Friday Quote 7-13-07

Look abroad through Nature's range, Nature's mighty law is change.

Robert Burns, Scottish Poet

Rules for Comments

A couple of folks (mostly posting under Anon.) have had their comments not approved. In order to insure that (mostly) everyone who wants to have a say can avoid the wrath of me, here are some guidelines. Following them all might not get your comment included - but failure to comply will almost definitely get your comment trashed.

• Comments must be intelligent, and based on the subject at hand (no wandering off the topic of the post.)
• Posts with factual backup stand a much better chance of being included. So, cite your source. (Note to liberals: MoveOn.org is not a source of facts.)
• Irrational, emotion driven posts will be trashed.
• The only one allowed to hold a flame-thrower on this field is myself - you can disagree with me, or another commenter, but no trashing. Please note the the McCain-Finegold-Kennedy-Clinton exception.
• Words mean things, please know the meaning of a word before you use it. If you are unsure, check dictionary.com.
• Brevity is the sole of wit. No 6 page dissertations please.

This is not an exhaustive list, but it hits the highlights of the more recent additions to the garbage can. Remember, my field, my ball, my rules - I don't edit posts, I just trash them.

RWT

Empowerment Comes Only in Certain Forms

The YWCA of Greater Toledo turned down a $1,200 donation from the Lucas County Democratic Party in the fallout of strippergate. According to local Chairwoman Lisa McDuffie, "Strip clubs are an outlet to dominate, control, and exploit women through money." Last time I checked, no one was holding a gun, forcing women to become strippers. In fact, they were making a choice.

I find this interesting, given the YWCA's stance on abortion. In fact, according to their own position paper, the organization "has been an advocate for reproductive rights and freedoms," and "adopted a “freedom of choice” position in 1967 at the YWCA National Convention following an extensive debate by the nearly 1,000 delegates from local associations all over the country." (Emphasis mine) If a woman has the choice of what to do with her body where abortion is concerned, why does this not extend to the acts that lead to the abortion? Looks like a double standard to me.

RWT

The Blade Weighs In on One Party Rule

Seen in the editorial section of today's Blade.

In short, the era of one-party rule is over. The art of compromise is again a valued part of the legislative process, and the people of Ohio are likely to be better served from a policy standpoint.

Why is it, I wonder, why what's good for the state isn't good for the city and county?

RWT

The Ugly American - Only When Republican

I find it interesting that when the US involves itself in the internal workings of another country, at least when a Republican is President, it is almost always hailed as another example of the "Ugly American." However, an editorial in today's Blade calls for President Bush to work for the protection of farm unions within the country of Mexico. Interesting, given that many who are proposing this bill, including Marcy Kaptur (S-OH), view the construction of a fence upon US soil as a violation of Mexico's sovereignty.

The newspaper and Ms. Kaptur are insisting on police protection for organizers, in a country rife with crime and social problems. So, why should these organizers be any different than Mexican citizens. If it is because they come from the US, or because the union is a major supporter of Ms. Kaptur?

Friday Quote, 7-4-07

Citizens by birth or choice, of a common country, that country has a right to concentrate your affections. The name of AMERICAN, which belongs to you, in your national capacity, must always exalt the just pride of Patriotism, more than any appellation derived from local discriminations.

- George Washington, President of the United States

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

Calling the RINO on the carpet.

Brian over at One Oar in the Water has a great idea - call Senator V (I guess it really is for Vendetta) to the statehouse carpet to explain his vote. Read more here.

Talking Trash

Lisa Marie over at Glass City Jungle has an interesting article regarding holiday trash pickup. My response to the issue can be seen there.

The New Portside

Today's Blade poses the question, "can the market make it?" With the eleventh manager in ten years, one wonders if we would do any worse if Paris Hilton was driving the bus. While the savior has changed names from 5/3rd Field to the new arena, the idea is the same - the masses generated by the new entertainment will flock to the market. Let's face it, when people are done with a hockey game, they're not going to walk to the market to do some shopping at 10:30 at night.

To the paper's credit, they make the point that the market must draw folks away from the "strip malls or suburban markets." While it's true that you can't offer the same thing as a supermarket, or a strip mall, and expect people to come downtown, that's the very reason the market is doomed to fail.

Once upon a time, shopping malls were a prospering entity across the nation. Record stores, pharmacies, curio shops, and the inevitable Spencer's were ready to serve people from all walks of life, offering in one convenient place most everything outside of groceries and durable goods. Then, along came a little invention we'll call "W-cubed." Withing a few years, the speciality markets that made up so much of the mall were gone, marketing their goods on-line and reducing their overhead at the same time. As more demands were made on people's time, driving to a mall, finding parking, and walking around to get that new cassette (what came before CD's for all you children out there) just wasn't possible. As a result, stores pulled out, and malls went under. The only malls that are succeeding today are those catering to an upscale market - with convenient parking and proactive security. Only those with the time and money to browse are going to make a fiscal success possible. That demographic doesn't want to surf online to find their goods, and are unconcerned about the price tag, so a high overhead is not such a great concern.

Such was the atmosphere Portside entered into. While attempting to bank on "unique" items, the fiscal reality was that the rent per square foot was beyond the ability of any store to pay. The reason everyone expected Portside to succeed? The convention center was going to bring hordes of people downtown. Did it happen? Well, even COSI is failing fiscally there - and this is a genuine "family" attraction. Portside lacked convenient parking, and the upscale lady of the home didn't feel safe going downtown.

The Erie Street Market will not succeed unless there is a residential foundation in the vicinity. Poor parking will not allow for the numbers needed to succeed there marketing in a strip-mall fashion. Trying to thrive on "unique" items will lead the market down the path of Portside - stores will be competing with on-line companies to sell to the masses, and the elite don't want to fight the traffic, parking, and hassle of downtown, not when there are other options.

The only thing that the Erie Street Market has going for it are good intentions, and the wallets of Toledo. While good intentions are nice, they don't pay the bills. Sadly, until the leaders of Toledo are willing to shoot the horse with the broken leg, the citizens will have to saddle up and pay the vet.

New Thompson T-Shirt

I have to give kudos to the new Fred Thompson T-shirt over at Those Shirts.

Makes me wish I had thought of that one first.

RWT.

Friday Quote 06-22-07

"We can stand here like the French, or we can do something about it."

- Marge Simpson

Blade Editor Donates to Dem Campaigns

The copy editor at the Blade, James Bradley, donated money to both the Kerry campaign and the DNC in '04. When asked about his contribution, he stated that he didn't know if the newspaper had a policy on political activity.

Hmmm. Bradley edits the news portion of the paper - and if I remember correctly, the Blade took a very pro-Kerry stance in both news and editorial coverage. When an editor is taking the step of a political donation, you might well call his objectivity into question. And we all know that the local piddle-paper has never had a problem with objectivity.

Perhaps we should extend the fairness doctrine to newspaper editors' political donations.

Friday Quote 05-04-07

The reason why men enter into society is the preservation of their property.

- John Jay, Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court

Friday Quote 04-27-07

It is not strange ... to mistake change for progress.

- Millard Fillmore, 13th President of the United States.

The War on Choice

Well, don’t say I didn’t warn you. Comrade Ted has declared war on the Pro-Choice faction of Ohio – those who which to choose their children’s education. Appearing yesterday on Brian Wilson’s show, the governor decried the voucher program in general, and indicated that only the Cleveland program would survive his administration.

Comrade Ted has declared that they only “choice” you have is limited to selecting your school board. Don’t get me wrong, the school board choice is extremely important, and kudos to Maggie Thurber and Lisa Renee for their board project. But, even if you get every board member you want, the courts and state legislature take a large degree of control away from the local boards – mandating education of some theories (evolution for example) and forbidding the teaching of others. I suppose your choice doesn’t really extend to education after all, only the choice of the liberal elite matters.

Furthermore, why is Cleveland so special? Perhaps because a large, Democratic-voting block of minority parents receive vouchers – to send their children to private and parochial schools at government expense? As I recall, the Cleveland program was indicated as a “trial” program. Well, the trial’s run a while now, it’s time to end it, or expand it state-wide. It sounds like Comrade Ted has a problem with consistency.

For those of you about to suggest that the issue is “means-testing,” the Governor stated his opposition, quite clearly, to the use of “public dollars” in any private institution. I wonder, does the State of Ohio provide grants to any private institution – or is every state dollar spent by the state through governmental agencies. If not, what explains this inconsistency – perhaps the support of the teachers’ unions for Comrade Ted?

If this was really about reducing monies to the schools, let’s take a look at that. Reducing funding to the schools, according to Comrade Ted, will reduce the amount available to educate students. In other words, it would reduce the number of dollars per student. Unfortunately for Comrade Ted, that isn’t the case (perhaps he had the benefit of public school education). The voucher does not pay out more than a private or parochial school’s tuition – which is less than the amount appropriated for the same student in the public school system. Thus, while the total dollars are reduced, so is the student count – and effectively raising the funding per student to the public schools. If you doubt that private schools spend less, compare their tuition rates to the amount spent per student by TPS.

As a basic example to prove my theory – assume a hypothetical public school system of 10 students, and a total funding of $10,000 (numbers simplified to keep the math easier). The total spent per student is ($10,000 / 10 =) $1,000. Now, one local family wants to send their child to a local private school, with tuition of $500. The $500 is subtracted from the total budget, leaving $9,500, and the student is subtracted from the enrollment, leaving 9 students to educate. Now, the total spent per student is $1,055.56 ($950 / 9). Correct me if I’m wrong, but that is more than $1,000. Savings on the expense side would be even greater in a large school system, where teacher layoffs could divert funding to computers, new programs, and such. So, the “reducing the amount of money” argument doesn’t wash. Hmmm, could the teachers’ unions be behind this theory. Anyone, anyone?

Margaritas ante Porcos,
Right Wing Toledo

One Flew Over the Crow's Nest.

For those who don’t understand why those on the right don’t let celebrities run their lives, I present: Cheryl Crow. “All I want to do is have some fun” Crow was joined by pseudo-celeb Laurie David for a two-week bus tour of college campuses, declaring war on “Global Warming.” Whilst on the road, Cheryl blogged some of her solutions. April 19^th produced some of the most mind-bending ideas yet.

First, Cheryl advocated using one piece of toilet paper per use, excepting “hose pesky occasions where 2 to 3 could be required.” Perhaps the amount of crap leaving her mouth is reducing the level from her rear, but those of us who actually live life require a bit more than a single piece of see-through, recycled tissue paper. Her brother advocated “washing out” you own, personal piece. Here’s a clue: we’ve already invented this – it’s a cloth diaper. I invite Cheryl and her family to try it sometimes (and no using the help to wash it out, either.)

Then, in an attempt to save the “virgin wood” (apparently we’re cutting down the original trees grown by Mother Earth herself), Cheryl advocates eliminating paper napkins. Her solution, a removable “dining sleeve.” Now, one can fashionably wipe one’s mouth on their clothes, and then remove them for laundering. They would also be useful “to those suffering with an annoying head cold.” I can’t wait until she comes to town, I’m putting her idea to the test right before shaking her hand - I suppose she’s never heard of germ theory. Does anyone know how much energy it will take to wash all those dining sleeves? And are these sleeves going to be made with synthetic fibers, produced from oil products? If anyone wants to suggest hemp, I remind you of Toledo’s no-smoking laws at restaurants.

I will say, however, Cheryl saved the best for last. Her proposal – a reality show rewarding the person who “lives the ‘greenest’ life” would receive a recording contract! American Idol look out (I can hear Simon’s knees shaking as I write). We all know that living a “green” lifestyle equates to vocal talent – even if the lifestyles of these crazies and rock stars are similar (think of shower habits). On second thought, perhaps this is a good idea – it might drive the last nail in the coffin of reality shows.

Cheryl, shut up and sing. Thinking isn’t your strong suit.

Margaritas ante Porcos,
Right Wing Toledo

Friday's Quote 4-17-07

Ok, so it's Tuesday - but it's Taxation Tuesday!

What at first was plunder assumed the softer name of revenue.

- Thomas Paine, Pamphleteer

Local Dem Opposes "Flip-Flops"

On Friday, Lindsay Webb launched her campaign against Joe Birmingham by complaining that he “flip-flopped” in his position on the trash fee proposed by Carty Finkbeiner. While I have no problem with taking Mr. Birmingham to task for his position on raising taxes, I do find it a bit interesting for Ms. Webb’s approach. According to a Blade article, Ms. Webb criticized Joe for “voting for the tax after saying he opposed it.” I’m sure she voted for President Bush in the last election – he didn’t “flip-flop” on the war issue.

Even more interesting was the presence of Mark Sobczak at her press-conference. Mr. Sobczak could be accurately described as having “flip-flopped” on the issue of conflict of interest regarding the trash tax. I’m still waiting to see the position paper given to Mr. Sobczak which stated that voting for a fee that would benefit an organization he personally profits from is not a conflict of interest. I suppose that if one sold short pharmaceutical stocks, then announced a plan to nationalize the entire health-care industry (allowing one to personally profit), one might run for president.

In any event, I’m looking forward to Ms. Webb laying out her outline for the budget – one that doesn’t include new taxes. Somehow, however, I don’t think I’ll be hearing any concrete plans. And there is the real tragedy, a political sub-party playing on our fears (where have I heard that before) of new taxes to get elected. Upon gaining power, sadly, they continue to drive up spending and taxes, and sending those who can fleeing from the city. The only flip Toledo needs is one to some old-fashioned fiscal conservatism.

Margaritas ante Porcos,
Right Wing Toledo

Why It's Easier to be a Liberal (part 2)

Another one of the great hallmarks of liberals is their lack of consistency. To some extent, this is true of all politicians, but the liberal leadership has it in spades. It is much easier to skate through life when your position can change from minute to minute. Conservatives find this much harder, the base holds them to their position. President Bush campaigned one way on the issue of illegal immigration, ask him about the support he received from conservatives when he proposed a modified form of amnesty.

When you don't have to stick to a single position on a broad issue, you're free to pander to the political group of the moment, and proclaim agreement with a differing position the very next day. Liberals refer to this process as "triangulation," and seek it in their candidates for high office. Thanks to an obliging mainstream media, liberals are seldom called to the carpet - even when their very words show them to be guilty of hypocrisy. Think I'm crazy? Let's look at a few examples.

Liberals loathe the use of the military in the protection of the US, or in regions of US interest, but have no problem with sending troops off to places like Darfur – to serve as police officers (and get shot), for no real purpose. I suppose the genocide in Iraq didn’t count; and the chemical weapons (categorized as “weapons of mass destruction”) were conveniently ignored as well.

Use a label to describe a liberal (“emotion-driven” comes to mind), they’ll shout you down. After all, “there is no such thing as a typical liberal.” Ah, but there is a typical conservative – heartless, money stealing polluters, if you believe the hype. I suppose that liberals detest labels like the plague because they serve to pin down people and tie them to their positions. And, in case you were wondering, they (inconsistently) feel free to decry conservatives as ”racists” and “homophobes” – the “no typical conservative” argument doesn’t make it through the wash.

And yesterday, liberals cheered the firing of Don Imus. Don't get me wrong, he owed an apology for his remarks. But, I suspect I'll be waiting for an apology from Al Sharpton to the Duke Lacrosse players falsely indicted by a Democrat prosecutor trying to win re-election. I'm still waiting for the liberals do demand that Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, and others that impugned the accused players offer to meet with the victims of this injustice - offer sincere remarks, and public ally make amends.

Soon, we'll look at how liberals justify their positions.

Why It's Easier to be a Liberal (part 1)

I recently had someone pose me the question, “Why would anyone want to be a liberal? There’re wrong on nearly everything, and they’re always so miserable.”

The answer: it is easier to be liberal than conservative. You can almost hear the voices now; “it…is…not…. It’s hard to… be concerned... about the bunnies.” Well, sorry to burst your bubbles, but it isn’t hard. In fact, there’s nothing hard about being a liberal – excepting the occasional hair pulling every time a conservative makes a fool of you in front of others. I know that you liberals feel bad when that happens, and this leads me to my first point.

To be a liberal, one feels instead of thinks. The basis for liberal arguments is rooted in emotion, not logic. Logic requires the application of rational thought, hard evidence, and critical attention to detail. Feeling requires whatever base emotion that touches one. Logic requires that to find a solution, one must prove what the cause is; feeling needs only correlating evidence. Logic requires one to train the mind, and be versed in the area of discussion. Emotion is instinctive, acquired at birth, and requires no extensive training.

If you don’t believe liberals use emotion instead of logic, watch how many times they start their arguments with “I feel.” If you “think” a particular way about a subject, you open yourself to questions on the data that backs your thoughts up. But, the way you “feel” cannot be challenged. Ever wonder why self-esteem is more important than math in your local school? Liberals want feelers, not thinkers.

Being a liberal also requires little intelligence and wisdom. This is not to say that there aren’t so intelligent liberals – college campuses are full of book-smart liberals. One must temper intelligence with wisdom, however. Wisdom comes from experience – something many professors lack (they’ve lived their entire life in the ivory tower, protected from the “real world.”) Wisdom shows that results are most often dependant on more than one variable, and that variables are only isolated in the lab, particularly when human beings are concerned. Take taxes: if one only considers the tax rate variable, tax dollars go up when the rates are raised. Yet, wisdom (gained through experience) shows that people change their behavior, finding more tax shelters, etc; and taxes go down.

The act of the personal attack is also sign one lacks intelligence, or the facts gained through observation, to back up one’s position. Try to discuss racial preferences with a liberal; get labeled a racist. Take a stand against gay marriage, you’re a homophobe. The fact that these responses to a position on issues resonate with libs indicates we’re dealing with the product of a dumbed-down educational system.

Next time: Liberal consistency.