Category Archives: Audio/Visual

MICHAEL BUCK HAS NAILED IT

A thirty-one seconds of video, and not one second wasted. Buck is running for the Senate seat in Colorado and in this short commercial he explains exactly why the Democrats are getting pummeled.

OBAMACARE IS WORKING AS PLANNED

In Connecticut, Aetna Insurance petitioned the State regulators to allow a 24.7% rate increase to cover the increased cost of providing coverage under Obamacare. They were granted a 14.2% increase for large group plans and an 18% increase for small group plans. Similar rate hikes are being granted in other states. Facing this magnitude of cost increase several companies have announced they will no longer be providing health coverage for their workers. These employees will end up on the government plan by default. This is Obamacare working as planned.

The squeeze is on. Insurers need to raise prices for survival, employers need to control costs to remain internationally competitive. The pragmatic solution for business is to default to single payer government coverage. For insurance companies the path to survival is to diversify away from providing health care coverage. In time, at the end of the struggle the government plan will be the only man left standing. Pelosi, et al, knew this consequence was built into the bill. Whatever else was there didn’t much matter.

THE BANJER MAN

BATTLE HYMN OF THE REPUBLIC

This hymn was born dur­ing the Amer­i­can ci­vil war, when Julia Ward Howe vis­it­ed a Un­ion Ar­my camp on the Po­to­mac Riv­er near Wash­ing­ton, D. C. She heard the sol­diers sing­ing the song “John Brown’s Body,” and was tak­en with the strong march­ing beat. The next day she wrote the words to the Battle Hymn of the Republic.

A BAND OF GYPSIES

_ _ _ HALASZBASTYA _ _ _ The Fisherman's Bastion

Budapest is without a doubt, one of the most beautiful cities in all of Europe. Its magnificence is best experienced at night, either from the Chain Bridge or better still, from a boat gliding along the River Donau that separates Buda from Pest. We call the river the Danube. The great Buda Castle dominates the evening sky, sitting fully lit up and high on a hill on the east bank. In the daytime your attention is drawn to the Parliament building across the river in Pest.  It’s impressive size and intricate baroque architecture calls out for you to come and explore.

No city in Europe is richer in history than Buda and Pest, two cities that became one in 1873. To study its past is to read of the Magyars, Ottomans and even the Celts. The language is a difficult one to learn and closer to Finnish than to any nearby Slavic tongue. Nestled between Transylvania and Bohemia, Hungary is as much the land of Gypsies as is Romania.

Turn up the sound, fill up the screen and listen to this zesty performance by the Budapest Gypsy Symphony Orchestra.


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MARTIN LUTHER KING

Today we honor Martin Luther King. He was the right man at the right time. His death was a tragedy; his birth was a blessing; he earned he birthday we celebrate each spring. Today we remember him on the 45th anniversary of his “I have a dream” speech given on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.

His dream was of a color blind America where a man would be judged by his character, not the color of his skin. We had come a long way toward fulfillment, and then progress was slowed to a crawl by the two opportunistic perpetuaters, Jackson and Sharpton. But the real spoiler of King’s dream is Barack Obama.

If by some turn of events, Colin Powell were seated at the White House, and not Barack Obama, this country would not be experiencing the current growth in the racial divide.

I was 23 years old in 1965, white and living in the North but I remember segregation very well. I do hope you will take the time to watch and listen to Martin Luther King and “I have a dream”.

Bob B

NATIONAL ANTHEM BANNED IN NATIONAL PARKS

The Lincoln Memorial is in the news again. We are reminded of an incident that took place on its steps in June. A group of high school students from Georgia were on a tour of all the Washington D.C. memorials. As they stood in awe below that towering statue of Abraham Lincoln one of them spontaneously started to sing the National Anthem. Others joined in. It promised to be one of those special moments, a delightful mix of lack of talent and love of land.

But the government stopped it immediately. One participant said they had hardly finished the second bar when a National Park Service officer stepped forth and declared “demonstrations” are not allowed. But there were no signs; there was no “demonstration”. The officer said “The grounds must remain neutral”. Neutral? Showing pride in our country is not allowed in National Parks?

A rustling went through the small group of youngsters – this is America – why can’t we sing? – I can’t believe this. Then, once again they broke into spontaneous song. Only this time they sang the anthem through to the end.

Dear friends, there is hope for America. In fact, with youth like these, there is more than hope. There is assurance. Here is the inspiring video.

ALINSKY RULE PREVAILS AT THE MOSQUE

Rules for Radicals Tactical Rule #4 “Make the enemy live up to their own book of rules. You can kill them with this, for they can no more obey their own rules than the Christian church can live up to Christianity.”

Obviously, our rule in this instance is freedom of religion.

In Act II of his plan, Alinsky also states the job of a community organizer is to agitate. He says flat-out in the book, – a good community organizer is a community agitator. Get the people riled up, then, use the turmoil to your advantage.

RAUF, THE IMAM OF THE MOSQUE

Certainly, the Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf is no follower of Saul Alinsky. He doesn’t need to be in order to know and employ the principles and tactics. Alinsky didn’t invent them; he simply put them together in clear and cohesive form. Knowledge of Alinsky’s teachings gives an observer great insight into the motivation behind the actions of anyone who strives to change our government or our way of life.

The Imam has chosen controversy. He has no interest in pleasing the crowd. He wants to stir up the crowd. He seeks a victory for Islam and there can be no victory if there is no battle to be fought. Appeals to his “sensitivity” are naïve in the extreme, almost silly. Lower Manhattan is not a haven of Muslims; it is a symbol of free market America. Building a 100 million dollar monumental Mosque in that location, rather than close to a Muslim population, makes no religious sense at all. But as we have said before, it is a brilliant move for the advancement of Islam.

NOTE: We had this article written, all but the editing, when we discovered the video by U.K. personality Pat Condell. We are not a fan of the man but must give the devil his due. So often it seems, those on the outside looking in have a clearer view than those who are within.

HOLLYWOOD IN THE GOOD OLD DAYS