January 07, 2007
Encore Westerns - The Rifleman @ 1959
Our cable company carries Encore Westerns, and all this month they are featuring episodes from Chuck Connor’s television series, “The Rifleman.” I caught one of the shows last night, and it touched me. The story revolved around the murder of a witness to a murder, in an effort to keep the man from testifying at the trial. The Rifleman happened to have seen the man previously to his demise in the company of the victim who he was supposed to have testified at the trial for. This put The Rifleman in the dubious situation of taking the murdered man’s place as a witness. Connors also has a son who is about 12 years old in the series. All his friends and acquaintances advise him to forget all about what he witnessed, because the risks of his being killed before the trial, which is to take place in a different city, are too great. What will happen to Mark if his father is killed? The Rifleman says, paraphrasing, “I have lived by principles all my life, and I have raised Mark to live by principles, too.” The older woman he is speaking to says, “Principles will get you killed, and Mark will suffer. Just this once, bend your principles, and don’t go.” Connors replies, “If you bend your principles, they are no longer principles.” What a powerful statement! This program was produced and televised in 1959. Compare this program to the pap we are supplied with as entertainment on television today. The Rifleman, and every other program provided to our young children in the ‘50’s and early ‘60’s contained a lesson in morality and proper conduct. Today, we allow ourselves to become immersed with self-centered and ego-inflating crap such as “American Idol” which teaches greed and self-importance. Just for the fun of it, I ask everyone who reads this article to try something. Spend an hour of your important television viewing schedule tonight to look up an old television program being televised somewhere on your cable network. I challenge you to watch, listen, and pay attention to the meat of the story. Compare that to what our government tells us and the direction our country is heading. I think you might be enlightened.
Marshal Will Kane
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December 06, 2006
Headlines
Man Accused of Faking Retardation For 20 Years.
For nearly 20 years -- ever since Pete Costello was 8 -- his mother has collected disability benefits on his behalf. In meetings with Social Security officials and psychologists, he appeared mentally retarded and unable to communicate. His mother insisted he couldn't read or write, shower, take care of himself or drive a car. But now prosecutors said it was all a huge fraud, and they have video of Costello contesting a traffic ticket to prove it. "He's like any other person trying to get out of a traffic ticket," Assistant U.S. Attorney Norman Barbosa said Tuesday.
Hey, don't act so shocked. I mean it's not like we haven't seen this before...
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October 08, 2006
Destroying America
We have become a nation divided. The polarity of America today is not dissimilar to conditions prior to the Civil War. The United States today is divided almost 50-50 along significant cultural lines, and each side is determined to have their point of view become the dominant and decisive governing body. How foolish we have become. Forces in the world today who are working for the demise of the United States or America are winning, and as foolish sheep, we refuse to take a stand to defend our way of life. The weapon being used to destroy America and the dream once held by every American is what has come to be called “diversity” and “political correctness.” American children are attending classes in school every day, but they are not being taught anything significant because the enemies of America fear an intelligent population that knows history and possesses a moral knowledge of right from wrong. Consequently, we blindly stick our necks in a noose willingly, because our creature comforts are all that are important to us. A major weapon being used to destroy us as a nation is this belief that dual language is a necessary part of being a “free” nation. History shows just the opposite. The histories of bilingual and bi-cultural societies that do not assimilate are histories of turmoil and tragedy. Canada, Belgium, Malaysia and Lebanon all face crises of national existence in which minorities press for autonomy, if not outright independence. Pakistan and Cyprus have divided. Nigeria suppressed an ethnic rebellion, and France faces difficulties with Basques, Bretons and Corsicans. Multiculturalism encourages immigrants to maintain their culture separate from that of America. We are force fed the belief that all cultures are equal and no single set of cultural values is more valuable than another. Blacks and Hispanics are raised to believe that all their problems are due solely to prejudice and discrimination by the majority. Every other explanation is ruled out of bounds and subject to criminal action. The “melting pot” metaphor has been replaced by the “salad bowl” principle. Each ingredient of a salad is unique and separate from each of the other ingredients. Thus, each social group should remain individual and separate, rather than uniting to become the one single entity which we have come to know as “Americans.” We have within our borders today an entire uneducated and antagonistic underclass known as “Hispanics.” They refuse to learn to speak English, and our elected officials at the present time refuse to make it a requirement for them to do so. Thus, we have created a cult of “victimology.” Victims, remember, are not responsible for their own problems. As victims, their lack of success is the fault of the majority. Today, we have an entire industry dedicated to minority failure, known as the legal system. As oppressors, Americans are responsible for providing food, lodging, clothing and medical care for every illegal immigrant in the United States today, and the failure to secure our borders ensures the continued growth of this plague of unwanted illegals. Today, we promote divided loyalties and dual citizenship. Diversity is celebrated over unity. We stress differences over similarities. Unity is necessary to keep a nation together. We need to look at ancient Greece for guidance in today’s world. The Greeks believed they belonged to the same race, they possessed a common language and literature. They worshipped the same gods. Along came Persia and threatened their liberty. All their common bonds were not strong enough to overcome the individualism of the city-state, and their division over political differences. Our coins mock us with the Latin inscription, “E. Pluribus Unum” - “From many, one.” Today, we stress the Pluribus, and ignore the Unum. In today’s America, it is taboo and off limits to discuss anything that stands against “diversity.” The ancient word “heretic” has been expanded to include “homophobe” and “racist” and “sexist.” Thus, in today’s world, it has become unfashionable to try to do something so despicable as protecting our borders from foreign invasion or believing Christianity is more favorable than putting a spell on someone with chicken feet. Even Tom Cruise’s idiotic “Scientology” crap is mainstream and can be discussed openly as an acceptable form of self-abasement. The idea that immigration is a good thing has blown out of proportions into the acceptance of millions of unwanted and uneducated invaders who are to be looked upon as invited guests. The chief proponents of this hideous abandonment of American values are known as Democrats. If we are so foolish as to abandon the Republican party, which is far from perfect, and allow their dirty political tricks to boost them back into power, we as a people with further slide into communal suicide. We must not allow that to happen. But, that is just my opinion.
Posted by Marshal Will Kane at 06:32 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
September 21, 2006
Barbara Binks
Bad camera angle?
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September 13, 2006
News, Oh, Yep Yep Yep
CBS Evening news - Headlines and Commentary with your perky host, Katie Couric.
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September 29, 2005
The Killer B's Fight HIV-AIDS
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September 09, 2005
NFL Pregame
Just as Super Bowl halftime shows have reached a crescendo of ludicrousness and excess, we are now being served with opening night kickoff extravaganzas. I understand that the NFL is just trying to promote their sport but are they going so far in their promotion that they’re alienating their bread and butter clientele? I’m as hardcore as they come and I simply cannot watch the Super Bowl halftime “celebrations”. On about two occasions last night I watched just enough of the NFL’s kickoff extravaganza to take note of the fact that it was still dragging on before I hit the “Last” button on the remote to get back to the ESPN pre-game show. I engaged in this activity until I noticed that ESPN had conveniently placed a countdown to kickoff clock on their broadcast for people like me who would prefer the inane ramblings of ex-football players to over the hill British rock star heroine addicts any day of the week. I want football statistics, football player interviews, football cheerleaders, football highlights etc, etc, etc… The National Football League is already, by far, the most popular spectator sport in the United States, who are they attempting to promote it to and who are they alienating in the process?
Will all of the hubbub force me away from the game? Probably not… At least not as long as there are alternative pre-game shows to watch in order to avoid the lunacy. However, I just can’t shake the feeling that we’ve let one slip away from us here. Why sacrifice the integrity of the sport? Why dumb down the experience for those that have supported, and would surely be willing to continue to support, the NFL and its rich traditions? Celine Dion? For the love of God, how about a good local New England area high school marching band plays the national anthem? Then we have a coin toss, we kick the damn ball, and we have us a football game eh?
Posted by RobF at 02:39 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 05, 2005
Funky Outdoorsy
Not a total hippie?
I guess I don't buy into these things because there were actually two pictures that I was really drawn toward and I could only pick one. After awhile it's just a matter of eenie-meenie-ing (just try saying that) my way to personal introspection. In any case, I guess I am outdoorsy, and I'm admittedly very impulsive. Like many now well rounded responsible people, I was ONCE rather hippie-ish until I grew up, got a job, and starting paying property taxes. What's that saying, "if you're not a liberal before 20 you have no heart and if you're not a conservative before 30 you have no balls". It's something like that... Anyway, hat tip to her redness and to probably 10,000 other blogs that I don't want to read that posted the same thing. What can I say, cacti are cool...
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July 03, 2005
Happy Independance Day
Happy 4th everyone!
Tonight (Sunday) if everything falls into place, I'll be on the boat fishing with the Dads. Tomorrow I think it's a picnic.
Please be safe, don't drink and drive and take a moment to say a prayer for our brave men and women in uniform; without whom we wouldn't be able to enjoy the greatest accomplishment in the history of humanity.
God bless America and God bless our heroes in uniform.
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June 30, 2005
Programming Language Inventor or Serial Killer?
Hat tip to Tom v over at KIP
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June 15, 2005
Mellow Out Maverick
Don't worry brother...
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May 31, 2005
In the News
SIR Bob Geldof will today announce the glittering line-up for music spectacular Live 8 - but the Spice Girls will not be in it.
The rest of the riveting story here...
In other news, I trimmed my toenails this morning.
Posted by RobF at 11:23 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Engaged
Hotel heiress Paris Hilton is said to be engaged...
And over-exposed.
And ugly.
And uninteresting.
And unintelligent.
And trashy.
And probably diseased.
And most likely medicated.
I wonder if the lucky groom-to-be is the guy on the infamous video tape? What a lucky guy...
Posted by RobF at 11:05 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
April 20, 2005
I Can't Think of Anyone More Deserving
Let's get a collection going for this guy's bail and legal fees.
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Run Paula Run
“It's the issue that's on everyone's mind, but few can find the words to discuss it. In short, should Paula Radcliffe have gone?The British marathon champion has sparked a furious, if hushed, debate on manners by going to the toilet midway through the London Marathon in front of millions of TV viewers around the world.
Radcliffe, who broke British hearts when she tearfully dropped out of the Athens Olympic marathon last year, shocked viewers and commentators alike when she pulled over to the side of the road and crouched.
Fans feared a humiliating repeat of her Grecian failure, when, as the hot favourite she staggered off the road and out of the race with cramps.
Instead, it was an embarrassment of an entirely different kind as the world record holder made a televised toilet stop.
She then quickly recovered her stride and romped to victory, breaking the line at Buckingham Palace in one of the fastest women's times in history.”
Okay, so a female British marathon runner had to go pee bad enough to pop a squat on the side of the road, what’s the big deal? Is this really newsworthy?
“But while they had difficulty describing the act, few had trouble condemning it. "Paula's primitive actions left me disgusted," stormed self-proclaimed TV etiquette expert Jean Broke-Smith.”So let me get this straight… The same Europeans that called us prude because we created such a stir about Janet Jackson showing her bare breast to millions of children during the Super Bowl halftime show are giving Paula Radcliffe a hard time for peeing during a 26 mile run? What would the headlines have read if she dropped out of the race because she had to find a discreet place to take a leak? I’ll guarantee there wouldn’t be the slightest bit of hub-bub if Radcliffe was a man. A male marathon runner peeing behind a tree would have most likely provided an entertaining photo op, but it certainly wouldn’t have been looked upon as scandalous. A lady’s gotta do what a lady’s gotta do. My hat is off to Ms. Radcliffe as I think most people have absolutely no idea what kind of sacrifices marathon runners endure in order to take part in their sport, let alone excel at it. I know a few people that have a hard time holding it for a 26 mile car ride. Give the poor girl a break.
Posted by RobF at 01:35 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
April 19, 2005
Ann Margaret
I received this chain letter in my email this morning from a good friend. I've never posted a chain letter before because you can never be sure of their authenticity. I checked this one on Snopes and they say it's true. That's good enough for me. I'm sure that I'm way late to the party on this (again). Don't care...
Richard, (my husband), never really talked a lot about his time in Viet Nam other than he had been shot by a sniper. However, he had a rather grainy, 8 x 10 black and white photo he had taken at a USO show of Ann Margaret with Bob Hope in the background that was one of his treasures.A few years ago, Ann Margaret was doing a book signing at a local bookstore. Richard wanted to see if he could get her to sign the treasured photo so he arrived at the bookstore at 12 o'clock for the
7:30 signing. When I got there after work, the line went all the way around the bookstore, circled the parking lot and disappeared behind a parking garage. Before her appearance, bookstore employees announced that she would sign only her book and no memorabilia would be permitted. Richard was disappointed, but wanted to show her the photo and let her know how much those shows meant to lonely GI's so far from home. Ann Margaret came out looking as beautiful as ever and, as second in line, it was soon Richard's turn. He presented the book for her signature and then took out the photo. When he did, there were many shouts from the employees that she would not sign it. Richard said, "I understand. I just wanted her to see it." She took one look at the photo, tears welled up in her eyes and she said, "This is one of my gentlemen from Viet Nam and I most certainly will sign his photo. I know what these men did for their country and I always have time for 'my gentlemen.'" With that, she pulled Richard across the table and planted a big kiss on him. She then made quite a to-do about the bravery of the young men she met over the years, how much she admired them, and how much she appreciated them. There weren't too many dry eyes among those close enough to hear. She then posed for pictures and acted as if he were the only one there.Later at dinner, Richard was very quiet. When I asked if he'd like to talk about it, my big strong husband broke down in tears. "That's the first time anyone ever thanked me for my time in the Army," he said. That night was a turning point for him. He walked a little straighter and, for the first time in years, was proud to have been a Vet. I'll never forget Ann Margaret for her graciousness and how much that small act of kindness meant to my husband. I now make it a point to say "Thank you" to every person I come across who served in our Armed Forces. Freedom does not come cheap and I am grateful for all those who have served their country.
Posted by RobF at 09:08 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
April 12, 2005
Aw Hamburgers
That's exactly what I thought I'd look like.
You know you want to make one...
UPDATE: Beth over at MVRWC has a South Park Republican gallery.
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January 29, 2005
Selfishness or Sacrifice
In a FoxNews poll on January 27, only 45% of Americans said that most of the people they know would vote if it required risking their lives to do so. 48% said most would not take the risk.
We have come a long way since March 1775 when Patrick Henry closed his urgent appeal to fellow Virginians to bear arms in self defense with his immortal words, "I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death." No longer are we committed to liberty. Rather, we are committed to licentiousness. Therefore, the sacrifice which Henry was so willing to give in defense of this great country has been replaced by selfishness. It was only 44 years ago that President Kennedy eloquently urged, "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country." We need to hear, really hear, those words again. Even more, we need to live them.
On the Eve of the first election Iraqis have ever known, it is no wonder that we doubt their success. If we were being asked to do what the Iraqis must do to vote, most of us wouldn't do it. My fellow Americans, if we are going to remain free, we must once again live sacrificial lives, rather than self-centered lives. . That is even more important, if we are going to lead others into freedom.
Posted by TomS at 10:03 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
