DennisMansfield.com

Osombie.... Yep, zombie-fied Osama Bin Laden.

I suppose those who would make Abraham Lincoln a Vapmire Killer would see a certain level of mass acceptance in ensuring that Osama Bin Laden should return during the same theater release time period as a zombie.

When political facts of both parties don't seem the need to be anchored to real things (like budgets, religious liberties and truthful ads), then, HEY, why not?

Maybe in a short while we'll have the most obvious next flick: Predator meets Vamp-Lincoln meets Osombie... or Obama meets Ron Paul?

Den

 

Bring me your tired, your weary, your huddled millioniares... The 1% Democratic Convention?

I don't even know where to go with this one.

The 2012 Democratic Convention seems to be catering to "the people"...er, "the rich people".

I mean "the REALLY rich people."

At least it seems that way...

Will somebody help me with this?

Den

Article here.

Ronald Reagan and Robert Kennedy together on TV. Fascinating history....

I never knew that this tape existed.

What a treasure to see these two great men of history as they debated and discussed issues of the day in 1967... along with a hot-headed English student.

Den

The slap felt 'cross the face... Peggy Noonan's recent WSJ article on the Catholic Church's charities and President Obama.

I've been in and around politics a long time, as have many of my siblings.

As a toddler I sat on the shoulders of my Dad at the second Inauguration of President Eisenhower. As a young boy, along with my siblings, I was taken by my Dad to see, what turned out to be, JFK's last speech on November 21st, 1963.

As Air Force dependents, my brothers, sisters and I stood on the tarmac at Randolph AFB and talked with LBJ's family and political iluminaries from Hubert Humphrey to Gene McCarthy, from Mike Mansfield to Everett Dirksen. We met or saw the President of South Vietnam and the Prime Minister of Israel, among many international leaders.

We had a wild childhood that circled around meeting and talking with national political figures - a childhood unlike many kids could have had in the 1960's. But we had something else that many DID have.

We had the Catholic Church.

We were all raised as Roman Catholics, receiving the sacraments and the proper training at the proper time. I was an altar boy from 1st grade through college at West Point. Though we were a GOP family in 1960, we were however very proud when Senator John Kennedy was elected to the Presidency. We were heart-broken when he died.

By example, we were taught to make our faith count. My oldest sister, Kathleen, led by example at school and at home, amid the seven siblings. She often took us to church and set the pattern for us to blend our faith with our politics. Later, as an adult, she served two terms as mayor of her city in Michigan.

So, as I read Peggy Noonan's recent WSJ piece (and posted on this blog), I couldn't help but think about what may in fact be happening amid the country, among Catholics... and how talented and alike, these two well-spoken women, Peggy Noonan and Kathy Wright, are. Maybe they are like millions more of American women (and men), whose faith compels them past mere politics and on to things of major magnitude...

Things like, standing against President Obama telling the Catholic Charities what they will and will not do regarding issues of the church. This issue is becoming HUGE and the social media reflects it - my blog hits have been far beyond normal, regarding this issue.

I have not talked yet with my sis about the President's policy, but I HAVE read and re-posted Peggy Noonan's column and feel like I am reading words that Kathleen Mansfield Wright could have written.

This is a big deal. Though I am no longer a Catholic, the importance of this issue in the 2012 Election cannot be overstated. People of the Catholic faith, like some of my siblings and their spouses, who seek to worship the Lord through that denomination, will see President Obama's actions for what it is: a slap across the face of their faith, their family and their heritage.

And that ain't politics as usual any longer.

Rise up oh Catholic Church of the US, for we are in need of this sleeping giant's voice in America, as Ms. Noonan writes.

Den

 

200 Years later - Charles Dickens - the power of his pen, then, and the absence of it today.

Today is Charles Dickens' 200th birthday.

He lived a life in his early years that no one would wish on another.

He was eventually imprisoned in a debtor's prison as a boy, joining his family after a long a filthy journey through a childhood nightmare of thugs and theives.

Look out Michael Buble'...Paul and Ringo are soft-shoeing around you.

Thanks to DFO for linking to a great post.

Apparently the ex-Beatles are moving-toward-crooning with their two newest albums, "2012" and "Kisses on the Bottom". Look out Buble', look out!

"(M)y impression is, (McCartney) sings these old songs fairly well. He certainly doesn't embarrass himself, and he's treated every song with the respect they deserve. And he does a great "It's Only A Paper Moon". Paul wrote two songs for this album, and I must say his vocals on those are more direct than on the old chestnuts he sings here; it sounds as if he is being Very Careful on some of the old standards, and that's a good thing, I suppose, although I wish he'd dug a little bit deeper into his own personal style, because unless that happens, then the songs are just re-makes by an anonymous somebody, and some of Paul's vocals on these old standards almost come off as "anonymous treatments". But Paul isn't waving Peace Signs in everyone's faces, so that's something positive. But more than anything, Paul takes real chances here, recording in an environment he's not used to, with all those great old musicians in back of him."

More here.

Den

CLINT EASTWOOD takes the Super Bowl prize! It's Half Time in America.

Well, so says CNN's analysist.

Here's a mash up of the ads.

Interesting story.

Den

 

 

 

 

Madonna at Half Time - is this really happening?

This Half Time is so bad.

It's a Madonna-fest and the only one interested seems to be Madonna.

My heavens, it is terrible.

Or am I off-base?

Where is her "walker"?

"Step into my world?" My goodness... Aren't we being FORCED to?

At least it's not nasty. It's just bad.

She's just old.

Den

Peggy Noonan: In losing The Catholic Church, Obama has lost the election. Could this be true?

A Battle the President Can't Win
His decision on Catholic charities makes Romney's big gaffe look trivial.
By PEGGY NOONAN

What a faux pas, how inept, how removed from the essential realities of America. Yes, I'm referring to President Obama.

But let's do Mitt Romney first.

He's taken heavy fire for his statement, in an interview with CNN's Soledad O'Brien, in which he said, "I'm not concerned about the very poor."

Every criticism has been true. It was politically inept, playing into stereotypes about Republicans and about his own candidacy. It was Martian-like in its seeming remove from the concerns of everyday citizens. We're in a recession here! It was at odds both with longtime American tradition and with rising conservative concern over the growth and changing nature of what used to be called the underclass.

So: inept.

Advice? Treat the mistake as an opportunity. First, admit the blunder. A political communications expert would add, "And move on." But don't. Use this mistake, and others—"I like being able to fire people"—as the basis for a true, thoughtful and extended statement that will allow people more deeply into the mind of Mitt Romney. Call it "Let me tell you about my gaffes." Use it to deepen people's understanding of your views not only on poverty but on the whole American picture.

Boise's Steve Appleton dies in tragic plane accident.

Steve Appleton's terrible and tragic airplane accident just hours ago has shocked the state, the international business community and most deeply, his precious family.

My heart grieves for his wife, his children and his parents. We are so genuinely saddened by this.

The shock of how he died along with his relative youth combine to cause the loss to be even more profound.

As CEO of Micron, his adventurous life had many successes. The internet's social media will (and should) talk much of those successes.

His stressful life led also to failures that need not be noted here.

Like all of us, Steve Appleton was on a journey.

Just hours ago he woke, dressed himself and began his day - only to have this be his last morning on earth. Many would say that his journey ended today in this horrible crash.

It did not. Eternity opened wide its doors and Steve Appleton walked through them to meet God.

He is alive. And if he could, he would have a message for each of us.

I would argue that he DOES have a message, if you see the video below with a compassionate eye and ear, the message may come clearly to you.

Much like how he addressed the absolute need for education, Steve Appleton would, at this very hour, tell each and every one of us exactly what he is experiencing in eternity... he would want us ALL to share in the same passion that gripped him about "education" as if the subject was eternity.

Listen to what he says, in the light of eternity. Ask yourself if you have pushed through towards an education about the only things that last into eternity: God's love and Christ's impact on your life and the lives of those you love.

May God's hands of comfort hold his wife and children closely to His breast. From the broken heart of a dad who lost his son to death, I extend my hand to a family that lost their daddy today.

Den