The Free Market God Squad of Anti-Capitalism

MoonHowler

cuffsJust when we thought it was safe to go back to the City of Manassas, we find out that the sin of sex is lurking about on Battle Street. Oh my goodness! Some Godless sinner wants to set up a shop selling ‘marital aids.’

I suppose the major question should be whether the proposed shop will fit in with the decor of Old Town Manassas or will it have a giant condom the size of Gumby outside, luring customers in. Will Mr. Buzzy be out sitting on the bench outside the shop, showing all the ladies his talents?

Perhaps the shop keeper will behave as anyone wanting to do business and keep the ‘adult’ business inside and the kiddies out. Or, if ‘marital aids’ aka sex toys are just a sideline, perhaps there will be an adult section of the store. Anyone wanting to fit in needs to meet zoning standards and town codes. The decor should match everyone else.

Manassas is no stranger to stores of this nature. There is a Fashion Fantasy clothing shop over on rt. 28 that sells considerably more than fishnet stockings. No one seemed to mind that shop and it has been there for years. All sorts of dirty little secrets can be bought at Fashion Fantasy on 28. If any of the town leaders are upset because the new shop will be in Old Town, then that is pretty hypocritical. I guess it is ok to have an erotic shop over near the trailer park but not too close to the more upscale part of town. Some things never change.

Little birds are telling me that some of the fine folks of Manassas have some fairly draconian plans to discourage customers. So much for the concept of free market. Probably those who are in the biggest tail spin over the new shop are the ones who do a lot of catalog orders. [wink wink]

UPDATE FROM NEWS & MESSENGER 9/3/10

Coming soon to a place on Battle Street
Coming soon to a place on Battle Street

Batten Down the Hatches

MoonHowler

earlBatten down the hatches, here comes Earl. And if Earl doesn’t get us there is Fiora out there and then some unnamed menace behind her. Yes, the hurricane season is upon us.

Right now, the most eminent danger is Earl who is classified as a category 4 hurricane at present. The Outer Banks and coastal North Carolina are right in his path. The weird thing about hurricanes is that they have a mind of their own. Earl could slam North Carolina or it could veer right abruptly and head on out to sea, to die a slow death as it reaches colder waters. No one totally understand hurricanes.

A century ago, before weather instruments were as exact, people didn’t have much warning about hurricanes. Huge killer storms  were right on top of people before they knew what hit them.  Hundreds, even thousands were killed.  I am sure people felt the air, the fallen barometeric pressure , and saw extra mushrooms coming up in unexpected places. But they didn’t always heed what little warning they did have.  Folks in Texas, along the Gulf Coast and Florida probably have been beaten up the most from these killer monster storms. They are not alone, however.

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The Participants: the interviews

MoonHowler

Several days ago someone on the blog said they were just waiting for the pictures of the people who looked like the biggest idiots or who had the worst signs.  In other words, the liberal media has been accused of cherry picking.  Perhaps. 

At any rate, whoever said that would happen was correct.  Here it is:

The misinformation is astounding. What do Americans do to combat this kind of misinformation?
This video is about political perceptions, not the rally. It must have seemed like a good place to dip-stick.

Not Even Close

MoonHowler

Some of the slogans and buttons seen around town this past weekend simply do not represent the truth.  How do we break these sort of misconceptions and report history accurately?

Seen at the Glenn Beck rally
Seen at the Glenn Beck rally

George Washington never said it or wrote it, accordingn to most  sources.

How about redefining what some of the founding fathers were?

From the Glenn Beck rally
From the Glenn Beck rally

Right Wing Radicals? There was nothing right wing about these guys.  If one defines radical as:  One who advocates fundamental or revolutionary changes in current practices, conditions, or institutions, then most definitely radical, just not right wing radical.  I used to think that expression was an oxymoron.  Not any more. 

Glenn Beck gave a post mortem on his Restoring Honor rally.  He was very concerned about the crowd size numbers being reported.  Every organization is always concerned with numbers.  It is going home with the most marbles on a grand scale.  He did bring in a huge crowd.  Good for him. It was peaceful and no one carried offensive signs. 

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I Guess They Showed Him

MoonHowler

I guess the BOCS showed Dr. Walts. Apparently many of them think he is getting too big for his britches.

From the Washington Post:

The Prince William Board of County Supervisors postponed accepting and budgeting federal stimulus funds for school jobs Tuesday, halting Superintendent Steven L. Walts’s effort to hire 180 more teachers by next month.

“We always respect and honor the decisions of our governing bodies,” Walts said in an e-mail. “While our preference is to have the new teachers in place for this year in order to positively affect our students’ learning as soon as possible, we will postpone our plans. . . . For the thousands of students who will not have the additional teachers this year, I am extremely disappointed.”

Class size will continue to be a problem as long as the budget is tight. The BOCS, however, hit a double. They got to show Walts who is boss, or in their case, who ultimately holds the purse strings. In addition, they all got to show that they wanted to ‘cut spending,’ even though counties run by smarter leaders will get the money.

Class sizes and the organization of special ed classes will continue to keep PWC Schools from being a world class school system. Walts was hired to create the best learning environment for the children of Prince William County. It seems that he walked on other people’s turf while attempting to do what he was hired to do.

The children of PWC will be in overcrowded classes while Walts gets taught a lesson and the BOCS can crow to their constituents that they voted down spending.  And whoever gets the money that would have gone to PWC Schools is laughing all the way to the bank while they use our stimulus money to pay salaries, benefits (including VRS) for additional teachers. 

Prince Billy Bob strikes again. 

Full Story from the Washington Post

The Real “I Have a Dream Speech” August 28, 1963

MoonHowler

I meant to post this yesterday. King managed to capture the moral imperative of the day. Perhaps this is a good time to compare and contrast.

Yesterday’s rally cannot be ignored. There was relevancy there that we have not yet realized. Probaby the participants have not yet realized it either. There are some winds of change that might not be in the best interests of anyone. Time will tell. Meanwhile, read Bill4Dogcatcher for some insight from a moderate conservative first hand witness.

Full Text of the I have a Dream Speech

Dana Milbank Calls Out Glenn Beck

MoonHowler

The Washington Postcolumist  Dana Milbank has a few words to say about Glenn Beck and his new-found affection of civil rights.

Civil rights’ new ‘owner’: Glenn Beck

By Dana Milbank
Sunday, August 29, 2010

There is a telling anecdote in Glenn Beck’s 2003 memoir about how the cable news host was influenced by the great fantasist Orson Welles. To travel between performances in Manhattan, Beck recounts, Welles hired an ambulance, sirens blaring, to ferry him around town — not because Welles was ill but because he wanted to avoid traffic.

Most of us would regard this as dishonest, a ploy by the self-confessed charlatan that Welles was. Beck saw it as a model to be emulated. “Welles,” he writes, “inspired me to believe that I can create anything that I can see or imagine.”

I was reminded of Beck’s affection for deception as he hyped his march on Washington — an event scheduled for the same date (Aug. 28) and on the same spot (the Lincoln Memorial) as Martin Luther King Jr.’s iconic march 47 years ago. Beck claimed it was pure coincidence, but then he made every effort to appropriate the mantle of the great civil rights leader.

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Restoring Honor?

MoonHowler

According to the Huffington Post:

Palin told the tens of thousands who stretched from the marble steps of the Lincoln Memorial to the grass of the Washington Monument that calls to transform the country weren’t enough. “We must restore America and restore her honor,” said the former Alaska governor, echoing the name of the rally, “Restoring Honor.”

Palin, the GOP vice presidential nominee in 2008 and a potential White House contender in 2012, and Beck repeatedly cited King and made references to the Founding Fathers. Beck put a heavy religious cast on nearly all his remarks, sounding at times like an evangelical preacher.

“Something beyond imagination is happening,” he said. “America today begins to turn back to God.”

I don’t ever recall America losing her honor. That is probably one of the most offensive remarks I believe I have ever heard. If America’s honor needs restoring, does that mean America is dishonorable? I sure hope that isn’t what Sarah Palin meant. She is on real shaky grounds with her remarks.

Annabel Takes on Glenn Beck

adultgirl

Guest Contributor: Annabel Park

Disclaimer: All guest posts are the opinion of the poster and do not necessarily represent the views of moonhowlings.net administration. M-H

Fri, 08/27/2010 – 11:14am — AnnabelPark
I have been asked many times in recent days, “What do you think about Glenn Beck?” I haven’t commented because I haven’t been focused on him enough to really know. But since his rally at the Lincoln Memorial this weekend is distracting so many Americans who could put their time to much better use, here is my take:

I wrote the following in Wednesday’s Facebook post, without mentioning Mr. Beck but with him partially in mind:

Before we call someone a racist, we should ask ourselves: are we moved to call someone a racist because we feel compassion for the victim or because we feel hatred toward the perpetrator? What if, instead of being divided against each other over race, we stood together against those who perpetuate economic injustice against us all? Imagine how the world would change.

Martin Luther King’s march was called the “March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.” While so many of us are immensely distracted by Mr. Beck and other wedge issues of the day, Rome burns. If we continue to follow Pied Pipers who want to see our country fight itself rather than come together to solve our problems, what problems can we expect to solve? We are headed for a deep economic depression if We the People fail to show our leaders that we want solutions not distractions. To do that we must lead by example.

In short: Glenn Beck’s rally is a corporate-sponsored ragtime show. An unfortunate distraction in tough times when we should be pulling together.

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I Have a Scheme….Jon Stewart on the Glenn Beck Civil Rights Rally

MoonHowler

Jon Stewart is going on vacation again for 10 days. grrrrrrr

Before he leaves, however, he did handle some important business. Jon’s humor is biting on this one. He rips Glenn Becks’ civil rights/restoring honor rally.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c
I Have a Scheme
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Tea Party

Leesburg Courthouse and the General….Attorney General that is

MoonHowler

 

Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli and his sidekick, Sideshow Bob (Marshall) have quite a dog and pony show going.  Marshall asks a question of a controversial nature and AG answers it, thus setting the Old Dominion on a collision course with civil liberties each and every time.  Does anyone notice a pattern? 

The Loudoun Times:

Loudoun County’s controversial debate over public displays on the courthouse lawn now has the ear of Virginia’s top attorney.

State Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli on Aug. 24 issued an opinion saying Loudoun County can erect holiday Christmas displays on public property as long as the displays represent other faiths and beliefs.

The opinion came at the request of state Del. Bob Marshall (R-south-central Loudoun).

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Glenn Beck Rally: Its Not About Politics

MoonHowler

Saturday, August 28, 2011 is the big Glenn Beck Restoring Honor Rally.  It will be held at the Lincoln Memorial. 

Yahoonews.com:

Beck, a popular figure among tea party activists and a polarizing Fox News Channel personality, is headlining the event, and Palin, the 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee and a potential 2012 president candidate, will be a prominent speaker. But Beck told his television audience again on Thursday that it’s not about politics.

The event’s website says the rally is to pay tribute to America’s military personnel and others “who embody our nation’s founding principles of integrity, truth and honor.” It also is to promote the Special Operations Warrior Foundation, which provides scholarships and services to family members of military members.

The website urges citizens to attend and “help us restore the values that founded this great nation.”

How can anything featuring Sarah Palin not be about politics?  She is the embodiment of politics. 

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The Real Impact of the AG Abortion Clinic Opinion

MoonHowler

Rachel Maddow does an excellent job of showing how rights can be taken away by making whatever it is that people are trying to do  inaccessible.  Inaccessibility  substitutes for making an act illegal.  Its a rather cowardly, un-democratic means of getting one’s own political way.  Maddow  also interviews the executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice America.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Maddow explains how hospital regulations would financially  burden abortion providers rather than making abortion safer (Double wide hallways, swinging doors, 15 mile proximity to emergency room, etc.) Cuccinelli’s explanation is vague and full of weasel words, so that the average Virginian really doesn’t know what is being said.

Cuccinelli  attempted draconian, technically illegal abortion legislation while he served in the Virginia Senate.  He was unable to ever pass his legislation.  Now he attempts to circumvent legislation by simply declaring his opinion to be law.  His attempts to codify his own opinion won’t fly for long. 

Cuccinelli will not last. Most people don’t like having other people in their bedrooms. It remains to be seen if McDonnell will execute Cuccinelli’s opinion into state policy. Meanwhile, Cuccinelli has driven Virginia so far to the cultural right that he endangers other Republicans who might not be extremists.

Finally, Maddow addresses something the rest of us have been aware of for a long time. There is a tendency to bully those who are pro-choice. Many pro-choice people feel too  intimidated to admit they are pro-choice, much less hold their legislators accountable for their votes. Every woman in Virginia must decide that the women of Virginia are capable of making their own morally appropriate choices. They need to decide today that they will not allow others to define them. Pro-choice is not being pro-abortion and do not let anyone tell you it is.