Looney Liberal of the Week: Bill Clinton

This week's award goes to former President William Jefferson Clinton for his angry outburst on 'FOX News Sunday' with Chris Wallace. The competition was stiff this week, with scores of liberals voting against anti-terrorism legislation and then seeking to confer the Constitutional rights of Americans upon foreign illegal enemy combatants and terrorists. But despite the whacky antics of libs on Capitol HIll, the performance of Bill Clinton was a real "show-stopper". You can read the transcript HERE.

What struck me most about Clinton was his body language. He was pointing his index finger at Wallace, leaning forward, tapping the notepad on Wallace's lap. His demeanor was domineering and somewhat threatening. He was clearly invading the personal space of Chris Wallace... trying to impose his will on Wallace. It was reminiscent of Clinton's news conference during which he told America that he "did not have sex with that woman... Ms. Lewinsky". His finger was out and pointing at the cameras then too. So, I can only conclude that if he was lying then (as we know he was), then perhaps he is lying now as well. People have a tendency to lie using the same body language each time.

The conversation went pretty much as follows. The editorial comments are some of my thoughts on the subject...

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WALLACE: When we announced that you were going to be on "Fox News Sunday," I got a lot of e-mail from viewers. And I've got to say, I was surprised. Most of them wanted me to ask you this question: Why didn't you do more to put bin Laden and Al Qaeda out of business when you were president?

[...]

CLINTON: OK, let's talk about it... but first I want to talk about the context in which this arises.

I'm being asked this on the FOX network. (EDITOR: The FOX network is A.K.A. as 'the political tool of the Neo-Con Bourgeoisie'.) ABC just had a right-wing conservative run in their little "Pathway to 9/11," (EDITOR: The only network farther to the political right than FOX is ABC.) falsely claiming it was based on the 9/11 Commission report, with three things asserted against me directly contradicted by the 9/11 Commission report. (EDITOR: Too bad Mr. Clinton didn't enlighten us as to which three things those might be.)

And I think it's very interesting that all the conservative Republicans, who now say I didn't do enough, claimed that I was too obsessed with bin Laden. All of President Bush's neo-cons thought I was too obsessed with bin Laden. (EDITOR: Funny, nobody seems to able to find any support for this statement.)

[...]

CLINTON: No, no. I authorized the CIA to get groups together to try to kill him.

The CIA, which was run by George Tenet, that President Bush gave the Medal of Freedom to, he said, "He did a good job setting up all these counterterrorism things."

The country never had a comprehensive anti-terror operation until I came there. (EDITOR: And the country didn't have a comprehensive anti-terror operation when he left there, either.)

Now, if you want to criticize me for one thing, you can criticize me for this: After the Cole, I had battle plans drawn to go into Afghanistan, overthrow the Taliban, and launch a full-scale attack search for bin Laden. (EDITOR: Funny, he never mentioned this before... not even in his autobiography which weighs as much as a boat anchor.)

But we needed basing rights in Uzbekistan, which we got after 9/11. (EDITOR: Hmmm... why did we need to invade Afghanistan when Clinton blew as many as 8 to 10 opportunities to kill bin Laden outright?)

The CIA and the FBI refused to certify that bin Laden was responsible while I was there. They refused to certify... (EDITOR: AHH! Here's the answer! Clinton wanted 'absolute' proof that bin Laden was the guilty party. He wanted the CIA and FBI to "certify" that bin Laden was responsible. What was he expecting... fingerprints maybe?)

[...]

WALLACE: Do you think you did enough, sir?

CLINTON: No, because I didn't get him.

WALLACE: Right.

CLINTON: But at least I tried. That's the difference in me and some, including all the right-wingers who are attacking me now. They ridiculed me for trying. They had eight months to try. They did not try. I tried. (EDITOR: The 'right-wingers' had all of eight months to try and get bin Laden while Clinton had at least four years.)

So I tried and failed. When I failed, I left a comprehensive anti-terror strategy and the best guy in the country, Dick Clarke, who got demoted. (EDITOR: The "comprehensive anti-terror strategy" consisted of a four or five page report written by Richard Clarke.)

So you did Fox's bidding on this show. You did your nice little conservative hit job on me. (EDITOR: Chris Wallace is well-known as the conservative 'power behind the throne'. He has been suspected to be Karl Rove's mentor.) What I want to know is ...

WALLACE: Well, wait a minute, sir.

CLINTON: No, wait. No, no ...

WALLACE: I want to ask a question. You don't think that's a legitimate question?

CLINTON: It was a perfectly legitimate question, but I want to know how many people in the Bush administration you asked this question of. (EDITOR: FOX News interviewers are only allowed to ask questions of Democrats that they have already asked of Republicans.)

[...]

CLINTON: Did you ever ask that?

You set this meeting up because you were going to get a lot of criticism from your viewers because Rupert Murdoch's supporting my work on climate change. (EDITOR: Chris Wallace knew that the owner of FOX News was supporting Clinton's work on climate change, and he was expecting a tidal wave of negative E-mails to come flooding into 'FOX News Sunday'... therefore, he asked Clinton to come onto the show so he could ask him embarrassing questions.)

And you came here under false pretenses and said that you'd spend half the time talking about — you said you'd spend half the time talking about what we did out there to raise $7-billion-plus in three days from 215 different commitments. And you don't care. (EDITOR: The show was not yet half over, but Chris Wallace was now being accused of not spending half the show talking about Clinton's pet project. In fact, Wallace apparently "tricked" Clinton into coming on the show under "false pretenses" so he could bash Clinton.)

WALLACE: But, President Clinton, if you look at the questions here, you'll see half the questions are about that. I didn't think this was going to set you off on such a tear.

CLINTON: You launched it — it set me off on a tear because you didn't formulate it in an honest way and because you people ask me questions you don't ask the other side. (EDITOR: Unless the questions are "softball" type questions, then they are not formulated in an honest way. Only "softball" questions are "honest" questions.)

WALLACE: That's not true. Sir, that is not true.

[...]



CLINTON: All I'm saying is, you falsely accused me of giving aid and comfort to bin Laden because of what happened in Somalia. No one knew Al Qaeda existed then. (EDITOR: Funny, but I can't find where Chris Wallace accused Clinton of anything remotely related to Somalia.) And...

WALLACE: But did they know in 1996 when he declared war on the U.S.? Did they know in 1998 ...

CLINTON: Absolutely, they did.

WALLACE: ... when he bombed the two embassies?

CLINTON: And who talked about ...

WALLACE: Did they know in 2000 when he hit the Cole?

CLINTON: What did I do? What did I do? I worked hard to try to kill him. I authorized a finding for the CIA to kill him. We contracted with people to kill him. I got closer to killing him than anybody has gotten since. (EDITOR: President Clinton's legacy will be that he "almost" killed bin Laden.) And if I were still president, we'd have more than 20,000 troops there trying to kill him. (EDITOR: It is unclear exactly how 20,000 troops stationed in North Carolina would be able to kill bin Laden.)

[...]

And you ask me about terror and Al Qaeda with that sort of dismissive thing? When all you have to do is read Richard Clarke's book to look at what we did in a comprehensive, systematic way to try to protect the country against terror. (EDITOR: Clinton refers to Clarke's book because, until he read it, he had no idea what was going on.)

And you've got that little smirk on your face and you think you're so clever...

[...]

WALLACE: I just want to ask you about the Clinton Global Initiative, but what's the source? I mean, you seem upset, (EDITOR: Chris Wallace has rarely been treated with such contempt in his short 31-year career. Although Wallace has won three Emmy Awards, the Dupont-Columbia Silver Baton Award, and a Peabody Award, he was obviously inexperienced enough to expect that a former President would act with dignity and decorum.) and I ...

CLINTON: I am upset because ...

WALLACE: And all I can say is, I'm asking you this in good faith because it's on people's minds, sir. And I wasn't ...

CLINTON: Well, there's a reason it's on people's minds. That's the point I'm trying to make. There's a reason it's on people's minds: Because there's been a serious disinformation campaign to create that impression. (EDITOR: There is a vast right-wing conspiracy which is secretly trying to destroy the image of Bill and Hillary Clinton. President Bush undoubtedly asked Karl Rove to feed Chris Wallace with questions that would make Clinton look like more of a loser than he already is.)

Speed and Angels Trailer

In production. Learn more HERE. True life story and action documentary about two navy officers chasing their dreams to become fighter pilots.

The Peace of Christianity & Islam

Some thoughts on the two great "Religions of Peace"...
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Jesus said: You have heard that it was said to the men of old, 'You shall not kill; and whoever kills shall be liable to judgment.' --Matthew 5:21

Mohammed said: And do not kill any one whom Allah has forbidden, except for a just cause. -- Koran 17:33

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Jesus said: Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. --Matthew 5:9

Mohammed said: Fighting is ordained for you, even though it be hateful to you; but it may well be that you hate a thing the while it is good for you... Fight, then, in God's cause. -- Koran 2:216, 2:244

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Jesus said: Put your sword back into its place; for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. --Matthew 26:52

Mohammed said: And kill them wherever you find them, and drive them out... slay them; such is the recompense of the unbelievers. --Koran 2:191

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Jesus said: But I say to you, Do not resist one who is evil. But if any one strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. --Matthew 5:39

Mohammed said: Thus, if anyone commits aggression against you, attack him just as he has attacked you. --Koran 2:194

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Jesus said: If any one is to be taken captive, to captivity he goes; if any one slays with the sword, with the sword must he be slain. Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints. --Revelation 13:10

Mohammed said: Slay the idolaters wherever you find them, and take them captives and besiege them and lie in wait for them in every ambush. --Koran 9:5

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Jesus said: A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another... He who does not love does not know God; for God is love. --John 13:34, 1John 4:8

Mohammed said: So you did not slay them, but it was Allah Who slew them, and you did not smite when you smote (the enemy), but it was Allah Who smote. --Koran 8:17

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Jesus said: Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so men persecuted the prophets who were before you. --Matthew 5:11-12

Mohammed said: And apostles before you were certainly mocked at, but I gave respite to those who disbelieved, then I destroyed them. --Koran 13:32

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Jesus said: But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. --Matthew 5:44

Mohammed said: And kill them (who persecute you)... for persecution is worse than killing. --Koran 2:191

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Jesus said: Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you; heal the sick in it and say to them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you.' --Luke 10:8-9

Mohammed said: And there is not a town but We will destroy it before the day of resurrection or chastise it with a severe chastisement; this is written in the Divine ordinance. --Koran 17:58

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Jesus said: But whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say, 'Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off against you; nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near.' --Luke 10:10-11

Mohammed said: And when We wish to destroy a town, We send Our commandment to the people of it who lead easy lives, but they transgress therein; thus the word proves true against it, so We destroy it with utter destruction. --Koran 17:16

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Jesus said: Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. --John 14:27

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Let's Demand An Apology!

Muslims are great for demanding apologies. They demanded that the Pope apologize for his statements the other day concerning Islam. When he did apologize, then they said it wasn't good enough... they wanted more. So they started protesting.

Well, I've had enough! To quote a famous movie line, "I'm mad as hell, and I'm not gonna take it any more!" Now it's MY turn. I'm demanding an apology from the Islamofascists. That's right... the fascists. The ones who want to impose their will on the rest of us by means of force. That, by definition, is a fascist. Not all Muslims are fascists, but far too few Muslims decry the violence and criminal behavior of their fascist brethren. Where is the outcry? Where is the denunciation?

We should all demand an apology. I think bloggers everywhere should demand an apology. We ought to pick a date and flood cyber-space with our demands for an apology. I don't know what date. Maybe November 11th (11/11)? And we should give the Muslims one month to apologize. Let's demand a "Muslim Day of Apology" on December 12th (12/12).

I want an apology for the following crimes...

The attacks of September 11, 2001

The London subway bombings

The Madrid train bombings

The U.S. embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania

The attack on the U.S.S. Cole

The World Trade Center attack in 1993

The attack on Americans in Somalia

The Bali bombings

The U.S. embassy take-over in Tehran, 1979

The holding of 52 Americans hostage for 444 days

The bombing of the Marine barracks in Beirut

The bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland

The Munich Olympics in 1972

The Rome and Vienna Airport Attacks on 12/27/85

Participation in the Breslan massacre

The planned attack on LAX

The planned Bojinka Operation

The recent plan to blow-up airliners over the Atlantic

Denying Palestinians citizenship in Muslim countries

And others too numerous to list here

I want an apology for the following tactics...

Kidnapping

Beheading

IED attacks

Homicide bombings

Airline Hijackings

Airline Bombings

Shooting of innocent civilians

Indiscriminate rocket attacks on civilians

Firing rockets from areas populated by civilians

Blowing up churches, synagogues and mosques

Manipulating journalists & photographers

Staging false news events

Doctoring news photographs

Using chemical weapons

Financing terrorist groups

Using charity money for terrorism

I want an apology for the following cultural crimes...

Forcing conversion to Islam under threat of death

Intolerance toward other religions

Calling Jews "monkeys"

Calling Christians "pigs"

Schools that teach children hatred & violence

Death threats to people who disagree

Death & destruction over stupid cartoons

Killing those who convert from Islam to another religion

Treating the Koran with more respect than human life

Killing women because of 'dishonor'

Treating Muslim women like cattle

Burkhas

Sharia Law

Cutting off hands

Cutting out tongues

Gouging out eyes

Mass graves

Torture

Rape rooms

Since it is unlikely that we will get any apologies from those who commit such atrocities, we should demand an apology from each and every mosque, from every Muslim government, from every Muslim news outlet, and from every organization that represents Islam or Muslims. Their apology should be public... on TV, Radio, Internet, or in the Newspapers. If the terrorists won't apologize, then their "peace-loving" brethren ought to do it for them. The "Religion of Peace" seems to offer the world nothing but violence, terror... and silence. They want apologies? Well so do I!

Looney Liberal of the Week: Jimmy Carter

NEW HAVEN, CT -- This week's award goes to former President Jimmy Carter for remarks he made bad-mouthing Senator Joe Lieberman (D-CT). According to a statement which I heard on the radio (and cannot quote verbatim), Carter essentially said that Lieberman's problem is... "He voted for the war in Iraq. He has maintained a position that the war in Iraq was the right thing to do. He has stood by the President and Republicans in support of the war." Carter then went on to say that, "I've lost my confidence in Joe Lieberman and don't wish to see him re-elected."

OK, so let me get this straight. Joe Lieberman voted for the war in Iraq (as did most Democrats including John Kerry and Hillary Clinton). No problem so far.

Then, Joe Lieberman maintained a consistent position on the issue. He didn't waffle or flip-flop for purely partisan reasons. Hmmmm... I guess that's a bad thing.

Finally, Lieberman stood by the President in a show of patriotism during a time of war. And the problem with that is ...?

OHHH! Now I get it! Joe Lieberman is not a waffling, flip-flopping, partisan hack. He can be trusted to maintain a steady position on an issue even when it may not be popular. He has views on issues that are principled and not poll-driven. He has more concerns about national security interests than he does about the next election. He is patriotic. He supports the troops. And he is intellectually honest.

NOW I understand why Carter has lost confidence in Joe Lieberman! How can Joe consider himself a loyal Democrat and still act like that? Silly me.

In Memorium: Neil G. Shastri

The morning of September 11, 2001 dawned a bright and sunny day in the New York area. The sky was a clear, beautiful deep blue and absolutely cloudless. The temperatures were mild and seasonable. Humidity was low. It looked like it was going to be a great day, until... "out of the blue" at 8:46:26 AM, American Airlines Flight 11 impacted the north side of 1 World Trade Center between the 94th and 98th floors at a speed of 490 miles per hour.

Neil G. Shastri was a Technology Consultant employed by Scient/IXL, consulting to Cantor Fitzgerald on the 103rd floor of 1 World Trade Center. He was last heard from at approximately 9:00 am, when he placed a phone call to his wife soon after the plane hit, complaining of smoke and difficulty breathing.

Neil was South Asian by ancestry. He was born on August 17, 1976 in Pittsburgh, PA, and raised in Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ. He was a graduate of Rutgers University. At the time of the disaster, he was residing in New York City. His obituary reads in part as follows...

SHASTRI, Neil Gautam, 25, ...Devoted husband to Kruti Shastri (Naik), beloved son of Gautam and Kiran Shastri. Loving brother of Umang, Jay, Shefali, and Amish. Cherished son-in-law of Jitendra and Nila Naik.

According to his family and friends, he had a "generous spirit", a "passion for learning", and a "tremendous capacity to love". Although he was young, he had already made philanthropic endeavors "predomitantly directed towards children's and homeless charities".

To honor the memory of Neil's generosity and passion for learning, a foundation has been created in his name. The Neil G. Shastri Foundation was established by family and friends to continue Neil's legacy by engaging in various philanthropic endeavors that reflect his spirit and passion. "To this end, the Foundation sponsors an annual academic scholarship, supports various children's causes and the needs of the homeless."

What We Do
The Neil G. Shastri Foundation main activites focus on three things, fundraising for other charitable organizations, devoting time to volunteer at charities and other institutions of aid, and providing financial aid for high school graduates attending college. The direction of our efforts is guided by the ideals and compassion that Neil lived his life by.

On this fifth anniversary of his death and the tragedy of 9/11, we extend our condolences to those who knew Neil and loved him. We also lift up a prayer for peace... peace in the hearts of those he left behind, and peace for the world in general.

The real tragedy of 9/11 is that Neil and many like him, were cruelly cut down in the prime of life. People who, like Neil, had so much to give but were never allowed to. Never allowed to follow their dreams. Never allowed to pursue their true destiny.

LORD have mercy. And let us never forget...

Liberals Really Are Terrorists

As I was reading the newly revised National Strategy for Combating Terrorism, I stumbled upon the following list which you can read in context HERE.

The terrorism we confront today springs from:

Political alienation. "...terrorists are recruited from populations ...vulnerable to manipulation by those who advocate a perverse political vision based on violence and destruction."

Grievances that can be blamed on others. "The failures the terrorists feel and see are blamed both on others and on perceived injustices from the recent or sometimes distant past. The terrorists’ rhetoric keeps wounds associated with this past fresh and raw, a potent motivation for revenge..."

Subcultures of conspiracy and misinformation. "Terrorists recruit more effectively from populations whose information about the world is contaminated by falsehoods and corrupted by conspiracy theories. The distortions keep alive grievances and filter out facts that would challenge popular prejudices and self-serving propaganda."

An ideology that justifies murder. "Terrorism ultimately depends upon the appeal of an ideology that excuses or even glorifies the deliberate killing of innocents. Islam has been twisted and made to serve an evil end, as in other times and places other religions have been similarly abused."

As I was reading through this list it suddenly became clear to me why some conservatives label liberals as terrorists. I have reproduced the above list changing only the following words: 'terrorist' to 'liberal', 'murder' to 'slander', 'Islam' to 'The DNC', and 'religion' to 'political organization'. Tell me if you don't think it applies...

The liberalism we confront today springs from:

Political alienation. "...liberals are recruited from populations ...vulnerable to manipulation by those who advocate a perverse political vision based on violence and destruction."

Grievances that can be blamed on others. "The failures the liberals feel and see are blamed both on others and on perceived injustices from the recent or sometimes distant past. The liberals’ rhetoric keeps wounds associated with this past fresh and raw, a potent motivation for revenge..."

Subcultures of conspiracy and misinformation. "Liberals recruit more effectively from populations whose information about the world is contaminated by falsehoods and corrupted by conspiracy theories. The distortions keep alive grievances and filter out facts that would challenge popular prejudices and self-serving propaganda."

An ideology that justifies slander. "Liberalism ultimately depends upon the appeal of an ideology that excuses or even glorifies the deliberate slandering of innocents. The DNC has been twisted and made to serve an evil end, as in other times and places other political organizations have been similarly abused."

Am I wrong?

Engaged in a Global Struggle

"We are engaged in a global struggle against the followers of a murderous ideology that despises freedom and crushes all dissent, and has territorial ambitions and pursues totalitarian aims. This enemy attacked us in our homeland on September the 11th, 2001... And against such an enemy there is only one effective response: We will never back down, we will never give in and we will never accept anything less than complete victory... We will keep the pressure on them. We will stay on the offense. We will fight the terrorists in Afghanistan and Iraq and every battlefront in this struggle... We will defeat the terrorists and their hateful ideology by spreading the hope of freedom across the world."
--President George W. Bush, July 4, 2006

Unjust Occupation of Arab Lands

A picture is worth a thousand words. Hat-tip to Fred Sinclair for this one.

Winners of Caption Contest Announced

OK Viewers... the contest is over, and we've had a TIE for First Place! Maggie and Ms. RightWing came in with the two entries which most tickled the vast editorial staff here at "View From Above". Maggie's entry was "Hezzbo-Hatero", and Ms. RightWing's was "The Flying Chair". For Ms. RightWing's entry, I flipped the picture so Assad could get the first words in. "What's that smell...?" (from Anonymous) was first runner-up, but anonymity prevented me from recognizing him/her.

Thanks to everyone for participating. All the entries were just great! I hope you had as much fun as I did. And now for the promised special recognition...

Maggie
Maggie (aka Mary) is a regular commenter here and at ScrappleFace. She is endeared amongst the many residents of Scrappleville. She is a resident of Wilson County, North Carolina, which she describes as a flood-prone area. She has been known to pull out her kayak and don her Mae-West during times of "high tide".

Maggie has 7 grandchildren who bring her "so much joy". She is thankful for her many wonderful friends, including the ones she has met through the blogosphere. She is thankful to the Lord for each new day, and for the peace and contentment He brings.

Maggie's favorite Bible verse is Genesis 18:14, "Is anything too hard for the LORD?" Her favorite Psalm is 103. She enjoys playing SCRABBLE®, Balderdash™ and Hi Ho! Cherry-O with her grandchildren.

Watching football helps Maggie to relieve tension, and you can hear her miles away "Woo-hooing" when the Washington Redskins or Carolina Panthers play. Her faithful cat and companion -- "Rain" -- never leaves her side. In her own words, "What more could one desire?"

Ms. RightWing, Ink
Ms. RightWing (aka Micheala) is also a regular commenter at ScrappleFace. She is highly regarded amongst Scrapplers for her tremendous wit. She has made us all laugh, grin or chortle on more than a few occasions. According to her blog "Shelly's Cafe", she lives in "Dirty Old Factory Town, Ohio... sigh". She occupies a "bunker, high over enemy territory", from which she has been known to fire catapults, cannons and other assorted weapons at the liberal landscape.

By the way, if you've never been to "Shelly's Cafe", you really should stop in. It's "SOON TO BE AMERICA'S MOST READ BLOG", and it's terrific! Ms. RW is a great storyteller. Her work is characterized by interesting personalities, fascinating scenarios, and assorted vehicles of dubious condition. She has traveled all over both Ohio and the Southwest as a professional storyteller before going to chef school and settling down.

Ms. RW occasionally celebrates her Scandinavian ancestry with tales that reference ice-fishing, dog-sled races, Vikings, etc. She has shared with her Scrappler friends the secrets of Lutefisk, and been known to declare something along the lines of... "Yumpin' Yiminy!" and other such phrases.

Her experience of farm life has provided her with ample stories of "man (or woman) versus nature", and occasionally "man (or woman) versus machine", etc.

She has had some health problems in recent years which have been met with fierce opposition in the form of prayers by fellow Scrapplers. Ms. RightWing is best known for her WFCCC's (World Famous Chocolate Chip Cookies) and for her delicious coffee which can be had in abundance at "Shelly's Cafe".