Under-Aware

Do you remember?

Captain Underaware — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 19:37:02 GMT

On this anniversary, I remember, do you? Do our elected representatives, our public SERVANTS?

Today, the President traveled to the Pentagon while the Vice President went to New York.

New York City… Manhattan… site of the former World Trade Center Towers… where construction has yet to begin on that “shovel ready” project… the site of the original attack… the site of the greatest loss of life… the site known as Ground Zero, the Vice President speaks.

Now, read the words both of the President’s Pentagon speech, and also his proclamation from 9/10/09:

On Friday's anniversary, the White House marked a moment of silence at 8:46, the time when the first tower was hit.

"We remember with reverence the lives we lost," Obama said in a speech at the Pentagon memorial to honor those who died there in the 2001 attacks, and meet with loved ones of the dead.

"We read their name, we press their photos to our hearts," he continued. "On this day that marks their death, we recall the beauty and meaning of their lives."

He issued a proclamation Thursday urging Americans to mark the anniversary with acts of community service. He also pledged to "apprehend all those who perpetrated these heinous crimes, seek justice for those who were killed, and defend against all threats to our national security."

The president's challenge, says former Bush foreign policy adviser Juan Zarate, is to "find a balance where he's clearly marking 9-11 as a key historic moment from which his current policies flow, but also not allowing it to define him," as the attacks defined Bush's presidency.

(From Fox News)

Heinous Crimes? No, act of war. This is not something that will be solved in a court of law, if he doesn’t understand that fundamental fact, then as in the words of the past, we will relive the experiences of the past:

Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

George Santayana:

Community Service?

What a disgusting thought to present on this date. Even if it was meant to be what in the past we thought of Community Service.

This is a day to remember that there are those that were killed in attacks on our Country. It is a day to remember their families and all that they have had to deal with. It is a day to remember children that will never know their parent. It is a day to remember that there are those that will not stop at anything in an attempt to try to kill us, no matter the change of terminology, the apologies, the pandering.

It is even more disgusting with his “version” of community service, bullying, supporting the government, doing the government’s bidding ACORN (gotta love the news on ACORN over the past two days). Excuse me Mr. President, It is YOU that is the public servant, I suggest you might ramp up your community service, you might want to follow the Constitution rather than reshaping or destroying it, you might want do something that will create real jobs rather than turning the nation into a bunch of crack-whores dependent on the teat of the federal government. (Like that is going to happen.)

So now,

Instead of terrorism we have man-made disasters
Instead of the war on terrorism, we have overseas contingency actions
Instead of standing with strength you apologize to everyone Mr. President?
Instead of asking hard questions, we follow a field manual
Instead of illegal enemy combatants we have criminals how get the rights of US Citizens conferred upon them

Mr. President I remember quite well:

I remember:

We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

Mr. President, My Country is certainly not perfect, but as charged in the Preamble to the Constitution ours is a More Perfect Union when compared to elsewhere, it does not need to be fundamentally transformed, which in your vision would seem to follow steps that have in this and the past century been proven to be false hope, and destructive. This path you wish us to go down has always led to tyranny, to loss of life, liberty and freedom.

I remember:

Todd M. Beamer
32 years old
Cranbury, New Jersey

Todd Beamer, who resided in Cranbury, New Jersey, was an account manager for the Oracle Corporation. He died at age 32 in the September 11, 2001 attacks on board United Airlines Flight 93. He is survived by his wife, Lisa Beamer, two sons, David and Drew, and a daughter, Morgan Kay, who was born on January 9, 2002 . nearly four months after her father's death.

Todd and other passengers had been in communication with people via in-plane and cell phones and learned that the World Trade Center had been attacked using hijacked airplanes. Beamer tried to place a credit card call through a phone located on the back of a plane seat but was routed to a customer-service representative instead, who passed him on to supervisor Lisa Jefferson. Beamer reported that one passenger was killed and, later, that a flight attendant had told him the pilot and co-pilot had been forced from the cockpit and may have been wounded. He was also on the phone when the plane made its turn in a southeasterly direction, a move that had him briefly panicking. Later, he told the operator that some of the plane's passengers were planning "jump on" the hijackers. According to Jefferson, Beamer's last audible words were "Are you guys ready? Let's roll." This term would later become the war cry for those fighting Al Qaeda in Afghanistan.

Though it was a widely-held belief that the passengers crashed the airliner in an attempt to save the lives of others on the ground, the 9/11 Commission's findings (based on the "black box" cockpit recording) were that the passengers on Flight 93 did not cause the plane to crash intentionally. They burst into the cockpit and fought with the terrorists over the controls for the plane.

A post office in Cranbury, New Jersey, was named after him. There is also a high school (Todd Beamer High School) in Federal Way, WA, named after Beamer. Wheaton College also has a building named after him (the Todd M. Beamer Student Center). Beamer attended Los Gatos High School, Wheaton Academy, DePaul University, California State University, Fresno and Wheaton College.

For the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's biography of Todd Beamer, click here.

(From UnitedHeros.com)

Yes I remember 9/11/01, I will remember 9/11/09, both very sad days for very different reasons.

Tomorrow is 9/12/09. America, my fellow American’s, Let’s Roll.

Recommendations from the self appointed beer czar

Captain Underaware — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 20:28:00 GMT

Well the beer summit is over, but I’ve been dwelling on the choices of beverages around the table and I think I’ve come up with some better pairings.

For the President, instead of Bud Light perhaps this product from Stone Brewing Company would be a better fit?

For the Professor, Sam Adams is a good go to company but a better fit for his senses would probably be found at Weyerbacher Brewing Company.

For the Officer, something rare from across the pond, from Princetown Breweries Ltd.

I don’t know if there is a rule that if the President is partaking in alcohol that VP can’t, or “Sheriff Joe” just doesn’t do beer? Don’t know, don’t care. I was thinking maybe a Shirley Temple, or virgin cosmo would have been good for him though.

For one person, I think a case of beer is due. All in large (22oz or 750ml) bottles:

All of these for the lady that did the right thing. She saw two or more people forcing their way into a home, in a neighborhood that has had robberies recently. Called 911, did NOT say anything about the race of the men. Waited for the police, spoke to the officer. She did what you dear reader had best hope that your neighbors would do for your home while you are away. For this she has been vilified, misrepresented, and most of all ignored at the “Beer Summit”

Oh and just like the beer summit, no apologies here either.

877sobusob - Google Search

Captain Underaware — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 19:28:03 GMT

In case you feel the urge to call your members of Congress, an easy way to remember the number. 877-sob-Usob

877sobusob - Google Search

The smell of the great outdoors

Captain Underaware — Mon, 04 May 2009 15:13:59 GMT

So there we were, spent a great weekend camping at French Creek State Park. We packed up and hooked up in a light drizzle and pulled the Prairie Schooner down to the dump station for my chance to practice for the RV sequel. At the dumping station just in front of us was a couple with their lovely JayFeather Trailer, dumping their tanks without the use of a hose (all together now………eeeew!). Just pull the valve, dumping it all on the concrete pad, and trying to wash it down the hole with a hose.

Here’s a visual for you:

I don’t know if they forgot the hose and fittings, if they were new to camping and didn’t know any better, I just don’t know.

Anyway, if you love the movie Christmas Vacation take the Christmas Vacation quiz HERE

Thought for the day – Integrity

Captain Underaware — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 02:20:18 GMT

“One of the truest tests of integrity is its blunt refusal to be compromised.”
-Chinua Achebe

Barney Frank – fail

Chris Dodd – fail

John Kerry – fail

Ted “wanna lift?” Kennedy – fail

Arlen Specter – fail

Joe Biden – fail

Patrick “leaky” Leahy – fail

Dick Durbin – fail

John “big fat liar” Murtha – fail

John McCain – fail

Henry Waxman – fail

Anything Clinton – fail

Eric “we are a nation of cowards” Holder – fail

Blogo – fail

Tim “the taxman” Geithner – fail

Ed “casinos will set you free/speed demon” Rendell – fail

Jon “speed demon 2/ gimpy” Corzine – fail

Jim McGreevey – fail

Olympia Snowe – fail

Susan Collins – fail

Janet Neapolitan Ice Cream – 10th amendment and Canuck fail

Barack “$13 tax cut/$4000 tax hike and Special Olympic slighting” Obama – fail would be a step up for you.

Pick Any Two

Captain Underaware — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 01:20:29 GMT

There’s an old saying, You can get it fast, you can get high quality, you can get it cheap, pick any two.

Well it would seem that adage also pertains to the burgeoning micro car market:

Micro cars can give motorists top-notch fuel efficiency at a competitive price, but the insurance industry says they do not fare well in collisions with larger vehicles.

In crash tests released Tuesday, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found that drivers of 2009 versions of the Smart "fortwo," Honda Fit and Toyota Yaris could face significant leg and head injuries in severe front-end crashes with larger, mid-size vehicles.

Click here for PHOTOS of the CARnage

"There are good reasons people buy mini cars. They're more affordable, and they use less gas. But the safety trade-offs are clear from our new tests," said Adrian Lund, the institute's president.

FOXNews.com - Small Cars Get Poor Marks in Collision Tests – Auto

So I guess the question is, how much is your safety, (and the safety of your loved ones) worth? How much is your comfort worth?

Yes I drive a big truck, partly because we camp and we need something to safely tow our trailer, partly because there is a hell of lot more of a protective shell around us. No I don’t have to drive to work every day in the truck. But personally, my family’s well being comes in at the number one spot, before ANYTHING else.

Oh and for those that say if we all drove the much smaller cars then we would all be safe. I have two words for you, Tractor Trailer.

In the case of Micro cars, maybe it should be you can get fuel efficiency, you can get lower cost, you can get safety.

CASH-STARVED TIMES COMPARED TO DARFUR

Captain Underaware — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 19:18:07 GMT

NEW York Times Executive Editor Bill Keller equated the Gray Lady to a PBS pledge drive, claiming readers have offered to donate money to keep the Times alive.

Keller was speaking at Stanford University to dedicate a new building for the campus newspaper -- an event he likened to a "ribbon-cutting" for "a new Pontiac dealership."

The bombastic broadsheet editor went on to equate the keep-the-Times-alive movement to the cause of starving African refugees, saying, "Saving the New York Times now ranks with saving Darfur as a high-minded cause."

Keller said he had little use for Web sites like Google and Drudge Report: "If you're inclined to trust Google as your source for news -- Google yourself."

Source: CASH-STARVED TIMES COMPARED TO DARFUR - New York Post

Really Mr. Keller? NYT vs Darfur. No use for Google? As hard as is it to wish a place to go out of business, this one is pretty close to the top. Not one ounce of integrity or objective journalism, and now the guy at the helm in less than three sentences shows himself to have the intelligence of a turnip (sorry turnips).

Two of the comments stand out in that article:

shimari wrote:

Bill Keller has no use for Google (other than the NYT staff probably use it a million times a day to look up stuff). I took a queue from Bill's comment to "google yourself"; apparently Bill Keller has "Googled himself" and doesn't like what he sees: "bill keller treason" (7370 hits), "bill keller treasonous" (9040 hits), "bill keller hypocrite" (2940 hits), "bill keller idiot" (7880 hits), "bill keller irresponsible" (5040 hits), "bill keller unamerican" (963 hits), "bill keller" + "belongs in jail" (863 hits), "bill keller arrogant" (16400 hits)... and on and on and on....
Thanks for your suggestion, Bill!

4/3/2009 2:49 PM EDT

Red Phoenix wrote:

People in Darfur are dying from genocide and starvation. The New York Times will soon die from journalistic malpractice and leftist activism. It is really sad to compare the failure of a newspaper to people who suffering under such horrific conditions.

4/3/2009 2:42 PM EDT

The only really sad thing about the NYT going down the tubes is when the store runs out of Scott, we’ll have to find a different substitute.

House passes bill taxing AIG and other bonuses

Captain Underaware — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 21:01:00 GMT

Everyone is in an uproar. Bailout vixen AIG paid millions in bonus money to employees even after accepting bailout money (and they have also sent some bailout money to companies overseas).

This is a good thing, right? I mean the rats did a terrible job running their company, why should they get bonus cash?

While I think it very stupid for a company to be paying bonuses on that magnitude to a staff when the company is teetering on the brink of failure, (and getting assistance from We The People), step back and look at two things, and then turn the looking glass at yourself dear reader.

First, the bonuses were apparently written into the contracts of these people. (Contracts, you folks of the UAW and other Unions know that word, right? What are you “guaranteed” in your contracts?) On top of that, Sen Chris Dodd D-CT inserted language INTO the bailout to protect bonuses that were in place prior to early February of this year. Furthermore Senator Dodd has said yes he put in the amendment, but at the insistence of the White House.

So let’s see, the two biggest recipients of AIG donations last year Obama and Dodd, put a little teeny tiny tweak into the bailout and hoped that no one would notice. After all what is $165 Million when you are throwing around $Trillions like it is lunch money?

Well people are noticing, more and more people are getting nervous and angry. So, thumping their chests, here comes the he-man-woman-haters club, the Congress, led by their HMBIC (Head Matronly Bloviator In Charge), Nancy Pelosi to tax all of that bonus money out of the pockets of said employees.

Democrats pressed for quick action Thursday on a bill to slap punishing taxes on big employee bonuses from firms bailed out by taxpayers. Republicans called it a legally questionable ploy to paper over Obama administration missteps.

"The American people demand protection and that's what we're doing today," said Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., chairman of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee.

House passes bill taxing AIG and other bonuses

Later in that news release:

"The Democratic bill brought to the floor today is constitutionally questionable," said Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind. "It's obviously a transparent attempt to divert attention away from the truth that Democrats in Congress and this administration made these bonus payments possible."

The bill would levy a 90 percent tax on bonuses paid to employees with family incomes above $250,000 at companies that have received at least $5 billion in government bailout money.

"We figured that the local and state governments would take care of the other 10 percent," said Rangel.

So they didn’t get the bill right the first time, so now the pendulum swings way over the other way. Any bonuses paid to families earning less than $250K. It’s a tax grab, it’s a CYA, it’s smoke and mirrors.

The last statement proves it’s a tax grab, and what happens if state and local taxes add up to >10%, will that family have to pay more back than they had received in their bonus? What if the bonus has already been spent, kids tuition, house, car, consumer goods, you know the stuff that unlike the toilet paper known as Congressional Bills actually will help the economy? Oh I guess they will have to get a loan.

This is major CYA, like I said in outset, this caveat was pushed by the White House and inserted by Senator Dodd, again head recipients of AIG contributions. So now that the public is up in arms it is hey look at us we didn’t see this coming (even though we put an amendment into the bill to allow it), look how mean we are being to the bastard rich people. This is also the same reason why it’s smoke and mirrors. They knew what they were doing before, but got caught. Look how screwed up this one little thing is, now look at the Spendulus pork fest, that NOT ONE PERSON read before passing.

So dear reader, what does it mean to you, you don’t work for AIG, you didn’t get a bonus, your company isn’t on the Federal Dole. Here is what it means;

First off, no matter what your individual employment contract says, the Government can come in after the fact and take any and in this case all of it away (maybe even more).

Second, no matter what laws they pass, if you think you are doing things above board and by the law, they can (and will) pass laws that will turn you from citizen to criminal with the stroke of a pen.

Notice that until now I haven’t mentioned the utter hypocrisy of Charlie (tax cheat) Rangel. Someone ought to tax his miserable self at 90%.

Notice how I didn’t mention the mortgage sweetheart deal from Countrywide that Chris Dodd got. Oh but he re-fied his two homes so that’s fixed. Not really. That’s like saying I ran a stop light two days ago, but I stopped at one today so it’s fixed. He re-financed his mortgages first to again do smoke and mirrors, to again do a little CYA (there’s an image I didn’t need, could be worse I could be talking about Barney Frank and Freddie/Fannie) but also interest rates are down, duh.

So, got a contract? Good for you, plan accordingly. Covered by the law (for now)? Good for you and thank you for trying to do things the right way, but plan accordingly.

All of this over $165 Million when there are trillions upon trillions being thrown around. But fear not, I’m sure this is the ONLY mistake that they’ve made, all that other stuff is golden.

Thought for the day - Money

Captain Underaware — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 18:47:20 GMT

Let me give you a tip on a clue to men's characters: the man who damns money has obtained it dishonorably; the man who respects it has earned it.

Source: Francisco's Money Speech" by Ayn Rand -- Capitalism Magazine

Follow that link, especially if you’ve never read Atlas Shrugged. Why is it when I read the excerpted quote above I see pictures of Obama, Bidden, Frank, Pelosi, Reid, Dodd, Kennedy, Schumer, Murtha, Hastings, Leahy, Durbin and so many more flash before my eyes? (Oh yeah, I know there are republicans too, but I’m holding to the current house rules on bipartisanship, what’s good for the stimulus negotiations is good for pointing out crooks.)

Atlas Shrugged : New Edition

ISBN: 1433256185
ISBN-13: 9781433256189

The Past Tense of Terrell Owens (Part III)

Captain Underaware — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 14:37:08 GMT

(CNN) -- Terrell Owens, a former San Francisco 49er and a former Philadelphia Eagle, is now a former Dallas Cowboy. The Cowboys released Owens late Wednesday, according to published reports.

Source: Report: Dallas Cowboys release WR Terrell Owens - CNN.com

First he’s let go by San Fran, then canned by the Eagles, now Dallas. The thing that stands out is he is a pretty darn good receiver (when he wants to be), but the brain/mouth disconnect very well might shorten his career. There are plenty of teams that could use an upgrade at that position, but are they willing to pay the cost?

It was just last June, two years into a three year deal that he had originally inked, he got a pay raise. $34 Million which included $13 Million Guaranteed. So 9 months ago he was the cat’s pajamas and now he’s just kitty clusters yet again. Was it his terminal throw the QB under the bus syndrome? Busting on Romo’s girl? Jealousy over the Romo/Witten friendship that at least in Owens’ eyes meant he was not getting the ball.

Is he right? (my gut instinct with anything TO is nah, when was he last right?) Is he not getting the ball? In the quest for information, all things Google came up with the following (on Yahoo :) );

I am including the number of targets and catches for both Owens and Witten since they became teammates in 2006 and below it are my questions.
Owens
2006: 153 targets, 85 catches, 56%
2007: 141 targets, 81 catches, 57%
2008: 113 targets, 55 catches, 49%
3 Yrs: 407 targets, 221 catches, 54%
Whitten
2006: 92 targets, 64 catches, 70%
2007: 141 targets, 96 catches, 68%
2008: 95 targets, 64 catches, 67%
3 Yrs: 328 targets, 224 catches, 68%

Source: Terrel Owens versus Jason Witten?

In that entry the author makes a point that Owens was actually thrown to more times in the games they lost compared to the games they (Dallas) won last season.

In 11 seasons, Owens has 882 catches for 13,070 yards and 129 touchdowns. Only former teammate Jerry Rice (197) and Cris Carter (130) have more touchdown catches in NFL history.

With another 13-touchdown catch season in 2008, Owens would join Rice as the only receivers in league history with eight seasons of 13 or more TD receptions.

When he was playing here for the Eagles, he was truly amazing to watch both on and off the field, and for different reasons. On the field, when he wants to play, and the attitude is left in the locker where it belongs, he is an amazing athlete to watch. Then, as if he is himself Jekyll and Hyde, he turns on those around him and blankets himself in such sick “me-ness” that no matter how good he is on the field, you just want nothing to do with him.

Who can forget when he wanted a new contract with the Eagles, even though his current contract was not due for renewal. The press conference in his driveway. Look at his stats again, two paragraphs up, this is a guy that has been cut/fired from three teams. Yet some team in the NFL with take him, hoping that they can corral his ego, make use of his talent. My suggestion to them is to hire a specialist in autism to work with him, he seems to almost be an idiot savant, showing miraculous talent while also having severe difficulty dealing with other aspects of his life.

So where will Drew Rosenhaus try to shop his damaged goods? I hear the Giants need a reciever since Plaxico Burress very well might face jail time from his accidental shooting of…… himself. The Giants could be interested because thus far TO has only managed to shoot himself in the foot.

So here we are, the third time is the charm? I hope so for his sake, but past is past, and the past tense of TO is yet again TOad.