The Yard

Michele Bachmann again

Michele now claims that she and her family will not fill out the census form next year (which is against the law) because ACORN will be involved in collecting data for the census. She is contending that Japanese-Americans were interned during World War II based on information provided by the Census Bureau....she goes on to say that this could happen today. As always she does not bother to look at what actually happened. Internment was initiated by the military and inacurate information as seen in the following.

During the first few days after the Pearl Harbor attack the west coast was alarmed by a number of reports-all false-of enemy ships offshore. It was in the midst of this atmosphere that the first proposal for a mass evacuation of the Japanese developed. On 10 December a Treasury agent reported to Army authorities that "an estimated 20,000 Japanese in the San Francisco metropolitan area were ready for organized action." Without checking the authenticity of the report, the Ninth Corps Area staff worked until late that night on a plan for evacuation, which was then approved by the corps area commander. The next morning the Army called the local FBI chief, who "scoffed at the whole affair as the wild imaginings of a discharged former F.B.I. man." This stopped any local action for the moment, but the corps area commander duly reported the incident to Washington and expressed the hope that "it may have the effect of arousing the War Department to some action looking to the establishment of an area or areas for the detention of aliens." [3] His recommendation that "plans be made for large-scale internment" was forwarded by the Chief of Staff's office to G-2 and to the Provost Marshal General. [4]
On 19 December, and apparently as one consequence of this initial flurry, the Western Defense Command sent the following recommendation to its Washington command post, at that time General Headquarters:
1. In view of the fact that the West Coast of the United States has now been designated and is functioning as an active Theater of Operations, it is recommended that action be initiated at the earliest practicable date to collect all alien subjects fourteen years of age and over, of enemy nations and remove them to the Zone of the Interior.
2. It is also recommended that these individuals be held under restraint after removal from the Theater of Operations in order to preclude their surreptitious return.
3. Records indicate that there are approximately 40,000 of such enemy aliens and it is believed that they constitute an immediate and potential menace to vital measures of defense. [5]
In making this recommendation the Army commander on the Pacific coast, Lt. Gen. John L. DeWitt, was acting not only as commanding general of the Fourth Army and Western Defense Command but also as commander of the Western Theater of Operations, established on 11 December with the same territorial limits as those of the defense command.

just listen and watch...stop analyzing

The "bizarre" michael jackson will be lost in time; the talent will prevail. We know Van Gogh was absolutely out of his mind but we stand in awe of his work. It is difficult to think of any great artist who was what society would deem "normal".

Goodbye Michael.

Michael Jackson will be considered one of the greatest artists of all time.

Why is the Sanford mess pertinent?

It is pertinent because Sanford has risen to power on a wave of moralistic posturing. As a member of Congress he condemned Bill Clinton for indiscretion and demanded that he resign. Clinton had lied and broken trust. Sanford then went on to play a major role in the resignation of Livingston, who was to replace Gingrich as Speaker, because he had an affair. Family values !!!!!!!!!!!! I am sure that the public will discover that the trip taken to visit the other woman was paid for by the taxpayers of South Carolina while Sanford railed against Obama's stimulus package and attempted to keep his state from getting the money. It's about hypocrisy. At least Clinton stayed in the Oval Office and did not disappear for a week while no one knew where he was.

Don't cry for me Argentina!!!!

If his wife stands beside him in front of cameras looking stoic I will puke.

What was Mark Sanford thinking?

People always up and go to Argentina (not to be confused with Appalachia) and do not bother to tell anyone....If anyone believes he was by himself I have swampland in Arizona you might want to buy. How do these people get elected? I wonder if Rush endorsed him.

Mark Sanford?

Another Republican Presidential hopeful representing traditional family values. Love it.

Iran

When George W Bush was President it was a mortal sin to criticize the President especially when it came to delicate foreign policy issues. That seems to have changed dramatically of late. Republicans harp on an hourly basis that Obama is not being forceful enough in condemning the Iranian government. Obama has indicated that the path taken by those who support the announced outcome of the election is unconscionable, but he has not grabbed a microphone and screamed "bomb, bomb, bomb Iran". Perhaps a little history will help...The US being fearful that the USSR after WWII would attempt to "take" oil fields in Iran and spread their "commie cooties", orchestrated a coup to overthrow an ELECTED government and place the Shah in power. The Shah was pro US and would do our bidding as long as we kept him in power. While he was in power (until 1979) he did many nasty dictatorial things which led to the Islamist revolution in 1979. Do we think the Iranians have forgotten this? (Saxby Chambliss does) Then there is the Iran-Iraq War...we gave Saddam Hussein weapons during that war and guess where the WMD came from to gas Iranian soldiers? Do we think the Iranians have forgotten this? There is a long and complicated history of our involvement in the Middle East and the relationships we have with these counties are complex to say the least. The President must walk a very fine line and to have fellow Americans all over the media blasting him is not productive. We went into Iraq with bravado and swords swinging without careful consideration and look where it got us.

Deer again

There is so much happening in the world I just do not know which topic to attack. So I will give you a deer update. I was a bit amazed when I went out on the deck early a morning or two ago and there was a huge deer right in the middle of our neighbors horrific backyard (a fenced yard mind you) eating away at all the plants that have never been planted. It was like a buffet I am sure. Katrina had a fit and the deer ran. There is a dead deer on 15/501 in the city limits of Pittsboro in someone's yard...its been there for three days. Give me a break. IT STINKS. Then to top it off Katrina and I are walking down our street early this morning and the Hinkel family is out in their driveway looking rather shocked. There is an injured deer in the driveway next door! The poor thing could not get up. I have no idea what happened to him but he is not there anymore. What can I say.

racism is alive and well

I must say that I do not understand why a public official would send a racist cartoon, picture, joke, whatever to fellow racists in an email. I am not amazed that there are people who hate Obama because he is Black, but I am totally shocked that these 19th Century idiots would send this material out on the"internets". Then, to make matters worse they aways put forth a lame explanation hoping to exonerate themselves...REALLY!!?? I guess that's what happens when you live in an echo chamber. You come to believe everyone thinks like you.

Squirrels foiled!!!!!

We put one of those "things" on our bird feeder that keeps squirrels from being able to get to the birdy food and ah ha, it works! The "pitt" squirrels are in a major twit. They are running around climbing all the trees trying to figure out how to get to the food. It is very amusing.

Speaking of squirrels, John McCain thinks we should openly take sides with the protest in Iran and is trashing Obama (what would a day be like if republicans weren't trashing Obama?). The protest in Iran is fab and most sane people want it to work, but the US government cannot get involved publically. Just picture...Iran getting INVOLVED in our "election" in 2000.

newt con't

an editorial in the LA Times today calls newt a political zombie...love it!

the "lunatic fringe"... Hofstadter should hear this

The recent ramped up right-wing rhetoric is very disturbing. Where are the adults on the right?

I've Had It!

It does not matter what Obama does the Republicans find fault. Take your wife out for a "date night" to NYC and they are all over him...eat a hamburger and you are a Hitler lover. Let us have a bit of fun and enjoy a President who actually is human.

Step aside Newt...we have all moved on.

I must relate a Newt Gingrich story so it will not get lost. It is so typical of the hypocrisy that this man lives with.

1992 Milton High School Alpharetta Georgia...I was teaching an elective class to seniors that covered the national, state, and local elections. I had been doing this every four years since 1980 and each time I tried to invite as many candidates to speak as would come. Milton HS is in the 6th Congressional district of Georgia and the Representative was none other than Newt. An invitation was extended to his office for him to come speak to the classes whenever it was convenient for him. Tony Blankley was the person in Newt's office we always spoke with and he was never quite sure when the congressman would be able to come. One Friday morning I found a message in my mailbox from Blankley that Newt's schedule was just too busy and he would not be able to speak to the students. That evening at a family gathering I related that we had been told Newt was too busy to speak...my sister-in-law chimed in that that was funny because just that morning she had contacted his office and he gladly agreed to speak to the Cobb County Realtors (who gave him large amounts of money). Kristy (sil) was furious, contacted a realtor who campaigned for Gingrich to complain that he had no time for serious students. Funny thing, on Monday when I got to school there was a message in my mailbox indicating that Congressman Gingrich would be glad to come speak with students...funny how money works.