Bunker Mulligan "Let us endeavor so to live that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry." ~Mark Twain

April 22, 2005

Bolton has common sense

Filed under: International,Politics — Bunker @ 10:01 am

Mona Charen says that’s why Democrats don’t like him.

Frankly, in a decade that has brought us the Oil for Food scandal, the child sex slave trade carried on by U.N. workers, U.N. failures to confront horrific human rights disasters like North Korea and Sudan — indeed, even offering the genocidal regime of Sudan a place on the Human Rights Commission (other members: Zimbabwe, Congo, Cuba, Saudi Arabia) — the real question ought to be not why John Bolton isn’t sentimental about the United Nations, but rather why Democrats are.

If you really want to know why the Democrats are against John Bolton as our UN Ambassador, you need only read his chapter in the Cato Institute’s 1997 publication, Delusions of Grandeur:

Even worse, Clinton took office believing that U.S. foreign policy could largely be run through the UN system. Indeed, in many respects, he and his advisers longed to make the conduct of American foreign policy subordinate to the UN, so uncomfortable were they with the unashamed, unembarrassed American leadership exercised by Presidents Reagan and Bush.

The Carter foreign policy team reemerged from hibernation, after 12 years of failing to learn from their own mistakes. Having given away the Panama Canal, been paralyzed by the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, been driven to their knees by the Communist-led Sandinista revolution in Nicaragua, been humiliated by the Iranian kidnapping of our diplomats in Teheran, and sabotaged our national defense readiness by inattention and ineptness, the Carter team came back for another turn at the plate.

During Clinton’s second term, Bolton had the temerity to chastise not only the Democrat currently in office, but the darling of despots around the world, Jimmy Carter. The only thing he could have done to make them madder would be to insult Hillary.

No arguing with his assessment. Simply describe the man as “troublesome.”

People vs. the Pros

Filed under: Golf — Bunker @ 7:41 am

The Golf Course Superintendents Association of America and The Golf Society promote and sponsor a special event called People vs. Pros, and this will be the third year. The final will be played at Barton Creek Resort outside Austin. Amateurs compete for the final two spots–one for seniors (over 50) and another for the younger crowd. The oldster will compete head-to-head against Ben Crenshaw, and the younger against Justin Leonard.

Needless to say, I signed up. On some days I putt as well as Ben. The rest of my games sucks on those days, which keeps me humble.

I also have added a link to the GCSAA in my sidebar. There is some terrific information there for all golfers, and some that will help those of you who maintain any kind of sports field. Much of it will help you keep your yard in top shape, as well.

Rishon Rishon

Filed under: General — Bunker @ 5:37 am

David always has interesting pieces of information on his religion, and much of it is of historical significance to Christians. This is a wonderful post on unleavened bread and Passover.

April 21, 2005

Federal Election Commission Rulemakings

Filed under: Government — Bunker @ 8:59 am

It has been more than two weeks, and my comments still don’t appear on the Federal Election Commission Rulemakings we site.

Perhaps they didn’t like what I had to say.

Texas Trifles

Filed under: General — Bunker @ 7:21 am

Pattie had a blogging friend from the Great Northwest visit her to see what Texas was all about. As one of the characters in Streets of Laredo noted, everything in Texas is sharp.

Should have checked for stickers first, cause my knee became a human pincushion. Spent a few minutes sopping up the blood and transfering the stickers from my knee to my fingers to my thumbs and back to my knee, all the while trying to keep my camera from banging into the ground and balancing on one foot. They don’t call ’em “stickers” for nothin’, hun.

Nice tale.

Give me your money

Filed under: Education — Bunker @ 5:32 am

Here we go again. The NEA is using member dues to sue the new Secretary of Education.

Leading the fight is the National Education Association, a union of 2.7 million members and a political adversary of the administration. The union mobilized its forces for Democrat John Kerry in the 2004 presidential race, and its objections to Bush’s law prompted former Education Secretary Rod Paige to call the NEA a “terrorist organization.”

What has their collective panties in a wad?

The lawsuit accuses the government of shortchanging schools by at least $27 billion, the difference between the amount Congress authorized and what it has spent.

You knew it had to be money.

I don’t think the Federal Government has any authority to be involved in education. That sentence will draw cheers from NEA activists. What won’t, though, is that the Federal Government has no authority to disburse taxpayer money to schools. What the NEA want, as do administrators across the country, is the money without the requirements. They want the Feds involved in education, but only want them involved to give schools money, not to set standards. And if Congress approves money to be portioned out, they expect the Department of Education to spend every single penny–and ask for more.

Ah, but don’t set any standards or levy any requirements in exchange for that money. They don’t like standards. Like all unions, their primary purpose is to protect the incompetent members of that union. Never mind that they fail to recognize those who do well. In fact, those who excel are looked upon as troublemakers–they show up the bad ones and make it more difficult for them to hide.

Money, money, money. What have our schools done with the money we’ve given them? They’ve gotten worse. Money is not the solution.

There is a way for the schools to not have to comply with Federal standards, and it is a simple thing to do. It requires no law suit. Simply refuse to accept Federal money, and you don’t have to comply with Federal mandate.

Right. Like that would happen.

April 20, 2005

Spitting

Filed under: Society-Culture — Bunker @ 2:24 pm

Not the most mature of responses, but perhaps appropriate in this case.

Years ago someone spat on me in San Francisco’s airport. I was in uniform. My immediate thoughts were, “If I nail this guy, I’ll end up in jail in his town.” I simply wiped it off and went on about my business.

« Newer PostsOlder Posts »

Powered by WordPress