During the Middle East Wars, our national parks fell into decline.  They are our national resource.  We need to prioritize these parks and also help out with private donations, either to all parks or pick a park. The park to the left is Yellowstone, my personal favorite.  A good time to go to the national parks is after the rush of summer and before the snows hit.

Is everyone ready for the Republican Convention?  I think I would rather watch the hurricane other than the main speakers.  Who will be going to the Republican Convention from Prince William County?  Are political conventions becoming a thing of the past?  I am betting not.  Too many people like to go party.  If Hurrican Issac comes, will Rep. Cantor apply for Federal Relief Aid?

100 Thoughts to “Open Thread……………………………………….Wednesday, August 22”

  1. It looks like Corey Stewart will have some more competition. Ms. Stimpson from Stafford is running for Lt. Governor also.

  2. marinm

    RYAN/CUCCINELLI 2020!!

    Does sound like a good ticket but I’m not sure if its conservative enough….

  3. SlowpokeRodriguez

    I couldn’t believe Stewart could win Lt. Governor. Just can’t see it……..but I don’t know who is running against him.

  4. SlowpokeRodriguez

    More absolute brilliance by the One. Stumping education of all things in Oiho!!

    http://twitter.com/CHRISMAL0NEY/statuses/238283278925328384

  5. Hurricanes love hot air. That hurricane is going to hang around for BOTH of the conventions.

  6. SlowpokeRodriguez

    So if I’m reading correctly, we have a liberal who doesn’t want to watch the Republican convention speakers. Who would’ve guessed? Meanwhile, the DNC is making last minute adjustments to go with their fairy-tale “war on women” theme. I can live with that. I’m happy to see the “war on women” being the campaign theme. Lookin’ good!

  7. @Slowpoke,you will like it even better when that war on women tips the scales and sends your fools packing. Have you checked the polls lately?

    Guess maybe some people never see it coming. Wack@@@

    Generally liberals watch the Republican convention…just to see what’s coming down.

  8. SlowpokeRodriguez

    I’m watching the polls……no problems here!

  9. Women’s vote:
    54 % D
    39% R

    It is predicted to get worse.

    You don’t see a problem here? You had bet the Democrats are going to be framing the questions once the Republicans stop shooting themselves iin the foot and stop shooting each other.

    This isn’t about people approving of abortion. Many people hate abortion but still want that option as a safety net. The Democrats are going to be all over the language with the help of their good friends, the reproductive rights groups like Planned Parenthood and NARAL and they will be framing the question.

  10. Happy earthquake anniversary!! 1 year ago today.

    Poll workers were stuck outside. I talked to one who said it was like standing on Jello.

  11. Speaking of disasters, I just saw the Bishop’s Warehouse on TV.The Mormon Church has a huge warehouse with basic items that anyone might need after a disaster or if they fall on hard times. It is amazing.

    When disasters occur, the Mormon Church is often first on the scene with necessary basic supplies. All those supplies aren’t just for Mormons but for any people who fall on bad times. Their goal with this is to teach self reliablity.

    Tonight at 10 pm there will be a program on the Mormon Chuch. Channel 4.

  12. @Moon-howler
    That’s one of the few things that I really like about the Mormon church and wish it would spread to the other social leaders and to the population at large.

    1. The Red Cross is sort of like that, just not nearly as efficient. @Cargo

  13. Steve Randolph

    “Celebrity in our midst. Evangelist Billy Graham stopped for lunch
    at the Stonewall Jackson Hotel Monday. He was en route to his
    home in North Carolina. He was accompanied by Mrs. Graham and
    five children.”

    “High’s Dairy will open its 106th store at 523 Centreville Road next Thursday
    it was annouced today.”

    “W.R. Arrington, Route 1, Woodbrige, picked a cucumber this week that
    measured 13 inches long and weighed three pounds.”

    (“This n That” – Manassas Journal Messenger 8-28-1958)

  14. blue

    @Moon-howler

    FEMA more than the Red Cross and FEMA has gone in and studied the Mormon Church Welfare and distribution system more than once. They cannot make it work. Its fundementally different – from the concept of an entitlement to the farms to the pre-positioning of food and material to the way costs are tracked and distributions authorized, it ain’t the same. Going into Katrina, we did preposition trucks to go in after the storm passed. That was a lesson learned, but when the dikes broke it all fell apart- not in the mormon communities but just about everywhere else. Did you know that FEMA rented two Cruise ships to house fire/rescue and police families in order to get them back to work? Destroyed both of them- cost millions.

  15. SlowpokeRodriguez

    I encourage all Democrats to take Michelle Obama’s advice and “get to the polls this November 2nd”. Do it for your country!!

  16. SlowpokeRodriguez

    Moon-howler :
    Women’s vote:
    54 % D
    39% R
    It is predicted to get worse.
    You don’t see a problem here?

    I quote from the Godfather, Part 1:, Don Corleone:
    “Women and Children can be careless, but not men”

  17. @blue

    The Red Cross was simply an example. Nothing is the same as the Mormon program. I doubt if it can be duplicated. There are also disaster workers, mostly younger people, ready to leave at a moments notice. They are a shining example of how religious groups excell at charity and ask nothing in return.

    I am not sure who we is or what prepostion trucks are.

  18. Starryflights

    Seal Team Six Admiral – Obama Is ‘Fantastic’ President (VIDEO)
    August 16, 2012
    By Wendy Gittleson

    The killing of Osama bin Laden is often considered one of the highlights of President Obama’s first term as President and more specifically, as Commander-in-Chief. In his first interview, Admiral William McRaven, the Admiral in charge of the invasion that successfully captured and killed the master mind behind the 9/11 attacks. He had some stellar words about the man whom he credits with making the greatest decisions on that now infamous night, President Obama. From CNN’s The Situation Room With Wolf Blitzer (emphasis added):

    BLITZER: We always think of, in recent years, of course, at least in the past year, with admiral McRaven, as the orchestrator, the architect of the raid that killed Osama bin Laden. And you know, we’ve all read a lot about it. I know Peter Bergen is here, he’s written a whole book about it, an excellent book about it. But this is the guy who’s sitting right here, who had the guts to tell the commander in chief, we should do it, let’s do it, and when you ordered that raid, and when you said, you think — you didn’t even know for sure that bin Laden was in a Abbottabad in that compound, about a mile or so away from the west point of Pakistan, did you?

    ADMIRAL WILLIAM MCRAVEN, COMMANDER, U.S. SPECIAL OPERATIONS: Well, let me make one thing clear, I didn’t order the raid.

    (LAUGHTER)

    BLITZER: But he told the president of the United States that he thought he could do it. 

    MCRAVEN: And this is not a small point. The fact of the matter is, it was the president of the United States that ordered the raid. 

    http://www.addictinginfo.org/2012/08/16/seal-team-six-admiral-obama-is-fantastic-president-video/

    What do you think of that, righties? Hey Cargo, you’re ex-Navy, how about the Admiral’s choice words for Obama?

  19. Emma

    I love the Kool-Aid websites Starry frequents.

    1. Actually it was a pretty neat post. It showed Admiral McRaven discussing the mission that killed Bin Laden and praising the President for ordering the mission.

      McRaven is a fairly funny guy. Wolf Blitzer did the interview.

  20. punchak

    @Moon-howler
    Whatever happened to the Salvation Army? They used be out there
    alongside the Red Cross.

    1. I think they are still out there. I don’t know much about them. I know more about Mormons because I lived next door to a family of Mormons for 15 years. I got to know several of the kids real well and discussed their faith with them over the years. They also practiced on me.

  21. punchak

    SlowpokeRodriguez :I’m betting Obama will write the book jacket blurb:
    http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/22/net-us-cuba-castro-health-idUSBRE87L0YU20120822

    How much? $10,000 is the usual starting point for Reps, I’ve heard.

  22. Starryflights

    The Rich and Therefore Blessed Young Man

    1. As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up to him and knelt before him, and asked, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 2. And Jesus said to him, “What have you done so far?” 3. And he said to Him, “Well I was born into a wealthy family, got into a good school in Galilee because my parents donated a few thousand talents, and have a high-paying job in the Roman treasury managing risk.” 4. Looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him, for the rich young man was blessed, and said to him, “One thing you lack: A bigger house in a gated community in Tiberias. Buy that and you’ll be all set. And make sure you get a stone countertop for the kitchen. Those are really nice.” The disciples were amazed. 5. Peter asked him, “Lord, shouldn’t he sell all his possessions and give it to the poor?” Jesus grew angry. “Get behind me, Satan! He has earned it!” Peter protested, “Lord,” he said, “Did this man not have an unjust advantage? What about those who are not born into wealthy families, or who do not have the benefit of a good education, or live in the poorer areas of Galilee, like Nazareth, your own home town?” 6. “Well,” said Jesus, “first of all, that’s why I left Nazareth. There were too many poor people always asking for charity. They were as numerous as the stars in the sky, and they annoyed me. Second, once people start spending again, like this rich young man, the Galilean economy will inevitably grow, and eventually it will all trickle down to the poor. Blessed are those who are patient! But giving the money away, especially if he can’t write it off, is a big fat waste.” The disciples’ amazement knew no bounds. “But Lord, what about the Scriptures that tell us to care for the widow, for orphans, for the poor, for the sick, for the refugee? What about all the many passages about justice?” 7. “Those are metaphors,” said Jesus. “Don’t take everything so literally.”

    Originally published in America Magazine.

    Luke 6:20-21

    That is the republican Jesus.

  23. Emma

    Today I did a little website comparison between barackobama.com and mittromney.com.

    So here I was, reading Romney’s plans, seeing that some of them might not be in my best interest, so I go to Obama’s webpage, and I see that Obama’s website is entirely focused on the past. He crows about “eliminating” OBL, about the ACA, about his creation of “hundreds of thousands” of “clean energy jobs”. OK, that’s good, nothing new there but the usual gross exaggerations and football spiking, but what are his ideas moving forward, aside from platitudes about “clean energy,” “affordable healthcare” and “equal rights”? What about jobs? There is absolutely nothing on that site that outlines any kind of concrete ideas or a plan for the future at all.

    No wonder why the left is doing everything possible to make us believe that Romney’s wealth, the amount of tax he pays, the horse his wife rides, the apparent shortage of contraception, and the dog who rode on the roof of his car are all so earth-stoppingly important to America.

  24. So what is Romney going to do for you?

    I am better off since Obama took office. Are you better or worse off?

  25. Lyssa

    I’m just anti Koch Brothers. Who they like, I don’t like.

  26. @Starryflights
    A) No admiral is going to contradict the Commander in Chief.
    B) No admiral is going to make the CinC look bad.
    C) It’s a shame that Obama can’t even get the admiral’s rank right.

    Perhaps most seriously, however, was Obama’s slip in an interview with KSDK in St Louis, Missouri when he was asked about the new 22-minute film ‘Dishonorable Disclosures’ by a group of former Special Forces troops and intelligence operatives.

    “I’d advise that you talk to General McRaven, who’s in charge of our Special Ops. I think he has a point of view in terms of how deeply

    I care about what these folks do each and every day to protect our freedom.’

    The difficulty with this is that William McRaven is an admiral not a general. As a SEAL, he is member of the US Navy, not US Army or US Marines.”

    I mean…really?

  27. @Starryflights
    Hmm….

    And so, the Democratic Jesus would ask the Pharisees to ask Romans to take the money from the rich as defined by the Pharisees and and give it to the Pharisees to hand out as they see fit.

  28. @Cargosquid
    If that’s the worst mis-speak a president ever did we would be lucky.

    Why do you think you are worse off?

  29. @Lyssa

    Agreed. I see Koch Bros and my mind does a 180.

  30. SlowpokeRodriguez

    So Samsung has to pay Apple 1.05 billion in damages. Wonder what Apple stock will do Monday? Just what Apple needed….another 1.05 billion 🙂

  31. SlowpokeRodriguez

    Here, another gift for my liberal friends. Hopefully you get a laugh outta these….I did.
    http://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2012/08/gallery-the-10-funniest-paul-ryan-memes#1

  32. @Moon-howler
    I’m STILL unemployed and there are fewer jobs available, especially for 50 year old title searchers, inflation is growing, and spending has increased, creating a drag on the economy and has to be repaid.

    1. Spending has increased because the economy is doing better. Inflation really isn’t a killer, thank goodness. Gas prices are higher for sure.

      Have you branched out and looked at other types of work? @Cargo If you give me some parameters, I will look for you. You have a security clearnace? Those are very valuable. Military skills? We have defense contracts out the ying yang out here.

    1. I suppose the question we all must ask ourselves is, would we have this same unemployment under McCain. That is the only alternative we can even discuss.

      I say probably but there is no real way of knowing.

      One reason I say that is that crash was deep. It took 12 years to pull out of the Great Drepression. Why should we expect the great recession to right itself much faster? There is no blueprint to correct a depression or recession. Each is unique.

      I think the recovery will be tepid for a long while. If Romeny were elected tomorrow, many of the same problems would continue. Had McCain been elected rather than Obama, I dont think he had a magic wand either.

      No salt in my wounds, just a dose of reality. Not to add an unpleasant reminder…whose watch did things unravel on? Who had been in charge for 8 years? As for congress, the house of centipedes, tax cuts, 2 wars, 2 major bills passing congress that cost a fortune…what were they thinking? this was all borrowed time.

      I do believe in banking regulations (sorry free market folks). Much of what led to the crash should not have been allowed to happen. Hell, even those of us in Manassas and PWC knew enough to know that our houses were overly inflated, loans were too easy to get and people working minimum wage jobs shouldn’t be buying houses in our neighborhood. Too bad we were distracted by immigration issues instead of bad banking practices. That was the real problem.

  33. Emma

    I honestly don’t care which candidate wins this election anymore. My best hope is that neither party takes over both the House and Senate, and we get four years of absolute gridlock.

    1. I want them to work together and take care of the things that need taking care of. In particular, I am concerned over the tax hikes that will go to auto pilot at the beginning of the year. That needs our attention!!! There are experts out there who predict another recession if things stand as they are.

  34. marinm

    So, I have a question.

    The NY shooting. As graphic as the video is leaves me with a question.

    Distance between the bad guy and NYPD was 8 feet. 16 shots fired scoring 10 hits on the bad guy. That”s 63% accuracy. Which is slightly below the qualification metric of 70% to qualify with your weapon.

    Now, if I were the union rep would I argue that the 9 shot citizens (civilians if you listen to Hizzoner) should ‘count’ as ‘hits’ so they don’t lose pay? Or, just let it go?

    1. Not sure what you are asking, marin.

      That video left a few questions. All 9 people were hit by the police, not the shooter, right?

  35. @marinm
    Too soon man…too soon.

    Funny though…..and OH SO TRUE to life for the union. 🙂

  36. Morris Davis

    I don’t like the Koch Bros, but I give due respect for their effectiveness.  They put up some seed money, start a group with a title no one could challenge … Real American Patriots for the  Dignity of  Elderly Widows and Cute Little Kittens … and convince many in the third quartile of the 99% to put on a Paul Revere outfit, wave a misspelled sign, and act a fool in public to rally support for issues that benefit the Kochs and their 1% comrades.  I’ve never seen David Koch dressed like Ben Franklin standing out in the hot sun advocating his cause.  You’ve got to admire their ability to get a person fired up to go out and attack his or her own best interest.  They are leveraging the saying there’s a sucker born every minute, but they stoke the rubes by labeling them patriots instead if suckers.  Their scheme is a thing of beauty and it worFks.

    1. Absolutely, Moe. That many people willingly contributing to their own oppression is rather amazing.

  37. Morris Davis

    I don’t like the Koch Bros, but I give due respect for their effectiveness.  They put up some seed money, start a group with a title no one could challenge … Real American Patriots for the  Dignity of  Elderly Widows and Cute Little Kittens … and convince many in the third quartile of the 99% to put on a Paul Revere outfit, wave a misspelled sign, and act a fool in public to rally support for issues that benefit the Kochs and their 1% comrades.  I’ve never seen David Koch dressed like Ben Franklin standing out in the hot sun advocating his cause.  You’ve got to admire their ability to get a person fired up to go out and attack his or her own best interest.  They are leveraging the saying there’s a sucker born every minute, but they stoke the rubes by labeling them patriots instead if suckers.  Their scheme is a thing of beauty and it works.

  38. marinm

    @Morris Davis

    Yee Haw!! I say as I point and fire a 6-shooter in the air. The SOCIALISTS are coming!! The SOCIALISTS are coming!!

  39. clueless

    Cantor would need a lot of help to apply for aid. Maybe Mitt can write the application.

  40. SlowpokeRodriguez

    Moon-howler :
    Absolutely, Moe. That many people willingly contributing to their own oppression is rather amazing.

    You just described the entire relationship between minorities/unions and the Democratic party.

    1. What scares me is I think you really believe your own bullsh!t.

      Homework: review the definition of oppression

      Compare and contrast what each party would represent minorities. For now, stick to black and Latino. Next week we can take a look at Middle Eastern, Muslim and Asians.

  41. Lyssa

    So minorities/unions and the Tea Party are analogous. The Koch Brothers have their own vision, are building up their own “army” and have a timeline. None of their planned outcome includes the very people they recruit. They bought the grassroots effort known as the Tea Party – and made it a subsidiary. They were working with Tepco to build in Texas until the tsunami hit and exposed some flaws. I think they’re bad for America and good for Koch.

    If I could find some selflessness in any of their actions I might admire them and what they do. I see no pure intent.

    1. I can see why rich people would want to own the world and have all sorts of little surfs to do their worker bee stuff.

      It would be sort of a modern day feudal system. The Koch Bros are probably licking their chops in anticipation of this upcoming week.

  42. Moon-howler :
    Absolutely, Moe. That many people willingly contributing to their own oppression is rather amazing.

    Funny, we can say the same thing about the left.

  43. @Cargo, perhaps both democrats and republicans do. How do you feel democrats contribute to their own oppression? Feel free to divide up yor demographics.

    I thnk its a very legitimate discussion.

    I don’t understand the log cabin republicans, for example.

  44. I’m surprised at your concern yet you guys say nothing about Soros, etc…

  45. It looks like Mark Sanford gets to live out his fairy tale romance and true love might win in the end. I always felt sorry for him. He reallly was very much in love. Maybe he is actually a good model for being finally throwing away politics and career and just doing to suit themselves and what makes them happy. From Huffington:

    According to the Argentinian outlet, the pair made their plans to wed official on Wednesday. South Carolina-based station WLTX reports on the news from Clarin:

    The story goes on to say that Sanford put the ring in a bag and gave it to one of the waiters and then went to wait in the bathroom, asking the waiters to invent a good story for his girlfriend.
    When Chapur arrived at the restaurant one of the waiters gave her the bag with the ring in it and said that she had won the prize for being the 100th customer of the day. She opened the bag and found then ring and then Sanford appeared and asked her to marry him.

  46. @SlowpokeRodriguez

    Paul Ryan isn’t a joke. I think his proposed policies should be taken very seriously. He is not a bumper sticker. Perhaps that is what makes him more dangerous.

    Paul Ryan’s policies don’t represent the America I want to live in. I think he deserves serious discussion. This isn’t Palin we are talking about. Palin was a salvo of sound bites and bumper stickers. I can’t imagine anyone taking that seriously.

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