I would like to say to all my Townhall friends have a Merry Christmas. Since starting this blog in late October I have met some really great people here. I appreciate all of your comments that you leave on my posts. I enjoy reading all of your blogs as well. Keep up the good work.

Many of us have gone through some hard times this year. With the economy sinking. Many have lost jobs etc. But we all will make it with God's grace.  I hope you all have a blessed holiday and may God bless all of you in the coming year.

Thanks again and Merry Christmas

James Burns

Well I wrote my first multi story piece yesterday. Two of the stories I have some updated information that I would like to share.

First, let's talk about Obama's Blagogate involvement report. Amazingly no one in the "Orifice of The President Elect"  was found to have committed any wrong doing. Go figure. We were pretty well sure that a self conducted investigation by the One's staffers on the staffers would find that out. Second seems that he has alluded any tough questions on it. He is impecable with his timing. Obamessiah decided to release the report while he was on vacation in Hawaii and his Chief of Staff Rhambo was out of the country. Who released the report? None other than Joe "The Gaff" Biden, who was totally clueless on the dealings I am sure. That's becasue he is too busy reserving his vacated seat for his son. Allowing his Chief of Staff to keep the seat warm until Biden's son returns from Iraq in two years.

The other update is to the elimination of grade levels in a Colorado school district. Seems that the problem with the school district is that too many students have below grade level skills when being promoted. The reports I heard today stated that many high school gradutes need remedial classes before they can go onto college. They said under the new system children would be kept back if they didn't meet standards for advancement. Isn't this the way it is today? If you don't pass the third grade you can't go to fourth. Oh what I forgot this would hurt the child's self asteem we can't have that. So what makes them think this will work, just sound to anti p.c. for me. Second if that many kids are doing that badly maybe we should look at the ones giving the education. The only union with more power than the UAW are the teachers unions. Can't fire a bad teacher because he as tenure. B.S. if I don' t do my job, I get fired. Same accountability if not greater should be held over the heads of these teachers. But again that is just anti p.c. and can't happen.

I have also concluded that if we go back to the old ways of teaching rather than these new weird methods, we probably would have better results for our children. I have four children of my own. Three are grown one is a freshman in high school. All graduated high school, but one thing stands out in my mind. When they were in grade school they would ask me to help with their math home work. I said ok like any good father would. My problem was it was like reading Greek. these new methods of teaching math are so out in left field even some of the teachers can't figure them out. This comes from one of my children's past teachers. Graphing, x and y axises, lines, to teach basic addition, subtraction and mutiplication and division. What happened to the 3 apples plus 4 apples equals 7 apples? That is tangable and easily explained. I remember memorizing multiplication tables. My kids never did that.  Maybe that's why kids are failing, we are getting to techincal with why it is like that, not it is just that way and that's it. Too much theorizing and not enough facts. So in essence when it came time to help them I was as lost as they were. Leading to everyones frustration and kids losing interest. Good thing is my son the oldest is a math wiz and helped his sisters.

Living in Florida, I also have witnessed that too much time is spent on preparing for these stupid standardized tests. Basically prepping them for what is on the test and not enough time is spent teaching them the subject matter. Schools are spending too much time just getting children to pass the tests rather than educating them and when it does become test time, the students know the material. The students are taught what is on the test just enough to pass and thats it. So real teaching time is cut short. I say get rid of standardized test like the FCAT which is what we have in Florida, and just teach our kids. Millions of people have been educated before these tests and have gotten a better education without them. It is since the adoption of standardized testing and these off the wall teaching methods have our students began to suffer.

Put some accountability into the education system. Both on the student and the teachers. IF a teacher is not doing their job fire them. Screw the union. Second if a kid is screwing up in school, make every effort to get the kid on track. If the kid is still having trouble, then keep the student back another year. So what if all his or her buddies are ahead of them. so what if little Johnnie's feelings are hurt if he is held back. If he can't do the work due to learning issues or behavior issues he needs to be kept back. We can't afford to allow little Johnnie to leave school not knowing how to read or add. We are too coddling to our youth, holding them to no standards and accountablility all in for the sake of self asteem. BUt if you take a close look at our youth today, and look at the ones who were socially advanced through school, not on their grades. You will see that the majority of those children have trouble with the law or authority issues, anger issues or both. So really we have done real justice to their self asteem by the coddling. I am sure drug problems legal issues such as jail works great for the self asteem of the child.

Parents, work with your children. Make sure they are doing what they need to. It can't all be done in six hours of school. It needs to happen at home. If you can't be bothered then don't go on Dr Phil and complain about your kids. It is your fault. Stop being the BFF and be mom or dad.


The political correct movement, towards our youth must stop we are causing more damage than good.

Here are some of the absurd or angering stories I have heard in the past couple of days. I have provided links for those who want to get the whole story.

A Colorado school board decides to eliminate grade levels. According to the article testing will be done to see were each student is academically and they will be placed according to that level. No age separation, just by skill. Now how ridiculous is that?  Who wants a 13 year old third grader in with average 8 year old third graders? Or how about 30 year old seniors in high school?

A Louisiana parish is banning the receiving the receipt of cookies or cakes during this holiday season from patrons to staff. They say  the practice is a violation of the parish code of ethics. Talk about being a Scrooge! The parish states that this practice results in the preferential treatment of certain patrons.

Carolyne Kennedy refuses to turn over financial statements in her bid to become senator of NY after Hilliary Clinton vacates the seat for Secretary of State job. What is it these days with democrats? Why can't they play by the rules like everyone else? If this was anyone else say a republican the media outrage would be deafening. Some are even saying that Kennedy is being "Palinized" for her lack of experience. Well guess what they should. The woman has never held a public office, Palin has. The only public job she has had was to raise money for the New York City school system. Tax records state it was a dollar a year job and she only workes one or two hours a week. Does the woman have something to hide? Turn over the records lady, play the game like everyone else.

Today The Office Of The President Elect ( does this even exist?) will release it's report today regarding it's dealings with the Office Of Corruption oops, Office of the Governor Of Illinois Rod Blagojevich. How neutral will this report be? It will be as thorough as Eric Holder' s ( future US Attorney General)  investigation into corruption in Illinois government. See Hot Rod hired Holder for 300,000 dollars to investigate corruption in his government. Amazingly he found none.

Finally the UAW after all of it's complaining and it's paid for chastising of auto maker CEO's by congress, forgot to mention it's 27 million dollar luxury country club it owns. This "learning center" is for UAW members to take "classes" to better their careers. For past couple of years the resort has lost money due to falling union membership and members not going there. The resort offers a golf course, spa, swimming pool, and luxury rooms for discounted rates. Union dues are paying for this now because of it's losses. Maybe the union should sell it to help the auto makers out by lowering dues and then lowering salaries due not having to pay for to this "learning center".

I am a believer. Yes there is a God who dictates our lives and our destinies. But I find it funny when people who have no relationship with God or don't even believe all of a sudden find God. Now I know many people have found God through turmoil. What I am saying is that people who are in the public eye and will not give him the time of day until they are in a bind.

Lets look at a situation. Gov. Rod Blagojevich has been charged with corruption in the State of Illinois. During his speech the other day he thanked people for their prayers for him and his wife during this time of crisis. Now that leaves me to wonder has he even thought of God before this? Was he thinking of God when he was trying to sell Obama's senate seat? Or in any of the other alleged corrupt actions he has commited. Most politicians try to keep the discussion of God out of the public forum. But when one is found to be in trouble or there is a national crisis then the words prayer and God come out. Plus to my amazement I hear no complaints from the ACLU or any atheists. Maybe that is because deep down inside these far left liberal entities really do know the truth.

But it is sad that in regular daily life politicians republican or democrat, the ACLU and others discount and even ignore the existence of God. It is sad that God has been removed from all pubilc life. When our founding fathers incorporated him into the formation of this country. When the main text book in schools then was the bible. When there was a moment of silence during school right after the Pledge of Allegiance. Again just another hypocricy we have all grown accustomed to. It is that very attitude that is driving this country into the ground. I just wish that all of them would acknowledge God's existence before the s*** hits the fan. Then maybe you they would be taken more seriously.

I just heard last night that congress has voted itself a raise to the average sum of over 4000 dollars a year. Man, would I like that raise. Seems just when you have seen it all, the congress can't help themselves and go and do something stupid like this.

In this bad economy when banks, auto companies, soon to be the states are getting bailouts. When guys like Barney Frank and Chris Dodd can look down at the CEO's of GM, Ford, Chrysler, AIG and the others and tell them they should take a pay cut and forget about bonuses and put their companies first. These hypocritical morons give themselves a raise. When these same people can say the UAW workers are making to much compared to there counterparts at foreign owned plants, but yet they can tap us and them for another four grand a piece every year. How absurd is that? That raise should make all the UAW and AIG executives jealous. Hell I don't blame the AIG executives now for their expensive trips. Congress can raise their salaries that much, they have no right to say anything about golden parachutes. 

Oh yes, thank you wonderful US citizens who voted these liberal, greedy, self righteous, pieces of garbage into office with their messiah for president. These are the ones we can thank. The ones who bought into "Change We Can Believe In" or "Yes We Can," thats who voted them in. Thank you so much, not have you only screwed us but you also screwed yourselves. Remember don't complain when things get worse because they will. Remember it's because of you and your brainwashing by The One that we are going to hell in a hand basket.   

To Pelosi and Frank, I hope you choke on that four thousand dollars a year. If we as a people can find a way to impeach you and all the other sorry asses on The Hill we will do it. So much for change we can believe in. It  sounds just like more of the same. We are tired of the way you think you can direct our lives and spend our tax dollars. We put you their to serve us not serve yourselves or your interests. It is our government not yours. If you will not treat it with respect and the understanding you serve us then get out and get out now. Otherwise we will find a way to get you out.

Today our economy is a nationwide system. With the growth in transportation such as the railroad, automobiles and trucks, manufactures can spread all around the country and even the world. This type of economy is prone to falling and actually hurting the country because there is no backup system. Look at the Great Depression. Because of an economy that is nationwide a few mistakes can cause a major crisis.

Before our economy became centralized, our country functioned on a group of smaller regional economies. The reason for this was transportation was limited to horseback or horse drawn carriages. Each regional economy produced what the region needed. most food was grown or raised in the area. Small local manufacturers produced the goods needed to allow for life in that region. Each area had a saw mill, farmers for producing food, blacksmiths for the building of wagons or horse care etc. Basically each region was a self sufficient micro economy. Granted not all things needed for a micro economy to survive could be produced there. Things like wheat for flour, sugar etc. had to be shipped into more northern climates. But there were things that each micro economy had to ship in to survive.

What I am trying to say is that our economy the way it is will not survive. There is no fall back if it were to fail, as it is now. But with little localized regional economies if one was having a hard time, say to drought of flooding, others surrounding the troubled economy could help by sending goods in to sustain that area until things got better. But at least the whole nation would not be crashing and burning. The damage would be localized and easily fixable. But when our centralized market based economy has trouble the whole nation will.

If we as a nation could revamp the system and decentralize it and create smaller micro economies we could be a stronger nation financially. Going back to the old ways that are proven through time may be our answer to our dilemma now. The problem with doing this though is all the rich, Wall Street and government types would scream bloody murder because they would lose control of the whole economy. I believe this crisis we are in was planned. Set up to fulfill an agenda. But implementing older style economics and allowing for regional local micro economies would be more beneficial to all. More companies could start up providing goods and services that are right now done on a national corporate scale.

I know that this is just wishful thinking, but maybe the Amish have it right. Small local economies like the Amish have show very little trouble in times of financial hardship. Because they are self sufficent. They do not depend on the Walmarts or the products imported from other countries to survive. But again this would mean a total revamp and the big heads in charge would not like that. We have seen that the old ways work. I don't think that the new ways are doing very well as we can see.

 

Ok I wrote the first post with the title " I Find It Amazing" not intending it to be a series. But as Obama's cabinet seems to take shape a couple of the stars find themselves in the spotlight of controversy.

First we have Eric Holder. We all know that its common knowledge of waht he did as Assistant Attorney General under Janet Reno. The pardon controversies are just the tip of it all. Did you know that Mr. Holder received 300,000 dollars for services rendered to the state of Illinois? Thats right Govenor Hot Rod Blagojevich hired Holder to investigate corruption in the state. Remarkably Holder found no wrong doing or corruption there. Amazing!

Now we have Bill Richardson the govenor of New Mexico. This fine gentleman was selected for Commerce Secretary by good old Barry. Seems that Mr. Bill has a problem of his own. Mr. Bill is the subject of a grand jury investigation. The grand jury is wondering if he is involved with a pay to play scheme, in the awarding of a state contract.

I find it amazing that this is Change We Can Believe In.

Our Congress is a laughing stock. We have so called political geniuses there running our country. They were elected by us on lines of bull crap, then once there, they fail to represent the people who put them there. They only worry about themselves and party beliefs. Not one can truly say they are their for us. I cannot find anywhere how we as the people of the United States can call for the removal of the whole body of Congress. Do you know that this congress has the lowest approval ratings in history. This is a travesty.

Our wonderful congress has given away 700 billion of our tax dollars to "help" the economy. They are considering "loaning" billions to the car makers because they are going belly up.  The car companies are in the trouble they are in because of inefficient business models, greedy union contracts etc. No one wants to hold anyone accountable for their actions anymore. The tone has been set," if we are going to go belly up, just go to congress". Congress was never meant to be a bank. It was never meant to financially stabilize the economy. Our economy is destroying itself. The ones at the top of the food chain leveraged the hell out of everything including the kitchen sink. When these investments started to fail they did not take the blame or be held accountable. They ran their spoiled rotten, BMW driving arsses to congress and cried because they were losing money. Our illustrious law makers had compassion on them and handed them over the money. Did this help? No it didn't all the banks now have money to cover their losses, not loan it to us.

This is just the tip of the iceberg of congress and their incompetence. My major point is that no matter what these people touch they screw it up. I am sorry for my vulgarity here but they all could screw up a wet dream. The leaders in congress are so out of touch with the American public that they can not represent us in a proper manner.

How do we throw them out? Yes we as a country had the chance during the election, but how can we do it now. It really needs to be done. We as a people need to do something. Our country is in serious trouble and the same old faces don't care. So if anyone know how to do this please speak up. Let's try to spark a movement to scare the crap out of these idiots on Capitol Hill. Show them we mean business. 

This past weekend President Bush visited Iraq. During a press conference an Egyptian Shia reporter hurled his shoes at President Bush. In the Middle East this is an insult. But this should not be seen as an insult, but rather a sign of the freedom that the people of Iraq now have.

Before our invasion of Iraq to overthrow Saddam Hussein this type of behavior would have never been tolerated. This very day if this was to happen in Iran or other Muslim countries, this man would have been killed that very day. But because of the freedom given to the Iraqi people that kind of action will not happen. Now the reporter is jailed for attacking a foreign leader, but he will face a fair trial according to the laws and constitution of the new Iraqi government. We should be proud that this man did this, it shows that what we have done there in Iraq has worked. The Iraqi's feel they have enough freedom to express their opinions without fear of serious persecution or even death.

So when the media shows this video and makes fun of President Bush and calls him a failure. When they say look how much these people hate him. They dislike him as much as we do the media will say. But the reality of it all, he has had success here in Iraq and that is the truth. No matter what the media says. The truth is in the picture. I am proud as an American that we were able to give a country the same freedoms we enjoy. Also the majority of Iraqi people are thankful for what we have done. So to all of them your welcome, to our military men and women, thank you for defending our freedom and giving that freedom to others through your ultimate sacrifice. 

This morning I found a little bit of information quite troubling. I was watching Fox News as  I was getting ready to take my daughter to school. The piece was discussing the censorship the search engine Google puts on search results. Seems that we can't even do a search on the internet without having liberal bias.

What I mean is the piece on Fox describes how Google has taylored search results. The funny thing is they don't deny it. If you do a search on Barack Obama you will find mostly results in his favor. Then use another search like Yahoo and see the difference in the results. Google employees donated 487,000 dollars to Barack Obama's campaign compaired to 20,000 to John McCain's.  Google CEO Eric Schmidt has publically endorsed Barack Obama during his campaign for president. So does a left leaning search engine have a bias?  Are search engines tayloring their results to push an agenda for a certain movement? On the Fox piece Google sources even stated that they do edit results when sites are submitted to their search engine. So information we may be getting is altered and or censored.

This here is unfair for all people using these services. Yes they are private companies, but what sort of accountability do these companies have in passing on correct or complete information. People rely on them quite a bit for information for research etc. Apparently it's more important to push an adgenda than it is to provide correct information. But that is the way our country is going. Sad.