Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Politicians - PA State Sen. Raphael "Ray" Musto
More of the same...
Bill Lawrence recently posted this on his blog:
"A federal grand jury, this morning, indicated Pennsylvania State Sen. Raphael "Ray" Musto for taking thousands of dollars in money and services in bribes and kickbacks.
Musto , a Democrat, has represented the 14th District since 1982. He did not seek re-election this year. Musto is facing six charges including bribery and making false statements to the FBI."
"High Unemployment Means a High Crime Rate"
I read somewhere that "conventional wisdom is seldom right but never in doubt".
It seems to apply here...
It seems to apply here...
Clayton E. Cramer takes this one apart at PajamasMedia.com:
"Crime and unemployment: everyone knows that they go together. Right? Unemployed people, desperate for enough money to pay their bills, buy groceries, and get medical care (since those heartless Republicans think 'don’t get sick' is a health care plan), must turn to crime. At the very least, disheartened men sitting at home are going to lose their tempers, get into fights, and shoot their spouses."
Politicians - Managing Our Money
I think the Republicans are right on this...
Caroline May explains their position at DailyCaller.com:
"Much of the cause for concern is the fact that there have been vastly more claims of discrimination than there are even black farmers in America. Sworn testimony before the House Judiciary Committee by the president of the National Black Farmers Association, John Boyd, put the number of black farmers in America at 18,000.
To date, more than 94,000 individuals have filed discrimination claims."
Monday, November 29, 2010
About that corn ethanol
Hopefully, the world has learned enough about Al Gore by now.
If you still believe in him, I have a bridge to sell you...
If you still believe in him, I have a bridge to sell you...
Gerard Wynn recently reported some Al Gore quotes on the Reuters website:
"'First generation ethanol I think was a mistake. The energy conversion ratios are at best very small.
'It's hard once such a programme is put in place to deal with the lobbies that keep it going.'
He explained his own support for the original programme on his presidential ambitions.
'One of the reasons I made that mistake is that I paid particular attention to the farmers in my home state of Tennessee, and I had a certain fondness for the farmers in the state of Iowa because I was about to run for president.'"
The Paycheck Fairness Act
Every time we try to equalize, there are unintended consequences.
I'm thinking "can of worms" here...
I'm thinking "can of worms" here...
Caroline May writes about it at DailyCaller.com:
"The U.S. Chamber of Commerce shares that sentiment. Mike Eastman, the Chamber’s executive director of labor law policy, told TheDC that the Chamber is concerned about the harm it will cause to American business.
'It’s a bill we really don’t like,' Eastman said, pointing to the onerous restrictions, regulations and potential for frivolous lawsuits he says the bill creates. 'As a practical matter it is just one more thing that creates a disincentive to do business here in the United States. If you are looking at where to open a new business, it is going to be a factor.'
Eastman continued by noting that the potential for high priced litigation is among the more worrisome aspects of the bill."
Sunday, November 28, 2010
"Scooter Libby, on the record"
I have to wonder what really is the truth on this...
Quin Hillyer reports on it in the Washington Times:
"For the very first time since his conviction, Mr. Libby - former chief of staff to then-Vice President Dick Cheney - went on the record about his case."
'... impact of EU 30 pct carbon cut..."
So, am I crazy if I think "why bother"?...
Patryk Wasilewski reported this on Reuters AlertNet.org website:
"The EU has agreed a goal to cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 20 percent by 2020 compared with 1990 levels, but proposals have surfaced that the cut should reach 30 percent.
Fatih Birol, of the IEA, said the gains from the tougher EU reduction target would roughly equal only two weeks of China's emissions."
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Barack Obama - "American Narcissus"
I'm not sure what it means; however, stories like this are showing up now...
At WeeklyStandard.com, Jonathan V. Last shatrs his thoughts on this:
"Why has Barack Obama failed so spectacularly? "
Friday, November 26, 2010
Sarah Palin - Toying with the media
The media is biased, plain and simple...
Sarah Palin is having some fun pointing it out:
"A Thanksgiving Message to All 57 States"
"‘Politifact’ is often more politics than facts"
Information everywhere and we still don't know who to believe.
Now, even "fact-checkers" are biased...
Now, even "fact-checkers" are biased...
Mark Hemingway writes at WashingtonExaminer.com:
"You may have run across Politifact before. It’s a feature of the St. Petersburg Times that purports to fact check political statements, rating them “true” or “false.” In 2009, Politifact won a Pulitzer prize, so people put a lot of a faith and credibility in what they say. However, rather than objectively weighing the facts, Politifact is hardly above employing highly-politicized context to render judgment."
A Reply to Mona Charen’s "Why Sarah Palin Shouldn’t Run"
Mention Sarah Palin and the world starts writing.
Here's a rebuttal to a recent column by Mona Charen...
Here's a rebuttal to a recent column by Mona Charen...
At HumanEvents.com, Jebediah Bila offers counterpoints and closes with:
"As a parting thought, let’s revisit a segment from radio host and bestselling author Mark R. Levin’s November ninth monologue: [In] 1976 … Ronald Reagan was running against Gerald Ford. There were conservatives all over the country who were lining up behind Gerald Ford. ‘Reagan’s too extreme, Reagan is a B actor, Reagan is this, Reagan is that, he can’t win, he can’t win.’”
Sound familiar?"
Thursday, November 25, 2010
"Reflections On An Ailing Society"
I don't know where to start.
You'll just have to read it to understand why...
You'll just have to read it to understand why...
Victor Davis Hanson posted this article at PajamasMedia.com:
"Reflections On An Ailing Society"
Happy Thanksgiving !
Enjoy your day...
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
"All The News That Is Unfit to Print"
In our sound-bite world, the media spends no almost NO time on certain things...
Victor Davis Hanson explains at PajamasMedia.com:
"Here are a few important developments that remain strangely ignored. I say strangely, but most readers understand why some news becomes news and some does not."
Bruce Schneier Interview - Security Theater and the TSA
Well, I'd call it "political theater"...
Jeff Wise reports at PopularMechanics.com:
"Since 9/11, cryptology expert and security consultant Bruce Schneier has been one of the most pointed critics of the government's anti-terrorism security programs. In his 2003 book 'Beyond Fear,' he coined the phrase 'security theater' to refer to measures which are undertaken not because they will be effective at thwarting attacks, but because the agencies carrying them out need to appear to be doing something useful. We spoke to Schneier about the recent controversy involving the Transport Security Agency's use of invasive scanners and full-body pat-downs."
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
"GM selling at a loss should tell you something"
U.S. Government - "Have I got a deal for you!".
Usually, you have a choice to protect your money, but not here...
Usually, you have a choice to protect your money, but not here...
Iain Murray explains the General Motors fiasco at DailyCaller.com:
"When a government sells stock in a company, it is usually trying to maximize short-term revenue. Therefore, the share price is normally pegged at what the market will bear. If the valuation of the total stock offering is less than the value of the company (or a portion thereof) being sold, something is amiss. That is certainly the case with the initial public offering of GM stock sold to investors on November 17. The stock price is telling us something the federal government doesn’t want to admit, all the rhetoric about the supposed success of the GM bailout notwithstanding."
Meanwhile - in Texas -birth certificate to be required?
Seems reasonable to me...
Terry Greenberg recently report on the Lubbock, TX Avalanche-Journal website:
"AUSTIN — A state representative on Tuesday filed a bill that would require any candidate for president or vice president of the United States to show his or her birth certificate to the Texas secretary of state, another indication of just how ambitious the conservative agenda for next year’s session of the Texas Legislature is expected to be.
'This bill is necessary because we have a president whom the American people don’t know whether he was born in Kenya or some other place,' Rep. Leo Berman, R-Tyler, said in reference to President Barack Obama and of House Bill 295. 'If you are running for president or vice president, you’ve got to show here in Texas that you were born in the United States and the birth certificate is your proof.'"
Monday, November 22, 2010
Meanwhile - in New York - Chess Players Ticketed
When laws are written, it is for a purpose that most understand.
I believe that is called the "spirit of the law".
Then there's the "letter of the law"; the exact words/wording that determines enforcement, which is no easy task.
If written poorly, there are loopholes, which every good lawyer exploits.
If written poorly, there may be problems like this...
I believe that is called the "spirit of the law".
Then there's the "letter of the law"; the exact words/wording that determines enforcement, which is no easy task.
If written poorly, there are loopholes, which every good lawyer exploits.
If written poorly, there may be problems like this...
Carla Zanoni recently reported at DNAinfo.com:
"A group of seven mild-mannered chess players are due in criminal court next month after police officers from the 34th Precinct issued them summonses for playing their favorite board game in Inwood Hill Park.
The men were ticketed on Oct. 20 for being inside of Emerson Playground, a children's play area off limits to adults unaccompanied by minors. But the men were in an area furnished with stone chess and backgammon tables — separated from the play area by a fence.
'There is a problem in this area with drug dealing, but the police have time to write tickets to people playing chess?' asked Yacahudah Harrison, 48, one of the men who received a summons for 'Fail[ing] to comply with signs.'"
Sunday, November 21, 2010
"Why Do Blacks Still Buy The Government Plantation Lie?"
A good question...
At Townhall.com, Star Parker asks:
"Why are blacks, who know life on the government plantation better than whites, and who are proportionately being hit much harder in this difficult economy, still buying what working class whites have rejected hands down? That, as Karl Rove put it, '…we can spend our way to prosperity?'
The problem is broader and deeper. Blacks still by and large see government dependence as the remedy rather than the disease, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary. They still choose to listen to left wing black political leadership and media who have careers in keeping it all going."
Saturday, November 20, 2010
The Chevy Volt
The government is willing to subsidize (with our money) purchases of the Chevy Volt (the government's car?).
Somehow, this entire GM (government motors?) scenario sounds fishy to me...
Somehow, this entire GM (government motors?) scenario sounds fishy to me...
George F. Will recently wrote about it in the Washington Post:
"GM says that, battery-powered, the Volt has a 40-mile range. Popular Mechanics says 33. Thomas R. Kuhn, president of the Edison Electric Institute, the trade association of the electric utility industry, is, understandably, a Volt enthusiast: This supposedly "green" vehicle will store electric energy - 10 to 12 hours of charging on household current - produced by coal- and gas-fired power plants."
Friday, November 19, 2010
"Tea in 2012"
This seems pretty much on the mark.
Hopefully, "we the people" don't lose our intensity...
Hopefully, "we the people" don't lose our intensity...
At NationalReview.com, Patrick Ruffini writes about the "Tea Party" and it's future:
"Focusing on Congress and the presidency is well and good, reasons Ryun, but achieving those goals is of little use without control of local governments, where national leaders usually start out. Working with the Tea Parties, Ryun says, his organization trained 1,249 new local candidates and 12,654 activists this cycle. His end goal is audacious and extends beyond the Republican party: “Power in D.C. must be devolved, and one of the ways you do that is to run out the ruling class, one by one, and not just in D.C., but in state capitals and municipalities."
Thursday, November 18, 2010
"Barack Obama has awakened a sleeping nation"
I agree.
You may be able to guess where this is going.
PS - This was written before the recent elections...
You may be able to guess where this is going.
PS - This was written before the recent elections...
Gary Hubbell explains this at TheRealUnitedStates.com:
"Barack Obama is the best thing that has happened to America in the last 100 years. Truly, he is the savior of America's future. He is the best thing ever.
Despite the fact that he has some of the lowest approval ratings among recent presidents, history will see Barack Obama as the source of America's resurrection."
Politicians - U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL)
More of the same...
Alana Goodman reports on the National Legal and Policy Center website:
"Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) admitted to the FBI that he accepted free upgrades on a town home he purchased from convicted Chicago influence-peddler Tony Rezko, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. The congressman has previously been the subject of a federal investigation for engaging in real estate deals with a developer named Calvin Boender.
During a 2008 interview with the FBI, Gutierrez reportedly said that he asked Rezko for upgrades on the town house before purchasing it. The congressman claimed that the price of the home had risen by $35,000 since he had first considered buying it, and Rezko agreed to give him an additional bathroom and a higher quality carpet to make up for the increase in cost.
Gutierrez's claims to the FBI contradicted previous statements that he made to the Sun-Times in 2006."
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Politics - in government, politics is pervasive
They say there are no coincidences in politics.
You can decide about this one...
You can decide about this one...
Amanda Carey reports at DailyCaller.com:
"According to the DOJ report, Christie — favored by many conservatives to run against President Obama in 2012 — spent a total of about $2,000 more than his budget allowed on 23 trips he took between 2007 and 2009. Almost immediately after the report’s release, conservative media and the blogosphere lit up with accusations that the report was politically motivated and meant to malign a rising star in the Republican Party.
Tom Fitton, the president of DOJ watchdog organization Judicial Watch, agreed with that sentiment, telling TheDC that his first instinct was that the report was nothing more than a hit job from an 'ideological and hostile Justice Department that leaked the report.'
New information obtained by TheDC shows that that narrative may be true."
The "Third Option"
Some things just NEED to be said...
Daniel Greenfield does just that at CanadaFreePress.com in his article titled:
"Breaking the Siege Mentality of Airline Security"
Politicians - County Executive Jack Johnson
Benefit of the doubt? Anyone?...
Gwendolyn Glenn recently reported at Maryland's ExploreHoward.com:
"Extortion, witness and evidence tampering, bribery and destruction, falsification and alteration of records connected to a federal investigation are some of the charges filed in court today by the Department of Justice against Prince George’s County Executive Jack Johnson and his wife, county council member-elect Leslie Johnson.
The Johnsons were handcuffed and arrested by federal law enforcement authorities on Friday, stemming from a federal investigation of the couple that was initiated in January 2006, according to federal law enforcement officials. "
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Latest California deficit projection: $25.4 billion
Since the election, several states have revised their budget deficits.
Of course, California is one of them.
Isn't it funny how the revisions came AFTER the elections? Just sayin'...
Of course, California is one of them.
Isn't it funny how the revisions came AFTER the elections? Just sayin'...
Kevin Yamamura posted this on a Sacramento Bee blog:
"Gov.-elect Jerry Brown will face a massive $25.4 billion budget shortfall next year - twice as large as legislative leaders were anticipating - according to a new projection from the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst's Office."
Congress' report concedes Obama eligibility unvetted
I still don't know exactly what to think about this issue.
This article is not helpful...
This article is not helpful...
Jerome R. Corsi recently posted this (and more) at WorldNetDaily.com:
"A congressional document that has been posted on the Internet confirms no one – not Congress, not the states and not election officials – bothered to check Barack Obama's eligibility to be president, and in fact, that status remains undocumented to this day.
It's because state and federal law did not require anyone in Congress or elsewhere to check to see if Obama was a 'natural born Citizen' under the meaning of Article 2, Section 1 of the Constitution, according the document.
The analysis by the Congressional Research Service, a research arm of the U.S. Congress, openly admits no one in the federal government, including Congress, ever asked to see Obama's long-form, hospital-generated birth certificate. In fact, it explains no one was required to do so."
Monday, November 15, 2010
U.N. Gives Obama a New 'Shellacking' -- Over Human Rights!
Cuba, Iran, and North Korea were given a "free" shot, and they took it.
Now, guess who gave them that "free" shot?...
Now, guess who gave them that "free" shot?...
Anne Bayefsky recently reported at FoxNews.com:
"The Obama administration got a new 'shellacking' this morning, this one entirely voluntary. In the name of improving America’s image abroad, it sent three top officials from the State Department to Geneva’s U.N. Human Rights Council to be questioned about America’s human rights record by the likes of Cuba, Iran, and North Korea."
Barack Obama - "He Won’t Be Ignored!"
There's no flattery here...
On her blog, Joy Tiz writes and concludes:
"Will Obama do a Clintonesque tack to the center following such devastating blows to his ego and agenda?
No. He won’t. It’s unrealistic to assume Obama can find the center at all; nothing in his history suggests he is anything other than a radical Marxist. There is virtually nothing in Obama’s history to suggest he that he knows very much about the country he is supposed to lead. What we do know is that his closest friends and mentors have almost unanimously been radicals who despise America and see this great nation not as the greatest source of freedom and liberty in the world, but as its most menacing scourge.
The leader of the free world is becoming increasingly ticked off at America. No one can predict when Obama’s disorder will become too obvious for even the lap dog press to ignore. But, one thing is for certain–he’s not going to get better."
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Embarrassment in Seoul - WSJ.com
The Obama administration seems to be floundering.
Let's hope they turn it around so we can get some respect back...
Let's hope they turn it around so we can get some respect back...
The Wall Street Journal recently asked:
"Has there ever been a major economic summit where a U.S. President and his Treasury Secretary were as thoroughly rebuffed as they were at this week's G-20 meeting in Seoul? We can't think of one. President Obama failed to achieve any of his main goals while getting pounded by other world leaders for failing U.S. policies and lagging growth."
"Michelle Obama’s $400 Million ‘Food Desert’ Scam"
This seems very much like many government ideas.
The concept sounds "right"; however, upon further review, the facts don't stand up to the premise.
As usual, government is so intent on getting credit for "helping" that they fail to do due diligence...
The concept sounds "right"; however, upon further review, the facts don't stand up to the premise.
As usual, government is so intent on getting credit for "helping" that they fail to do due diligence...
Terence P. Jeffrey writes about it at CNSnews.com:
"First Lady Michelle Obama has called on Congress to create a $400 million-a-year program to encourage the establishment of supermarkets in places she calls 'food deserts.'
The situation in these 'food deserts,' as Mrs. Obama describes it, is quite dire indeed. American children are growing fat because their parents cannot get to a supermarket—to buy fruits and vegetables—without undergoing the hardship of boarding a bus or riding a taxi. As a consequence, food-desert-dwelling children are forced to eat fast food and junk procured at chain restaurants and convenience stores."
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Toilet paper going tubeless
This seems reasonable idea.
Of course, there's probably someone, somewhere, that uses the tubes for something...
Of course, there's probably someone, somewhere, that uses the tubes for something...
News.com.AU recently reported:
"Nearly 17 billion toilet paper tubes are produced annually in the US alone, according to to Kimberly-Clark with most consumers throwing out used tubes.
Added up over the course of one year, this equates to an extra 72 million kilos of garbage."
Friday, November 12, 2010
Meanwhile - in El Segundo, CA
When no one is watching, government officials are inclined to go astray.
Unfortunately, all too often, it's with the taxpayers money...
Unfortunately, all too often, it's with the taxpayers money...
Paul Teetor recently reported at LAweekly.com:
"A Stink in El Segundo Over Cadillac Salaries...
Cops earn $175,000, firefighters $210,000, in a town with few criminals or fires"
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Sports - Driscoll Middle School Trick Play
So, you think you know about football, do you?...
Politicians - in Ontario, Canada
Politicians seem to be the same all over...
Sean Carroll recently reported at Canada's 13WHAM.com:
"Hamilton, who pled guilty to a Misdemeanor Driving While Intoxicated criminal charge last year, is in her second term as an At Large Member of Canandaigua’s City Council. Canandaigua Police arrested Hamilton on Wednesday after a three month investigation into her unemployment benefits filings.
As a result of that investigation police believe that Hamilton knowingly filed for, and collected, unemployment benefits from November 2009 through the summer of 2010 while at the same time drawing a taxpayer-funded salary through her position as a councilmember. Canandaigua City Council members earn $4,529 a year before taxes.
If convicted of the felony charge she now faces, Hamilton would have to resign her elected seat."
Sell now, save the tax expense
No matter how much money the wealthy have, they still avoid giving it to the government if they can...
Josh Lowenstein reported about it at CNET.com:
"The tax ramifications on the two sales are of special note given the savings and investment tax hikes that are going into effect in January. The maximum long-term capital gains tax rate will increase to 20 percent, up from 15 percent. In Ballmer's case, that ends up being a savings of around $67 million by selling now instead of January, assuming Microsoft's stock price stays the same."
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Politicians - Sen. Barbara Boxer - Calif
Here's a story that was posted on a reliable website a few days before the election.
I cannot confirm it's veracity.
It didn't stay posted for long, and there are some pretty ugly theories as to why it was pulled...
I cannot confirm it's veracity.
It didn't stay posted for long, and there are some pretty ugly theories as to why it was pulled...
For what it's now worth, here is Rick Manning's posted/unposted story:
"For the past 10 years Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) has been playing a game that would make Jack Abramoff blush, a game that can best be described using the language of 'Get Smart’s' Maxwell Smart as 'the ole family-profiting-off-of-the-Indian-tribe-that-you-created trick.'"
"Archbishop of Canterbury warns of forced jobs 'despair'"
Here's one to ponder over.
As for me, I have no objection to helping the "needy"; however, I think it's only fair that the "needy" do whatever they are capable of, to help themselves and society in general.
I might wonder if the Archbishop's opinion might change if his money were in play...
As for me, I have no objection to helping the "needy"; however, I think it's only fair that the "needy" do whatever they are capable of, to help themselves and society in general.
I might wonder if the Archbishop's opinion might change if his money were in play...
The U.K. Daily Telegraph website recently had this story:
"Government plans to force the long-term unemployed to do unpaid manual labour could drive vulnerable people into a 'downward spiral of uncertainty, even despair', the Archbishop of Canterbury warned."
Politics - Looking into the future
Interesting stuff...
Mark A. de Bernardo looks ahead in an article at DailyCaller.com:
"The bottom line is that in 2012 and again in 2014 there will be many, many vulnerable Democrats in the U.S. Senate, and almost no vulnerable Republicans. If, as expected, the Republicans do not take majority control of the Senate in 2010, they certainly will set the table to do so. In 2012 they are likely to take the Senate, and in 2014, they are likely to strengthen that majority. A Republican 'plus-eight' in 2010 is the consensus opinion, and it is not at all unreasonable to project Republican 'plus-sixes' in 2012 and 2014 for the U.S. Senate."
Tuesday, November 09, 2010
Senator-Elect Marco Rubio
Quite a few are impressed by Marco Rubio and at this point it seems quite valid.
On the other hand, I'm not ready to jump for anyone who is a great "talker".
Time will tell...
On the other hand, I'm not ready to jump for anyone who is a great "talker".
Time will tell...
Nelsa, included this in a recent post at FreedomsLighthouse.net:
"Here, Rubio has put his finger on the heart of the matter. President Obama wants America to be like the rest of the world. He does not see the 'exceptional' nation that Rubio sees. Rubio, and other conservatives like him, see America as “the greatest nation on earth” – and want to keep the United States as an “exceptional” nation.
As for the way Republicans will act in the new Congress, Rubio said:"
"72 percent unwed mothers rate"
This does NOT bode well for these kids, or our society in general...
Jesse Washington, of the Assiciated Press reports at MSNBC.com:
"The black community's 72 percent rate eclipses that of most other groups: 17 percent of Asians, 29 percent of whites, 53 percent of Hispanics and 66 percent of Native Americans were born to unwed mothers in 2008, the most recent year for which government figures are available. The rate for the overall U.S. population was 41 percent."
Jim DeMint: Welcome, Senate Conservatives - WSJ.com
This is about as clear as it gets...
Senator Jim DeMint recently wrote this and more in the Wall Street Journal:
"Washington operates on a favor-based economy and for every earmark, committee assignment or fancy title that's given, payback is expected in return. The chits come due when the roll call votes begin. This is how big-spending bills that everyone always decries in public always manage to pass with just enough votes.
But someone can't be bribed if they aren't for sale."
Monday, November 08, 2010
"Forty-six 'dangerous' terrorists go free"
This is awkward, to say the least...
James Kirkup has the story on the U.K. Telegraph website:
"At least 46 convicted terrorists who have been either released from prison or are close to being freed, 'pose a risk' to the public and face tight new controls on their freedom, a secret Government document discloses."
CNN Shock Interview: Radical Muslim Cleric Describes Violent Islamic Vision
Despite what our media would have us believe about Islam, words from their own mouths tell the real story.
Please note, this is the "moderate" idea...
Please note, this is the "moderate" idea...
Meredith Jessup recently reported at theBlaze.com:
"During an appearance on CNN’s Parker/Spitzer, Radical Muslim cleric Imam Anjem Choudary revealed a few unsettling details of Islamic extremists’ worldview, including the role of 'moderate' Muslims in spreading Sharia law around the globe. Choudary says that spreading Sharia law is a 'noble' goal as it represents a 'superior way of life' compared to the 'shackles of man-made law.'
According to Choudary, violent terrorist attacks are a 'peaceful' warning to countries like the United States and Israel, whom he claims are occupying Muslim lands. He also admits to encouraging Muslims in the United States to carry out these kinds of attacks:"
Sunday, November 07, 2010
"Prisoners to get the vote for the first time"
This is what can happen when a country gives up it's sovereign rights to a "united nations" type entity.
In this case the entity is the European Union...
In this case the entity is the European Union...
In the U.K. Daily Telegraph, Andrew Porter reports on this and gives the details:
"Prisoners will be given the vote in general elections for the first time in 140 years after David Cameron conceded there was nothing he could do to halt a European court ruling demanding the change, The Daily Telegraph can disclose."
Iran at Work in the Middle East
Gee. Do you think the Iranians are up to no good?
Should we believe their nuclear program is for "peaceful" purposes?...
Should we believe their nuclear program is for "peaceful" purposes?...
Barak Ravid reports at Haaretz.com:
"Nigeria's secret service said on Tuesday it had intercepted 13 containers of weapons from Iran in what Israeli defense sources believe may be part of a new smuggling route from Iran to Hamas in Gaza.
Rocket launchers, grenades and other explosives camouflaged as building material were seized in the Nigerian port of Lagos after being unloaded from an Iranian ship."
Saturday, November 06, 2010
Fox News - on Election Night
FOX News is doing well. The others, not even close...
Robert Seidman posts the numbers at TVbythenumbers.com:
"Fox News Dominates Cable News Election Night Coverage"
"Juan Williams, the ‘Greater Good’ … It’s All Semantics"
This is a good article about what truth and lies have evolved into, which is not pretty.
These days, one can get fired for NOT lying; and it's is apparently acceptable to NOT report or investigate "real" lies.
The "mainstream" media is supposed to keep people honest; however, they are failing badly...
These days, one can get fired for NOT lying; and it's is apparently acceptable to NOT report or investigate "real" lies.
The "mainstream" media is supposed to keep people honest; however, they are failing badly...
Dan Miller writes about it at PajamasMedia.com:
"In recent years, the concept of polite lies has expanded to the increasingly vast universe of political correctness, where approved lies are encouraged and not telling them can get you fired — pronto."
Friday, November 05, 2010
Al Gore - and his environmental choices
This is not the first time.
I'm calling it arrogant. You can have your own word(s)...
I'm calling it arrogant. You can have your own word(s)...
Marc Morano's Climate Depot keeps track of Al Gore. Here's a recent finding:
"Intriguingly, the Master of World Climate himself arrived in a rental car (with or without driver is unclear), from the airport, and subsequently left the engine running for the entire lecture. That is to say, about one hour. Incidentally, local legislation prohibits – for very good environmental reasons, i e pollution – any car engine running on empty for more than 60 seconds. Fines are severe. As far as I know, he was not fined."
Thursday, November 04, 2010
"Obama's trip to be biggest ever"
Three days!
To say the least, this really seems a bit much...
To say the least, this really seems a bit much...
Saurabh Shukla reports on the India Today website:
"The presidential entourage will have 40 aircraft, including the Air Force One that will ferry the president. There will be six armoured cars, including the Barack Mobile, a Cadillac.
The Cadillac limousine is equipped with a mini communication centre to enable Obama to be in touch with the White House, US vice president and the US strategic command. It also has the US nuke launch codes and the nuclear switch for the president. It can also withstand a chemical or germ warfare or even a bomb attack.
The secret service will set up two command posts in Delhi and Mumbai which will act as the communication nerve centres. These centres will keep an eye on each movement by the president with real time satellite monitoring.
Three Marine One choppers will be reassembled in India to ferry Obama and his family. These helicopters will also assist in evacuation in case of an emergency.
Moreover, 30 sniffer dogs will be put on service to boost the security arrangements during Obama's visit."
"People Upset With Street View Can Always Move"
This may indicate where our privacy is going...
John Paczkowski writes about him at Digital Daily:
"Google CEO Eric Schmidt says the company’s 'policy is to get right up to the creepy line and not cross it.' And while that may be true of Google, it’s clearly not true of Schmidt, who lately has been happily high stepping across the creepy line like the grand marshal of the Tone-Deaf Technocrat Parade."
Wednesday, November 03, 2010
FoxNews.com - If Schools Were Like 'American Idol' ...
There are some ugly statistics in this article.
It's NOT a money problem, so...
It's NOT a money problem, so...
Rupert Murdoch recently wrote about it:
"The College Board recently put this into global perspective when it reported that we've dropped from 1st to 12th place in the percentage of people between the ages of 25 to 34 who have a college degree. America is now in danger of producing a new generation that will be less educated than their parents.
Clearly it's not for any lack of money. Over the past three decades, we've nearly doubled spending on K-12 education in real terms. So President Obama was absolutely right to declare the other day that 'we can't spend our way out of this problem.' Which begs the question: How can we spend so much with so little to show for it?"
"Are there plenty more fish in the sea?"
One year salmon are down, and the next year salmon everywhere?
I guess we'll have to wait and see...
I guess we'll have to wait and see...
Susan Watts recently reported on the U.K.'s BBC website:
"Below the tranquil surface, the river has just witnessed one of nature's most spectacular natural phenomena - the return of the sockeye salmon, and this year it is the biggest salmon run in a century.
This year, despite dire predictions from scientists, 34 million sockeye salmon came back to the exact stretch of river where they were born to spawn.
But what makes this even more astonishing is that it comes just one year after only one million fish returned."
Tuesday, November 02, 2010
Politics - "Scratch and Sniff?"
We all know politics is a "dirty" business; but, even so, this mailer seems to cover new ground...
Tim Daniel writes at PajamasMedia.com:
"Now something smells as bad as trash-truck juice on a Death Valley summer day in California’s 47th.
In search of the olfactory offense, I point the reader to a Van Tran mailer masquerading as a fragrance sampler, making its way to the mail boxes of likely voters in Garden Grove, Santa Ana, and Anaheim.
Don’t judge this book by its cover; it’s no ordinary fragrance sampler:"
"Enemies" or "Patriots"
I'm with the latter, so I don't appreciate Obama's comment.
I'll be voting accordingly...
I'll be voting accordingly...
Politico's Mike Allen quotes John Boehner's opinion:
"Mr. President, there's a word for people who have the audacity to speak up in defense of freedom, the Constitution, and the values of limited government that made our country great. We don't call them ‘enemies.’ We call them ‘patriots.’”"
"Cuba vs. the United States on Infant Mortality"
For me, this article is a classic representation of how the headline results of a study may NOT represent or accurately inform the viewer of what's really going on.
Of course, our "sound bite" society doesn't lend itself to ever getting the whole story; and, in addition, the media is prone to exploit the headline without much interest in anything else...
Of course, our "sound bite" society doesn't lend itself to ever getting the whole story; and, in addition, the media is prone to exploit the headline without much interest in anything else...
Brian Carnell writes at Overpopulation.com:
"Recently released statistics on the infant mortality rate in the Western hemisphere yielded an odd conclusions — Cuba’s infant mortality rate, 16 6.0 per 1,000, is now lower than the U.S. infant mortality rate, at 7.2 per 1,000. Given Cuba’s poverty level, its 6.0 rate is very impressive, but is it accurate to say that Cuba now has an infant mortality rate lower than the United States? No."
Monday, November 01, 2010
Politics in Washington State
The creation of a "phony" candidate to siphon votes from the opposition is latest method of attempting to influence voting .
These people seem to have gotten caught, and are likely to pay a price...
These people seem to have gotten caught, and are likely to pay a price...
Austin Jenkins recently had this story om the Washington Ledge blogsite:
"Just in time for Halloween, Washington's Public Disclosure Campaign issues a damning 130-page report about traditionally Democratic organizations dressing up like Republicans in a Machiavellian scheme to knock off a conservative Democratic State Senator who, apparently, had done them wrong.
The upshot of the report is that a Seattle-based political consultant allegedly shuffled campaign donations through several Political Action Committees (PACs) in an effort to conceal the backers - labor unions and trial lawyers - of a stealth "attack from the right" on Senator Jean Berkey during last August's primary election."
The Pledge of Allegiance
The Pledge of Allegiance really gives SOME people trouble...
At theBlaze.com, Meredith Jessup reports on this time, including a video:
"At a debate sponsored by the Illinois League of Women Voters between Democratic incumbent Rep. Melissa Bean, GOP challenger Joe Walsh and Green Party candidate Bill Scheurer Wednesday, the audience loudly objected when the moderator, Kathy Tate-Bradish, insisted on proceeding without reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. In the end, she didn’t stand a chance against the 300-member audience."
German heatball ???
Coming soon to a store near you?
Perhaps...
Perhaps...
Reuters recently reported this:
"A German entrepreneur is bypassing a European Union ban on light bulbs of more than 60 watts by marketing his own brand as mini heaters."
