History In The Making

It’s Inauguration Day in the United States. This is a pretty big day. But, is it getting blown out of proportion? Yes, I’ll admit this is a big day, and an important one as the United States prepares to swear in its first black President. Martin Luther King Jr had a dream. Today part of the dream is fulfilled as President-elect Barack Obama becomes President Obama. Schools are closing, people are traveling to DC and early estimates put the crowd at some 2 million or more! That’s a lot of people cramed into the Capital area.

Aside from a lot of people gathering in Washington to be part of the inauguration, there’s also a lot of money being spent on the big party. Last count has the inauguation price tag at $170 million! That’s a lot of money being spent on a party. The rest of the nation is trying to make ends meet while the President-elect doesn’t even blink an eye at spending millions of dollars on his inauguration event. He claimed he was heading to Washington to put real change in place. Apparently part of the change is to spend money wildly with a total disregard for what the nation is going through.

He screams recession, but spends money hand over fist.

Read on …

Movies Are Supposed to Provide A Sense of Escapism

Klaatu Looking For Answers in The Day the Earth Stood Still

We find ourselves in some tough economic times. Not only are things tough in the economy, but we’re also in the midst of the Christmas season when people are hoping to buy gifts for loved ones. When faced with tough times, people usually head to the movies. Why do they go to the movies when times are tough?

To escape the reality of what’s going on in the world around them for a couple of hours.

To get their mind off what’s tearing them apart, and slip into some fantasy world where things are fun. To go find a place where they can live happily ever after.

Aside from writing this blog, Just My Two Cents, I also have a movie review blog called Frame by Frame. That’s where you will find my full review of The Day the Earth Stood Still. While I will highlight some aspects of that movie here, this is not a review of the movie. Instead, The Day the Earth Stood Still generated some ideas on the topic of politics in movies.

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Oh Get Out Of Here…I’m Just The Nanny!

New York Magazine Says “The Nanny” Wants Hillary Clinton’s Senate Seat!

Just when you thought politics in New York State couldn’t get any sillier, Fran Drescher announces she wants the Senate seat currently held by Hillary Clinton. New York State holds the record for most missed on-time budgets. It holds the record for the highest taxes in the States. New York State suffered the scandal of Governor Eliot Spitzer who liked to play with high-priced-hookers across state lines. As a result of that scandal, New York State ended up with what I refer to as the accidental Governor, David Paterson. Yesterday I blogged about the silliness of Caroline Kennedy being announced as a possible replacement for Senator Clinton.

And now, just when you thought it was safe to look at New York State politics again…

Fran Drescher says SHE wants to replace Senator Hillary Clinton!

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What’s In A Name

Caroline Kennedy as a Senator?

Apparently the Democrats don’t care about experience. Instead they’re looking for a name. What’s in a name you ask? When you’re name happens to be Kennedy, apparently that’s all you need on your resume. This makes no sense at all. The big weekend news for New York State — Caroline Kennedy is interested in the Senate seat that will open up when Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton becomes Secretary of State.

Talk about left field! That’s exactly where this one comes from.

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You’ve Got Mail!

Day Two In A President-Elect Obama World

Yesterday my prescription for the nation was Everyone Take A Deep Breathe. As part of the prescription, I encouraged people to breath in and breath out deeply. Nice cleansing type breathes which would help not only to clear the air, but also clear your head. As we find ourselves in day two of a President-Elect Obama world, the sun once again set last night, and rose again this morning. All remains well in the universe. Well, at least it remains well in our universe. If you’re President-Elect Obama you woke up this morning to the news that Japan is mad at you. That’s right folks, in day two of his now forming administration, it’s being reported that Japan is upset with the new President-Elect already.

News reports out today say the Japanese Olympic Committee is worried Tokyo may lose its bid for the 2016 Olympic Games to Chicago.

I received a number of emails on yesterdays post asking “What’s next?” Probably one of the best comments came from Ken Davis who wrote;

Now that I have taken a breath, I will speak. Before last night I was armed with a vote with which I could fight for what I felt was right. I wasn’t swallowing the conspiracy stuff. But I was seriously concerned about Obama’s stand on many of the issues. I used up my ammo last night. Today, what do I use to fight for what I believe to be right ? I feel a little flat footed and vulnerable. My gun is empty!

Opps, I need more oxygen!!!!

Do I just sit back and pray? Do I retreat from the political fray to live out my faith in a smaller more personal world? Or do I search for five small stones in a creek bed and continue to do battle?

Not bitter, not defeated, just a little out of breath and confused as to where to go from here.

Ken Davis @ LightenUp
(On November 5th, 2008 at 8:56 pm)

Well Ken, I’m glad you asked that question, and thanks for commenting on the post! In response to you, and others who asked similar questions, I hope this Open Letter To The Conservative Movement will help.

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What in the world is Lindsey Lohan thinking…

Earlier this week the fallen teen star Lindsey Lohan said her mother might have a lot to worry about, but at least she doesn’t have to worry about her “coming home pregnant.” She made the comment while discussing why Governor Sarah Palin is not a good candidate for the White House. Of course it’s no secret that Lohan is a Democrat with little to no love for the Republican’s. But then again, very few people have any love left for Lohan these days. She’s turned into a Hollywood train wreck who’s now experimenting with the lesbian lifestyle. Could it be she went gay because guys stopped returning her calls?

In the latest twist of political news in the lack-luster-Lohan-life, Senator Barack Obama is not returning her calls either!

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The New York State accidental Governor, along with an activist judge, are at it again breaking the Constitution and giving no regard to what the popular vote actually wants.

First off, activist liberal left judges have been trying to change the Constitution, which by the way they have no right to do, for years. Unfortunately many have come to expect the so-called keepers of the law to break the law when it comes to the Constitution. After all, they’ve been doing it for years and no one has questioned them. But when a Governor, who’s supposed to uphold the Constitution, falls into the same category of the activist judges, then something really needs to be done.

Secondly, maybe we shouldn’t expect any kind of respect from the Governor of New York. After all, the accidental Governor Paterson landed in the position of Governor after his boss, former Governor Eliot Spitzer, got caught in the midst of a prostitution ring scandal. After Spitzer resigned, the disgraced Governor position fell to his second in command Paterson. Shortly after he took the oath of office, we suddenly started hearing confessions from the accidental Governor that he had an affair and liked cocaine at one time. I guess the apple didn’t fall very far from that corrupt Democrat tree. It appears the duo of Spitzer and Paterson both had some worms in their apples which just made them bad.

Now we’re seeing the lunacy of both an activist judge and the accidental Governor teaming up on the issue of same-sex marriages in New York State.

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At a recent fundraiser for a Texas Congressional candidate, President Bush joked about Wall Street being “drunk.” When asked about the struggling economy, President Bush said, “There’s no question about it. Wall Street got drunk. It got drunk and now it’s got a hangover.” He then went on to pose the question, “How long will it take to sober up and not try to do all those fancy financial instruments?” With that question President Bush was referring to documents representing a legal agreement involving monetary value which some blame for the current mortgage meltdown.

Now some would consider his comments reckless. However, I for one find his comments refreshing. The President of the United States talking candidly, and realistically, about what’s going on with the economy. Some are trying to make this a big political stumble because he made the comments “off camera.” Obviously those tactics are not working. No one is picking up on his comments. Could it be the President is on to something here? Wall Street and other financial institutions spend their days shuffling paper, and in many cases, non-existent funds. Somewhere along the line the bubble had to burst, and I believe that’s partly what we’re seeing here.

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Earlier this week a big news story revolved around a so-called prisoner exchange between the Hezbollah and Israel. At that time I said I didn’t get it, and I still don’t get it. In an earlier blog post I asked the question - Did Carter Do This? - In that post I wondered aloud if the former President Carter, who traveled to speak with the Hezbollah terrorists against the will of the United States government, could claim victory. The former President sat down with Hezbollah and allegedly told them to start playing nice with Israel. If this is what they call nice nice, then I must have a vastly different definition of nice than the former President. First off, in the so-called prisoner exchange earlier this week, Israel received the remains of two soldiers, while Hezbollah received five live Lebanese prisoners. These prisoners by the way, were prisoners because they’re terrorists and murderers. But, nonetheless, the exchange was made. I asked it earlier, and I’ll ask it again - Who brokered this deal!? - Two dead for five alive hardly seems like a deal to me.

Now the recent news out of Hezbollah since what some called an historic day has the Hezbollah militants vowing vengeance on Israel. That’s right, rather than showing gratitude for their release, the five Hezbollah terrorists who were returned to Beirut, Lebanon are pledging to fight Israel. Dressing in military fatigues, the five made their vow at the grave of a Hezbollah commander. One of the former prisoners, Samir Kantar, declared, “We swear by our god to continue on your same path and not retreat.” In other words, the terrorist is continuing to declare his plan to wipe Israel off the face of the earth.

Just who is Kantar? He took part in a 1979 Palestinian guerrilla attack and was convicted by an Israeli court for killing four people, including a father and his four year old daughter. An Israeli spokesperson said, “Kantar is a brutal child murderer who instead of being rejected upon his return, was held up as a rock star.” This is a man who bludgeoned the little four year girl to death with his rifle butt. Now he’s free and back in his own country saying he’s ready to go back to and kill more Israeli’s.

Again, this just doesn’t make sense. It’s things like this that make me very nervous concerning the rhetoric of presidential candidates like Senator Obama. He says “lets just sit down and talk.” Lets all sing a campfire song and get along. If the Senator truly believes that will make things all better again, he needs to take a long hard look at the so-called prisoner exchange and think again. Not only does the Senator need to wake up from his make-believe-land, but I also wonder if many American’s need to wake up from the same make-believe-land.

Just my two cents,
Dr. Rus

All over the news today is the big Hezbollah and Israel swap that took place. Hezbollah handed over the bodies of two dead Israeli soldiers, in exchange for five Lebanese prisoners held by Israel. Many are celebrating this is a huge accomplishment. But I have one question - What makes this such a great deal?

Am I missing something here? The Hezbollah hand over dead soldiers while they receive five live prisoners? Who brokered this deal? Is this why former President Jimmy Carter visited with the Hezbollah a few months ago? Lets remember the former President Carter went on his so-called peace trip without the approval of the United States government. The former President went over there as a renegade and a lose canon. Former President Carter was so pleased when he sat down with Hezbollah saying it was a great move toward peace. Is this what he worked out?

Again, this just doesn’t make sense to me. Maybe the former President arranged to have Habitat for Humanity provide the lumber for the caskets. I just don’t get it.

Just my two cents,
Dr. Rus