and then, and THEN took the baby's body home so their other kids could hold the baby before burial.

Sorry folks, but all sentimentality aside, that's beyond creepy. And some folks would want this man as our president?

This is just so whacked that it begs a few other questions. First, what state, hospital, of other institution allows people to just bundle up their dead and cart 'em home for any reason at all? Maybe that's legal somewhere? Really?

Second, what kind of parent would take a dead baby home for the other kids to see and hold? That's just not normal. But more importantly, THAT'S JUST NOT NORMAL. In fact it's, it's, it's not something that I can even describe. And some folks would want this man as our president?

Rick Santorum's faith has always been at the forefront of his politics, but I believe this story just glosses over some kind of line in the sand about people being weird. And doing weird things.

Most of us have heard about his politics and the fact that he seems not to believe that citizens have any rights to privacy. His so-called social conservative beliefs about religion, gay rights, abortion, and such are well known.

But I'm tired of these politicians shoving their religious views in my face and using religion to justify their own insecurities over social CAUSES rather than forgetting about their religion and focusing on real ISSUES. Issues like war, economy, border protection, taxes, government spending, energy policy, education, and such. I don't want a religious fanatic being the puppet leader of our country. Any fool can see how well theocracies function. (Re: Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and on and on…)

But back to the point of this rant. That dead baby thing should be enough to disqualify, in the minds of reasonable, thinking people, this man from holding any public office.

Sorry, GOP, but your party is one hell of a clown party. It almost makes the Neo-Marxist Democrats look reasonable. Almost.

I'd say the GOP is absolutely ready for Santorum.

And all of the GOP candidates and their supporters are ready for the sanitarium.

Rick Baker

June 6, 2011

Rochester, NY

© 2011 R. Burnett Baker

Photo from video game "Sanitarium"

No Fly Zone

AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File

No Fly Zone

So says the "leader" of the "free world."

I agree. There should be a no fly zone in Libya: The United States military should NOT fly anywhere near that country.

But too late now.

The Arab world has roundly condemned the United States' Middle East policies for decades. Even when I lived in Saudi Arabia in the mid-1970's, there wasn't much love for Americans in the Arab world. I'd say that we were, at best, tolerated. Perhaps the US was the least of the Cold War evil empires during that period, with Anwar Sadat having ended Egypt's love fest with the Soviet Union in 1972.

But dictatorships aside, the US presence in the Middle East in general, and Saudi Arabia in particular, has probably been more of a stabilizing force in that part of the world than we realize or than anyone else cares to admit. And that's not saying much.

Radical Islam was in full force throughout the world then and years prior. It's only in the past 20 years or so that we in the West have begun to open our eyes to those dangers. It's my not so humble opinion that most Americans still don't quite grasp the seriousness of radical Islamic movements, and many simply don't care.

The fact is, we are immersed in two ugly wars with people who culturally, spiritually, and politically don't like us. And if that's not bad enough, our government has now drawn us into yet another military conflict in the Arab world, under the auspices of an "international coalition" that makes it sound A-OK. "International coalition" should be stricken from the lexicon of our political discourse. Forever.

No good can come out of this latest US military exercise in Libya. None.

We're told that we are helping these "rebels" overthrow madman Gaddafi. And a madman he most certainly is. But just who are the rebels? What will THAT government look like? A tolerant, socially progressive power structure dedicated to civility, peace, and civil rights? Or will the Muslim Brotherhood, a group partially responsible for the assassination of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, try to portray themselves as "moderate" peacemakers in Libya and other countries?

Please. Review history. And stop believing the nonsense that's being spewed that these rebellions in the Arab world are "pro-democracy" movements that will lead to freedom throughout the Middle East. The recent violent actions taken by the Saudi military against the Shiite uprising in the Saudi Arabian city of al-Qatif were not designed to stop democracy: They were taken to stop pro-Iranian Shiite radicals from gaining power on the Arabian peninsula.

During my years in Saudi Arabia, I had to drive through al-Qatif several times a week, between my company's office in Dammam and my work site in Jubail, about an hour and a half north. Qatif was our stopping place in between for food and gas. What you probably never read in your papers in those days was that these Shiite uprisings were being staged even then, in the mid to late 1970's. And they were always violently squashed by the Saudi military.

Today, nothing much has changed except that these radical groups have much faster communication networks and more money and arms to stage uprisings throughout the Middle East and other areas of the world. Democracy be damned!

Arab League of Nations

So I say let the League of Arab Nations, a group that has given the coalition the green light to impose the no fly zone, police their own sand box.

Let the former colonial overlords, the Italians, help these peace loving Libyan rebels. Let the British and French, both of whom from time to time were colonial administrators in Libya, punish the madman. After all, the French have a long history of slipping out the back door of their colonial digs at the first sign of trouble. It's time France get a backbone and help save the world for a change.

And it's time the people of the United States get a fly swatter and smack the next politician who suggests we start another military adventure.

Wake up, citizens of the United States. Stop believing that by planting the seeds of democracy, and winning hearts and minds, the world will become a more peaceful place.

None of this is about democracy.

It never was.

Rick B. Baker

Rochester, NY

March 22, 2011

©2011 by R. Burnett Baker