BALTIMORE, Maryland, Saturday, December 31, 2016 - Never before had a Burnley player notched a hat trick in the Premier League. But it happened today at Turf Moor. On the last day of 2016, Andre Gray did something no one will ever forget. He put up a hat trick for the homestanding Claret.
It is a day Andre Gray will never forget.
Gray, who had gone ten matches without scoring until knocking in the game winner on Boxing Day at Turf Moor against Middlesbrough, today put the Claret ahead at halftime, 1-0, on a score in the 31st minute. He then struck twice in the second stanza, first in the 51st minute, then, two minutes later in the 53rd minute. In the 67th minute, Ashley Barnes drilled home a penalty kick for Burnley, putting the Claret ahead by a commanding 4-0 count. Sunderland saved a bit of face with a score by Jermain Defoe in the 71st minute.
Burnley is strong on the Premier Table, standing in 11th place, but only 3 points out of 8th place. The Claret have 23 points. Sunderland is ensconced in 18th place - a relegation position - and only two points out of last place.
There are five matches on the Claret Fixture Sheet in January, but one of these is a FA Cup Third Round Match at, imagine this, Sunderland. It is next Saturday. But Burnley also plays two days hence at Manchester City in a Premier duel. Also in January, the Claret have Premier matches at Arsenal on January 22, and home against Southampton on January 14 and Leicester City on January 31.
Saturday, December 31, 2016
LIve In-Game Update: Burnley leads Sunderland at Half, 1-0; Andre Gray Goal is Difference So Far
BALTIMORE, Maryland, Saturday, December 31, 2016 - Andre Gray's goal at 31 minutes is the only score of the match, and it is enough to send homestanding Burnley to the half ahead of Sunderland, 1-0.
The match between 11th Place Burnley and Sunderland, which is in relegation position, is key for both sides. Burnley is seeking to keep its remarkable home record of victories in tact, while Sunderland is looking to break a four-game road losing streak.
Gray had gone ten games without a score, but got the game-winner on Monday v. Middlesbrough.
The match between 11th Place Burnley and Sunderland, which is in relegation position, is key for both sides. Burnley is seeking to keep its remarkable home record of victories in tact, while Sunderland is looking to break a four-game road losing streak.
Gray had gone ten games without a score, but got the game-winner on Monday v. Middlesbrough.
Friday, December 30, 2016
Trump, Putin Dial Back Obama's War Talk
BALTIMORE, Maryland, Friday, December 30, 2016 - Allow me to pose this question to the world: If it was the RNC instead of the DNC that the Russians supposedly had hacked into, would President Obama be imposing the same sanctions on Russia that he imposed yesterday?
Instead of beating around the bush, let's just have out with it. The answer is no. If it was the RNC, Obama would have called Vladimir Putin, the Russian leader, on the telephone and said, simply, "thank you."
But it wasn't the RNC that was hacked. It was the DNC, and all of their dirt then came spilling out in the Wikileaks. All the stuff about Hillary and the rest of those fun-loving Ultra Leftists plastered all over the inside pages of America's newspapers. If it was the RNC, the material would've been far more mundane, but would have been on the front pages of the New York Times, instead of page A22, which is where the mainstream ultra leftist media put the revelations about Hillary and the Democrats, no matter how newsworthy. And you know I'm correct about this. Tell me I'm not.
Putin, for his part, is riding much too high in the saddle to get suckered into this stupid game the President wants to play. Just yesterday a Syrian Cease Fire was announced. It wasn't a cease fire arranged or brokered by These United States. For the first time in what seems like forever, an important treaty wasn't arranged or brokered by America. It was brokered and arranged by Russia. All sides that agreed are honoring it so far. Putin is a hero to the world. Obama is playing silly games. Terrific.
So, when Putin's intelligence chiefs recommended to him that he expel just about the same number of American intelligence officers as Obama had expelled yesterday from the USA, Putin said no, he wasn't going to play that game. He thinks Donald Trump, the incoming President, will be more reasonable. So, for now, Russia isn't expelling anybody. Not one single soul.
Obama can't start a fight when he's throwing Molotov Cocktails. How about that?
Trump praised Putin's non response as "very smart." Putin said he was anxious to get started with the Trump plan for Russian-American relations. And, instead of expelling American Diplomats, Putin said on the Kremlin's web page that "all the children of American diplomats accredited in Russia {could come] to the New Year and Christmas celebrations in the Kremlin”. What a guy!
The Ultra Leftist picks a fight, and the Moderate avoids the war and wins praise from the enemy.
Instead of beating around the bush, let's just have out with it. The answer is no. If it was the RNC, Obama would have called Vladimir Putin, the Russian leader, on the telephone and said, simply, "thank you."
But it wasn't the RNC that was hacked. It was the DNC, and all of their dirt then came spilling out in the Wikileaks. All the stuff about Hillary and the rest of those fun-loving Ultra Leftists plastered all over the inside pages of America's newspapers. If it was the RNC, the material would've been far more mundane, but would have been on the front pages of the New York Times, instead of page A22, which is where the mainstream ultra leftist media put the revelations about Hillary and the Democrats, no matter how newsworthy. And you know I'm correct about this. Tell me I'm not.
Putin, for his part, is riding much too high in the saddle to get suckered into this stupid game the President wants to play. Just yesterday a Syrian Cease Fire was announced. It wasn't a cease fire arranged or brokered by These United States. For the first time in what seems like forever, an important treaty wasn't arranged or brokered by America. It was brokered and arranged by Russia. All sides that agreed are honoring it so far. Putin is a hero to the world. Obama is playing silly games. Terrific.
So, when Putin's intelligence chiefs recommended to him that he expel just about the same number of American intelligence officers as Obama had expelled yesterday from the USA, Putin said no, he wasn't going to play that game. He thinks Donald Trump, the incoming President, will be more reasonable. So, for now, Russia isn't expelling anybody. Not one single soul.
Obama can't start a fight when he's throwing Molotov Cocktails. How about that?
Trump praised Putin's non response as "very smart." Putin said he was anxious to get started with the Trump plan for Russian-American relations. And, instead of expelling American Diplomats, Putin said on the Kremlin's web page that "all the children of American diplomats accredited in Russia {could come] to the New Year and Christmas celebrations in the Kremlin”. What a guy!
The Ultra Leftist picks a fight, and the Moderate avoids the war and wins praise from the enemy.
Wednesday, December 28, 2016
Attack on Israel Continues at UN; Obama's Scheme Against USA Ally Continues Unabated
BALTIMORE, Maryland, Wednesday, December 28, 2016 - On Sunday night, Bebe Netanyahu went to the Wailing Wall, an important part of Jerusalem's Ancient Western Wall, and a symbol of Jewish hegemony in a time of nearly world-wide condemnation of the small Middle Eastern nation. Once there, Netanyahu lighted Hanukkah Candles that were brightly colored, even festive in appearance. He was determined to continue traditions begun in antiquity, traditions that have helped define a people that are otherwise so embattled world-wide that the anger in these attacks almost defy explanation at a time when many world leaders whisper about a global government.
Other Jews were gathered around Netanyahu, doing the same thing as he. They are determined to remind the world that their President does not act alone. The Wailing Wall is just about the most Jewish place on the face of the Earth, standing near to the Temple Mount and the site of the Great Jewish Temples of the past. Yet, the plan of the UN is to take this place from Israel and turn it over to the Palestine Authority.
How could any one, any country, any group have a better claim to this place than the Jewish People? Well, Barak Hussein Obama thinks that the Palestinians, who have never had a country or organization anywhere on the face of this Earth, much less here in Jerusalem. The claim of the folk who call themselves "Palestinians" just coalesced in the last decade or two, while the Jewish or Israeli claim dates from antiquity. The Bible speaks of Jews and Israel. Recently, some alleged scholar tried to say that when the Bible speaks about Philistines, it really means Palestinians.
Huh? So now the Bible made a spelling mistake?
But to prove his point, Obama stabs Israel in the back and seeks to move on from there. Really, this is what he is doing. And everybody else is supposed to say OK and act like he is correct. Even people on his side know that he is not correct.
Obama, thankfully, is leaving office in America. It is an event that can not come soon enough for millions of Americans, most of them not Jewish. But on Obama's way out the door, he threw a knife and hopes the knife will strike America's ally, not head on, but in the back. Obama and his functionaries concocted this scheme in utter privacy, then quietly, secretly, they campaigned for their plan with other hapless nations also willing to promote a second Holocaust.
You see, the UN was once again trying to pass one of their despicable resolutions condemning Israel for whatever, pick a reason, it doesn't matter. The UN will condemn Israel for the sky being blue if it would bring scorn to the Jewish State. For decades, the USA has used its inherent authority on the Security Council at the UN to veto such nonsensical actions. Everyone expected it again last week when the latest of these anti-Israel abominations slithered to the floor of the UN Security Council. For its part, in the lead-up to the vote on the resolution, the USA wasn't saying otherwise. And then, without notice, and out of the blue, the USA's UN Ambassador, Samantha Powers, a functionary of Obama's, announced that the USA would abstain from the vote. No veto. Just an abstention. This meant that this hair-brained resolution - condemning Israel for building homes for its people on land it annexed after the Six Day War in 1967 - would pass the Security Council. It would bring untold international scorn on Israel and undermine the Jewish State's claims on these very very small parcels of land.
Remember, the Six Day War started in 1967 when Israel was attacked from all sides by a number of Arab States. Despite the coordinated nature of the ambush-like attacks; i.e., many against one, Israel won the war in just 6 days, and, to protect its ability to defend itself going forward, Israel annexed several extremely small parcels of land. It is this land that the homes were being built on. It is these micro parcels that has the UN all in a huff. You know, it doesn't have anything better to do.
There was no phone call from Washington to Israel announcing that the USA would take this awful step at the UN, even though the USA abstention would break the decades long understanding between the two nations. The reason for the secret abstention was the utter scorn that Obama holds Israeli President Bebe Netanyahu in. You see, Obama is an Ultra Leftist and a man consumed by narcissism, He thinks of himself first and his cultish movement second. After that comes all the rest, with the USA falling in this catch-all group somewhere. The USA'S longtime ally, Israel, falls below the catch-all group in importance to Obama. For reasons Obama has never revealed, Obama really hates Netanyahu. To his utter embarrassment, Obama was recorded saying as much at an international conference some years back. He whispered his feeling about Mr. Netanyahu to some diplomat or the other, unaware that a microphone was recording his every word. Then, recently, when Obama's God-Awful "treaty" with Iran - it being the one that will allow Iran to obtain nuclear weaponry after a decade - finally became public, Netanyahu accepted an invitation from the Republican Speaker of the United States House of Representatives to address a Joint Session of Congress. The eloquent and persuasive speech laid out all of the reasons that Washington should not sign such an agreement with a nation that has vowed to destroy Israel and wipe it off of the face of the Earth. Despite the speech, Obama out-thought certain Republican Congressional leaders and got the treaty ratified. But Obama was boiling mad at Netanyahu for coming to the USA and trying to short-circuit his plan to bull rush the agreement through the Congress. First, he sent paid functionaries to Israel shortly before the Israeli Elections in an effort to have Netanyahu's bid for re-electiion defeated. But Obama's ploy had the opposite effect on Israeli voters. Before the functionaries showed up, Netanyahu was well behind. When word of the presence of Obama's Minions got out, the election turned and Netanyahu won. So Obama then concocted this awful piece of work. If it works, the whole nation of Israel suffers.
Is Obama that narcissistic? Would he punish an entire nation to appease his injured pride. The short answer to this question is yes, he would. He is doing it now.
Netanyahu is a master statesman, a leader among leaders. he keeps his tiny country working and surviving despite being surrounded by enemies. He will need all of his skill and all of his guile to survive this Obama gambit. He knows help is on the way. The USA President Elect is as much pro-Israel as Obama is anti-Israel. Trump has tweeted an open message to Netanyahu, telling him to hang on because January 20, the day Trump is sworn in, is right around the corner.
Obama's Secretary of State, John Kerry, gave a lame speech today trying to put Obama's back room treachery is as good of a light as possible. But when you slither, those who walk are way too far above you to see clearly. Incredibly, Kerry made this absurd and disgusting comment: “If the choice is one state, Israel can either be Jewish or democratic, it cannot be both,"
Can a statement be more Anti-Semitic?
Trump blasted the Kerry Speech in its entirety, concluding: "We cannot continue to let Israel be treated with such total disdain and disrespect. They used to have a great friend in the U.S., but......."
Netanyahu and other Israelis have pointed out time and again that the world is beset by ruthless dictators and genocidal maniacs, but the UN continues to direct all of its ire at Israel, a democracy that guarantees its Palestinian citizens more rights than they are guaranteed in their own homeland area. The world's governments had an excuse for not acting to stop the Nazi Holocaust. It was carried out while the Nazi army was in the field and attacking the allies with blitzkriegs and aerial attacks. But if Iran launches nukes at Israel, there will be no excuses. What will the world's governments say, 'we were too busy voting on an anti-Israeli resolution at the UN?'
Other Jews were gathered around Netanyahu, doing the same thing as he. They are determined to remind the world that their President does not act alone. The Wailing Wall is just about the most Jewish place on the face of the Earth, standing near to the Temple Mount and the site of the Great Jewish Temples of the past. Yet, the plan of the UN is to take this place from Israel and turn it over to the Palestine Authority.
How could any one, any country, any group have a better claim to this place than the Jewish People? Well, Barak Hussein Obama thinks that the Palestinians, who have never had a country or organization anywhere on the face of this Earth, much less here in Jerusalem. The claim of the folk who call themselves "Palestinians" just coalesced in the last decade or two, while the Jewish or Israeli claim dates from antiquity. The Bible speaks of Jews and Israel. Recently, some alleged scholar tried to say that when the Bible speaks about Philistines, it really means Palestinians.
Huh? So now the Bible made a spelling mistake?
But to prove his point, Obama stabs Israel in the back and seeks to move on from there. Really, this is what he is doing. And everybody else is supposed to say OK and act like he is correct. Even people on his side know that he is not correct.
Obama, thankfully, is leaving office in America. It is an event that can not come soon enough for millions of Americans, most of them not Jewish. But on Obama's way out the door, he threw a knife and hopes the knife will strike America's ally, not head on, but in the back. Obama and his functionaries concocted this scheme in utter privacy, then quietly, secretly, they campaigned for their plan with other hapless nations also willing to promote a second Holocaust.
You see, the UN was once again trying to pass one of their despicable resolutions condemning Israel for whatever, pick a reason, it doesn't matter. The UN will condemn Israel for the sky being blue if it would bring scorn to the Jewish State. For decades, the USA has used its inherent authority on the Security Council at the UN to veto such nonsensical actions. Everyone expected it again last week when the latest of these anti-Israel abominations slithered to the floor of the UN Security Council. For its part, in the lead-up to the vote on the resolution, the USA wasn't saying otherwise. And then, without notice, and out of the blue, the USA's UN Ambassador, Samantha Powers, a functionary of Obama's, announced that the USA would abstain from the vote. No veto. Just an abstention. This meant that this hair-brained resolution - condemning Israel for building homes for its people on land it annexed after the Six Day War in 1967 - would pass the Security Council. It would bring untold international scorn on Israel and undermine the Jewish State's claims on these very very small parcels of land.
Remember, the Six Day War started in 1967 when Israel was attacked from all sides by a number of Arab States. Despite the coordinated nature of the ambush-like attacks; i.e., many against one, Israel won the war in just 6 days, and, to protect its ability to defend itself going forward, Israel annexed several extremely small parcels of land. It is this land that the homes were being built on. It is these micro parcels that has the UN all in a huff. You know, it doesn't have anything better to do.
There was no phone call from Washington to Israel announcing that the USA would take this awful step at the UN, even though the USA abstention would break the decades long understanding between the two nations. The reason for the secret abstention was the utter scorn that Obama holds Israeli President Bebe Netanyahu in. You see, Obama is an Ultra Leftist and a man consumed by narcissism, He thinks of himself first and his cultish movement second. After that comes all the rest, with the USA falling in this catch-all group somewhere. The USA'S longtime ally, Israel, falls below the catch-all group in importance to Obama. For reasons Obama has never revealed, Obama really hates Netanyahu. To his utter embarrassment, Obama was recorded saying as much at an international conference some years back. He whispered his feeling about Mr. Netanyahu to some diplomat or the other, unaware that a microphone was recording his every word. Then, recently, when Obama's God-Awful "treaty" with Iran - it being the one that will allow Iran to obtain nuclear weaponry after a decade - finally became public, Netanyahu accepted an invitation from the Republican Speaker of the United States House of Representatives to address a Joint Session of Congress. The eloquent and persuasive speech laid out all of the reasons that Washington should not sign such an agreement with a nation that has vowed to destroy Israel and wipe it off of the face of the Earth. Despite the speech, Obama out-thought certain Republican Congressional leaders and got the treaty ratified. But Obama was boiling mad at Netanyahu for coming to the USA and trying to short-circuit his plan to bull rush the agreement through the Congress. First, he sent paid functionaries to Israel shortly before the Israeli Elections in an effort to have Netanyahu's bid for re-electiion defeated. But Obama's ploy had the opposite effect on Israeli voters. Before the functionaries showed up, Netanyahu was well behind. When word of the presence of Obama's Minions got out, the election turned and Netanyahu won. So Obama then concocted this awful piece of work. If it works, the whole nation of Israel suffers.
Is Obama that narcissistic? Would he punish an entire nation to appease his injured pride. The short answer to this question is yes, he would. He is doing it now.
Netanyahu is a master statesman, a leader among leaders. he keeps his tiny country working and surviving despite being surrounded by enemies. He will need all of his skill and all of his guile to survive this Obama gambit. He knows help is on the way. The USA President Elect is as much pro-Israel as Obama is anti-Israel. Trump has tweeted an open message to Netanyahu, telling him to hang on because January 20, the day Trump is sworn in, is right around the corner.
Obama's Secretary of State, John Kerry, gave a lame speech today trying to put Obama's back room treachery is as good of a light as possible. But when you slither, those who walk are way too far above you to see clearly. Incredibly, Kerry made this absurd and disgusting comment: “If the choice is one state, Israel can either be Jewish or democratic, it cannot be both,"
Can a statement be more Anti-Semitic?
Trump blasted the Kerry Speech in its entirety, concluding: "We cannot continue to let Israel be treated with such total disdain and disrespect. They used to have a great friend in the U.S., but......."
Netanyahu and other Israelis have pointed out time and again that the world is beset by ruthless dictators and genocidal maniacs, but the UN continues to direct all of its ire at Israel, a democracy that guarantees its Palestinian citizens more rights than they are guaranteed in their own homeland area. The world's governments had an excuse for not acting to stop the Nazi Holocaust. It was carried out while the Nazi army was in the field and attacking the allies with blitzkriegs and aerial attacks. But if Iran launches nukes at Israel, there will be no excuses. What will the world's governments say, 'we were too busy voting on an anti-Israeli resolution at the UN?'
Tuesday, December 27, 2016
Maryland Crushes Illinois in Big Ten Opener; Terps Improve to 13-1
BALTIMORE, Maryland, Tuesday, December 27, 2016 - It was the opinion of critics, including the media midgets who keep Maryland out of the various Top 25's, that the "real" Maryland would show its colors once the Big Ten Season got underway.
Wrong!
With Melo Trimble predictably leading the way, Maryland crushed a good Illinois team, 84-59, Tuesday night in College Park, Maryland. Trimble poured in 20 points to lead four Terrapins in double figures. He was helped plenty by Sophomore Jaylen Brantley's 13 points, Freshman Anthony Cowan's 12 points, Freshman Justin Jackson's 12 points, and Redshirt Sophomore Dion Wiley's 9 points, all from three-point range.
Maryland, despite its gaudy record (13-1), and strong schedule (including wins over Georgetown, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, Richmond and Illinois), remains unranked in either major poll. They would be No. 26 in the AP Poll were it extended, and No. 27 in the Coach's Poll.
Both teams started slowly, and Illinois didn't score for the first 3:15 of the first half. But the Terps only had four points over that stretch. Illinois managed to tie the score at 4-4, but never could get a lead.
After the first minutes, Maryland took control. Cowan's jumper in the paint with 12:19 left in the first half put the Terps ahead, 17-5. Jackson's jumper in the paint with 9:21 left in the half gave Maryland a 21-8 lead. Maryland's biggest lead came with just over five minutes left when Cowan hit a free throw to stretch the Terrapin lead to 29.
Maryland played without two of its top post players, Damonte Dodd, who has been out, and Michal Cekovsky, whose injured ankle kept him out of uniform. Nevertheless, the Terps outscored Illinois, 48-24, in the paint. The Terps received a much-needed lift from L.G. Gill, who came off the bench to score 6 points and grab a team-high 7 rebounds.
Maryland improved to 13-1 overall, while Illinois fell to 10-4. The Terps play next on Sunday (January 1) against Nebraska, also in College Park. Their first conference road game is January 7 at Michigan.
Wrong!
With Melo Trimble predictably leading the way, Maryland crushed a good Illinois team, 84-59, Tuesday night in College Park, Maryland. Trimble poured in 20 points to lead four Terrapins in double figures. He was helped plenty by Sophomore Jaylen Brantley's 13 points, Freshman Anthony Cowan's 12 points, Freshman Justin Jackson's 12 points, and Redshirt Sophomore Dion Wiley's 9 points, all from three-point range.
Maryland, despite its gaudy record (13-1), and strong schedule (including wins over Georgetown, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, Richmond and Illinois), remains unranked in either major poll. They would be No. 26 in the AP Poll were it extended, and No. 27 in the Coach's Poll.
Both teams started slowly, and Illinois didn't score for the first 3:15 of the first half. But the Terps only had four points over that stretch. Illinois managed to tie the score at 4-4, but never could get a lead.
After the first minutes, Maryland took control. Cowan's jumper in the paint with 12:19 left in the first half put the Terps ahead, 17-5. Jackson's jumper in the paint with 9:21 left in the half gave Maryland a 21-8 lead. Maryland's biggest lead came with just over five minutes left when Cowan hit a free throw to stretch the Terrapin lead to 29.
Maryland played without two of its top post players, Damonte Dodd, who has been out, and Michal Cekovsky, whose injured ankle kept him out of uniform. Nevertheless, the Terps outscored Illinois, 48-24, in the paint. The Terps received a much-needed lift from L.G. Gill, who came off the bench to score 6 points and grab a team-high 7 rebounds.
Maryland improved to 13-1 overall, while Illinois fell to 10-4. The Terps play next on Sunday (January 1) against Nebraska, also in College Park. Their first conference road game is January 7 at Michigan.
Obama Involved From the Start in Plan to Back Stab Israel?
BALTIMORE, Maryland, Tuesday, December 27, 2016 - I took a moment and updated the story I posted yesterday about the Obama Administration's awful treatment of the USA's very very close and dependable ally, Israel. As it turns out, I was much too easy on Obama. The truth is, Obama and his Minions hatched this plan to stab Israel in the back and gussy up to Iran and its allies in the region. Then, they convinced other nations to play along with the back stabbing when the vote was taken on the Obama plan before the UN Security Council. Then, it lied about its activities to the American people, not that many of them were paying all that close attention since all of this took place on Christmas Weekend.
All of this sounds an awful lot llike the Ultra Left on a typical day at the office, does it not?
While other nations played along, the Obama Administration Lied and Concealed their plan - and it really is an evil plan, as much as I hate to use that term here - from the American people. When the Security Council Vote was taken, the USA, in violation of over 70 years of Consistent Support for Israel when such ridiculous votes are taken, abandoned Israel and abstained from the vote. The rest of the world voted against Israel, condemning it for building houses for its people on Israeli land in the Golan Heights, in East Jerusalem and on the West Bank. The full evil effect on Israel will show itself if and when negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority begin again. Before last week, Israel would go into those negotiations with its one blue chip, the land it took after it was attacked in the 1967 Six Day War. Israel could offer that land in return for Palestinian Concessions on such issues as Israel's right to exist. Sadly, that right is not conceded by the Palestinians. After the UN vote last week, the Palestinians can say that the land you offer is already ours.
So, in sum, Obama and Company schemed against Israel and hatched up the wretched plan to screw it before the UN and in any future negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Then, Obama and company tried to conceal its complicity by abstaining from the UN Vote. Then, it lied about all of this to the American people. Sounds to me like a real Ultra Leftist scheme, does it not?
The thing that really bothers me is the question of why. Why does Obama want to, literally, get filthy with a scheme like this? Why does he want to do this when he has kept away from such dastardly stuff for eight years. Well, really, he hasn't. He has been the most Anti-Israeli President in American History. But not even Obama ever went as far as he has now, on his way out the door.
What other explanation is there other than Obama does not like Israel and its leader, Bebe Netanyahu? Is Obama anti-Semitic? I don't want to believe that. So somebody needs to give me another explanation.
Ultra Leftists, as a lot, are uniformly Anti-Semitic. Obama is an Ultra Leftist. Has he fallen into this real moral pit? Like I say, tell me it isn't so.
All of this sounds an awful lot llike the Ultra Left on a typical day at the office, does it not?
While other nations played along, the Obama Administration Lied and Concealed their plan - and it really is an evil plan, as much as I hate to use that term here - from the American people. When the Security Council Vote was taken, the USA, in violation of over 70 years of Consistent Support for Israel when such ridiculous votes are taken, abandoned Israel and abstained from the vote. The rest of the world voted against Israel, condemning it for building houses for its people on Israeli land in the Golan Heights, in East Jerusalem and on the West Bank. The full evil effect on Israel will show itself if and when negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority begin again. Before last week, Israel would go into those negotiations with its one blue chip, the land it took after it was attacked in the 1967 Six Day War. Israel could offer that land in return for Palestinian Concessions on such issues as Israel's right to exist. Sadly, that right is not conceded by the Palestinians. After the UN vote last week, the Palestinians can say that the land you offer is already ours.
So, in sum, Obama and Company schemed against Israel and hatched up the wretched plan to screw it before the UN and in any future negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Then, Obama and company tried to conceal its complicity by abstaining from the UN Vote. Then, it lied about all of this to the American people. Sounds to me like a real Ultra Leftist scheme, does it not?
The thing that really bothers me is the question of why. Why does Obama want to, literally, get filthy with a scheme like this? Why does he want to do this when he has kept away from such dastardly stuff for eight years. Well, really, he hasn't. He has been the most Anti-Israeli President in American History. But not even Obama ever went as far as he has now, on his way out the door.
What other explanation is there other than Obama does not like Israel and its leader, Bebe Netanyahu? Is Obama anti-Semitic? I don't want to believe that. So somebody needs to give me another explanation.
Ultra Leftists, as a lot, are uniformly Anti-Semitic. Obama is an Ultra Leftist. Has he fallen into this real moral pit? Like I say, tell me it isn't so.
Monday, December 26, 2016
Sports: Ravens Have Tough Off-Season Decisions; Late Andre Gray Goal Decisive for Burnley
BALTIMORE, Maryland, Monday, December 26, 2016 - Already in Baltimore there are calls for firings and trades and all manner of radical changes for the Ravens, less than 24 hours after a gut-wrenching and narrow defeat at the hands of their arch-rivals, the Pittsburgh Steelers. The loss, by a score of 31-27, eliminates the Ravens from playoff contention and clinches a spot in the playoffs for the Steelers.
Unlike many other Raven games this season, Baltimore did not attempt to come from behind late in the game. Instead, they had the lead for the better part of the game, and then, after a big Steeler comeback put Pittsburgh in front in the last minutes, the Ravens marched down the field like champions and scored again with barely over a minute left.
But the Steelers marched right back down the field and scored with 4 seconds left to win. The winning play was made by Anthony Brown, the All-Pro receiver, who threw caution to the wind and ran a pass pattern short of the end zone, even though his team was completely out of time-outs.. Had he been tackled on the field of play without crossing the goal line - something that very nearly happened - the Steelers would have lost the game and, quite possibly, the season. Instead, Brown caught the Ben Roethlisberger pass near the Raven one-yard-line, and was immediately confronted and wrapped up by at least two Raven defenders. In the struggle that followed, Brown threw out his arm and hand holding the ball and, according to game officials, managed to break the plane of the goal line. This counts as a touchdown, and it gave the black and yellow-clad Steelers the win. That's what the officials said. As an admitted Raven fan, that is as far as I am willing to go.
The Pittsburgh win overshadowed an outstanding performance by the Raven offense, which, in front of a sell-out crowd of over 66,000 Pittsburgh fans, took a 10 point lead in the fourth quarter, then marched down the field and scored a touchdown with just over one minute left to take the lead back from the Steelers. Joe Flacco threw for 262 yards and a touchdown, and was cool under pressure in rallying the Ravens late in the game. Steve Smith had seven catches for 79 yards and a touchdown, and was spectacular throughout the game. All of the Ravens running backs made big plays. Kenneth Dixon was spectacular in breaking tackles, carrying tacklers on his back and finding holes when there were none. Terrence West also played well and made several huge catches as well. Fullback Kyle Juszczyk also made big catches and broke several tackles while running for what should have been the winning touchdown in the final minutes. Finally, Michael Campanaro only touched the ball once on a play from scrimmage, but gained 23 yards on that rush, showing stunning speed and elusiveness.
So what to do going forward? Stay with the program. At least, that is what this fan says. The improvement from last year to this year was huge. Last season the Ravens were bad at 5-11. This season they came within an eyelash of making the playoffs. Several young players made big improvements as the season moved along, including No. 1 draft pick Ronnie Stanley, the offensive tackle, Dixon, Juszczyk, wide receiver and kick returner Chris Moore, corner back Tavon Young, receiver Breshad Perriman, defensive tackle Michael Pierce and tight ends Nick Boyle and Darren Waller.
On the other hand, some long-time vets did not finish strongly. Here, I include Elvis Dumervil, the outside linebacker/pass rusher and Linebacker Albert McClellan. I do not include Terrell Suggs or Ladarius Webb, both of whom performed well down the stretch.
It isn't an easy call for the coaching staff. Going into the season there was a temptation to believe that last year was an aberration, not something that needed several seasons to recover from. Now, the coaching staff is hoping that Team Owner Steve Bisciotti buys into the latter plan.
Andre Gray Scores Late as Burnley Defeats Middlesbrough, 1-0, at Turf Moor
It was Boxing Day at Turf Moor, and some 21,562 fans packed into the cozy stadium to see two old rivals have at it. What the match lacked in finesse it made up for in grit and effort, and in the end it was a bullet off the foot of Andre Gray that forced its way through the grasp of former Barcelona Keeper Victor Valdes that made the difference in the game.
The three points that Burnley picked up with the win puts the Claret six points clear of relegation land and sets the stage for an important match next week against Sunderland, one of the three teams currently in relegation zone. The match will be at Turf Moor.
The thinking is that 40 points is what you need to avoid relegation from the Premier. The Claret are halfway there and it is only Boxing Day. Things are looking up for Burnley.
Unlike many other Raven games this season, Baltimore did not attempt to come from behind late in the game. Instead, they had the lead for the better part of the game, and then, after a big Steeler comeback put Pittsburgh in front in the last minutes, the Ravens marched down the field like champions and scored again with barely over a minute left.
But the Steelers marched right back down the field and scored with 4 seconds left to win. The winning play was made by Anthony Brown, the All-Pro receiver, who threw caution to the wind and ran a pass pattern short of the end zone, even though his team was completely out of time-outs.. Had he been tackled on the field of play without crossing the goal line - something that very nearly happened - the Steelers would have lost the game and, quite possibly, the season. Instead, Brown caught the Ben Roethlisberger pass near the Raven one-yard-line, and was immediately confronted and wrapped up by at least two Raven defenders. In the struggle that followed, Brown threw out his arm and hand holding the ball and, according to game officials, managed to break the plane of the goal line. This counts as a touchdown, and it gave the black and yellow-clad Steelers the win. That's what the officials said. As an admitted Raven fan, that is as far as I am willing to go.
The Pittsburgh win overshadowed an outstanding performance by the Raven offense, which, in front of a sell-out crowd of over 66,000 Pittsburgh fans, took a 10 point lead in the fourth quarter, then marched down the field and scored a touchdown with just over one minute left to take the lead back from the Steelers. Joe Flacco threw for 262 yards and a touchdown, and was cool under pressure in rallying the Ravens late in the game. Steve Smith had seven catches for 79 yards and a touchdown, and was spectacular throughout the game. All of the Ravens running backs made big plays. Kenneth Dixon was spectacular in breaking tackles, carrying tacklers on his back and finding holes when there were none. Terrence West also played well and made several huge catches as well. Fullback Kyle Juszczyk also made big catches and broke several tackles while running for what should have been the winning touchdown in the final minutes. Finally, Michael Campanaro only touched the ball once on a play from scrimmage, but gained 23 yards on that rush, showing stunning speed and elusiveness.
So what to do going forward? Stay with the program. At least, that is what this fan says. The improvement from last year to this year was huge. Last season the Ravens were bad at 5-11. This season they came within an eyelash of making the playoffs. Several young players made big improvements as the season moved along, including No. 1 draft pick Ronnie Stanley, the offensive tackle, Dixon, Juszczyk, wide receiver and kick returner Chris Moore, corner back Tavon Young, receiver Breshad Perriman, defensive tackle Michael Pierce and tight ends Nick Boyle and Darren Waller.
On the other hand, some long-time vets did not finish strongly. Here, I include Elvis Dumervil, the outside linebacker/pass rusher and Linebacker Albert McClellan. I do not include Terrell Suggs or Ladarius Webb, both of whom performed well down the stretch.
It isn't an easy call for the coaching staff. Going into the season there was a temptation to believe that last year was an aberration, not something that needed several seasons to recover from. Now, the coaching staff is hoping that Team Owner Steve Bisciotti buys into the latter plan.
Andre Gray Scores Late as Burnley Defeats Middlesbrough, 1-0, at Turf Moor
It was Boxing Day at Turf Moor, and some 21,562 fans packed into the cozy stadium to see two old rivals have at it. What the match lacked in finesse it made up for in grit and effort, and in the end it was a bullet off the foot of Andre Gray that forced its way through the grasp of former Barcelona Keeper Victor Valdes that made the difference in the game.
The three points that Burnley picked up with the win puts the Claret six points clear of relegation land and sets the stage for an important match next week against Sunderland, one of the three teams currently in relegation zone. The match will be at Turf Moor.
The thinking is that 40 points is what you need to avoid relegation from the Premier. The Claret are halfway there and it is only Boxing Day. Things are looking up for Burnley.
Obama Should Explain His Contempt for Israel Before It Is Too Late
BALTIMORE, Maryland, Monday, December 26, 2016 - What, precisely, would possess a man to turn on an entire nation, especially one like Israel, which is the home of a huge portion of the world's Jewish people, and which has a long history of being victimized by tyrants and other rank and evil types? Take a step back from the current events, the ones where Barack Hussein Obama has again abandoned Israel, leaving it as the unprotected target and certain victim of swarming Middle Eastern Islamic Countries which publicly condemn it and swear to utterly and literally destroy it.
For decades, the one and the only country that has shielded Israel from its tormentors was the USA. Whenever the UN got ready to lower the boom with one of its one-sided absurdities that it calls "resolutions," the USA would use its veto power to stop the storm in its tracks. When nations threatened war, the USA sold arms and high tech weapons to Israel. When the evil Saddam Hussein launched Scud Missiles at Israel, it was an American Missile Shield System, sold to Israel by the USA, and operated by American technicians, that kept Israel safe.
Last week, all of that changed. For the first time, ever, the USA, on Obama's direct orders, abstained from one of the UN's resolutions, allowing the propaganda weapon to pass and subjecting the Jewish State to a heaping mountain of international scorn.
Even more ominous, Obama is said to have ordered Secretary of State John Kerry to prepare a 'two-state solution' plan for consideration first by an international 'quartet' at a conference in France, and then by the Security Council at the UN.
The idea, of course, is to bring enormous international pressure on Israel to accept a two-state reality with the Palestinians. And the plan being proposed is almost totally sympathetic to all of the issues important to the Palestinians, while being very antagonistic to Israel's concerns.
[News emerged on Tuesday that indicates the plan hatched by Obama has much more history and back room planning to it. Israel now says that the United States drafted the resolution that passed the security council unanimously, with the USA abstaining to disguise its influence on the matter. Other rumors say Obama has had something like this up his sleeve for a long time, probably as far back as the time when Netanyahu came to the USA and spoke before Congress in an eleventh hour effort to stop the Iran Treaty allowing that terrorist nation to obtain a nuclear weapon in ten years.]
All of this is to take place in the last ten days of Obama's very long eight year administration. That marathon ends, at last, in January.
After eight years of keeping the international wolves at bay, Obama has decided to join the pack on his way out the door. Would he be doing this if Hillary Clinton was about the replace him? Why is he doing it at all?
No one can forget the 6 million victims of the Jewish Holocaust that was carried out by the Nazis during World War II. It is an ultimate international nightmare, but one with little staying power around the world. Even European Nations that were eyewitnesses to the death camps and ovens that burned tens of thousands of Jews during that awful handful of years. One wonders if anybodty learned even one thing from the human carnage inflicted on the Jews by the Nazis.
Common Sense and a simple sense of decency would seem to dictate that nations do everything in their power to avoid a repeat. Yet with crazed rulers vowing Israel's destruction scattered all over the Middle East, President Obama apparently wants to take his chances with the security and safety of the Jews in Israel, even though Israel is one of the surest allies of the USA, while Iran, which he has spent most of his administration gussying up to, continues to proclaim "death to America" dozens of time each week. Obama jammed an international treaty down the world's throats for reasons which only he can explain. Obama says it was the best way of keeping Iran from launching a nuclear attack on Israel and the United States. But even he admits that the treaty will allow Iran to possess a nuclear weapon in the next ten years.
Donald Trump has vowed to renounce the treaty the minute he takes office. In the meantime, Obama is intent on reamming a two-state solution down Israel's throat, even though the plan Obama has in mind will, in the Israeli's way of thinking, undermine their chances of staying safe.
The Palestinians, like most other Middle Eastern States run by Islamics, vows Israel's destruction. They want Israel to be eliminated from the maps, dissolved, even catastrophically destroyed, and never brought back again. Islamics say this is what their religion compels them to do.
Why does Obama feel compelled to molify such terrible international desires? If Mexico's government said it was going to destroy the United States, and the sooner the better, would the USA want other nations helping Mexico achieve its aims? No.
But with Israel's neighbors - with the exception of Egypt and Jordan - all saying they will destroy Israel, and doing so openly and with venom, why is Obama lending his assistance. He cannot say he isn't really aware of the plans of Iran, Libya, the UAE, and others.
Many of Obama's detractors believe Obama is pro-Muslim, and some even wonder if he is a Muslim, at least in his heart. He has said that the most beautiful sound in the world is the Muslim Call to Prayer. He started his administration saying he was Christian, but he no longer says that. Instead, he vigorously supports all things Muslim while working against Christian interests, especially in the Middle East. Obama has worked to bring tens of thousands of Islamic refugees to the United States, even though such actions by European Nations has blown up in their faces. At the same time, Obama has denied Christians in the Middle East any chance of immigrating here, even though everyone concedes that there is a genocide going on against them in the Muslim world.
Is Obama anti-Semitic? What does he say to the charge? Obama himself says little, but his foot soldiers blast even the mention of such a reality. If the charge is so outrageous, why don't the facts support Obama?
When tyrants move against a victim, often times those who could intervene are afraid to act. In Obama's case, he took over a country that was already on the front lines protecting Israel. Obama pulled back the protection.
For decades, the one and the only country that has shielded Israel from its tormentors was the USA. Whenever the UN got ready to lower the boom with one of its one-sided absurdities that it calls "resolutions," the USA would use its veto power to stop the storm in its tracks. When nations threatened war, the USA sold arms and high tech weapons to Israel. When the evil Saddam Hussein launched Scud Missiles at Israel, it was an American Missile Shield System, sold to Israel by the USA, and operated by American technicians, that kept Israel safe.
Last week, all of that changed. For the first time, ever, the USA, on Obama's direct orders, abstained from one of the UN's resolutions, allowing the propaganda weapon to pass and subjecting the Jewish State to a heaping mountain of international scorn.
Even more ominous, Obama is said to have ordered Secretary of State John Kerry to prepare a 'two-state solution' plan for consideration first by an international 'quartet' at a conference in France, and then by the Security Council at the UN.
The idea, of course, is to bring enormous international pressure on Israel to accept a two-state reality with the Palestinians. And the plan being proposed is almost totally sympathetic to all of the issues important to the Palestinians, while being very antagonistic to Israel's concerns.
[News emerged on Tuesday that indicates the plan hatched by Obama has much more history and back room planning to it. Israel now says that the United States drafted the resolution that passed the security council unanimously, with the USA abstaining to disguise its influence on the matter. Other rumors say Obama has had something like this up his sleeve for a long time, probably as far back as the time when Netanyahu came to the USA and spoke before Congress in an eleventh hour effort to stop the Iran Treaty allowing that terrorist nation to obtain a nuclear weapon in ten years.]
All of this is to take place in the last ten days of Obama's very long eight year administration. That marathon ends, at last, in January.
After eight years of keeping the international wolves at bay, Obama has decided to join the pack on his way out the door. Would he be doing this if Hillary Clinton was about the replace him? Why is he doing it at all?
No one can forget the 6 million victims of the Jewish Holocaust that was carried out by the Nazis during World War II. It is an ultimate international nightmare, but one with little staying power around the world. Even European Nations that were eyewitnesses to the death camps and ovens that burned tens of thousands of Jews during that awful handful of years. One wonders if anybodty learned even one thing from the human carnage inflicted on the Jews by the Nazis.
Common Sense and a simple sense of decency would seem to dictate that nations do everything in their power to avoid a repeat. Yet with crazed rulers vowing Israel's destruction scattered all over the Middle East, President Obama apparently wants to take his chances with the security and safety of the Jews in Israel, even though Israel is one of the surest allies of the USA, while Iran, which he has spent most of his administration gussying up to, continues to proclaim "death to America" dozens of time each week. Obama jammed an international treaty down the world's throats for reasons which only he can explain. Obama says it was the best way of keeping Iran from launching a nuclear attack on Israel and the United States. But even he admits that the treaty will allow Iran to possess a nuclear weapon in the next ten years.
Donald Trump has vowed to renounce the treaty the minute he takes office. In the meantime, Obama is intent on reamming a two-state solution down Israel's throat, even though the plan Obama has in mind will, in the Israeli's way of thinking, undermine their chances of staying safe.
The Palestinians, like most other Middle Eastern States run by Islamics, vows Israel's destruction. They want Israel to be eliminated from the maps, dissolved, even catastrophically destroyed, and never brought back again. Islamics say this is what their religion compels them to do.
Why does Obama feel compelled to molify such terrible international desires? If Mexico's government said it was going to destroy the United States, and the sooner the better, would the USA want other nations helping Mexico achieve its aims? No.
But with Israel's neighbors - with the exception of Egypt and Jordan - all saying they will destroy Israel, and doing so openly and with venom, why is Obama lending his assistance. He cannot say he isn't really aware of the plans of Iran, Libya, the UAE, and others.
Many of Obama's detractors believe Obama is pro-Muslim, and some even wonder if he is a Muslim, at least in his heart. He has said that the most beautiful sound in the world is the Muslim Call to Prayer. He started his administration saying he was Christian, but he no longer says that. Instead, he vigorously supports all things Muslim while working against Christian interests, especially in the Middle East. Obama has worked to bring tens of thousands of Islamic refugees to the United States, even though such actions by European Nations has blown up in their faces. At the same time, Obama has denied Christians in the Middle East any chance of immigrating here, even though everyone concedes that there is a genocide going on against them in the Muslim world.
Is Obama anti-Semitic? What does he say to the charge? Obama himself says little, but his foot soldiers blast even the mention of such a reality. If the charge is so outrageous, why don't the facts support Obama?
When tyrants move against a victim, often times those who could intervene are afraid to act. In Obama's case, he took over a country that was already on the front lines protecting Israel. Obama pulled back the protection.
Even on Christmas, President Obama Plots Against Israel
BALTIMORE, Maryland, Sunday, December 25 (Christmas Day), and Monday, December 26, 2016 - President Obama, determined to cement his reputation as the most Anti-Israeli President in American History, has hatched out a real doozy of a plan that will attempt to literally blackmail Israel into either accepting a two state solution to the Jewish State's conflict with the Palestinians, or absorbing more international condemnation, but Israeli President Bebe Netanyahu promises to fight tooth and nail against the plan, no matter the political cost. And Netanyahu is said to be seeking the help of USA Prestdent-Elect Donald Trump.
According to a report in Monday's Times of Israel, Obama has instructed Secretary of State John Kerry to lay out a two-state solution that is amenable to the Palestinian Authority. Then, Obama plans to ask the UN Security Council to vote on the plan, all in an effort to blackmail Israel into either accepting the plan or rejecting at a great international cost.
Sources told the Times of Israel that Netanyahu told colleagues, "They are spitting at us...We will respond forcefully."
The Times of Israel says that Netanyahu has reached out to Donald Trump in an effort to short-circuit a plan that makes Obama's open contempt for the Jewish State extremely clear. Netanyahu says that Obama's last ten days are being viewed with extreme trepidation.
According to the Israeli Newspaper, the plan that has Israeli leaders in an uproar is for Obama to attend a conference in France scheduled for January 15. At the conference, the Quartet against Israel - the UN, the USA, Russia and the EU - "will coordinate their positions at that summit, and that they will then turn to the Security Council in the very last days of the Obama presidency."
Netanyahu has lashed out at Obama since the USA, for the first time ever, abstained from a vote condemning Israel for building settlements on the West Bank, East Jerusalem and in the Golan Heights. With the USA not vetoing the condemnation, the measure passed and Israel was condemned by the entire UN "in the strongest possible terms."
To put the absurdity of the UN action in context, the hapless international body has not condemned Iraq under Saddam Hussein for mass murders of political enemies, or other international outlaws. But Israel? Why of course!
According to a report in Monday's Times of Israel, Obama has instructed Secretary of State John Kerry to lay out a two-state solution that is amenable to the Palestinian Authority. Then, Obama plans to ask the UN Security Council to vote on the plan, all in an effort to blackmail Israel into either accepting the plan or rejecting at a great international cost.
Sources told the Times of Israel that Netanyahu told colleagues, "They are spitting at us...We will respond forcefully."
The Times of Israel says that Netanyahu has reached out to Donald Trump in an effort to short-circuit a plan that makes Obama's open contempt for the Jewish State extremely clear. Netanyahu says that Obama's last ten days are being viewed with extreme trepidation.
According to the Israeli Newspaper, the plan that has Israeli leaders in an uproar is for Obama to attend a conference in France scheduled for January 15. At the conference, the Quartet against Israel - the UN, the USA, Russia and the EU - "will coordinate their positions at that summit, and that they will then turn to the Security Council in the very last days of the Obama presidency."
Netanyahu has lashed out at Obama since the USA, for the first time ever, abstained from a vote condemning Israel for building settlements on the West Bank, East Jerusalem and in the Golan Heights. With the USA not vetoing the condemnation, the measure passed and Israel was condemned by the entire UN "in the strongest possible terms."
To put the absurdity of the UN action in context, the hapless international body has not condemned Iraq under Saddam Hussein for mass murders of political enemies, or other international outlaws. But Israel? Why of course!
Saturday, December 24, 2016
The Power of Christmas
BALTIMORE, Maryland, Saturday, December 24 (Christmas Eve), 2016 - The Blessed Event is now but hours away. The associated happenings, most prominently the coming of Saint Nicolas, are also pending soon. The stockings, you know, are hung by the chimney with care...
As Mary and Joseph came into Bethlehem after a long and harrowing journey from Nazareth, Mary began to feel the pangs of imminent child birth. She alerted Joseph. Joseph began a frantic search for room for his wife and the Christ Child, but he was not having any luck. Probably, Mary prayed for help. Help did, in fact, come forth, but it sure didn't seem like much. Not much at all. The help, such as it was, was the offer of the Inn Keeper to make his stable available to the now desperate couple. Mary and Joseph leaped at the offer and made ready a space in the grotto that served as a stable. In that stable, the King of Kings would become a human being.
Mary's labor pains increased in intensity, while the time between the pains decreased. With only Joseph to help, she gave birth. The Christ Child, whom they named Jesus, was born.
Mary and Joseph would not witness the other events which now unfolded around them. An Angel surrounded by a blinding light appeared to Shepherds in the fields surrounding Bethlehem. This Blessed and Holy Being announced to the Shepherds that a Child had been born and could be found laying in a manger in a stable in Bethlehem.
"Behold!" said the Angel, "I bring you Good Tidings of Great Joy. For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Savior who is Christ the Lord. You will find him wrapped in swaddling clothes and laying in a manger."
The instant that the Angel completed his announcement, a multitude of the Heavenly Host appeared with him in the sky. They sang triumphantly to God, praising Him. The Event was, of course, unprecedented, but also immensely glorious. The King of Kings had shown true humility, coming to Earth to save his people. Centuries later, the hymn writer composed this wonderful song:
As Mary and Joseph came into Bethlehem after a long and harrowing journey from Nazareth, Mary began to feel the pangs of imminent child birth. She alerted Joseph. Joseph began a frantic search for room for his wife and the Christ Child, but he was not having any luck. Probably, Mary prayed for help. Help did, in fact, come forth, but it sure didn't seem like much. Not much at all. The help, such as it was, was the offer of the Inn Keeper to make his stable available to the now desperate couple. Mary and Joseph leaped at the offer and made ready a space in the grotto that served as a stable. In that stable, the King of Kings would become a human being.
Mary's labor pains increased in intensity, while the time between the pains decreased. With only Joseph to help, she gave birth. The Christ Child, whom they named Jesus, was born.
Mary and Joseph would not witness the other events which now unfolded around them. An Angel surrounded by a blinding light appeared to Shepherds in the fields surrounding Bethlehem. This Blessed and Holy Being announced to the Shepherds that a Child had been born and could be found laying in a manger in a stable in Bethlehem.
"Behold!" said the Angel, "I bring you Good Tidings of Great Joy. For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Savior who is Christ the Lord. You will find him wrapped in swaddling clothes and laying in a manger."
The instant that the Angel completed his announcement, a multitude of the Heavenly Host appeared with him in the sky. They sang triumphantly to God, praising Him. The Event was, of course, unprecedented, but also immensely glorious. The King of Kings had shown true humility, coming to Earth to save his people. Centuries later, the hymn writer composed this wonderful song:
O Holy Night Lyrics
Christmas Carol Lyrics
Pause Music !
Midi file by kind permission
of E. Halstead
O Holy Night! The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of the dear Saviour's birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining.
Till He appeared and the Spirit felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!
O night divine, the night when Christ was born;
O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!
O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!
Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
O'er the world a star is sweetly gleaming,
Now come the wisemen from out of the Orient land.
The King of kings lay thus lowly manger;
In all our trials born to be our friends.
He knows our need, our weakness is no stranger,
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!
Truly He taught us to love one another,
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains he shall break, for the slave is our brother.
And in his name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
With all our hearts we praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord! Then ever, ever praise we,
His power and glory ever more proclaim!
His power and glory ever more proclaim!
O Holy Night Lyrics
Christmas Carol Lyrics
Would that this message empower all of us to meet in peace and joy and overcome all evil. Merry Christmas!
Friday, December 23, 2016
Islamic Who Drove Truck Through Christmas Market in Berlin, Killing 12 and Maiming 48, is Himself Killed By Police in Milan, Italy
BALTIMORE, Maryland, Friday, December 23, 2016 - The sinister man driving the lorry, or truck, that sped through a Christmas Market in Berlin, killing 12 and maiming as many as 48 more people, has himself been killed after he shot and injured an Italian Police Officer manning a check point in the Northern Italian city of Milan.
Anis Amri, the 24-year-old Tunisian who drove a truck at speeds of up to 40 miles per hour through a crowded open air Christmas market outside of a famous Berlin church, was spotted in Milan by police, not because they knew at once who he was, but because they judged that he was acting suspiciously. After being asked to produce identification, Amri pulled a .22 Caliber gun from his backpack and shot at one of the Milan officers, striking him in the shoulder. The officer, Critian Morio, sustained injuries that are not thought to be life threatening.
After the one officer was shot, another opened fire on Amri. The Islamic Terrorist was hit and killed on the spot, the Italian Interior Minister, Marco Minniti, told reporters at a news conference.
Before being killed, Amri recorded a video pledging fidelity to ISIS and urging other Muslims to do likewise. Meanwhile, ISIS released a "kill list" of church's in the western world, including These United States, where it wants Muslims to go and kill people.
Read it again. That is what ISIS wants Muslims loyal to it to do. Go to designated church's and kill people.
Anis Amri, the 24-year-old Tunisian who drove a truck at speeds of up to 40 miles per hour through a crowded open air Christmas market outside of a famous Berlin church, was spotted in Milan by police, not because they knew at once who he was, but because they judged that he was acting suspiciously. After being asked to produce identification, Amri pulled a .22 Caliber gun from his backpack and shot at one of the Milan officers, striking him in the shoulder. The officer, Critian Morio, sustained injuries that are not thought to be life threatening.
After the one officer was shot, another opened fire on Amri. The Islamic Terrorist was hit and killed on the spot, the Italian Interior Minister, Marco Minniti, told reporters at a news conference.
Before being killed, Amri recorded a video pledging fidelity to ISIS and urging other Muslims to do likewise. Meanwhile, ISIS released a "kill list" of church's in the western world, including These United States, where it wants Muslims to go and kill people.
Read it again. That is what ISIS wants Muslims loyal to it to do. Go to designated church's and kill people.
Two Days Before Christmas, Obama Abandons Israel
BALTIMORE, Maryland, Friday, December 23, 2016 - Never before has an American President abandoned the state of Israel when the rest of the world gangs up on it at the so-called United Nations. Barack Obama has changed that. No one should be surprised.
With the USA abstaining for the first time, the UN Security Council passed a resolution that condemned Israeli settlements on the West Bank, East Jerusalem and in the Golan Heights.
So often during his eight long years, his contempt for the Jewish State - which came into existence on the strength of its people and with the direct help of the great Democratic USA President, Harry S Truman - has been barely controlled. He sent paid functionaries to Israel to attempt to orchestrate the defeat of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He failed. But he rubbed that defeat in Israel's face when he reached an "agreement" with Iran that will permit that nation, run by Islamic Muslims who brag of their open contempt for Israel and vow to destroy it, to obtain nuclear weapons after an agreed-upon waiting period of ten years. Iran has vowed to use a nuclear weapon against Israel first, then against these United States. Obama sees that treaty as one of the hallmarks of his eight years. These anti-Israeli moves are but the highlights of Obama's contempt for the Jewish state, a contempt that has called more than one observer to brand him anti-Semitic.
House Speaker Paul Ryan called the USA Abstention as "shameful" and President-Elect Trump, who worked hard to avoid this result, agreed. Shortly after the vote in the UN, Trump said on Twitter:
"As to the U.N., things will be different after Jan. 20th."
3:14 PM - 23 Dec 2016
19,908 19,908 Retweets 52,327 52,327 likes
"As to the U.N., things will be different after Jan. 20th," Trump tweeted.
With the USA abstaining for the first time, the UN Security Council passed a resolution that condemned Israeli settlements on the West Bank, East Jerusalem and in the Golan Heights.
So often during his eight long years, his contempt for the Jewish State - which came into existence on the strength of its people and with the direct help of the great Democratic USA President, Harry S Truman - has been barely controlled. He sent paid functionaries to Israel to attempt to orchestrate the defeat of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He failed. But he rubbed that defeat in Israel's face when he reached an "agreement" with Iran that will permit that nation, run by Islamic Muslims who brag of their open contempt for Israel and vow to destroy it, to obtain nuclear weapons after an agreed-upon waiting period of ten years. Iran has vowed to use a nuclear weapon against Israel first, then against these United States. Obama sees that treaty as one of the hallmarks of his eight years. These anti-Israeli moves are but the highlights of Obama's contempt for the Jewish state, a contempt that has called more than one observer to brand him anti-Semitic.
House Speaker Paul Ryan called the USA Abstention as "shameful" and President-Elect Trump, who worked hard to avoid this result, agreed. Shortly after the vote in the UN, Trump said on Twitter:
"As to the U.N., things will be different after Jan. 20th."
3:14 PM - 23 Dec 2016
19,908 19,908 Retweets 52,327 52,327 likes
"As to the U.N., things will be different after Jan. 20th," Trump tweeted.
Christians Around the Globe Make Final Christmas Preparations
BALTIMORE, Maryland, Friday, December 23, 2016 - Before the coming of the Christ Child, either December 20 or December 21 was called the day of the Winter Solstice or, simply, the Winter Solstice. Winter Solstice is the day which has the least amount of daylight and the longest night. After the Winter Solstice, the days get progressively longer, until June 20 or 21 of the succeeding year, which is the longest day and shortest night of that year.
Not long after Christ's time on Earth, Christians began to celebrate and honor his birth on December 25. It is not known exactly when Christ was born, but scholars have come to a sort of "agreement" that it probably did not occur in late December. In this case, the Vatican does not disagree with what the scholars are saying. Instead, Catholics and other Christian Synods suggest that December 25 is merely the day selected by Christians to celebrate the birth of the Christ Child.
The Birth of the Christ Child, or Christmas, is a miraculous event in every sense of the word "miraculous." God, a Trinity in the heavens, humbles himself to have the Son born on Earth to a human mother, and the mother selected by God to give birth to the Christ Child is a young woman and a virgin. Her name, of course, is Mary. The Holy Spirit placed the embryo of the Christ Child in Mary's womb, where it is gestated for nine months, before being born in Bethlehem.
The site of the birth in Bethlehem, a small town in what was then the Province of Judah, was foretold centuries earlier in prophesies found now in the Old Testament of the Bible, most notably in the book of Micah, Chapter 5, Verse 2: "But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days."
Other prophesies foretelling the Blessed Event are found in the books of Jeremiah and Isaiah, and even in the Book of Genesis. And before I go any further, I want to give credit to the book, "100 Prophecies" by George and Ray Konig. In Isaiah Chapter 7, Verse 14, the Prophet wrote, "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel."
"Immanuel" or "Emmanuel," as the name is sometimes spelled, means "God With Us," and once the Christ Child was born to Mary (and Joseph), God certainly was with us, in the flesh, here on Earth, at least for some 33 years, give or take.
That short verse in Isaiah also revealed other facts about the upcoming birth of Christ. Just those few words also informed readers that God would be a child when he first appeared on Earth in human form. Herod, the King at the time of the birth, was expecting an adult to appear, ready to assume leadership of Judah as other prophecies had foretold. In the movie, "The Nativity," the character of Herod expresses stunned surprise when he learns that his supposed competitor for the kingship of Judah would, in fact, be a child. When the three wise men tell him that the king will be just born, Herod realizes that he has time to strike him down before that occurs. He sends soldiers to Bethlehem to kill all male children under the age of two, an event Christians call the Killing of the Innocents."
But the Holy Family escapes the carnage. Joseph is warned in a dream by an angel to take Mary and her child out of Bethlehem at once. In fact, the angel tells the family to go all the way to Egypt and to stay there until the Lord tells them to come back to Israel. Only when Herod has died does the Holy Family receive word from above that they can return to Nazareth.
According to George and Ray Konig, Isaiah wrote his prophecy between 701 BC and 681 BC, or about seven centuries before it was fulfilled. Micah, incidentally, wrote his prophecy sometime between 750 BC and 686 BC, the Konigs report.
In Jeremiah, Chapter 23, Verses 5-6, the Lord said to the Prophet, and the Prophet wrote (using my Revised Standard Version, circa 1962): Verse 5: "Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. Verse 6: In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which by which he will be called: "The Lord is our righteousness."
Jeremiah tells us that the Messiah will be descended from King David, which Joseph is. The Gospel of Matthew begins with a genealogy tracing the line of David down to Joseph, a period of dozens of generations, all recited by name. Luke also has information about this. Jeremiah's words gave constant hope to the people of Israel, a hope which offered light to a people held in slavery both in Egypt and in Babylon. The movie, "The Nativity" illustrates the effect that this hope had on the Jewish citizens of Israel even hundreds of years after the prophecy was recorded. George and Ray Konig write that Jeremiah made his prophecy sometime between 628 BC and 588 BC. When you recall that the United States is less than 250 years old, one can begin to see the staying power that hope has.
There are other prophecies in Isaiah and even one in Genesis that pertain to the Birth of Christ. In Genesis, Chapter 49, Verse 10, it is written that "The scepter shall not depart from the Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs; and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples." Bible scholars believe that the verse is telling readers that the ruler of Israel will always be from Judah, until it comes to "whom it belongs." And scholars say it is Jesus to whom the scepter belongs. The Konigs believe that these verses in Genesis were written "as early as 1400 BC."
The other prophesy is Isaiah (Isaiah, Chapter 11, Verses 1 to 10), which describes the amazing nature and fairness of the Messiah, who would be seen as so great a leader that even wild animals would lie down next to each other. The verses describe Christ, and what he was to his people.
The Bible, in the New Testament Gospels, points out how the Birth of the Christ Child fulfilled these prophecies. At Christmas, both the miraculous birth, and what that birth means to Christians, is reflected on and, indeed, celebrated by Christians. The wise men and their staggering journey to see what the ancient prophets had written about, the place of Christ's birth, the fact that the Angel announced his birth to the time's poorest and most forsaken people, all serve to encourage Christians to live up to Christ's teachings.
In St. Paul's letter to the young Christian activist, Titus, verses are written that are often read at Christmas in Christian church's. The Letter of Paul to Titus, Chapter 3, Verses 4 through 7. Verse 4: "...but when the Savior appeared, Verse 5: he saved us, not because of deeds done by us in righteousness, but in virtue of his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal in the Holy Spirit, Verse 6: which he poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, Verse 7: so that we might be justified by his grace and become heirs in hope of eternal life."
Verse 8 is rarely included in the reading from Titus, probably because it isn't entirely clear if it refers to what precedes it or what comes after it. Verse 8: begins "The saying is true."
The story of Christmas never gets old, and for Christians, it is never overpowered by the commercial nature that has come to be associated with Christmas. I hope people will take just a moment, or many moments, to remember why we celebrate Christmas. The "why" is incredibly powerful.
Not long after Christ's time on Earth, Christians began to celebrate and honor his birth on December 25. It is not known exactly when Christ was born, but scholars have come to a sort of "agreement" that it probably did not occur in late December. In this case, the Vatican does not disagree with what the scholars are saying. Instead, Catholics and other Christian Synods suggest that December 25 is merely the day selected by Christians to celebrate the birth of the Christ Child.
The Birth of the Christ Child, or Christmas, is a miraculous event in every sense of the word "miraculous." God, a Trinity in the heavens, humbles himself to have the Son born on Earth to a human mother, and the mother selected by God to give birth to the Christ Child is a young woman and a virgin. Her name, of course, is Mary. The Holy Spirit placed the embryo of the Christ Child in Mary's womb, where it is gestated for nine months, before being born in Bethlehem.
The site of the birth in Bethlehem, a small town in what was then the Province of Judah, was foretold centuries earlier in prophesies found now in the Old Testament of the Bible, most notably in the book of Micah, Chapter 5, Verse 2: "But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days."
Other prophesies foretelling the Blessed Event are found in the books of Jeremiah and Isaiah, and even in the Book of Genesis. And before I go any further, I want to give credit to the book, "100 Prophecies" by George and Ray Konig. In Isaiah Chapter 7, Verse 14, the Prophet wrote, "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel."
"Immanuel" or "Emmanuel," as the name is sometimes spelled, means "God With Us," and once the Christ Child was born to Mary (and Joseph), God certainly was with us, in the flesh, here on Earth, at least for some 33 years, give or take.
That short verse in Isaiah also revealed other facts about the upcoming birth of Christ. Just those few words also informed readers that God would be a child when he first appeared on Earth in human form. Herod, the King at the time of the birth, was expecting an adult to appear, ready to assume leadership of Judah as other prophecies had foretold. In the movie, "The Nativity," the character of Herod expresses stunned surprise when he learns that his supposed competitor for the kingship of Judah would, in fact, be a child. When the three wise men tell him that the king will be just born, Herod realizes that he has time to strike him down before that occurs. He sends soldiers to Bethlehem to kill all male children under the age of two, an event Christians call the Killing of the Innocents."
But the Holy Family escapes the carnage. Joseph is warned in a dream by an angel to take Mary and her child out of Bethlehem at once. In fact, the angel tells the family to go all the way to Egypt and to stay there until the Lord tells them to come back to Israel. Only when Herod has died does the Holy Family receive word from above that they can return to Nazareth.
According to George and Ray Konig, Isaiah wrote his prophecy between 701 BC and 681 BC, or about seven centuries before it was fulfilled. Micah, incidentally, wrote his prophecy sometime between 750 BC and 686 BC, the Konigs report.
In Jeremiah, Chapter 23, Verses 5-6, the Lord said to the Prophet, and the Prophet wrote (using my Revised Standard Version, circa 1962): Verse 5: "Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. Verse 6: In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which by which he will be called: "The Lord is our righteousness."
Jeremiah tells us that the Messiah will be descended from King David, which Joseph is. The Gospel of Matthew begins with a genealogy tracing the line of David down to Joseph, a period of dozens of generations, all recited by name. Luke also has information about this. Jeremiah's words gave constant hope to the people of Israel, a hope which offered light to a people held in slavery both in Egypt and in Babylon. The movie, "The Nativity" illustrates the effect that this hope had on the Jewish citizens of Israel even hundreds of years after the prophecy was recorded. George and Ray Konig write that Jeremiah made his prophecy sometime between 628 BC and 588 BC. When you recall that the United States is less than 250 years old, one can begin to see the staying power that hope has.
There are other prophecies in Isaiah and even one in Genesis that pertain to the Birth of Christ. In Genesis, Chapter 49, Verse 10, it is written that "The scepter shall not depart from the Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs; and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples." Bible scholars believe that the verse is telling readers that the ruler of Israel will always be from Judah, until it comes to "whom it belongs." And scholars say it is Jesus to whom the scepter belongs. The Konigs believe that these verses in Genesis were written "as early as 1400 BC."
The other prophesy is Isaiah (Isaiah, Chapter 11, Verses 1 to 10), which describes the amazing nature and fairness of the Messiah, who would be seen as so great a leader that even wild animals would lie down next to each other. The verses describe Christ, and what he was to his people.
The Bible, in the New Testament Gospels, points out how the Birth of the Christ Child fulfilled these prophecies. At Christmas, both the miraculous birth, and what that birth means to Christians, is reflected on and, indeed, celebrated by Christians. The wise men and their staggering journey to see what the ancient prophets had written about, the place of Christ's birth, the fact that the Angel announced his birth to the time's poorest and most forsaken people, all serve to encourage Christians to live up to Christ's teachings.
In St. Paul's letter to the young Christian activist, Titus, verses are written that are often read at Christmas in Christian church's. The Letter of Paul to Titus, Chapter 3, Verses 4 through 7. Verse 4: "...but when the Savior appeared, Verse 5: he saved us, not because of deeds done by us in righteousness, but in virtue of his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal in the Holy Spirit, Verse 6: which he poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, Verse 7: so that we might be justified by his grace and become heirs in hope of eternal life."
Verse 8 is rarely included in the reading from Titus, probably because it isn't entirely clear if it refers to what precedes it or what comes after it. Verse 8: begins "The saying is true."
The story of Christmas never gets old, and for Christians, it is never overpowered by the commercial nature that has come to be associated with Christmas. I hope people will take just a moment, or many moments, to remember why we celebrate Christmas. The "why" is incredibly powerful.
Monday, December 19, 2016
Islamic Terrorists Kill 12, Injure 48 in Berlin; More Electors Attempted to Bolt From Clinton Than Trump; Sports: Ravens Defeat Eagles to Set Up Christmas Day Showdown in Pittsburgh
BALTIMORE, Maryland, Monday, December 19, 2016 - At least 12 people were killed and another 48 injured in Berlin, Germany today after a truck driven by an Islamic Terrorist crashed into the many shoppers at an outdoor Christmas Market, the Telegraph Newspaper out of London, England reported today. USA Intelligence agents warned European Leaders that such an attack was highly likely over the Christmas Holiday.
The attack comes just one week after German police arrested a 12-year-old boy who was said to be planning to bomb a similar market in the German town of Ludwigshafen, another London news page, the Express, reported Monday night.
An eyewitness to the Berlin attack told the Express that the truck drove through the center of the market, located outside of the historic Kaiser Wilhelm Church, at speeds up to 40 miles per hour. The incident was not accidental, the witness said. The driver of the truck has been arrested, the Express added.
More Electoral College Delegates Attempt to Bolt From Hillary Clinton Than From Donald Trump
After weeks of hardcore efforts to dissuade Republican Delegates to the Electoral College to change their votes from Donald Trump to other candidates, especially Hillary Clinton, the actual vote on Monday saw more Electors attempting to defect from Clinton than from Trump. At least seven electors tried mightily to defect from the failed Hillary Clinton, while only two tried to 'dump Trump.' Electoral College Rules and State Laws short-circuited the efforts of the Clinton Electors, while the two Trump turncoats were, apparently, successful, for all the good it did them.
Trump swept to victory in the Electoral College, earning some 304 Electoral Votes. He only needed 270 votes to confirm his election day victory. Hillary finished a distant second. As this story was posted, Trump had 304 Electoral Votes, Hillary Clinton had 163, Minor Candidates had 6, and 65 votes were pending, all from California, Hawaii and Nevada.
Ravens Hold Off Eagles, 27-26. Setting the Stage for Christmas Day Showdown in Pittsburgh
An attempted two-point conversion was stopped by the Baltimore Ravens with just 4 seconds left to play, enabling the Ravens to hold off the Philadelphia Eagles, 27-26, in Baltimore Sunday afternoon.
The Ravens, behind two TD passes by Joe Flacco, and two more field goals from Justin Tucker, moved to a 27-17 lead in the fourth quarter, and were knocking at the door for another touchdown, when Flacco was intercepted near the goal line, sparking the Philadelphia comeback.
The Eagles rookie QB, Carson Wentz, rallied the Eagles to two late scores, the last one, a touchdown, coming with just 4 seconds left to play. But, after Wentz had run 4 yards for the TD, the Eagles elected to go for s 2-point conversion and the win, rather than a safer one-point conversion kick that would have sent the game to overtime. On the conversion attempt, Wentz tried to throw a quick pass over the middle to tight end Jordan Matthews, but the pass was first tipped by Raven linebacker C.J. Mosly, then batted away by Raven Cornerback Jerraud Powers.
Flacco, who threw for 206 yards, passed 5 yards to Kamar Aiken in the first quarter to put the Ravens ahead, and 39 yards to Steve Smith, Sr. in the second quarter for another touchdown. However, his attempt to pass for a third TD in the fourth quarter was intercepted by the Eagles' Jordan Hicks. After that interception, the Eagles marched down the field and kicked a field goal. After holding the Ravens without a first down, the Eagles regained possession with just under two minutes to play. They again marched, with Wentz scoring the TD.
The Raven win sets up the key AFC North showdown with the Steelers in Pittsburgh on Christmas afternoon. Kickoff is set for 4:30 pm. The Steelers rallied past the Bengals yesterrday to improve to 9-5. The Ravens are one game back at 8-6, but a win would put the Ravens in first place because it would mean that they won both head-to-head games with the Steelers. The Ravens still have to go to Cincinnati for the final game of the regular season, while the Steelers finish with lowly Cleveland.
The attack comes just one week after German police arrested a 12-year-old boy who was said to be planning to bomb a similar market in the German town of Ludwigshafen, another London news page, the Express, reported Monday night.
An eyewitness to the Berlin attack told the Express that the truck drove through the center of the market, located outside of the historic Kaiser Wilhelm Church, at speeds up to 40 miles per hour. The incident was not accidental, the witness said. The driver of the truck has been arrested, the Express added.
More Electoral College Delegates Attempt to Bolt From Hillary Clinton Than From Donald Trump
After weeks of hardcore efforts to dissuade Republican Delegates to the Electoral College to change their votes from Donald Trump to other candidates, especially Hillary Clinton, the actual vote on Monday saw more Electors attempting to defect from Clinton than from Trump. At least seven electors tried mightily to defect from the failed Hillary Clinton, while only two tried to 'dump Trump.' Electoral College Rules and State Laws short-circuited the efforts of the Clinton Electors, while the two Trump turncoats were, apparently, successful, for all the good it did them.
Trump swept to victory in the Electoral College, earning some 304 Electoral Votes. He only needed 270 votes to confirm his election day victory. Hillary finished a distant second. As this story was posted, Trump had 304 Electoral Votes, Hillary Clinton had 163, Minor Candidates had 6, and 65 votes were pending, all from California, Hawaii and Nevada.
Ravens Hold Off Eagles, 27-26. Setting the Stage for Christmas Day Showdown in Pittsburgh
An attempted two-point conversion was stopped by the Baltimore Ravens with just 4 seconds left to play, enabling the Ravens to hold off the Philadelphia Eagles, 27-26, in Baltimore Sunday afternoon.
The Ravens, behind two TD passes by Joe Flacco, and two more field goals from Justin Tucker, moved to a 27-17 lead in the fourth quarter, and were knocking at the door for another touchdown, when Flacco was intercepted near the goal line, sparking the Philadelphia comeback.
The Eagles rookie QB, Carson Wentz, rallied the Eagles to two late scores, the last one, a touchdown, coming with just 4 seconds left to play. But, after Wentz had run 4 yards for the TD, the Eagles elected to go for s 2-point conversion and the win, rather than a safer one-point conversion kick that would have sent the game to overtime. On the conversion attempt, Wentz tried to throw a quick pass over the middle to tight end Jordan Matthews, but the pass was first tipped by Raven linebacker C.J. Mosly, then batted away by Raven Cornerback Jerraud Powers.
Flacco, who threw for 206 yards, passed 5 yards to Kamar Aiken in the first quarter to put the Ravens ahead, and 39 yards to Steve Smith, Sr. in the second quarter for another touchdown. However, his attempt to pass for a third TD in the fourth quarter was intercepted by the Eagles' Jordan Hicks. After that interception, the Eagles marched down the field and kicked a field goal. After holding the Ravens without a first down, the Eagles regained possession with just under two minutes to play. They again marched, with Wentz scoring the TD.
The Raven win sets up the key AFC North showdown with the Steelers in Pittsburgh on Christmas afternoon. Kickoff is set for 4:30 pm. The Steelers rallied past the Bengals yesterrday to improve to 9-5. The Ravens are one game back at 8-6, but a win would put the Ravens in first place because it would mean that they won both head-to-head games with the Steelers. The Ravens still have to go to Cincinnati for the final game of the regular season, while the Steelers finish with lowly Cleveland.
Trump Sweeps to Win in Electoral College Vote
BALTIMORE, Maryland, Monday, December 19. 2016 - Fox News is reporting that the Electoral College Vote has been decided in favor of President-Elect Donald J. Trump. The report on Fox came just before 5:30 p.m., with Fox News reporting at that time that Trump's Electoral Vote total had reached 304 votes. Trump needed 270 votes to win the Electoral College Vote.
It apparently was the Texas Delegation to the Electoral College whose votes put Trump over the top.
The outcome in favor of Mr. Trump ends a wild and frantic effort by Ultra Leftists, led by President Obama, to convince Republican Electoral College Delegates to change their votes. GOP Delegates reported that they had been flooded with emails, contacted by people they did not know, threatened, cajoled, and offered money and other incentives, all in an effort to change the outcome of the November 8, 2016 Presidential Election. In that election, Hillary Clinton out-distanced Trump in the popular vote but lost by a wide margin in the Electoral Vote. Today's voting by Electoral Delegates reaffirms the Electoral outcome.
It apparently was the Texas Delegation to the Electoral College whose votes put Trump over the top.
The outcome in favor of Mr. Trump ends a wild and frantic effort by Ultra Leftists, led by President Obama, to convince Republican Electoral College Delegates to change their votes. GOP Delegates reported that they had been flooded with emails, contacted by people they did not know, threatened, cajoled, and offered money and other incentives, all in an effort to change the outcome of the November 8, 2016 Presidential Election. In that election, Hillary Clinton out-distanced Trump in the popular vote but lost by a wide margin in the Electoral Vote. Today's voting by Electoral Delegates reaffirms the Electoral outcome.
Saturday, December 17, 2016
Most Americans Hope Monday Will Be the End of the Ultra Left's Efforts to Corrupt the Results of the Presidential Election and Throw America and Its Government Back Into the Dark Ages
BALTIMORE, Maryland, Saturday, December 17, 2016 - On a day when most Americans looked past this "last full shopping weekend before Christmas" to this coming Monday, December 19, 2016, because Monday, most Americans sincerely hope, will be the day that will finally bring an end to the disgraceful charade being carried out by those Ultra Leftists who are in charge of the Democratic Party these days. This charade, most citizens know, concerns the official outcome of the Presidential Election, held in these United States on Tuesday, November 8.
Since Election Day, Americans have been subjected to all manner of whining, moaning, distasteful carrying on, temper tantrums, thumb sucking, and other displays of blatantly immature and narcissistic behavior that one would expect from children enrolled in a nursery school or daycare, but not from adults, and certainly not from adults who have allegedly been engaged in running a great nation for the past eight years.
This embarrassing post-election snit-fest started almost before Hillary Clinton picked up a telephone and called Donald Trump in the wee small hours of November 9, 2016 to concede the election. Trump was and is the declared winner of more than enough of the 50 states, with more than enough electoral college votes, to win the Presidential Election. Hillary, briefly (very briefly) agreed with these facts, and thus made the call. During the brief telephone conversationin the pre-dawn of the 'day after' - described by both Hillary and the President-Elect as cordial - Mrs. Clinton congratulated Trump, and Trump, in turn, praised Mrs. Clinton as an able and tough opponent. Nothing about the conversation, which was in keeping with American Election traditions dating back to the founding of this country over 200 years ago, would have predicted the shenanigans that were about to begin.
Within a day or two of election day it was announced by a minor candidate who drew scant attention throughout the autumn campaign, that she was demanding a recount of the votes cast in three states won by Trump. This minor candidate, Jill Stein of the Green Party, finished a distant fourth in virtually every state in the union. This fact, combined with other tidbits that have emerged, leads many to believe that Stein is acting as a sort of surrogate for Hillary Clinton.
Only one of the three states actually undertook full recounts. In that state, Wisconsin, Donald Trump's lead actually expanded once the reount was concluded. In another state, Michigan, a recount started but was cut short by a judge's order. And since the order was final, Michigan's results, now certified by Michigan Authorities, places Donald Trump as the winner of all of that state's electoral votes. In the third state, Pennsylvania, Stein missed the deadline for requesting a recount. She filed suit in a Pennsylvania State Court, asking that the state be compelled to accept her late petition for a recount. The court denied her request. She then filed a suit in a federal court, but that suit, too, was summarily dismissed.
The entire fiasco had little chance of amounting to anything substantial even before it began. Stein would have had to have the final results in all three states be significantly changed for the election outcome to be changed. That was never going to happen since recounts rarely change results by the number of votes Stein needed. But what struck most people as both outrageous and suspicious is the fact that the candidate filing all of the recount petitions, Jill Stein, had absolutely no chance of changing the results to favor her candidacy. Even if Stein was "successful," the success would accrue to Hillary, not Jill Stein. In other words, she could not help herself. Or could she? She raised millions of dollars, most of it, many suspect, coming from infamous Ultra Left Billionaire George Soros. Soros, among others, was so upset by Hillary's loss that he was willing to spend millions of dollars to chase a very small and wispy rainbow.
Even as the sordid brouhaha over the recounts finally wound down, new controversies were contrived and began to play out. Some of these concerned outrageous and despicable charges against Donald Trump and some of his past business ventures and personal affiliations. They are not worth the time of day. Another "idea" - and that word is used here in the loosest possible sense - that has 'ginned' up controversy since the Presidential Election is the concept of impeaching Donald Trump. Right now, Trump cannot be impeached. Why? He hasn't been inaugurated yet. Right now, Donald Trump is just an American Citizen. In fact, he has been an American Citizen since his birth. I bet he has thought about the peaceful connotations of that status more than once in recent weeks. I know that I would have were I in his shoes.
But one somewhat new angle played by the Ultra Left has generated lots of attention from the mainstream; i.e., far left and fully corrupted media. This explosion of low brow goofiness centers on the efforts of Soros and others on the on Ultra Left to corrupt the Electoral College. On Monday, pre-pledged delegates from every state will convene in their respective state capitals and cast their Electoral College votes. While the Electoral College is something of a mystery to most Americans, it has been with us almost since the founding of the country over two centuries ago. Its existence is established in Article 2 of the United States Constitution, and modified by the 23rd Amendment to the Constitution. In short, each state, and the District of Columbia, are allotted electors in direct proportion to the number of Representatives and Senators each state has in Congress. Each State has two senators. The number of representatives each state has in Congress is proportional to its population. Thus, all states are equal in the Senate, but in the House, big states with high populations have lots of representatives. Small states, and even some bigger states that have low populations, have far fewer Electoral Votes. Delaware, for instance, only has one representative in Congress.
To determine how many electors (and, thus, votes) a state has in the Electoral College, find out how many representatives the state has in Congress, add to that number two additional electors, since each state has two senators. The number you arrive at is the number of electors, and votes, that the state will have in the Electoral College. Washington, D.C. is given three electors. Why three? Read the 23rd Amendment. Washington D.C. is assigned the number of electors that is equal to the number it would have were it a state. But - and for Washington, D.C. it is a huge "but" - the number of Electors given to Washington, D.C. cannot be more than the number of electors provided to the least populated state. Delaware is the least populated state and, as mentioned above, it has only one representative in the United States House of Representatives. It also has two senators. When you add its one representative and its two senators, the sum is 3. Delaware has three electors and three votes in the Elrctoral College. But it isn't the only state with just three electors and three votes. Alaska, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont and Wyoming also have this low number of electoral votes. The really big numbers of electoral votes are owned by just six states. For the purposes of this post in Credible and Incisive, "big numbers of electoral votes" is defined as 20 or more electoral votes. The Big Six are California with 55 Electoral Votes, Florida with 29 votes, Illinois with 20 votes, New York with 29 Electoral Votes, Pennsylvania with 20 votes, and Texas with 38 Electoral Votes. These numbers make it clear why Donald Trump has such a narrow and harrowing road to travel to winning the 2016 Presidential Election. Of the Big Six, three of them - California, New York and Illinois - are conceded to be Democratic or Blue States even before the first vote is cast. In other words, Democrats always win those states. Before the first vote is cast, Hillary Clinton has these three huge blocks of votes, 113 votes in all, without making any real effort to get them. When you add in the other "always blue" smaller states (Connecticut with 7 Electoral Votes, Delaware with 3 votes, Hawaii with 4 votes, Maryland with 10 votes, Massachusetts with 11 votes, New Jersey with 14 votes, Rhode Island with 4 votes, and Vermont with 3 votes), and you include Washington, D.C. and its 3 votes, Hillary has another 59 votes without any kind of effort. Add these two huge blocks together (113 plus 59) and you get 172 Electoral Votes. Hillary Clinton actually started Election Day with 172 of the 270 Electoral Votes she needed to win the 2016 Election. It puts all of this whining and carrying on in a new perspective. She had all of those locked in votes and she still lost.
On Monday, December 19 the electors will actually cast their votes. These votes will technically be counted by the United States Congress. Actually, the public will know the results on Monday. To be the winner, the candidate must accumulate 270 Electoral Votes. And you ask, why 270?
The answer to this perplexing question is actually very simple. Using the formula established by the Constitution, this year there are exactly 538 Electors. This total number of electors divided by 2 is 269. Thus, to get a majority of the electors' votes, a candidate needs 270 Electoral Votes.
Soros and Friends, or Hillary and Friends, or, really, all of the Ultra Leftists sitting atop the Democratic Party, along with their functionaries, have placed these electors in their actual cross-hairs. The electors have been bombarded with communications of all sorts. They have been threatened. They have been offered all manner of compensation. In other words, the Ultra Left is leaving no stone unturned to sway the electors away from Donald Trump and toward anybody but Trump, but really toward Hillary.
The actual law in many states binds electors to vote for the candidate which won the state that they represent. In states where the electors are legally bound, the penalty is usually a token fine, and Soros and friends have been up front in offering the electors in question the amount of their fines if they will switch away from Trump.
Even in states which do not legally bind their electors, they are bound by the tradition of how American Elections are conducted and decided. It is an American Tradition that has behind it over 200 years of doing things the way they are always done. It just happens to be the right way. All of the candidates knew the rules of the Election well before the campaign started. They knew they needed 270 Electoral Votes to win the election. They knew how many Electoral Votes each state had. Each candidate strategized with their staffs on the most effective way to accumulate the necessary electoral votes. In the autumn, none of the candidates spent real time in the states they had no chance of winning. That's why Hillary and Trump didn't campaign in New York or Delaware or Maryland. Those states would vote Democratic even if the moon disappeared. Similarly, the candidates didn't campaign in Alabama or North Dakota, because they were going to vote Republican no matter what happened.
The point is, everybody knew the rules and conducted their campaigns accordingly. If the winner of the election was the candidate who won the popular vote, the candidates would have campaigned in a different way. In fact, if the election was going to be decided by popular vote nationwide, there is no way of knowing if the parties would have nominated the same candidates.
The Ultra Left managed to dig up one clown who is a Texas elector who is supposed to vote for Trump, who won Texas. But this elector says he just cannot vote for Trump. This "patriot's" name is Christopher Suprun. He tells us he is a fireman who, on the first and real 9/11, was one of the first responders to the fire at the Pentagon, where a jumbo jet crashed after being hijacked by Islamic Extremists. In interviews, he said he was with a paid, full-time fire company in Manassas, Virginia and responded to the Pentagon as part of his duties with that fire company. Turns out he wasn't hired by that company until a month after the 9/11 attacks. Confronted with that fact, Suprun said he was actually a volunteer fire fighter with a different Virginia fire company. But other parts of his claimed accomplishments haven't panned out either. But he's gotten lots of publicity with his claims. And, the New York Times asked him to write an op-ed piece, which ran last week. The Times did not vet his claims, which, you know, is just shocking.
In past years, one or two electors have changed their votes away from the majority voted for by the voters in their states. The change has never come close to changing the result of an election. But big Ultra Left money is at work and it is desperate to hold onto power, knowing it may never get it back. Soros is not young by any stretch and he isn't ready to ride off into the sunset.
I'm literally holding my breath. It isn't that I adore Trump. But he won the election under the rules in effect at the time. Much attention has been paid to the fact that Hillary won the popular vote. But think about it. Trump, who is a native New Yorker, didn't campaign in New York after the primaries ended. He followed the rules and campaigned where there were electoral votes he believed he could win. He spent tons of time, a majority of his time, in states where he believed he could win. You know what? Hillary did the exact same thing. The exact same thing. Hillary didn't campaign in states where she knew she had no chance or couldn't change the outcome. She campaigned in almost every state that Trump campaigned in. I'm sure you've heard about these states. Everybody calls them "battleground" states because the outcome of the vote in these states was close enough that it was hard to predict who would win. The outcome was in doubt. The battleground states were Ohio, Florida, Wisconsin, Iowa, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Colorado, part of Maine (which is one of the few states that divides its electoral votes into districts. it sounds complicated, and in a way, it is, but I'm not going to explain it here because it doesn't matter to this post.), Pennsylvania and Utah. Other states were believed to "be in play" at different times during the campaign. Usually, that belief was fleeting and soon enough the candidates would stop going there because new polling showed it was leaning heavily one way or the other.
But one state that was very blue and with a long history of being blue that came "into play," and then stayed in play, was Michigan. Donald Trump took the few states that were believed to be his and added them to the total votes in the battleground states and realized that he would still be short of the number of votes necessary to win. He and his advisers knew that they had to turn at least one big blue state in order to win the election. Polls indicated to the Trump campaign that Michigan was closer then the national polls were saying. Trump hit the state hard, especially in the campaign's closing days. In fact, Trump's very last campaign stop, in the early hours of Election Day morning, was in Michigan. Trump won Michigan. Jill Stein demanded a recount but the state stayed with Trump.
Then, in the last days before the Electoral College meets the Ultra Left has dredged up another humdinger. The Ultra Left, led by the number one Ultra Leftist, President Obama, now says that the Russians hacked the election. Actually, they are not saying that the Russians hacked the vote. They concede that the vote was very clean. Even Obama's top functionary, USA Attorney General Loretta Lynch, says her people kept a close eye on the various states and there were no irregularities. Wow!
But Obama now says that the Russians did hack the Democratic National Committee, the one that was run throughout the campaign by Hillary's personal functionary, Debbie Blabbermouth Schultz. The same Blabbermouth who was drummed out of her job after it was revealed that she was working directly with Hillary against Bernie Sanders during the primary campaign. Anyway, Obama says this hacking led at least to the Wikileaks revelations of the DNC emails. Julian Assange, the leader of Wikileaks, says he did not get the emails from the Russians. The FBI says the Russians did not hack the Democrats. People with common sense know that if the Russians favored any candidate it would be Hillary, since she would be as likely to use the American military against the Russians or other USA enemies as was Obama, which means that she wouldn't even think of it. The candidate who would at least keep all his cards on the table, and has vowed to rebuild the military after eight years of neglect under Obama, is Donald Trump.
But Obama says he is angry about what the Russians did and he told Putin so. Suddenly acting tough, Obama says the USA will take revenge for the interference. Wow, after eight years he gets tough. After the Russians annexed the Crimea and marched into Eastern Ukraine and established their military in a big way in the Middle East after having no presence at all for decades, Obama is now Mr. Toughguy.
For his part, Trump says he isn't buying any of it. A Congressional Committee summonsed a CIA official to come before it on Monday. The CIA blew the committee off. The Obama director of intelligence, James Clapper, says the Russians didn't interfere. At least that is what he said before Obama said they did. Anything for Hillary. Anything to keep power with the left.
Since Election Day, Americans have been subjected to all manner of whining, moaning, distasteful carrying on, temper tantrums, thumb sucking, and other displays of blatantly immature and narcissistic behavior that one would expect from children enrolled in a nursery school or daycare, but not from adults, and certainly not from adults who have allegedly been engaged in running a great nation for the past eight years.
This embarrassing post-election snit-fest started almost before Hillary Clinton picked up a telephone and called Donald Trump in the wee small hours of November 9, 2016 to concede the election. Trump was and is the declared winner of more than enough of the 50 states, with more than enough electoral college votes, to win the Presidential Election. Hillary, briefly (very briefly) agreed with these facts, and thus made the call. During the brief telephone conversationin the pre-dawn of the 'day after' - described by both Hillary and the President-Elect as cordial - Mrs. Clinton congratulated Trump, and Trump, in turn, praised Mrs. Clinton as an able and tough opponent. Nothing about the conversation, which was in keeping with American Election traditions dating back to the founding of this country over 200 years ago, would have predicted the shenanigans that were about to begin.
Within a day or two of election day it was announced by a minor candidate who drew scant attention throughout the autumn campaign, that she was demanding a recount of the votes cast in three states won by Trump. This minor candidate, Jill Stein of the Green Party, finished a distant fourth in virtually every state in the union. This fact, combined with other tidbits that have emerged, leads many to believe that Stein is acting as a sort of surrogate for Hillary Clinton.
Only one of the three states actually undertook full recounts. In that state, Wisconsin, Donald Trump's lead actually expanded once the reount was concluded. In another state, Michigan, a recount started but was cut short by a judge's order. And since the order was final, Michigan's results, now certified by Michigan Authorities, places Donald Trump as the winner of all of that state's electoral votes. In the third state, Pennsylvania, Stein missed the deadline for requesting a recount. She filed suit in a Pennsylvania State Court, asking that the state be compelled to accept her late petition for a recount. The court denied her request. She then filed a suit in a federal court, but that suit, too, was summarily dismissed.
The entire fiasco had little chance of amounting to anything substantial even before it began. Stein would have had to have the final results in all three states be significantly changed for the election outcome to be changed. That was never going to happen since recounts rarely change results by the number of votes Stein needed. But what struck most people as both outrageous and suspicious is the fact that the candidate filing all of the recount petitions, Jill Stein, had absolutely no chance of changing the results to favor her candidacy. Even if Stein was "successful," the success would accrue to Hillary, not Jill Stein. In other words, she could not help herself. Or could she? She raised millions of dollars, most of it, many suspect, coming from infamous Ultra Left Billionaire George Soros. Soros, among others, was so upset by Hillary's loss that he was willing to spend millions of dollars to chase a very small and wispy rainbow.
Even as the sordid brouhaha over the recounts finally wound down, new controversies were contrived and began to play out. Some of these concerned outrageous and despicable charges against Donald Trump and some of his past business ventures and personal affiliations. They are not worth the time of day. Another "idea" - and that word is used here in the loosest possible sense - that has 'ginned' up controversy since the Presidential Election is the concept of impeaching Donald Trump. Right now, Trump cannot be impeached. Why? He hasn't been inaugurated yet. Right now, Donald Trump is just an American Citizen. In fact, he has been an American Citizen since his birth. I bet he has thought about the peaceful connotations of that status more than once in recent weeks. I know that I would have were I in his shoes.
But one somewhat new angle played by the Ultra Left has generated lots of attention from the mainstream; i.e., far left and fully corrupted media. This explosion of low brow goofiness centers on the efforts of Soros and others on the on Ultra Left to corrupt the Electoral College. On Monday, pre-pledged delegates from every state will convene in their respective state capitals and cast their Electoral College votes. While the Electoral College is something of a mystery to most Americans, it has been with us almost since the founding of the country over two centuries ago. Its existence is established in Article 2 of the United States Constitution, and modified by the 23rd Amendment to the Constitution. In short, each state, and the District of Columbia, are allotted electors in direct proportion to the number of Representatives and Senators each state has in Congress. Each State has two senators. The number of representatives each state has in Congress is proportional to its population. Thus, all states are equal in the Senate, but in the House, big states with high populations have lots of representatives. Small states, and even some bigger states that have low populations, have far fewer Electoral Votes. Delaware, for instance, only has one representative in Congress.
To determine how many electors (and, thus, votes) a state has in the Electoral College, find out how many representatives the state has in Congress, add to that number two additional electors, since each state has two senators. The number you arrive at is the number of electors, and votes, that the state will have in the Electoral College. Washington, D.C. is given three electors. Why three? Read the 23rd Amendment. Washington D.C. is assigned the number of electors that is equal to the number it would have were it a state. But - and for Washington, D.C. it is a huge "but" - the number of Electors given to Washington, D.C. cannot be more than the number of electors provided to the least populated state. Delaware is the least populated state and, as mentioned above, it has only one representative in the United States House of Representatives. It also has two senators. When you add its one representative and its two senators, the sum is 3. Delaware has three electors and three votes in the Elrctoral College. But it isn't the only state with just three electors and three votes. Alaska, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont and Wyoming also have this low number of electoral votes. The really big numbers of electoral votes are owned by just six states. For the purposes of this post in Credible and Incisive, "big numbers of electoral votes" is defined as 20 or more electoral votes. The Big Six are California with 55 Electoral Votes, Florida with 29 votes, Illinois with 20 votes, New York with 29 Electoral Votes, Pennsylvania with 20 votes, and Texas with 38 Electoral Votes. These numbers make it clear why Donald Trump has such a narrow and harrowing road to travel to winning the 2016 Presidential Election. Of the Big Six, three of them - California, New York and Illinois - are conceded to be Democratic or Blue States even before the first vote is cast. In other words, Democrats always win those states. Before the first vote is cast, Hillary Clinton has these three huge blocks of votes, 113 votes in all, without making any real effort to get them. When you add in the other "always blue" smaller states (Connecticut with 7 Electoral Votes, Delaware with 3 votes, Hawaii with 4 votes, Maryland with 10 votes, Massachusetts with 11 votes, New Jersey with 14 votes, Rhode Island with 4 votes, and Vermont with 3 votes), and you include Washington, D.C. and its 3 votes, Hillary has another 59 votes without any kind of effort. Add these two huge blocks together (113 plus 59) and you get 172 Electoral Votes. Hillary Clinton actually started Election Day with 172 of the 270 Electoral Votes she needed to win the 2016 Election. It puts all of this whining and carrying on in a new perspective. She had all of those locked in votes and she still lost.
On Monday, December 19 the electors will actually cast their votes. These votes will technically be counted by the United States Congress. Actually, the public will know the results on Monday. To be the winner, the candidate must accumulate 270 Electoral Votes. And you ask, why 270?
The answer to this perplexing question is actually very simple. Using the formula established by the Constitution, this year there are exactly 538 Electors. This total number of electors divided by 2 is 269. Thus, to get a majority of the electors' votes, a candidate needs 270 Electoral Votes.
Soros and Friends, or Hillary and Friends, or, really, all of the Ultra Leftists sitting atop the Democratic Party, along with their functionaries, have placed these electors in their actual cross-hairs. The electors have been bombarded with communications of all sorts. They have been threatened. They have been offered all manner of compensation. In other words, the Ultra Left is leaving no stone unturned to sway the electors away from Donald Trump and toward anybody but Trump, but really toward Hillary.
The actual law in many states binds electors to vote for the candidate which won the state that they represent. In states where the electors are legally bound, the penalty is usually a token fine, and Soros and friends have been up front in offering the electors in question the amount of their fines if they will switch away from Trump.
Even in states which do not legally bind their electors, they are bound by the tradition of how American Elections are conducted and decided. It is an American Tradition that has behind it over 200 years of doing things the way they are always done. It just happens to be the right way. All of the candidates knew the rules of the Election well before the campaign started. They knew they needed 270 Electoral Votes to win the election. They knew how many Electoral Votes each state had. Each candidate strategized with their staffs on the most effective way to accumulate the necessary electoral votes. In the autumn, none of the candidates spent real time in the states they had no chance of winning. That's why Hillary and Trump didn't campaign in New York or Delaware or Maryland. Those states would vote Democratic even if the moon disappeared. Similarly, the candidates didn't campaign in Alabama or North Dakota, because they were going to vote Republican no matter what happened.
The point is, everybody knew the rules and conducted their campaigns accordingly. If the winner of the election was the candidate who won the popular vote, the candidates would have campaigned in a different way. In fact, if the election was going to be decided by popular vote nationwide, there is no way of knowing if the parties would have nominated the same candidates.
The Ultra Left managed to dig up one clown who is a Texas elector who is supposed to vote for Trump, who won Texas. But this elector says he just cannot vote for Trump. This "patriot's" name is Christopher Suprun. He tells us he is a fireman who, on the first and real 9/11, was one of the first responders to the fire at the Pentagon, where a jumbo jet crashed after being hijacked by Islamic Extremists. In interviews, he said he was with a paid, full-time fire company in Manassas, Virginia and responded to the Pentagon as part of his duties with that fire company. Turns out he wasn't hired by that company until a month after the 9/11 attacks. Confronted with that fact, Suprun said he was actually a volunteer fire fighter with a different Virginia fire company. But other parts of his claimed accomplishments haven't panned out either. But he's gotten lots of publicity with his claims. And, the New York Times asked him to write an op-ed piece, which ran last week. The Times did not vet his claims, which, you know, is just shocking.
In past years, one or two electors have changed their votes away from the majority voted for by the voters in their states. The change has never come close to changing the result of an election. But big Ultra Left money is at work and it is desperate to hold onto power, knowing it may never get it back. Soros is not young by any stretch and he isn't ready to ride off into the sunset.
I'm literally holding my breath. It isn't that I adore Trump. But he won the election under the rules in effect at the time. Much attention has been paid to the fact that Hillary won the popular vote. But think about it. Trump, who is a native New Yorker, didn't campaign in New York after the primaries ended. He followed the rules and campaigned where there were electoral votes he believed he could win. He spent tons of time, a majority of his time, in states where he believed he could win. You know what? Hillary did the exact same thing. The exact same thing. Hillary didn't campaign in states where she knew she had no chance or couldn't change the outcome. She campaigned in almost every state that Trump campaigned in. I'm sure you've heard about these states. Everybody calls them "battleground" states because the outcome of the vote in these states was close enough that it was hard to predict who would win. The outcome was in doubt. The battleground states were Ohio, Florida, Wisconsin, Iowa, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Colorado, part of Maine (which is one of the few states that divides its electoral votes into districts. it sounds complicated, and in a way, it is, but I'm not going to explain it here because it doesn't matter to this post.), Pennsylvania and Utah. Other states were believed to "be in play" at different times during the campaign. Usually, that belief was fleeting and soon enough the candidates would stop going there because new polling showed it was leaning heavily one way or the other.
But one state that was very blue and with a long history of being blue that came "into play," and then stayed in play, was Michigan. Donald Trump took the few states that were believed to be his and added them to the total votes in the battleground states and realized that he would still be short of the number of votes necessary to win. He and his advisers knew that they had to turn at least one big blue state in order to win the election. Polls indicated to the Trump campaign that Michigan was closer then the national polls were saying. Trump hit the state hard, especially in the campaign's closing days. In fact, Trump's very last campaign stop, in the early hours of Election Day morning, was in Michigan. Trump won Michigan. Jill Stein demanded a recount but the state stayed with Trump.
Then, in the last days before the Electoral College meets the Ultra Left has dredged up another humdinger. The Ultra Left, led by the number one Ultra Leftist, President Obama, now says that the Russians hacked the election. Actually, they are not saying that the Russians hacked the vote. They concede that the vote was very clean. Even Obama's top functionary, USA Attorney General Loretta Lynch, says her people kept a close eye on the various states and there were no irregularities. Wow!
But Obama now says that the Russians did hack the Democratic National Committee, the one that was run throughout the campaign by Hillary's personal functionary, Debbie Blabbermouth Schultz. The same Blabbermouth who was drummed out of her job after it was revealed that she was working directly with Hillary against Bernie Sanders during the primary campaign. Anyway, Obama says this hacking led at least to the Wikileaks revelations of the DNC emails. Julian Assange, the leader of Wikileaks, says he did not get the emails from the Russians. The FBI says the Russians did not hack the Democrats. People with common sense know that if the Russians favored any candidate it would be Hillary, since she would be as likely to use the American military against the Russians or other USA enemies as was Obama, which means that she wouldn't even think of it. The candidate who would at least keep all his cards on the table, and has vowed to rebuild the military after eight years of neglect under Obama, is Donald Trump.
But Obama says he is angry about what the Russians did and he told Putin so. Suddenly acting tough, Obama says the USA will take revenge for the interference. Wow, after eight years he gets tough. After the Russians annexed the Crimea and marched into Eastern Ukraine and established their military in a big way in the Middle East after having no presence at all for decades, Obama is now Mr. Toughguy.
For his part, Trump says he isn't buying any of it. A Congressional Committee summonsed a CIA official to come before it on Monday. The CIA blew the committee off. The Obama director of intelligence, James Clapper, says the Russians didn't interfere. At least that is what he said before Obama said they did. Anything for Hillary. Anything to keep power with the left.
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