We sit back and discuss the latest topics. We usually pull some news stories up for discussion, but if you have a hot headline or a blazing issue you'd like to introduce, you are most welcome to do so!
Look for entertaining discussions with a touch of debate in a friendly yet spirited atmosphere with all (reasonable) opinions respected.
Oh dear. Poor, poor Barack. First his friend and mentor of 20 years Rev. Jeremiah Wright is sent packing. And, of course there's that sticky issue surrounding his relationship with William "Bomb Boy" Ayres who Obama claims was just another guy in the neighborhood, but then there's that Chicago Annenberg Challenge governing board thingie and the fact that Obama launched his political career in the living room of his barely known acquaintance, Bill Ayres. But no matter.
Now, another blow as Obama's good "friend and a colleague" Kwame Kilpatrick who, until very very recently, was the Mayor of Detroit. But lo' Hizzoner the Mayor has pleaded guilty to felony charges and will be forced to resign immediately. According to the news report from WXYZ-TV in Detroit: http://tinyurl.com/6nyry4
Kilpatrick pleaded guilty to two obstruction of justice felony charges. In addition to his resignation, the Mayor will serve 120 days in jail, serve 5 years probation, pay one million dollars restitution, surrender his pension, surrender his law license and may not seek office for 5 years.
The Mayor also pleaded no contest to assault charges as part of a settlement agreement under the conditions that he must resign. The second count in the case will be dismissed.
By the way, if you bother to use the link to read the whole story you can play the game of "Guess the Party Affiliation." Since it is, typically, NOT mentioned in the story, I'll give you a hint. Kilpatrick was an Obama delegate.
But I can only imagine how distressed Barack Obama must be. At an Economic Club gathering in Detroit Obama said:
"I want to first of all acknowledge your great Mayor, Kwame Kilpatrick, who has been on the front lines doing an outstanding job of gathering together the leadership at every level in Detroit to bring about the kind of renaissance that all of us anticipate for this great city.
And he is a leader not just here in Detroit, not just in Michigan, but all across the country people look to him. We know that he is going to be doing astounding things for many years to come.
I'm grateful to call him a friend and a colleague, and I'm looking forward to a lengthy collaboration in terms of making sure Detroit does well in the future."
Yet, another fine example of Barack Obama's keen judgment. Though to be fair, this surely was not the Kwame Kilpatrick that Obama knew.
Carol McCain was Sen. John McCain's (formerly an attractive model) wife when he was being held in a North Vietnamese prison for 5 years. She was also the mother of his three children. They were married in 1965. Then in 1969 her car skidded on an icy road and hit a utility pole. Her pelvis was shattered and she also suffered from serious internal injuries. To save her legs, doctors had to remove some bone which caused her to walk with a limp. Carol eventually under went 23 surgeries related to her injuries. Texas billionaire and POW supporter, H. Ross Perot paid for Carol McCain's medical treatments.
McCain met the current Mrs. McCain (Cindy, who was 25 at the time) at a party in Hawaii while he was still married to Carol in 1979. He and Cindy were married in 1980. In spite of all this, Carol reportedly still supports her ex-husband's bid for the white house.
My question is this: Does McCain's somewhat shabby treatment of his severely injured ex-wife reflect a certain lack of compassion on his part, especially since he left her for a younger and much wealthier woman? So far, I have not heard very much about this in the media, and even less from the evangelical community who are always bringing up family value and personal integrity issues, especially where Democrats are concerned. In my mind this kind of thing is a lot worse behavior than Bill Clinton's 15 minute dalliance with Monica Lewinsky
Was his decision based on the fact that his wife was no longer the attractive young woman she was when he shipped off to Vietnam, or was it because he simply opted for a once-in-a-lifetime career opportunity for a giant leap in the upward social mobility category? Inquiring minds want to know.
Would you vote for this candidate? (you pick the office)
Would you vote for a person who made minor mistakes, But had great ideas for the future of this country!
Please be honest. Heres the future candidates background.
Basic information: Candidate is a conservative Republican, 35 years of age. Running for elected office.
Work history: U.S. Army 6 Yrs. (2 tours in Iraq.) U.S. Navy 6 Yrs. (2 Sea Deployments.)
Education: G.E.D. Has some college.
Criminal background: 8 motor vehicles violations (traffic citations)
Juvenile charges: 1 minor trespassing charges (charged as juvenile) 2 minor theft charges (never returned game rental & hanging out with friends who were stealing from a store. (charged as juvenile)
All these charges happened as an adult at the age of 25 yrs. These charges are one incedent. (same day) 1 simple tresspassing (charged as adult) 1 disturbing the peace charge (charged as adult) 1 public intox charge (charged as adult)
This candidate has learned alot through his mistakes through trial and error.He is responsible and a current leader in the military. He looks forward to possibly serving you in public office.
This candidate's political stance and beliefs are as follows:
Preserving the Constitution & Bill of Rights. .
Pro-Life.
Believes in your right to bear arms.
Small goverment and no or low taxes.
A well balanced budget with a surplus for tax cuts.
A well trained and well maintained military.
Believes in research and developement of alternative energy.
Quality, affordable healthcare for everyone.
Believes our schools and students need higher funding.
Believes our veterans need better care and treatment.
Is a christian, with a family. (believes strongly in family values)
Believes in the war against terrorism, not ithe war in Iraq.
Believes Americans should maintain their sovereignty.
Is willing and able to reach across the aisle to get things done.
Please inform me of your opinion, Thank you for your time.
Should the US have become 'Policemen to the World?' Following WWII and as a result of our apparent military dominance, we have become so. But doesn't that go against the policy of non-interference? Is Russia now using that against us with its interference in Georgia?
From what I've read, Russia has said, 'If the US can interfere in Iraq's politics, we can interfere in the politics of any country which is a former SSR. And we have the right to do so since the former SSRs were our buffer zone against the West and, as SSRs, were a part of Russia.'
What gives the US the 'right' to interfere in other countries? What gives Russia the 'right' to interfere in other countries--or even provinces within Russia itself?
Is it all a test of military strength? If it is, are we going back to the Cold War where military might is answered by military might?
Does Governor Palin honestly not know the plan to end the war in Eye-Rack ..errr Iraq? This is how seriously McCain takes foreign policy and war?? Here is the full interview from Time magazine on Aug. 14th.
Here is the quote in more context... The GOP agenda to ramp up domestic supplies of energy is the only way that we are going to become energy independent, the only way that we are going to become a more secure nation. And I say this, of course, knowing the situation we are in right now at war, not knowing what the plan is to ever end the war we are engaged in, understanding that Americans are seeking solutions and are seeking resolution in this war effort. So energy supplies and being able to produce and supply domestically is going to be a big part of that.
If someone wants to be "kind" to her statement, one would actually conclude that her assertion about if we had a better energy policy the war could have been avoided...she is smacking down both McCain AND Cheney-Bush.....
Teddy Kennedy has an apparently inoperable malignant brain tumor. French neurosurgeons have claimed to have developed a surgery that kills inoperable cancerous brain tumors.
It consists of inserting a water-cooled laser into the brain through a 3mm hole in the skull. The laser, while guided by MRI imagery, cuts through the brain to the tumor and then burns it away. As usual, the patient must be awake in order to confirm to the surgeons that no cognitive functions have been impaired and that the brain hasn't been injured in a way that would result in epilepsy. It usually takes two such surgeries to destroy the entire tumor.
The doctors have been successful with 7 out of 8 volunteers who had been given up to 3 months to live. By successful, they mean that there has been complete remission of the cancerous tumor. I don't know what happened with the 8th patient.
I don't think we have to take up a collection to send Teddy to France, but I do hope his doctors learn everything about this technique, if not for his sake, then for the sake of anyone striken with this disease.
The state of Alaska, supported by their Governor Sarah Palin, allows private citizens to aerial hunt. Besides wolves, Ms. Palin also supports the hunting of bears with similar methods. Wolves were killed to extinction in YellowStone National Park.(for the benefit of the sheep farmer) Later they were reintroduced. A remarkable thing happened, the ecosystem balanced itself out. Naturally. Now, it can be argued wolves (like deer and rabbit in the lower 48) are a pest and have overrun Alaska, but I doubt this argument has weight...and bear in mind, Alaskans are NOT eating these downed animals...
Why would the government of Alaska allow killing of animals using these cruel methods?
"I should like to point out there is a vast difference between a tongue-in-cheek request to pray for rain, and your own extrapolation of a prayer for malignant diseases." by Ray
Pray for rain? How about he prayed for not a little stormy weather... but instead stormy weather of "biblical porportions". Careful what ya pray for Dobson disciples!
Before the Democratic National Convention began, Stuart Shepard went on the air and told Christians to pray for rain on Thursday night. On That night Obama would be speaking in front of 85,000 spectators in and open-air Arena. Stuart said what he wanted was something of "Biblical Proportions". Outrage surfaced and Dobsons people quickly explained that it was a joke. I saw His" performance and while there was the feel of tongue-in-cheek, i saw a little imp appear on his shoulder and whisper, "Do it anyway." That's a metaphor. Well, the rain never came, but the night did and 85,000 people shared an experience, and the rest of wished we have could have been there.
Now the Republican Conventions begins soon. James Dobson is on Hannity and blesses the Republican ticket, something he said he would never do (vote for McCain) a few months ago. No one asks Dobson about Stuart Shepard's remarks? They will get another chance sometime late today or tomorrow morning.
Two Hurricanes, that might be capable of becoming class five monsters are likely to hit the United States later today or tomorrow. As John Mccain is accepting the nomination, the worst Natural Disaster in the history of the United States could be slamming into the South a few days after the Third Anniversary of Katrina. Bush's biggest domestic failure, Palin's belief that these never before seen super storms having nothing to do with global warming, which according the VP choice, isn't man made! What If Jerry were here, what would he say, "God missed several gays on his first path. He will get the rest this time?" What will Stuart say his words come back to haunt him. Irony is a bitch.
I PRAY FOR THE SAFETY OF ALL WHOM FACE THE STORM, GOD BE MERCIFUL.
John McCain has selected Sarah Palin, the Governor of Alaska, as his vice presidential running mate.
With 24 months in office, Palin has more executive experience than either Biden or Obama, who are legislators, not execs.
Palin has an 80% positive rating in Alaska, however, she is being invesitgated by the feds for allegedly using her office to have her former brother-in-law fired from his job as a State Trooper.
The Republicans have to get their talking points in better shape. When I heard news of the appointment, I immediately turned to Fox. The heads were right there, and the first thing I heard was that Palin will be good because she is not a "Washington Insider" since Alaska is so far from DC. Apparently they've never heard of Ted Stevens.
Will the selection of a Conservative woman for vice president hurt or help John McCain's chances?
