Is the old media telling the truth about Iraq?

Tired of the same old bad news coming out of Iraq? So was Talker Glenn Beck. He did a little homework and came up with some encouraging news in Iraq.

See The Real Story for the other side of the story and pass it on.

Old Media getting Older

If you're not listening to Rush, Hannity and Levin on a daily basis, you're missing out on some of the best cutting edge commentary available in any media. The old media can't even come close to the hard edge, up to the minute refutation of the leftist spin machine. I almost feel sorry for the old media guys who can only bash personalities and never even attempt to argue issues.

This is turning out to be one of the most interesting election cycles I've ever seen; especially for a mid-term election.

Keen observers on the right have rightly been disgusted with republican politicians for not fighting back against unscrupulous and underhanded dems and it may well be that they are still much too timid. They've been powerless against the left leaning media who routinely campaign, not even subtly, for their buddies on the left. What are the republicans to do?

Enter Rush Limbaugh and Talk Radio. He's on fire, folks and he's only getting better after 18 years of empowering conservatives to stand up against vacuous leftist ideology. They attack him at their own peril. Rush isn't alone in this fight. Hannity is doing a fine job putting the libs in their place reminding them of their own bafoonery by simply quoting them relentlessly. Mark Levin, a national new comer, but a four year veteran in the NYC talk show market, is mindboggling in his cutting wit and knowledge of the constitution. These guys are talk radio's tri-fecta and they are successfully taking out the old media.

But Limbaugh, Hannity and Levin aren't the only guys out there. Glenn Beck, Hugh Hewitt, Mike Gallagher, Laura Ingraham, Neal Boortz, Bill O'Reilly, and so many others in the local markets make up the army that daily does battle with the aging old media; and this is a part of the New Media.

We can't leave out Drudge and the entire blogosphere. Are you beginning to feel sorry for the old media yet?

The old media is losing. They still have the networks and big newspapers, but their numbers and profits are dwindling. Their credibility has been in question for years, now.

This is an important election. Levin ended his show this evening by saying that your vote isn't just against the leftist politicians...it's also against the leftist old media.

Don't sit this one out!

The Texas Hill Country...A Diversion from the Mundane

Much is going on from now to the election. You could say that there will be a vast effort to "muddy the water" from now till November 7th, which is the day set aside for conservatives and republicans to vote. November 8th is the designated day for libs and illegals to vote.

Every now and then I'm going to interject some Texas Hill Country pics (from my recent vacation) to break up the pre-election nonsense dominating the airwaves and internet. Enjoy!

This is a shot taken at sunset from the drive way at the Comanche Creek Ranch on which we stayed a couple of weeks ago.

An old carriage on the Comanche Creek Ranch as you look toward the western horizon.

Looking west from the front porch of the ranch house.

Sunset from the Inn of the Hills in Kerrville.

Sunset on the Guadalupe River outside of Kerrville. More pics to come in the days ahead. Y'all come back!

Early Voting in Texas

Yesterday I posted that I was toying with the idea of voting for Kinky Friedman for Governor. Today I voted but I just couldn't vote for anyone who favors tax increases and any number of liberal ideals that just won't work. He's a great guy...I'd love to have a few beers with him sometime or visit his animal rescue ranch near Kerrville, but I just couldn't vote for him.

It's bad enough when republicans lean leftward, and I have major problems with Rick Perry, but I had to hold my nose and vote for the encumbant governor Perry; in fact, I voted straight republican.

Where I voted there was a steady stream of voters which looked to me to be mostly republicans. In the parking lot were lots of "support the troops" stickers/magnets on the trucks and SUVs. There weren't any hybrids, bicycles or "green" bumper stickers on any of the cars I saw, so I surmised there was a preponderance of republicans. Didn't see any Kerry/Edwards stickers either.

Maybe the left's "suppress the vote" campaign isn't going to work. I think there are beaucoup conservatives and republicans who can't wait to vote in this election.

It's going to be an interesting two weeks! Fasten your seat belts.

Bandera, Texas

Not sure who the well connected and talented iron worker was/is who made these original iron sculptures which appear on every Bandera, Texas lamp post, but whoever did it, did good.

Bandera is purported by the locals to be the cowboy capital of the world. Now that's something to be proud of!!!

I think I was able to capture each and every lamp post (it's a small town) and each lamp post has a different iron western scene. Neat!

Scroll down for a visual display:
(all pics were taken by me, rich glasgow on or about October 13, 2006)

Bandera, Texas continued

"Why the hell not?"

Sure I'm fed up with many of the republicans; most conservatives are, but you can make book I'm not boycotting the upcoming election. I can't wait to vote.

In at least one case, I'm going to be very happy to vote for a republican and that would be my U.S. Representative Sam Johnson. He's one of the good guys. In most other cases I'm basically voting against the leftist dems.

But when it comes to voting for the governor of Texas, I've been seriously toying with the idea of giving my vote to Kinky Friedman. That's right, the Kinkster, and like his campaign asks, why the hell not?

To be sure there are more than a few things with which I adamantly disagree; for example, Kinky says he'll appoint Willie Nelson "energy czar" because Willie is behind the bio-diesel movement. Don't get me wrong, I love ol' Willie. He's my favorite outlaw, but his politics may be a little to the left of Babs Streisand or at least in the same vicinity.

On the other hand, I love the fact that Kinky publicly speaks out against political correctness. Everyone knows what a crock PC is, but no one has the guts to admit it. Kinky boldly addresses the destructive nature of political correctness, which is nothing more than the stifling of free speech. He makes no apologies for telling it the way he sees it and I admire that.

Go to his website and check out the Ten Reasons he says you should vote for him.

I don't think Kinky has much of a chance winning, but he's going to get a surprising number of votes, probably mostly from the dems, but maybe from a good share of republicans who hate the notion of Rick Perry's Trans-Texas Corridor being foisted on us without our approval.

I'm tired of professional politicians. Every now and then someone needs to stir things up a bit. Kinky may be the guy to do just that. He doesn't have all the answers but he is a refreshing breath of air in an era of politics as usual.

Deep in the Heart of Texas

In the next few days and weeks I plan to post some pics of the distinctive Texas Hill Country.

We spent the last delightful week or so in the Bandera, Kerrville and Fredricksburg area. We've been spending at least a week in that part of the state for the last few years and we're always ready to up and move there whenever we visit.

This pic of the heart-shaped prickly pear was taken near the drive-way of the little ranch on which we stayed these past 9 days just a couple of miles north of Bandera.

More pics to come as I ease back into the blogosphere.

A few thoughts and off we go...

I envy those full time bloggers (sort of) who have been right on top of so much that is happening around the world these past few weeks. It's been a busy time, nationally and internationally and for me, personally and I just haven't had much time for blogging. Lots is happening and it seems to be happening extremely fast and I get the feeling events are going to continue to come down in furious fashion from here on out.

Our prayers go out for the poor victims and their families of the horrendous shootings and subsequent murders. The Amish funerals are going on even as I write this.

As far as the whacked sect who planned to demonstrate at these funerals, God help them because they are conducting themselves in exactly the opposite way in which Christians are to conduct themselves. These people may profess to be Christians, but they blaspheme the name of Christ by their actions. Just as it is the duty and responsibility of mainstream Muslims to repudiate the radical Islamists, so is it the responsibility of Christians to repudiate the ugly and reprehensible conduct of this whacked out sect who arrogantly and self-righteously attempt to speak for God by demonstrating at the funerals of gallant soldiers killed in action and now the innocent Amish folk who mourn their daughters.

Glenn Beck and Mike Gallagher are at odds over the fact that Mike intervened in the situation by giving the whack jobs an hour of his air time in exchange for not demonstrating at the Amish funerals. I've heard both sides of the story and both sides have merit.

Wish I had more time to ramble but we're heading out and moving on down the road for the next week or so. We're heading to the beautiful Texas Hill country to take in the sites and have a big family reunion.

What brings us all together is the annual Feast of Tabernacles, a time symbolizing the return of Jesus Christ and his 1000 year reign on earth. It's a time of peace....what a concept! It's one of the highlights of the year and we look forward to getting away from the maddening affairs of this crazy world for the next week.

Unfortunately, or fortunately, I'll be sans computer, but I think we'll get by, somehow!

The 40th Edition of the Carnival of Homeschooling

This week the Carnival of Homeschooling is being hosted by the good folks at Homeschoolbuzz.com. It's a 1940's theme and it's worthy of your attention.

What? Your rugrats are still being subjected to lockdowns, mass murders and the politically correct nonsense of zero tolerance of midols and photos of guns? Come on...get with the program! Your kid shouldn't have to be subjected to body searches, surveillance cameras and armed guards.

It's way past time to yank your kiddos from Big Government Indoctrination Centers; it's time to take your parental responsibility seriously and make sure your little urchins get the right and proper education you can give them at home.

Hit the above link and explore the possibilities!

"I Wish I Were a Sparrow"

My dad died back in '97 and when we all went through his "stuff" I happened upon this little ditty scribbled in his own handwriting:

I wish I were a sparrow,
with entrails like a goose,
So I could fly around unseen
with bowels big and loose.

I'd circle over Washington,
And none could ever know;
But when I heard these words,
"My Friends..."
I'd chirp and let'er go!

Heh heh! Not sure who wrote that, but it wouldn't surprise me if dad did...wish I could claim it as his!

Dad was a Goldwater conservative and pretty active politically. He was always in the know. He knew about the Kennedy family "indiscretions" and LBJ's despicable corruption well before his presidency and he held the U.N. in utter contempt. He knew the U.N. was a communist organization back then (from the beginning, actually) as they are to this day.

In a word, dad was connected and knew what was going on, on the left side of the isle. That was in the '60's way before the 'New Media,' yet dad was on the cutting edge.

It's in my blood, folks!

Lot's has changed since the early 60's; the "right" has veered to the center and the left has boldly surfaced as the socialists they've always been. Hardline conservatives are often marginalized even by republicans and the left has become the party sympathetic to the terrorists and all who wish to destroy us. It's a different world. It's a dangerous world!

There are those on the left and even in the so-called moderate middle who would have us be totally disgusted by everyone in politics and thereby wish us to stay home this November on election day. We just can't do that! As disgusting as some politicians are on both sides, it's encumbant on good people to vote for the lesser of two evils. That's right, although there are alot of creeps in Washington, there are those who are worse than others.

The republicans still stand head and shoulders above the leftist dems,
at least for the most part.

I'm not a republican, I'm a staunch conservative and I eschew most of the politics of the present day republicans. It's not unusual for me to hold my nose when I vote for them, but we can't afford to vote otherwise.

Can we afford to allow politicians to gain power who would cut and run from the war against Islamofascist terrorists? Do we want to wage war against ruthless terrorists in OUR OWN country? Can we afford to let the socialist dems gain the majority? No way! Not now, not ever!

We've got a little more than a month to convince our friends and neighbors to do the right thing and vote against the democrats. You can vote for the republicans if you wish, but it's imperative that we all vote against the dems. They are a dangerous lot!