New video post (yeah, it's Jon's, but I helped)

NY and planes and stuff...

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_LOW_FLYING_PLANE?SITE=AZTUC&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

OK, just to note: NYPD knew about the flight... why weren't THEY out warning the Mayor, etc....???? or talking to the press say, 10 minutes prior to flight, etc.? Is an empty AF1 really that important a target that we have to do photo ops in complete secrecy? No, as much as I would like to fault Obama on this, I agree he has a right to be furious about this one => his people warned NY and NJ, yet no one there chose to warn anyone.

BUT NOTE: I don't think we do the conservative / right / republican cause any good if we press on something like this, when there is too much evidence to say that it really was not his fault this time... just makes us look like a bunch of 'rabble-rousing' RWE's adding to their list of 'birth certificate evidence' and 'muslim in disguise' conspiracy theories. You want the conservative movement to be relegated to being just a "fringe group" this is a quick and easy way to do it. Might as well go out in public with the tinfoil hats...

This is a time to pick our battles. Stick with easy-to-understand principals. Small government, reduced spending, deficit reduction - and how Obama's choices over the last 100 (or so) days have been in the exact opposite direction. This is going to be the only way to bring in the numbers of moderates needed to swing the votes our way. Show them how small government, reduced taxes and personal freedoms benefit them more than increased socialized programs and the resulting tax increases to cover the cost of the programs ever will. 

The last tea party was a great example of this. There were many different people, of different social backgrounds coming together, not over social issues, such as abortion, gay rights, and the like... but over fiscal responsibility. There were very few 'bash obama, pelosi, et al' signs floating around - and the paper now has nothing to use to mock the tea party protest with, except for some humorous signs such as the 'what next, tax on farts?'. Heck, it took them a week to find ANY signs anywhere, before they found the one 'anti-semitic' sign ONLINE, not even at a tea party itself... which quickly faded from the public eye once it was realized that the sign never made it to an actual tea party... We must take the high road, avoid marginalizing ourselves by latching on to ANY story that comes out that might be a blemish on Obama, think over the message it conveys, check facts, then decide: "Is it worth arguing over this?"

 ***Just because you do not take an interest in politics doesn't mean politics won't take an interest in you.***
Peter Schmugge
http://thebigshmoog.blogspot.com

Yet another stanton piece (of poop).

http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/daily/all_headlines/114911.php

When I wrote them, my child was not yet 4. Now she's 13, and I've learned what a messy process parenting is.A lot of good parents are starving for help, guidance, answers.

Ok, I want to know where her kid goes to school, cause I am NOT going within firing range of that place for the next 5 years... 

It almost sounds like she is preemptively apologizing for some future tragedy that her kid is going to be involved in. Don't apologize, you had it right the first time. Until they are 18 and out of the house -YOU are the one responsible for them. YOU are the parent, act like one. I don't understand why we have this generation of parents that feel it is necessary to be their kid's "friends". Yeah, it would be nice if they felt that close to you, but we are not here for that. 

We are here to be their parents. To lead and guide them, to love them when they need love, and to discipline them when they need discipline (and don't even start with thinking I am equating discipline with beating them). I am talking about instilling a true sense of personal discipline in them. Teaching them personal and social responsibility - but more so personal responsibility. Showing them that THEY are the cause of their problems, and the source of their solutions, not others, not government. Taking them to Church on Sundays. Taking them to volunteer in the community. Teaching them how to be a good citizen by the example you lead. Teaching them the civics, philosophy, and history public schools do not teach them. 

But most of all = to be their PARENTS, not their best friend!

Gone Green Update

http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/289323

OH, the walls between us and nature, and by nature I mean the mountain lion prowling for my neighbors cat for dinner; the wall that separates me from the rabid bobcat, fox, or skunk; the wall that keeps the Junta-virus-infected rat out of my bedroom; the wall that keeps the owl, hawk, and eagle from eating cinnamon, my bunny.

Oh, and leave that plant litter where lies, to dry, in our sun, when it's 110, and the humidity is in the single digits. Oh, and when that little spark hits it? Hope you have enough water saved in your rain-harvesting-cistern to put out the fire before the house burns down.

I too envision a future where the wild Jaguar prowls majestically down The Mall at the U of A, hunting for the fattened freshman, too laden with books to make a hasty retreat. For the day when the skunks have taken up residence in every green park withing Pima County. A bright and glorious day when the Black Bear decides that the middle of I-10 during rush hour is as good a place as any to hunt for trout... And trout return to the Santa Cruz, reveling in the reclaimed waste water - providing a food source for the Home-Challenged Homo Sapiens.

Meh.

 ***Just because you do not take an interest in politics doesn't mean politics won't take an interest in you.***
Peter Schmugge
http://thebigshmoog.blogspot.com

Glassman rides Jon's Trolley

http://regulus2.azstarnet.com/blogs/politics/14398/glassman-on-serving-out-council-term-no-answer

Ok, I'll fill in the details later, but wanted to at least post this before I forget the address to it...

 ***Just because you do not take an interest in politics doesn't mean politics won't take an interest in you.***
Peter Schmugge
http://thebigshmoog.blogspot.com

Huffington post piece...

http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=78384791751&h=GYtWW&u=eoHyk&ref=nf

did you read this one yet?  I think somewhere in there is a valid point, but what I think she missing is that the people are regaining control of the Republican Party, and taking it out of the hands of the select few that have run the party for the last umpteen years...  Yes, there is going to be pain, yes there is going to be struggles for the conservative viewpoint to be heard through all the rhetoric, but that is what is truly happening right now... this is what is scaring the Dems... the GOP of a year ago was a 'given' a 'known entity' - easy to fight, easy to control... but just like after the fall of the USSR, the US won the Cold War, but then had no 'enemy at the gates'; so is the Democratic Party. They are scared, they do not know who or what is coming, and cannot figure out how to protect or defend themselves from it. I think yesterday was truly a turning point - there is a weakness, the conservatives stumbled upon it, directly or indirectly while holding the tea parties... now we must continue to exploit it!

The weakpoint?  = Logic and reason. They did not 'mess with' the tea parties because we gave them no chance to. The only questionable was the CNN report, poor guy, he tried, but he did not know how to talk on the camera to keep the reporter in her place - I thought he did quite well for being ambushed like that... but if that is the worst they can jump on, then yesterday was a huge success - because continued ambushes and attacks like that will only lead to further alienation of these MSM outlets by the 'masses in the middle' as they realize that MSM really does have an agenda to their broadcasts.

Besides, Rush as a valid spokesperson for the party? Republican, yes, conservative, yes, but also a talkshow host that makes a huge living off of his ratings. So, yeah, give me Boortz or JD over blubberbutt any day, people who hold to their convictions day to day to day; not for ratings, but because that is what they believe in.

 ***Just because you do not take an interest in politics doesn't mean politics won't take an interest in you.***
Peter Schmugge
http://thebigshmoog.blogspot.com

Helpful links for tea party crowd.

Ok, so below is a list of links to help you get in contact with the people that matter most. Want things to change? These are the people that can do that for you, so tell them how you feel:

Tucson City Council and Mayor's Office: http://www.ci.tucson.az.us/mcc.html

Marana Council and Mayor's Office: http://www.marana.com/index.asp?nid=29

Oro Valley Council and Mayor's Office: http://www.ci.oro-valley.az.us/TownOfficials/

Sahuarita Council and Mayor's Office: http://www.ci.sahuarita.az.us/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=20&Itemid=43&parent_id=43

Pima County Supervisors: http://www.pima.gov/bos/bos1.html

Arizona Independent Redistricting Commissioning Website - Interactive "Locate Your State LD District Map": http://azredistricting.org/mapping/default2.asp?tname=Interim.2009.Legislative.Map&service=ircmaps&Layer4=on&Layer1=on&action=zoomin&ActiveLayer=16

Arizona State Senate Roster: http://www.azleg.gov/MemberRoster.asp?Body=S&SortBy=1

Arizona State House Roster: http://www.azleg.gov/MemberRoster.asp?Body=H&SortBy=1

Representative Raul Grijalva, CD 7: http://grijalva.house.gov/

Representative Gabrielle Giffords, CD 8: http://giffords.house.gov/

Senator Jon Kyl: http://kyl.senate.gov/

Senator John McCain: http://mccain.senate.gov/public/

Barack H. Obama, President of The United States: http://www.whitehouse.gov/