On Thursday, President Barack Obama stated that he will not make a decision on Afghan troop levels until after the Thanksgiving holiday. This development came at the end of President Obama’s eight-day Asia tour, where he took time to stop at Osan Air Force Base in South Korea. While there, he remarked to 1,500 troops, “You guys make a pretty good photo op.”

-

That says a lot, doesn’t it? Upon examination, photo-ops certainly seem to be President Obama’s main concern. If you will recall, just a few weeks ago, Obama visited Dover Air Force Base in Delaware as some of our fallen servicemen were brought home to rest. For reasons unbeknownst to many, the president thought it would be appropriate to allow cameras at the event. Most families were made uneasy by this, and in fact, only one family allowed cameras to follow their proceedings.

Because of that, his visit came off as self-serving, especially when contrasted with former President George W. Bush’s visit to Fort Hood, where he insisted that no press be permitted.

The underlying point of all this, is that President Obama only seems interested in our armed servicemen and women when he can use them as a prop to get his picture taken or to get himself on television.

It has been weeks since General Stanley McChrystal requested an additional 40,000 troops for the effort in Afghanistan, and in the process making it emphatically clear that this was indeed necessary, claiming that the effort was not sustainable with current resources. On top of that, General McChrystal was only able to secure a 25-minute meeting to make the request in the first place.

Something is desperately wrong here.

Does anybody remember the campaign, where Obama insisted that Afghanistan was a top priority? The war we should be most focused on, if you will? What happened to that?

The answer to that is simple. It was nothing more than a campaign promise. It has become quite clear that our Commander-in-Chief clearly has no interest in our effort there, and by extension, it shows exactly what he actually thinks of our troops, which is, not much.

You have to pay attention to what Obama is saying here, and the words that he uses. He is saying he will not make a decision until after Thanksgiving. He’s not saying he won’t commit more troops until after then. This is nothing short of him saying “Yeah, I’m going to continue to put this off until at least after turkey is served.”

Brave sons and daughters dying over there on a daily basis, and our president is content to dither and play games with American lives and American security. This is clearly a tactic he is using in an effort to placate his left wing base, military advisors and cost to America be damned.

This man has already made his decision, and deep down we all know what it is. He may finally be forced at some point to send additional resources at some point, but he clearly has no real interest in doing so.

The only future Barack Obama is interested in is his own.

Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) gave a speech on the senate floor yesterday to push for “Rosa’s Law”. Rosa’s law is a piece of legislation that mandate the phrase “mentally disabled” be used in place of “mentally retarded” when referring to such citizens on health and education paperwork.

“In changing the language, we believe it will be the start of new attitudes towards people with intellectual disabilities.”

-

This madness must end. America is in the middle of two strenuous wars, and we have an economy on the brink of total collapse, yet we have a senator who seems preoccupied with the use of a certain descriptor used in government documentation. Yet again, another bleeding heart Democrat who is more concerned with feeling good, rather than doing good for the nation as a whole.

Now, before I get chastised for being heartless by those who would accuse me of standing in the way of a little girl’s supposed happiness, I would like to disclose the following:

I am physically disabled. I have Cerebral Palsy, which prevents me from walking without the assistance of an orthopedic device or another person. I have been called many things, such as “disabled”, “differently-abled”, “handicapped”, “handi-capable”, “crippled”, and a few other words along the way that can’t be shared here.

Guess what?

In spite of all the labels that have been assigned to me and others like me, one thing has remained constant:

My condition has never changed. People need to learn that while words do have meaning, which is important, context is also a key component in this equation. For instance, “retard” means to slow or hinder. It does not mean “stupid”, and the modifiers “mental” or “mentally” refers to the type of impediment. It is not, in and of itself, an attempt at ridicule or character assassination. Referring to someone as “mentally retarded” in official paperwork is not the same as yelling it in anger toward the person who cut you off at the intersection. It just isn’t. The words have a benign meaning. It’s the context in which they are used that can change them.

Quite frankly, when one looks at this objectively, this proposed law is nothing more than a time wasting exercise by those in our legislature, which will change nothing, except maybe making a few self-loathers feel better about themselves.

For the Record, the namesake of this legislation, Rosa Marcellino, has Down’s syndrome. She is, for all intents and purposes, mentally retarded. She is also 7 years old. With that in mind, one could probably say with a high degree of certainty that Rosa has no interest in official health and education paperwork at this point in her life. So, it stands to reason that this crusade was most likely started by a family member looking for attention, and Rosa is to be used as a face for it.

Honestly, that is just sad.

More than that, has anyone thought of the road this could lead us down? This is one step away from thought policing. How long will it be before legislation is introduced which will prevent us from saying certain words? It may very well be just around the corner. Such measures may never pass, but the mere possibility of such things being proposed should frighten any freedom-loving American.

We should be more concerned with today’s truly pressing matters. There are circumstances today which threaten our very way of life, yet some of our legislative officials seemed more concerned with how you feel, and more importantly, how they feel about themselves. The future of America is too important. We shouldn’t be wasting time on this drivel.

Words are just words. The only powers they have to offend are the ones that we decide to give them.

President Obama recently bowed to Emperor Akihito in Japan. At this point, one might wonder exactly who is advising Barack Obama, if any one at all. If you will recall, this is the latest in what seems to be a string of inappropriate greetings in international settings by our Commander-in-Chief.

So far to date, Barack Obama has bowed to Saudi King Abdullah, given an exaggerated nod to Queen Elizabeth II, and there has been speculation as to whether or not he has offered a similar gesture to Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

This is troublesome, and embarrassing. Common sense would indicate that it would more than likely be difficult for international leaders to take our president seriously if he is constantly subordinating himself to them. Perception goes a long way on the international stage, and at this juncture, an honest observer of the situation would be hard pressed to find an incident where Obama has projected himself as leader of the free world when he travels abroad, let alone an equal.

For those who would argue that President Obama is trying to “make amends” for some of America’s supposed arrogance of the past, it should be made known that bowing to other leaders is not a traditional form of greeting, particularly in the case of Emperor Akihito. The Emperor is most commonly greeted with a simple handshake.

So, with that in mind, it could be fair to say that what is going on here goes far beyond supposed protocol. This appears to be another whistle-stop in the “Obama Apologizes for America tour”. It doesn’t seem that he has given up on his concept of being a “citizen of the world”, and it looks like he intends to remain in a never ending campaign to be personally adored until the end of his term in office.

Americans thought they had elected a leader. It doesn’t look like that happened. Instead, they got a teenage girl who just transferred to a new school and is desperate to do anything to fit in with the cool kids. However, unlike high school, when President Obama ends up getting stuffed in a locker, America will be the one who feels the pain and humiliation.

From a USO email statement:

Fort Hood has been “home” to the USO for nearly a decade, and our Fort Hood Center, located a short distance away from the site of the shootings, was locked down for five hours, as 35 service members anxiously waited inside. Within minutes of the “all clear,” the USO’s Fort Hood Mobile Unit was driven directly to the site of the tragedy, and immediately began providing 24/7 support to first responders, FBI, SWAT teams, and Emergency Response Units. A second Mobile USO Unit arrived on site within hours of the incident, redoubling our efforts.

In the wake of this tragedy, the USO has gone all out to sustain the Fort Hood community in a variety of ways: helping to make counseling available to those who have lost a loved one or been emotionally impacted by the event… providing meals and snacks to GIs, their families, first responders, and the community at large… and offering troops a “safe haven” and a chance to gain some perspective on the violence so unexpectedly brought so close to home.

This tragic event could not have been anticipated (or even imagined), nor could we plan ahead to meet the sudden dramatic needs of the Fort Hood victims and their families. Fortunately, our Fort Hood USO Center is staffed with dedicated professionals and volunteers who have already jumped into the fray to do whatever is needed.

But these sudden demands have created a sudden need for funds: to help the families of the fallen and the entire Fort Hood community. That’s why we’re emailing you, our most loyal donors, to ask for your help. We need to support not only the USO’s efforts, but also those of other volunteer organizations working at Fort Hood in the aftermath of this tragedy. One hundred percent of every dollar you contribute will be used to assist the soldiers and families of Fort Hood who have been most directly affected by this tragedy. Won’t you please give as generously as you can?

On behalf of the people of Fort Hood, and all those we serve, “Thanks!”

Click here to help.

It’s been two days since the murders at the Fort Hood military post in Texas. I am supposed to be away from this blog – away from all things political and/or stressful, like acts of terror – yet here I am. I can’t ignore this, like I’m trying to do with the healthcare vote in Congress.

The shooting spree at Fort Hood by Maj. Nadal Malik Hasan has me seething, and doing something that may shock my regular readers: Blaming Bush.

Bush’s policy of befriending and appeasing Islam in the wake of September 11 led directly to the rampage on Thursday. If he had taken a strong stand on the domestic front; if he had marginalized the Islamic community away from security-sensitive positions, 12 soldiers, one civilian and one unborn child would be alive in Texas tonight.

One must look to the 2003 case of Sgt. Hasan Akbar, who fragged his own men in the 101st in Kuwait. Hasan must be Arabic for “coward who kills his own brothers”.

During WWII we had many German and Japanese Americans fighting for America, but they did it in exclusive regiments away from other servicemen, and under the watchful eyes of their commanders. To do so now would be considered racist, and being branded as a racist in the 21^st century is akin to being branded as a witch in the 17^th. It will destroy you.

Most of those tried and killed as witches were innocent, or they were healers doing their best for their communities. What of us “racists” who would toss the enemy out of positions of authority or national security? Will we, too be vindicated by history?

For those who would appease Islam at this time of war, I say take your malleus malificarum and shove it up your politically correct ass.

Names of the Dead

Lieutenant Colonel Juanita L. Warman, 55, of Havre De Grace, Maryland.
Major Libardo Caraveo, 52, of Woodbridge, Virginia.
Captain John P. Gaffaney, 54, of San Diego, California.
Captain Russell Seager, 41, of Racine, Wisconsin.
Chief Warrant Officer, Retired, Michael Cahill of Cameron, Texas.
Staff Sergeant Justin Decrow, 32, of Plymouth, Indiana.
Sergeant Amy Krueger, 29, of Kiel, Wisconsin.
Specialist Jason Hunt, 22, of Tillman, Oklahoma.
Specialist. Frederick Greene, 29, of Mountain City, Tennesee.
Specialist Kham Xiong, 23, of St. Paul, Minnesota.
Pfc. Aaron Nemelka, 19, of West Jordan, Utah.
Pfc. Michael Pearson, 22, of Bolinbrook, Illinois.
Private Francheska Velez, 21, of Chicago, Illinois - and her unborn child.

I just want to give a special shoutout to pal Mark Steyn for not having written about them. I couldn’t handle the jealousy and rejection. Thanks, babe.

In other news, “breasts” will now often be referred to here as “blogettes”.

Save the blogettes!

To Shop for the Cause at Amazon!

Yes, I’ve been under the weather and out of the loop when it comes to reminding you to donate money this October to a worthy cause - Breast Cancer Research.

But Meghan McCain jugged - er, jogged - my memory.

So check out this Amazon link to find a myriad of products in all price ranges that go to support various breast cancer charities. There’s something for everyone!

Also, thanks to noted breast-lover RS McCain, from whose site I swiped the photo that Her Beastiness has already deleted from Twitpic. Dear Meghan - you can’t erase the Internet.

John Mayer, a singer with a lovely voice, was asked his opinion on politics and health care. His perfect answer?

Have you ever heard me play guitar? I’m really fucking good. You know what I’m bad at? Answering questions about public health care. This is not in my wheelhouse. Do you have any questions about music?

Brilliant. He has risen in my esteem.

Via Big Hollywood

I have heard reports from Kandahar that there is a sign on the Tim Hortons trailer saying that there is a supply issue. No doughnuts.

At the present time, there is no word on availability of coffee supply. No one has yet been denied any coffee.

You may guffaw that what I’ve told you here isn’t important. You are an asshole for that.

In WWII, women powdered their legs and drew lines up the back of their calves, all because our men serving overseas needed stocking silk for their parachutes.

It’s bad enough that Canada has to rent planes from the Russians to get our stuff overseas to those serving in Afghanistan. It’s also bad enough that if we need to get something there quickly, we send it via the Americans (that’s what I do).

The idea of our soldiers going without the coffee and doughnuts we all rallied to send over there - you may remember Tim’s was initially reluctant to open up shop in a war zone, those pussies - is distasteful. Let’s get ‘em their goddam Timbits.

Who can we call about this?

Tim Hortons Head Office

874 Sinclair Road
Oakville, ON L6K 2Y1
Tel: (905) 845-6511
Fax: (905) 845-0265

Defence Minister Peter Mackay

509s Center Block
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6

Mackap@parl.gc.ca
613-992-6022

Do what you can. It may seem unimportant to you & I, but it’s important to them. Thanks.

Note. For those of you with either a) no sense of humor, or b) humor, but are totally scared of the shit that comes out of my mouth, this post is FUNNY. Funny, ok? Written in jest. Relax. Have a TicTac.

The last thing I remember was my third martini at my birthday party on October 2. This party was attended by dear friend Josephine and her hubby Dutch, who gave me a small Moleskine notebook. Moleskines are famous for having been used by the likes of Vincent Van Gogh, who famously cut off his ear and then shot himself, and Ernest Hemingway, who blew his brains out and kicked off a string of suicides in the Hemingway family that probably isn’t over yet. For all I know, Hunter S. Thompson used one for his (pre-blog era) “Gonzo Journalism”. Thompsons’s ashes - the remains of his self-inflicted gunshot wound - were shot out of a cannon, as per his request, in 2005.

Today Josephine writes on Lumpy of children’s author Robert Munsch and his mental illness and thoughts of suicide. Though her article makes no mention of his choice of notebook to write in, I’m seeing a pattern here.

Geez, Josephine!I can take a hint!

Ok, off to write something more profound than this drivel.

My typing is still recovering from the week that was. So here’s a vlog instead. Yes, I’m well aware that I have a great face for radio.

Because everyone needs a break now and then.

Thanks to all those of you who have called and left messages. Thanks and apologies to Josephine and Dutch, who I must have scared the shit out of. I hope I didn’t make you too late.

I’m not going to thank whoever was pounding on my door and shouting my name earlier today, because that was just rude.

I am taking some off the grid, underground time. If any of you reading this have posting privileges, do feel free to use them.

And everyone, please remember to do a little something to advance the cause of Breast Cancer Research this month.

I’m going back to bed.

Products that donate to breast cancer research:

Travel mug. Trudeau Cool Down Polycarbonate Hydration 24-Ounce Bottle, Breast Cancer Awareness, Pink

24 oz bottle. $9.99. 5% of money goes to BCRF

The CHRC has mounted a Kamikaze effort to defend the odius Section 13 (1). It is imperative that we ask those organizations who support 13 (1)’s repeal to seek Intervenor Status in the upcoming judicial review of Warman v. Lemire .

Do your bit, write the organizations listed below, where appropriate ask if they plan to seek official status at the judicial review, offer to assist if at all possible with a donation. Nag Harper, nag Nicholson nag your MP, nag the members of the Justice Committee. Send a letter to the editor of your local daily, or write your favourite columnist.

This is your fight, take a swing and make it count for Free Speech. Let our opponents know that we will not negotiate and we will not beg for what is rightfully ours.

Canadian Civil Liberties Association
506 – 360 Bloor Street West
Toronto, ON M5S 1X1
Phone: 416-363-0321
Fax: 416-861-1291
email: mail@ccla.org

BC Civil Liberties Association
550 - 1188 West Georgia Street
Vancouver, BC V6E 4A2
Tel: 604.687.2919
Fax: 604.687.3045
Email: info@bccla.org

The Canadian Association of Journalists
Algonquin College
1385 Woodroffe Avenue, B224
Ottawa, ON K2G 1V8
Telephone 613-526-8061
Fax: 613-521-3904

Catholic Civil Rights League
120 Eglinton Ave. East, Suite 500
Toronto, ON
M4P 1E2
Tel: 416-466-8244
email:ccrl@ccrl.ca

Catholic Womens League of Canada
C-702 Scotland Avenue
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3M 1X5
National Office Telephone and Facsimile
Telephone: (204) 927-2310
Toll-free: (888) 656-4040
Facsimile: (204) 927-2321
Toll-free Facsimile: (888) 831-9507
E-mail: national@cwl.ca

Egale Canada
By Phone: (613) 230-1043,(888) 204-7777
By Fax: (416) 642-6435
By Email: egale.canada@egale.ca

PEN Canada
24 Ryerson Ave., Suite 301
Toronto ON M5T 2P3
Phone: 416 703 8448
Fax: 416 703 3870
Email: queries@pencanada.ca

Electronic Frontier Canada, Inc.
20 Richmond Avenue
Kitchener, Ontario
N2G 1Y9
…

People to Nag:

Conservative Party of Canada
#1204 - 130 Albert Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K1P 5G4

Toll free: (866) 808-8407
Phone: (613) 755-2000
Fax at: (613) 755-2001

Prime Minister Harper - HarpeS@parl.gc.ca , pm@pm.gc.ca

Rob Nicholson - Nicholson.R@parl.gc.ca

Justice Committee

Conservative MP’s
…

People to send persuasive but non-threatening letters to:

Canadian Human Rights Commission
344 Slater Street, 8th Floor,
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 1E1,
CanadaTelephone: (613) 995-1151
Toll Free: 1-888-214-1090
TTY: 1-888-643-3304
Fax: (613) 996-9661

Canadian Human Rights Tribunal
160 Elgin Street, 11th Floor
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 1J4
Telephone: (613) 995-1707
TTY: (613) 947-1070
Fax: (613) 995-3484
E-mail: registrar@chrt-tcdp.gc.ca

Canadian Arab Federation
1057 McNicoll Avenue
Toronto, Ontario,
Canada M1W 3W6
T: (416) 493-8635 or 1-866-886-4675
F: (416) 493-9239
E: info@caf.ca

Canadian Islamic Congress
Mrs. Wahida Valiante
Chair & National President
(905) 771-1023
(Cell) 647 802 8024
e-mail:cicnp@canadianislamiccongress.com

Canadian Jewish Congress
National Office
100 Sparks Street, Suite 650
Ottawa, Ontario, K1P 5B7
canadianjewishcongress@cjc.ca
Phone: (613) 233-8703
Fax: (613) 233-8748

B’nai Brith
15 Hove Street
Toronto, Ontario M3H 4Y8
Tel.: (416) 633-6224
Fax : (416) 630-2159
e-mail: mailto:bnb@bnaibrith.ca
or
Michael Mostyn
National Director of Public Affairs
Fuller Bldg. 212-75
Albert Street
Ottawa, Ontario, K1P 5E7
Tel.: (613) 598-0060
Fax: (613) 598-0059
e-mail: ParliamentHill@bnaibrith.ca

There is a whole host of things for sale in October and throughout the year that help pay for and promote breast cancer research. Usually these items are pink, which rocks my world, because I’m a pink junkie. My laptop, camera, iPod, cowboy boots and even my pearls are all pink. my BlackBerry Pearl from Telus (Canada) is pink, and a portion of the proceeds went to breast cancer research.

The downside to my charming pink computer is that it’s HUGE. Seriously, grossly large. Weighs as much as a two-year-old, which is a joy for lugging around airports. Mostly when I carry the damn thing, I have hot fantasies about owning a Mac Book Air. I have no idea why I felt driven to buy the 17″ instead of the 15″, but whatever.  I digress… This unfortunately means that I can’t buy pretty and stylish laptop bags. I have to have monstrous, ugly vinyl/canvas things that look like they were designed for war. I can’t have something like this:

Click picture for more info

Click the picture to be taken to Amazon. 10% of the sale of this bag ($129.99, includes shipping) goes to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Compared to similar bags from Spade or Coach, this bag is not only an inexpensive value, but promotes a great cause. Fits “normal” sized laptops, netbooks and tablets up to 15.2″.

Save the ta-tas! And carry your laptop in a good-looking, sturdy conversation-starter!

*Yes, I know I’m wearing purple in that image and not pink. Shut up. Since when did you people start complaining about breasts, anyway?

The screaming harpie of Canadian cultural handouts - Margaret Atwood - is upset because British Columbia is cutting arts funding to pay for the Olympic Albatross that hangs from the collective necks of the Canadian taxpayer.

Members of Canada’s arts elite are banding together to mount a high-level fight against recently announced cuts to arts funding in British Columbia.

Margaret Atwood, Douglas Coupland and Sarah McLachlan are among the artists named in a campaign being launched today. Organizers are hoping to use the star power to reverse what they say are devastating cuts to arts and culture funding.

“We felt these cuts were so outrageous that we were going to be able to get everybody instantly on side,” said Lindsay Brown of Stop B.C. Arts Cuts. “Everybody I asked said yes.”

Ok, so the artistes are upset about arts cuts. Fair enough. But may I remind you of this?

Upwards of 2,500 patients waiting for surgery for everything from blocked arteries to cancer to hernias will find their elective surgeries postponed during the 2010 Winter Olympics.

In a pair of decisions just now becoming public, the Vancouver Coastal and Fraser Health Authorities say they have decided to cut by 35 per cent the number of elective surgeries performed over a one-month period in February and March, 2010.

If The Atwood and other sub-par Canadian artists actually gave a damn about the people of the country, they would have either shut up entirely, or protested cutting surgeries instead of grants for bad poetry and boring paintings.

But, alas…

Ms. Atwood finds it maddening. “Why is the B.C. government cutting the throat of B.C.’s economy and its creative future in this short-sighted and frankly really dumb way?” she e-mailed The Globe and Mail yesterday.

The throat of the economy? Seriously? How does this woman look at herself every morning?

Thanks to @AshSaysSo on Twitter for the title idea.

Today, help a sister out.

Every woman over the age of 40 should get a yearly mammogram. They’re painful, but not painfully expensive. Unfortunately, not every woman can afford one. It’s not one of those things that should be put off.

National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF) offers us the opportunity to donate mammograms to those who need them and can’t afford them.

Listen up conservatives! This is a good deed! If enough people do good deeds like this, then the government has no reason to pass socialized medicine. Think about it!

Click here to donate a mammogram to someone who needs one. Looking out for each other. It’s what we do.

From all the little girls out there!

October is almost upon us. In addition to being the month the Good Lord chose to deliver me to this spinning ball of mud, it is also Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Given that I have had such a boobtacular year, with Mark Steyn mentioning my ta-tas almost daily for weeks - including on the Rugh Limbaugh Show - I thought I ought to give a little something back.

Each day in the month of October, I will highlight a different product or service that will assist in breast cancer research. It might be a donation you can make directly, or a product you can buy that gives something back to one of the research foundations.

Some of those foundations I’ll be highlighting include:

Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF)

Susan G. Komen for the Cure

Canadian Cancer Society

National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF)

As each person is different, you may have a particular foundation you prefer to align yourself with - or one you would prefer not to. Each day my feature will tell you who receives the money, and how much. It’s up to you to make a choice.

For all my female readers, I hope you’ll care for yourself and do regular breast exams. In addition, schedule a mamogram. It’s difficult for those in socialized countries to book mamograms if we are under the “risk” age, but if you have any reason to suspect you may be at risk for breast cancer, be your own advocate and demand one. Don’t let some bean counter put your life in danger.

Yes folks, it’s that time of the year again. My birthday is on Saturday, October 3rd. Those of you unsure of what to get me or where to send it are encouraged to hit the tip jar to the right of the page.

Events planned for this year? Well, a party on Friday night. Possibly heading to the TEA Party in London on Saturday - not yet confirmed. It involves a very early morning departure - but I shall try.