President Obama

General McChrystal Out – General Petraeus In

Congrats Patraeus! Now I think we might just have a shot of serious impact!

I agree with South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham -the switch of hands of Commanding Officer  in Afghanistan is the perfect time to reevaluate our strategy in AfPak and ’start over’.

We all know we won’t ever ‘win’ this war – this isn’t even a war really anymore. This is just an endless battle. If it were really a war -it would insinuate there could realistically and viably be a side that wins.

But in this fight – no side does. The Taliban and Al Qaeda extremist are never going to wipe us all out…and the USA is never going to wipe them all out.

It’s an idealistic strategy that doesn’t even rank in worthiness for the time to do the probable/possible test. It’s quite clear to see the answer anyway.

But – if we are going to pretend this is war – and we are going to have US Military engaged in battle overseas- now more than ever, we need to give a Serious Sustainable Kick in the Butt to these terrorists!!

Now more so than ever  - McChrystal doing the fine job of making some of the top  US  leaders & US Government look even more like a bunch of jokes (more so than what maybe we all have our personal opinions on anyway). We are now even more the laughing stock to the Taliban and Al Qaeda members…I can only imagine how long and how loud they were laughing when they heard McChrystal’s daring words.

At this point it is crucial, McChrystal’s stupidity or not. It’s been 9 years now and we haven’t made really an ounce of progress. We can’t keep doing this as we approach our 10th year at war. We need to send Petraeus overseas with a serious and dynamite blow-you-up plan to really shake these Taliban out of their hiding cells!!!

He needs to arrive with explosive umph and such power, that the fear we are trying to put upon these terrorists actually works for a change – and not only works – but works instantly – completely taking them off guard!

His presence needs to shake the ground so hard they fall to their feet and say ‘uncle’. He needs to whip massive transformation across the remote training camps, hiding villages and roadside bombs and stop at nothing – going full force 24/7- until our US military is actually the dominant fighter -not the tail chaser we have been for 9 years (not their fault, they are following orders).  General Petraeus needs to do a complete 180 of how things are done there if he wants to bring himself and our soldiers home alive, early and victorious.

We now have an open window of opportunity to seriously shake things up & make significant progress – as our soldiers will be lead by one of the best. So we should take complete advantage of this in every way we can. If anyone can do this – General David Petraeus can! But don’t send Petraeus over without a new strategy, without a new plan. It’s pointless if you do.

Maybe McCrystal committed professional suicide for a reason. Maybe this is a blessing in disguise.

He obviously did this purposefully. No one of his experience, age, stature, ranking is that stupid to make mistake after mistake after mistake in what you say to a magazine reporter. It was too instant and too easy for it to be a mistake. To me, this was akin to having drinks with Bin Laden himself. Mocking the US to the enemy.  No General is that careless – drinks or no drinks.

Makes ya wonder if McChrystal’s a double agent. Not too far fetched — there was so much disloyalty not only to those specific individuals he mocked, but to the US in general, to the US Military in general. I wonder if he realizes the actual reprecussion his words had in more ways than one.

Either way, McChrystal, Petraeus, Snoopy – this is AfPak fight is still what I call an mission impossible – and it really doesn’t make a difference who is Commanding General.

President Obama

Obama Administration’s “Quick Fix” Strategic Plan

On whitehouse.gov you always see 4 featured stories with photos on the home page at the top.

For the past week, “Wall Street Reform” dropped to the 4th picture & story. They normally go in order of occurance: Pic #1 reflects the most current happening, Picture/Story #4 is the least current update.

This week, “Wall Street Reform” is miraculously back to Picture/Story #2.

Why? Did someone all of a sudden create a new calendar just for the White House. Days of the week can rehappen again out of order?

No.

To give you the obvious answer (without me even talking to anyone in the White House), all you have to do is take a look at what the picture and story featured before it is (Picture/Story #1)

As of today, Monday, June 14th, they have updated Picture/Story #1 to reflect Obama in the Gulf region because of the Deepwater Horizon BP Oil diaster…appropriately, as that is where he will be for 2 days, until Tuesday when he returns and gives his first Address to the Nation about the status of this mess.

It’s a great strategic counter measure.

Critics say he has been weak and delayed in responding to the Gulf Deepwater Horizon Oil diaster. There are some truths to what many say, but there are more outrageous stretches of truths and lies, as you would expect. Either way, he has no success of yet to report, this is a work in progress (Pic #1).

It only makes sense then to boast and show off his great milestone/success of Wall Street Reform (Pic #2).

In other words: quickly remind American citizens he is still in charge, still a leader, and has already made tremendous progress on many tough, deeply entrenched topics, even if everyone doesn’t think he is leading this ‘worst US environmental disaster ever’ too well.

Clever…gotta give them that.  It only took me 3 seconds to figure it out.

President Obama

A Mosque at Ground Zero – NOT IN MY AMERICA!

If you are looking for a way to create an entire new level of absolute extreme hatred amongst the citizens of the USA against Muslim’s, then this is what you should build.

And if you are looking for a way to significantly insult Americans – NYers especially – and all those individuals that lost people in the towers – that now are referred to as Ground Zero, than this is what you should definitely build.

And if you are looking at a way to laugh at and mock- with the absolute cruelest undertone – the tragedy that occurred at this location on 9/11, then this is what you should build.

ABSOLUTELY NOT IN MY AMERICA!

Who is ready to join me in the largest petition that will circulate in the USA against this?

This is absolutely and unequivocally the largest amount of insult to injury any one person, group or business can do to NYers and to Americans!!!

I read this and enfuriation was all over me. And I wasn’t in NYC or DC on 9/11 and I didn’t loose anyone in this tragic event. I know people that did, but this isn’t even personal for me – so I can’t even imagine the hurt and outrage this is causing the people that lost loved ones that day or even reside in NYC.

If you think there is hatred in the world now against muslims – build this and you will see this hatred quantify overnight in mass numbers followed by enormous future killings and most likely worse atrocities.

I can not fathom the mindset of the backassward, ridiculous Cordoba Initiative leaders… that thought out of all the places in the USA  they should build a new mosque, the best place that came to mind was in NY, and it should definitely be in NYC, and better yet, not only in NYC, but at Ground Zero!!

Well, heck – why stop there? I mean, if you are going to build this – why not make part of it a mock Afghanistan terrorist training camp too? The 14th floor would be perfect for this – ya know – rooftop view, rooftop space, safe from flying bullets hitting people….etc.   It could truly be a ‘one-stop-shop where you meet all muslim (potential terrorists) needs’.

*Author’s note: I am fully aware not all muslim’s are terrorists, and I am not against all muslims – but the true fact is – they start by going to prayer at mosques -hint hint

Where is the Government when you (rarely, but) really need them?

How can this even be approved by any NYC building commissioner that has a heart and a conscious? How come the NYC commissioner, the NYC Mayor, the NY Governor and at this point, the President of the USA can not step in and say:

“ABSOLUTELY NOT!”

“NOT IN MY STATE!”  ”NOT IN MY CITY!”  ”NOT IN MY AMERICA”

This not just a piece of NY property.

This is exactly what today’s (Sunday, June 6 in Manhattan) protest organizer and conservative blogger Pamela Geller declared it: “a war memorial and a burial site”.

I don’t care what party you are – this is American Values backed protesting— not typical Democrat/Republican spats – and she is absolutely right!

This land is sacred and should only be earmarked for either a memorial dedicated to honoring those lost on 9/11 at this location, or a building of some type that doesn’t even remotely hint of anything religious.

At this point, McD’s would be better & more welcomed at Ground Zero than a mosque for muslims at Ground Zero!! (so long as this McD’s started serving healthier food GRIN

My gosh – this has to be a bad joke! Could there even be a hint of political agenda from the Govy for this?

This, the same time they want to put the exact muslim terrorists that outwardly boast they committed the 9/11 attacks on trial – right in NYC. Does this not add fuel to the fire to NYers, to Americans, to the victims of 9/11?  Are people/govy trying to turn one of the greatest cities of the USA into a mockery?

Background of 13 Story Center – To June 2010

This is a collaboration between the American Society for Muslim Advancement and the Cordoba Initiative. The Cordoba Initiative aims to improve relations between the Muslims and the West.

Daisy Khan of the ASMA told CNN’s Joy Behar on June 6th – that it “is a center that has a place for prayer in it.” It also will have a swimming pool, cultural arts area, etc.

Talk about tiptoeing around the truth!!!!!

I don’t curse – but this is one time worthy: “BS!!!!”

Its a mosque. A mosque is a mosque is a mosque – whether you put a swimming pool next to it or not.

I am a former investigator and this is what we call a “1/2 lie”. Half of it is true and 1/2 of it is not. It’s the latter part we then go further investigating.

Wake Up Call

This is NOT the place (location)  you try to make your point ‘that all muslim’s are not terrorists.’ Do that on a friggin blog!

If they build this – I imagine it might be the last thing they ever build in America and in supporting allied countries. This is unbelievable poor taste – truly despicable actually!

The President of the United States should immediately step in. Obama should swiftly issue an Executive Order declaring:

“Ground Zero is an area that is sacred ground – a war memorial and burial site. All potential developers/builders that desire to build there must go through a much more rigorous process to have any structure approved. This will include answering to all local, state, and federal authorities, due to the sensitivity of the location both for what occurred there in September 2001, and with regards to NYC being a high terrorist threat city.  They also will be required to have a much longer wait time for approval – so as to allow adequate time for the accurate assessment of public acceptance of any potential building/structure. This ‘adequate assessment time’ will last for at least one year, if not longer, should their be a significant divide amongst citizens of any kind. The ideal structure will be productive to the city of and citizens of NYC, and not in ANY way be offensive to any one person or group, be it race, religion or sex.”

There – I wrote it for Obama – so someone in DC/VA reading this – can you please rush this to him so he can have signatures on it by end of tomorrow?!

In the meantime, all those involved with forwarding this structure being built, I highly suggest you all get body guards – I can only presume many (but not me) will be coming after you for years!

I just wonder how you can look at yourself in the mirror every day. The chaos you will cause and the blood that will shed because of this mosque ‘center’ you want to build so greedily and thoughtlessly will make your shiny mirror quite messy.

President Obama

Not One Peep from the U.S. on Israeli Water Attack

This is shameful!

Israeli soldiers wrongfully attacked a Turkish- backed aid flotilla en route to Gaza to provide supplies for the Palestinians.

It’s been 2 days now, and still,  President Obama hasn’t said a word.

Nothing even on the whitehouse.gov website.

But they are sure to be posting all about the BP Oil Spill on that website. There are  2 separate blogs devoted to it today alone.

What is going on with your priorities, Mr President? They have gone quite askew over the past few months. Politics is intertwined in oil, obviously, but my gosh -this is Israeli’s and Palestinians we are talking about!

Unless you take some stance within the next 12 hours, you can pretty much kiss your plans for a Palestinian/Israel negotiation ever. This is huge -and I am astonished it hasn’t phased you enough to say one thing on this!

You know of this news -so what in your mind says: “I shouldn’t say anything on this.”

I can’t believe the US is not standing behind Turkey and identifying this one isolated incident by Israel was just plain wrong!

It’s one thing to defend and stand by a country. It’s another to defend it to the point where you won’t admit when they commit acts of murder on others!

Obama -you can’t hide behind the BP oil spill – no matter how black and thick it is.

Get some backbone and challenge Israel on this and show the world that you aren’t biased to right and wrong no matter who our allies are.

I am mortified my president has not represented America’s stance on this!

Obama -me and the rest of the world wants to know why you haven’t said one peep about this!

President Obama

Part of the Solution to Unemployment

Simple.

Raise the age you can apply for government jobs.

Currently for almost every government job in the US – including Coast Guard, Air Force, etc – it is 37.

I think it’s time we update that a bit to reflect our population living longer lives and our willingness to work longer years (many work past 65 these days).

There were 36,000 more job losses in February in the USA. The numbers are still very high. It’s going to be a while until we see them drop down to single digit thousands, let alone only hundreds.

If Obama issued an Executive Order effective in April 2010 that all US Government Jobs age max entry date was upped to 45, there would be floods of individuals that would be able to gain instant employment!

Both for non-clearance related jobs, and for those that still hold clearances from a few years ago (clearance is valid for 5 years). And then others with more skills and experience for future employment (due to the background checks necessary for clearances – of which they are already backlogged by millions).

37-45.

Think about how many people that taps into – just those 8 years!

I don’t even need statistics to know. Common sense tells me. This will tremendously help sooo many people have the opportunity to get a job and even start a career path they never thought they would be engaged in – but enjoy quite a bit.

He should give it a try and see what happens by the end of his first term – or if he gets fortunate, the end of his 2nd.  I bet those numbers would drop quite a bit each month – perhaps even down to hundreds by the end of the next decade.

I know many around my age (I am 40) – that wanted to do several different jobs for the US Gov’t, but because they were older than 37, they couldn’t apply.  BTW: the government has lots of jobs to apply for.

Hmmm – isn’t that age discrimination?

Businesses aren’t allowed to discriminate by age – so how come the government is?

The US Government is missing out on a lot of exceptional people and talent. Most of us reach some of our best intellectual and hard working years after the age of 35.

This is when we have gained a lot of experience, and have gone through other jobs and careers and are much more settled and finalized on what we really want to be engaged in for the rest of our working years. The majority of us have also surpassed the ’starting a family stage’ so there are less chances of family distractions or juggling of schedules.

Even if entry is at 45 yrs of age – they could still give you 20 years and retire at their ‘desired 65′ if they so choose, and get the benefit of pension. These days, I am sure they would stay 25 years and retire at 70 and set out to do some good charity work or something to give back to their world.

It baffles me how the government has gotten away with this age discrimination for so long – and no one has raised an issue – especially now -when unemployment is so high.

I am more surprised someone in the Adminstration hasn’t figured out this simple solution and it took me – someone with no experience in this unemployment field – to figure it out.

I am not boasting – just wondering where the intelligence is when they say the Adminstration is doing ‘every thing in it’s power to create jobs for the American people’.

How much money did we give in bailout money? How many jobs did that actually create? How many jobs did that save? How many jobs did that re-employ for those that lost their jobs before Obama took office and to current? Where are those numbers?

The only thing I know of that bailout money is that it kicked me in the butt as a taxpayer, and on situations I could care less about, it kept industries in tact that should have collapsed as part of their lesson learned -because they knew all along what they were doing, and it kept executives getting top dollar salaries and bonuses.

If the government handed out the same billions it allocated to the bailout to all the people that lost their jobs and are continuing to do so daily, everyone would be fine for another year or so until the economy could pick up, because the bailout hasn’t helped or sped up the economy recovery at all. It only helped some greedy connected people.

Obama cancels his Indonesia/Australia trip for healthcare. What does he cancel to make sure that people can have food on their table tomorrow?

He is taking the time to travel to those places because their economy is strong – and he wants to establish stronger relations on how we can work with them better. But that won’t be for a while.

Instead, he should be staying home and fixing the problem that is here in America, that needs fixing for today and the next day and the day after that.

I just proved – it doesn’t even require a lot of thought or hard effort to fix. If I thought of this one simple thing – I am sure his savvy team with years of experience and knowledge combined can fix this quicker.

If Obama would spend as much time on unemployment as he does on healthcare, our numbers would have been down quite a bit already, and they would keep dropping. No one can afford healthcare at all – rates lower or higher – if they have no money coming in – think about it Obama!

You need to fix things in order. Fix the unemployment and you solve many many problems.

President Obama

1/2 and 1/2

This morning, U.S. General Stanley McChrystal gave an apology to Afghanistan for the recent loss of 27 civilians in the NATO airstrike on Sunday – the Afghan government claiming the act “unjustifiable”.

We just can’t win.

We are either killing or apologizing.

Why is America always apologizing to other nations for our actions when not ONE nation has apologized to the USA for any of theirs?

Does the Afghan government call McChrystal or President Obama when more than 5 soldiers are killed in one day trying to make their Afghan country stable, trying to eliminate the extreme corrupt Taliban in their country because they can’t seem to do it on their own?

What number will make it large enough for the Afghan government to do so? More than 12 troops? Atrocious. A life is a life. 1 or 27, all people that aren’t the bad people dying is a shame and it’s not right they died, but the amount lost should not determine if an apology is necessary or not.

So if we have to apologize for 27, then I want the Afghan government to apologize to the USA for the 27+ troops we have already lost in their country fighting this war for years, where they let the Taliban breed like wildfire.

And one more thought that has always irritated me. Why is it more significant if women and children are killed vs an 18 year old soldier?

That 18th century old theory of “women and children are precious” vs men dying is just wrong. That just enforces that very old stigma that women and children are weaker then men. That encourages inequality. We are in the 21st century now. We have all moved well beyond that.

Some of these women and children that are “precious” mind you – are also the same ones supplying the ammunition – keeping it hidden in their homes for when the Taliban arrive. So let’s not be all so gushy when it comes to hearing the words ‘women and children’. The media just does that to grandify a story. I am suprised world organizations are still making note to emphasize that point to. They should update the way they report statistics to reflect the current global mindset.

Do we report when we loose a female US soldier vs a male? I have never seen that specification. An 18 year old soldier vs a 35 year old one? No. We just report “xx troops lost”.

So I don’t stand for any of this garbage that transpired the last 24 hours. Every country looses lives, in uniform or not, when guns, bombs, ied’s and suicide bombers are the order of the day.

This is still a very real and violent war. I don’t think it is required from those at war to apologize when we are trying to keep the US safe and pretty much the global world safe.

Excuse me, I forgot to remind the Afghan government that they would probably have no government if it wasn’t for the US troops and NATO troops being present in Afghanistan right now, not to mention keeping their civilians butts safe during elections so Karzai could be elected in the first place.

So for the Afghan government to come back with this statement of “unjustifiable” – well, from where I sit, IS unjustifiable!

Obviously, McChrystal didn’t wake up saying – I am going to kill Afghan civilians today. War is a risk, for everyone.

The Afghans still want US troops there. They have requested we stay longer. So with that, they knew there would probably be more civilian deaths not intended.

So if anyone is to blame for these Afghan civilian deaths, it is the Afghan government. Not the USA troops, not NATO.  They are doing exactly what they are in existence to do – fight.

The Afghan government knew McChrystal’s top priority was less civilian casualities. That number has decreased since he has taken over. So, I think this man has done his best with keeping his mission in forefront (why he is in this country to begin with) and trying to keep his men alive as well.

So for the Afghan government to issue a statement: “unjustifiable” is merely the Afghan government switch-hitting to look good in the eyes of its people.

If it really wants no more civilian deaths, they need to tell us all to leave tomorrow.  Again, one main reason we are still there is to help train their people, so they can fight the Taliban better on their own.

This is just getting ridiculous.  The US and NATO troops are either there to protect the Afghan civilians or are there to fight the Taliban and Al Qaeda – but it just can not do both effectively.

It’s either reason #1 or reason #2 – otherwise, it is simply doing  both half—.

NATO and US Troops are not personal body guards for the Afghan civilians. That is not what they have been trained for, and that is certainly not why they are there.  And as an American, I will tell you, nothing about the USA Military is doing anything half —.

You can not effectively kick the Taliban’s butt without occasionally and inadvertantly killing civilians. It is just a fact of war. The only way you can eliminate this statistic – this fact – is if you remove all Afghans civilians from their country and then you start the real war against the Taliban.

This might even be the better alternative. Then, the  NATO and US troops can just do airstrike after airstrike, attack after attack, and most likely wipe the Taliban out altogether in about a month.

Think about how much less energy they would spend on being careful and protecting civilians and how much more energy they would have then to be effective to achieve their ultimate mission: get rid of the Taliban.

Well, there’s a thought. It’s taken us years to fight a war we have made pretty much minimal progress on – if you factor in civilian casualities and senseless troop deaths, and the Taliban being still very large in size and fighting strongly.  This suggestion could do it in probably a month or less. I think we should look into this as the next strategy for how to win this war.

Even if McChrystal doesn’t restrategize, at the minimum, I think our U.S. General needs to have a talk with the Afghan government. He should tell them to keep their comments to themselves and remind them to be a little more appreciative of what US and NATO troops are there trying to do: train their people, help stabilize their country, run the Taliban out, etc etc.

Remember, the Taliban have no problem shooting guns off right next to women, children – any civilians. So perhaps when fighting this long war, US and NATO troops have to stop being so careful and just get the job done right once and for all.

Otherwise, we will be doing this 1/2 and 1/2 for many more years, and more lives will be lost, civilians and troops, and in the end all, not accomplishing the main mission – stopping the Taliban and Al Qaeda.

President Obama

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let in Snow!

The Washington D.C. metro area  (Northern VA and MD) is just getting walluped with snow this winter!

Unbelievable the amounts of accumulation!

Almost a white Christmas, on Dec 19, ‘09, 16 inches fell on Reagan Airport in VA.

February 6, 2010 snow storm – now dubbed “Snowmageddon” by President Obama  - gave Dulles International in VA a record breaking 32.4 inches.

Tomorrow, Feb 9, 2010 going into Feb 10th,  the D.C. area is expecting 10-20 more inches! This is almost comical!

I have lived on the east coast all my life up until 1994 when I headed west, and when I returned east in 2001 the most it snowed was 10 inches – record breaking in Virginia Beach actually. And when I moved north to the DC/VA area a few years later, the most that fell at one time was 8 or 9 inches.

Now that I am back in southern CA (just moved in May 09) it’s weird how I am sort of envious of all this snow. For all the cold you endure, you figure if it’s going to be cold, it should just snow and snow a lot, to give you the time off to enjoy it with others:)

But also I am envious because it’s a neat experience when the DC/VA area ’shuts down’ as it is normally extremely hectic &  fast paced – so there is some pleasure in the quietness of it all and the beauty of the snow falling.

You get a taste of this during the holidays, when in Arlington VA, you can literally walk down the middle of normally one of the busiest streets on Thanksgiving eve, Christmas and Christmas eve, because there isn’t a car on it.

But the snow – well that makes it more remarkable – because the air is crisp and it’s even more silent  - as the snow absorbs sounds. So to me, this is a rare time and a time that should be cherished.

The unexpected days off, the time to enjoy being outside and making a snowman or something. I absolutely loved watching the video on how DC celebrated the recent snow storm – about 1000 people gathered for a snowball fight – that’s the kind of things I am talking about.

Time to let go and have some fun. Something often overlooked by many because everyone is so busy there, and it’s not normally scheduled in their packed 6 day a week, 16 hours work days  in the DC/VA area.

What I didn’t like reading was that cab fares have gone to ’snow rate’ where they jack up the price of a ride that is normally $20-$30 bucks to the airport to $100.

That’s just not right. What they should be doing is the reverse, if they were really savvy.

They should be supporting the community/cities this is happening in and either offer the same rate or lowering their rate to show their support in trying to help people get to the airports, or to the store to get essentials. That’s what all other businesses & communities do in unusual circumstances – they support one another and bend over backwards to alter their ‘usuals’ to make life easier as people go through the not-so-usual time period.

But leave it to DC/VA – where everyone tries to always take advantage of everyone else with the ‘what’s in it for me attitude’.

This is the part of DC/VA that just gives the region a very poor image in the global community. This just reinforces how this area tries to gauge and haggle people.

But the cab companies will loose business in the end. People will remember which cab companies jacked up their rates and took advantage of them during this time. And those cab companies will probably want to know why their cabs are empty during the rest of the year.  They are so dumb.

I, for one wouldn’t give them more money  - and I would make sure even if I absolutely had to – to never use them again because  they took such ridiculous advantage of people when they absolutely didn’t need to.

Poor business decisons like this bite you in the butt much harder later. So they might think they are gaining more money now, but they are loosing a lot more business/money later.

I am surprised the Mayors of DC/VA/MD didn’t declare as part of the city emergency – that no rates could be risen due to this natural occurance. That would keep things calmer in all the cities, where transportation systems aren’t running at all, or running very sparsely.

So let it snow even more!  And let this be a enjoyable time for many who usually don’t get this time, but also a learning lesson for a select few companies.

President Obama

Sensational State of the Union Address President Obama!

President Barack Obama delivered one of his most exceptional speeches before Congress and the American People tonight!

He is truly a natural and remarkable orator!

His knack for speech writing hasn’t slipped one iota – you could tell he wrote almost all this himself.

His speech was so amazing simply because he really just spoke to every one, the way he would if he was on the street and talking to them about America and his Administration and his goals for the future on a Saturday afternoon.

He used tonality to perfect his message by making very basic, common sense statements, actually quite softly, but their strength was never lost because of  the simplicity and every day language he chose to make those very relevant points.

He spoke powerfully and with fortitude. He spoke with conviction and exceptional pride!

He confronted the shameful, pathetic, immature ways and attitudes of Washington and Wall Street (to include the media) that he always challenges in his daily repertoire and speeches, but this time he did more – he clearly stated and showed his intolerance and exhaustion of the old Washington ways, and encouraged and inspired for the new. He made demands for things that would call for more transparency from Congress.

He also did his usual great job of interweaving the history of our great nation into his message.

I forget that he does this time and again, and for some reason tonight, perhaps because of the words he chose, this stood out more for me to realize it, or shall I say,  it impacted me more – enough for it to gain mention here. It was a valuable reminder lesson myself of the beginning of America.

I think he just locked in his 2nd term with this baby!

I dare any one to say one thing negative about his speech or his deliverance of it. Anyone who does, is a fool – because it will really just make them look bad.

I would say his speech was flawless, both in words and how he delivered it!

Kudos Obama! You really shined tonight! I am so proud you are our President of the United States of America!

God Bless You and your family President Obama

President Obama

The President & His Dog Are Truly One

It wasn’t until last night when I was looking through the gallery of photos the White House photographer took over President Obama’s first year in office – did I realize this small coincidence.

One of the photos was Michelle, Sasha and Malia with their dog, Bo, playing in the massive 14″ snowstorm Washington D.C. got in December 2009.

Another photo was an upclose picture of an Executive Order Obama signed while he was on Air Force One early in his presidency.

The media informed us that the girls named the dog after a character they liked – or something along those lines.

But last night, I realized when I saw Obama’s signature on the bottom of the Executive Order  - that President Barack Obama’s initials are the dog’s name

Barrack Obama  = “BO”

I wonder if the First Family has even figured this out.

To see the photos, go to http://www.whitehouse.gov

A bit of light trivia for the weekend.

President Obama

Obama’s Speech: “Buck stops with me”

I am finally happy with President Obama again.

He gave an incredible and powerful speech yesterday afternoon (1/7/10) on his assessment of the attempted Christmas 2009 airline bombing in Detroit, MI, after having read the two final reviews he requested Thursday from his national security team.

The Presidential Directives he issued to address the gaps that allowed this 23 year-old Nigeiran, Umar Abdulmatullab, to get on the Northwest aircraft with explosives were impressive as well.

The PD’s address airport security and screening, but more importantly, they address the systematic and human failures that occurred that prevented them from connecting and assessing the intelligence we already had that could have kept Umar from boarding the plane altogether (his name should have been on the no-fly list, etc.).

He also made it very clear that as long as he is President, the Al Qaeda terrorists will not be given any victory, big or small.

I believe this event was a wake up call.

I believe the folks in our government agencies will be humbled by this event and realize even with what they had been doing, the terrorists outsmarted us again.

Perhaps now they are at the point where they just won’t tolerate that (humiliation) anymore. They might even step up a bit and act as they did right after 9/11  - not slack one bit, make smarter decisions, and do things outside of what their job requires sometimes for the sake of our national security.

Ex: When a father comes in to an Embassy and turns on his son, reporting him to authorities, that the official listening does more than just enter the person’s name into the TIDE system. (This is his own father, not just a jealous friend). They pick up a phone and call everyone and anyone they can think of until someone answers and takes immediate action to find that extremist person. If at the least, all his Visas/Passports should have been immediately checked to make sure they were valid and current and with what countries. It would have been discovered his U.S. was overdue.

I think this also made the global population more viligiant again (like after 9/11) to pick up on spotty behavior and alert authorities – just as what happened at Newark, NJ airport last Wednesday, when someone reported a person not going through security and the airport shutting Terminal C down.

And for all this,  I do think we have less a chance of an attack happening on our US soil than we did before Christmas 2009.

Obama seemed a lot stronger yesterday than I have seen him in a while. Lately, he had had been buckling to the idiosyncrosies of the Republican and opposition people on many issues.

Perhaps this was a wake up call for him as well – to get back to being the strong leader he was when he first stepped into the Presidency, this month last year.

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