NWClosetCon

Remember the Trade Center

2007-09-11T08:47:00.001-07:00

My favorite fruitcake editorialist, Robert Jamieson Jr., titled his piece in the Seattle PI "Endless Iraq war adds to sorrow of 9/11". Just so you know, it's not endless, it's been 6 years since we were ruthlessly attacked, and the war would be over already if we had responded to the World Trade Center attack with the same resolve and ruthlessness that we responded to the attack on Pearl Harbor.

If an enemy resolves to kill you, defend yourself. Protect the attacker's populace if you can, but if you must take them out to stop them, then you do that. What happened to the spirit of the old American West where they shot the bad guys and said "let that be a lesson to the rest of them"? It is well documented that our inability to respond to previous terrorist attacks is what inspired the 9/11/01 attack!

Further into the article, Jamieson plays games with numbers "...soldiers killed in Iraq now exceeds the toll of Sept. 11 - more than 3,700 soldiers...". Ok, lets see, 3,700 in six years compared to 2998 in 3 hours? How can one even make a comparison there? It's a tribute to the efficiency of the US military that we have lost only 3,700 soldiers!!! Ever read your history? This source tells us that the US lost over 500,000 lives in WWII! This was in response to an attack (Pearl Harbor) that cost 2896 lives. Military casualties, not civilian! During a WAR, not during a time of peace!

Why was December 7th "A day that will live in infamy", yet the 9/11 attack is a "convenient excuse" according to Jamieson?

Don't you think that we should be prepared to loose well over a million lives today in response to an attack on American soil on innocent US civilians? I do. I support our President, this war against terror, and our military. We need a new war cry along the lines of "Remember the Alamo!"... perhaps "Remember the Trade Center!"

Unusual Cartoons in the PI and Times

2007-09-11T08:05:00.000-07:00

In a break from character, the PI had this cartoon by Lisa Benson on their opinion page. Of course, I couldn't find it on the PI web site, nor on the Washington Post site (who distributed it). The cartoon was the only reference in the paper that I saw about great job that General Petraeus did in his presentation. I was surprised that the opinion editor ran this, since the op-ed title was "Iraq War - Still a fiasco".

This Get Fuzzy cartoon from Sunday edition of The Seattle Times won a place of honor on the family refrigerator, and we are still quoting our favorite lines to each other three days later. Way to go Darby! My favorite is the "tax my tuna" line, the default political option here in the Seattle area.

Of course, I imagine that this will be the last time that we will get to see either cartoonist in these papers.

Worst Article Ever

2007-08-20T10:41:00.000-07:00

I like the PI. It is the newspaper I have grown up with. My principle use for the Seattle times is as kindling. But the downside is the PI has some, actually it only has liberal columnists. Every day I see only hateful, one sided, liberal spin and lies on the last two pages of the Seattle section. Despite knowing what to expect every day from liberal columnists in the PI, some articles (such as the one before me) surprise and amaze me.

This article, written by guest columnists Randy Poplock is so bad I slightly admire it. Randy manages to write an article which at the same time it says global warming is man made, says the poor suffer more because they lack health insurance while they contribute less to carbon emissions. Randy also tries to make it a race issue by citing fewer Latinos and blacks had health insurance compared to whites. If you are lost let me summarize. Poplock has managed to advocate social programs, he has brought up racism as an issue when it is in fact nonexistent, and worst of all he acts like everyone knows global warming is real and man made when there is little good scientific evidence to support either.

The main problem with his statement "the poor contribute less to our carbon footprint" is the poor drive older cars which surprisingly emit more carbon gases than brand new hybrids or even standard new cars. Each time they step into their good old ford they emit more than a wealthy man or woman's car or even Hummer would over similar distances. Something he also leaves out is the increased taxes created by social programs such as Hillary care would impact the poor more than a lack of air conditioning in the summer. Believe me I have survived 90 degree days with only fans at my disposal, it is not hard. He also leaves out how homeless, never mind the poor would cope with cold spells. Humans naturally survive better in heat than cold. It is also more expensive to buy snow clothes from REI and crank up the thermostat than it is to buy a few fans and or turn on the air conditioning. Knowing that is global warming really so bad? In short if I owned the PI I would tell this wacko "You're Fired!!!!!!".

Working Women Need a Wife (you've got to be kidding me!)

2007-08-20T08:36:00.000-07:00

In an article in the Seattle PI today, New York times writer Shira Boss tells us that working women still yearn for a wife, an idea first proposed in an essay by Judy Syfers.

Today's piece informs us that "companies expect you to perform as if someone is at home taking care of everything for you". A fine gem of wisdom from Kim Kandy, president of NOW. The cute little cartoon that accompanies this piece tells us that "a lack of spousal support is an impediment to career success." The second page headline adds "motherhood penalty".

However, this piece also provides us with two clues as to what is really going on in the workforce.

Clue 1: A study using the Minnesota Twins Registry found that holding genetics and education constant (IE: removing them as the source of the difference), that married male twins made 26 percent more that their unmarried brothers.
My husband and I immediately looked at each other and said "Duh!". When a man is providing for his partner or family, his is more focused, dependable, and committed to the work he is doing. He's fulfilling his natural role as "provider". He's less likely to call in sick, slack off on the job, or make careless mistakes.

Clue 2: Ms. Boss points out that "many men are sharing the work of chores and child care with their wives, and some do it all as single parents, but women still generally shoulder a greater burden of household business (or fretting over how to do what is not getting done)."
Hello? This means that women are not completely focused on work!

Later in the piece she notes that "Even if the workload is divided, women complain that they are usually the ones organizing, juggling, and filling their head space with the daily demands of family life. That leaves less time and energy to focus on workplace tasks."

So do we still not understand why married women earn less than married men? Men put 100% of their focus and creative energy into their work while they are at work. (Sometimes, they put 100% of their focus and creative energy into their work while they are at home, which can make it difficult to have a conversation or even a relationship; but that's another issue...)

Women put much of their focus and creative energy into their home and family. Work is work, we tend to leave it at work. Family is family, and it tends to come to work with us, as we make 101 phone calls to arrange for play dates, fixing the gutters, shopping for school supplies, childcare, and new tires on the minivan. (The worst haircut my son ever got was interrupted about 50 times by the hairstylist taking phone calls from her daughter at home, mostly to say "don't call me at work." She explained that she had to take the calls, because if she didn't, the daughter would simply call the salon work number, which would cost her her job... Her inability focus on her work certainly cost her my return business!)

Here is a challenge for my fellow sisters. Today at work, do not make a single personal phone call. Instead, keep a log of all the personal calls that you need to make, when you get home from work. Then do us all a favor, and make those calls from home, rather than from the car on your way to soccer practice. (Of course, this is impossible, you will complain, because those people that I need to talk to will no longer be at work! How ironic.)

Least you cry "foul", please be aware that I am an entrepreneurial mom - I own my own business, thank you very much, and I'm juggling the same demands that you do: home, children, husband, elderly parents. My best employee is also a single working mom, and in three years, she has only left work to deal with childcare issues one time - and ended up spending the day that time at the hospital. When we are working, we are totally focused on work, because that's how we put the groceries on the table.

I think that it's time for women to learn to do a better job of compartmentalizing work and home. If that seems unreasonable or unfair, then you might consider doing some financial downsizing, as many women are, and staying home to take care of the household, kids, husband, and parents. After all, that is our natural role.

Indy

Redmond WA Mayor's race

2007-08-13T20:53:00.001-07:00

Time to weigh in on the local race for Mayor of the City of Redmond, WA.

I can't stand current mayor Rosemarie Ives. She endorses Jim Robinson. Strike one.
Robinson's statement in the voter's pamphlet includes the following statement: "I will work to rebalance the revenues so business shares the investment in Redmond's future proportionately with the residents." Hmmm. Strike two.
His motto, also in the voters pamphlet: "Smart, Practical and Progressive." Progressive is the new code word for "flaming liberal". Strike three.

Pertaining to aforementioned Strike two, an advertising piece received in the mail, pointed out that more people work in Redmond than live in Redmond, so therefore local "big" businesses need to contribute more to the local tax base.

What? You want to stab in the back the businesses that have grown the local tax base? Let's just tax the workers who don't live in Redmond. A wheel tax, perhaps? Perhaps they don't live IN Redmond because freaking Mayor Ives has created a shortage of affordable housing???? 'Ya think? He's outta here!

Then there's John Marchione. Nice guy. Works hard on the city council. Well intentioned, but frequently misguided in his beliefs. His ad piece highlights his work with employee unions. I'm anti-union, so Strike one.
Next, his statement in the voters pamphlet supports the addition of firefighters, when the city already has more than enough. He goes on to say that he has "championed a fiscally responsible city budget". How'd he do that? He refused to add the funds to the budget for said needed firefighters, and instead sent a proposition to the voters to increase our property taxes by a HUGE amount. How responsible! Strikes two and three.

This leaves candidate Holly Plackett. Don't know her, but she's also been a Redmond Council member so she has some experience. She gets my vote by supporting "best available science environmental standards", and "a fair tax structure for businesses". Can you tell I'm a local business owner yet?

Please get out and vote in the Redmond primary this August 21st.

IndySee, aka NWClosetCon

Thoughts from the throne

2007-08-09T21:10:00.000-07:00

Pillbox and I follow the reports on global warming pretty carefully. From what we can see in the scientific data, global warming is linked to sunspots. Here is an article from The Heartland Institute that supports that view. This is an older article, but still relevant. Why do the Global Warming Jihadists insist that their theory is the "only true way"? Because they see it as the path to power, that's why.

The fiasco in Wisconson is another amazing example of a democratic power grab. They don't even have a problem with uninsurance rates... they have one of the best uninsured rates in the country!

Pillbox's Breakfast Rants and Raves - Tue 8/7/2007

2007-08-07T05:56:00.000-07:00

Item 1: An article in the PI uses the MN Bridge collapse as a chance to criticize the federal response to Katrina. These people have lost touch with any inkling of objectivity! What is the point? They find some gal who still isn't in her home, and they use that as an excuse to Bush Bash. Maybe they think the President should be down there with a tool belt rebuilding her home himself?

Hatred is the only thing that comes out of the liberal media. I'm concerned that we're going to have a civil war here in the U.S. because of the lack of objective reporting.

Item 2: Roadside Bomb claims three...
The Sub-title on this article bothers me: "Their tour in Iraq extended in the "surge"". When I read this type of headline and subtitle, I realize we're fighting terrorists at home in the media, as well as on the ground in Iraq.

We've lost so few people over there. We're making peace, we're not making war. We're on a peacekeeping mission, and these soldiers volunteered for the job. In fact, they "wanted to fight for their country"; another was "estatic" to have the opportunity. Let's honor their sacrifice, not use it to detract from the effort of peacemaking.

Followup Rant

2007-08-06T19:43:00.000-07:00

Did you see our Rant about about Sean Penn? Here's another.

Vote NO on ALL the Propositions!

2007-08-06T15:02:00.000-07:00

The recent King County Local Primary Voters' Pamphlet describes two propositions for King County and two propositions for the City of Redmond. To keep this short, I'm going to use the abbreviation of "1KofAV" for the phrase "$1000 of Assessed Valuation"

King County Prop1 renews a County Tax Levy on Property Owners for park maintenance. The statement "for" the Proposition claims this levy will cost the "average household just $20 per year". This is an increase of $0.05 per 1kofAV.

King County Prop2 is an additional property tax to fund improvements at Woodland Park Zoo and regional trails. Again, the statement "for" claims this levy will "cost a family living in a typical home only $20 a year". This is also an increase of $0.05 per 1kofAV.

City of Redmond Prop 1 is a "Levy for Public Safety Funding". This increases the city's tax rate by $0.35 per 1kofAV. (Thiry five cents per 1000? That's a HUGE increase!)

Finally, Redmond Prop 2 is a "Levy for Parks and Recreation Funding". This is another increase of $0.05 per 1kof AV.

For the math challenged, if all four of these propositions pass, then voters will have increased their property taxes by $0.50 per 1kofAV. If your assessed propery value is $400,000 or more you will be paying at least an additional $200 in property taxes each year. That's a huge increase!

These levys have been brought before us because the county and city officials couldn't figure out where to cut their budgets. So they cut programs that were very desirable and marketable (public safety and parks) and turned to us to increase their funding!

According the the City of Redmond Statement of Revenues and Expenditures for 2006, the city had revenues in excess of $93 millon with over $11 million left over! Isn't $11 million enough? Why do they need even more??? If I'm reading the The King County Statement of Revenues and Expenditures correctly, the county had revenues of over $1.4 billion! Good Lord! That's lots of play money, isn't it?

Only it isn't play money, it's your money and it's my money.

I can do what the local politicians cannot: Manage my own budget. I can't afford to add an additional $200 in spending this year, so I'll vote NO for all four of these propositions. I hope you will, too!

Primary is on Tuesday, August 21st 2007. VOTE NO!

Pillbox's Breakfast Rants and Raves - Sun 8/5/07

2007-08-05T07:40:00.000-07:00

They're making more of the Ted Stephens deal than they did of the Democrat that was caught w/$100k in his freezer, and I've never seen anything in the paper about Harry Reid's problems.

I heard Rush Limbaugh say this week "It takes guts to be a conservative." Here, here. The Democrats have for years made fun of conservatives, and they don't like talk radio because now the shoe is on the other foot.
The new Democrat party has become a party of men-haters. That's why they hate Bush. He's a man. He's strong, and they hate that. He bends but he doesn't break. He's compromised a few times, and the Democrats have screwed him (No child left behind and the Prescription drug plan). So now he won't cross the line, and the Democrats would rather give in to Muslim extremists than to cooperate with the President and support our mission in Iraq.

Sean Penn is visiting Hugo Chavez. How ironic. Does he think that Chavez would see him if he wasn't a famous, wealthy American? He wouldn't have time to see one of his own people, or an ordinary American. I think that the Democrats admire the control that dictators have. They'd like that for themselves. They love Chavez, Fidel, and even Stalin. FDR had some of Stalin's people in his government. He called Stalin "Uncle Joe"! Scary.

No Surrender by Bruce Chapman on The Seattle Times Opinion page.
"Withdrawal from the middle east will lead to a bloodbath..."
This guy tells it like it is. I appreciate that. He doesn't pander to the nattering nabobs. His assessment is so obvious to the people who pay attention, rather than looking for things to be critical of.

INDY ADDS: The Barbary War was the first Middle Eastern Conlfict our nation became involved in when the Barbary pirates demanded ransom for captured US Sailors and merchantmen. President Thomas Jefferson refused to pay...

Oooh. Good. Breakfast is ready!
Enjoy your Sunday!

Pillbox's Breakfast Rants and Raves - Sat 8/4/07

2007-08-04T07:56:00.000-07:00

Item 1: Energy Legislation -
The Democrats can't resist another opportunity to screw up the economy. The result of this proposed legislation will be higher gas and oil prices. And, it will ultimately decrease the amount of money that will come into the fed govt. When the economy slows, the amount of revenue falls. Which maybe isn't a bad thing, for the federal govt to get less money. But they're pandering to the ignorant and the uninformed. The anticapitalist wing of the Democrat party which has become practically the whole Democrat party.

Item 2: MN and Iraq
Jamieson links the bridge collapse in Minnesota to the Iraq war! You've got to be kidding me! He's pathetic! It's just ignorance, and a lack of understanding of the importance of this war. It seems impossible for the Democrats to look at the long term. This war is the most important thing in the world right now. What happens there will set the stage for decades.

He claims that the money spent on the war could have been spent on local problems. That's just hogwash. We've already got so much money that goes into the government (local, state, and federal)! Local government officials in MN decided to build a new stadium, rather than building a new bridge. They've known about the bridge since 1990 (17 years for you who can't do the math!)
Fixing a bridge won't get you reelected and building a new stadium will.
Doing what's right won't get you reelected, dividing the country will.
Democrats decided in 04 that it was more important to get reelected than to do the right thing for this country.
Here's Jamieson continuing that divide, and once again pandering to the ignorant.

Pillbox

Get a life!

2007-08-02T22:17:00.000-07:00

PillBox and I have been thinking about writing a conservative blog together for quite some time. An article in Tuesday's (7/31/07) Seattle Post-Intelligencer ("the PI" for the locals) tipped me over the edge.

On page A2 was a large headline reading "Blogger fest a magnet for liberal politicos" by Joe Garofoli of the San Fransisco Chronicle. You can google it yourself. The article rambled on about how liberals were widely represented on the www, but that conservatives were not. Conservatives are still "plugged in" to talk radio.

I wonder why? Could it be that conservatives mostly GO TO WORK, and hold down a full time job, or two? We listen to talk radio on the way to work, and sometimes at work if possible. We don't sit around blogging all day long. We work hard. Get a life, and get offline!

IndySee