Now, in contrast to the current clown show and Keystone Kops spectacle presented to us as political and cultural leadership, OS wishes to share this moment of beauty with you.
Some of the greatest trombonists of the world (the butt of sooooo many jokes by the literati) have collaborated to create this moving piece of art--in both music and images. You'll hear the trombone sections of the New York Philharmonic, Berlin Philharmonic, Concertgebouw, artists such as Ian Bousfield and Jiggs Whiggam, each contributing their individual voices to this piece. The piece is beautiful, the performances are glorious.
It brings tears to the eyes, and reminds us of our better angels.
Please enjoy, and share with your friends if it moves you.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Gates Of Vienna: Why We Fight Reason #4558
The authors of Gates of Vienna have been conducting their lonely war against the encroachment of Islam upon the West, recognizing that our survival is at stake, that their intentions toward us are not at all benign.
Today's post, linked above, is a jewel. It reminds us all, each engaged in little bit of The War For The West, of why it matters that we get up every morning, and do what we do in our worlds.
Even if, by some miracle, militant Islam were to evaporate from the face of the earth by lunchtime today, we still face massive challenges flowing from the erosion of our culture from within. OS believes that had we been paying attention all along, and not stood by while the ground eroded from under our feet, that bad actors like Islamists, Chavistas, various Fascists, President Teleprompter and the left side of the Democrat Party (who will rescue TheWeiner, by the way) would not have smelled blood in the water and circled 'round.
So, enjoy the link. Lace up 'yer boots. It's another day.
Today's post, linked above, is a jewel. It reminds us all, each engaged in little bit of The War For The West, of why it matters that we get up every morning, and do what we do in our worlds.
Even if, by some miracle, militant Islam were to evaporate from the face of the earth by lunchtime today, we still face massive challenges flowing from the erosion of our culture from within. OS believes that had we been paying attention all along, and not stood by while the ground eroded from under our feet, that bad actors like Islamists, Chavistas, various Fascists, President Teleprompter and the left side of the Democrat Party (who will rescue TheWeiner, by the way) would not have smelled blood in the water and circled 'round.
So, enjoy the link. Lace up 'yer boots. It's another day.
If TheWeiner's Lips Are Moving, He's Lying
This exchange from a few days ago is just breathtaking--the dodge, the weave, then lecture of the reporter for asking a question, another dodge, another weave, proclaiming himself the innocent victim of a hoax, lecture the reporter on his ethics for even asking a question. On and on it went, one lie layered upon another, charmingly urbane, reasonable-sounding, lie upon lie. This is a sociopath absolutely on his game.
Damn! That Was QUICK! Austan (It's Just A Bump In The Road) Goolsbee Resigns As Obama's Economic Advisor
From NPR:
The White House says Austan Goolsbee, a longtime adviser to President Obama, will resign his post as the chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers this summer to return to teaching at the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business.
Goolsbee has been the face of the White House on economic news, and is a regular every first Friday of the month explaining the administration's take on the latest jobless numbers.
Goolsbee served on the three-member economic council since the start of the administration. He advised Obama during his 2004 Senate race and was senior economic policy adviser during the 2008 presidential campaign.
He took over last September as council chairman, replacing Christina Romer, who left to return to a teaching position at the University of California, Berkley.
Lessee...(September, Octob..November--counting on fingers...)
Damn, Bubbah! Ten months! That's after Christina Romer went scurrying back to the safety of Academia after her successful turn in the post. Every Friday, as the job numbers came out that screamed THIS SUCKS!!, she'd waddle herself out in front of the cameras and claim that everything was working out just fine and things suck because George Bush and how dare anyone question our wisdom, yadda-yadda-yadda.
Ten months, ya'll. But, given his years of service to Himself, the stain on his reputation will remain with him for a loooong time. That dean's chair may just remain elusively beyond his grip. Forget getting past the university board for that provost job, bubbah, it's gone. Those guys know how to do math, even if you refuse to.
No recession here, move on, nothing to see here...
It will be interesting to see who the nextsucker advisor will be.
Anthony Weiner may be looking for work in the next few days, know-whud-I-mean?
The White House says Austan Goolsbee, a longtime adviser to President Obama, will resign his post as the chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers this summer to return to teaching at the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business.
Goolsbee has been the face of the White House on economic news, and is a regular every first Friday of the month explaining the administration's take on the latest jobless numbers.
Goolsbee served on the three-member economic council since the start of the administration. He advised Obama during his 2004 Senate race and was senior economic policy adviser during the 2008 presidential campaign.
He took over last September as council chairman, replacing Christina Romer, who left to return to a teaching position at the University of California, Berkley.
Lessee...(September, Octob..November--counting on fingers...)
Damn, Bubbah! Ten months! That's after Christina Romer went scurrying back to the safety of Academia after her successful turn in the post. Every Friday, as the job numbers came out that screamed THIS SUCKS!!, she'd waddle herself out in front of the cameras and claim that everything was working out just fine and things suck because George Bush and how dare anyone question our wisdom, yadda-yadda-yadda.
Ten months, ya'll. But, given his years of service to Himself, the stain on his reputation will remain with him for a loooong time. That dean's chair may just remain elusively beyond his grip. Forget getting past the university board for that provost job, bubbah, it's gone. Those guys know how to do math, even if you refuse to.
No recession here, move on, nothing to see here...
It will be interesting to see who the next
Anthony Weiner may be looking for work in the next few days, know-whud-I-mean?
Rep. Anthony Weiner Weeps In Public For Being Exposed As Perv And Serial Liar
This is the contrite Anthony Weiner, weeping for the cameras because he got caught being a creep, and lying repeatedly about it.
He's sooooooo sorry about it all, but of course, there's no thought of resignation. That's what Republicans do when they get caught doing creepy behavior. The rules are different for the Left; for the Barney Franks, Bill Clintons, John Edwards(what if he had been elected President or Vice-President? Does anyone ever ponder that quandry? At least, Spiro Agnew resigned over his previous sins.)
Then there's AlGore... And let us not forget Teddy Kennedy, or John Kennedy, for that matter. The rules are different for the Left.
So, out of curiosity, OS decided to stroll down memory lane, to view TheWeiner in action, TheWeiner unplugged. TheRealWeiner, with his Weinerness on display for all to enjoy. Lil' Anthony, treating us to The Full Weiner.
Here's TheWeiner going postal in frustration because the GOP controls the House, and won't let themselves be rolled on a spending bill:
Ahh, the joys of adult conversation on the floor of the House!
And another, in which TheWeiner burns up two minutes of floor time to ridicule the majority for having the obvious wisdom of attemtping to put National Palestinian Radio out of our misery.
Ever wonder how much money we burn per minute when the House is in session?
What a guy!
And here's the best bit of all: Anthony Weiner, Champion Of Women's Interests. Stay with this one through about 1:25 if you can, where he asserts that 'Some rape is more desirable in the eyes of the sponsor than others'...It gets, well, randier and more insulting after that.
WeinerGate should really come as no surprise--the posting of a picture of his Weinerness in a state of arousal to a woman with whom he is flirting is really par for the course for any person with this level of arrogance and total absence of basic judgement. The common thread isn't the perv sex, or even the Leftist politics (Republicans get randy, too...Terry Sanford playing hooky in Argentina with his mistress does come to mind.)
It's the sheer arrogance, the utter lack of judicious consideration of possible consequences of behaviour, the folly, the stupidity. It's what one would expect of Billy-Bob living in his trailor in the back parts of Bedford County, cooking meth and impregnating his second cousins. Billy-Bob creates a lot of chaos, but it's usually localized. These people pass laws, impose taxes, start wars, put the country into impossible levels of debt, and eviscerate anyone who dare raise a hand in objection.
TheWeiner won't resign. Weiners like him never do. MizNancy had her legal eagles write out his faux-apology, and ordered him to make the contrition look convincing. He certainly did not step to that podium willingly. He had to do it now, lest the question continue to arise in 2012, stiffening the resolve of his opposition, arousing curiosity, emboldening the press to repeatedly raise probing questions. Sorry, just couldn't resist....
He should resign, though. Were he a Mensch, and not TheWeiner, he would resign, and stand for election for his seat again, either in the by-election, or in the 2012 general election. (Who knows, he might find himself contesting for the seat with a woman in opposition. Now, wouldn't that be interesting! He doesn't care to find out.)
But, he won't. He'll get away with it, in the end, because he can.
Because the rules are different for the Left. And Weiners.
He's sooooooo sorry about it all, but of course, there's no thought of resignation. That's what Republicans do when they get caught doing creepy behavior. The rules are different for the Left; for the Barney Franks, Bill Clintons, John Edwards(what if he had been elected President or Vice-President? Does anyone ever ponder that quandry? At least, Spiro Agnew resigned over his previous sins.)
Then there's AlGore... And let us not forget Teddy Kennedy, or John Kennedy, for that matter. The rules are different for the Left.
So, out of curiosity, OS decided to stroll down memory lane, to view TheWeiner in action, TheWeiner unplugged. TheRealWeiner, with his Weinerness on display for all to enjoy. Lil' Anthony, treating us to The Full Weiner.
Here's TheWeiner going postal in frustration because the GOP controls the House, and won't let themselves be rolled on a spending bill:
Ahh, the joys of adult conversation on the floor of the House!
And another, in which TheWeiner burns up two minutes of floor time to ridicule the majority for having the obvious wisdom of attemtping to put National Palestinian Radio out of our misery.
Ever wonder how much money we burn per minute when the House is in session?
What a guy!
And here's the best bit of all: Anthony Weiner, Champion Of Women's Interests. Stay with this one through about 1:25 if you can, where he asserts that 'Some rape is more desirable in the eyes of the sponsor than others'...It gets, well, randier and more insulting after that.
WeinerGate should really come as no surprise--the posting of a picture of his Weinerness in a state of arousal to a woman with whom he is flirting is really par for the course for any person with this level of arrogance and total absence of basic judgement. The common thread isn't the perv sex, or even the Leftist politics (Republicans get randy, too...Terry Sanford playing hooky in Argentina with his mistress does come to mind.)
It's the sheer arrogance, the utter lack of judicious consideration of possible consequences of behaviour, the folly, the stupidity. It's what one would expect of Billy-Bob living in his trailor in the back parts of Bedford County, cooking meth and impregnating his second cousins. Billy-Bob creates a lot of chaos, but it's usually localized. These people pass laws, impose taxes, start wars, put the country into impossible levels of debt, and eviscerate anyone who dare raise a hand in objection.
TheWeiner won't resign. Weiners like him never do. MizNancy had her legal eagles write out his faux-apology, and ordered him to make the contrition look convincing. He certainly did not step to that podium willingly. He had to do it now, lest the question continue to arise in 2012, stiffening the resolve of his opposition, arousing curiosity, emboldening the press to repeatedly raise probing questions. Sorry, just couldn't resist....
He should resign, though. Were he a Mensch, and not TheWeiner, he would resign, and stand for election for his seat again, either in the by-election, or in the 2012 general election. (Who knows, he might find himself contesting for the seat with a woman in opposition. Now, wouldn't that be interesting! He doesn't care to find out.)
But, he won't. He'll get away with it, in the end, because he can.
Because the rules are different for the Left. And Weiners.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Guilt, Forgiveness, And Clint Eastwood: Gran Torino
OS surfed through channels last night, wasn't really paying attention, and landed on TNT's broadcast of Clint Eastwood's Gran Torino. He was expecting, perhaps, an octogenarian 'Dirty Harry' sort of experience...and was dead wrong.
Eastwood's portrayal of the protagonist Walt draws both chuckles and tears, scene by scene, and this old man you love to hate becomes the man you can't help but love.
It's difficult to write in detail without betraying the story. But in a world that spews out 'entertainment' like Hangover, this is a refreshing contrast. OS will allow, however, that this is the most Christian movie he has seen in many a year.
Gran Torino
Eastwood's portrayal of the protagonist Walt draws both chuckles and tears, scene by scene, and this old man you love to hate becomes the man you can't help but love.
It's difficult to write in detail without betraying the story. But in a world that spews out 'entertainment' like Hangover, this is a refreshing contrast. OS will allow, however, that this is the most Christian movie he has seen in many a year.
Gran Torino
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Friday, June 3, 2011
Austan Goolsbee Thinks We've Just Hit Some Headwinds, A Bump In The Road--No Worries, Mate
Really, OS can't make this stuff up. Every time Miss Liu asks him a particularly pointed question, he begins to freestyle, heading off the next question by never shutting up. It's a standard Democrat tactic: Talk-talk-talk-talk-talk-change-the-subject-blame-someone-or-something-else-talk-talk-talk-talk...until the listener has forgotten the question, and has long ago stopped listening.
OS invites his readers, if they can bear it, to listen. This is the man giving the President financial advice for the nation.
OS invites his readers, if they can bear it, to listen. This is the man giving the President financial advice for the nation.
And The Serious Lunacy Spreads To Yemen
It's all-out war, and life has fallen apart for all those folks caught in the middle.
Soon, the floods of refugees will head to...where?
OldSouth wishes to take this opportunity to remind his loyal band of readers:
No matter how ticked you are about the gubbermint, spilling blood is a bad idea. All of us, even the most 'civilized' of us, are capable of barbarity. Once that barbarity is unleashed, events go out of control, and it takes decades to pull life back together. The American Revolution was as much a civil war as it was a war against Great Britain, and there are Canadian families that still pass down deeds through their generations to lands lost by force to the American rebels. It took until well into the 1790's to get things back on track. Need we go over what we did to one another in 1861-1865, and how long it took to put things back together after that?
So, for all you fringe types, stocking guns and loading your own for some great day in which you think shedding 'their' blood will set things right, take a deep breath and ask yourselves if you want to see what has happened in so many places, so many times, to happen here.
Soon, the floods of refugees will head to...where?
OldSouth wishes to take this opportunity to remind his loyal band of readers:
No matter how ticked you are about the gubbermint, spilling blood is a bad idea. All of us, even the most 'civilized' of us, are capable of barbarity. Once that barbarity is unleashed, events go out of control, and it takes decades to pull life back together. The American Revolution was as much a civil war as it was a war against Great Britain, and there are Canadian families that still pass down deeds through their generations to lands lost by force to the American rebels. It took until well into the 1790's to get things back on track. Need we go over what we did to one another in 1861-1865, and how long it took to put things back together after that?
So, for all you fringe types, stocking guns and loading your own for some great day in which you think shedding 'their' blood will set things right, take a deep breath and ask yourselves if you want to see what has happened in so many places, so many times, to happen here.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Alameda Police And Fire Department Refuse To Assist A Drowning Man, Claiming It Would 'Violate Policy'
From NPR, of all places...
Residents of Alameda, Calif., an island city just east of San Francisco, are demanding answers after a man drowned at a city beach in full view of police and fire personnel.
Witnesses say an apparently distraught Raymond Zack, 53, paced back and forth along the beach just before noon on Memorial Day. He then waded into the frigid San Francisco Bay.
Zack stood about 50 yards offshore in neck-deep water for about an hour before his head disappeared below the water. Police and firefighters who had responded to a 911 call about the suicide attempt stood onshore watching and making no attempt to rescue or even contact Zack.
Interim Alameda Fire Chief Mike D'Orazi said a 2009 policy forbids firefighters from trying to rescue people in the water.
"Previously we had a very highly trained water-rescue program that we could use for both shore-based and boat-and-surf water rescue," he said. "But unfortunately, over the course of several years based on what I gather on budget issues, they pretty much decertified the program."
A police spokesman said officers didn't help because they feared Zack might become violent.
The Alameda City Council got an earful from incredulous residents at a meeting Tuesday night.
"This just strikes me as not just a problem of funding, but a problem with the culture of what's going on in our city," Adam Gillit said. "That no one would take the time to help this drowning man."
Adding to the outrage was the fact that even after the tide brought Zack's dead body back near the beach, an unidentified passerby had to swim out and pull him ashore.
Alameda Mayor Marie Gilmore said the city will immediately implement a new policy allowing an on-scene commander to decide how to respond to water distress calls.
"This is a really tragic incident. We can't go back and change what happened. We can't defend what happened," she said. "What we can do is move forward and make sure something like this doesn't happen again."
Gilmore also said the city council would restore funds for training in such emergencies. Thus far, 16 firefighters have volunteered.
No one was fired, apparently. In fact, more money will flow in the direction of the same fire department that let this troubled man die.
This is not a logistics failure, this was a massive moral failure, a complete lack of conscience in evidence.
No one will be fired. No one will be demoted, No one will be prosecuted. The police and fire chiefs will just shrug their shoulders and move along, because they can. There is no one to hold them to account, apparently.
Residents of Alameda, Calif., an island city just east of San Francisco, are demanding answers after a man drowned at a city beach in full view of police and fire personnel.
Witnesses say an apparently distraught Raymond Zack, 53, paced back and forth along the beach just before noon on Memorial Day. He then waded into the frigid San Francisco Bay.
Zack stood about 50 yards offshore in neck-deep water for about an hour before his head disappeared below the water. Police and firefighters who had responded to a 911 call about the suicide attempt stood onshore watching and making no attempt to rescue or even contact Zack.
Interim Alameda Fire Chief Mike D'Orazi said a 2009 policy forbids firefighters from trying to rescue people in the water.
"Previously we had a very highly trained water-rescue program that we could use for both shore-based and boat-and-surf water rescue," he said. "But unfortunately, over the course of several years based on what I gather on budget issues, they pretty much decertified the program."
A police spokesman said officers didn't help because they feared Zack might become violent.
The Alameda City Council got an earful from incredulous residents at a meeting Tuesday night.
"This just strikes me as not just a problem of funding, but a problem with the culture of what's going on in our city," Adam Gillit said. "That no one would take the time to help this drowning man."
Adding to the outrage was the fact that even after the tide brought Zack's dead body back near the beach, an unidentified passerby had to swim out and pull him ashore.
Alameda Mayor Marie Gilmore said the city will immediately implement a new policy allowing an on-scene commander to decide how to respond to water distress calls.
"This is a really tragic incident. We can't go back and change what happened. We can't defend what happened," she said. "What we can do is move forward and make sure something like this doesn't happen again."
Gilmore also said the city council would restore funds for training in such emergencies. Thus far, 16 firefighters have volunteered.
No one was fired, apparently. In fact, more money will flow in the direction of the same fire department that let this troubled man die.
This is not a logistics failure, this was a massive moral failure, a complete lack of conscience in evidence.
No one will be fired. No one will be demoted, No one will be prosecuted. The police and fire chiefs will just shrug their shoulders and move along, because they can. There is no one to hold them to account, apparently.
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