The Personal Blog Of Michael T. Barrett

Archive for December, 2009

Goodbye 2009!

By on December 31, 2009 in Life

2009 was a year full of unexpected events.

In January, I was laid off from the job I had for more than 10 years. I busted my ass for that company only to be stabbed in the back and thrown into the river. Luckily I can swim and I made it to shore safely.

During February and March I jumped through every hoop that the Department of Labor, prospective employers, and job recruiters held up. I can’t believe I jumped through so many hoops only to discover there were about 400 other people jumping through each hoop with me.

In April I laid the ground work for ramping up my own business again. I have always done side work in the past, so it was only natural to bring my own business off the side burner onto the main fire.

May saw a scare with cancer for my mother-in-law, and lots of stress for us all as a family. June and July were fun, as the boys and I began expanding our photographic interests and joined the Sweetwater Camera Club.

August was a whirlwind, as I hustled to read HR 3200 and offer a plain English summary of the entire thing only to discover there would be many other versions of health care reform printed on thousands of dead trees before the year ended.

In September there was a Tea Party where I met a lot of great people, the same people I plan on working with to help organize the next one.

In October we saw the introduction of HR 3962, while in November we saw its passage even though two-thirds of the American people were against it.

Things didn’t turn around in December either as the U.S. Senate followed suit and passed their own version (HR 3590) of health care “reform” too.

It’s been a hard year, but I’m looking forward to a great (and hopeffully smoother) 2010. Thanks for stopping by to read what I have to say, sometimes I just have something I need to get off my chest.

So to all of you, I wish you a Happy New Year!

Another Unanswered Question

By on December 30, 2009 in Our Nation

My finger is healing nicely, which is good news. It’s just going to be another day or so before I can type normal again.

We took the new cat to the vet today and as expected, the new cat is a boy, not a girl. Carroll County Animal Control needs a few lessons on determining the sex of young cats. I thought it was boy, and had mentioned so several times since Christmas day.

This evening we picked up some groceries for dinner and while we were at it, we picked up a small bag of catnip for Mr. Kitty (aka Indy). He loves me again, at least for another week before he goes in for a little nip and tuck, so to speak.

I’ve been wondering about something most of the day, so here it is.

Was Eric Holder, or at the very least the law firm he worked for, responsible for the attempted terrorist attack on Christmas day?

At least one leader of al-Qa’ida’s branch in Yemen, where the failed bomber of a US-bound Christmas flight was allegedly trained, was freed from the US prison in Guantanamo, Cuba, a Pentagon list reveals.

The list, released in May, names 27 former prisoners who resumed terrorist activities after being released from Guantanamo, including Said Ali al-Shihri, who was transferred to Saudi Arabia in 2007 and later implicated in the bombing of the US embassy in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, last year.

…

There is an additional and intriguing angle involving Yemen, creating a confluence between, that country, Ft. Hood and the Obama administration, in that U.S. AG Holder’s former law firm, Covington & Burling, represented a number of Yemeni detainees who are/were being held in GITMO.

…

Al Nashiri [born in Saudi Arabia] is part of a group of 15 Yemeni GITMO detainees who are represented by David Remes a member – until he was either booted or saw the handwriting on the wall and “resigned” on July 18, 2008 – of Attorney General Eric Holder’s law firm, Covington & Burling

Go read the entire thing and then make up your mind.

At the very least, the law firm should release pertinent documents so as to remove the appearance that they could any way be responsible for the actions which occurred on Christmas day.

Where has he (Eric Holder) been anyway? Not one word from him since the attempt to blow hundreds of Americans out of the sky? That’s just a little strange isn’t it?

What is it with the Obama administration and all the questions? It seems every time there is any sort of controversy, we’re always left with an unanswered question.

Character, Catastrophies, Coordination, & Contradictions

By on December 29, 2009 in Opinions, Our Nation

Thought #1

Finally, people worldwide are realizing the true character of The Failed One®.

Nicolas Sarkozy, the most pro-American president of France for half a century, has gone cold on Barack Obama, the most popular American leader in France in generations.

Nicolas Sarkozy is not the only one. Check out this very short video of The Failed One® getting snubbed by Russian leaders.

Wow. Talk about a kick in the pants.

Thought #2

It took the President three days to come up with this?

President Barack Obama said Tuesday that the intelligence community had bits of information that should have been pieced together that would have triggered “red flags” and possibly prevented the Christmas Day attempted terror attack on a Detroit-bound airliner.

“There was a mix of human and systemic failures that contributed to this potential catastrophic breach of security,” Obama said.

Is he serious? Three days? What was the hold up? Was his staff scurrying around trying to think of the perfect response or did he have his head stuck in the sand the entire time?

It’s nice to know, in light of this three day delay, that the President and his staff are so well prepared. His poise, his personality and his professionalism seem to be lacking something. Maybe that’s why the Russians refused to shake his hand.

Thought #3

Now that President Obama’s popularity ratings are in the tank and his ship is sinking fast, I figured it would be just a matter of time before some members of his administration started jumping overboard.

The official in charge of coordinating the U.S. government’s cyber-security operations has quit, saying the expanding control of the National Security Agency over the nation’s computer security efforts poses “threats to our democratic processes.”

“Even from a security standpoint, it is unwise to hand over the security of all government networks to a single organization,” said Rod A. Beckstrom, the head of the Department of Homeland Security’s National Cyber Security Center (NCSC) when speaking to United Press International.

Rod A. Beckstrom wasn’t in the highest levels of the administration, but then again the water hasn’t risen that far yet, has it?

Thought #4

Why don’t any of the biographies of President Obama mention him attending at least part of the 3rd grade in Hawaii?

A California chiropractor, Scott Inoue, is circulating a photo allegedly showing him and Barack Obama that was taken in 1969 while they were in the third-grade in Hawaii at Noelani Elementary School. The picture is was labeled “Scott & Barry 3rd grade 1969″ by Inoue’s mother. Strangely, Barry Soetoro (Barack Obama) is not known to have ever attended Noelani Elementary School. According to many well publicized biographies, Young Obama was in Indonesia from 1967 through 1971. Barry is also a head taller than his classmate. Mr. Inoue sent an enlarged copy to President Obama. He signed it and returned it with a thank you note. Hmm…

Of course, it’s possible that he and his family returned to Hawaii for a short (extended) visit and he attended school while they were there. Then again, it’s also possible that this is just another one of many contradictions that keep flying in the face of one Barack Hussein Obama.

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The World According To Janet

By on December 28, 2009 in Our Nation

Janet Napolitano is lucky the whiplash from her tongue didn’t kill her. After the attempt by a terrorist to blow up an airliner on approach to Detroit, she claimed that the system worked as it should have.

“Once this incident occurred, everything went according to clockwork… Blah, blah, blah, I look like an Andes Mint in this outfit, blah, blah, blah… Again, everybody reacted as they should, the system, once the incident occurred, the system worked.”

 
Then, just a day later, she back pedaled, claimed that everyone was taking her quote out of context, and then agreed that the system failed miserably.

 
The Obama administration and Janet Napolitano have a serious problem with the war on terror, and she sums it up well in her response to Matt Lauer.

“Sure, I think the comment is being taken out of context. What I’m saying is, once the incident occurred, moving forward, we were immediately able to notify the 128 flights in the air of protective measures to take, immediately able to notify law enforcement on the ground, airports both domestic and internationally, all carriers, all of that happening within 60 to 90 minutes.”

They are actually proud that the “system worked” after the incident occurred. They are proud that they reacted after the terrorist was thwarted. They are proud that they did something after the guy tried to blow up the plane.

Let’s forget the fact the man was on a terror list. Let’s forget the fact the man had no passport. Let’s forget the fact that if it wasn’t for some brave passengers there would have been a lot more to react to after the fact.

Janet Napolitano is proud that they were able to get the word out and respond within 60 to 90 minutes. Sorry, that’s not good enough. Responding within 60 to 90 minutes wouldn’t have changed anything on September 11th, and it sure as hell didn’t do anything to change the events which took place on Christmas day.

American citizens stopped this attack, not the Department of Homeland Security, not the Transportation Security Administration, not the Obama Administration. Everyday people like you and me stepped up at the right time, made the right decision, and made sure the terrorist didn’t succeed. Too bad the government dropped the ball and allowed him to put all of their lives in jeopardy in the first place.

We don’t need a President (or anyone in his administration) who responds to terror attacks, we need a President who will make sure that steps are taken to prevent incidents like this from occurring at all. The Department of Homeland Security should, by definition of its very name, keep the homeland secure, shouldn’t it? In this case, they failed. They failed miserably.

If The Failed One® is serious about homeland security and keeping our country safe, he will ask for Janet Napolitano’s resignation. Don’t worry, I won’t hold my breath waiting for that to happen.

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Sunday Silence

By on December 27, 2009 in Life
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Well, That Went Well…

By on December 26, 2009 in Life

Our heads finally hit the pillows around 3:30 yesterday morning. While my preparations for dinner were right on time, we had a few delays getting some things wrapped, and planning the reveal of ‘The Kitty’.

We set our alarm for 7:00 am so we could get her into her spacious kennel and get her ready to meet her boy. We rolled out of bed at 7:15, and I took the dogs out and the cat was placed under the tree. Within minutes of taking the dogs out, Josh woke up.

After a 5 minute delay while he made his bed (I can’t believe he actually made his bed before he checked out his presents under the tree), he stumbled into the living room. As he entered the room, she called out. In his sleepy mind he thought he heard a bird. Then he heard her again. He was bewildered about the noise he was hearing, and I told him to walk over to the back door to see if he could see what he was hearing.

He walked right by the kennel, then she called out again. He looked down, saw the giant tag on the kennel, and almost started crying. He couldn’t believe that ‘Santa’ brought him a cat for Christmas.

After spending five minutes with her, he gave her a name.

Meet Amelia.

 

Welcoming her to the family couldn’t have gone any better, in fact, it was the perfect Christmas morning, at least it was until moments after this photo was taken.

In my infinite wisdom, things were going well so I decided it was time for Amelia to meet Chuck and Stitches. Needless to say, that was a very bad idea.

Amelia was laying next to Josh as the dogs rounded the couch coming to greet the boys. I realized that Amelia was not going to handle things very well, so I moved between her and Josh. As I moved one way, Stitches (the Cairn Terrier) moved the other way, and Amelia freaked. She freaked all over me. She bit my finger, then sliced it wide open with her claws. As I tried to move away from the boys and I raised my hands to get away from her, she latched on to my left hand in the palm with her front claws and my right palm with her back claws. She tore down my right leg, claws still extended, and the dogs followed her into the kitchen.

All of this took place in 2.4 seconds. After which I was leaving a blood trail to the kitchen sink, and she was sitting more than 6 feet off the floor (and 30 feet away) on a shelf of knicknacks just 4 inches wide. It’s a miracle that she didn’t break a thing.

I stopped the bleeding almost immediately, although by that time I was already going to pass out. I barely made my way to our bed while keeping pressure on my finger. After several minutes I was able to sit up, bandage the finger, and continue on with my day. (Don’t worry, she is current on her shots so there is no worry that I may start foaming at the mouth. Well, no more than normal anyway).

The first item on the agenda was putting the dogs outside for the day while we planned a little space management. We put a pet gate up in the boys hallway giving Amelia access to the two oldest boys’ bedrooms, the hallway, and their bathroom.

Once we got her settled, we spent the day cooking delicious food, enjoying the company of my mother and our friend Bill, and watching the boys play sports games on their new Nintendo Wii. We missed having my sister here, and we all decided tonight that we cannot allow that to happen again in the future. From now on, if she can’t come here, we’re all going there.

By 7:00 pm I was ready (and my finger was healed enough) to re-introduce the cat to the dogs with a nice sturdy divider between them. This evenings introduction went much smoother than our attempt this morning, as the dogs were exhausted from running all day and Amelia was quite content in her castle (also known as Josh’s room).

As I sit here finishing this post tonight, my finger is still slightly numb where she sliced it, and the scratches on my palms are burning like crazy. I am keeping everything nice and clean with an antiseptic and Neosporin is my new best friend.

I realized as I was typing tonight, that the last time we saw George he bit me on the same finger Amelia ripped into this morning. Is that fate or what?

I hope you enjoyed the day with your family and friends, and I hope you had a very Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas

By on December 25, 2009 in Life

The Birth of Jesus

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

The Shepherds and the Angels

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ[a] the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Merry Christmas!

Twas The Night Before Christmas…

By on December 24, 2009 in Life

As many of you know it’s been a tough year around here. I was laid off in the first two weeks of the year and although it’s been a rough ride, I really cannot complain. I have my health, I have a wonderful family, I have great friends, and most of all I have a great God.

With so much uncertainty facing us earlier this year, we used what little money we had to get a couple nice things for the boys just in case things were really tight. It turns out that wasn’t such a bad idea.

The best present of the season, however, didn’t cost an arm or a leg. In fact, tomorrow morning our oldest son will awaken to a special gift from ‘Santa’ that he’s been wanting for more than two years.

Meet ‘The Kitty’.

 

She’s a “shelter cat” that was going to spend Christmas alone at the Carroll County Animal Shelter, and well, to be honest, we just couldn’t let that happen. Not this year.

Five years ago, on Halloween, our cat George disappeared into the night. He was acting funny all day, lounging around the house. He never just ‘laid around’ and when I picked him up to see what was going on with him, he bit me on my index finger and ran out the door as the kids were coming in. We searched for him late into the night and the next day, but we never saw him again.

Not long after George disappeared, when Josh realized the cat probably wasn’t coming back, he asked for a new kitten. We resisted temptation at the time, hoping his desire for a new cat would fade in time. It didn’t. He has asked for a kitten off and on for the past five years.

We took care of a neighborhood cat for a while (Oreo) but she set off Gidget’s allergies really bad, so she went to live on a farm with someone in Alabama so she could mouse all she wanted too. Josh didn’t bond with Oreo, but the short time she was in our lives made him want another cat even more.

This year, knowing our financial situation, Josh asked for just three small items. He didn’t ask for anything more than a birding book, and two small lego sets he had his eye on. When he first sat down to write his list though, he thought of adding a cat, but changed his mind at the last minute.

It seemed almost as if he had given up on a dream, or at least that one special Christmas wish he had been hoping for. That’s when we caved. An eleven year old should never give up on their dreams or lose hope at Christmas time. Especially not my eleven year old.

Tomorrow morning he will awaken to the sounds of dainty little cat calling out from a spacious kennel underneath the Christmas tree and his dream will come true.

Tomorrow he will spend the day cuddling his new found love and his hope for the future will be restored.

Tomorrow night I will lay in bed and thank God for sending us his own son, and for allowing me to live a life full of happiness and joy, with friends and family, with the ability to make my sons dreams come true.

That my friends, is what Christmas is all about.

Two Days Before Christmas

By on December 23, 2009 in Opinions, Our Nation

Here we are just two days before Christmas and the U.S. Senate is still debating health care reform with the final vote for passage coming around 8:00 am tomorrow morning. Harry Reid keeps saying that the reason they are debating the bill in the middle of the night and right up to Christmas day, is because of the Republicans. He forgets that we all know he, as Majority Leader, sets the Senate schedule, and he alone decides when legislation hits the floor. In other words, this is his way of punishing everyone because he thinks the Republicans are pooping in his Post Toasties. Grow up Harry.

Just thinking about the health care bill makes me angry, which is exactly why Scary Harry made sure that debate on the bill ran right up to the Christmas holiday. Too many people are traveling to visit family. They’re trying to enjoy the season, and they don’t want to listen to all this negativity or even think about the horror that will come if this bill actually makes it through the entire process.

On a more optimistic note, Rich Lowry writes about five reasons the health care bill might not pass. Personally I think there are a few more reasons than the ones he chose to focus on. His five include public revulsion (which hasn’t stopped Scary Harry, Nanny State Nancy, or The Failed One® yet), the abortion funding issue, and more.

Some other reasons the bill might not make it include the fact that Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.), the chairwoman of the House Rules Committee has gone on the record to state that Congress should scrap the bill and start over. It turns out Democrats aren’t supporting the bill either. As their base erodes, so will any effort to pass the horrific legislation. It’s already a given that most Democrats up for re-election in 2010 (in the House and the Senate) face an uphill battle because of their support for the bill.

To make matters worse for every Democrat in the House (as the entire House is up for reelection in 2010) is the fact that The Failed One® is now thinking about postponing health care talks until February. This will keep health care reform on everyone’s mind well into the months leading up to the election. Those opposed to this bill and running for office couldn’t have asked for a better Christmas present from President Obama.

That’s it from me tonight. I have a few things I need to get done around here, and I need to get up early tomorrow for the senate vote (although I am pretty sure we all know the outcome of the vote).

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Harry Reid And The Chamber Of Secrets

By on December 22, 2009 in Opinions, Our Nation

Scary Harry Reid snuck a couple provisions into the managers amendment to the health care reform bill last night. In the following video, which runs almost 11 minutes, Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) outlines those provisions, which just happen to contain changes to Senate rules within the amendment.

 

Section 3403 of Harry Reid’s amendment to the health care reform bill states,

“it shall not be in order in the Senate or the House of Representatives to consider any bill, resolution, amendment, or conference report that would repeal or otherwise change this subsection.”

as well as,

“Notwithstanding rule XV of the Standing Rules of the Senate, a committee amendment described in subparagraph (A) may include matter not within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Finance if that matter is relevant to a proposal contained in the bill submitted under subsection (c)(3).”

The first statement requires a change to the Senate rules, and the second statement sets up a new rule to ignore another Senate rule.

Any bill that changes the rules of the Senate must pass with a 2/3 majority or 67 votes. The presiding officer of the Senate claimed those statements consist of “procedural changes” not rule changes, therefore attempting to circumvent the U.S. Constitution, the law, and the Senate’s own rules.

So let’s review. Harry Reid and the Cash 4 Cloture Democrats passed a bill in the middle of the night that increases your taxes, increases your insurance premiums, violates your rights as an American citizen, and violates the Constitution, the law, and the rules of the Senate.

As a native of the state of Nevada, I am quite familiar with Harry Reid. I remember when he ran for the U.S. Senate in 1974. I used to knock over his campaign signs as I walked to school in the mornings. I couldn’t stand him then, and I can’t stand him now. There has never been another person in Nevada politics that has irritated me more than he has.

Harry Reid has made a mockery of our system of government. He has walked all over the U.S. Constitution, our existing laws, and he has tarnished the reputation of the United States Senate. From ignoring the law where legislation is concerned to bribing fellow members of the Senate to vote on this legislation, he is as corrupt as they come.

The following is a list of the Democrat Senators who accepted bribes from Scary Harry to vote for the health care reform bill.

 

Harry Reid has taken his expertise of making deals over coffee at the little diner in Searchlight, Nevada all the way to the back rooms of the United States Senate to make deals on a bill that 3/5 of the American people do not support. Way to go Harry. I can hardly wait to see you get kicked out on your ass in the upcoming election.

Call your Senator today and demand they vote against this health care bill, because it violates your rights as an American, it violates the Constitution of the United States, it violates the law, and it violates the rules of the Senate.

Call Senator Reid today and demand that he withdraw the bill from consideration until he, himself, can follow the letter of the law. That requirement alone would postpone this bill indefinitely.

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