Wednesday, November 30, 2011
"Alabama Law Pays Off"
It looks like the law in Alabama is what we need all over...
John Hill writes about it at StandWithArizona.com:
"The war against Alabama’s immigration law has intensified in recent weeks, with a Justice Department lawsuit, visits by DOJ officials, and a showdown over illegal alien children who have been pulled from Alabama schools. Eric Holder sued Alabama, trying to block every aspect of its enforcement provision.
Why has the Administration and their ACLU and La Raza allies frantically tried to stop Alabama’s law from being enforced?
Because it’s WORKING – and putting legal Alabamans back to work. As illegals have fled the state by the tens of thousands, the jobs they took – particularly in poultry processing, building trades and transportation – are being filled once again by Alabama citizens. And the unemployment rate in the state has dropped as a result."
The NLRB Putsch - WSJ.com
Clearly, elected officials have embraced the concept of making everything a crises requiring immediate action.
That works very much in their favor as there is no time for deliberation.
There is no time to consider long term consequences.
There is no time for counter arguments or public hearings.
There is often no time to even read the legislation before they vote.
Remember the Health Care plan just had to be voted on Christmas Eve.
We deserve better, much better...
That works very much in their favor as there is no time for deliberation.
There is no time to consider long term consequences.
There is no time for counter arguments or public hearings.
There is often no time to even read the legislation before they vote.
Remember the Health Care plan just had to be voted on Christmas Eve.
We deserve better, much better...
A recent Wall Street Journal opinion column included this and more:
"The descent of the National Labor Relations Board from independent referee to a wholly owned AFL-CIO subsidiary is speeding up. Now its two Democratic appointees are attempting to ram through a new rule requiring quickie organizing elections, with barely any notice and little consultation with its sole GOP member.
Once a sleepy, ostensibly independent agency, the NLRB has become the point of the spear for Democratic labor policy since Republicans took the House last year. Earlier this year its general counsel sued to block Boeing from making its planes at a new plant in South Carolina, a case that is still proceeding and could kill thousands of jobs.
Now Chairman Mark Pearce, an Obama appointee, says he'll hold a vote next Wednesday on rules to shorten the time frame for union elections. The fire drill is intended to approve the union-favored plan before the recess appointment of the board's other Democrat expires and they lose their quorum."
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
"The supercommittee failed because Democrats insisted on $1 trillion in new taxes"
Both political parties are blaming each other for this apparent failure.
The president blames the Republicans...
The president blames the Republicans...
The Republicans speak out in this Washington Post opinion column:
"We do not choose to add more to the blame game for failure of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction , but one Democratic talking point needs debunking: that the talks failed because of Republicans’ attachment to the Bush tax cuts.
The untold story of the negotiations is the significance of the Republican offer of fundamental tax reform. It is critical to understand the interplay between the proposal (dubbed the “Toomey plan”) and existing tax law."
"It's No Longer About The Lessons Of History"
My first post today (see below) had one opinion; and here is a "second" opinion.
Is it possible they are both generally right, and that history's results, no matter how well they fit, are NOT relevant to today?...
Is it possible they are both generally right, and that history's results, no matter how well they fit, are NOT relevant to today?...
Thomas Sowell posts his view at Investors.com:
"Talk show host Michael Medved, for example, apparently thinks the Republicans need a centrist presidential candidate in 2012. He said, 'Most political battles are won by seizing the center.' Moreover, he added: 'Anyone who believes otherwise ignores the electoral experience of the last 50 years.'
But just when did Ronald Reagan, with his two landslide election victories, 'seize the center'? For that matter, when did Franklin D. Roosevelt, with a record four consecutive presidential election victories, "seize the center"?"
Conservatives, Romney, and Electability - WSJ.com
I find this article interesting.
It points out some statistics that SEEM to show that rigid conservative politics may not win elections.
When a conservative candidate moves toward the center, don't be surprised...
It points out some statistics that SEEM to show that rigid conservative politics may not win elections.
When a conservative candidate moves toward the center, don't be surprised...
Michael Medved makes three points in his recent Wall Street Journal article:
"This analysis, endlessly recycled on the right, relies on groundless assumptions about recent political history. Three myths in particular demand rebuttal and rejection as a prerequisite to GOP success in 2012 and beyond:"
Monday, November 28, 2011
Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton Orders Unionization of Child Care Providers
Geez! This is day care.
Politics doesn't get any more obvious than this...
Politics doesn't get any more obvious than this...
Trey Kovacs has this story at OpenMarket,org:
"Governor Mark Dayton (DFL) issued an executive order calling for a vote to unionize child care providers. The move is an unapologetic sop to Big Labor. As reported by ChildCareFreedom.com, 'Governor Dayton reportedly made a promise to union leaders to sign the executive order in exchange for their support in the last election.'
Gov. Dayton’s E.O. is legally tenuous and excludes a majority of child care providers from the voting process."
"Malls track shoppers' cell phones on Black Friday"
Like all great inventions and innovations, the cell phone is extremely useful; and, at the same time, capable of being abused in a big way.
And who is dumb enough to believe that this ends with this shopping season...
And who is dumb enough to believe that this ends with this shopping season...
Annalyn Censky reported on this aspect at CNN.com:
"Starting on Black Friday and running through New Year's Day, two U.S. malls -- Promenade Temecula in southern California and Short Pump Town Center in Richmond, Va. -- will track guests' movements by monitoring the signals from their cell phones.
While the data that's collected is anonymous, it can follow shoppers' paths from store to store.
The goal is for stores to answer questions like: How many Nordstrom shoppers also stop at Starbucks? How long do most customers linger in Victoria's Secret? Are there unpopular spots in the mall that aren't being visited?
While U.S. malls have long tracked how crowds move throughout their stores, this is the first time they've used cell phones.
But obtaining that information comes with privacy concerns."
Sunday, November 27, 2011
2011-11-27 - Words of Wisdom
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Europe's Entitlement Reckoning - WSJ.com
And the beat goes on.
All over the world, populations continue to ignore the root cause of our financial problems.
Governments just cannot afford the entitlement programs they have committed to.
And keep in mind those "mortgage the future" commitments are likely related to buying votes...
All over the world, populations continue to ignore the root cause of our financial problems.
Governments just cannot afford the entitlement programs they have committed to.
And keep in mind those "mortgage the future" commitments are likely related to buying votes...
This Wall Street Journal article pinpoints the issue:
"If the first step in curing an addiction is to acknowledge it, there is little sign of that in Europe. The solutions on offer are to spend still more money, to have the Germans bail out everybody else, or to ditch the euro so bankrupt countries can again devalue their own currencies. France's latest debt solution includes raising corporate, capitals gains and sales taxes.
Yet Europe's problem isn't the euro. If it were, Hungary, Iceland and Latvia—none of which use the euro—would have been spared their painful days of reckoning. The same applies for Britain. Europe is in a debt spiral brought about by spendthrift, overweening and inefficient governments."
"Dutch 'Lord of the Data' Forged Dozens of Studies (UPDATE)"
I doubt this "scientist" is alone in his behavior.
Now, I ask, how much credence should we give to results of "studies" that imply we should do, or not do, a certain thing?
I think my skepticism gene just got a big boost...
Now, I ask, how much credence should we give to results of "studies" that imply we should do, or not do, a certain thing?
I think my skepticism gene just got a big boost...
Gretchen Vogel posts this and the rest of the story at ScienceMag.com:
"Diederik Stapel was suspended from his position at Tilburg University in the Netherlands in September after three junior researchers reported that they suspected scientific misconduct in his work. Soon after being confronted with the accusations, Stapel reportedly told university officials that some of his papers contained falsified data. The university launched an investigation, as did the University of Groningen and the University of Amsterdam, where Stapel had worked previously. The Tilburg commission today released an interim report (in Dutch), which includes preliminary results from all three investigations. The investigators found 'several dozens of publications' in which fictitious data has been used. Fourteen of the 21 Ph.D. theses Stapel supervised are also tainted, the committee concluded.
Stapel issued a statement today in which he apologizes to his colleagues and says he 'failed as a scientist' and is ashamed of his actions. He has cooperated to an extent by identifying papers with suspect data, according to university officials. The investigation by the three universities is ongoing and should ultimately investigate more than 150 papers that Stapel has co-authored"
Friday, November 25, 2011
"NHS fatcats take pay offs - then come back for more"
(Certain) former employees are often hired back as "consultants".
It supposedly relieves a company of the need to provide benefits, and allows easy termination when the "temporary" need expires.
Obviously, good judgement is required.
I think the real issue here is the attitude that government (agencies) have unlimited money, and so it's OK to get your piece of it, forever...
It supposedly relieves a company of the need to provide benefits, and allows easy termination when the "temporary" need expires.
Obviously, good judgement is required.
I think the real issue here is the attitude that government (agencies) have unlimited money, and so it's OK to get your piece of it, forever...
Laura Donnelly and Alison Moore recently reported on it on the U.K. Telegraph's website:
"Stephen Dorrell, chairman of the Commons health select committee, said: 'This is the sort of thing that gives effective management a really bad name.'
The Conservative MP said: 'In a service the size of the NHS it should be possible to find managers who can step in for short term situations, rather than to end up bringing people back at such inflated rates.'"
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Happy Thanksgiving!
Enjoy your day...
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Government at Work - New Boeing Controversy Documents Show National Labor Relations Board Staff Joking and Attacking US and Congress
There is something seriously wrong at the N.L.R.B. ...
On their website, Judicial Watch has the backup for making this statement:
"'These documents provide further evidence that the Obama administration’s attack on Boeing is irresponsible and politically motivated,' said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. 'NLRB attorneys come off as juvenile politicos rather than professionals interested in arbitrating a labor dispute. The utter contempt for congressional oversight shows that the NRLB thinks it is above the law. We hope these documents help educate the public about the ongoing abuse of power by this agency.'"
"Immigration petition set to trigger MP debate after 100,000 join fight to limit population"
Immigration has become an issue just about everywhere...
In the U.K. Telegraph, Rowena Mason writes about this:
"An online petition launched by Migration Watch UK passed the crucial level required for a topic to be considered for debate in the House of Commons yesterday.
The petition urges the Government to take “all necessary steps” to curb immigration and stop the UK's population from reaching more than 70 million."
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Our Reckless Meritocracy - NYTimes.com
This could easily be one's "word of the day".
As we mature, most of us learn the hazard of being overconfident.
That being said, I'll let the writer make what I think is an excellent point...
As we mature, most of us learn the hazard of being overconfident.
That being said, I'll let the writer make what I think is an excellent point...
Ross Douthat recently published this on the New York Times website. After an interesting explanation, he concludes:
"In place of reckless meritocrats, we don’t need feckless know-nothings. We need intelligent leaders with a sense of their own limits, experienced people whose lives have taught them caution. We still need the best and brightest, but we need them to have somehow learned humility along the way."
"Calif. cities take pension reform to the ballot"
California is at the forefront of many things, and public sector pensions are one.
Currently, they are looking for answers.
If they come up with something good, it's very likely to spread...
Currently, they are looking for answers.
If they come up with something good, it's very likely to spread...
Mercury News has Judy Lin's Associated Press story about the issues:
"Local governments are increasingly turning to voters for help to rein in the cost of public pensions as the state continues to wrestle with the issue. Talks stalled earlier this year between Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown and Republican lawmakers after they failed to reach a compromise on tax extensions. Brown failed to generate support for his proposed changes and is now offering a plan to raise the retirement age to align with Social Security and move new state workers to a hybrid system where guaranteed benefits are combined with a 401(k)-style plan."
"The Penn State Rape Scandal and the Myth of the ‘Otherwise Decent Person’"
Here is an interesting article about today's society.
It seems to point out that somehow we can judge people "good", even though they do something really "bad".
Trying to make life a balance sheet just doesn't work for me.
"Good" people just don't do really "bad" stuff; i.e., pure means without ANY flaws...
It seems to point out that somehow we can judge people "good", even though they do something really "bad".
Trying to make life a balance sheet just doesn't work for me.
"Good" people just don't do really "bad" stuff; i.e., pure means without ANY flaws...
Rob Taylor writes at PJmedia.com. AFter reading it, you can decide for yourself:
"The idea that people who cover up the rapes of children — facilitating further rapes in the future by either inaction or becoming accessories — can be considered 'good' people is to turn the very idea of virtue on its head. One cannot deny justice to rape victims through their actions and still be called a 'good man' as Douthat calls Paterno. The myth of the Otherwise Decent Person is just that — a myth. It is a fantasy perpetuated by small people of poor character to excuse their own perfidy and moral cowardice.
Writing about crime, I come across this corrupt and wearisome idea with what is unfortunately no longer alarming regularity. Any time some criminal matter gains sufficient traction on the Internet, the family and friends of the criminal show up in the comments of crime blogs and news sites with the same tired apologia. 'Sure, so and so murdered someone in a robbery but he was a good father' or “Of course pimping out your kids is wrong, but at least they were well fed” are phrases I assure you have been left on sites I run or frequent.
The arguments are always the same — some person does something horrible and people that know the person detail the nice things they’ve done which usually consist of nothing more than the bare minimum of what you expect functioning adults to do"
Monday, November 21, 2011
Government at Work - the European Union
Some say we are heading toward being more like Europe.
I don't think that's a very good thing...
I don't think that's a very good thing...
Giles Sheldrick reported this on the U.K. Express website:
"THE EU was ridiculed last night after it took three years to issue a new rule that water cannot be sold as healthy.
In a scarcely believable ruling, a panel of experts threw out a claim that regular water consumption is the best way to rehydrate the body.
The bizarre diktat from Brussels has far-reaching implications for member states, including Britain, as no water sold in the EU can now claim to protect against dehydration."
Canada – $6b to cut global temps by 0.0007 C. - Just $84Trillion per degree!
84 trillion to make a 1 degree change!
Am I missing something, or is the idea of cost-benefit analysis a forgotten technique?...
Am I missing something, or is the idea of cost-benefit analysis a forgotten technique?...
"JoNova" writes about it on her JoanneNova.com website:
"Christopher Monckton has analyzed the Canadian regulatory action on “Coal Emissions” and finds that, as usual, legislators are choosing the most expensive option possible with other people’s money. Environment Canada wants to spend $6 billion to reduce the atmospheric concentration of a trace molecule by 0.01 ppmv, and assuming there is any advantage in doing so, it would still cost one-eighteenth as much to just do nothing, suck it and see, and pay for all the theoretical damage that could ensue."
Sunday, November 20, 2011
2011-11-20 - Words of Wisdom
Saturday, November 19, 2011
NFL: The All-22 Football Footage the League Won't Show You - WSJ.com
Here's an interesting story.
I'm thinking that football in general (think Penn State) is a closed environment that protects everything very carefully, particularly those things that could reflect poorly...
I'm thinking that football in general (think Penn State) is a closed environment that protects everything very carefully, particularly those things that could reflect poorly...
Reed Albergotti recently wrote about it on the Wall Street Journal website:
"Every play during an NFL game is filmed from multiple angles in high definition. There are cameras hovering over the field, cameras lashed to the goalposts and cameras pointed at the coaches, who have to cover their mouths to call plays.
But for all the footage available, and despite the $4 billion or so the NFL makes every year by selling its broadcast rights, there's some footage the league keeps hidden.
If you ask the league to see the footage that was taken from on high to show the entire field and what all 22 players did on every play, the response will be emphatic. "NO ONE gets that," NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy wrote in an email."
"Rossi's E-Cat gets first customers, but questions remain"
I've posted about this before, mostly because of the potential.
I still don't know what to make of it.
Apparently, I'm not alone...
I still don't know what to make of it.
Apparently, I'm not alone...
This story, by Lisa Zyga is at PhysOrg.com:
"On October 28th, Rossi invited a few dozen people, including a group of engineers from an unnamed potential US customer, as well as a handful of journalists. For the demonstration, Rossi connected dozens of modules in parallel. Inside of each module, a nuclear reaction between hydrogen nuclei and nickel nuclei occurs, releasing heat that is used to turn water into steam. According to Rossi, each module received an initial energy input of 400 watts and produced a self-sustaining, continuous output of 10 kilowatts for the next few hours. Altogether, he claims that the device produced an average of 470 kilowatts in the form of steam for more than five hours.
Impressed with these results, the unknown US customer accepted delivery of a commercial E-Cat device. In the days since then - and likely due in part to all the media attention - Rossi has reported on his blog that he has sold 'more than two' devices to other customers, which are also unnamed."
Friday, November 18, 2011
Why Gingrich Could Win - WSJ.com
It's time to give another look at Newt Gingrich; and, apparently, quite a few are...
Dorothy Rabinowitz has more than one reason why on the Wall Street Journal website:
"'Substance' is too cold a word, perhaps, for the intense feeling that candidate Gingrich delivers so coolly in debates. Too cold too, no doubt, to describe the reactions of his listeners, visible on the faces of the crowds attending these forums—in their expressions, caught on C-SPAN's cameras, in the speed with which their desultory politeness disappears once a Gingrich talk begins. Their disengagement—the tendency to look around the room, chat with their neighbors—vanishes. The room is on high alert."
Thursday, November 17, 2011
"Congress Members Took Part in Insider Trading"
Members of Congress don't have to have the same healthcare as we do, they are excluded from "do not call" lists, and now this.
Is is any wonder why so many think so little of them?...
Is is any wonder why so many think so little of them?...
An article by Eamon Javers at CNBC.com, included this:
"Generally, however, legal analysts say that Wall Street insider trading laws do not apply to Congress. As an open and public institution, the legal assumption has long been that any member of the public can have access to information about how Congress works. In practice, though, that's simply not true, as powerful members of Congress come into contact daily with market-moving tidbits. That gap between the law and the reality has made Capitol Hill a virtual free-fire zone for insider trading."
"David Axelrod's Pattern of Sexual Misbehavior"
Politics is a dirty business.
As support for my statement, I offer a recent posting by Ann Coulter...
As support for my statement, I offer a recent posting by Ann Coulter...
Ann Coulter writes at Townhall.com:
"Herman Cain has spent his life living and working all over the country -- Indiana, Georgia, Minnesota, Nebraska, Kansas, Washington, D.C. -- but never in Chicago.
So it's curious that all the sexual harassment allegations against Cain emanate from Chicago: home of the Daley machine and Obama consigliere David Axelrod."
"Facts show Fannie, Freddie led mortgage market to the collapse"
Even though many articles have exposed this, it still doesn't seem to have reached the American consciousness.
The fact is: government caused the mortgage crisis, and the financial world suffered the damage that continues today...
The fact is: government caused the mortgage crisis, and the financial world suffered the damage that continues today...
Conn Carroll explains it all at WashingtonExaminer.com. He begins:
"'We are delighted to participate in this historic event, and we are particularly proud that a substantial portion of the $8 billion commitment will directly benefit lower income Americans,' Countrywide Financial President Angelo Mozilo said at a July 8, 1992, press conference.
'We look forward to the rapid fulfillment of this commitment so that Countrywide can sign another record-breaking agreement with Fannie Mae,' Mozilo finished.
Mozilo's almost 20-year-old quote is relevant again thanks to the uproar New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg caused last week when he criticized Occupy Wall Street's view of the financial crisis.
Bloomberg said, 'it was not the banks that created the mortgage crisis. It was, plain and simple, Congress, who forced everybody to go and give mortgages to people who were on the cusp. ... They were the ones who pushed Fannie and Freddie to make a bunch of loans that were imprudent, if you will.'
The usual suspects on the left went crazy."
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
"Three Openly Gay Men at Rev Wright's Chicago Church KILLED the Very Month Obama's Ascent to the Nomination Began?"
I DON'T know if this is true or false.
What I DO know is that the media has NEVER even mentioned it...
What I DO know is that the media has NEVER even mentioned it...
The Reaganite Republican blog has this posted:
"The lurid tales have been circulating for three years now, ever since Hillary Clinton's people began hearing whispers from the Chicago street re. Barack Obama's warehouse full of scary skeletons."
"The Five Most Infantile Beliefs on Display at the ‘Occupy’ Tantrums"
So, what do you think? Does this shoe fit?...
Kyle-Anne Shiver offers this and much more at PJmedia.com:
"These young Obama voters — who in 2008 exchanged their liberal parents’ adolescent rallying cry of 'Our hope is in dope!' for the even more stupid 'That dope is our hope!' — are now angry 'bitter clingers' who refuse to let go of their infantile delusions. The One “they were waiting for” has failed to deliver their fairy tale utopia, so they throw a public tantrum in every city stupid enough to put up with them.
Hordes of good minds so thoroughly wasted in a vainglorious celebration of immaturity and weak character is not a pretty sight. And it bodes horrible ills for the future of this country.
But unless we recognize the fundamental childish beliefs now being trotted out by leftist news people as 'high philosophy' and 'significant political issues,' then we are bound to repeat our parenting tomfoolery all the way to the destruction of this grand republic.
So in the interest of saving America, let’s first recognize the five most infantile beliefs of the OWS kids. These youngsters will go down in history as the biggest bunch of booby-brats ever produced by an advanced civilization."
"Saint Bono and His Endless Crusade"
Is it possible that Bono doesn't know what's going on?
I doubt it.
After all, he HAS moved his base of operations several times to avoid paying taxes...
I doubt it.
After all, he HAS moved his base of operations several times to avoid paying taxes...
Matt Patterson wrote this in an article during the summer. I'm sure it's still valid:
"Wow. I make a living taking on corrupt unions and incompetent politicians, but I’ve never experienced the kind of vitriol like what I’ve received criticizing U2 lead singer Bono for his tireless and tiring political activism.
The article in question, originally published in the Baltimore Sun, prompted representatives from Bono’s non-profit ONE campaign to pester the Sun, challenging me (unsuccessfully) on the facts. Now Maryland Senator Ben Cardin (D) is attacking me for daring to challenge St. Bono and the efficacy of ONE."
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
"Flagship UK carbon capture project 'close to collapse'"
Elected officials are wasting taxpayers money because they are over anxious for accomplishments.
I am of the opinion that solutions for environmental issues cannot be forced.
They will happen; however, it will be when conditions are right and/or profitable...
I am of the opinion that solutions for environmental issues cannot be forced.
They will happen; however, it will be when conditions are right and/or profitable...
Terry Macalister and Damian Carrington have the details on this at the U.K. Guardian website:
"A £1bn flagship government project for fighting climate change – the construction of a prototype carbon capture and storage (CCS) project at Longannet in Scotland – is on the verge of collapse, it emerged on Thursday."
"U.N. Report Finds Israeli Blockade Legal but Raid Flawed"
By now, I think we all know the media doesn't always report issues concerning Israel accurately.
I must admit surprise that the New York Times did publish this.
Of course, what is "excessive and unreasonable" when missiles are being fired into your country?...
I must admit surprise that the New York Times did publish this.
Of course, what is "excessive and unreasonable" when missiles are being fired into your country?...
Neil MacFarquhar and Ethan Bronner reported this about that issue in the New York Times:
"UNITED NATIONS — A long-awaited United Nations review of Israel’s 2010 raid on a Turkish-based flotilla in which nine passengers were killed has found that Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza is both legal and appropriate. But it said that the way Israeli forces boarded the vessels trying to break that blockade 15 months ago was excessive and unreasonable."
"Everything You Thought You Knew About Jon Huntsman Is Wrong"
Here's an article about Jon Huntsman.
Perhaps, after reading it, you will realize that we really only know what the heavily biased media chooses to tell us about our presidential candidates.
Hyperbole in every direction is always their flavor of the day, and I would venture that it's far from accurate...
Perhaps, after reading it, you will realize that we really only know what the heavily biased media chooses to tell us about our presidential candidates.
Hyperbole in every direction is always their flavor of the day, and I would venture that it's far from accurate...
Nicole Austin makes this point and then gives examples at PJmedia.com:
"Despite scuttlebutt to the contrary, former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman is not a Democrat in disguise, but was in fact a relatively ambitious conservative governor. And if he is 'moderate,' he is not appreciably more moderate than other leading candidates or party leaders. If one compares records honestly and looks at policy positions realistically, one will find that in many ways, Huntsman is more conservative than Mitt Romney"
Monday, November 14, 2011
Meanwhile - in Monroeville, PA - Restaurant bans kids
It seems odd to find a story about Pennsylvania in the U.K. news.
As far as the story, I'm sure it won't be long before some lawmaker gets involved...
As far as the story, I'm sure it won't be long before some lawmaker gets involved...
Lydia Warren reports on the U.K. Daily Mail website. She begins:
"When the owners of McDain’s banned children under the age of six from stepping inside their restaurant, offended parents vowed never to eat there again.
But in a surprising twist, the eatery in Monroeville, Pennsylvania has experienced a boom in customers since the ban came into effect."
"Investigator: Herman Cain innocent of sexual advances"
I have no idea what this is worth, but I'm sure you won't see it anytime soon in the mainstream media...
Mike Paluska reports at CBSaltanta.com:
"Ward said the $15,000 software can detect lies in people's voices.
CBS Atlanta's Mike Paluska played Cain's speech for Ward into the software and watched as it analyzed Cain's every word. "
Obama's Virginia Defeat - WSJ.com
Trying to predict next year's election based on this year's results seems somewhat futile.
After all, things have been known to change in a heartbeat...
After all, things have been known to change in a heartbeat...
In the Wall Street Journal, Kimberly Strassel writes about last weeks Virgina election results:
"Virginia Republicans added seven new seats to their majority in the House of Delegates, giving them two-thirds of that chamber's votes—the party's largest margin in history. The GOP also took over the Virginia Senate in results that were especially notable, given that Virginia Democrats this spring crafted an aggressive redistricting plan that had only one aim: providing a firewall against a Republican takeover of that chamber. Even that extreme gerrymander didn't work.
Every Republican incumbent—52 in the House, 15 in the Senate—won. The state GOP is looking at unified control over government for only the second time since the Civil War. This is after winning all three top statewide offices—including the election of Gov. Bob McDonnell—in 2009, and picking off three U.S. House Democrats in last year's midterms."
Sunday, November 13, 2011
2011-11-13 - Words of Wisdom
Saturday, November 12, 2011
"Why Didn’t Obama Call the St. Louis Cardinals After World Series Win?"
No demonstration of "love thy enemy" here.
Are you surprised?...
Are you surprised?...
Doug Powers wonders about this:
"Why wouldn’t Obama have called Tony La Russa and the Cardinals to congratulate them? Maybe he was busy playing golf or shouting 'pass this jobs bill' from the window of a Canadian-made bus… but still, Obama usually isn’t one to miss a prime-time opportunity. He recently took the time to host the Chicago Bears for a title they won 25 years ago, for cryin’ out loud. I wonder what gives.
It wouldn’t be because Tony La Russa is a Tea Party backer and a supporter of Arizona’s immigration law, would it?"
Friday, November 11, 2011
2011-11-11 - Veterans Day
The U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs begins it's description of Veterans Day with this. It has changed somewhat over the years:
"World War I – known at the time as 'The Great War' - officially ended when the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, in the Palace of Versailles outside the town of Versailles, France. However, fighting ceased seven months earlier when an armistice, or temporary cessation of hostilities, between the Allied nations and Germany went into effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. For that reason, November 11, 1918, is generally regarded as the end of 'the war to end all wars'.
In November 1919, President Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day with the following words: 'To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations…'
The original concept for the celebration was for a day observed with parades and public meetings and a brief suspension of business beginning at 11:00 a.m."
"Correcting the ‘fairy tale’: A SEAL’s account of how Osama bin Laden really died"
Do you ever wonder how many things you've been told are accurate?
It would be interesting to compare news reporting to weather reporting.
It seems that they are both comfortable with getting it wrong...
It would be interesting to compare news reporting to weather reporting.
It seems that they are both comfortable with getting it wrong...
Vince Coglianese reports on this one at DailyCaller.com:
"Forget whatever you think you know about the night Osama bin Laden was killed. According to a former Navy SEAL who claims to have the inside track, the mangled tales told of that historic night have only now been corrected.
'It became obvious in the weeks evolving after the mission that the story that was getting put out there was not only untrue, but it was a really ugly farce of what did happen,' said Chuck Pfarrer, author of Seal Target Geronimo: The Inside Story of the Mission to Kill Osama Bin Laden."
Thursday, November 10, 2011
'Look at What We Do' - WSJ.com
This government agency doesn't pass the smell test.
If anything, it seems overloaded on being anti-business; and, the media is quiet.
As always, if you have information, you can decide for yourself...
If anything, it seems overloaded on being anti-business; and, the media is quiet.
As always, if you have information, you can decide for yourself...
The Wall Street Journal reports on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau:
"The manual also encourages its auditors to consider complaints lodged not only with the bureau, but with such political actors as state attorneys general and 'on-line consumer complaint boards such as www.ripoffreport.com or www.complaints.com.' Directing a federal agency to consider complaints lodged on a private, consumer-advocacy website is unprecedented. The tort bar must be delighted at all the business about to be kicked its way.
Mr. Date was reporting Wednesday to Congress on the progress the bureau has made in its first 100 days. Judging from what we know so far, the bureau has vast powers, no serious Congressional checks and an already-politicized agenda. No wonder banks are hunkering done for what may soon hit them."
"Britain suing Europe to stop 'benefit tourism'"
I suspect that I am not alone in that the European Union doesn't match up with many of my beliefs.
Entitlements for everyone for everything just cannot stand the test of time...
Entitlements for everyone for everything just cannot stand the test of time...
Robert Winnett reports this in the U.K. Telegraph:
"In September, it emerged that the EU was threatening Britain with legal action after this country refused to pay some benefits to other European citizens who have not worked or lived here. Britain has been given a two month deadline to reverse the decision but will refuse and is braced for court action."
Wednesday, November 09, 2011
The 'Go Big' Illusion - WSJ.com
As usual, it's not about helping Americans; it's ALL about getting re-elected...
A recent Wall Street Journal editorial informs us of this:
"As for Mr. Obama, our sources say the White House has been working behind the scenes to scuttle any deal that doesn't have well north of $1 trillion in tax increases. This fits his campaign theme that what he calls 'the Republican Congress' is responsible for 9% unemployment. A bipartisan deal without a major tax increase makes that narrative harder to sell.
Thus in the same way that he tossed aside his own Bowles-Simpson deficit commission, Mr. Obama now wants the super committee he endorsed in August to blow up so he can run against Congress and 'millionaires and billionaires.' Mr. Obama wants voters to forget that Democrats still control the Senate, and he wouldn't mind sacrificing the upper house next year if it helps retain his lease on the White House."
The Rypien Family Does Football
I guess you could say that football is in the blood of the Rypien family.
Of course, there's a bit more to this story than this quote...
Of course, there's a bit more to this story than this quote...
Rick Reilly reports on the relationship at ESPN.com:
"'The first time my dad saw me in my uniform, it was, well, awkward,' says Angela Rypien, who threw for three touchdowns and no interceptions in her lingerie … debut, a 42-8 undressing of Green Bay. 'But it's nothing different than if we'd gone to the beach that day. Actually, I probably wear more than if I was at the beach.'"
Tuesday, November 08, 2011
"Show up to Work Stoned? No Problem for Some Ohio Public Union Employees"
Today, in Ohio, there is a referendum vote about unions.
Personally, I have nothing against unions; however, public sector unions have gone far beyond negotiating for proper working conditions.
Some benefits and demands are clearly "over the top"...
Personally, I have nothing against unions; however, public sector unions have gone far beyond negotiating for proper working conditions.
Some benefits and demands are clearly "over the top"...
"Bytor" gives some background and explains some things:
"Cincinnati.com did an investigation into public contracts in effect around Southwestern Ohio. What they found are some crazy provisions from an out-of-control system that is tilted towards the unions in Ohio.Contracts approved by Cincinnati City Council include benefits that, among other things, permit many workers to draw 13 sick days a year, grant three weeks’ worth of compensatory time to public safety employees for holidays whether they work them or not, and entitle veteran police officers to nearly 10 weeks of various leaves annually.13 sick days a year? 3 weeks of holiday pay? There’s more."
"The Real Class War: Jimmy Hoffa, Ohio Union Bosses Won’t Lower Dues to Help Workers"
Why is every complaint starting to look like a baby's tantrum?
Are these teachers not smart enough to see this as it really is?
And we let them teach/influence our kids!...
Are these teachers not smart enough to see this as it really is?
And we let them teach/influence our kids!...
hristian Hartsock includes this in his article at BigGovernment.com:
"I asked one teacher how, being an Occupy demonstrator and opponent of Ohio labor reforms, she justified the $210,000 annual salary of Larry Wicks, executive director of the Ohio Education Association (OEA), of which she is a dues-paying member. She paused for thought–understandably, since that fact would seem to justify class warfare against the 'rich' Mr. Wicks. Ultimately, she concurred with my criticism, and even condemned her very own OEA.
Other Ohio teachers are even less hesitant to criticize their union. One teacher (who wished to remain anonymous for her own safety) shared that she had requested a waiver to opt out of paying the union’s political assessments, to which the response was, 'We’ll get back to you.' They didn’t.
Recently, fifteen teachers filed a class-action suit in the U.S. District Court in Columbus, claiming the OEA had illegally refused to provide the teachers with independently-audited financial statements disclosing how fees were being appropriated."
Monday, November 07, 2011
"Oakland businesses to city: It’s “us” or “them” (OWS). The consequences of mob rule"
I have to wonder if there is a word for "protesting for the sake of protesting".
Anyway, this "Occupy Wall Street / Occupy Everything" idea is clearly ill-conceived, mis-directed, and possibly politically contrived.
It doesn't fall within the real scope of peaceful protest or civil disobedience and I'm actually hoping it backfires on those that condone it.
Let's talk about the stupidity of "biting the hand that feeds you"...
Anyway, this "Occupy Wall Street / Occupy Everything" idea is clearly ill-conceived, mis-directed, and possibly politically contrived.
It doesn't fall within the real scope of peaceful protest or civil disobedience and I'm actually hoping it backfires on those that condone it.
Let's talk about the stupidity of "biting the hand that feeds you"...
"MataHarley", at FloppingAces.com, has a lot to say about the Oakland, CA version, and MUCH more:
"In a moment of irony, even Oakland Local, a nonprofit news site that touts itself as being the 'media resource for diverse voices in the East Bay of California and a capacity-building tool to help low-income and under-served communities make their voices heard online' has their own op-ed about the repercussions of Occupy Oakland, and the potential loss of all 'hope' of an urban economic recovery. While careful not to totally alienate themselves to the Occupy cause – which would be a betrayal of their base beliefs – they do speak out of the “invisible” 99%, paying the price for the local disgruntled."
"Gunwalker: Lanny Breuer Fails to Take Pressure off Eric Holder"
What a tangled web this is.
Everything denied previously is turning out to be true.
Obviously, a scapegoat or "fall guy" is needed; however, the content of emails and documents seem to implicate everyone.
As usual, the coverup (remember Watergate?) is likely to be the "take down" item...
Everything denied previously is turning out to be true.
Obviously, a scapegoat or "fall guy" is needed; however, the content of emails and documents seem to implicate everyone.
As usual, the coverup (remember Watergate?) is likely to be the "take down" item...
Bob Owens discusses the issue at PJmedia.com, offering this conclusion:
"The evidence is mounting against DOJ, DHS, and the White House, and things only got worse when Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stated that her department was not alerted to Operation Fast and Furious. This means that the Arms Export Control Act was morel than likely violated, and strongly suggests that the administration committed thousands of felony violations of the act in addition to the other laws that may have been broken."
"Blizzard of 'no' in Colorado kills tax hikes for schools"
Voters in Colorado have expressed their opinion.
Hopefully, this sentiment is reflected nationally...
Hopefully, this sentiment is reflected nationally...
Valerie Richardson writes about it at WashingtonTimes.com:
"Coloradans overwhelmingly rejected Proposition 103, a statewide ballot measure that would have increased the sales and income taxes to fund education. The lopsided outcome — the initiative lost by a margin of 64 percent to 36 percent — upended predictions that the measure probably would lose but that the vote would be close.
While they were at it, voters shot down anything that could pick their pocketbooks or cost them jobs, including school bond measures and a Denver proposal requiring businesses to give employees sick leave.
The Denver Post called the Election Day results 'a killing field for tax measures.' The implications were not lost on most political analysts, who noted that a tight-fisted electorate, still feeling pinched by the economy in 2011, could spell trouble for Democrats in 2012."
Sunday, November 06, 2011
2011-11-06 - Words of Wisdom
Saturday, November 05, 2011
"GOP TV: Lose the Game Shows, Give Us Debates"
I think this writer has a real point here.
The debates seem so shallow and sound bite oriented.
We've certainly moved from pure debating towards entertainment...
The debates seem so shallow and sound bite oriented.
We've certainly moved from pure debating towards entertainment...
Ed Morrisey explains his thought below at FiscalTimes.com:
"When Iowans tell presidential candidates not to show up in their state just two weeks before the January 3 caucuses, people might be inclined to agree that there have been too many debates. But the truth is, we haven’t seen any debates. What we have had is too many game shows."
Friday, November 04, 2011
"Met Police spends millions of pounds on secret aircraft"
Wow. This is the police, not the military; and since 1997 no less.
I figure it goes without saying that the U.S. is doing something similar...
I figure it goes without saying that the U.S. is doing something similar...
Jason Lewis and Andy Blackmore recently reported this in the U.K. Daily Telegraph:
"The planes have apparently been fitted with secret surveillance equipment capable of intercepting mobile phone calls or eavesdropping on conversations."
Thursday, November 03, 2011
"Obama's Student-Loan Order Saves the Average Grad Less Than $10 a Month"
Some things are not exactly as they appear to be.
The numbers presented here are clearly not being publicized...
The numbers presented here are clearly not being publicized...
Daniel Indiviglio reported this at theAtlantic.com:
"The monthly impact of the president's new effort for most Americans paying off college debt will be between $4 and $8"
EDITORIAL: TSA's power grope - Washington Times
We certainly live in interesting times...
This is just part of a recent Washington Times editorial:
"As part of a 'statewide safety operation,' TSA employees fondled travelers at bus terminals in Nashville and Knoxville, hunting for 'security threats.' Truckers were harassed at four Volunteer State highway locations between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. - prime time for terrorism, apparently.
Brian Gamble, a Florida firefighter, caught one of these intrusive VIPR operations on video after he got off a train in Savannah, Ga., earlier this year. 'They had the scanners and everything there,' Mr. Gamble told The Washington Times. 'They had them pull up their shirts, patted them down, wanded them. There were a couple ladies in our group getting searched. … It’s kinda ridiculous when you’re coming off a train - it doesn’t make any sense.'
Expect a lot more touching in the months ahead. 'TSA conducted more than 8,000 VIPR operations in the past 12 months, including more than 3,700 operations in mass-transit and passenger-railroad venues,' boasted TSA Administrator John S. Pistole in June testimony before the Senate. His 2012 budget calls for expanding VIPR by 50 percent."
Wednesday, November 02, 2011
"Thoroughbred Makes Racing History At Laurel Park"
Wanna buy a race horse?
Try to imagine having this happen...
Try to imagine having this happen...
CBSlocal for Baltimore reported this and a little more:
"With his jockey J.D. Acosta, Rapid Redux led throughout the seven-furlong race and covered the distance in one minute and 24.07 seconds."
Government at Work - in Harrisburg, PA
I'm willing to bet that the "bad" deals discussed here are somehow connected to political favoritism or relatives of elected officials...
Steve Malanga writes about it in the Wall Street Journal and concludes:
"Perhaps the country does need a national museum of bad government ideas. Harrisburg would be a good place for it."
